DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s communication filed on July 31, 2025. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-16 are currently presented in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 7/31/2025 and 4/2/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the first output port" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the second output port" in line 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-16 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-8, 13-15 and 18-19 of U.S. Patent No. 12,400,831 in view of Ahn et al. (US 2011/0273355).
As claim 1: A multifrequency matching circuit, comprising: a first input port configured to receive RF power at a first frequency; a second input port configured to receive RF power at a second frequency; matching circuitry comprising: a first circuit portion comprising one or more first tuning elements configured to receive the RF power at the first input port and provide impedance matching for a first load; a second circuit portion comprising one or more second tuning elements configured to receive the RF power at the second input port and provide impedance matching for a second load; one or more signal monitors (phase-mag detectors) configured to monitor the signal levels of the RF power provided through the matching circuitry; one or more partitions positioned between and the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion, the partition physically separates the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion the first output port coupled to the first circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a first output signal to the first load at the first frequency; and the second output port coupled to the second circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a second output signal to the second load at the second frequency (see claims 1 and 4 of the above patent).
As claim 2: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the first output port and the second output port are spaced apart from one another at a distance (see claim 2 of the above patent).
As claim 3: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 2, wherein the distance is in a range of between about 1 inch to about 35 inches (see claim 3 of the above patent).
As claim 4: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first phase-mag detector coupled between the first input port and the first circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the first input port; and a second phase-mag detector coupled between the second input port and the second circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the second input port (see claim 1 of the above patent).
As claim 5: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first voltage-current (VI) probe coupled between the first circuit portion and the first output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the first output signal; and a second VI probe coupled between the second circuit portion and the second output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the second output signal (see claim 1 of the above patent).
As claim 6: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the matching circuitry comprising: a first bypass filter element provided between the first input port and the one or more first tuning elements, the first bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the second frequency that is leaked to the first circuit portion; and a second bypass filter element provided between the second input port and the one or more second tuning elements, the second bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the first frequency that is leaked to the second circuit portion (see claims 1 and 5-7 of the above patent).
As claim 7: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first bypass filter and before the first series capacitor, the first series capacitor is positioned between first shunt capacitor and the first output port (see claim 7 of the above patent).
As claim 8: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first by pass filter and is positioned between the first series capacitor and the first output port, the first series capacitor is positioned between the first bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claim 8 of the above patent).
As claim 9: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more second tuning element comprises a second shunt capacitor and a second series capacitor, the second shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the second bypass filter, the second series capacitor is positioned between the second bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claim 9 of the above patent).
As claim 10: A power generation system for inductively coupled plasma (ICP) loads, comprising: a first RF generator configured to provide electromagnetic energy at a first frequency in a continuous mode or a pulsed mode; a second RF generator configured to provide electromagnetic energy at a second frequency in a continuous mode or a pulsed mode, wherein the second frequency is different than the first frequency; a matching circuitry comprising: a first circuit portion of one or more first tuning elements and a first bypass filter configured to receive the electromagnetic energy at the first frequency and provide impedance matching for a first ICP load; a second circuit portion of one or more second tuning elements and a second bypass filter configured to receive the electromagnetic energy at the second frequency and provide impedance matching for a second ICP load; one or more signal monitors configured to monitor the signal levels of the RF power provided through the matching circuitry; one or more partitions positioned between and the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion, the partition physically separates the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion the first ICP load coupled to the first circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a first output signal to the first load at the first frequency; and the second ICP load coupled to the second circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a second output signal to the second load at the second frequency (see claims 11 and 4 of the above patent).
As claim 11: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first phase-mag detector coupled between the first input port and the first circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the first input port; and a second phase-mag detector coupled between the second input port and the second circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the second input port (see claim 11 of the above patent).
As claim 12: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first voltage-current (VI) probe coupled between the first circuit portion and the first output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the first output signal; and a second VI probe coupled between the second circuit portion and the second output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the second output signal (see claim 11 of the above patent).
As claim 13: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the matching circuitry comprising: a first bypass filter element provided between the first input port and the one or more first tuning elements, the first bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the second frequency that is leaked to the first circuit portion; and a second bypass filter element provided between the second input port and the one or more second tuning elements, the second bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the first frequency that is leaked to the second circuit portion (see claims 11-13 of the above patent).
As claim 14: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first bypass filter and before the first series capacitor, the first series capacitor is positioned between first shunt capacitor and the first ICP load (see claim 14 of the above patent).
As claim 15: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first by pass filter and is positioned between the first series capacitor and the first ICP load, the first series capacitor is positioned between the first bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claim 15 of the above patent).
As claim 16: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more second tuning element comprises a second shunt capacitor and a second series capacitor, the second shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the second bypass filter, the second series capacitor is positioned between the second bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claim 16 of the above patent).
Claims 1-16 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3, 5-9 and 11-16 of U.S. Patent No. 12,040,159 in view of Ahn et al. (US 2011/0273355).
As claim 1: A multifrequency matching circuit, comprising: a first input port configured to receive RF power at a first frequency; a second input port configured to receive RF power at a second frequency; matching circuitry comprising: a first circuit portion comprising one or more first tuning elements configured to receive the RF power at the first input port and provide impedance matching for a first load; a second circuit portion comprising one or more second tuning elements configured to receive the RF power at the second input port and provide impedance matching for a second load; one or more signal monitors (VI probes) configured to monitor the signal levels of the RF power provided through the matching circuitry; the first output port coupled to the first circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a first output signal to the first load at the first frequency; and the second output port coupled to the second circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a second output signal to the second load at the second frequency (see claims 1 and 9 of the above patent).
As claims 2-3: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the first output port and the second output port are spaced apart from one another at a distance and wherein the distance is in a range of between about 1 inch to about 35 inches. However, this difference is not patentable merits since a distance of the ports can be selected that depends on a particular application of environment of use. Thus, this configuration for the stated purpose would have been deemed obvious to a person skilled in the art.
As claim 4: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first phase-mag detector coupled between the first input port and the first circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the first input port; and a second phase-mag detector coupled between the second input port and the second circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the second input port (see claim 8 of the above patent).
As claim 5: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first voltage-current (VI) probe coupled between the first circuit portion and the first output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the first output signal; and a second VI probe coupled between the second circuit portion and the second output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the second output signal (see claim 1 of the above patent).
As claim 6: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the matching circuitry comprising: a first bypass filter element provided between the first input port and the one or more first tuning elements, the first bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the second frequency that is leaked to the first circuit portion; and a second bypass filter element provided between the second input port and the one or more second tuning elements, the second bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the first frequency that is leaked to the second circuit portion (see claim 2 of the above patent).
As claim 7: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first bypass filter and before the first series capacitor, the first series capacitor is positioned between first shunt capacitor and the first output port (see claims 3-7 of the above patent).
As claim 8: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first by pass filter and is positioned between the first series capacitor and the first output port, the first series capacitor is positioned between the first bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claims 3-7 of the above patent).
As claim 9: The multifrequency matching circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more second tuning element comprises a second shunt capacitor and a second series capacitor, the second shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the second bypass filter, the second series capacitor is positioned between the second bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claims 3-7 of the above patent).
As claim 10: A power generation system for inductively coupled plasma (ICP) loads, comprising: a first RF generator configured to provide electromagnetic energy at a first frequency in a continuous mode or a pulsed mode; a second RF generator configured to provide electromagnetic energy at a second frequency in a continuous mode or a pulsed mode, wherein the second frequency is different than the first frequency; a matching circuitry comprising: a first circuit portion of one or more first tuning elements and a first bypass filter configured to receive the electromagnetic energy at the first frequency and provide impedance matching for a first ICP load; a second circuit portion of one or more second tuning elements and a second bypass filter configured to receive the electromagnetic energy at the second frequency and provide impedance matching for a second ICP load; one or more signal monitors configured to monitor the signal levels of the RF power provided through the matching circuitry; one or more partitions positioned between and the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion, the partition physically separates the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion; the first ICP load coupled to the first circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a first output signal to the first load at the first frequency; and the second ICP load coupled to the second circuit portion of the matching circuitry and configured to provide a second output signal to the second load at the second frequency (see claims 13 and 9 of the above patent).
As claim 11: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first phase-mag detector coupled between the first input port and the first circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the first input port; and a second phase-mag detector coupled between the second input port and the second circuit portion configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power at the second input port (see claim 15 of the above patent).
As claim 12: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more signal monitors comprise: a first voltage-current (VI) probe coupled between the first circuit portion and the first output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the first output signal; and a second VI probe coupled between the second circuit portion and the second output port configured to measure the signal levels of the RF power of the second output signal (see claim 13 of the above patent).
As claim 13: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the matching circuitry comprising: a first bypass filter element provided between the first input port and the one or more first tuning elements, the first bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the second frequency that is leaked to the first circuit portion; and a second bypass filter element provided between the second input port and the one or more second tuning elements, the second bypass filter element configured to filter out residual power at the first frequency that is leaked to the second circuit portion (see claim 14 of the above patent).
As claim 14: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first bypass filter and before the first series capacitor, the first series capacitor is positioned between first shunt capacitor and the first ICP load (see claims 13-14 and 18-19 of the above patent).
As claim 15: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more first tuning element comprises a first shunt capacitor and a first series capacitor, the first shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the first by pass filter and is positioned between the first series capacitor and the first ICP load, the first series capacitor is positioned between the first bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claims 13-14 and 18-19 of the above patent).
As claim 16: The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the one or more second tuning element comprises a second shunt capacitor and a second series capacitor, the second shunt capacitor is positioned in parallel to the second bypass filter, the second series capacitor is positioned between the second bypass filter and the second shunt capacitor (see claims 13-14 and 18-19 of the above patent).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Prior art Zhao et al. – US 2020/0090908
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/TUNG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845 August 20, 2026
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