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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
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`15/206,272
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`07/10/2016
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`DAI YOKOYAMA
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`PIPMM-56485
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`7410
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`759°
`52°“
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
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`”’31ng
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`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`SUITE 1200
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`CLEVELAND, OH 44114-3108
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`CAZAN LIVIUS RADU
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`3729
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`12/31/2018
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
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`patdoeket@pearne.eom
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/206,272
`Examiner
`LIVIUS R CAZAN
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`Applicant(s)
`YOKOYAMA et al.
`Art Unit
`AIA Status
`3729
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
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`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 1/8/2018.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
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`1—13 is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(ss)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(ss)—1_—18 si/are rejected.
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`Claim(s)—1_—18is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`6 7
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`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[:1 Claim(ss)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.'sp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
`10):] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11). The drawing(s) filed on 7/10/2016 is/are: a). accepted or b)l:] objected to by the Examiner.
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`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
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`b)|:] Some”
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.|:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`3D Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1)
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`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail DateW.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20181224
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/206,272
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
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`is being examined under the first
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`inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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`2.
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`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.
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`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.
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`3.
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`Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112jbj or 35 U.S.C. 112 jpre-AIAj, second paragraph, as
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`being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the
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`inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
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`4.
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`In claim 1, line 5, the phrase ”preparing a mounting head” renders the claim indefinite, because
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`the remaining claim limitations in lines 5-11 fail to set forth how the mounting head is prepared.
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`5.
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`The language of claim 1 is confusing, because the component would appear to be held by the
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`nozzle even before the pick-up step. More specifically, the phrase ”the nozzle holding the electronic
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`component at an opening end of the suction path by using negative pressure, a pusher that abuts against
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`the electronic component held by the nozzle and pushes the electronic component onto the substrate”
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`(lines 7-10) requires the component to be held by the nozzle and pushed by the pusher. However, these
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`operations are recited prior to the pick-up step. The scope of the claims is unclear, because claim 1 appear
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`to require performing operations on the component, before the component has been picked up.
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`6.
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`In claim 1, line 11, the phrase ”is horizontally rotated” because it is unclear whether it means the
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`rotator is rotated, in this step, or whether it means the rotator is capable of being rotated.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/206,272
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 3
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`7.
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`In claim 1, line 11, the phrase ”horizontally rotated” is used. It is unclear whether this means the
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`rotation is about a horizontal axis, or whether the rotation is about a vertical axis, such that a point on the
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`rotator is rotated in a horizontal plane. Similarly in claim 5, lines 6 and 8, claim 9, line 2, claim 12, line 4.
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`8.
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`In claim 1, line 26, it is unclear whether ”vertically rotating” refers to rotation of the component
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`holder about a vertical axis, or to rotation of the component holder about a horizontal axis, such that a
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`point on the component holder is rotated in a vertical plane.
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`9.
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`In claim 1, lines 28-31, it is unclear to what ”positioning the at least one lead [...] and the insertion
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`hole [...] by moving the mounting head” refers. Positioning these elements with respect to what? How
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`does moving the mounting head position the insertion hole of the substrate?
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`10.
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`In claim 4, lines 2 and 3, it is unclear what is meant by ”referring information regarding an suction
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`target position”. Is the information obtained by examining the component? Is it obtained from a memory
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`or database of some sort?
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`11.
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`Claims 6-13 include some limitations that appear to recite active method steps, rather than using
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`language such as ”for” or ”configured to”. Specifically, ”is lifted and lowered” in claim 6, line 5; ”is held”
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`in claim 6, line 6; ”causes the rotator to horizontally rotate” in claim 6, line 8; ”changes a attitude of the
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`component holder” in claim 6, lines 14 and 15; ”abuts against the electronic component” in claim 6, line
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`17; ”pushes the electronic component” in claim 6, line 19; ”a piston rotating the swing member” in claim
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`8, line 3; ”input shaft rotating together with the swing member” in claim 8, last two lines; ”is horizontally
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`rotated” in claim 9, line 2; ”is disposed” in claim 10, line 3; ”is vertically moved” in claim 12, lines 2 and 3;
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`”detecting mis-mounting” in claim 13, line 3.
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`12.
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`In claim 8, lines 2 and 3, it is unclear whether ”rotatable swing member about a horizontal shaft”
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`means the swing member is rotatable about the horizontal shaft, or whether it means the rotatable swing
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`member is disposed about a shaft, but not necessarily rotatable about the shaft.
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/206,272
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 4
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`13.
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`Claims 1-13 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35
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`U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
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`Conclusion
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`14.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should
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`be directed to LIVIUS R CAZAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8032. The examiner can normally
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`be reached on Monday - Friday noon-8:30pm.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO
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`supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the
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`USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter
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`Vo can be reached on 571-272-4690. The fax phone number for the organization where this application
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`or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through
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`/LIVIUS RADU CAZAN/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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`