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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
`
`15/074,019
`
`03/18/2016
`
`KENICHIRO ISHIMOTO
`
`PIPMM-56123
`
`9555
`
`759°
`52°“
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
`
`06’1””
`
`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`SUITE 1200
`
`CLEVELAND, OH 44114-3108
`
`CASS“ ROBERT A
`
`2115
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`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`06/19/2019
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`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
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/074,019
`Examiner
`ROBERT A CASSITY
`
`Applicant(s)
`ISHIMOTO, KENICHIRO
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2115
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`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).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 12 November 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.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
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`1—10 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 18 March 2016 is/are: a). accepted or b)C] objected to by the Examiner.
`
`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).
`
`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)D Some**
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`C)D None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3:] 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)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 29 March 2019; 29 November 2018_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190613—a
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED OFFICE ACTION
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`Claims 1—10 are pending examination in this Office action.
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`Claim 1 is independent.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
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`is being examined under the
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`1.
`
`2.
`
`3.
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`4.
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`This Office action is final.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`5.
`
`The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found
`
`in a prior Office action.
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`6.
`
`Claims 1—3, 7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Yamamura, et al. (US Patent Publication 2005/0160593 A1) in View of Yamazaki (US Patent
`
`Publication 2015/0289386 A1).
`
`Regarding claim 1, Yamamura teaches a setting support system for setting an operational
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`parameter that stipulates an operation of mounting an electronic component onto a substrate by a
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`component mounting apparatus [Fig 1, 0020; electronic component mounting apparatus]
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`wherein the component mounting apparatus is configured to unload an electronic
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`component from a component supply unit [Fig1, componentfeeder unit2] including a tape
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`feeder that supplies a carrier tape [Fig 1, carrier tape] holding the electronic component and to
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`transfer the electronic component to a substrate for mounting the electronic component to the
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`substrate [Fig 1, tapefeeder 4] [0021; transfer head8 mounts on electronic componentpicked up
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`from the tapefeeder4 onto substrate IOplacedon conveyor track 9], the setting support system
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`comprising :
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 3
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`a controller of the component mounting apparatus that includes an input unit into which a
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`setting value of a component parameter [0027; control unit 14] [0033, Fig 3; control system] that
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`includes at least one of component information relating to the electronic component [0035;
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`according to the electronic components to be mounted (componentparameter)] and
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`tape information relating to the carrier tape [0034; indication of kind ofcarrier tape is a
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`carrier tape parameter], and a setting value of an operational parameter relating to the operation
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`of mounting the electronic component onto the substrate by the component mounting apparatus,
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`which is linked to the component parameter [0033; the communication unit27 receives a control
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`parameter] [0035; changing the advancing speed and advancing distance by changing the
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`controlparameter (operating parameter)], are input;
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`a storage configured to store a correlation able linking the component parameter to the
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`operational parameter [Fig 1; storage unit 15] [0039; writing the data to a storage unit 15]; and
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`a creation processor [Fig 1; control unit 14] that creates a rule table from the setting value
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`of the component parameter and the setting value of the operational parameter which are input
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`into the input unit, and from the correlation able that is stored in the storage [0034; the
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`communication unit27performs aprocess ofwriting the data sentfrom the control unit 14 into
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`the data storage unit26 (but not necessarily into a table) [0039; the control unitperforma
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`process ofcomputing this data in the mounting apparatus], and
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`wherein the component mounting apparatus is configured to perform an operation of the
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`component mounting apparatus is configured to perform an operation of the component
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`mounting apparatus based on the rule table created by the creation processor [Claim 1;
`
`the
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`stored data is used to performa mounting operation].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 4
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`Yamamura teaches that the storage is configured to store data correlating the component
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`parameter to the operational parameter, but may not explicitly teach that the storage is
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`configured to store a correlation table.
`
`However, Yamazaki teaches a setting support system for setting an operational parameter
`
`that stipulates an operation of a component mounting apparatus [Fig 1; electronic component
`
`mounting system], wherein the component mounting apparatus is configured to unload an
`
`electronic component from a component supply unit [0025; component supply unit] including a
`
`tape feeder [0026; tape feeder] that supplies a carrier tape holding the electronic component and
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`to transfer the electronic component to a substrate for mounting the electronic component to the
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`substrate, the setting support system comprising:
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`acontroller of the component mounting apparatus [0023; mounter] includes several
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`operation units that act as a controller(i.e., mounting controloperation unit 10] [Fig ] that
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`includes an input unit [0027; operation and input unit] 7] into which a setting value of a
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`component parameter that includes at least one of component information relating to the
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`electronic component and tape information relating to the carrier tape, and a setting value of an
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`operational parameter relating to the operation of mounting the electronic component onto the
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`substrate by component mounting apparatus, which is linked to the component parameter [0006;
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`operating parameters are set by component type] [0024—0026] [0043], are input;
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`a storage configured to store a correlation table linking the component parameter to the
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`operational parameter [0042; storage unit 2]] [0002; an operating parameterfor executing each
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`operation is an optimaloperation mode is set according to the type of the electronic component
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`and is stored in theform ofa data table]; and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 5
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`a creation processor that create as a rule table from the setting value of the component
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`parameter and the setting value of the operational parameter which are input into the input unit,
`
`and from the correlation able that is stored in the storage [0026; data processing unit 15 performs
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`processing such as update processingfor the component information stored in the component
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`information storage unit and data synchronization between the dataprocessing unit and higher
`
`level system], and
`
`wherein the component mounting apparatus is configured to perform an operation of the
`
`component mounting apparatus is configured to perform an operation of the component
`
`mounting apparatus based on the rule table created by the creation processor [0023;
`
`the
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`electronic component mounting operation unit controls a mounting mechanism] [0002; the
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`electronic component mounting device is usedfor executing a component mounting operation
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`based on an operating parameter stored in a data table].1
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date to combine the teachings of Yamamura and Yamazaki. Yamamura teaches setting
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`operation parameters for a component mounting system that determines an operating mode based
`
`on component parameters and parameters related to the carrier tape being used. Yamazaki
`
`teaches component information correlating to the operating parameters and storing the
`
`parameters in a data table of a storage unit. One of ordinary skill in the art would have
`
`1 Examiner notes thatclairnl has furtherbeen amended to include “wherein the component information is
`information reg ardingpolarity of the electronic component, a polarity mark, a mark position, a cornponenttype, and
`price”. Examiner agrees that none of the cited limitations explicitly teach this amended limitation. However, claim
`1 requires “a controller ofthe componentmounting apparatus that includes an input unit into which a setting value
`of a component parameter that includes at least one ofcomponent information. .
`. and tape information relating to
`the carrier tape.” Examiner notes that Yamamura and Yamazaki teach the controller of the component mounting
`apparatus includes an input unit into which a setting value of a component parameter that includes a tape
`information relating to the carrier tape is input as dis closed above. Since the claim only requires “at least one of’
`component information relating to the electronic component and tape information relating to the carrier tape, the
`amendment which further defines the component information is not sufficient to overcome the cited references.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 6
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`motivation to store component and operating parameters in a table because tables are easy to use
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`for comparing and performing mathematical calculations on stored data.
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`The rejections of claim 2—3, 7 and 9 are respectfully maintained for the same reasons as
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`set forth in the previous Office actions.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
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`date to combine the teachings of Yamamura and Yamazaki for the same reasons as disclosed
`
`above.
`
`7.
`
`Claim 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamura, et al.
`
`(US Patent Publication 2005/0160593 Al) in view of Yamazaki (US Patent Publication
`
`2015/0289386 Al) and further in view of Suhara (US Patent Publication 2011/0002509 Al,
`
`hereinafter “Suhara I”).
`
`The rejection of claim 5 is respectfully maintained for the same reasons as disclosed in
`
`the previous office actions.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before
`
`the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Suhara I with Yamamura and Yamazaki for
`
`the same reasons as disclosed in the previous Office action.
`
`8.
`
`Claim 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamura, et al.
`
`(US Patent Publication 2005/0160593 Al) in view of Yamazaki (US Patent Publication
`
`2015/0289386 Al) and further in view of Maenishi, et al. (US Patent Publication 2015/0173205
`
`A1).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 7
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`The rejection of claim 8 is respectfully maintained for the same reasons as disclosed in
`
`the previous office actions.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before
`
`the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Maenishi with Yamamura and Yamazaki for
`
`the same reasons as disclosed in the previous Office action.
`
`9.
`
`Claim 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamura, et
`
`al. (US Patent Publication 2005/0160593 A1) in view of Yamazaki (US Patent Publication
`
`2015/0289386 A1) and further in view of Suhara, et al. (US Patent Publication 2005/0036274
`
`A1, hereinafter “Suhara 11”).
`
`Regarding claim 10, Yamamura and Yamazaki teach the setting support system of claim
`
`1, but may not explicitly teach wherein the tape information includes tap material of the carrier
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`tape, tape width indicating dimension of the carrier tape, feeding interval indicating a tape
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`feeding pitch, and color of the carrier tape.
`
`However, Suhara II teaches another component management system wherein an input
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`unit into which a setting value of a component parameter that includes a tape information
`
`relating to the carrier tape and wherein the tape information includes tap material of the carrier
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`tape, tape width indicating dimension of the carrier tape, feeding interval indicating a tape
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`feeding pitch, and color of the carrier tape [0220; code I 70 is input which represents the type
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`number and dimensions of the components of the tape, the number ofcomponents ofthe tape, the
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`width and thickness ofthe tape, spacing pitch in the arrangement ofthe components the type of
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`component tape (carrier tape)] [0241—0242; the tape information includes the color ofthe tape]
`
`[0016].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 8
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date to combine the teachings of Suhara II with Yamamura and Yamazaki. Yamamura and
`
`Yamazaki collectively teach setting operational parameters for a component mounting system
`
`that determines an operating mode based on component parameters and parameters related to the
`
`carrier tape being used that are stored in a table of a storage unit. Suhara II teaches that the
`
`component parameters are dependent on parameters of the carrier tape and specifies the
`
`parameters of the carrier tape. It would have been obvious to use the carrier tape parameters
`
`adjust settings for the component mounting apparatus.
`
`9.
`
`Applicant's arguments filed 12 November 2018 have been fully considered but they are
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`not persuasive.
`
`Applicant argues that the claims are in condition for allowance because neither
`
`Yamamura nor Yamazaki teach the amended limitation “wherein the component information is
`
`information regarding polarity of the electronic component, apolarity mark, a mark position, a
`
`component type, and price. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
`
`Examiner agrees that none of the cited limitations explicitly teach this amended
`
`limitation. However, claim 1 requires “a controller of the component mounting apparatus that
`
`
`includes an input unit into which a setting value of a component parameter that includes at least
`
`one of component information .
`
`.
`
`. and tape information relating to the carrier tape.” Examiner
`
`notes that Yamamura and Yamazaki teach the controller of the component mounting apparatus
`
`includes an input unit into which a setting value of a component parameter that includes a tape
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 9
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`information relating to the carrier tape is input [Yamamura, 0034; indication of kind of carrier
`
`tape is a carrier tape parameter]. Since the claim only requires “at least one of” component
`
`information relating to the electronic component and tape information relating to the carrier tape,
`
`the amendment which further defines the component information is not sufficient to overcome
`
`the cited references.
`
`Conclusion
`
`10.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to ROBERT A CASSITY whose telephone number is (571)270—
`
`3150. The examiner can normally be reached on M—F: 7:30—4 PM.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone,
`
`in—person, and video conferencing using
`
`a USPTO supplied web—based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is
`
`encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at
`
`htth/www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Thomas Lee can be reached on 571—272—3667. The fax phone number for the
`
`organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571—273—8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
`
`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications
`
`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
`
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/074,019
`Art Unit: 2115
`
`Page 10
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`system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866—217—9197 (toll—free). If you would
`
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`
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`
`/ROBERT A CASSITY/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
`13 June 2019
`
`