www.uspto.gov
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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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`15/785,732
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`10/17/2017
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`TOShihikO TSUJIKAWA
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`PIPMM-58223
`
`3559
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`759°
`52°“
`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
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`10’0””
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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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`10/03/2019
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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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`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/785,732
`Examiner
`LIVIUS R CAZAN
`
`Applicant(s)
`TSUJIKAWA et al.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) 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 10/17/2017.
`[: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*
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`5)
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`Claim(s) fl 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(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/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
`[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
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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.jsp 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 10/17/2017 is/are: a). accepted or b)[:] 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)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.
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`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`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)).
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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 Datem.
`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 20190929
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/785,732
`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.
`
`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 1-4 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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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
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`(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall
`contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject
`matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the
`limitations of the claim to which it refers.
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`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
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`Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in
`dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further
`limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate
`by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
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`5.
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`In particular, the claims, although drawn to an apparatus, appear to also include process steps.
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`For example, in claim 1, line 1, ”performs work”; line 6,”irradiates"; line 10, ”reflects”; line 12, ”images”.
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`See MPEP 2173.05(p)(||). The claims should be rewritten to utilize language such as --configured to--.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/785,732
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 3
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`6.
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`Claim 3 is re‘ected under 35 U.S.C. 112 d or
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`re-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112 4th ara ra h as bein of
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`improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it
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`depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
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`In particular, claim
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`3 is drawn to the structure of the board, and fails to further limit the structure of the apparatus. Applicant
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`may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the
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`claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with
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`the statutory requirements.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`7.
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis
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`for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale
`or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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`8.
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`Claim(s) 1 and 3-5 are reiected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakai
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`(US7483277).
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`9.
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`Sakai discloses (refer to Fig. 7 and 10).
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`Claim 1. A component mounter (see Fig. 1) that performs work related to component
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`mounting on a board (7) after a mark (7b) provided on a transparent end region of the board is
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`recognized, the component mounter comprising:
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`an imaging camera (25) provided with an imaging optical axis extending downwards;
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`a light emitter (25a) that irradiates the end region with illumination light from above the
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`board in a state where the mark is positioned within an imaging visual field ofthe imaging camera;
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`and
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/785,732
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 4
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`a light reflecting member (8) that is provided below the imaging camera and reflects the
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`illumination light, which is emitted by the light emitter and is transmitted downwards through the
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`end region, back to the end region, wherein the imaging camera images the mark under the
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`illumination light, which is reflected by the light reflecting member and is transmitted upwards
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`through the end region.
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`Claim 3. The component mounter of Claim 1, wherein the board could be formed of a film
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`member. See rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph.
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`Claim 4. The component mounter of Claim 1, wherein an irradiation optical axis of the
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`illumination light of the light emitter and the imaging optical axis of the imaging camera are in
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`parallel with each other and are non-coaxial. See fig 10.
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`Claim 5. A mounting board manufacturing method for a component mounter that
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`performs work related to component mounting on a board after a mark provided on a transparent
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`end region of the board is recognized, the method comprising:
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`a light emission step of emitting illumination light to the end region from above the board
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`by a light emitter (25a) in a state where the mark (7b) is positioned within an imaging visual field
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`of an imaging camera (25) provided with an imaging optical axis extending downwards;
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`a light reflection step (see W12) of reflecting the illumination light (W11), which is emitted
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`by the light emitter and is transmitted downwards through the end region, back to the end region
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`by a light reflecting member (8) provided below the imaging camera; and
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`an imaging step of imaging the mark under the illumination light, which is reflected in the
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`light reflection step and is transmitted upwards through the end region, by the imaging camera.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`10.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections
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`set forth in this Office action:
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/785,732
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 5
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`A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is
`not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention
`and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill
`in the art to which the
`claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was
`made.
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`11.
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`Claim 2 isZare reiected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakai.
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`12.
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`Sakai discloses utilizing a reflecting sheet 8 which is diffuse, but alternately discloses forming a
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`mirror surface 9 (Fig. 11), or ”application of reflection sheets and mirror seals” (col. 15, Ins. 6 and 7).
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`13.
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`However, before the effective filing date of the application, one of ordinary skill in the art would
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`have found it obvious to, as an alternative to diffuse sheets, use a sheet having a retroreflective function,
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`so that more light is reflected toward the camera.
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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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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application
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`Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from
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`either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through
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`Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/785,732
`Art Unit: 3729
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`Page 6
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at
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`866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or
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`access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/L|V|US R. CAZAN/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
`
`