`geste
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`2844
`DATE MAILED: 02/27/2024
`
`17/658,670
`
`04/11/2022
`
`Hiroshi SHIROUZU
`
`ISHI-65929
`
`1045
`
`TITLE OF INVENTION: PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM AND PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD
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`Hiroshi SHIROUZU
`04/11/2022
`17/658,670
`TITLE OF INVENTION: PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM AND PLASMA PROCESSING METHOD
`
`ISHH-65929
`
`1045
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`17/658,670
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`04/11/2022
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`Hiroshi SHIROUZU
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`ISHII-65929
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`1045
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`52054
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`7590
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`02/27/2024
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`PEARNE & GORDON LLP
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`LE, TUNG X
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`

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`.
`
`ae
`
`17/658,670
`
`TUNG XLE
`
`SHIROUZU, Hiroshi
`
`2844
`
`Yes
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`All claims being allowable, PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application. If not included
`herewith (or previously mailed), a Notice of Allowance (PTOL-85) or other appropriate communication will be mailed in due course. THIS
`NOTICE OF ALLOWABILITY IS NOT A GRANTOF PATENTRIGHTS.This application is subject to withdrawal from issue at the initiative
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`1{¥] This communication is responsive to 12/13/2023.
`(J A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
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`.
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`2._) Anelection was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`restriction requirement and election have been incorporatedinto this action.
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`; the
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`* Certified copies not received:
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`THIS THREE-MONTH PERIOD IS NOT EXTENDABLE.
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`5.) CORRECTED DRAWINGS (as "replacement sheets") must be submitted.
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`Paper No./Mail Date
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`6.LJ DEPOSIT OFand/or INFORMATION aboutthe deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the
`attached Examiner's comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
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`4[¥] Acknowledgmentis made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c) () Noneofthe:
`a) MAI
`b) (] Some*
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`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`3. (J Copiesof the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this national stage application from the
`International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844
`
`Attachment(s)
`1.[¥] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2.C Information Disclosure Statements (PTO/SB/08),
`Paper No./Mail Date
`.
`3.) Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirementfor Deposit
`of Biological Material
`4.C] Interview Summary (PTO-413),
`Paper No./Mail Date.
`/TUNG X LE/
`
`5. (2 Examiner's Amendment/Comment
`6.
`Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`
`7. CZ Other
`
`.
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-37 (Rev. 08-13)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`.
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240220
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/658,670
`Art Unit: 2844
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice ofPre-AIA or AIA Status
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
`
`Jirst inventorto file provisions of the AIA.
`
`This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s amendment submitted on December
`
`13, 2023. In virtue of this amendment:
`
`e Claim 9 is newly added; and thus,
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`e Claims 1-9 are now pending in the instant application.
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`Claims 1-9 are allowed.
`
`The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
`
`Prior art of record fails to disclose or fairly suggest the following limitations:
`
`A plasma processing system, comprising: ... “a tolerance determination unit that
`
`determines a tolerance of the set value, based on a degree ofdeterioration of the at least one
`
`component; and a recipe modification unit that modifies the recipe such that the set value falls
`
`within the tolerance, when the set value is outside the tolerance”, 1n combination with the
`
`remaining claimedlimitations as claimed in independent claim 1 (claims 2-7 are allowed as
`
`being dependenton claim 1).
`
`A plasma processing method using a plasmaprocessing system ... the plasma processing
`
`method comprising: “a tolerance determination step ofdetermining a tolerance of the set value,
`
`based on a degree ofdeterioration of the at least one component; and a recipe modification step
`
`ofmodifying the recipe such that the set value falls within the tolerance, when the set value is
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/658,670
`Art Unit: 2844
`
`Page 3
`
`outside the tolerance”, in combination with the remaining claimed limitations as claimed in
`
`independent claim 8 (claim 9 is allowed as being dependent on claim 8).
`
`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the
`
`paymentof the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue
`
`fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for
`
`Allowance.”
`
`Conclusion
`
`3.
`
`The prior art made of record and notrelied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
`
`disclosure.
`
`Prior art Kraus et al. — US 2021/0391149
`
`Prior art Van Zyl — US 2016/0113103
`
`4.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to TUNG X LE whosetelephone numberis (571)272-6010. The
`
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`
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`
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`
`obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/658,670
`Art Unit: 2844
`
`Page 4
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`/TUNG X LE/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844
`February 20, 2024
`
`