Ex Parte LEE - Page 32


                                              0                                                                                                      

               not look to Schutten to teach placing force actuators in between two frames. Specifically, van                                        
               Engelen fails to explain why Schuffen's force actuators would not work in between two frames.                                         
               Schutten teaches a force actuator system for compensating for forces acting on the frame                                              
               (stage/table), or for tilting of the frame and for movement of the stage. Based on the record                                         
               before us, such a system teaches a compensation system regardless of whether that system is                                           
               placed in between two frames, or in between a frame and the ground. Note, absent from van                                             
               Engelen's claims 5, 13, 15, and 16 is a requirement that the compensation force compensate for                                        
               reaction forces in a second frame. Rather the claims recite that the compensation force                                               
               compensate for forces of gravity acting on the object table (substrate holder/mask holder).                                           
               Schutten apparently compensates for such forces. Van Engelen has failed to direct us to evidence                                      
               that demonstrates otherwise.                                                                                                          

                       Van Engelen argues that the prior art fails to disclose a compensation force exerted in                                       
               response to gravity forces on two moving stages as recited in claim 13 (opposition at 2 1). Claim                                     
               13 recites that the mechanical moments of the forces of gravity for both the mask holder and                                          
               substrate holder are added in deter-mining the opposing compensation force exerted on the                                             
               reference frame. Van Engelen argues that Schutten only provides background information and                                            
               does not teach a compensation force in response to gravity forces exerted on a substrate holder                                       
               and a mask holder (opposition at 22). Van Engelen's response is dissatisfying.                                                        
                       In its preliminary motion, Lee explains that van Engelen claim I I recites that the mask                                      
               holder and the substrate holder are both supported on a common support - the machine frame.                                           
               The claimed compensation force exerted in van Engelen claim 13 takes into account the sum of                                          
               all forces acting on that common frame - from both the substrate and mask holders/tables. Lee                                         
               explains that, although the Schutten reference fails to disclose two stages, Schutten does teach                                      
               summing all of the forces acting on the supporting frame to arrive at the compensation force.                                         
               Lee then concludes that one of ordinary skill would have been motivated to use the Schutten                                           


                                                                     -32-                                                                            







Page:  Previous  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39  Next 

Last modified: November 3, 2007