`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE AND FEE(S) DUE
`
`23701
`7590
`06111/2009
`RAUSCHENBACH PATENT LAW GROUP, LLC
`P.O. BOX 387
`BEDFORD, MA 01730
`
`EXAMINER
`
`MCDONALD, RODNEY GLENN
`
`ART UNIT
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`1795
`DATE MAILED: 06/1112009
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`CONFIRMATION NO.
`
`Roman Chistyakov
`07/22/2004
`10/897,257
`TITLE OF INVENTION: METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING HIGH-DENSITY PLASMA
`
`ZON-002CN
`
`1462
`
`APPLN. TYPE
`
`SMALL ENTITY
`
`ISSUE FEE DUE
`
`PUBLICATION FEE DUE PREV. PAID ISSUE FEE
`
`TOTAL FEE(S) DUE
`
`DATE DUE
`
`nonprovisiona1
`
`YES
`
`$755
`
`$300
`
`$0
`
`$1055
`
`09/1112009
`
`THE APPLICATION IDENTIFIED ABOVE HAS BEEN EXAMINED AND IS ALLOWED FOR ISSUANCE AS A PATENT.
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`INTEL 1209
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`Page 1 of 7
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`
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`PART B- FEE(S) TRANSMITTAL
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`Complete and send this form, together with applicable fee(s), to: Mail Mail Stop ISSUE FEE
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`P.O. Box 1450
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`or Fax
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`23701
`7590
`06111/2009
`RAUSCHENBACH PATENT LAW GROUP, LLC
`P.O. BOX 387
`BEDFORD, MA 01730
`
`Certificate of Mailing or Transmission
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`transmitted to the USPTO (571) 273-2885, on the date indicated below.
`
`I
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`I
`
`FILING DATE
`
`I
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`Roman Chistyakov
`07/22/2004
`10/897,257
`TITLE OF INVENTION: METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING HIGH-DENSITY PLASMA
`
`I ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. I CONFIRMATION NO.
`
`ZON-002CN
`
`1462
`
`(Depositor's name)
`
`(Signature)
`
`(Date)
`
`APPLN. TYPE
`
`SMALL ENTITY
`
`ISSUE FEE DUE
`
`PUBLICATION FEE DUE PREV. PAID ISSUE FEE
`
`TOTAL FEE(S) DUE
`
`DATE DUE
`
`nonprovisional
`
`YES
`
`$755
`
`$300
`
`$0
`
`$1055
`
`09/ll/2009
`
`EXAMINER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`CLASS-SUBCLASS
`
`MCDONALD, RODNEY GLENN
`
`1795
`
`204-192120
`
`l. Change of correspondence address or indication of "Fee Address" (37
`CFR 1.363).
`0 Change of correspondence address (or Change of Correspondence
`Address form PTO/SB/122) attached.
`0 "Fee Address" indication (or "Fee Address" Indication form
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`
`2. For printing on the patent front page, list
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`2 ________________________ _
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`3 ________________________ _
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`3. ASSIGNEE NAME AND RESIDENCE DATA TO BE PRINTED ON THE PATENT (print or type)
`PLEASE NOTE: Unless an assignee is identified below, no assignee data will appear on the patent. If an assignee is identified below, the document has been filed for
`recordation as set forth in 37 CFR 3.11. Completion of this form is NOT a substitute for filing an assignment.
`(A) NAME OF ASSIGNEE
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`
`Please check the appropriate assignee category or categories (will not be printed on the patent) :
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`Individual 0 Corporation or other private group entity 0 Government
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`overpayment, to Deposit Account Number
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`5. Change in Entity Status (from status indicated above)
`0 a. Applicant claims SMALL ENTITY status. See 37 CFR 1.27.
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`0 b. Applicant is no longer claiming SMALL ENTITY status. See 37 CFR l.27(g)(2).
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`PTOL-85 (Rev. 08/07) Approved for use through 08/3112010.
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`OMB 0651-0033
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`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
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`Page 2 of 7
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`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`CONFIRMATION NO.
`
`10/897,257
`
`07/22/2004
`
`Roman Chistyakov
`
`ZON-002CN
`
`1462
`
`23701
`7590
`06111/2009
`RAUSCHENBACH PATENT LAW GROUP, LLC
`P.O. BOX 387
`BEDFORD, MA 01730
`
`EXAMINER
`
`MCDONALD, RODNEY GLENN
`
`ART UNIT
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`1795
`DATE MAILED: 06/1112009
`
`Determination of Patent Term Adjustment under 35 U.S.C. 154 (b)
`(application filed on or after May 29, 2000)
`
`The Patent Term Adjustment to date is 748 day(s). If the issue fee is paid on the date that is three months after the
`mailing date of this notice and the patent issues on the Tuesday before the date that is 28 weeks (six and a half
`months) after the mailing date of this notice, the Patent Term Adjustment will be 748 day(s).
`
`If a Continued Prosecution Application (CPA) was filed in the above-identified application, the filing date that
`determines Patent Term Adjustment is the filing date of the most recent CPA.
`
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`(PAIR) WEB site (http://pair.uspto.gov).
`
`Any questions regarding the Patent Term Extension or Adjustment determination should be directed to the Office of
`Patent Legal Administration at (571)-272-7702. Questions relating to issue and publication fee payments should be
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`PTOL-85 (Rev. 08/07) Approved for use through 08/3112010.
`
`Page 3 of 3
`
`Page 3 of 7
`
`
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`10/897,257
`Examiner
`
`CHISTYAKOV, ROMAN
`Art Unit
`
`Application No.
`
`Applicant(s)
`
`Rodney G. McDonald
`
`1795
`
`-- The MAILING DATE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address-(cid:173)
`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 ALLOW ABILITY IS NOT A GRANT OF PATENT RIGHTS. This application is subject to withdrawal from issue at the initiative
`of the Office or upon petition by the applicant. See 37 CFR 1.313 and MPEP 1308.
`1. 1Zl This communication is responsive to After Final Amendment filed 5-21-09.
`2. 1Zl The allowed claim(s) is/are 45-77.
`3. D Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`a) D All
`b) D Some*
`c) D None
`of the:
`1. D Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2. D Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. __ .
`3. D 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)).
`* Certified copies not received: __ .
`
`Applicant has THREE MONTHS FROM THE "MAILING DATE" of this communication to file a reply complying with the requirements
`noted below. Failure to timely comply will result in ABANDONMENT of this application.
`THIS THREE-MONTH PERIOD IS NOT EXTENDABLE.
`4. 0 A SUBSTITUTE OATH OR DECLARATION must be submitted. Note the attached EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT or NOTICE OF
`INFORMAL PATENT APPLICATION (PT0-152) which gives reason(s) why the oath or declaration is deficient.
`5. D CORRECTED DRAWINGS (as "replacement sheets") must be submitted.
`(a) D including changes required by the Notice of Draftsperson's Patent Drawing Review ( PT0-948) attached
`1) D hereto or 2) D to Paper No./Mail Date __ .
`(b) D including changes required by the attached Examiner's Amendment I Comment or in the Office action of
`Paper No./Mail Date __ .
`Identifying indicia such as the application number (see 37 CFR 1.84(c)) should be written on the drawings in the front (not the back) of
`each sheet. Replacement sheet(s) should be labeled as such in the header according to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`6. 0 DEPOSIT OF and/or INFORMATION about the deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the
`attached Examiner's comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
`
`Attachment(s)
`1. D Notice of References Cited (PT0-892)
`2. D Notice of Draftperson's Patent Drawing Review (PT0-948)
`
`3. [gilnformation Disclosure Statements (PTO/SB/08),
`Paper No./Mail Date 5-21-09
`4. D Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirement for Deposit
`of Biological Material
`
`/Rodney G. McDonald/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795
`
`5. D Notice of Informal Patent Application
`6. D Interview Summary (PT0-413),
`Paper No./Mail Date __ .
`7. D Examiner's AmendmenUComment
`
`8. [gl Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`9. D Other __ .
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Off1ce
`PTOL-37 (Rev. 08-06)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20090528
`
`Page 4 of 7
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 10/897,257
`Art Unit: 1795
`
`Page 2
`
`REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
`
`The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
`
`Claims 45-57 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of
`
`record does not teach an ionization source that generates a weakly-ionized plasma from
`
`a feed gas contained in a chamber, the weakly-ionized plasma substantially
`
`eliminating the probability of developing an electrical breakdown condition in the
`
`chamber; and a power supply that supplies power to the weakly-ionized plasma though
`
`an electrical pulse that is applied across the weakly-ionized plasma, the electrical pulse
`
`having at least one of a magnitude and a rise-time that is sufficient to transform the
`
`weakly-ionized plasma to a strongly-ionized plasma without developing an electrical
`
`breakdown condition in the chamber.
`
`Claims 58-69 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of
`
`record does not teach ionizing a feed gas in a chamber to form a weakly-ionized plasma
`
`that substantially eliminates the probability of developing an electrical breakdown
`
`condition in the chamber; and supplying an electrical pulse across the weakly-ionized
`
`plasma that excites atoms in the weakly-ionized plasma, thereby generating a strongly-
`
`ionized plasma without developing an electrical breakdown condition in the chamber.
`
`Claims 70-77 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of
`
`record does not teach an ionization source that generates a weakly-ionized plasma
`
`proximate to the cathode, the weakly-ionized plasma substantially eliminating the
`
`probability of developing an electrical breakdown condition between the anode and the
`
`cathode; and a power supply that is electrically coupled to the anode and to the
`
`Page 5 of 7
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 10/897,257
`Art Unit: 1795
`
`Page 3
`
`cathode, the power supply generating an electric field that excites atoms in the weakly-
`
`ionized plasma, thereby forming a strongly-ionized plasma without developing an
`
`electrical breakdown condition in the chamber.
`
`The closest prior art of record to Kouznetsov WO 98/40532 fails to teach the
`
`claimed elements including "substantially eliminating the probability of developing an
`
`electrical breakdown condition in the chamber" and "without developing an electrical
`
`breakdown condition in the chamber".
`
`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later
`
`than the payment of 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."
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to Rodney G. McDonald whose telephone number is 571-
`
`272-1340. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th with every Friday off ..
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`
`supervisor, Nam X. Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-1342. The fax phone number
`
`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Page 6 of 7
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 10/897,257
`Art Unit: 1795
`
`Page 4
`
`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 applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
`
`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
`
`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
`
`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/Rodney G. McDonald/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795
`
`Rodney G. McDonald
`Primary Examiner
`Art Unit 1795
`
`RM
`May 28, 2009
`
`Page 7 of 7
`
`