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`Examiner-initiated interview Summary
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`13/099,828
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`Examiner
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`SMITH ET AL.
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`Art Unit
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`NIKITA WELLS
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`2881
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`Application No.
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`App|icant(s)
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`All participants (applicant, applicant's representative, PTO personnel):
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`(1) -
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`(2) Qpra/d E. W0 n.
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`‘
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`Date of interview: 06 Apgust 2012.
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`(3)___-
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`(4)
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`.
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`Type:
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`Telephonic El Video Conference
`E] Personal [copy given to: [:1 applicant
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`I:l applicant’s representative]
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`Exhibit shown or demonstration conducted:
`if Yes, brief description:
`‘
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`[:1 Yes
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`XI No.
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`[1101 E3112 E1102 U103 lXIOthe’rs
`issues Discussed
`(For each of the checked box(es) above. please describe below the issue and detailed description of the discussion)
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`C|aim(s) discussed: 1 2 6 and 14.
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`identification of prior art discussed: none.
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`Substance of Interview
`(For each issue discussed, provide a detailed description and indicate if agreement was reached. Some topics may include: identification or clarification of a
`reference or a portion thereof, claim interpretation, proposed amendments, arguments of any applied references etc...)
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`The Examiner initiated an Interview with the Applicant in order to have all the independent Q/aims possess allowable
`material so that the application could be placed in a ppngitipn for allowance. Independent claim 14 was determined to
`be allowable as written. independent claim 1 is amended, claim 2 is canceled, and claim 6 is rewritten in independent
`form as shown in the Examiners Amendment.
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`Applicant recordation instructions:
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`It is not necessary for applicant to provide a separate record of the substance of interview.
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`Examiner recordation instructions: Examiners must summarize the substance of any interview of record. A complete and proper recordation of
`the substance of an interview should include the items listed in MPEP 713.04 for complete and proper recordation including the identification of the
`general thrust of each argument or issue discussed, a general indication of any other pertinent matters discussed regarding patentability and the
`general results or outcome of the interview, to include an indication as to whether or not agreement was reached on the issues raised.
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`El Attachment
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`U8. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-413B (Rev. 8/11/2010)
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`Interview Summary
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`ASMLA 1309
`Paper No. 20120731‘ X
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 13/099,823
`Art Unit: 2881
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`I
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`'
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Examiner ’s Amendment
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`1.
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`An examiner’s amendment to the record appears below. Should the changes and/or
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`additions be unacceptable to applicant, an amendment may be filed as provided by 37 CFR
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`1.312. To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST be submitted no later than the
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`payment of the issue fee.
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`Authorization for this examiner’s amendment was given in a telephone interview with
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`Gerald E. Worth on August 6, 2012.
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`The Examiner initiated an Interview with the Applicant in order to have all the
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`independent claims possess allowable material so that the application could be placed in a .
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`condition for allowance. Independent claim 14 was determined to be allowable as written.
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`Independent claim 1 is amended, claim 2 is canceled, and claim 6 is rewritten in independent
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`form as follows:
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`In claim 1, on line 6: "to block at least a portion of the energy" is changed to: ——and
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`blocking the energy provided to the ionized medium that is not absorbed by the
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`ionized medium——.
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`Claim 2 is canceled.
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`In claim 6, on line 1: “The light source of claim 1,” is changed to:
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`-—A light source, comprising: a chamber;
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`an ignition source for ionizing a medium within the chamber;
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`a laser for providing energy to the ionized medium within the chamber to produce
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`a light;——.
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 13/099,823
`Art Unit: 2881
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`A
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`Page 3
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`2.
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`3.
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`Claims 1 and 3-22 are allowed.
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`The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
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`With respect to the independent claims 1 and 14, prior art fails to disclose or make
`obvious, in combination with other recited features of the claim limitations, a light source and
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`method of producing light, comprising: a chamber; an ignition source for ionizing a medium
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`within the chamber; a laser for providing energy to the ionized medium within the chamber to
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`produce a light; and a blocker suspended along a path the energy travels and blocking the energy
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`provided to the ionized medium that is not absorbed by the ionized medium.
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`With respect to the independent claim 6, prior art fails to disclose or make obvious a light
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`source, comprising: a chamber; an ignition source for ionizing a medium within the chamber; a
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`laser for providing energy to the ionized medium within the chamber to produce a light; wherein
`the blocker reflects energy provided to the ionized medium that is not absorbed by the ionized
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`medium.
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`The key element of the applicant’s invention, not disclosed in prior art but present in all
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`of the independent claims, is that the blocker suspended along a path the energy travels blocks or
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`reflects the energy provided to the ionized medium that is not absorbed by the ionized medium.
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`The dependent claims 3-5 and 8—13, 7, and 15-22, are allowable by virtue of their
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`dependence upon the independent claims 1, 6, and 14, respectively.
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`Conclusion
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`4.
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`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
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`disclosu1'e. D.K. Smith (7,435,982 B2) and Smith et al. (7,989,786 B2 and 2011/0181191 A1)
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 13/099,823
`Art Unit: 2881
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`.
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`Page 4
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`disclose a laser driven light source including a chamber within which a gas is ionized. Sawada et
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`al. (6,l84,517 B1) disclose a particle analyzer system using a laser beam and a beam blocking
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`mechanism.
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`5.
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`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the
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`payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue
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`fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for
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`' Allowance.”
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`6.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier" communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to Nikita Wells whose telephone number is (571) 272-2484. The
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`examiner can normally be reached on 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, If attempts to reach the examiner by
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`telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Kim can be reached on (571) 272-
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`2293. The central fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is
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`assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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`7.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
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`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications
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`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR
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`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).
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`/Nikita Wells/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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`August 6, 2012
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`
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`‘Application/Control Number: 13/099,823
`Art Unit: 2881
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`Page 5