IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARKOFFICE
`
`Inventors: KRUIZINGAetal.
`
`Confirmation No.: 6678
`
`Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
`
`Art Unit: 1737
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`Application No.: 16/587,483
`
`Examiner: YOUNG, CHRISTOPHER G
`
`Filing Date: September 30, 2019
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`Atty. Docket: 2857.4380009
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`Title: Mask Assembly
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`First Supplemental Information Disclosure Statement
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`Mail Stop Amendment
`
`Commissioner for Patents
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`PO Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`Commissioner:
`
`Listed on accompanying IDS Forms PTO/SB/08a equivalent and PTO/SB/08b equivalent
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`are documents that may be considered material to the patentability of this application as defined in
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`37 C.F.R. §1.56, and in compliance with the duty of disclosure requirements of 37 C.F.R. §§ 1.97
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`and 1.98.
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`Applicant haslisted publication dates on the attached IDS Forms based on information
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`presently available to the undersigned. However, the listed publication dates should not be
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`construed as an admission that the information was actually published on the date indicated.
`
`Applicant reservesthe right to establish the patentability of the claimed invention over any
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`of the information provided herewith, and/or to prove that this information may notbepriorart,
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`and/or to prove that this information may not be enabling for the teachings purportedly offered.
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`This statement should not be construed as a representation that a search has been made, or
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`that information more material to the examination of the present patent application doesnotexist.
`
`The Examineris specifically requested not to rely solely on the material submitted herewith.
`
`

`

`-2-
`
`KRUIZINGAetal.
`Application No. 16/587,483
`
`Applicant has checked the appropriate boxes below.
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`[J 1.
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`Statement under 37 C.F.R. 1.704(d). Each item of information contained in this Information
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`Disclosure Statement: (i) wasfirst cited in any communication from a patentoffice in a
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`counterpart’ foreign or international application or from the Office; and this communication
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`wasnot received by any individual designated in Sec. 1.56(c) more than thirty days prior to
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`the filing of this information disclosure statement; OR (ii) is a communication that was
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`issued by a patent office in a counterpart foreign or international application or by the
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`Office, and this communication was not received by any individual designated in Sec.
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`1.56(c) more than thirty dayspriorto the filing of the information disclosure statement.
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`Filing under 37 C.F.R. § 1.97(b). This Information Disclosure Statement is being filed
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`within three monthsofthe date of filing of a national application other than a continued
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`prosecution application (CPA), OR within three monthsofthe date of entry of the national
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`stage as set forth in 37 C.F.R. § 1.491 in an international application, OR before the mailing
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`date of a first Office Action on the merits OR before the mailing of a first Office Action
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`after the filing of a request for continued examination under 37 C.F.R. § 1.114. No statement
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`or fee is required.
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`[]3.
`Filing under 37 C.F.R. § 1.97(c). This Information Disclosure Statementis being filed more
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`than three monthsafter the U.S. filing date AND after the mailing date of the first Office
`
`
`
`' The term counterpart foreign patent application meansthat a claim for priority has been made in
`either the U.S. application or a foreign application based on the other, or that the disclosures of the
`U.S. and foreign patent applications are substantively identical (e.g., an application filed in the
`European Patent Office claiming the same U.K.priority as claimed in the U.S. application).
`
`Atty. Dkt. No. 2857.4380009
`
`

`

`-3-
`
`KRUIZINGAetal.
`Application No. 16/587,483
`
`Action on the merits, but before the mailing date of a Final Rejection, or Notice of
`
`Allowance, or an action that otherwise closes prosecution in the application.
`
`[Ja.
`Statement under 37 C.F.R. § 1.97(e)(1). [hereby state that each item of information
`
`contained in this Information Disclosure Statement wasfirst cited in any
`
`communication from a foreign patent office in a counterpart foreign application not
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`more than three monthsprior to the filing of this Information Disclosure Statement.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 1.97(e)(1).
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`Statement under 37 C.F.R. § 1.97(e)(2). [hereby state that no item of information in
`
`this Information Disclosure Statement was cited in a communication from a foreign
`
`patent office in a counterpart foreign application and, to my knowledge after making
`
`reasonable inquiry, was knownto any individual designated in 37 C.F.R. § 1.56(c)
`
`more than three monthsprior to the filing of this Information Disclosure Statement.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 1.97(e)(2).
`
`[Jc.
`The required fee is provided through online credit card payment authorization in the
`
`amount of $240.00 in paymentof the fee under 37 C.F.R. § 1.17(p).
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`Filing under 37 C.F.R. § 1.97(d) This Information Disclosure Statementis being filed more
`
`than three monthsafter the U.S. filing date and after the mailing date of a Final Rejection or
`
`Notice of Allowance, but on or before paymentof the Issue Fee. The required fee is
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`provided through online credit card payment authorization in the amount of $240.00 in
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`paymentof the fee under 37 C.F.R. § 1.17(p); in addition:
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`Atty. Dkt. No. 2857.4380009
`
`

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`-4-
`
`KRUIZINGAeral.
`Application No. 16/587,483
`
`Statement under 37 C.F.R. § 1.97(e)(1). [hereby state that each item of information
`
`contained in this Information Disclosure Statement wasfirst cited in any
`
`communication from a foreign patent office in a counterpart foreign application not
`
`more than three monthsprior to the filing of this Information Disclosure Statement.
`
`37 C.F.R. § 1.97(e)(1).
`
`[| b.
`
`Statement under 37 C.F.R. § 1.97(e)(2). [hereby state that no item of information in
`
`this Information Disclosure Statement was cited in a communication from a foreign
`
`patent office in a counterpart foreign application and, to my knowledge after making
`
`reasonable inquiry, was knownto any individual designated in 37 C.F.R. § 1.56(c)
`
`more than three monthsprior to the filing of this Information Disclosure Statement.
`
`37 CER. § 1.97(e)(2).
`
`The patent family for one or more foreign language documents submitted herewith includes
`
`United States patent application publications in the English language. Copies of both the
`
`particular foreign patent or published foreign patent application cited in the foreign patent
`
`office communication, that are not already of record in this application, are enclosed. Copies
`
`of the related United States published patent applications from the familylist, if not already
`
`of record, are listed on the accompanying SB/O8A form.For the purposes of a statement
`
`under 37 CFR 1.97(e)(1), the United States published patent applications are to be construed
`
`as being cited by the foreign patent office. MPEP 609.04(b)(V).
`
`The document(s) was/werecited in a search report by a foreign patent office in a counterpart
`
`foreign application. Submission of an English language version of the search report that
`
`Atty. Dkt. No. 2857.4380009
`
`

`

`-5-
`
`KRUIZINGAeral.
`Application No. 16/587,483
`
`indicates the degree of relevance found bythe foreign office is providedin satisfaction of
`
`the requirement for a concise explanation of relevance. MPEP 609.04(a)(IID).
`
`Concise explanations of the relevance of the non-English language documents appear below
`
`in accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.98(a)(3).
`
`Document US4 (2006/0105571 A1) is submitted herewith as the English-language
`
`counterpart of FP1 (CN 1776527 A).
`
`Document USS (2014/0106265 A1) is submitted herewith as the English-language
`
`counterpart of FP3 (CN 103728829 A).
`
`Document FP2 (CN 101276072 A) appears to describe a “transfer printing head of laser
`
`transfer printing apparatus,” as noted in the corresponding English-language abstract
`
`attached to the document.
`
`Document FP4 (CN 203422554 U) appears to describe a “device for sticking film to
`
`photomaskplate,” as noted in the corresponding English-language abstract attached to the
`
`document.
`
`Document FP5 (JP H11258779 A) appears to describe a “device and methodfor laminating
`
`pellicle liner,” as noted in the corresponding English-language abstract attached to the
`
`document.
`
`Document FP6 (TW 371726 B) appears to describe an “apparatus for bonding ofpellicle
`
`liner,” as noted in the corresponding English-language abstract attached to the document.
`
`Atty. Dkt. No. 2857.4380009
`
`

`

`-6-
`
`KRUIZINGAeral.
`Application No. 16/587,483
`
`XX] 8.
`
`In accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.98(a)(2)(i1), no copies of the U.S. patents and patent
`
`application publications cited as documents US1-US8on the attached IDS Formsare
`
`submitted.
`
`Copies of the documents FP1-FP6 and NPL1-NPL3 were cited by or submitted to the
`
`Office in an IDS that complies with 37 C.F.R. § 1.98(a)-(c) in Application No. 16/572,156,
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`filed September 16, 2019 (now pending), which is relied upon for an earlier filing date under
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`35 U.S.C. § 120. Thus, copies of these documents are not attached. 37 C.F.R. § 1.98(d).
`
`PX] 10.
`
`It is expected that the examiner will review the prosecution and cited art in the parent
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`Application Nos. 15/526,654,filed May 12, 2017 (now U.S. Patent No. 10,558,129);
`
`15/526,639, filed May 12, 2017 (now U.S. Patent No. 10,539,886); and 16/572,156, filed
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`September 16, 2019 (now pending), in accordance with MPEP 2001.06(b), and indicate in
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`the next communication from the office that the art cited in the earlier prosecution history
`
`has been reviewed in connection with the present application.
`
`. In accordance with the Federal Circuit decision in Dayco Prods., Inc. v. Total Containment,
`
`Inc. 329 F.3d 1358 (Fed. Cir. 2003), Applicants submit herewith Office Actions from the co-
`
`pending U.S. Patent Application Nos. 15/526,639 (filed May 12, 2017, now U.S. Patent No.
`
`10,539,886) as documents NPL1 to NPL2 and 15/526,654 (filed May 12, 2017, now U.S.
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`Patent No. 10,558,129) as document NPL3. Theidentification of these Office Actionsis
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`not to be construed as a waiver of secrecy as to those applications now or upon issuance of
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`the present application as a patent. The Examineris respectfully requested to consider the
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`cited applications andtheart cited therein during examination.
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`Atty. Dkt. No. 2857.4380009
`
`

`

`-7-
`
`KRUIZINGAetal.
`Application No. 16/587,483
`
`It is respectfully requested that the Examinerinitial and return a copy of the enclosed IDS
`
`Forms, and indicate in the official file wrapper of this patent application that the documents have
`
`been considered.
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`The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is hereby authorized to charge any fee deficiency, or
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`credit any overpayment, to our Deposit Account No. 19-0036.
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C.
`
`/Donald J. Featherstone/
`
`Donald J. Featherstone
`Attorney for Applicant
`Registration No. 33,876
`
`Date:
`
`February 24, 2020
`
`1100 New York Avenue, N.W.
`Washington, D.C. 20005-3934
`(202) 371-2600
`
`14598508_1.docx
`
`Atty. Dkt. No. 2857.4380009
`
`

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