www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`18/251,261
`
`05/01/2023
`
`Antonius Johannus VAN DER NET
`
`3857.2970001
`
`9861
`
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX P.L.L.C.
`1101 K Street, NW
`10th Floor
`WASHINGTON,DC 20005
`
`RIDDLE, CHRISTINA A
`
`2882
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`12/23/2024
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`eoffice @sternekessler.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Applicant-InitiatedInterview Summary CHRISTINA A RIDDLE
`
`Application No.
`18/251,261
`Examiner
`CHRISTINAA
`RIDDLE
`
`Applicant(s)
`VAN DER NETetal.
`AIA (First Inventor
`to File) Status
`Yes
`
`Telephonic
`Don Featherstone [Attorney|CC—C“‘CisS
`
`
`
`Date of Interview: 17 December 2024
`
`Issues Discussed:
`
`Proposed Amendment(s)
`
`The proposed amendments to claims 29, 32, 35, and 37 were discussed, and the examiner agreed the
`amendments would overcome claim objection and the 112(b) indefiniteness rejections. The examiner
`also agreed that proposed new claim 39 would be acceptable to capture the limitation removed from
`claim 32. The obviousnessrejections of claims 20, 29, 34, 35, and 38 over Van Berkel (US PGPub 2019/
`0033499) as modified by Novak (US Patent No. 5,998,889) and the obviousnessrejection of claim 24 over
`Van Berkel as modified by Nomoto (US PGPub 2010/0073649) were discussed, with an emphasis on the
`differences between Applicant's invention and the disclosures of Novak and Nomoto. The examiner
`suggested clarifying that the sub-atmospheric pressure conditioning fluid reservoir is at sub-atmospheric
`absolute pressure or that the optical elements to be conditioned are in a vacuum environmentin the
`lithographic apparatus to avoid obviousnessrejections relying on Novak or Nomoto. Further search and
`consideration will be required upon receipt of a formal response, and the next appropriate action will be
`issued accordingly.
`
`Attachment
`
`/CHRISTINA A RIDDLE/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
`
`37 CFR§ 1.2 Businessto be transactedin writing
`
`Applicant is reminded that a complete written statement as to the substanceof the interview must be made of record in
`the application file. It is the applicants responsibility to provide the written statement, unless the interview wasinitiated
`by the Examiner and the Examiner hasindicated that a written summarywill be provided. See MPEP 713.04
`Pleasefurther see:
`MPEP 713.04
`Title 37 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 1.133 Interviews, paragraph (b)
`
`Applicant recordation instructions: The formal written reply to the last Office action must include the substance of the
`interview. (See MPEP section 713.04). If a reply to the last Office action has already been filed, applicant is given a
`non-extendable period of the longer of one monthor thirty days from this interview date, or the mailing date of this
`interview summary form, whichever is later, to file a statement of the substanceofthe interview.
`
`Examiner recordation instructions: Examiners must summarize the substanceof any interview of record. A complete
`and proper recordation of the substance of an interview should include the itemslisted in MPEP 713.04 for complete
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-413/413b (Rev. Oct. 2019)
`
`Interview Summary
`
`Paper No. 20241217
`
`

`

`Yes
`
`Applicant-InitiatedInterview Summary
`
`Application No.
`18/251 ,261
`\Paminer
`CHRISTINAA
`RIDDLE
`
`Applicant(s)
`VAN DER NETetal.
`Seen
`to File) Status
`
`and proper recordation including the identification of the general thrust of each argumentor 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 issuesraised.
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-413/413b (Rev. Oct. 2019)
`
`Interview Summary
`
`Paper No. 20241217
`
`