Opinion ID: 223687
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Strobes or Flashes Based on Velocity

Text: Claim 1 of the '298 patent recites a strobing feature where an illuminator strobes as the wafer is moving based on a velocity of the wafer. Method claim 3 similarly recites that an illumination source is flashed at a sequence correlating to a velocity of the wafer. The district court construed these limitations to require strobing [3] based at least in part on the rate of change of the position of the wafer. J.A. 38, 136-40. The district court further explained that so long as the accused system strobes based on the wafer's velocity, it does not matter whether the strobing also depends upon the wafer's position. No party disputes on appeal that the claimed invention periodically strobes a light source based on a wafer's velocity to help a camera capture a still image of the constantly-moving wafer. Camtek argues instead that the asserted claims preclude strobing that is also based on the wafer's position. Camtek concedes that the claims do not recite any limitation prohibiting strobing based on position. Camtek's position on appeal is that during prosecution August Tech disclaimed strobing based on the wafer's position. Absent a clear disavowal or contrary definition in the specification or the prosecution history, the patentee is entitled to the full scope of its claim language. Home Diagnostics, Inc. v. LifeScan, Inc., 381 F.3d 1352, 1358 (Fed.Cir.2004). During prosecution, the inventors twice amended their claims to overcome U.S. Patent No. 4,644,172 (Sandland). As described by the examiner, Sandland discloses a start-and-stop system that moves the wafer, stops the wafer to capture a still image, and then moves the wafer again. After the first rejection, the inventors amended the claimed strobing feature from strobes during inspection to strobes based on a velocity of a wafer during inspection, and explained that Sandland does not teach strobing, but instead provides constant illumination. J.A. 7532, 7598, 7601. The examiner then rejected the inventors' claims again, and noted that Sandland's light could be switched on and off by the computer to [e]nsure that [one lamp] is turned on and [the other lamps] are turned off [when] the image is grabbed. J.A. 6730. In response, the inventors amended the claim to recite strobes to provide short pulses of light during movement of a wafer under inspection based on the velocity of the wafer, and explained that Sandland does not teach flashing the lights on and off, flashing or strobing based on velocity, or emitting short pulses of light during movement of the wafer. J.A. 7644, 7647-49. Because we see no clear disavowal of strobing according to position, we agree with the district court's construction of strobing based on velocity  the strobing must be based at least in part on the wafer's velocity, i.e., on the rate of change of the position of the wafer. Camtek also argues on appeal that, under the district court's claim construction, there is no evidence supporting the jury's verdict of infringement with respect to this strobing limitation. The parties apparently agree that the evidence shows that the Falcon strobes as a moving wafer passes certain preset positions. Camtek argues that this proves that the Falcon strobes based on position, but not velocity as required by the claims. August Tech responds that the evidence shows that the Falcon strobes based on the rate of change of the wafer's position: as shown by timing evidence and admitted by Camtek's witness, as the wafer moves faster, the strobes occur more frequently. August Tech also notes that the Falcon's position circuit is disabled unless the wafer is moving. Accordingly, we conclude that the jury was presented with substantial evidence that the Falcon strobes based on the rate of change of the position of the wafer. We see no error in the district court's analysis of this issue. As such, the district court need not include the strobing limitation in its retrial on infringement.