DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Udo Velten (20200292702) hereafter Udo Velten.
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Udo Velten discloses in fig. 1 and 2, an active focusing non-line-of-sight method, the method comprising: focusing light over or around an obstacle (18 the occluder as the claimed “obstacle”) to an object (20), the light focused using wavefront shaping based on readings of light scattered by a two-dimensional scatterer (fig. 1, 2, par. [0052]-[0058]).
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Udo Velten disclose the active focusing non-line-of-sight imaging method of claim 1, wherein light transmitted through, or reflected from, a spatial light modulator is reflected from the two-dimensional scatterer to illuminate at least a portion of the object (fig. 1, 2, par. [0052]-[0058]).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Udo Velten disclose the active focusing non-line-of-sight imaging method of claim 1, wherein the focused light is configured to deliver focused energy for localized excitation (par. [0052]-[0059])
Regarding claim 4 and 13, Udo Velten discloses the active focusing non-line-of-sight imaging method of claim 1, further comprising imaging the object by scanning a focal spot (par. [0058] and claim 21) across a vicinity of the object, the focal spot based on the wavefront shaping (fig. 2, par. [0058]-[0059]).
Regarding claim 5 and 14, Udo Velten discloses the active focusing non-line-of-sight imaging method of claim 1, further comprising detecting or imaging the object using a focal spot generated based on the wavefront shaping (par. [0007][0021]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 and 15-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Regarding claims 6 and 15, the prior art does not disclose the claimed active focusing non-line-of-sight imaging method specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “wherein the focal spot is generated at least in part using (i) a global phase pattern for a full aperture projected to the two-dimensional scatterer and (ii) phase offsets between sub-apertures of the full aperture, wherein the global phase pattern and the phase offsets are determined to maximize readings of light scattered by the two-dimensional scatterer.”
Regarding claims 7 and 16, the prior art does not disclose the claimed active focusing non-line-of-sight imaging method specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “iteratively determining a relative phase offset between adjacent sub-apertures of each sub-aperture pair of a plurality of sub-aperture pairs that maximizes readings of light scattered by the two-dimensional scatterer.”
Regarding claims 8 and 17 (and their respective dependents), the prior art does not disclose the claimed active focusing non-line-of-sight imaging method specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “wherein wavefront shaping comprises: determining a global phase pattern for a full aperture projected to the two-dimensional scatterer that maximizes readings of light scattered by the two-dimensional scatterer; and determining phase offsets between adjacent sub-apertures of the full aperture that maximizes readings of light scattered by the two-dimensional scatterer.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant states that Udo Velten does not teach “focusing light over or around an obstacle to an object.”
Udo Velten teaches in fig. 1, par. [0053]-[0058], directing a focused laser beam to illumination points on a relay wall 14. The focused illumination is then redirected around occluder 18 to illuminate hidden object 20.
Examiner’s Comments
Starshynov (published 12/19/2019) Coherent Control of Light for Non-line of Sight Imaging is being cited herein to show a reference that discloses some similar features to that of the claimed invention. Specifically, fig. 1 discloses focusing light around an object to be imaged.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES JONES whose telephone number is (571)270-1278. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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/JAMES C. JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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