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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed October 17th, 2025, has been entered. Claims 1, 3-9, and 11-12 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed June 18th, 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 4-6, 8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo et al. (United States Patent No. 9791570 B2) in view of Hwang (United States Patent Application Publication 20210156987 A1), hereinafter Hwang.
Regarding claim 1, Seo teaches a lidar system in a moving object ([Col. 6, line 29] the laser radar apparatus 100), the lidar system comprising:
a transmission unit configured to output a light ([Col. 6, line 30] a light transmission unit 110);
a reception unit configured to receive a light reflected by an object ([Col. 6, line 30 ] a light reception unit 120); and
a signal processor configured to measure a distance to the object by using the received light ([Col. 7, lines 19-21] The laser radar apparatus 100 may be mainly used for remote distance measurement),
wherein the signal processor controls power consumption of the lidar system by dynamically adjusting a resolution of the transmission unit according to a driving speed and a surrounding environment of the moving object, the transmission unit outputs the light with a resolution determined by the signal processor ([Col. 7, lines 32-40] When an intensity of a received power in the light reception unit 120 is increased (or is larger than a reference reception power), the laser radar apparatus 100 may decrease the reception power by increasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse. Unlikely, when an intensity of a power received in the light reception unit 120 is decreased (or is smaller than a reference reception power), the laser radar apparatus 100 may increase the reception power by decreasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse. [Col. 10, lines 8-14] (71) When the transmission direction of the laser pulse heads a ground surface close to the movement body 40, a position of a surrounding object is mainly recognized. Accordingly, the laser radar apparatus 100 may implement a 3D image with high resolution by increasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse, or implement a high-speed 3D image having a high frame rate at lower resolution.), and
a number of lasers outputted from the transmission unit increases in a field of view FOV as the resolution gets higher ([Col. 9, lines 4-8] Unlikely, when the received movement speed is lower than a reference speed, the laser radar apparatus 100 implements an image of a surrounding area rapidly or with high resolution by increasing 42 the repetition rate of the laser pulse.).
Seo fails to teach a lidar system wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by decreasing the resolution of the transmission unit when the driving speed of the moving object decreases, wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by changing the resolution of the transmission unit to a minimum resolution when the object is not detected in a preset distance from the moving object, and wherein the resolution, when large numbers of objects exist in the surrounding environment of the moving object, is higher than the resolution when small numbers exist, under the same speed of the moving object.
However, Hwang teaches a lidar system wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by decreasing the resolution of the transmission unit when the driving speed of the moving object decreases ([0080] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, under the control of the processor 110, the transmitter 120 may scan a region having the third vehicle V03 and the fourth vehicle V04 that are less likely to crash or collide at a first resolution and scan a region having the second vehicle V02 and the fifth to seventh vehicles V05, V06, and V07 that are more likely to crash or collide at a second resolution higher than the first resolution. For example, the second resolution may be twice, three times, four times, or higher than the first resolution.),
wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by changing the resolution of the transmission unit to a minimum resolution when the object is not detected in a preset distance from the moving object ([0084] The processor 110 may control the transmitter 120 to scan the entire front region of the vehicle on which the radar apparatus 100 is mounted at the first resolution in an initial stage having no distance information and velocity information of front vehicles...Alternatively, the processor 110 may control the transmitter 120 to scan the entire front region at a resolution lower than the first resolution in the initial stage.), and
wherein the resolution, when large numbers of objects exist in the surrounding environment of the moving object, is higher than the resolution when small numbers exist, under the same speed of the moving object ([0080] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, under the control of the processor 110, the transmitter 120 may scan a region having the third vehicle V03 and the fourth vehicle V04 that are less likely to crash or collide at a first resolution and scan a region having the second vehicle V02 and the fifth to seventh vehicles V05, V06, and V07 that are more likely to crash or collide at a second resolution higher than the first resolution.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the adaptive resolution system as described similar to Hwang, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of regulating power requirements for a dynamic real world scenario to best prioritize which objects are given priority resolution and power consumption to detect.
Regarding claim 4, Seo, as modified above, teaches the lidar system of claim 1, wherein information concerning the driving speed or the surrounding environment is provided from other element of the moving object to the lidar system ([Col. 8, lines 59-62] The laser radar apparatus 100 may receive speed information about the movement body 40 from the movement body (for example, a speedometer in the case of the vehicle) or a Global Positioning System (GPS) device).
Regarding claim 5, Seo, as modified above, teaches the lidar system of claim 1, wherein the light is outputted with preset interval in a horizontal field of view HFOV according to the determined resolution ([Col. 9, lines 55-61] Accordingly, when a transmission direction (or reception direction) 51 of the laser pulse heads a ground surface close to the movement body 40, the laser radar apparatus 100 sets the repetition rate of the laser pulse to be increased 52. Here, the transmission direction 51 of the laser pulse forms a first vertical angle 53 based on a horizontal axis X with respect to the movement direction.).
Regarding claim 6, Seo, as modified above, teaches the lidar system of claim 1, wherein the light is outputted in a horizontal field of view depending on the determined resolution, and wherein an angle between lights in a specific area in the horizontal field of view is different from an angle between lights in other area ([Col. 9, lines 66 - Col. 10, line 3] Here, the transmission direction 54 of the laser pulse forms a second vertical angle 56 based on the horizontal axis X with respect to the movement direction. For reference, the second vertical angle 56 has a smaller value than that of the first vertical angle 53.).
Regarding claim 8, Seo, as modified above, teaches the lidar system of claim 1, wherein the resolution is determined considering both of the driving speed and the surrounding environment and wherein the resolution of the transmission unit is changed according to the surrounding environment, though the driving speed belongs in the same range ([Col. 7, lines 32-40] When an intensity of a received power in the light reception unit 120 is increased (or is larger than a reference reception power), the laser radar apparatus 100 may decrease the reception power by increasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse. Unlikely, when an intensity of a power received in the light reception unit 120 is decreased (or is smaller than a reference reception power), the laser radar apparatus 100 may increase the reception power by decreasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse.).
Regarding claim 11, Seo teaches a method of operating a light system in a moving object ([Col. 6, line 29] the laser radar apparatus 100), the method comprising:
outputting a light with a first resolution ([Col. 6, line 30] a light transmission unit 110);
receiving a light reflected by an object ([Col. 6, line 30 ] a light reception unit 120);
detecting a distance to the object, a driving speed or a surrounding environment by using the received light ([Col. 7, lines 19-21] The laser radar apparatus 100 may be mainly used for remote distance measurement); and
dynamically adjusting to outputting a light with a second resolution different from the first resolution according to the driving speed and the surrounding environment of the moving object, wherein the light is outputted with a predetermined interval, and the interval is changed when a resolution is changed from the first resolution to the second resolution [Col. 7, lines 32-40] When an intensity of a received power in the light reception unit 120 is increased (or is larger than a reference reception power), the laser radar apparatus 100 may decrease the reception power by increasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse. Unlikely, when an intensity of a power received in the light reception unit 120 is decreased (or is smaller than a reference reception power), the laser radar apparatus 100 may increase the reception power by decreasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse.; [Col. 10, lines 8-14] (71) When the transmission direction of the laser pulse heads a ground surface close to the movement body 40, a position of a surrounding object is mainly recognized. Accordingly, the laser radar apparatus 100 may implement a 3D image with high resolution by increasing the repetition rate of the laser pulse, or implement a high-speed 3D image having a high frame rate at lower resolution.)
Seo fails to teach a method wherein a number of laser output in a field of view (FOV) increases as the resolution gets higher to increase detection accuracy, and decreases as the resolution gets lower to reduce power consumption of the light system; and wherein the resolution, when large numbers of objects exist at the surrounding environment of the moving object, is higher than the resolution when small numbers of objects exist, under the same speed of the moving object.
However, Hwang teaches a method wherein a number of laser output in a field of view (FOV) increases as the resolution gets higher to increase detection accuracy, and decreases as the resolution gets lower to reduce power consumption of the light system ([0083] According to an example embodiment, the radar apparatus 100 may efficiently search the entire front region without increasing the maximum number of measurements per hour limited by distance, by increasing the number of measurements of the region having the vehicle that is more likely to crash or collide and reducing the number of measurements of the remaining region based on the relative velocity. ); and
wherein the resolution, when large numbers of objects exist at the surrounding environment of the moving object, is higher than the resolution when small numbers of objects exist, under the same speed of the moving object ([0080] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, under the control of the processor 110, the transmitter 120 may scan a region having the third vehicle V03 and the fourth vehicle V04 that are less likely to crash or collide at a first resolution and scan a region having the second vehicle V02 and the fifth to seventh vehicles V05, V06, and V07 that are more likely to crash or collide at a second resolution higher than the first resolution.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the power conserving resolution adjustment method similar to Hwang, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of conserving power in real world environments by limiting laser output to only those situations in which it is necessary to increase the number of output signals.
Claims 7, 9, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo, in view of Hwang, further in view of Morita et al. (United States Patent Application Publication 20220066038 A1), hereinafter Morita.
Regarding claim 7, Seo, as modified, teaches the lidar system of claim 1,
Seo fails to teach the system further comprising: a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) time measuring unit configured to detect time difference between an output time of the light and a reception time of the reflected light wherein the signal processor dynamically changes a period of a pulse for detecting time difference between a Stop 1 signal having information concerning the output time of the light and a Stop2 signal having information concerning the reception time of the reflected light, according to the driving speed or the surrounding environment, the change in the period of the pulse being performed to reduce power consumption of the time measuring unit, reducing the total power consumption of the lidar system.
However, Morita teaches a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) time measuring unit configured to detect time difference between an output time of the light and a reception time of the reflected light ([0098] a digital converter 25; [0116] As used herein the sampling period refers to the period in which the time (time of flight) from when the light-emitting unit 13 emits laser light L1 to when the light-receiving unit 14 detects incidence of a photon is measured)
wherein the signal processor dynamically changes a period of a pulse for detecting time difference between a Stop 1 signal having information concerning the output time of the light and a Stop2 signal having information concerning the reception time of the reflected light, according to the driving speed or the surrounding environment, the change in the period of the pulse being performed to reduce power consumption of the time measuring unit, reducing the total power consumption of the lidar system ([0116] This sampling period is set to a shorter period than the light emission interval of the light-emitting unit 13. For example, with a shorter sampling period, the time of flight of the photon emitted from the light-emitting unit 13 and reflected by the object 90 can be calculated with a higher time resolution. This means that setting a higher sampling frequency enables calculation of the distance to the object 90 at a higher distance measurement resolution.; [0141] On the other hand, setting a lower frame rate can reduce the data processing volume and therefore can achieve a shorter process time and reduction in consumption power.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the time-of-flight lidar system that is connected to the pulse rate similar to Morita, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of combining the power saving benefits of a dynamically scaling resolution rate with the well-known technology of time-of-flight lidar.
Regarding claim 9, Seo teaches A lidar system in a moving object ([Col. 6, line 29] the laser radar apparatus 100), the lidar system comprising:
a transmission unit configured to output a light ([Col. 6, line 30] a light transmission unit 110);
a reception unit configured to receive a light reflected by an object ([Col. 6, line 30 ] a light reception unit 120);
Seo fails to teach a time measuring unit configured to detect a time difference between an output time of the light and a reception time of the reflected light; and a signal processor configured to measure a distance to the object by using the time difference, wherein the signal processor controls power consumption by changing a period of a pulse for detecting the time difference between a Stop 1 signal having information concerning the output time of the light and a Stop2 signal having information concerning the reception time of the reflected light or the time difference between the output time of the light and the reception time of the reflected light, according to a driving speed and a surrounding environment of the moving object; wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by increasing the period of the pulse when the driving speed of the moving object decreases, wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by increasing the period of the pulse when the object is not detected in a preset distance from the moving object, and when the period of pulse, when large numbers of objects exist in the surrounding environment of the moving object, is longer than the period of the pulse when small numbers of objects exist, under the same speed of the moving object.
However Morita teaches a time measuring unit configured to detect a time difference between an output time of the light and a reception time of the reflected light ([0116] As used herein the sampling period refers to the period in which the time (time of flight) from when the light-emitting unit 13 emits laser light L1 to when the light-receiving unit 14 detects incidence of a photon is measured); and
a signal processor configured to measure a distance to the object by using the time difference ([0079] The computing unit 15 aggregates the detection number output from the light-receiving unit 14 for each plurality of SPAD pixels (for example, corresponding to one or more macro-pixels described later) and constructs a histogram based on pixel values obtained by the aggregation, where the horizontal axis is the time of flight, and the vertical axis is the accumulated pixel value.),
wherein the signal processor controls power consumption by changing a period of a pulse for detecting the time difference between a Stop 1 signal having information concerning the output time of the light and a Stop2 signal having information concerning the reception time of the reflected light or the time difference between the output time of the light and the reception time of the reflected light, according to a driving speed and a surrounding environment of the moving object ([0116] This sampling period is set to a shorter period than the light emission interval of the light-emitting unit 13. For example, with a shorter sampling period, the time of flight of the photon emitted from the light-emitting unit 13 and reflected by the object 90 can be calculated with a higher time resolution. This means that setting a higher sampling frequency enables calculation of the distance to the object 90 at a higher distance measurement resolution; [0235] The vehicle exterior information detector 7420 includes, for example, at least one of an environment sensor detecting the current weather or atmospheric conditions and a surrounding information detecting sensor detecting other vehicles, obstacles, or pedestrians around the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the dynamic pulse period time-of-flight measurement system similar to Morita, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of combining the power saving benefits of a dynamically scaling resolution rate with the well-known technology of time-of-flight lidar.
Seo, as modified by Morita, still fails to teach a system wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by increasing the period of the pulse when the driving speed of the moving object decreases, wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by increasing the period of the pulse when the object is not detected in a preset distance from the moving object, and when the period of pulse, when large numbers of objects exist in the surrounding environment of the moving object, is longer than the period of the pulse when small numbers of objects exist, under the same speed of the moving object.
However, Hwang teaches a system wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by increasing the period of the pulse when the driving speed of the moving object decreases ([0080] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, under the control of the processor 110, the transmitter 120 may scan a region having the third vehicle V03 and the fourth vehicle V04 that are less likely to crash or collide at a first resolution and scan a region having the second vehicle V02 and the fifth to seventh vehicles V05, V06, and V07 that are more likely to crash or collide at a second resolution higher than the first resolution. For example, the second resolution may be twice, three times, four times, or higher than the first resolution.; [0082] Thus, the number of measurements per hour required to measure all front regions at the highest resolution is greater than the maximum number of measurements per hour limited by distance.),
wherein the signal processor reduces the power consumption by increasing the period of the pulse when the object is not detected in a preset distance from the moving object ([0084] The processor 110 may control the transmitter 120 to scan the entire front region of the vehicle on which the radar apparatus 100 is mounted at the first resolution in an initial stage having no distance information and velocity information of front vehicles...Alternatively, the processor 110 may control the transmitter 120 to scan the entire front region at a resolution lower than the first resolution in the initial stage.), and
when the period of pulse, when large numbers of objects exist in the surrounding environment of the moving object, is longer than the period of the pulse when small numbers of objects exist, under the same speed of the moving object ([0080] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, under the control of the processor 110, the transmitter 120 may scan a region having the third vehicle V03 and the fourth vehicle V04 that are less likely to crash or collide at a first resolution and scan a region having the second vehicle V02 and the fifth to seventh vehicles V05, V06, and V07 that are more likely to crash or collide at a second resolution higher than the first resolution.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the power conserving resolution and pulse period adjustment method similar to Hwang, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of conserving power in real world environments by limiting laser output to only those situations in which it is necessary to increase the number of output signals.
Regarding claim 12, Seo teaches the method of claim 11,
Seo fails to teach the method wherein the step of detecting includes receiving information concerning an output time of the light when the light is outputted, through a time measuring unit; receiving information concerning a reception time of the reflected light through the time measuring unit; detecting time difference between the output time of the light and the reception time of the reflected light through the time measuring unit; and detecting the distance to the object, the driving speed or the surrounding environment based on the detected time difference.
However, Morita teaches the method wherein the step of detecting includes receiving information concerning an output time of the light when the light is outputted, through a time measuring unit; receiving information concerning a reception time of the reflected light through the time measuring unit; detecting time difference between the output time of the light and the reception time of the reflected light through the time measuring unit; and detecting the distance to the object, the driving speed or the surrounding environment based on the detected time difference ([0116] As used herein the sampling period refers to the period in which the time (time of flight) from when the light-emitting unit 13 emits laser light L1 to when the light-receiving unit 14 detects incidence of a photon is measured…This means that setting a higher sampling frequency enables calculation of the distance to the object 90 at a higher distance measurement resolution).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the method of a dynamic time-of-flight lidar system similar to Morita, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of making a dynamic resolution lidar system more effective though the known method of time-of-flight lidar.
Claims 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo, in view of Hwang, further in view of Morita, and further in view of Ingram et al. (United States Patent Application Publication 20190277962 A1), hereinafter Ingram.
Regarding claim 3, Seo, as modified, teaches the lidar system of claim 1,
Seo fails to teach the system, wherein the lidar system goes to a sleep mode and the signal processor reduces the power consumption by changing the resolution of the transmission unit when the moving object is stopped or the object does not exist in a preset distance from the moving object, and wherein the lidar system goes to an active mode and the signal processor keeps an immediately preceding resolution of the transmission unit when the moving object is stopped and multiple vehicles pass surrounding of the stopped moving object.
However, Morita teaches the system, wherein the lidar system goes to a sleep mode and the signal processor reduces the power consumption by changing the resolution of the transmission unit when the moving object is stopped or the object does not exist in a preset distance from the moving object (Fig. 27; [0173] Furthermore, for example, when a distance measurement process is not performed for a part of the regions, power supply to the corresponding computing unit (any of the computing units 15-1 to 15-4) can be stopped. This is advantageous in that power consumption can be reduced depending on situations; [0216] As illustrated in FIG. 27, in this operation, upon start-up, the autonomous driving module 501 determines whether the vehicle is driven, in accordance with information provided from the ECU 502 (step S101) and waits until the vehicle starts driving (No at step S101)),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the sleep mode for a stopped vehicle similar to Morita, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of reducing power usage in the vehicle when there is no risk of the vehicle moving into an object’s space.
Seo, as modified, still fails to teach the system wherein the lidar system goes to an active mode and the signal processor keeps an immediately preceding resolution of the transmission unit when the moving object is stopped and multiple vehicles pass surrounding of the stopped moving object.
However, Ingram teaches the system wherein the lidar system goes to an active mode and the signal processor keeps an immediately preceding resolution of the transmission unit when the moving object is stopped and multiple vehicles pass surrounding of the stopped moving object ([0102] FIG. 4C illustrates a vehicle 300 in a sensing scenario 450, according to an example embodiment. Sensing scenario 450 could illustrate an unprotected left turn situation. Namely, vehicle 300 could be stopped at a stop sign 469 at an intersection between roadways; [0103] Based on such priority rankings, the controller 150 or another computing device could select, from a plurality of possible sensor power configurations, a desired sensor power configuration. Specifically, the desired sensor power configuration could correspond, at least in part, with the priorities assigned to the given spatial sectors.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Seo to comprise the active stopped mode with sustained resolution as configured similar to Ingram, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of sustaining a necessary resolution for when a vehicle housing the lidar system is stopped to maintain environment observations.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed October 17th, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the applicant’s arguments that the prior art of Seo teaches a lidar system that teaches away from the system taught in the immediate application, it is noted by the examiner that the previously set forth set of claims did not include, in the independent claim, the limitation describing in what direction the resolution would change given a difference in speed, only that the system does change resolution. As such the prior art reads on the previously set forth claim limit as Seo does teach a lidar system that changes resolution dependent on factors including speed. The additional argument that this would make it nonobvious to combine with the prior art of Morita is not found persuasive as well, as changing the direction in which the resolution would change is not unobvious of one of reasonable skill in the art to try as a combination of inventive ideas. As such the rejection is maintained in the current Final Office Action.
Regarding the argument that Morita, as a prior art on it’s own, fails to teach a system in which the resolution is dynamically adjusted in response environmental factors, the examiner concedes that this is true that Morita does not distinctly claim this on it’s own, however in combination with the prior art of Seo, who does teach the system as adjusting dynamically, and given the nature of the art of lidar being an autonomous system, the prior art of record in total is considered to teach the limitation as including a dynamically adjusting resolution lidar system.
Additionally, claim limitations that were not previously set forth and have been amended into this round of search have been searched for and new prior art has been brought in as teaching the new limitations, specifically those of Hwang and Ingram, and as such the new rejections made necessary by the amendments have been added to this Final Office Action.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 ROBERT WILLIAM VASQUEZ JR whose telephone number is (571)272-3745. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Thursday, Flex Friday, 8:00-5:00 PST.
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/ROBERT W VASQUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/ROBERT W HODGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645