DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Response to Amendment
The following addresses applicant’s remarks/amendments dated 3rd November, 2025.
Claims 1-8, 10-12 and 14 were amended; claims 9 and 13 were cancelled; new claims 15-22 were added; therefore, claims 1-8, 10-12 and 14-22 are pending in current application and are addressed below.
The objections to specification have been withdrawn.
The objections to claims 3-4 and 13-14 have been withdrawn.
The rejections to claims 3, 10 and 11 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been withdrawn.
The rejection to claim 14 under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3rd November, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-8, 10-11 and 14 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the specific combination of the references being used in the current rejection.
In response to applicant’s argument that references fail to show certain features of applicant’s invention, it is noted that features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “a polarising beam splitter/combiner ….a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization into the return path) are not recited in the rejected claims. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). [[Here, Applicant argues that Horiyama is not presenting a polarizing beam splitter/combiner inside the housing, instead it was outside the window for transmitting light.]] However, these claim limitations were not present in the original independent claims and were presented by amendment on 3rd November, 2025. Therefore, the issue of whether Oliver and Horiyama addresses these limitations are not relevant. These amended claims containing new limitations have been addressed by Foster and Prabhakar in the present Office Action.
In response to applicant’s argument that Horiyama cannot be combined with Olivier, in page 9-10, filed on 3rd November, 2025. The combination of Olivier with Horiyama is only to modify the optical elements including the position of the polarization beam splitter and the optical arrangement outside the housing, not the light source, light detector and the readout of optical discs from Horiyama. The applicant’s concern of the adoption of the optical elements of Horiyama into the system Olivier would destroy the low-light principle of operation presented in Olivier is not correct.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 11, 14 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olivier (US 20220026540 A1, hereinafter “Olivier”), modified in view of Prabhakar et al. (US 20220163669 A1, hereinafter “Prabhakar”), in view of Horiyama (US 20060102826 A1, hereinafter “Horiyama”), in view of Foster et al.(US 20220205842 A1, hereinafter “Foster”).
Regarding claim 1, Olivier teaches an optical assembly for a laser projection and return laser light detection device comprising:
a housing, having an aperture and an interior, the interior including (Olivier; [0044], Fig. 3 illustrates a variant of the architecture from Fig. 2 and discloses both receiver 42 and the transmitter 26 are placed in a housing side by side. This implies the transmitter/receiver set 12/14 (Fig. 2) and 26/42 (Fig. 3, a transmitter with a transmitting stage 28; a receiver 42 using its own steering engine 28) are placed in a housing with different arrangement; It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize the housing of the LIDAR apparatus 10 taught by Olivier inherently has an aperture (or window) for laser to exit or return back to the housing and an interior);
a first series of components positioned to define an exit path for laser radiation from a laser source, the laser radiation exiting the housing through the aperture (Olivier; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0031], a Lidar apparatus 10 includes transmitting stage 14 to emit a light source; [0041], the outgoing laser beam is focused by collimating optics 32 (equivalent to a 1st series of components) toward an optical path that is shared by the transmitting stage 14 and the receiving stage 12 including a beam splitter 38 then toward to the objects in the scene 26; the laser radiation exiting the housing through the aperture (or window) for scanning the environment is well known in the skill of art);
a second series of components positioned to define a return path for returning laser radiation entering the housing through the aperture, and that directs the returning laser radiation to a detector (Olivier; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0031], the reflected signal (incoming beam) from the object is received through the beam splitter 38 and the collimating optics 32 [0041] (equivalent to 2nd series of components) to the receiving stage 12; the returning laser radiation entering the housing through the aperture (or window) to the detector is well known in the skill of art); and
a polarising beam splitter/combiner (Olivier; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0041], in the case of the incoming beam is highly polarized, the beam splitter 38 can be a polarization beam splitter (PBS) to transmit the light to the optical path 16. As to reflected or back scattered light collected from the scene 26 and transmitted through the steering engine 258, the light is transmitted back over the optical path toward the polarization beam splitter 38 to the detector);
Olivier does not teach,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing and filling the aperture, such that the polarising beam splitter/combiner (i) reflects laser radiation propagating along the exit path having a first polarization and (ii) transmits returning laser radiation that has a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization into the return path.
Prabhakar teaches,
the polarising beam splitter/combiner (i) reflects laser radiation propagating along the exit path having a first polarization (Prabhakar; Fig. 6, [0061], the p-polarization component of the optical beam 402 is output from the FMCW laser 401, and pass through a transmit port of the PBS 204; implies the transmitting beam is p-polarized and passing through PBS) and (ii) transmits returning laser radiation that has a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization into the return path (Prabhakar; Fig. 6, [0061], the LO signal 618 along with the co-axial target return signal 616 may be converted to an s-polarization (returning beam is s-polarized which is different than the transmitting beam (p-polarized as stated above)) component after passing through the non-reciprocal optical element 208 on a return path. The PBS 204 may then reflect both the LO signal 618 and the target return signal 616. Both the LO signal 618 and the target return signal 616 may be focused using the lens system 214 and mixed on the PD 215).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is using transmitting beam with p-polarization to transmitting the PSB to the target and converting the LO signal 618 and the co-axial target return signal 616 to an s-polarization component after passing through the non-reciprocal optical element 208 on a return path such that the PBS may then reflect both the LO signal 618 and the target return signal 161 to the PD 215 (Prabhakar; [0061]).
However, Olivier modified in view of Prabhakar still not teach,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing and filling the aperture
Horiyama teaches,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture (Horiyama; Fig. 2, [0066], the polarizing beam splitter 14 is designed to be sufficiently larger than an area of the window and is adherent onto the cap 17c so as to cover the window. This causes the package 17 to be sealed. This implies that the polarizing beam splitter forms as a window).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use the polarizing beam splitter 14 as a window adhered onto the cap 17c which causes the package 17 to be sealed such that the laser source and detector are not exposed to the air to avoid a characteristic deterioration occur (Horiyama; [0066]).
Nevertheless, Olivier modified in view of Prabhakar, Horiyama still not teach,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing.
Foster teaches,
a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing (Foster; Fig. 4, [0090], a beam splitter 131 which is located rearward of the mirror such that it can receive light passing through the aperture 115; Clearly the beam splitter is within the housing and filling the aperture. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize to modify the position of the polarizing beam splitter 14 taught by Horiyama to the position of the beam splitter taught by Foster will not affect the function of the polarizing beam splitter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to position the beam splitter rearward of the mirror 109 such that it can receive light passing through the aperture 115 (Foster; [0090]).
Regarding claim 2, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach, comprising one or more optical components outside the housing arranged (i) to collect returning laser radiation and direct the collected returning laser radiation to enter the housing aperture, and (ii) to project laser radiation exiting the housing aperture.
Horiyama teaches, comprising one or more optical components outside the housing arranged (i) to collect returning laser radiation and direct the collected returning laser radiation to enter the housing aperture, and (ii) to project laser radiation exiting the housing aperture (Horiyama; Fig. 2, [0056], light emitted from the optical integrated unit 1 passes through the collimator lens 2 and the objective lens 3 (equivalent to one or more optical components outside the housing) is converged and reflected on the target. The reflected light passes again through the collimator lens 2 and the objective lens 3 and is converged on a photodetector 12 in the optical integrated unit 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture and comprising one or more optical components outside the housing arranged (i) to collect returning laser radiation and direct the collected returning laser radiation to enter the housing aperture, and (ii) to project laser radiation exiting the housing aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use a collimator lens 2 and an objective lens 3 in the exit and return optical path to converge the exit laser signal to a target and return signal to the detector (Horiyama; [0056]).
Regarding claim 4, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1, wherein the second series of components comprises one or more components arranged to collimate the returning laser radiation (Olivier; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0031], the reflected signal (incoming beam) from the object is received through the beam splitter 38 and the collimating optics 32 (equivalent to 2nd series of components) to the receiving stage 12).
Regarding claim 11, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach, wherein the one or more optical components outside the housing comprise a wave plate/retarder.
Horiyama teaches, wherein the one or more optical components outside the housing comprise a wave plate/retarder (Horiyama; Fig. 2, [0059], [0064], a quarter-wavelength plate 16 converts a linearly-polarized light beam of the p-polarized light beam into a circularly-polarized light beam. Or converts the circularly-polarized light beam into a linearly-polarized light beam of the S-polarized light beam).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture and wherein the one or more optical components outside the housing comprise a wave plate/retarder taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to includes a quarter-wavelength plate 16 which can either convers a linearly-polarized light beam of the p-polarized light beam into a circularly-polarized light beam or converts the circularly-polarized light beam into a linearly-polarized light beam of the S-polarized light beam such that different portion of the reflected signal can pass back to the detector (Horiyama; [0059], [0064]).
Regarding claim 14, Olivier teaches a lidar system comprising:
a laser source (Olivier; Fig. 1; [0031], the LIDAR apparatus includes transmitting stage 14, which includes a light source to illuminate the scene 26);
a detector (Olivier; Fig. 1; [0031], the light returns are sensed by the receiving stage 12); and
a housing having an aperture and an interior, the interior including (Olivier; [0044], Fig. 3 illustrates a variant of the architecture from Fig. 2 and discloses both receiver 42 and the transmitter 26 are placed in a housing side by side. This implies the transmitter/receiver set 12/14 (Fig. 2) and 26/42 (Fig. 3, a transmitter with a transmitting stage 28; a receiver 42 using its own steering engine 28) are placed in a housing with different arrangement; It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize the housing of the LIDAR apparatus 10 taught by Olivier inherently has an aperture (or window) for laser to exit or return back to the housing and an interior):
a first series of components positioned to define an exit path for laser radiation from a laser source, the laser radiation exiting the housing through the aperture (Olivier; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0031], a Lidar apparatus 10 includes transmitting stage 14 to emit a light source; [0041], the outgoing laser beam is focused by collimating optics 32 (equivalent to a 1st series of components) toward an optical path that is shared by the transmitting stage 14 and the receiving stage 12 including a beam splitter 38 then toward to the objects in the scene 26; the laser radiation exiting the housing through the aperture (or window) for scanning the environment is well known in the skill of art);
a second series of components positioned to define a return path for returning laser radiation entering the housing through the aperture, and that directs the returning laser radiation to a detector (Olivier; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0031], the reflected signal (incoming beam) from the object is received through the beam splitter 38 and the collimating optics 32 [0041] (equivalent to 2nd series of components) to the receiving stage 12; the returning laser radiation entering the housing through the aperture (or window) to the detector is well known in the skill of art); and
a polarising beam splitter/combiner (Olivier; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0041], in the case of the incoming beam is highly polarized, the beam splitter 38 can be a polarization beam splitter (PBS) to transmit the light to the optical path 16. As to reflected or back scattered light collected from the scene 26 and transmitted through the steering engine 258, the light is transmitted back over the optical path toward the polarization beam splitter 38 to the detector).
Olivier does not teach,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing and filling the aperture, such that the polarising beam splitter/combiner (i) reflects laser radiation propagating along the exit path having a first polarization and (ii) transmits returning laser radiation that has a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization into the return path.
Prabhakar teaches,
the polarising beam splitter/combiner (i) reflects laser radiation propagating along the exit path having a first polarization (Prabhakar; Fig. 6, [0061], the p-polarization component of the optical beam 402 is output from the FMCW laser 401, and pass through a transmit port of the PBS 204; implies the transmitting beam is p-polarized and passing through PBS) and (ii) transmits returning laser radiation that has a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization into the return path (Prabhakar; Fig. 6, [0061], the LO signal 618 along with the co-axial target return signal 616 may be converted to an s-polarization (returning beam is s-polarized which is different than the transmitting beam (p-polarized as stated above)) component after passing through the non-reciprocal optical element 208 on a return path. The PBS 204 may then reflect both the LO signal 618 and the target return signal 616. Both the LO signal 618 and the target return signal 616 may be focused using the lens system 214 and mixed on the PD 215).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to convert the LO signal 618 and the co-axial target return signal 616 to an s-polarization component after passing through the non-reciprocal optical element 208 on a return path such that the PBS may then reflect both the LO signal 618 and the target return signal 161 to the PD 215 (Prabhakar; [0061]).
However, Olivier modified in view of Prabhakar still not teach,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing and filling the aperture,
Horiyama teaches,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture (Horiyama; Fig. 2, [0066], the polarizing beam splitter 14 is designed to be sufficiently larger than an area of the window and is adherent onto the cap 17c so as to cover the window. This causes the package 17 to be sealed. This implies that the polarizing beam splitter forms as a window).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use the polarizing beam splitter 14 as a window adhered onto the cap 17c which causes the package 17 to be sealed such that the laser source and detector are not exposed to the air to avoid a characteristic deterioration occur (Horiyama; [0066]).
Nevertheless, Olivier modified in view of Prabhakar, Horiyama still not teach,
a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing.
Foster teaches,
a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing (Foster; Fig. 4, [0090], a beam splitter 131 which is located rearward of the mirror such that it can receive light passing through the aperture 115; Clearly the beam splitter is within the housing and filling the aperture. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize to modify the position of the polarizing beam splitter 14 taught by Horiyama to the position of the beam splitter taught by Foster will not affect the function of the polarizing beam splitter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to position the beam splitter rearward of the mirror 109 such that it can receive light passing through the aperture 115 (Foster; [0090]).
Regarding claim 17, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 14.
Olivier does not teach, comprising one or more optical components outside the housing arranged (i) to collect returning laser radiation and direct the collected returning laser radiation to enter the housing aperture, and (ii) to project laser radiation exiting the housing aperture.
Horiyama teaches, comprising one or more optical components outside the housing arranged (i) to collect returning laser radiation and direct the collected returning laser radiation to enter the housing aperture, and (ii) to project laser radiation exiting the housing aperture (Horiyama; Fig. 2, [0056], light emitted from the optical integrated unit 1 passes through the collimator lens 2 and the objective lens 3 (equivalent to one or more optical components outside the housing) is converged and reflected on the target. The reflected light passes again through the collimator lens 2 and the objective lens 3 and is converged on a photodetector 12 in the optical integrated unit 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/ combiner positioned filling the aperture and comprising one or more optical components outside the housing arranged (i) to collect returning laser radiation and direct the collected returning laser radiation to enter the housing aperture, and (ii) to project laser radiation exiting the housing aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use a collimator lens 2 and an objective lens 3 in the exit and return optical path to converge the exit laser signal to a target and return signal to the detector (Horiyama; [0056]).
Regarding claim 18, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 17.
Olivier does not teach, wherein the one or more optical components outside the housing comprise a wave plate/retarder.
Horiyama teaches, wherein the one or more optical components outside the housing comprise a wave plate/retarder (Horiyama; Fig. 2, [0059], [0064], a quarter-wavelength plate 16 converts a linearly-polarized light beam of the p-polarized light beam into a circularly-polarized light beam. Or converts the circularly-polarized light beam into a linearly-polarized light beam of the S-polarized light beam).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture, comprising one or more optical components outside the housing arranged (i) to collect returning laser radiation and direct the collected returning laser radiation to enter the housing aperture, and (ii) to project laser radiation exiting the housing aperture and wherein the one or more optical components outside the housing comprise a wave plate/retarder taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to includes a quarter-wavelength plate 16 which can either convers a linearly-polarized light beam of the p-polarized light beam into a circularly-polarized light beam or converts the circularly-polarized light beam into a linearly-polarized light beam of the S-polarized light beam such that different portion of the reflected signal can pass back to the detector (Horiyama; [0059], [0064]).
Regarding claim 19, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach, wherein an output surface of the polarising beam splitter/combiner forms a seal with the aperture of the housing.
Foster teaches, wherein an output surface of the beam splitter/combiner forms a seal with the aperture of the housing (Foster; Fig. 4, [0090], a beam splitter 131 which is located rearward of the mirror such that it can receive light passing through the aperture 115; Clearly the beam splitter is within the housing and filling the aperture. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize to modify the position of the polarizing beam splitter 14 taught by Horiyama to the position of the beam splitter taught by Foster will not affect the function of the polarizing beam splitter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing and wherein an output surface of the beam splitter/combiner forms a seal with the aperture of the housing taught by Foster with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to position the beam splitter rearward of the mirror 109 such that it can receive light passing through the aperture 115 (Foster; [0090]). With seal the beam splitter with the aperture of the housing predictably to protect the laser source and detector inside the housing from exposed to the air.
Claim 20 is the method claim possesses nearly identical limitation to those of claim 14 and is thus rejected for the same reasoning.
Claims 3, 15 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olivier, modified in view of Prabhakar, in view of Horiyama, in view of Foster, in view of Fouchier et al. (US 20220178854 A1, hereinafter “Fouchier”).
Regarding claim 3, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach,
wherein the first series of components comprises one or more components arranged so that the laser radiation reflected by the polarising beam splitter/combiner is spatially diverging.
Fouchier teaches,
wherein the first series of components comprises one or more components arranged so that the laser radiation reflected by the polarising beam splitter/combiner is spatially diverging (Fouchier; Fig. 5, [0049], two focusing lens 22 and 22’ are utilized, one paired with each of the PBS cubes 51, 51’. Such an arrangement provides design flexibility, especially with respect to the placing of the PBS cubes and detectors. This allow for a shorter focal length (due to focus the laser radiation to the PBS such that the laser radiation passing off the polarizer is diverging) thus enabling wide field of view images).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the first series of components comprises one or more components arranged so that the laser radiation reflected by the polarising beam splitter/combiner is spatially diverging taught by Fouchier with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to focus the laser radiation on to the PBS such that the laser radiation become divergence after passing through PBS. This arrangement provides design flexibility with respect to the placing of the PBS cubes and detectors (Fouchier; Fig. 5, [0049]).
Regarding claim 15, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 14.
Olivier does not teach,
wherein the first series of components comprises one or more components arranged so that the laser radiation reflected by the polarising beam splitter/combiner is spatially diverging.
Fouchier teaches,
wherein the first series of components comprises one or more components arranged so that the laser radiation reflected by the polarising beam splitter/combiner is spatially diverging (Fouchier; Fig. 5, [0049], two focusing lens 22 and 22’ are utilized, one paired with each of the PBS cubes 51, 51’. Such an arrangement provides design flexibility, especially with respect to the placing of the PBS cubes and detectors. This allow for a shorter focal length (due to focus the laser radiation to the PBS such that the laser radiation passing off the polarizer is diverging) thus enabling wide field of view images).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the first series of components comprises one or more components arranged so that the laser radiation reflected by the polarising beam splitter/combiner is spatially diverging taught by Fouchier with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to focus the laser radiation on to the PBS such that the laser radiation become divergence after passing through PBS. This arrangement provides design flexibility with respect to the placing of the PBS cubes and detectors (Fouchier; Fig. 5, [0049]).
Claim 22 is the method claim possesses nearly identical limitation to those of claim 15 and is thus rejected for the same reasoning.
Claims 5, 16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olivier, modified in view of Prabhakar, in view of Horiyama, in view of Foster, in view of Notni et al. (WO 2013037833 A1, hereinafter “Notni”), in view of Urano et al. (US 20100004875 A1, hereinafter “Urano”).
Regarding claim 5, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach, wherein one or more optical surfaces of the polarising beam splitter/combiner have low scatter super-polished surface.
Notni disclosed, in Fig. 1, [0049], [0051], optical components 10, 11, 12 (for beam shaping along the beam path) consist of several individual components including a spatial filter and lens; [0051], lenses with superpolished surface (low-diffusion surface) are used. If the optical components 10, 11, 12 do not comprise a spatial filter, preferably all of the mirrors and lenses used have superpolished finishes. Otherwise, such components with superpolished finishes are advantageously used only for mirrors and lenses arranged in the beam paths between the spatial filter and the sample 17; This teaches using lens or mirror with superpolished surface along the beam path.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the optical surfaces of other optics in the common exit and return path have low-scatter super-polished surfaces taught by Notni with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use superpolished lens and mirror along the beam path for low-scattering loss (Notni; [0051]).
However, Olivier as modified in view of Notni still not teach,
wherein one or more optical surfaces of the polarising beam splitter/combiner have low scatter super-polished surface.
Urano disclosed in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, paragraph [0066], the polarizing filter 13 functions as an analyzer is used with the aim of reducing scattered light components due to sample roughness that leads to noise. A wire grid polarizing plate or a polarizing beam splitter high in transmissivity and extinction ration are used for the polarizing filter 13. In combination with the using lens or mirror with superpolished surface along the beam path for low-scattering loss taught by Notni, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize that the surface of high transmissivity of a PBS should be super-polished even it is not clearly mentioned in the invention.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the optical surfaces of other optics in the common exit and return path have low-scatter super-polished surfaces taught by Notni, include high transmissivity of a polarizing beam splitter taught by Urano with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use polarizing filter 13 (including a wire grid polarizing plate or a polarizing beam splitter with high transmissivity) which functions as an analyzer is used with the aim of reducing scattered light components due to sample roughness that leads to noise (Urano; [0066]).
Regarding claim 16, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 14.
Olivier does not teach, wherein one or more optical surfaces of the polarising beam splitter/combiner have low scatter super-polished surface.
Notni disclosed, in Fig. 1, [0049], [0051], optical components 10, 11, 12 (for beam shaping along the beam path) consist of several individual components including a spatial filter and lens; [0051], lenses with superpolished surface (low-diffusion surface) are used. If the optical components 10, 11, 12 do not comprise a spatial filter, preferably all of the mirrors and lenses used have superpolished finishes. Otherwise, such components with superpolished finishes are advantageously used only for mirrors and lenses arranged in the beam paths between the spatial filter and the sample 17; This teaches using lens or mirror with superpolished surface along the beam path.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the optical surfaces of other optics in the common exit and return path have low-scatter super-polished surfaces taught by Notni with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use superpolished lens and mirror along the beam path for low-scattering loss (Notni; [0051]).
However, Olivier as modified in view of Notni still not teach,
wherein one or more optical surfaces of the polarising beam splitter/combiner have low scatter super-polished surface.
Urano disclosed in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, paragraph [0066], the polarizing filter 13 functions as an analyzer is used with the aim of reducing scattered light components due to sample roughness that leads to noise. A wire grid polarizing plate or a polarizing beam splitter high in transmissivity and extinction ration are used for the polarizing filter 13. In combination with the using lens or mirror with superpolished surface along the beam path for low-scattering loss taught by Notni, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize that the surface of high transmissivity of a PBS should be super-polished even it is not clearly mentioned in the invention.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the optical surfaces of other optics in the common exit and return path have low-scatter super-polished surfaces taught by Notni, include high transmissivity of a polarizing beam splitter taught by Urano with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use polarizing filter 13 (including a wire grid polarizing plate or a polarizing beam splitter with high transmissivity) which functions as an analyzer is used with the aim of reducing scattered light components due to sample roughness that leads to noise (Urano; [0066]).
Claim 21 is the method claim possesses nearly identical limitation to those of claim 16 and is thus rejected for the same reasoning.
Claim(s) 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olivier, modified in view of Prabhakar, in view of Horiyama, in view of Foster, in view of Kasapi et al. (US 6252222 B1, hereinafter “Kasapi”).
Regarding claim 6, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach, wherein the first series of components comprises one or more polarisers.
Kasapi teaches, wherein the first series of components comprises one or more polarisers (Kasapi; Fig. 2, column 4, paragraph 1, line 6, teaches a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) 106 split the light pulses to two different mirror system 124, 114, and then reflected back. Returned light pulses both pass through PBS 106 to combined with each other. After combined the time delay between two light pulses can thus be controlled by moving mirror 124. This PBS 106 is the optical component before going out to the target 68 which is equivalent to the 1st series of component).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the first series of components comprises one or more polarisers taught by Kasapi with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to split the light pulses to different mirror system and recombined them together such that the time delay between two light pulses can be controlled by moving mirror 124 (Kasapi; Fig. 2, column 4, paragraph 1-2).
Regarding claim 7, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach, wherein the second series of components comprises one or more polarisers.
Kasapi teaches, wherein the second series of components comprises one or more polarisers (Kasapi; Fig. 2, column 4, paragraph 3, PBS 74 separates pulses A and B from reflected target 68 to photo detector 78 and 82 for further signal processing; This PBS 74 is the optical component after reflected back from the target 68 which is equivalent to the 2nd series of component).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include wherein the second series of components comprises one or more polarisers taught by Kasapi with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to separate reflected signal from the target to different photo detector 78 and 82 for further signal processing (Kasapi; Fig. 2, column 4, paragraph 4).
Claim(s) 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olivier, modified in view of Prabhakar, in view of Horiyama, in view of Foster, in view of Drummer et al. (US 10340651 B1, hereinafter “Drummer”).
Regarding claim 8, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 1.
Olivier does not teach, comprising one or more mechanical components including a box around the detector, arranged to decrease stray scattered light from the returning laser radiation at the detector.
Drummer teaches, comprising one or more mechanical components including a box around the detector, arranged to decrease stray scattered light from the returning laser radiation at the detector (Drummer; Fig. 12, column 29, paragraph 2, teaches using a receiver housing 650 (equivalent to a mechanical components) made from an opaque material configure to reduce the amount of stray light incident on a detector of the receiver 140).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include comprising one or more mechanical components including a box around the detector, arranged to decrease stray scattered light from the returning laser radiation at the detector taught by Drummer with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to enclose the detector inside a housing made by opaque material to reduce the amount of stray light incident on a detector (Drummer; Fig. 12, column 29, paragraph 2).
Regarding claim 10, Olivier as modified above teaches the assembly recited in claim 8.
Olivier does not teach, wherein the box is designed such that only an end face of the detector is exposed to the interior of the housing.
Drummer teaches, wherein the box is designed such that only an end face of the detector is exposed to the interior of the housing (Drummer; Fig. 12, column 29, paragraph 2, the housing 650 includes an opening for an input lens 670 that allows the input beam 135 to enter and focuses the input bema 135 onto the APD 660 (equivalent to only the end face of the detector is exposed to the interior of the outside lidar housing)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the assembly taught by Olivier to include the polarising beam splitter/combiner transmits a polarised transmitting beam and transmits a polarised receiving beam where the polarised transmitting beam and the polarised receiving beam have orthogonal polarization in between taught by Prabhakar, include a polarising beam splitter/combiner positioned filling the aperture taught by Horiyama, include a beam splitter/combiner positioned within the housing taught by Foster, include comprising one or more mechanical components including a box around the detector, arranged to decrease stray scattered light from the returning laser radiation at the detector and wherein the box is designed such that only an end face of the