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 .
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and examined below.
Response to amendment
This is a final Office action in response to applicant's remarks/arguments filed on 02/03/2026.
Status of the claims:
Claim 1 has been amended.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks pages 10-12, filed on 02/03/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 4-5, 12 under 102 and claims 1, 2-3, 6-8, 9-11, 13-20 under 103 have been fully considered are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Hirano et al. (US 20220006263 A1) necessitated by the claim amendment.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 5, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hinderling et al. (US 6411371 B1, “Hinderling”) in view of Hirano et al. (US 20220006263 A1, “Hirano”).
Regarding claim 1, Hinderling teaches a surveying instrument (Col 1: lines 4-6) comprising:
a distance measuring light projecting module configured to include a light emitting module which projects a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength as a distance measuring light to an object (Fig. 1, col 6: lines 49-51),
a distance measuring light receiving module configured to include a photodetector which receives a reflected distance measuring light from said object (Fig. 1, col 7: lines 33-35), and
an arithmetic control module (Fig. 1, control and evaluation unit 8) configured to control said light emitting module (Fig. 1, control and evaluation unit 8 is connected to radiation sources 2, 3, See also, claim 23e, a control and evaluation unit for controlling the simultaneous emission of the first and of the second radiation beam by the transmitter unit ) and to calculate a distance to said object based on a light reception result of said reflected distance measuring light with respect to said photodetector (Col 7: lines 35-38),
wherein said light emitting module is configured to include at least two light emitters (Fig.1, col 7: lines 6-8), the optical axes of laser beams projected by said light emitters are parallel (Col 7: lines 21-25 and col 9: lines 24-26, Hinderling expressly teaches that the optical axes of the beams 21 and 31 from emitters 2, 3 are coaxial with the optical axis of lens 5. Coaxial beams necessarily satisfy the broader limitation of being parallel. Also, as shown in fig. 1 beams 21 and 31 after the input element 4a are substantially parallel.),
at least one of said laser beams is said distance measuring light, at least another of said laser beams has a wavelength different from a wavelength of said distance measuring light (Fig. 1, col 6: line 49-col 7: line 5, radiation sources 2-3 have different wavelengths), each light emitter is configured to be adjacently (Fig. 1, radiation sources 2-3 are adjacent) arranged (in such a manner that a distance between said optical axes is 1 mm to 5 mm) and said laser beams are substantially coaxially projected (Col 7: lines 21-25 and col 9: lines 24-26, the beams are coaxially aligned with lens 5),
Hinderling does not explicitly specify a numerical spacing between the optical axes of the plurality of radiation sources. However, Hirano teaches a light-emitting module comprising a plurality of laser emitters (e.g., VCSEL elements) formed on a common substrate and arranged adjacently at a fixed, narrow pitch, explicitly disclosing emitter-to-emitter spacings including approximately 1 mm, with the emitters having parallel optical axes defined by the fabrication geometry of the module. Hirano thus teaches an integrated light-emitting module in which adjacent laser emitters are arranged with a known distance between their optical axes within the claimed range of 1 mm to 5 mm.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the plurality of radiation sources (2, 3) of Hinderling as an integrated multi-emitter light-emitting module as taught by Hirano, with the emitters adjacently arranged at a spacing of about 1 mm, because doing so provides a compact, mechanically stable arrangement with precisely maintained parallel optical axes, reduces alignment and packaging complexity associated with discrete emitters.
Regarding claim 4, Hinderling, in view of Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting module is configured to include said at least two light emitters (Hinderling, Fig. 1, col 6: lines 49-51) which project said distance measuring lights having different spread angles (Hinderling, col 3: lines 50-56; col 6: lines 51-56 and 61-62), and
said arithmetic control module is configured to select said light emitter to be driven based on said object (Claim 1c) or a distance to said object.
Regarding claim 5, Hinderling, in view of Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 1, further comprising said at least two light emitting modules (Hinderling, Fig. 1, col 6: lines 49-51) and
a deflecting member (Fig. 1, deflector 4b) configured to substantially coaxially deflect said laser beams projected from said respective light emitting modules (Hinderling, Col 7: lines 6-8 and 18-20).
Regarding claim 12, Hinderling, in view of Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 4, further comprising said at least two light emitting modules (Hinderling, Fig. 1, col 6: lines 49-51) and
a deflecting member configured to substantially coaxially deflect said laser beams projected from said respective light emitting modules (Hinderling, Col 7: lines 6-8 and 18-20).
Claims 1, 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuasa et al. (US 20190078883 A1, “Yuasa”) in view of Ohtomo et al. (US 20040125357 A1, “Ohtomo 57”) and Hirano.
Regarding claim 1, Yuasa teaches a surveying instrument comprising:
a distance measuring light projecting module configured to include a light emitting module which projects a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength as a distance measuring light to an object (Fig. 11, para 112 distance measuring light projecting optical system 56 has a light has a light emitting element),
a distance measuring light receiving module configured to include a photodetector which receives a reflected distance measuring light from said object (Fig. 11, para 116), and
an arithmetic control module configured to control said light emitting module and to calculate a distance to said object based on a light reception result of said reflected distance measuring light with respect to said photodetector (para 56, 125, arithmetic control module calculates a distance to the measuring point based on a light receiving signal and can change the timing of the light emission),
at least one of said laser beams is said distance measuring light, at least another of said laser beams has a wavelength different from a wavelength of said distance measuring light (fig. 11, para 112, 114 and 117, the second surface transmit the reflected distance measuring light and to reflect the reflected tracking light so their wavelengths are different).
Yuasa fails to explicitly teach but Ohtomo 57 teaches wherein said light emitting module is configured to include at least two light emitters (Fig. 6, para 86-87, light source unit 15 has at least 2 light emitters 21 and 75), the optical axes of laser beams projected by said light emitters are parallel (Fig. 6, para 86-87, the optical axes of laser beams projected by lasers 21 and 75 are parallel),
each light emitter is configured to be adjacently (Fig. 6, light sources 21 and 75 are adjacent) arranged in such a manner that a distance between said optical axes is 1 mm to 5 mm and said laser beams are substantially coaxially projected (Fig. 6, lasers 21 and 75 have a common projection optical axis 27).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Yuasa by having a light emitting module that include at least two light emitters. Doing so will improve accuracy and resolution because multiple emitters allow for oversampling schemes, increasing the number of data points acquired and enhancing the resolution of the measured signal which This leads to more precise and accurate distance measurements, even over long distances. Also, if one emitter fails, the system can still function with the remaining emitters, offering a degree of redundancy and increased reliability.
Yuasa, in view of Ohtomo 57, does not explicitly specify a numerical spacing between the optical axes of the plurality of radiation sources. However, Hirano teaches a light-emitting module comprising a plurality of laser emitters (e.g., VCSEL elements) formed on a common substrate and arranged adjacently at a fixed, narrow pitch, explicitly disclosing emitter-to-emitter spacings including approximately 1 mm, with the emitters having parallel optical axes defined by the fabrication geometry of the module. Hirano thus teaches an integrated light-emitting module in which adjacent laser emitters are arranged with a known distance between their optical axes within the claimed range of 1 mm to 5 mm.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the plurality of radiation sources of Yuasa, in view of Ohtomo 57, as an integrated multi-emitter light-emitting module as taught by Hirano, with the emitters adjacently arranged at a spacing of about 1 mm, because doing so provides a compact, mechanically stable arrangement with precisely maintained parallel optical axes, reduces alignment and packaging complexity associated with discrete emitters.
Regarding claim 6, Yuasa, in view of Ohtomo 57 and Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a tracking light receiving module configured to include a tracking photodetector which receives a reflected tracking light from said object (Yuasa, fig. 11, para 118),
wherein said light emitting module is configured to include a tracking light emitter which projects as a tracking light a laser beam having a wavelength different from a wavelength of said distance measuring light (Yuasa, fig. 11, 114, 117, the second surface transmit the reflected distance measuring light and to reflect the reflected tracking light so their wavelengths are different), and
said light emitters and said tracking light emitter are configured in such a manner that said distance measuring light and said tracking light are substantially coaxially projected (Fig. 11, para 112, 114, 123; tracking light emitter and distance measuring light have a common a projection optical axis).
Regarding claim 7, Yuasa, in view of Ohtomo 57 and Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting module further comprising a light emitter configured to project a laser beam which is a visible light as a laser pointer light (Ohtomo 57, fig. 6, para 36).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Yuasa by adding a laser pointer, which is disclosed by Ohtomo 57. Doing so will improve precision (Pinpoint Accuracy) and visibility. Visible laser beams are highly focused and can be projected over long distances, allowing for precise highlighting of specific points or objects.
Regarding claim 8, Yuasa, in view of Ohtomo 57 and Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 6, wherein said distance measuring light receiving module and said tracking light receiving module are configured to include a receiving prism (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-118, dichroic prism 78) which internally reflects said reflected distance measuring light (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-117), and
said reflected tracking light more than once respectively (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; first reflection surface 78a and second reflection surface 78b) and then separates said reflected distance measuring light and said reflected tracking light from each other (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; second reflection surface 78b having an optical characteristic to transmit through the reflected distance measuring light (the near-infrared light) and to reflect the reflected tracking light).
Claims 9, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuasa in view of Ohtomo 57, Hirano and Ohtomo et al. (US 20190154805 A1, “Ohtomo 05”).
Regarding claim 9, Yuasa, in view of Ohtomo 57 and Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 6 and […] a scanning mirror (Yuasa, Fig. 1, para 31; scanning mirror 15)
Yuasa fails to explicitly teach but Ohtomo 05 teaches a frame unit (fig. 2, frame unit 7) configured to horizontally rotate around a horizontal rotation shaft by a horizontal rotation motor (fig. 2, para 30; horizontal base plate 6),
[…] configured to vertically rotate around a vertical rotation shaft (Fig. 2, para 35; vertical rotation shaft 14) by a vertical rotation motor (Fig. 2, para 36; vertical motor 17) provided in said frame unit (fig. 2, frame unit 7),
to irradiate said object with said distance measuring light (Fig. 3, para 43; distance measuring light projecting module 21) and said tracking light (Fig. 3, para 43, a tracking module 23), and
to receive said reflected distance measuring light (Fig. 3 para 43 and 48; light receiving module 22) and said reflected tracking (Fig. 3, para 55-56) light from said object,
wherein said arithmetic control module is configured to control said horizontal rotation motor and said vertical rotation motor based on a light receiving position of said reflected tracking light with respect to said tracking photodetector in such a manner that said object is tracked (Para 123 and 153: The tracking calculating module corrects the calculated angle, and the arithmetic control module controls the horizontal and vertical motors based on the deflection angle).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Yuasa by adding a rotatable frame unit, which is disclosed by Ohtomo 05. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to have the surveying instrument “horizontally rotated/vertically rotated while following movement of the object to be measured”, as suggested by Ohtomo 05 (Para 2).
Regarding claim 20, Yuasa, in view of Ohtomo 57 and Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 8 and […] a scanning mirror (Yuasa, Fig. 1, para 31; scanning mirror 15)
Yuasa fails to explicitly teach but Ohtomo 05 teaches a frame unit (fig. 2, frame unit 7) configured to horizontally rotate around a horizontal rotation shaft by a horizontal rotation motor (fig. 2, para 30; horizontal base plate 6),
[…] configured to vertically rotate around a vertical rotation shaft (Fig. 2, para 35; vertical rotation shaft 14) by a vertical rotation motor (Fig. 2, para 36; vertical motor 17) provided in said frame unit (fig. 2, frame unit 7),
to irradiate said object with said distance measuring light (Fig. 3, para 43; distance measuring light projecting module 21) and said tracking light (Fig. 3, para 43, a tracking module 23), and
to receive said reflected distance measuring light (Fig. 3 para 43 and 48; light receiving module 22) and said reflected tracking (Fig. 3, para 55-56) light from said object,
wherein said arithmetic control module is configured to control said horizontal rotation motor and said vertical rotation motor based on a light receiving position of said reflected tracking light with respect to said tracking photodetector in such a manner that said object is tracked (Para 123 and 153: The tracking calculating module corrects the calculated angle, and the arithmetic control module controls the horizontal and vertical motors based on the deflection angle).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Yuasa by adding a rotatable frame unit, which is disclosed by Ohtomo 05. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to have the surveying instrument “horizontally rotated/vertically rotated while following movement of the object to be measured”, as suggested by Ohtomo 05 (Para 2).
Claims 2-3, 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hinderling in view of Hirano and Kuno et al. (JP H11212005 A, “Kuno”).
Regarding claim 2, Hinderling, in view of Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 1, said arithmetic control module is configured to cause said light emitters to repeatedly project said distance measuring lights in sequence (Fig. 2, col 7: lines 54-58).
Hinderling fails to explicitly but Kuno teaches wherein said light emitting module is configured to include said at least two light emitters which project said distance measuring lights having the same spread angle (Para 14, 81, 88).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a light emitting module with 2 light emitters having the same spread angle, which is disclosed by Kuno. Doing so will improve accuracy and reliability. Using light emitters with the same spread angle ensures that the projected light beams have similar divergence characteristics. This consistency is crucial for accurate distance measurement, particularly when comparing readings from multiple sources or at varying distances. Also, by controlling the beam divergence, the impact of factors like target alignment and distance variations on the measurement accuracy can be minimized. This helps reduce potential errors in calculations derived from these measurements, such as angles or dimensions.
Regarding claim 3, Hinderling, in view of Hirano, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 1,
said arithmetic control module is configured to cause said light emitters to simultaneously project said distance measuring lights (Col 8: lines 59-64).
Hinderling fails to explicitly but Kuno teaches wherein said light emitting module is configured to include said at least two light emitters which project said distance measuring lights having the same spread angle (Para 14, 81, 88).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a light emitting module with 2 light emitters having the same spread angle, which is disclosed by Kuno. Doing so will improve accuracy and reliability. Using light emitters with the same spread angle ensures that the projected light beams have similar divergence characteristics. This consistency is crucial for accurate distance measurement, particularly when comparing readings from multiple sources or at varying distances. Also, by controlling the beam divergence, the impact of factors like target alignment and distance variations on the measurement accuracy can be minimized. This helps reduce potential errors in calculations derived from these measurements, such as angles or dimensions.
Regarding claim 10, Hinderling, in view of Hirano and kuno, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 2, further comprising said at least two light emitting modules (Hinderling, Fig. 1, col 6: lines 49-51) and
a deflecting member (Hinderling, Fig. 1, deflector 4b) configured to substantially coaxially deflect said laser beams projected from said respective light emitting modules (Hindeling, Col 7: lines 6-8 and 18-20).
Regarding claim 11, Hinderling, in view of Hirano and kuno, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 3, further comprising said at least two light emitting modules (Hinderling, Fig. 1, col 6: lines 49-51) and
a deflecting member (Hinderling, Fig. 1, deflector 4b) configured to substantially coaxially deflect said laser beams projected from said respective light emitting modules (Hinderling, Col 7: lines 6-8 and 18-20).
Claims 13-14, 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hinderling in view of Hirano, Kuno and Yuasa.
Regarding claim 13, Hinderling, in view of Hiran and Kuno, fails to explicitly teach but Yuasa teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 2, further comprising
a tracking light receiving module configured to include a tracking photodetector which receives a reflected tracking light from said object (Yuasa, fig. 11, para 118),
wherein said light emitting module is configured to include a tracking light emitter which projects as a tracking light a laser beam having a wavelength different from a wavelength of said distance measuring light (Yuasa, fig. 11, 114, 117, the second surface transmit the reflected distance measuring light and to reflect the reflected tracking light so their wavelengths are different), and
said light emitters and said tracking light emitter are configured in such a manner that said distance measuring light and said tracking light are substantially coaxially projected (Fig. 11, para 112, 114, 123; tracking light emitter and distance measuring light have a common a projection optical axis).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a tracker with a tracking light emitter and photodetector, which is disclosed by Yuasa. Doing so will improve accuracy and reliability by delivering precise measurements, often at the millimeter level, minimizing human error and ensuring high-quality results. Also, improve efficiency and speed, automated tracking systems drastically reduce the time needed to capture survey data, especially over large areas or with numerous points to be measured and Continuous tracking minimizes beam breaks, ensuring uninterrupted data collection.
Regarding claim 14, Hinderling, in view of Hirano and Kuno, fails to explicitly teach but Yuasa teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 3, further a tracking light receiving module configured to include a tracking photodetector which receives a reflected tracking light from said object (Yuasa, fig. 11, para 118),
wherein said light emitting module is configured to include a tracking light emitter which projects as a tracking light a laser beam having a wavelength different from a wavelength of said distance measuring light (Yuasa, fig. 11, 114, 117, the second surface transmit the reflected distance measuring light and to reflect the reflected tracking light so their wavelengths are different), and
said light emitters and said tracking light emitter are configured in such a manner that said distance measuring light and said tracking light are substantially coaxially projected (Fig. 11, para 112, 114, 123; tracking light emitter and distance measuring light have a common a projection optical axis).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a tracker with a tracking light emitter and photodetector, which is disclosed by Yuasa. Doing so will improve accuracy and reliability by delivering precise measurements, often at the millimeter level, minimizing human error and ensuring high-quality results. Also, improve efficiency and speed, automated tracking systems drastically reduce the time needed to capture survey data, especially over large areas or with numerous points to be measured and Continuous tracking minimizes beam breaks, ensuring uninterrupted data collection.
Regarding claim 17, Hinderling, in view of Hirano and Kuno, fails to explicitly teach but Yuasa teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 13, wherein said distance measuring light receiving module and said tracking light receiving module are configured to include a receiving prism (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-118, dichroic prism 78) which internally reflects said reflected distance measuring light (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-117), and
said reflected tracking light more than once respectively (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; first reflection surface 78a and second reflection surface 78b) and then separates said reflected distance measuring light and said reflected tracking light from each other (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; second reflection surface 78b having an optical characteristic to transmit through the reflected distance measuring light (the near-infrared light) and to reflect the reflected tracking light).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a receiving prism, which is disclosed by Yuasa. Doing so will improve accuracy in distance measurement by minimizing signal loss due to scattering and ensuring that a stronger, more focused beam returns to the receiver, enabling more accurate distance calculations. This is particularly important for achieving pinpoint accuracy, especially when measuring long distances. Also, prisms, by bending and reflecting light internally, can reduce the need for bulky lens systems, enabling more compact and lightweight optical designs for distance measuring and tracking modules. This is particularly beneficial for applications where space and weight are critical, such as in drones, portable measurement devices, or tight working environments.
Regarding claim 18, Hinderling, in view of Hirano and Kuno, fails to explicitly teach but Yuasa teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 14, wherein said distance measuring light receiving module and said tracking light receiving module are configured to include a receiving prism (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-118, dichroic prism 78) which internally reflects said reflected distance measuring light (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-117), and
said reflected tracking light more than once respectively (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; first reflection surface 78a and second reflection surface 78b) and then separates said reflected distance measuring light and said reflected tracking light from each other (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; second reflection surface 78b having an optical characteristic to transmit through the reflected distance measuring light (the near-infrared light) and to reflect the reflected tracking light).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a receiving prism, which is disclosed by Yuasa. Doing so will improve accuracy in distance measurement by minimizing signal loss due to scattering and ensuring that a stronger, more focused beam returns to the receiver, enabling more accurate distance calculations. This is particularly important for achieving pinpoint accuracy, especially when measuring long distances. Also, prisms, by bending and reflecting light internally, can reduce the need for bulky lens systems, enabling more compact and lightweight optical designs for distance measuring and tracking modules. This is particularly beneficial for applications where space and weight are critical, such as in drones, portable measurement devices, or tight working environments.
Claims 15-16, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hinderling in view of Hirano and Yuasa.
Regarding claim 15, Hinderling, in view of Hirano, fails to explicitly teach but Yuasa teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 4, further comprising a tracking light receiving module configured to include a tracking photodetector which receives a reflected tracking light from said object (Yuasa, fig. 11, para 118),
wherein said light emitting module is configured to include a tracking light emitter which projects as a tracking light a laser beam having a wavelength different from a wavelength of said distance measuring light (Yuasa, fig. 11, 114, 117, the second surface transmit the reflected distance measuring light and to reflect the reflected tracking light so their wavelengths are different), and
said light emitters and said tracking light emitter are configured in such a manner that said distance measuring light and said tracking light are substantially coaxially projected (Fig. 11, para 112, 114, 123; tracking light emitter and distance measuring light have a common a projection optical axis).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a tracker with a tracking light emitter and photodetector, which is disclosed by Yuasa. Doing so will improve accuracy and reliability by delivering precise measurements, often at the millimeter level, minimizing human error and ensuring high-quality results. Also, improve efficiency and speed, automated tracking systems drastically reduce the time needed to capture survey data, especially over large areas or with numerous points to be measured and Continuous tracking minimizes beam breaks, ensuring uninterrupted data collection.
Regarding claim 16, Hinderling, in view of Hirano, fails to explicitly teach but Yuasa teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 5, further comprising a tracking light receiving module configured to include a tracking photodetector which receives a reflected tracking light from said object (Yuasa, fig. 11, para 118),
wherein said light emitting module is configured to include a tracking light emitter which projects as a tracking light a laser beam having a wavelength different from a wavelength of said distance measuring light (Yuasa, fig. 11, 114, 117, the second surface transmit the reflected distance measuring light and to reflect the reflected tracking light so their wavelengths are different), and
said light emitters and said tracking light emitter are configured in such a manner that said distance measuring light and said tracking light are substantially coaxially projected (Fig. 11, para 112, 114, 123; tracking light emitter and distance measuring light have a common a projection optical axis).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a tracker with a tracking light emitter and photodetector, which is disclosed by Yuasa. Doing so will improve accuracy and reliability by delivering precise measurements, often at the millimeter level, minimizing human error and ensuring high-quality results. Also, improve efficiency and speed, automated tracking systems drastically reduce the time needed to capture survey data, especially over large areas or with numerous points to be measured and Continuous tracking minimizes beam breaks, ensuring uninterrupted data collection.
Regarding claim 19, Hinderling, in view of Hirano and Yuasa, teaches the surveying instrument according to claim 15, wherein said distance measuring light receiving module and said tracking light receiving module are configured to include a receiving prism (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-118, dichroic prism 78) which internally reflects said reflected distance measuring light (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 116-117), and
said reflected tracking light more than once respectively (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; first reflection surface 78a and second reflection surface 78b) and then separates said reflected distance measuring light and said reflected tracking light from each other (Yuasa, Fig. 11, para 117; second reflection surface 78b having an optical characteristic to transmit through the reflected distance measuring light (the near-infrared light) and to reflect the reflected tracking light).
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the surveying instrument disclosed by Hinderling by adding a receiving prism, which is disclosed by Yuasa. Doing so will improve accuracy in distance measurement by minimizing signal loss due to scattering and ensuring that a stronger, more focused beam returns to the receiver, enabling more accurate distance calculations. This is particularly important for achieving pinpoint accuracy, especially when measuring long distances. Also, prisms, by bending and reflecting light internally, can reduce the need for bulky lens systems, enabling more compact and lightweight optical designs for distance measuring and tracking modules. This is particularly beneficial for applications where space and weight are critical, such as in drones, portable measurement devices, or tight working environments.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Manabu Kato (US 20110025814 A1), teaches Scanning optical, Apparatus and Image forming Apparatus using same
Yunpeng Song (US 20210210923 A1), teaches apparatus for projecting linear laser beams
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/JEMPSON NOEL/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645