DETAILED ACTION
This Action addresses the communication received on 2 Feb 2026. Applicant has amended Claims 1, 8, 10, and 12; and added Claims 13-16. The Office rejects pending Claims 1-16 as detailed below.
Response to Amendments
Claim Objections
Based on Applicant’s amendment to the claims, the Office withdraws the objection to Claim 1 due to informalities.
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: “wherein the beam steering unit is driven by [a] thermal mechanism.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
+_+_+ Claims 1-2, 4-7, and 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Keilaf et al. - U.S. Pub. 20190271767 +_+_+
As for Claim 1, Keilaf teaches a light transmitter, wherein the light transmitter comprises a plurality of light sources (¶230|1: “A LIDAR system (e.g., LIDAR system 100) may include at least one processor (e.g., processor 118), configured to cause activation of one or more light sources (e.g., light source 112), to emit light toward a portion of a field of view of the LID AR system.), each of the plurality of light sources is configured to emit pulse light (¶52|8: “In one example, the light signal may be a short pulse, whose rise and/or fall time may be detected in reception.”), and the pulse light is non-visible (P81|3: “Primary light source 112A may project light with a longer wavelength than is sensitive to the human eye in order to optimize SNR and detection range. For example, primary light source 112A may project light with a wavelength between about 750 nm and 1100 nm.”); a beam steering unit, configured to steer the pulse light and reflected pulse light, wherein the reflected pulse light represents the pulse light reflected by at least one object (¶74|24: “The projected light is projected towards an outbound deflector 114A that functions as a steering element for directing the projected light in field of view 120. In this example, scanning unit 104 also include a pivotable return deflector 114B that direct photons (reflected light 206) reflected back from an object 208 within field of view 120 toward sensor 116.”); and a light receiver, configured to capture the reflected pulse light, wherein the light receiver is a Geiger mode avalanche photodiode receiver comprising a plurality of light detectors (¶109|1: “It is noted that each detector 410 may include a plurality of detection elements 402, such as …Single Photon [i.e., Geiger Mode] Avalanche Diodes (SPADs), …detecting elements that measure both the time of flight from a laser pulse transmission event to the reception event and the intensity of the received photons. For example, each detector 410 may include anywhere between 20 and 5,000 SPADs.”), and the light transmitter, the beam steering unit, and the light receiver are disposed corresponding to each other, wherein the pulse light incident on the beam steering unit and the reflected pulse light deflected by the beam steering unit are parallel or coaxial (Fig. 2D showing light incident on reflector parallel to reflected light.), or wherein the pulse light deflected by the beam steering unit and the reflected pulse light incident on the beam steering unit are parallel or coaxial; wherein each of the plurality of light detectors is individually activated (¶167|1: “FIGS. 7A-7H illustrate several examples of pixel allocations and combinations of detection elements. For example, each cell of the 6x8 matrix depicted in FIG. 7 A may represent an individual detection element. Specifically, FIG. 7A depicts detection element 701, one of 48 detection elements depicted in FIG. 7A. Of course, sensor 116 may include any number of detection elements, and the actual number of detection elements may include hundreds, thousands, or millions of detection elements, or more.”)
As for Claim 2, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the light transmitter is an edge-emitting laser source transmitter, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) source transmitter emitting the pulse light (¶60|11: “For example, one type of light source that may be used is a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).”), a fiber laser, or a photonic crystal surface emitting laser (PCSEL) source transmitter emitting the pulse light.
As for Claim 4, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the pulse light and the reflected pulse light are deflected or reflected by the beam steering unit as the beam steering unit scans in either a one-dimensional field of view or a two-dimensional field of view (¶93|14: “Consistent with some embodiments, a dual axis MEMS mirror may be configured to deflect light in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction. For example, the angles of deflection of a dual axis MEMS mirror may be between about 0° to 30° in the vertical direction and between about 0° to 50° in the horizontal direction. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the depicted configuration of mirror 300 may have numerous variations and modifications.”)
As for Claim 5, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the pulse light from the light transmitter is deflected or reflected by the beam steering unit before the pulse light reflects off the at least one object to form the reflected pulse light, the reflected pulse light is deflected or reflected by the beam steering unit after the reflected pulse light is bent back from the at least one object, and the light receiver captures the reflected pulse light from the beam steering unit (Fig. 2D showing a reflector allowing the emitted laser to pass through while directing the reflected light to the sensing unit.)
As for Claim 6, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches further comprising: an optical separator, configured to separate the reflected pulse light from the pulse light, wherein one of the pulse light and the reflected pulse light is redirected by the optical separator while the other of the pulse light and the reflected pulse light passes through the optical separator without changing direction, and the optical separator is a beam splitter or polarizing beam splitter (Fig. 2D showing a reflector allowing the emitted laser to pass through while directing the reflected light to the sensing unit.)
As for Claim 7, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein a distance between the LiDAR apparatus and one of the at least one object is calculated by measuring a time delay between the pulse light and the reflected pulse light (¶11|1: “Consistent with a disclosed embodiment, a LIDAR system includes at least one processor configured to: control activation of at least one light source for illuminating a field of view; receive from at least one sensor a reflection signal associated with an object in the field of view, wherein a time lapse between light leaving the at least one light source and reflection impinging on the least one sensor constitutes a time of flight….”)
As for Claim 9, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the beam steering unit includes a mechanical driven mirror or a mechanical driven prism, wherein the mechanical driven mirror is a polygon mirror, and the mechanical driven prism is a Risley prism (¶61|4: “The term "light deflector" broadly includes any mechanism or module which is configured to make light deviate from its original path; for example, a mirror, a prism, controllable lens, a mechanical mirror, mechanical scanning polygons, active diffraction (e.g. controllable LCD), Risley prisms, nonmechanical- electro-optical beam steering (such as made by Vscent), polarization grating (such as offered by Boulder Non-Linear Systems), optical phased array (OPA), and more.”)
As for Claim 10, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the plurality of light detectors are positioned in a form of array or in a form of column or row, wherein each of the plurality of light detectors is configured such that it is individually activated, able to be individually activated such that it receives the reflected pulse light individually or homogeneously, or receives the reflected pulse light in a row or in a column (¶167|1: “FIGS. 7A-7H illustrate several examples of pixel allocations and combinations of detection elements. For example, each cell of the 6x8 matrix depicted in FIG. 7 A may represent an individual detection element. Specifically, FIG. 7A depicts detection element 701, one of 48 detection elements depicted in FIG. 7A. Of course, sensor 116 may include any number of detection elements, and the actual number of detection elements may include hundreds, thousands, or millions of detection elements, or more.” Further, (¶104|1) “Sensor 116 includes a plurality of detection elements 402 for detecting photons of a photonic pulse reflected back from field of view 120. The detection elements may all be included in detector array 400, which may have a rectangular arrangement (e.g. as shown) or any other arrangement.”)
As for Claim 11, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein a wavelength of the pulse light is 840nm, 905nm, 940nm, 1330nm, or 1550nm (¶60|16: “In some examples, the light source may include a laser diode configured to emit light at a wavelength between about 650 nm and 1150 nm. Alternatively, the light source may include a laser diode configured to emit light at a wavelength between about 800 nm and about 1000 nm, between about 850 nm and about 950 nm, or between about 1300 nm and about 1600 nm. Unless indicated otherwise, the term ‘about’ with regards to a numeric value is defined as a variance of up to 5% with respect to the stated value.”)
Claim 12 recites substantially the same subject matter as Claim 1 and stands rejected on the same basis accordingly.
As for Claim 13, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the beam steering unit is selectively switchable between a first mode and a second mode to toggle the scanning flash LiDAR apparatus between a large field-of-view mode and small field-of-view mode (¶146|1: “FIG. 6B illustrates overlap region 600 between field of view 120A and field of view 120B. In the depicted example, the overlap region is associated with 24 portions 122 from field of view 120A and 24 portions 122 from field of view 120B. Given that the overlap region is defined and known by processors 118A and 118B, each processor may be designed to limit the amount of light emitted in overlap region 600 in order to conform with an eye safety limit that spans multiple source lights, or for other reasons such as maintaining an optical budget.” Further (¶147|1) “FIG. 6C illustrates how overlap region 600 between field of view 120A and field of view 120B may be used to increase the detection distance of vehicle 110. Consistent with the present disclosure, two or more light sources 112 projecting their nominal light emission into the overlap zone may be leveraged to increase the effective detection range. The term "detection range" may include an approximate distance from vehicle 110 at which LIDAR system 100 can clearly detect an object.”)
As for Claim 14, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the beam steering unit is selectively switchable between an actuated mode and an unactuated mode to toggle the scanning flash LiDAR apparatus between a large field-of-view mode and small field-of-view mode (¶146|1: “FIG. 6B illustrates overlap region 600 between field of view 120A and field of view 120B. In the depicted example, the overlap region is associated with 24 portions 122 from field of view 120A and 24 portions 122 from field of view 120B. Given that the overlap region is defined and known by processors 118A and 118B, each processor may be designed to limit the amount of light emitted in overlap region 600 in order to conform with an eye safety limit that spans multiple source lights, or for other reasons such as maintaining an optical budget.” Further (¶147|1) “FIG. 6C illustrates how overlap region 600 between field of view 120A and field of view 120B may be used to increase the detection distance of vehicle 110. Consistent with the present disclosure, two or more light sources 112 projecting their nominal light emission into the overlap zone may be leveraged to increase the effective detection range. The term "detection range" may include an approximate distance from vehicle 110 at which LIDAR system 100 can clearly detect an object.”)
As for Claim 15, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches wherein the light transmitter operates in coordination with the light receiver (¶146|10: “In addition, processors 118A and 118B may avoid interferences between the light emitted by the two light sources by loose synchronization between the scanning unit 104A and scanning unit 104B, and/or by control of the laser transmission timing, and/or the detection circuit enabling timing.”)
As for Claim 1, Keilaf teaches a light transmitter, wherein the light transmitter comprises a plurality of light sources (¶230|1: “A LIDAR system (e.g., LIDAR system 100) may include at least one processor (e.g., processor 118), configured to cause activation of one or more light sources (e.g., light source 112), to emit light toward a portion of a field of view of the LID AR system.), each of the plurality of light sources is configured to emit pulse light (¶52|8: “In one example, the light signal may be a short pulse, whose rise and/or fall time may be detected in reception.”), and the pulse light is non-visible (P81|3: “Primary light source 112A may project light with a longer wavelength than is sensitive to the human eye in order to optimize SNR and detection range. For example, primary light source 112A may project light with a wavelength between about 750 nm and 1100 nm.”); a beam steering unit, configured to steer the pulse light and reflected pulse light, wherein the reflected pulse light represents the pulse light reflected by at least one object (¶74|24: “The projected light is projected towards an outbound deflector 114A that functions as a steering element for directing the projected light in field of view 120. In this example, scanning unit 104 also include a pivotable return deflector 114B that direct photons (reflected light 206) reflected back from an object 208 within field of view 120 toward sensor 116.”); and a light receiver, configured to capture the reflected pulse light, wherein the light receiver is a Geiger mode avalanche photodiode receiver comprising a plurality of light detectors (¶109|1: “It is noted that each detector 410 may include a plurality of detection elements 402, such as …Single Photon [i.e., Geiger Mode] Avalanche Diodes (SPADs), …detecting elements that measure both the time of flight from a laser pulse transmission event to the reception event and the intensity of the received photons. For example, each detector 410 may include anywhere between 20 and 5,000 SPADs.”), and the light transmitter, the beam steering unit, and the light receiver are disposed corresponding to each other, wherein the pulse light incident on the beam steering unit and the reflected pulse light deflected by the beam steering unit are parallel or coaxial (Fig. 2D showing light incident on reflector parallel to reflected light.), or wherein the pulse light deflected by the beam steering unit and the reflected pulse light incident on the beam steering unit are parallel or coaxial; wherein each of the plurality of light detectors is individually activated (¶167|1: “FIGS. 7A-7H illustrate several examples of pixel allocations and combinations of detection elements. For example, each cell of the 6x8 matrix depicted in FIG. 7 A may represent an individual detection element. Specifically, FIG. 7A depicts detection element 701, one of 48 detection elements depicted in FIG. 7A. Of course, sensor 116 may include any number of detection elements, and the actual number of detection elements may include hundreds, thousands, or millions of detection elements, or more.”)
As for Claim 16, Keilaf teaches simultaneously projecting, from a plurality of light sources, pulse light beams into a field-of-view (¶74|24: “The projected light is projected towards an outbound deflector 114A that functions as a steering element for directing the projected light in field of view 120. In this example, scanning unit 104 also include a pivotable return deflector 114B that direct photons (reflected light 206) reflected back from an object 208 within field of view 120 toward sensor 116.”); and steering, by a beam steering unit, reflected pulse light beams and the pulse light beams, wherein the reflected pulse light beams represent the pulse light beams being reflected, respectively; wherein the beam steering unit is configured to scan the pulse light beams along a scan trajectory so as to cover a scanning field-of-view (¶74|24: “The projected light is projected towards an outbound deflector 114A that functions as a steering element for directing the projected light in field of view 120.”); wherein the scanning field-of-view is larger than the field-of-view (¶74|24: “The projected light is projected towards an outbound deflector 114A that functions as a steering element for directing the projected light in field of view 120 [the whole reason for scanning is to enlarge the field of view of non-scanned beams]. In this example, scanning unit 104 also include a pivotable return deflector 114B that direct photons (reflected light 206) reflected back from an object 208 within field of view 120 toward sensor 116.”); wherein the beam steering unit is configured to enable a plurality of light detectors to capture the reflected pulse light beams within the scanning field-of-view and within the field-of-view (¶74|24: “The projected light is projected towards an outbound deflector 114A that functions as a steering element for directing the projected light in field of view 120. In this example, scanning unit 104 also include a pivotable return deflector 114B that direct photons (reflected light 206) reflected back from an object 208 within field of view 120 toward sensor 116.”); wherein a light transmitter comprises the plurality of light sources arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array (¶72|4: “FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a plurality of projecting units 102 [3 x 1 array] with a plurality of light sources aimed at a common light deflector 114.”); wherein a light receiver comprises the plurality of light detectors arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array (¶167|1: “FIGS. 7A-7H illustrate several examples of pixel allocations and combinations of detection elements. For example, each cell of the 6x8 matrix depicted in FIG. 7 A may represent an individual detection element. Specifically, FIG. 7A depicts detection element 701, one of 48 detection elements depicted in FIG. 7A. Of course, sensor 116 may include any number of detection elements, and the actual number of detection elements may include hundreds, thousands, or millions of detection elements, or more.” Further, (¶104|1) “Sensor 116 includes a plurality of detection elements 402 for detecting photons of a photonic pulse reflected back from field of view 120. The detection elements may all be included in detector array 400, which may have a rectangular arrangement (e.g. as shown) or any other arrangement.”)
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keilaf in view of Bills et al. - U.S. Pub. 20180062345 +_+_+
As for Claim 3, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf teaches using “one or more” VCSELs but not explicitly an array of VCSELs.
But Bills teaches wherein the plurality of light sources are arranged in a form of array or in a form of column or row, wherein the plurality of light sources is individually activated, able to be individually activated, illuminates homogeneously, illuminates in a row, or illuminates in a column (¶17|4: “In outdoor applications in particular, a major challenge to the irradiance of the LiDAR illumination is presented by uncorrelated background light, such as solar ambient light, typically reaching a spectral irradiance of 1 W/(m2-nm). This challenge is met by using pulsed laser arrays with high-radiance emitted beams, such as an array of high-intensity vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), yielding an irradiance on the target scene exceeding the level of the uncorrelated background irradiance. This, in turn, leads to a high ratio of signal to background, as well as to a high ratio of signal to noise in detection of the beams.”)
It 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 to combine Keilaf and Bills because using a VCSEL array leads to a high signal/background and signal/noise ratio.
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+_+_+ Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keilaf in view of Lu et al. - U.S. Pub. 20220206290 +_+_+
As for Claim 8, which depends on Claim 1, Keilaf does not explicitly teach using a thermal actuated MEMS.
But Lu teaches wherein the beam steering unit is driven by [a] thermal mechanism (¶19|1: ”The control of the surface curvature may be realized using various different actuation methods, e.g., piezoelectric actuation, electro-thermal actuation, and parallel plate actuation, etc. …As another example, an electro-thermal actuator may be formed and an electrical signal applied to the electro-thermal actuator may cause a thermal expansion in the scanner that bends the surface curvature. In some embodiments, the curvature actuators may be fabricated in the same MEMS structure as the MEMS minor.”)
It 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 to combine Keilaf and Lu because electro-thermal MEMS have the advantage of operating at low voltage (good for ICs) while producing a large force and displacement.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2 Feb 2026 relate to newly amended claims and are not addressed in this section; the rejections above, however, address the latest version of the claims in detail.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Applicants should direct any inquiry concerning this or earlier communications to CLINT THATCHER at phone 571.270.3588. Examiner is normally available Mon-Fri, 9am to 5:30pm ET and generally keeps a daily 2:30pm timeslot open for interviews.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, Examiner’s supervisor, Yuqing Xiao, can be reached at (571) 270-3603.
Though not relied on, the Office considers the additional prior art listed in the Notice of Reference Cited form (PTO-892) pertinent to Applicant's disclosure.
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/Clint Thatcher/
Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645