DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: Page 12, Line 6 refers to “main body of the housing 10” which is not referenced in the drawings.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
On page 15, line 12, “the transmission part core 130” should read “the transmission part core 120”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 2, while the intent of the claim is reasonably clear, in view of the specification, the specific language of the claim should likely be improved. In particular, “by being pieced by a central portion” does not convey a clear meaning.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites the limitation “the power connection line” and “the through hole of the main shaft” in the last limitation. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. These limitations are initially presented in claim 2, of which claim 4 is not dependent. As best understood by the examiner, these limitations hold the same meaning as presented in claim 4, and will examine the claim based on this assumption.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-6, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Pacala et al. (US 20200025879 A1), hereinafter Pacala.
Regarding claim 1, Pacala teaches:
A contactless power supply and data communication apparatus ([0084] “FIG. 3 illustrates a more detailed block diagram of a rotating LIDAR system 300 according to some embodiments like those described above in reference to FIG. 2A. More specifically, rotating LIDAR system 300 can optionally employ a rotary actuator with wireless data and power transmission and reception capabilities.”), comprising:
a main body housing consisting of an upper combination body, and a lower combination body (FIG. 2A, housing 220; FIG. 3, Upper Circuit Board Assembly 380 and Lower Circuit Board Assembly 360);
a main shaft configured to connect and fix the upper combination body from the center while being supported by the lower combination body ([0088] “The lower circuit board assembly 360 can be mechanically mounted to a fixed portion of an enclosure or housing (not shown) while the upper circuit board assembly 380 is free to rotate about an axis of rotation, usually defined by a shaft (not represented in FIG. 3) that is also mounted to the enclosure (directly or indirectly).”);
a motor configured to provide rotation power for rotating a rotary part centering around the main shaft ([0091] “The brushless electric motor assembly includes a stator assembly 362 integrated onto a printed circuit board of the lower circuit board assembly 360 and a rotor assembly 382 integrated onto a printed circuit board of the upper circuit board assembly 380.”);
a wireless power part consisting of a transmission part core united with and fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the main shaft ([0093] “Rotary actuator 310 can also include a wireless power system that includes a wireless power transmitter 372 and a wireless power receiver 392 in a configuration referred to herein as a rotary transformer.”; FIG. 6B, [0143] “The wireless power transmitter 648 can be a transmitter coil in the form of a circular loop antenna (e.g., a single turn or multi-turn coil) that is attached to a surface of a circuit board of the lower circuit board assembly 620 (e.g., board 622) as shown, for example, in FIG. 6D.”), and
a reception part core spaced apart from the transmission part core, and configured to rotate from an upper end, thereby supplying and receiving power through electromagnetic induction (FIG. 6B, [0143] “Likewise, the wireless power receiver 638 can be a receiver coil in the form of a circular loop antenna (e.g., a single turn or multi-turn coil) that is attached to a surface of a circuit board of the upper circuit board assembly 610 (e.g., board 612) as shown in FIG. 6E. The centers of both the wireless power transmitter 648 and the wireless power receiver 638 are positioned at the center of the hollow shaft 606.” Note that upper circuit board assembly rotates.); and
an optical communication part configured to transmit and receives an optical signal by being configured in such a manner that a rotary communication element disposed on a lower surface of a rotary substrate rotating with the main shaft as its center, and a fixed communication element disposed on an upper surface of a fixed substrate which is fixed are spaced apart from each other at a fixed distance (FIG. 3; [0094] “Rotary actuator 310 can also include an optical communication subsystem that includes a number of optical transmitters (e.g., optical transmitters 378 and 396) and a number of optical receivers (e.g., optical receivers 376 and 398) used for bi-directional contactless data transmission between rotary actuator 315 and light ranging device 320 (or to/from any other device or system that is mechanically connected to upper circuit board assembly 380 of the rotary actuator 315). More specifically, the optical communication subsystem can include a set of base optical communication components that are attached to (e.g., soldered to) lower circuit board assembly 360 that is part of the stationary base of LIDAR system 300, and can include a set of turret optical communication components that are attached to (e.g., soldered to) rotating upper circuit board assembly 380 that is part of the rotating turret of LIDAR system 300.”).
Regarding claim 3, Pacala teaches the apparatus of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the motor is an outer rotor-type brushless direct current (BLDC) motor in which a motor fixation part functioning as a stator is located centering around the main shaft, and a motor rotation part functioning as a rotor is located at an outer side of the motor fixation part ([0091] “The brushless electric motor assembly includes a stator assembly 362 integrated onto a printed circuit board of the lower circuit board assembly 360 and a rotor assembly 382 integrated onto a printed circuit board of the upper circuit board assembly 380.”; [0142] “One of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure will appreciate that any implementation of a PCB mounted brushless DC motor can be employed, for example, any non-contact configuration of solenoid coils and permanent magnet elements can be employed and any drive scheme that implements rotary motion of the underlying hardware can be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.”).
Regarding claim 5, Pacala teaches the apparatus of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the reception part core of the wireless power part, and the rotary substrate of the optical communication part are combined with a rotation support member configured to transmit rotary force of the motor rotation part (FIG. 3, Wireless Power RX 392 and Optical communication parts 396 and 398 are all part of the same connected Upper Circuit Board Assembly 380.).
Regarding claim 6, Pacala teaches the apparatus of claim 5, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the rotation support member rotates while coming into contact with bearings furnished on at least one or more portions along an outer circumferential surface of the main shaft (FIGS . 6A-B, [0122] “Rotation of upper circuit board assembly 610 and light ranging device 602 is enabled by a bearing system 607 located on a hollow shaft 606 centered along the longitudinal axis or rotation 605.”).
Regarding claim 10, Pacala teaches the apparatus of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
A rotary drive light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system ([0084] “FIG. 3 illustrates a more detailed block diagram of a rotating LIDAR system 300 according to some embodiments like those described above in reference to FIG. 2A. More specifically, rotating LIDAR system 300 can optionally employ a rotary actuator with wireless data and power transmission and reception capabilities.”), with respect to the LiDAR system, which uses the contactless power supply and data communication apparatus of claim 1, comprising:
a main body housing consisting of an upper combination body, and a lower combination body (FIG. 2A, housing 220; FIG. 3, Upper Circuit Board Assembly 380 and Lower Circuit Board Assembly 360);
a main shaft configured to connect and fix the upper combination body from the center while being supported by the lower combination body ([0088] “The lower circuit board assembly 360 can be mechanically mounted to a fixed portion of an enclosure or housing (not shown) while the upper circuit board assembly 380 is free to rotate about an axis of rotation, usually defined by a shaft (not represented in FIG. 3) that is also mounted to the enclosure (directly or indirectly).”);
a motor configured to provide rotation power for rotating a rotary part centering around the main shaft ([0091] “The brushless electric motor assembly includes a stator assembly 362 integrated onto a printed circuit board of the lower circuit board assembly 360 and a rotor assembly 382 integrated onto a printed circuit board of the upper circuit board assembly 380.”);
a wireless power part consisting of a transmission part core united with and fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the main shaft ([0093] “Rotary actuator 310 can also include a wireless power system that includes a wireless power transmitter 372 and a wireless power receiver 392 in a configuration referred to herein as a rotary transformer.”; FIG. 6B, [0143] “The wireless power transmitter 648 can be a transmitter coil in the form of a circular loop antenna (e.g., a single turn or multi-turn coil) that is attached to a surface of a circuit board of the lower circuit board assembly 620 (e.g., board 622) as shown, for example, in FIG. 6D.”), and
a reception part core spaced apart from the transmission part core, and rotating from an upper end, thereby supplying and receiving power through electromagnetic induction (FIG. 6B, [0143] “Likewise, the wireless power receiver 638 can be a receiver coil in the form of a circular loop antenna (e.g., a single turn or multi-turn coil) that is attached to a surface of a circuit board of the upper circuit board assembly 610 (e.g., board 612) as shown in FIG. 6E. The centers of both the wireless power transmitter 648 and the wireless power receiver 638 are positioned at the center of the hollow shaft 606.” Note that upper circuit board assembly rotates.);
an optical communication part configured to transmit and receive an optical signal by being configured in such a manner that a rotary communication element disposed on a lower surface of a rotary substrate rotating with the main shaft as its center, and a fixed communication element disposed on an upper surface of a fixed substrate which is fixed are spaced apart from each other at a fixed distance (FIG. 3; [0094] “Rotary actuator 310 can also include an optical communication subsystem that includes a number of optical transmitters (e.g., optical transmitters 378 and 396) and a number of optical receivers (e.g., optical receivers 376 and 398) used for bi-directional contactless data transmission between rotary actuator 315 and light ranging device 320 (or to/from any other device or system that is mechanically connected to upper circuit board assembly 380 of the rotary actuator 315). More specifically, the optical communication subsystem can include a set of base optical communication components that are attached to (e.g., soldered to) lower circuit board assembly 360 that is part of the stationary base of LIDAR system 300, and can include a set of turret optical communication components that are attached to (e.g., soldered to) rotating upper circuit board assembly 380 that is part of the rotating turret of LIDAR system 300.”); and
a laser transmission and reception module ([0085] “Rotating LIDAR system 300 shown in FIG. 3 includes two main modules: a light ranging device 320 and a rotary actuator 315”) consisting of a laser transmission unit configured to radiate a laser beam while rotating centering around the main shaft by receiving rotation power of the motor, and laser reception units configured to receive the laser beam returned by being reflected in a target ([0088] “Light ranging device 320 includes light sensing module 330, light transmission module 340 and light ranging system controller 350… The light ranging device 320 can be mechanically attached to the rotatable upper circuit board assembly 380 and therefore is free to rotate within the housing.”),
wherein the laser transmission and reception module is circuit-connected to a reception part coil of the wireless power part, thereby carrying out laser transmission and reception operations by receiving power induced to the reception part coil, and catching hold of a distance between objects, and a shape by transmitting and receiving a signal or data through the optical communication part ([0093] “Power transmitted from transmitter 372 to wireless power receiver 392 can be consumed by light ranging device 320 and/or any circuitry needing power on the turret/upper circuit board assembly.”; [0094] “Rotary actuator 310 can also include an optical communication subsystem… used for bi-directional contactless data transmission between rotary actuator 315 and light ranging device 320 (or to/from any other device or system that is mechanically connected to upper circuit board assembly 380 of the rotary actuator 315).”).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pacala.
Regarding claim 2, Pacala teaches the apparatus of claim 1, as described above, but does not explicitly teach:
wherein the main shaft forms a through hole which makes a path having a fixed radius by being pieced by a central portion in order to connect a signal and a power connection line, which come in from a control substrate, to the inside.
Pacala does teach that the main shaft forms a through hole, as is used in some embodiments for optical communication (see, for example, FIGS. 6A-B), but does not explicitly teach using this through hole for wiring.
However, the simple rearrangement of the wiring lines along different stationary surfaces is an obvious modification, see MPEP 2144.04 (VI)(C), in particular where the specification has not made clear the criticality of the claimed arrangement. The examiner does not see an indication in the specification as to why this particular claimed arrangement is critical or inventive. Therefore, such a modification would be an obvious choice with predictable results.
Regarding claim 4, as best understood by the examiner in view of the 112(b) rejection above, Pacala teaches the apparatus of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the transmission part core and the reception part core of the wireless power part have a structure in which they are symmetrical with respect to each other, and comprise a transmission part coil and a reception part coil, respectively formed in a coil form in which a fixed quantity of coil is wound from an internal space (FIG. 6B, [0143] “The wireless power transmitter 648 can be a transmitter coil in the form of a circular loop antenna (e.g., a single turn or multi-turn coil) that is attached to a surface of a circuit board of the lower circuit board assembly 620 (e.g., board 622) as shown, for example, in FIG. 6D. Likewise, the wireless power receiver 638 can be a receiver coil in the form of a circular loop antenna (e.g., a single turn or multi-turn coil) that is attached to a surface of a circuit board of the upper circuit board assembly 610 (e.g., board 612) as shown in FIG. 6E. The centers of both the wireless power transmitter 648 and the wireless power receiver 638 are positioned at the center of the hollow shaft 606.”),
[…]
Pacala also teaches that the main shaft forms a through hole, as is used in some embodiments for optical communication (see, for example, FIGS. 6A-B), but does not explicitly teach using this through hole for wiring.
However, the connection line providing power to the transmitter coil could reasonably take any path along co-stationary surfaces, which would teach the limitation:
wherein the transmission part coil is connected to the power connection line coming in through the through hole of the main shaft.
This is evidenced by the fact that the simple rearrangement of the wiring lines along different stationary surfaces is an obvious modification, see MPEP 2144.04 (VI)(C), in particular where the specification has not made clear the criticality of the claimed arrangement. The examiner does not see an indication in the specification as to why this particular claimed arrangement is critical or inventive. Therefore, such a modification would be an obvious choice with predictable results.
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pacala in view of Fujimoto et al. (US 20100166433 A1), hereinafter Fujimoto.
Regarding claim 7, Pacala teaches the apparatus of claim 1, as described above, but does not teach:
wherein the optical communication part further has a light diffusion plate that consists of a light diffusion member in a round shape between the fixed substrate and the rotary substrate, and functions to uniformly propagate light transmitted and received from a luminous source through dispersion and diffusion actions.
Fujimoto, in the field of contactless optical communication for a rotating body, teaches a rotary system with a contactless optical data transfer system using a diffusive optical waveguide:
wherein the optical communication part further has a light diffusion plate that consists of a light diffusion member in a round shape between the fixed substrate and the rotary substrate, and functions to uniformly propagate light transmitted and received from a luminous source through dispersion and diffusion actions (FIGS. 5 and 11; [0060-63] “The transmitter system 12 comprises a light emitting portion 17, an optical guide 18”; [0082] “In the optical guide 181 the guided light beam reaches the interface and a part of the light beam is scattered by the scattering face 181e as in FIG. 8B. Thus, the scattered light beam reaches the interface of the exit face 181d opposing the scattering face 181e at a larger incidence angle than the optimal angle and emitted therefrom to outside of the optical guide 181 (FIG. 9).” Note the contemplation of multiple emitters in FIG. 11.).
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 apparatus of Pacala with the diffusive waveguide of Fujimoto to further ensure consistent illumination across the 360 degree rotation.
Regarding claim 8, Pacala in view of Fujimoto teaches the apparatus of claim 7, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the rotary communication element comprises a plurality of visible light transmission modules each consisting of a visible light diode, and one infrared (IR) reception module consisting of an infrared (IR) reception sensor, and the fixed communication element comprises at least one or more infrared (IR) transmission modules each consisting of an infrared light diode, and one visible light reception module consisting of a visible light reception sensor (Pacala: [0132] “the number of individual transmitters in the composite transmitter can be the same as or different from the number of individual receivers in the composite receiver.” Note that the number or transmitters and receivers do not need to be the same, and would include any reasonable choice of numbers. ; [0133] “The optical transmitters and receivers used for the optical uplink of the rotary actuator can be any suitable type of optical emitter or detector. For example, a ring of IR LEDs, laser diodes, VCSELs, or the like… the optical transmitters and receivers used for the optical uplink can be the same or different type (e.g., power and wavelength) as those used for the downlink.” Note the contemplation of different wavelengths for the uplink and downlink pairs.).
Regarding claim 9, Pacala in view of Fujimoto teaches the apparatus of claim 8, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the light diffusion plate further comprises an optical waveguide configured to transmit an optical signal between the rotary communication element and the fixed communication element (Fujimoto: FIGS. 5 and 11; [0064] “The optical guide 18 functions to guide a light beam from the light emitting portion 17 to a ring-like opposing area 20 around the rotary axis Ar to emit the light beam to the light receiving area 15.”).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Guempelein et al. (US 5535033 A) teaches an optical conductor which laterally emits light for use in contactless rotational optical communication.
Schierling et al. (US 20090154936 A1) teaches a dispersive optical waveguide for communication between a stationary and a rotating part.
Worms et al. (US 20210080551 A1) teaches a rotary lidar system with contactless power and data transmission.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN C. GRANT whose telephone number is (571)272-0402. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuqing Xiao can be reached at (571)270-3603. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEAN C. GRANT/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645