51821DETAILED 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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims.
Therefore, the capacitor of claim 13, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
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 1-20 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. The claims will be examined as best understood.
Claim 1, 3 recites “a light-emitting section including a light-emitting element, the light-emitting element including a thyristor”. Not clear. Does the light-emitting element itself include the thyristor” as a single unit? Is the thyristor part of the light-emitting section? Schematic figure 1, for instance, appear to show S(1) and T(1), thyristors, separate from VCSEL(1).
Claim 1 recites the limitation “…to cause the light-emitting element to become unable to reemit light”. Not clear. If the light-emitter is unable to reemit light, how can the light-emitter be turned on at a later time? Recommend rephrasing to detail the light-emitter is essentially switched off or similar.
Claims 3, 11, 12 recite a similar limitation to claim 1 above, “the light-emitting element become unable to reemit light”, and is similarly rejected as above.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the light emitting current". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites “a controller that performs control to supply, after the setter sets the thyristor of the selected light-emitting element to be in the ON state, a reemission stop pulse before the light-emitting current is supplied so as to cause…” Not clear what or where the light emitting current is supplied to.
Claim 13 recites “a light-emitting section including a light-emitting element, the light-emitting element including a capacitor, the capacitor being turned ON when electric charge is stored so as to make the light-emitting element become able to emit light; and a controller that performs control to supply a reemission stop pulse to turn OFF the capacitor.” The recitation to a capacitor is unclear as to the type of capacitor referred to. Is the capacitor part of the light-emitting element, a separate device in the circuit, or formed of the circuit design.
Paragraph [0005] of the instant application recites “The light-emitting unit includes a light-emitting element provided with a capacitor such as a thyristor and turns ON the thyristor to cause the light-emitting element to emit light. In this type of light- emitting unit, the thyristor has capacitance”. The instant specification refers to “parasitic capacitance”, the schematic figures do not indicate a capacitor device is in the circuit. The claims refer to the capacitor is turned off and on.
Concerning the above limitations, they appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and contain grammatical and idiomatic errors. Applicant is recommended to further review claims for further instance of these errors.
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.
(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 1-4, 13 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Oka (US 20200178361).
In regards to claim 1, Oka discloses a light source device comprising:
a light-emitting section including a light-emitting element (Fig. 6 diagram of scanning device, ref. 11 light source), the light-emitting element including a thyristor ([0089] “Each first switch element SW uses, for example, an analog switch, a transistor, or a semiconductor switch, such as a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) or a thyristor”); and
a controller (Fig. 6 ref. 32 control circuit) that performs control to supply a light-emitting current to the light-emitting section so as to cause the light-emitting element to emit light ([0084] “a first switch element SW is controlled and a capacitor C corresponding to one laser diode LD included in the plurality of laser diodes LD stores an electric charge to selectively turn on the laser diode LD”) and then to supply a reemission stop pulse to the light-emitting section so as to cause the light-emitting element to become unable to reemit light ([0099] “The control circuit 32 performs control to drive a desirable light emitting element by performing on/off control on the corresponding second switch element SW based on a control signal”).
In regards to claim 2, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 1, wherein: the light-emitting element includes a plurality of light-emitting elements ([0098] “VCSELs including 40 light emitting elements in an array are used”); and
the controller sets, among the plurality of light-emitting elements, a light-emitting element which is to emit light, and supplies the light-emitting current to the light-emitting section so as to cause the set light-emitting element to emit light ([0113] discloses “referring to FIG. 14, control timings for individually driving the respective laser diodes LD, which are control timings for sequentially driving the respective laser diodes LD are described”) and supplies the reemission stop pulse to the light-emitting section before another light-emitting element is caused to emit light ([0099] “The control circuit 32 performs control to drive a desirable light emitting element by performing on/off control on the corresponding second switch element SW”).
In regards to claim 3, Oka discloses a light source device comprising:
a light-emitting section including a plurality of light-emitting elements (Fig. 6 diagram of scanning device, ref. 11 light source), each of the plurality of light-emitting elements including a thyristor (([0089] “Each first switch element SW uses, for example, an analog switch, a transistor, or a semiconductor switch, such as a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) or a thyristor”);
a setter that selects a light-emitting element among the plurality of light-emitting elements ([0004] discloses “desirable ones of the light emitting elements are individually driven”, accordingly comprising a setter that selects the light-emitter) and sets the thyristor of the selected light-emitting element to be in an ON state ([0084] “[0084] In the light emitting device 50A, when a first switch element SW is controlled and a capacitor C corresponding to one laser diode LD included in the plurality of laser diodes LD stores an electric charge to selectively turn on the laser diode LD”); and
a controller (Fig. 6 ref. 32 control circuit) that performs control to supply, after the setter sets the thyristor of the selected light-emitting element to be in the ON state, a reemission stop pulse before the light-emitting current is supplied so as to cause the light-emitting elements to become unable to reemit light ([0099] “The control circuit 32 performs control to drive a desirable light emitting element by performing on/off control on the corresponding second switch element SW based on a control signal”).
In regards to claim 4, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 1, wherein: the light-emitting element includes a plurality of light-emitting elements ([0098] “VCSELs including 40 light emitting elements in an array are used); the controller sets, among the plurality of light-emitting elements, a light-emitting element which is to emit light ([0113] discloses “referring to FIG. 14, control timings for individually driving the respective laser diodes LD, which are control timings for sequentially driving the respective laser diodes LD are described”); and after turning ON and OFF the light-emitting current to cause the set light-emitting element to emit light a plurality of times, the controller supplies the reemission stop pulse.
In regards to claim 13, Oka discloses a light source device comprising:
a light-emitting section including a light-emitting element (Fig. 9 LD1n-LD11 VCSELs), the light-emitting element including a capacitor (capacitors C1n-C11), the capacitor being turned ON when electric charge is stored so as to make the light-emitting element become able to emit light ([0090]); and a controller (ref. 32 control circuit) that performs control to supply a reemission stop pulse to turn OFF the capacitor (as best understood, the circuit layout of Oka details a capacitors which is energized as the switch is turned on, and deenergized as the switch and associated signal is turned off).
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 5-12, 14-20, rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka in view of Kondo et al (US 20210305771).
In regards to claim 5, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 1, Oka discloses a power source at a ground side, Fig. 9 ref. Vin, but does not expressly disclose: wherein the controller supplies the light-emitting current and the reemission stop pulse from a ground side of a power source.
Kondo teaches a controller supplying light-emission pulse and stop pulse (Fig. 5 refs. 170, 140).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for the controller to supply the light-emitting current and the reemission stop pulse from the ground side of a power source in order to reduce signal noise or interference.
In regards to claim 6, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 3, Oka discloses a power source at a ground side, Fig. 9 ref. Vin, but does not expressly disclose: wherein the controller supplies the light-emitting current and the reemission stop pulse from a ground side of a power source.
Kondo teaches a controller supplying light-emission pulse and stop pulse (Fig. 5 refs. 170, 140).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for the controller to supply the light-emitting current and the reemission stop pulse from the ground side of a power source in order to reduce signal noise or interference.
In regards to claim 7, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 1, but does not expressly disclose: wherein a pulse width of the reemission stop pulse is narrower than a pulse width of a pulse for causing the light- emitting element to emit light.
Kondo teaches a light emitter device comprising light emitting elements in which and pulse/signal for emission stop is narrow than that of emission (seen in Fig. 9 at least).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for the pulse width of the reemission stop pulse is narrower than a pulse width of a pulse for causing the light- emitting element to emit light in order to ensure the light emitter is off and not emitting.
In regards to claim 8, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 3, but does not expressly disclose: wherein a pulse width of the reemission stop pulse is narrower than a pulse width of a pulse for causing the light- emitting element to emit light.
Kondo teaches a light emitter device comprising light emitting elements in which and pulse/signal for emission stop is narrow than that of emission (seen in Fig. 9 at least).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for the pulse width of the reemission stop pulse is narrower than a pulse width of a pulse for causing the light- emitting element to emit light in order to ensure the light emitter is off and not emitting.
In regards to claim 9, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 1, but does not expressly disclose: wherein a current value of the reemission stop pulse is lower than a current value of a pulse for causing the light-emitting element to emit light.
Kondo teaches a light emitter device comprising light emitting elements in which a pulse/signal for emission stop is such that the current for the emission stop is lower than the current pulse for causing the light-emitting element to emit light ([0183] “when the threshold voltage of the setting thyristor S in the OFF state is lower than −3.3 V (when the absolute value of the threshold voltage is greater than 3.3), the setting thyristor S is turned ON”…” when the threshold voltage of the setting thyristor S in the OFF state is higher than −3.3 V (when the absolute value of the threshold voltage is smaller than −3.3), the setting thyristor S is not turned ON. The OFF state of the VCSEL is thus maintained, that is, the VCSEL does not emit light”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for the current value of the reemission stop pulse is lower than a current value of the pulse for causing the light-emitting element to emit light in order to ensure the light emitter is off and not emitting.
In regards to claim 10, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 3, but does not expressly disclose: wherein a current value of the reemission stop pulse is lower than a current value of a pulse for causing the light-emitting element to emit light.
Kondo teaches a light emitter device comprising light emitting elements in which a pulse/signal for emission stop is such that the current for the emission stop is lower than the current pulse for causing the light-emitting element to emit light ([0183] “when the threshold voltage of the setting thyristor S in the OFF state is lower than −3.3 V (when the absolute value of the threshold voltage is greater than 3.3), the setting thyristor S is turned ON”…” when the threshold voltage of the setting thyristor S in the OFF state is higher than −3.3 V (when the absolute value of the threshold voltage is smaller than −3.3), the setting thyristor S is not turned ON. The OFF state of the VCSEL is thus maintained, that is, the VCSEL does not emit light”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for a current value of the reemission stop pulse is lower than a current value of a pulse for causing the light-emitting element to emit light in order to ensure the light emitter is off and not emitting.
In regards to claim 11, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 1, Oka discloses a power source at a ground side, Fig. 9 ref. Vin, but does not expressly disclose: the controller includes a first driver and a second driver, the first driver disposed at a ground side of a power source so as to turn ON and OFF the light-emitting current, the power source supplying the light-emitting current to the light-emitting element, the second driver supplying the reemission stop pulse; and an ON-resistance of the second driver is smaller than an OFF-resistance of the first driver and is set to a value which makes the light-emitting element become unable to reemit light when the second driver is turned ON while the first driver is OFF.
Kondo teaches a signal generating circuit, ref. 110, comprising a first driver, ref. 170, and second driver source, ref. 140. Ref. 170 used to turn ON and OFF the light-emitting current, the power source supplying the light-emitting current to the light-emitting element ([0055] “The power supply potential supplier 170 supplies a power supply potential Vgk to the light-emitting chips C1 through C40 to drive them”). Ref. 140 supplying the reemission stop pulse (Fig. 9, (L) of phi(I1)). Kondo further teaches having a low resistance of a driving signal ([0252] “the resistance of the path through which a current flows from the setting thyristor S to the VCSEL via the tunnel junction layer 84 does not become high”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for the controller having a first driver and a second driver, with the first driver disposed at a ground side of a power source so as to turn ON and OFF the light-emitting current, the power source supplying the light-emitting current to the light-emitting element, the second driver supplying the reemission stop pulse and an ON-resistance of the second driver is smaller than an OFF-resistance of the first driver and is set to a value which makes the light-emitting element become unable to reemit light when the second driver is turned ON while the first driver is OFF in order to ensure the light emitter is off and not emitting when the off pulse is applied.
In regards to claim 12, Oka discloses the light source device according to Claim 3, Oka discloses a power source at a ground side, Fig. 9 ref. Vin, but does not expressly disclose: the controller includes a first driver and a second driver, the first driver disposed at a ground side of a power source so as to turn ON and OFF the light-emitting current, the power source supplying the light-emitting current to the light-emitting element, the second driver supplying the reemission stop pulse; and an ON-resistance of the second driver is smaller than an OFF-resistance of the first driver and is set to a value which makes the light-emitting element become unable to reemit light when the second driver is turned ON while the first driver is OFF.
Kondo teaches a signal generating circuit, ref. 110, comprising a first driver, ref. 170, and second driver source, ref. 140. Ref. 170 used to turn ON and OFF the light-emitting current, the power source supplying the light-emitting current to the light-emitting element ([0055] “The power supply potential supplier 170 supplies a power supply potential Vgk to the light-emitting chips C1 through C40 to drive them”). Ref. 140 supplying the reemission stop pulse (Fig. 9, (L) of phi(I1)). Kondo further teaches having a low resistance of a driving signal ([0252] “the resistance of the path through which a current flows from the setting thyristor S to the VCSEL via the tunnel junction layer 84 does not become high”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Oka with Kondo by providing the means for the controller having a first driver and a second driver, with the first driver disposed at a ground side of a power source so as to turn ON and OFF the light-emitting current, the power source supplying the light-emitting current to the light-emitting element, the second driver supplying the reemission stop pulse and an ON-resistance of the second driver is smaller than an OFF-resistance of the first driver and is set to a value which makes the light-emitting element become unable to reemit light when the second driver is turned ON while the first driver is OFF in order to ensure the light emitter is off and not emitting when the off pulse is applied.
In regards to claim 14, Oka discloses a measurement apparatus comprising: the light source device according to Claim 1; and a light receiver that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting section of the light source device and which is reflected by a subject to be measured (Oka Fig. 6, measurement device schematic, emitted light reflected from object 2).
In regards to claim 15, Oka discloses a measurement apparatus comprising: the light source device according to Claim 2; and a light receiver that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting section of the light source device and which is reflected by a subject to be measured (Oka Fig. 6, measurement device schematic, emitted light reflected from object 2, received by ref. 20).
In regards to claim 16, Oka discloses a measurement apparatus comprising: the light source device according to Claim 3; and a light receiver that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting section of the light source device and which is reflected by a subject to be measured (Oka Fig. 6, measurement device schematic, emitted light reflected from object 2, received by ref. 20).
In regards to claim 17, Oka discloses a measurement apparatus comprising: the light source device according to Claim 4; and a light receiver that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting section of the light source device and which is reflected by a subject to be measured (Oka Fig. 6, measurement device schematic, emitted light reflected from object 2, received by ref. 20).
In regards to claim 18, Oka discloses a measurement apparatus comprising: the light source device according to Claim 5; and a light receiver that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting section of the light source device and which is reflected by a subject to be measured (Oka Fig. 6, measurement device schematic, emitted light reflected from object 2, received by ref. 20).
In regards to claim 19, Oka discloses a measurement apparatus comprising: the light source device according to Claim 6; and a light receiver that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting section of the light source device and which is reflected by a subject to be measured (Oka Fig. 6, measurement device schematic, emitted light reflected from object 2, received by ref. 20).
In regards to claim 20, Oka discloses a measurement apparatus comprising: the light source device according to Claim 7; and a light receiver that receives light which is emitted from the light-emitting section of the light source device and which is reflected by a subject to be measured (Oka Fig. 6, measurement device schematic, emitted light reflected from object 2, received by ref. 20).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure cited on PTO 892. The cited references display light-emitting devices and measurement devices involving thyristors.
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/V.R./Examiner, Art Unit 3642
/ASSRES H WOLDEMARYAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642