DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This office action is in response to an amendment filed 3/31/2026.
Continued Examination
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/31/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 3/31/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
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 of this title, 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 15 and 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 7548376) in a view of Bourdelais et al (US 6846098).
Regarding Claim 15, Kim teaches an opto-electronic device to distribute an ultra-wide field of illumination (abstract; figs. 1-5) comprising:
an optical source to generate light rays(fig. 1, 1; col. 2, line 4-6, where the input light source is either a collimated or divergent light beam); and
a diffuser (fig. 5, 52) comprising the diffusing optical structure (fig. 5, 52) and a plurality of extensions extending from the structure (fig. 5, 52a-- optical incidence surface, 56- prismatic units, 54s/56s—extensions); wherein the diffusing optical structure comprises one or more of a collimator, a prism, a diffractive optical element (DOE), a filter, a coated optical block, and/or a reflector (abstract, line 1-9, The micro lens array includes a plurality of Fresnel lens structures formed on a same optical incidence surface;--- a Fresnel lens is of one of diffractive optical elements (DOEs); col. 2, line 10-15, Each of the optical microstructures includes prismatic units having reflecting and refractive parts);
wherein each extension of the plurality of extensions includes a respective reflective surface arranged at respective first angle to one or more respective light rays received via the diffusing optical structure at a respective incident and to cause total internal reflection of the one or more respective light ray (fig. 5, 54s- reflective surfaces; fig. 1, 1-light source and incident light ray; col. 4, line 1-4, Light incident from the incident surface 52a is totally internally reflected by the reflecting surface 54 of the prismatic unit 56, and the reflected light is refracted by the refractive surface 55 and exits); and
wherein each extension of the plurality of extensions (fig. 5, 56s) includes an exit surface arranged at a respective second angle relative to its respective reflective surface (fig. 5, 55s- exit surfaces) and to direct the one or more respective light rays at one or more transmission angles different from the respective incident angle (fig. 5, 58a, 58b….--outgoing beams).
But Kim does not specifically disclose that wherein a diffuser comprising a base coupled to the diffusing optical structure second side and a plurality of extensions extending from the base; and wherein a diffusing optical structure comprising a diffusing optical structure first side and a diffusing optical structure second side opposite the diffusing optical structure first side.
However, Bourdelais teaches a light diffuser (abstract; fig. 1),
a diffuser comprising a base (fig. 1, 20) coupled to the diffusing optical structure second side and a plurality of extensions extending from the base (fig. 1, 20, 22);
wherein a diffusing optical structure comprising a diffusing optical structure first side and a diffusing optical structure second side opposite the diffusing optical structure first side (co;. 9, line 59-66, the concave or convex lenses are located on both sides of the transparent polymer sheet; By placing the lenses on both sides of the transparent sheet, more efficient light diffusion is observed compared to the lenses of the invention on one side), and wherein the diffusing optical structure comprises one or more of a collimator, a prism, a diffractive optical element (DOE), a filter, a coated optical block, and/or a reflector (col. 13, line 11-20, The light diffuser comprising a surface microstructure is preferred. Examples of microstructures are a simple or complex lenses, prisms, pyramids, and cubes; col. 18, line 17-22, The microvoid-containing oriented film of the present invention has a function to diffuse the light. A periodically varying refractive index distribution formed by these numerous microvoids and micro-lens formed by the micro voided forms a structure like a diffraction grating to contribute to the optical property to scatter the light; col. 15, line 16-23, In other surface diffusers, the pattern on the master roll can be tailored in selective areas to create more diffuse and more specular areas. In the case of beads coated in a matrix...).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the diffuser of Kim by the light diffuser of Bourdelais for a purpose for an improved light diffusion of image illumination light sources to provide improved diffuse light transmission while simultaneously diffusing specular light sources (col. 4, line 1-8).
Regarding Claim 17, Kim – Bourdelais combination teaches the opto-electronic device of claim 15, wherein the diffusing optical structure comprises one or more of a diffractive optical element (DOE), a collimator, a filter diffusing surface (abstract, line 1-9, The micro lens array includes a plurality of Fresnel lens structures formed on a same optical incidence surface;--- a Fresnel lens is of one of diffractive optical elements (DOEs) , as disclosed in Kim).
Regarding Claim 18, Kim – Bourdelais combination teaches the opto-electronic device of claim 16, wherein the opto-electronic device is one or more of a standalone illuminator, a camera system, or a light-based three- dimensional (3D) sensing system (fig. 1, 1, 2, 3; col. 4, line 56-59, the optical microstructure producing highly homogeneous illumination intensity, as disclosed in Kim; col. 4, line 1-15, image illumination light sources; a light diffuser for rear projection displays; backlighted imaging media, a liquid crystal display component and device, as disclosed in Bourdelais).
Regarding Claim 19, Kim – Bourdelais combination teaches the opto-electronic device of claim 15, wherein the optical source is one or more of an edge emitting laser (EEL) array, a ridge type single quantum well (SQW) or multiple quantum well (MOW) semiconductor laser, a buried heterostructure (BH) SOW or MOW laser, a distributed-feedback (DFB) or Distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser, a Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), photonic crystal surface-emitting lasers, InP based laser, GaAs based laser, GaSb based laser, or GaN based laser (col. 3, line 50-52, a coherent radiation, --- the coherent radiation from a laser, which may be a semiconductor laser of InP based laser, GaAs based laser, GaSb based laser, or GaN based laser, as disclosed in Kim).
Regarding Claim 20, Kim – Bourdelais combination teaches the opto-electronic device of claim 15, wherein the light has a wavelength of 850 nanometer, 940 nanometers, or 1380 nanometers (col. 3, line 48-52, In example 1 of this patent, the reported 90% transmission includes wavelengths between 400 and 1500 nm integrating the visible and invisible wavelengths, as disclosed in Bourdelais).
Regarding Claim 21, Kim – Bourdelais combination teaches the opto-electronic device of claim 15, wherein the diffusing optical structure reduces divergence of the light rays as the light rays pass from the optical source through the diffusing optical structure to the diffuser (col. 2, line 4-6, where the input light source is either a collimated or divergent light beam, --in case of divergent light beam, fig. 1 shows that the divergent light beam from light source 1 is collimated, as disclosed in Kim).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11 and 13-14 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art taken singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the independent claims, in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper.
In regard to independent claim 1, the prior art (--see previous office actions) taken either singly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest a diffuser to distribute an ultra-wide field of illumination further comprise wherein an exit surface with a predetermined curvature arranged at a respective second angle relative to the reflective surface and configured to direct the one or more respective light rays at one or more transmission angles that differ from their respective incident angles.
Claims 2-11 and 13-14 are also allowed as they depending on claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of new references or new portions of cited references being used in the current new rejections.
Examiner’s Note
Regarding the references, the Examiner cites particular figures, paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the reference(s), as applied to the claims above. Although the particular citations are representative teachings and are applied to specific limitations within the claims, other passages, internally cited references, and figures may also apply. In preparing a response, it is respectfully requested that the Applicant fully consider the references, in their entirety, as potentially disclosing or teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as fully consider the context of the passage as taught by the reference(s) or as disclosed by the Examiner.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the examiner should be directed to Jie Lei whose telephone number is (571) 272 7231. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon.-Thurs. 8:00 am to 5:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by the telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Thomas Pham can be reached on (571) 272 3689.The Fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is (571) 273 8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published application may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Services Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199(In USA or Canada) or 571-272-1000.
/JIE LEI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
Prosecution Insights