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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgement is made of receipt of Information Disclosure Statement (PTO-1449) filed 08/29/2023 and 04/20/2023. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-2, 4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sesko (US 20070229843 A1) in view of Fercher et al. (US 20110292395 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sesko discloses in at least figures 1A and 5, an improved interferometer (interferometric distance measuring apparatus 50 fig. 1A) having a light source (radiation 65 fig. 1A), at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A) configured to split (the radiation 65 is then incident on a polarizing beam splitter 75, which transmits the portion of the radiation 65 that is "P" polarized to form reference beam 86, and reflects the portion of the radiation which is "S" polarized to form object beam 76 paragraph [0028]) the light source (radiation 65 fig. 1A) into at least a reference beam (reference beam 86 fig. 1A) and a sample beam (object beam 76 fig. 1A) that is projected onto (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 onto object surface 78 fig. 1A) a sample (object surface 78 fig. 1A) and reflected back to (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 and reflected from the movable object surface 78 back through the quarter wave plate 77 to reach the polarizing beam splitter 75 paragraph [0029]) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A), the improvement comprising:
(a) a first detector array (photodetector array 555 fig. 5 is analogous to photodetector array 155 in fig. 1A paragraph [0049]) configured to receive (photodetector array 555 receives beam 520’ fig. 5) a first portion (beam 520’ in fig. 5) of the sample beam (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5) light reflected back to (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 and reflected from the movable object surface 78 back through the quarter wave plate 77 to reach the polarizing beam splitter 75 and is transmitted to form the output object beam 79, which is the other orthogonally polarized component of the combined beam 90 paragraph [0029] which is the same as beam 590 in fig. 5 paragraph [0049]) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A), wherein the first detector array (photodetector array 555 fig. 5) includes a first plurality of photodetectors (photodetector array 555 fig. 5 has a plurality of photodetectors fig. 5);
(b) a first spatial filter (the detector 500 has the same beam components as fig. 1A paragraph [0049] and has a wavelength-sensitive filter 591 fig. 5, the detector 500 is another embodiment of detector 100 in fig. 1A) at a first orientation (the wavelength-sensitive filter 591 is oriented parallel to the object surface 78 fig. 1 emitting beam 90 fig. 1 which is the same as the combined beam 590 in fig. 5 paragraph [0029]) relative to (object surface 78 emits beam 90 fig. 1 which is the same component as beam 590 paragraph [0049]) the sample (object surface 78 fig. 1A), wherein the first spatial filter (wavelength-sensitive filter 591 fig. 5) is positioned between (the wavelength-sensitive filter 591 is part of detector 500 fig. 5 which is another embodiment of detector 100 in fig. 1A that is between the polarizing beam splitter 75 which beam 90 is incident from and the photodetector 155 in fig. 1A and shown as beam 590 and photodetector array 555 in fig. 5) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A) and the first detector array (photodetector array 555 fig. 5 is analogous to photodetector array 155 in fig. 1A paragraph [0049]) and configured to disperse (wavelength-sensitive filter 591 filters out the second-wavelength radiation and only the first-wavelength fringe pattern reaches the photodetector array 555 paragraph [0050]) the first portion (520’ is a first wavelength component that forms the first wavelength fringe pattern paragraph [0050]) of the sample beam light (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5).
Sesko does not discloses a broadband light source.
However Fercher discloses in at least figure 6, a broadband light source (broadband light source 1 paragraph [0115]).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use a broadband light source as taught by Fercher in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. If a broadband light source 1 is used for the interferometers described above or below, the spectrometers S are provided with suitable detector arrays, which record the spectral interference pattern on different detector array lines (paragraph [0115]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Sesko and Fercher discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Sesko further discloses, further comprising:
(a) a second detector array (photodetector array 555' fig. 5) configured to receive (photodetector array 555’ receives beam 520” fig. 5) a second portion (beam 520” fig. 5) of the sample beam (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5) light reflected back to (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 and reflected from the movable object surface 78 back through the quarter wave plate 77 to reach the polarizing beam splitter 75 and is transmitted to form the output object beam 79 paragraph [0029], which is the other orthogonally polarized component of the combined beam 90 which is the same as beam 590 paragraph [0049] that enters the detector 500 in fig. 5 without showing the interferometric distance measuring apparatus 50 from fig. 1A) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A), wherein the second detector array (photodetector array 555' fig. 5) includes a second plurality of photodetectors (photodetector array 555’ fig. 5 has a plurality of photodetectors fig. 5); and
(b) a second spatial filter (wavelength-sensitive filter 595 fig. 5) at a second orientation relative to (the wavelength-sensitive filter 591 is oriented perpendicular to the object surface 78 fig. 1 emitting beam 590 fig. 5) the sample (object surface 78 emits beam 90 fig. 1 which is the same component as beam 590 paragraph [0049]), wherein the second spatial filter (wavelength-sensitive filter 595 fig. 5) is positioned between (the wavelength-sensitive filter 595 is between the polarizing beam splitter 75 which beam 90 is incident from in fig. 1A and shown as beam 590 in fig. 5 and photodetector array 555’ fig. 5) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A) and the second detector array (photodetector array 555' fig. 5) and configured to disperse (wavelength-sensitive filter 595 filters out the first-wavelength radiation and only the second-wavelength fringe pattern reaches the photodetector array 555' paragraph [0051]) the second portion (beam 520” fig. 5) of the sample beam light (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5);
wherein the second orientation (the wavelength-sensitive filter 591 is oriented perpendicular to the object surface 78 fig. 1 emitting beam 590 fig. 5) is transverse to (the wavelength-sensitive filter 591 has a transverse orientation to the wavelength-sensitive filter 595 fig. 5) first orientation (the wavelength-sensitive filter 591 is oriented parallel to the object surface 78 fig. 1 emitting beam 590 fig. 5), and the second portion (beam 520” fig. 5) of the sample beam light (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5) is different from (the beams 520’ and 520” are different fig. 5) the first portion (beam 520’ in fig. 5) of the sample beam light (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Sesko and Fercher discloses all the limitations of claim 1.
Sesko does not disclose, further comprising an adjustable focus.
However Fercher further discloses, further comprising an adjustable focus (the reference or measurement beam paths can comprise an adjustable focusing element paragraph [0023]).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use an adjustable focus as taught by Fercher in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. It is convenient for the reference or measurement beam paths to comprise a preferably adjustable focusing element in order to focus the measurement beam on the retina for eye measurements (paragraph [0023]).
Regarding claim 6, Sesko discloses in at least figures 1A and 5, an improved interferometer (interferometric distance measuring apparatus 50 fig. 1A) having a light source (radiation 65 fig. 1A), at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A) configured to split (the radiation 65 is then incident on a polarizing beam splitter 75, which transmits the portion of the radiation 65 that is "P" polarized to form reference beam 86, and reflects the portion of the radiation which is "S" polarized to form object beam 76 paragraph [0028]) the light source (radiation 65 fig. 1A) into at least a reference beam (reference beam 86 fig. 1A) and a sample beam (object beam 76 fig. 1A) that is projected onto (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 onto object surface 78 fig. 1A) a sample (object surface 78 fig. 1A) and reflected back to (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 and reflected from the movable object surface 78 back through the quarter wave plate 77 to reach the polarizing beam splitter 75 paragraph [0029]) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A), the improvement comprising:
(a) a detector array (photodetector array 555 fig. 5) configured to receive (photodetector array 555 receives beam 520’ fig. 5) a first portion (beam 520’ in fig. 5) of the sample beam (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5) light reflected back to (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 and reflected from the movable object surface 78 back through the quarter wave plate 77 to reach the polarizing beam splitter 75 and is transmitted to form the output object beam 79 paragraph [0029], which is the other orthogonally polarized component of the combined beam 90 which is the same as beam 590 paragraph [0049] that enters the detector 500 in fig. 5 without showing the interferometric distance measuring apparatus 50 from fig. 1A) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A), wherein the first detector array (photodetector array 555 fig. 5) includes a plurality of photodetectors (photodetector array 555 fig. 5 has a plurality of photodetectors fig. 5).
Sesko does not disclose, a swept light source;
(b) a lens positioned between the at least one beam splitter and the detector array that is configured for focusing at least a portion of the light reflected back to the at least one beam splitter onto more than one of the plurality of the photodetectors on the detector array.
However Fercher discloses in at least figure 6, a swept light source (spectrally swept light source paragraph [0116]);
(b) a lens (optics 36.3 fig. 6) positioned between (optics 36.3 are between beam splitter 33.3 and photodetector array 43.3 fig. 6) the at least one beam splitter (beam splitter 33.3 fig. 6) and the detector array (photodetector array 43.3 fig. 6) that is configured for focusing (focusing by means of the partial optics 36.3 paragraph [0101]) at least a portion of the light reflected back to (measurement beam M is deflected out of ray bundle paragraph [0097] by beam splitter 33.3 fig. 6) the at least one beam splitter (beam splitter 33.3 fig. 6) onto more than one of the plurality of the photodetectors (measurement beam M is measured by photo detector array 43.2 paragraph [0097] and photodetector 43.3 paragraph [0098]) on the detector array (photodetector array 43.3 fig. 6).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use a swept light source and a focus lens as taught by Fercher in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. If the wavelength of this source is swept through the spectral range, no spectral analysis of the radiation is required anymore; instead, a spectrally insensitive detector can be used (paragraph [0109]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sesko (US 20070229843 A1) in view of Fercher et al. (US 20110292395 A1) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Podoleanu (US 20110043661 A1).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Sesko and Fercher discloses all the limitations of claim 1.
Sesko does not disclose, further comprising a dispersive component positioned between the first spatial filter and the first detector array for dispersing the light reflected back to the at least one beam splitter onto the first detector array.
However Podoleanu discloses in at least figure 4, further comprising a dispersive component (dispersing component 42 fig. 4) positioned between (the dispersing component 42 is between the spatial filter 61 and the 2D sensor array 3 fig. 4) the first spatial filter (spatial filter 61 fig. 4) and the first detector array (2D sensor array 3 fig. 4) for dispersing the light reflected back to (the light scattered back from the object 100 is transferred to the diffraction grating 42 paragraph [0171]) the at least one beam splitter (splitter 25 fig. 4) onto (the light is diffracted over the horizontal line of pixels in the photodetector array 3 paragraph [0171]) the first detector array (2D sensor array 3 fig. 4).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use a dispersing element as taught by Podoleanu in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. The key element is an optical dispersing component 42, which could be a prism or a diffraction grating, preferably a diffraction grating in transmission for its small volume and high dispersing power (paragraph [0148]).
Claims 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sesko (US 20070229843 A1) in view of Fercher et al. (US 20110292395 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 6 above and in further view of Froggatt et al. (US 20210254967 A1).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Sesko and Fercher discloses all the limitations of claim 1.
Sesko does not disclose, further comprising a scanner formed with a grouping of single-mode fibers, which scanner is configured to deliver the sample beam through at least one of the single-mode fibers and collect light reflected back from offset positions through multiple single-mode fibers.
However Froggatt discloses in at least figure 3, further comprising a scanner (optical assembly paragraph [0044]) formed with a grouping (the optical assembly includes a grouping with fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3 fig. 3 of single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3, the fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 are single mode paragraph [0044]), which scanner (optical assembly paragraph [0044]) is configured to deliver (the optical assembly provides the measurement light by a fiber 32 paragraph [0044]) the sample beam (measurement light paragraph [0044]) through at least one of (the measurement light is provided by a fiber 32 paragraph [0044]) the single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3) and collect light reflected back from offset positions through (the light is detected by an S polarization detecting fiber 40 and a P polarization detecting fiber 42 paragraph [0044]) multiple single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use fibers as taught by Froggatt in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. OFDR systems become more complex, costly, and require more space as the number of cores increases because another set of discrete optical fiber components must be provided for each additional core, these problems can be ameliorated if the functions performed by these discrete optical fiber components could be performed using a shared optical assembly (paragraph [0005]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Sesko and Fercher discloses all the limitations of claim 6.
Sesko does not disclose, further comprising a scanner formed with a grouping of single-mode fibers, which scanner is configured to deliver the sample beam through at least one of the single-mode fibers and collect light reflected back from offset positions through multiple single-mode fibers.
However Froggatt discloses in at least figure 3, further comprising a scanner (optical assembly paragraph [0044]) formed with a grouping (the optical assembly includes a grouping with fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3 fig. 3 of single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3), which scanner (optical assembly paragraph [0044]) is configured to deliver (the optical assembly provides the measurement light by a fiber 32 paragraph [0044]) the sample beam (measurement light paragraph [0044]) through at least one of (the measurement light is provided by a fiber 32 paragraph [0044]) the single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3) and collect light reflected back from offset positions through (the light is detected by an S polarization detecting fiber 40 and a P polarization detecting fiber 42 paragraph [0044]) multiple single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use fibers as taught by Froggatt in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. OFDR systems become more complex, costly, and require more space as the number of cores increases because another set of discrete optical fiber components must be provided for each additional core, these problems can be ameliorated if the functions performed by these discrete optical fiber components could be performed using a shared optical assembly (paragraph [0005]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sesko (US 20070229843 A1) in view of Fercher (US 20110292395 A1) and Podoleanu (US 20110043661 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Sesko discloses in at least figures 1A and 5, an improved interferometer (interferometric distance measuring apparatus 50 fig. 1A) having a light source (radiation 65 fig. 1A), at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A) configured to split (the radiation 65 is then incident on a polarizing beam splitter 75, which transmits the portion of the radiation 65 that is "P" polarized to form reference beam 86, and reflects the portion of the radiation which is "S" polarized to form object beam 76 paragraph [0028]) the light source (radiation 65 fig. 1A) into at least a reference beam (reference beam 86 fig. 1A) and a sample beam (object beam 76 fig. 1A) that is projected onto (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 onto object surface 78 fig. 1A) a sample (object surface 78 fig. 1A) and reflected back to (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 and reflected from the movable object surface 78 back through the quarter wave plate 77 to reach the polarizing beam splitter 75 paragraph [0029]) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A), the improvement comprising:
a first detector array (photodetector array 555 fig. 5 is analogous to photodetector array 155 in fig. 1A paragraph [0049]) configured to receive (photodetector array 555 receives beam 520’ fig. 5) a first portion (beam 520’ in fig. 5) of the sample beam (the interfering beam 120 is the object beam paragraph [0033] shown as beam 520 in fig. 5) light reflected back to (object beam 76 is transmitted through a quarter wave plate 77 and reflected from the movable object surface 78 back through the quarter wave plate 77 to reach the polarizing beam splitter 75 and is transmitted to form the output object beam 79, which is the other orthogonally polarized component of the combined beam 90 paragraph [0029] which is the same as beam 590 in fig. 5 paragraph [0049]) the at least one beam splitter (polarizing beam splitter 75 fig. 1A), wherein the first detector array (photodetector array 555 fig. 5) includes a first plurality of photodetectors (photodetector array 555 fig. 5 has a plurality of photodetectors fig. 5)
Sesko does not discloses a broadband light source;
b) a lens positioned between the at least one beam splitter and the detector array that is configured for focusing at least a portion of the light reflected back to the at least one beam splitter onto more than one of the plurality of the photodetectors on the detector array;
(c) a phase modulator, for introducing phase modulation; and
(d) a demodulator for extracting enface view images at specific depths based on the phase modulation.
However Fercher discloses in at least figure 6, a broadband light source (broadband light source 1 paragraph [0115]);
(b) a lens (optics 36.3 fig. 6) positioned between (optics 36.3 are between beam splitter 33.3 and photodetector array 43.3 fig. 6) the at least one beam splitter (beam splitter 33.3 fig. 6) and the detector array (photodetector array 43.3 fig. 6) that is configured for focusing (focusing by means of the partial optics 36.3 paragraph [0101]) at least a portion of the light reflected back to (measurement beam M is deflected out of ray bundle paragraph [0097] by beam splitter 33.3 fig. 6) the at least one beam splitter (beam splitter 33.3 fig. 6) onto more than one of the plurality of the photodetectors (measurement beam M is measured by photo detector array 43.2 paragraph [0097] and photodetector 43.3 paragraph [0098]) on the detector array (photodetector array 43.3 fig. 6).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use a broadband light source and focus optics as taught by Fercher in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. If a broadband light source 1 is used for the interferometers described above or below, the spectrometers S are provided with suitable detector arrays, which record the spectral interference pattern on different detector array lines (paragraph [0115]).
Additionally Podoleanu discloses in at least figure 2, (c) a phase modulator (optical path modulator 111 fig. 2) for introducing phase modulation (the optical modulator 111, which here is used as a phase modulator paragraph [0089]); and
(d) a demodulator (block 110 is used for demodulation paragraph [0081]) for extracting enface view images at specific depths (to obtain another en-face image from a different depth from within the object, eye, skin, teeth or painting, the reference reflector position is changed accordingly by moving the translation stage 115, which holds the mirror 113 paragraph [0090]) based on the phase modulation (according to principles of phase shifting interferometry paragraph [0081]).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use phase modulator and demodulation as taught by Podoleanu in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. In order to create an en-face image, according to principles of phase shifting interferometry, an optical path modulator, 111 is used (paragraph [0081]).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sesko (US 20070229843 A1) in view of Fercher (US 20110292395 A1) and Podoleanu (US 20110043661 A1) as applied to claim 8 above and in further view of Froggatt et al. (US 20210254967 A1).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Sesko, Fercher and Podoleanu discloses all the limitations of claim 8.
Sesko does not disclose, further comprising a scanner formed with a grouping of single-mode fibers, which scanner is configured to deliver the sample beam through at least one of the single-mode fibers and collect light reflected back from offset positions through multiple single-mode fibers.
However Froggatt discloses in at least figure 3, further comprising a scanner (optical assembly paragraph [0044]) formed with a grouping (the optical assembly includes a grouping with fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3 fig. 3 of single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3), which scanner (optical assembly paragraph [0044]) is configured to deliver (the optical assembly provides the measurement light by a fiber 32 paragraph [0044]) the sample beam (measurement light paragraph [0044]) through at least one of (the measurement light is provided by a fiber 32 paragraph [0044]) the single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3) and collect light reflected back from offset positions through (the light is detected by an S polarization detecting fiber 40 and a P polarization detecting fiber 42 paragraph [0044]) multiple single-mode fibers (fibers 32, 34, 40 and 42 fig. 3).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use fibers as taught by Froggatt in the interferometric distance measuring apparatus of Sesko. OFDR systems become more complex, costly, and require more space as the number of cores increases because another set of discrete optical fiber components must be provided for each additional core, these problems can be ameliorated if the functions performed by these discrete optical fiber components could be performed using a shared optical assembly (paragraph [0005]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Varughese et al. (US 20220015624 A1) discloses a OCT imaging system with a swept light source and photodetector.
Copland (US 20200237211 A1) discloses a method for OCT scanning with a beam splitter reflecting light from the eye to the OCT assembly.
Chong (US 10677580 B2) discloses a OCT system with lenses to adjust the focus of the beam splitters.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW R WRIGHT whose telephone number is (703)756-5822. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7:30-5 Friday 8-12.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at 1-571-270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW R WRIGHT/Examiner, Art Unit 2872 /PINPING SUN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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