DETAILED ACTION
Oath/Declaration
1. Oath and declaration filed on 1/3/2023 is accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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.
Claim(s) 1,4,8,11-18 ,20-23 and 25-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schiffer et al (2003/0063852 A1) in view of Raguin et al (2002/0131699 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Schiffer et al discloses (refer to figures 1 and 9) a collimator assembly (paragraph 0010) for producing a plurality of laser beams, the collimator assembly comprising: a housing (50) (paragraph 0031) having an input and an output; an optical fiber array having a plurality of optical fibers and having a connector, the plurality of optical fibers (40) having fiber ends and being configured to emit the laser beams from the fiber ends, the connector having the fiber ends of the plurality of optical fibers arranged in an array, the connector being disposed in the input of the housing; and a collimating lens (90) component disposed in the output of the housing (paragraph 0033) and having a focal plane near an output surface of the laser beams from the optical fiber array.
Schiffer et al discloses all of the claimed limitations except fiber array connector.
Raguin discloses fiber array connector (12) (figure 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to provide teaching fiber array connector in to the Schiffer et al collimator assembly improve method and system for aligning optical fibers as taught by Raguin (paragraph 0009).
Regarding claim 4, Schiffer et al discloses wherein the plurality optical fibers are single-mode or multi-mode optical fibers (paragraph 0052).
Regarding claim 8, Schiffer et al discloses wherein the collimating lens (90) (figure 1) component comprises at least one spherical lens or aspherical glass lens.
Regarding claim 11, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses wherein the housing is composed of aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or other alloy.
Regarding claim 12, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses wherein a surface of the housing is treated with blackening or anodic oxidation.
Regarding claim 13, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses wherein the optical fiber array comprises a plurality (L) of (1xN) optical fiber array elements superimposed together and forming a two-dimensional optical fiber array of LxN.
Regarding claim 14, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses wherein the optical fiber array comprises an integrated LxN two-dimensional fiber array assembly.
Regarding claim 15, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses comprising an optical fiber coupler or fiber splitter having at least one input port and having a plurality of output ports, wherein the output ports are connected to the plurality of optical fibers of the optical fiber array (40).
Regarding claim 16, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses comprising a laser source connected to the at least one input port and configured to output laser transmission power, wherein the optical fiber coupler or the fiber splitter divides the laser transmission power of the laser source to the plurality of output ports.
Regarding claim 17, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses wherein the optical fiber coupler or the fiber splitter comprises a 1xN fiber coupler having one input end and having N outputs, and wherein the N outputs are cascaded through a number of fiber couplers or fiber splitters.
Regarding claim 18, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses comprising an optical switch having at least one input port (figure 8, Raguin) and having a plurality of output ports, wherein the at least one input port configured to receive laser transmission power, wherein the plurality of output ports is connected to the plurality of optical fibers of the optical fiber array, and wherein the optical switch configured to switch the laser transmission power from the at least one input port between the plurality of output ports.
Claim(s) 20-23 and 25-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over. Schiffer et al (2003/0063852 A1) in view of Raguin (2002/0131699 A1) further in view of Filgas et al (2017/0353005 A1).
Regarding claim 20, Schiffer et al discloses (refer to figures 1 and 9) a method of assembling a collimator assembly(paragraph 0010) for use with a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system, the method comprising: attaching a connector to fiber ends of a plurality of optical fibers (40) in an optical fiber array; installing a collimating lens (90) component into an output end of a housing; in an input end of the housing (paragraph 0031) ; the optical fiber array (40) relative to the collimating lens (90) component.
Schiffer et al discloses all of the claimed limitations except fiber array connector.
Raguin discloses fiber array connector (12) (figure 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to provide teaching fiber array connector in to the Schiffer et al collimator assembly improve method and system for aligning optical fibers as taught by Raguin (paragraph 0009).
Schiffer et al and Raguin et al discloses all of the claimed limitations except fine-tuning a distance and an angle between the fiber ends and the collimating lens component by monitoring wavefront distortion.
Filgas discloses fine-tuning a distance and an angle between the fiber ends and the collimating lens component by monitoring wavefront distortion (collimator assembly 312 , paragraph 0063 and diagnostics module 216 could generate wavefront error and teaching wavefront distortion ,paragraph 0107).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to provide teaching fine-tuning a distance and an angle between the fiber ends and the collimating lens component by monitoring wavefront distortion in to the Schiffer et al and Raguin et al discloses a collimator assembly for the purpose of fiber received low power beam and generate high power optical beam as taught Filgas (paragraph 0005).
Regarding claim 21, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin and further in view of Filgas discloses wherein locating the connector and adjusting the optical fiber array comprise holding the optical fiber array by a vacuum fixture on a high- precision five-dimensional device.
Regarding claim 22, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin and further in view of Filgas discloses wherein fine-tuning the distance and the angle comprises fine-tuning the distance and the angle at a same time using a wavefront sensor and a beam profiler to monitor the wavefront distortion and the dispersion angle (Filgas discloses, collimator assembly 312, paragraph 0063 and diagnostics module 216 could generate wavefront error and teaching wavefront distortion, paragraph 0107).
Regarding claim 23, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses wherein affixing the connector of the optical fiber array (40) to the input end comprises using an ultra-violet (UV) glue.
Regarding claim 25, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses wherein attaching the connector to the fiber ends of the plurality of optical fibers (40) in the optical fiber array comprises: placing the fiber ends in V-grooves defined in a base component; affixing a cover on the base component over the fiber ends; and grinding and polishing end faces of the fiber ends.
Regarding claim 26, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses and further in view of Filgas discloses wherein installing the collimating lens component into the output end of the housing comprises engaging the collimating lens component against a positioning step defined in the output end of the housing.
Regarding claim 27, combination of Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses and further in view of Filgas discloses wherein locating the connector of the optical fiber array in the input end of the housing comprises engaging the connector against a positioning step defined in the output end of the housing.
Claim(s) 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over. Schiffer et al (2003/0063852 A1) in view of Raguin (2002/0131699 A1) further in view of Murakami et al (5,519,799).
Regarding claim 2, depends on claim 1, Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses all of the claimed limitations except wherein a base component having V-grooves with the fiber ends installed therein; and a cover plate affixed to the base component to cover the fiber ends.
Murakami discloses a base component having V-grooves with the fiber ends installed therein; and a cover plate affixed to the base component to cover the fiber ends (figure 3 42a optical fiber array v-grooves).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to provide v-groove shaped with the fiber ends in to the Schiffer et al in view of Raguin a collimator assembly for the purpose of high precision of the optical axial alignment is obtained at a joint to lower connecting loss of optical fibers as taught by Murakami (column 3, lines1-4).
Regarding claim 3, Schiffer et al in view of Raguin further in view of Murakami et al discloses wherein a pitch between the V-grooves has an accuracy of 0.5 microns, and wherein spacing between the V-grooves are unevenly or evenly distributed (column 4, lines 62-67, Murakami).
Claim(s) 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over. Schiffer et al (2003/0063852 A1) in view of Raguin (2002/0131699 A1) further in view of Beresnev et al (2020/0350737 A1).
Regarding claim 19, depends on claim 1, Schiffer et al in view of Raguin discloses all of the claimed limitations except the plurality of transmitters being configured to transmit a plurality of optical beams; and a plurality of receivers being configured to receive reflected returns from the plurality of optical beams.
Beresnev et al discloses the plurality of transmitters being configured to transmit a plurality of optical beams; and a plurality of receivers being configured to receive reflected returns from the plurality of optical beams (fiber array 700 paragraph 0058 and fiber array using transmitter, paragraph 0097).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to provide teaching the plurality of transmitters being configured to transmit a plurality of optical beams; and a plurality of receivers being configured to receive reflected returns from the plurality of optical beams in to the Schiffer et al in view of Raguin a collimator assembly generating high energy fiber laser as taught by Beresnev (abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
3. Claims 5,6,7, and 24 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
4. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: wherein spacings between the plurality of optical fibers is unevenly distributed or evenly distributed in the optical fiber array wherein a distance between cores of the plurality of optical fibers range from 0.2 mm to dozens of millimeters and wherein an accuracy in the spacing is 0.75 micron or less and the connector comprises an end face defined at an angle relative to the fiber ends, and wherein the angle ranging from 4 degrees to 20 degrees and the connector comprises a polished face coated with an anti-reflection film having a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1600 nm and wherein the collimating lens component comprises a cemented lens component containing two or more lenses and wherein materials of the two or more lenses have different refractive index values and Abbe numbers and a surface of the collimating lens component is coated with an antireflection film having a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1600 nm and wherein attaching the connector to the fiber ends of the plurality of optical fibers in the optical fiber array comprises: forming a series of through-holes with sub-micron size and spacing in a glass plate or Si plate using a lithography process; affixing the fiber ends in the through-holes; grinding and polishing end faces of the fiber ends; and coating the end faces with an anti-reflection film having a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1600 nm covering an emission wavelength of the LiDAR system.
Conclusion
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED A HASAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2331. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 6 AM -4 PM.
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/MOHAMMED A HASAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 1/11/2025