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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Optical module 802 although itself does not scan what it does it sends part of the light to identify the scan angles (phi and theta) and part of it is fed to a lens system 804 that focuses all the light into a small number of optical fibers. Although 802 Des not explicitly say scanning it does not destroy scan from the main scanner and therefore it transfers the scan. As transferring scan can be considered as scanning due to the broadness of the limitation 802 works as scanner as well. For example if 802 would only feed into path 2 one would say that the 802 module is not configured to scan, but as 802 also divides to the path 1 then 802(translates the scan ) is configured to scan, although actual mirror movement is performed by other optical module.
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.
Claim(s) 21 and claims bellow are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by D1 US 20210357552 A1 .
Regarding claim 21 D1 teaches
A LiDAR test system (Fig. 8A) for testing a LiDAR device under test (para. [0014], [0097]), comprising an optical module (802) and a target simulator module (804, 810, 812, 814, 816, 818, 820),
wherein the LiDAR device under test has a predetermined field of view (para. [0054]),
wherein the optical module (802) is configured to redirect (Path 2, see Fig. 8A) a LiDAR signal emitted by the LiDAR device under test from a predetermined portion of the field of view (para. [0097, 0098], [0115]) to the target simulator module,[0098]( Path 2 is fed to a lens system 804 that focuses all the light into a small number of optical fibers, each feeding an optical processing chain means that output is redirected towards the sensors.)
wherein the predetermined portion is adaptable (para. [0054]: since the LiDAR device is a scanning LiDAR device, it is implicit that the predetermined portion of the field of view changes during the scanning),
wherein the target simulator module (804, 810, 812, 814, 816, 818, 820) comprises a receiver unit (804), wherein the receiver unit is configured to receive the LiDAR signal redirected by the optical module (see Fig. 8A),
wherein the target simulator module (804, 810, 812, 814, 816, 818, 820) comprises a manipulation unit (810, 812, 814, 816, 818, 820), wherein the manipulation unit is configured to manipulate the received LiDAR signal, thereby generating a manipulated LiDAR signal (para. [0100], [0116]; Step 1404 in Fig. 14), and
wherein the target simulator module (804, 810, 812, 814, 816, 818, 820) further comprises an emitter unit (36), wherein the emitter unit is configured to emit the manipulated LiDAR signal (para. [0120]; Step 1406
in Fig. 14).
wherein the optical module is configured to scan the field of view, such that LiDAR signals from different portions of the field of view are redirected to the target simulator module consecutively .[0054](with fig. 4B)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 4-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Prior art does not teach or render obvious synchronization according the amendment.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOVHANNES BAGHDASARYAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7845. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7am - 5 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HOVHANNES BAGHDASARYAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
Prosecution Insights