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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pei (US Patent Publication Number 2020/0018835 A1).
Pei teaches, as in claim 1, a lidar module (Fig. 3), comprising a laser transceiver assembly (350) configured to transmit and receive at least one laser beam1, wherein the lidar module (300) further comprises: a lens scanning assembly (320), integrated with the laser transceiver assembly (350), wherein the lens scanning assembly (320) has a movable lens (330) arranged on an optical path of a laser beam transmitted by the laser transceiver assembly (350); and the movable lens is configured with a way of movement in which the movable lens moves in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the movable lens to adjust a deflection direction of the laser beam (“One or more actuators 304a-304d (e.g., voice coil motors or other types of actuators) may be coupled to the flexures 370a-370d, and can cause the first end of each flexure to be deflected, thus causing the lens assembly 320 to move in two dimensions in a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis”).
Pei teaches, as in claim 9, wherein the laser transceiver assembly (350) and the lens scanning assembly (330 +340) are accommodated in the same housing (320) for integration.
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 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Angus (US Patent Number 2022/0266853 A1).
Angus teaches, as in claim 1, a lidar module (Fig. 2-4B), comprising a laser assembly (204 and 260) wherein the lidar module (200) further comprises a lens scanning assembly (232), integrated with the laser assembly configured to transmit (204) and receive (260) at least one laser beam (302)2, wherein the lens scanning assembly (232) has a movable lens (320) arranged on an optical path of a laser beam (302) transmitted by the laser assembly; and the movable lens (320) is configured with a way of movement in which the movable lens (320) moves in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis (x) of the movable lens (320) to adjust a deflection direction of the laser beam3, Angus fails to explicitly teach a laser transceiver. However, Angus shows that a laser and a mixer is an equivalent structure to a laser transceiver. (¶0072 “the beam 216, which is used for outputting a transmitted signal, can have most of the energy of the beam 206 outputted by the laser source 204 and ¶0078 “beam 242 can be outputted from the optics 232 and reflected or otherwise scattered by an object (not shown) as a return beam 248 (e.g., return signal). The return beam 248 can be received on a reception path, which can include the circulator 228, and provided to the mixer 260”)4.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill of art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have a modified the Lidar module, as taught by Angus, with the laser and a receiver being an equivalent structure to the laser transceiver, as taught by Angus, for the purpose of providing a way to facilitate a way to determine the parameters regarding the object (¶0030).
Angus teaches, as in claim 2, wherein the lens scanning assembly (232) further comprises a stationary lens (304) that is stationary relative to a position of the laser transceiver assembly5 (204 and 260); the transmitted laser beam (302) successively passes through the stationary lens (304) and the movable lens (320); and the movable lens (302) moves relative to the stationary lens (304) in the way of movement (Fig. 4A and 4B).
Angus teaches, as in claim 7, wherein the movement comprises translation and rotation (see movement of lens 320 in Fig. 4A and 4B).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pei (US Patent Publication Number 2020/0018835 A1) in view of Slutsky (US Patent Publication Number 2019/0041522 A1).
Pei, fails to teach as in claim 8, wherein the laser transceiver assembly comprises a plurality of laser transmitting units configured to transmit at least one laser beam simultaneously or at intervals; and each of the laser transmitting units transmits one laser beam. In a related art, Slutsky, wherein the laser transceiver assembly (610, 612 and 614) comprises a plurality of laser transmitting units (610) configured to transmit at least one laser beam simultaneously (¶0084 “VCSEL in each segment are programmed to transmit simultaneously”); and each of the laser transmitting units (610) transmits one laser beam6.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill of art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have a modified the Lidar module, as taught by Pei, with the laser transceiver, as taught by Hu, for the purpose of providing a way to switch the individual lasers that creates scanning of the scene (¶0083).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pei (US Patent Publication Number 2020/0018835 A1) in view of Hu (US Patent Publication Number 2019/0227330 A1).
Pei, fails to teach as in claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a first metal shell and a second metal shell assembled together. In a related art, Hu teaches wherein the housing comprises a first metal shell (6-100) and a second metal shell (6-200) assembled together (¶0550 “the case 6-100 and the bottom 6-200 may be made of metal”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill of art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have a modified the Lidar module, as taught by Pei, with the housing, as taught by Hu, for the purpose of providing a way to enhance the mechanical strength of the case (¶0550).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3-6 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.
The prior art fails to teach all of the limitations of claim 3 which includes wherein the stationary lens is fixed to a first support, the first support has support bosses and a metal plate on a first surface, and the first surface faces the movable lens; the movable lens is fixed to a second support, a plurality of magnets arranged around the movable lens are fixed to a second surface of the second support, and the second surface is pressed against the support bosses through an interaction force between the magnets and the metal plate; and the first surface further has a plurality of energized coils surrounding the stationary lens, and the movable lens moves relative to the stationary lens in the way of movement through an interaction force between the magnets and the energized coils.
Regarding claims 4-6 has dependency on claim 3.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu (US Patent Publication Number 2022/0171071 A1) teaches a lidar module, comprising a laser transceiver assembly configured to transmit and receive at least one laser beam with scanning assembly.
Nagata (US Patent Number 11,232,769 B2) teaches a lidar module, comprising a lens scanning system.
Mccord (US Patent Publication Number 2021/0382151 A1) teaches a lidar module, comprising a laser transceiver assembly configured to transmit and receive at least one laser beam with scanning assembly.
Smitth (US Patent Number 11,662,550 B1) teaches a lidar module, comprising a lens scanning system.
Bruskila (US Patent Publication Number 2018/0143305 A1) teaches a lidar module comprising a lens scanning system.
Mireault (US Patent Number 11,579,461 B1) an optical device with a movable lens system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOURNEY F SUMLAR whose telephone number is (571)270-0656. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4pm.
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, Ricky Mack can be reached at 571-272-2333. 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.
JOURNEY F. SUMLAR
Examiner
Art Unit 2872
04 March 2026
/RICKY L MACK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
1 The optoelectronic board 350 is considered a laser transceiver because element 350 transmits light from light sources 310 and receives light at photodectors 360.
3 Fig.4A and 4B shows lens 320 rotating up and down which is considered perpendicular to the optical axis and beam 308 changes deflection based on the rotation of lens 320.
4 The components may be physically distinct and have a separated optical paths (this is known as a biaxial configuration) but they still function as a single unit.
5 Figs. 4A and 4B shows that lens 304 does not move which would mean the lens is stationary relative to all the components of Lidar system 200 which includes the laser 204 and the mixer 260 that make up the laser transceiver.
6 Inherit feature of a VCSEL array.