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 Amendment
The amendment filed on 4/17/2026 has been entered. The Applicant amended claims 1, 4, 7, 8 and 19, cancelled claims 2, 3, 5 and 20. Claims 1, 4 and 6-19 are pending.
Claim Objections
The Applicant amended Claim 19 to overcome the claim objection. The objection to claim 19 has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 4/17/2026 have been fully considered. Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejection of amended independent claims 1 and 19 are based on new amendments. The arguments have been fully considered and persuasive. Therefore, the rejection of independent claims 1 and 19 has been withdrawn. With respect to independent claim 9, the Applicant changed the status identifier of claim 9 to “currently amended”, in remarks the applicant stated that “claims 1, 4, 7-9 and 19 have been amended” [page 7 of Applicant’s response] and “With regard to independent claims 9 and 19, these claims feature elements similar to amended claim 1”, [page 9]. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Newly submitted independent claim 9 has not been amended and the limitations are not similar to the amended independent claim 1. The Applicant neither amended nor argued the prior art rejection of claim 9. Therefore, the Examiner maintains the rejection.
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, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 9, 10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2009/0153977, of record) in view of Swan et al. (US 2011/0249432, of record).
Regarding claim 9, Chen teaches a multi broadband laser (refer to US 2009/0153977) comprising: first mirror (mirror 24 [0024]; Fig. 3) configured to at least a first dichroic mirror (first dichroic mirror 24 [0024]; Fig. 3) configured to additively combine light emitted from two or more visible or electro-optic (EO) light sources (12R, red LED 12R, the 12G, green LED 12G, [0025], Fig. 3, electro-optic devices utilize electronic digital signals to present information and include types such as light-emitting diode (LED)); a first visible or EO light source and a second visible or EO light source (12R and 12G, Fig. 3) both aimed at the at least one first dichroic mirror (dichroic mirror 24) such that a first light beam (red light beam IR, [0026], Fig. 3) from the at least a first visible or EO light source (from LED 12R) and a second light beam (green light beam IG, [0026]) from a second visible or EO light source (from LED 12G, Fig. 3) are additively combined into a first combined light beam (dichroic mirror 26 receives the red light beam IR and green light beam IG from 24, Fig. 3); a first imaging dichroic mirror (the first dichroic mirror is configured to reflect the second light beam and to transmit the first light beam .. modulating the combined light beam to form an image beam, [abstract].) configured to additively combine light emitted from visible or electro-optic (EO) light sources (LED 12R) and at least one light source (12G, see 3) and placed to receive at least the first combined light beam from the at least a first dichroic mirror (dichroic mirror 24, [0026]); and a light source (LED 12G) aimed at the first imaging dichroic mirror (24) such that a third light beam (IB, from blue LED 12B) emitted by the light source (blue LED 12B) is additively combined with the first combined light beam by the first imaging dichroic mirror (by mirror 24) to output a multi broadband laser beam (see Fig. 3).
Chen teaches LED but doesn’t explicitly teach the LED sources comprises an infrared (IR) laser light source or a visible or electro-optic (EO) laser light source.
Chen and Swan are related as device with laser diode.
Swan teaches the first laser light source comprises an infrared (IR) laser light source and the second laser light source comprises a visible or electro-optic (EO) laser light source (lighting device 600 may include an emitting end 610 containing a plurality of emitters such as IR laser, visible laser, IR LEDs, and/or visible light LEDs., [0070]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the multi broadband laser of Chen to include LED light source comprises an infrared (IR) laser light source or a visible laser light source, as taught by Swan for the predictable advantage of using for colored light include reduce visibility lighting and/or compatibility with certain night vision technologies, which can be overwhelmed by white light, and employing various non-visible light emitters to act as illumination sources for tasks such as navigation, observation, or other tasks that the user wants improved visibility for while using the night vision devices, as taught by Swan in [0003-0004]).
Regarding claim 10, Modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser of claim 9 (see above), Swan further teaches, wherein the infrared light source comprises at least one of a long wavelength infrared (LWIR) laser, a medium wavelength infrared (MWIR), or a short wavelength infrared (SWIR) laser (Some non-visible spectrum emitters, such as those emitting Medium Wavelength IR (MWIR), Long Wavelength or Far Infrared (LWIR or FIR) light, and Short Wave Infrared (SWIR), may be used in coordination with light-enhancing/intensifying technologies, commonly known as night vision devices (NVDs), [0003])
Regarding claim 16, the modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 9 (see above), with the first and second dichroic mirrors (see above). (the first dichroic mirror is configured to reflect the second light beam and to transmit the first light beam .. modulating the combined light beam to form an image beam, [abstract]. The projection lens is used for receiving and then projecting the image beam, [0009]; combined light beam forms an image beam, [0026]; imaging via the dichroic mirror which has appropriate coating can reflect or transmit certain pre-assigned wavelengths, i.e. provided by LED Laser), further comprising: at least a second dichroic mirror (dichroic mirror 26, [0026], Fig. 3) configured to additively combine light emitted from two or more visible or electro-optic (EO) light sources (from light sources 12R and 12G, Fig. 3) and disposed in a light path between the first dichroic mirror (24) and the first imaging dichroic mirror (26, the first dichroic mirror is configured to reflect the second light beam and to transmit the first light beam .. modulating the combined light beam to form an image beam, [abstract. The projection lens is used for receiving and then projecting the image beam, [0009]; combined light beam forms an image beam, [0026]; imaging via the dichroic mirror which has appropriate coating can reflect or transmit certain pre-assigned wavelengths, i.e. provided by LED Laser) and further configured to receive the first combined light beam (combined beam IR and IG); and a third visible or EO light source (12B) configured to direct a fourth light beam (IB) at the second dichroic mirror (at the dichroic mirror 26, [0026]; Fig. 3) such that the first combined light beam and the fourth light beam are additively combined to generate a second combined light beam (see Fig. 3, combined beam after mirror 26) that is directed toward the first imaging dichroic mirror (26) such that the second combined beam is additively combined with the third light beam (IB, Fig. 3) from the infrared light source (12B).
Claims 11, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. in view of Swan et al., as applied to claim 9, and further in view of Diebold et al. (US 2019/0324281, of record).
Regarding claim 11, Modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 9 (see above), with the first and second dichroic mirrors (see above).
Modified Chen doesn’t explicitly teach, a second mirror configured to receive the multi broadband laser beam and control direction of or raster the multi broadband laser beam.
Chen and Diebold are related as optical systems with mirrors.
Diebold teaches a mirror configured to receive the multi broadband laser beam and control direction of or raster the multi broadband laser beam (each laser is configured to irradiate at discrete intervals, systems may include one or more additional components to provide for intermittent irradiation with each laser. For example, the subject systems in these embodiments may include one or more laser beam choppers, manually or computer-controlled beam stops for blocking and exposing the beam shaping component with each laser, [0070]). Light from each laser may be propagated directly to the beam shaping component or through one or more optical adjustment components. The term “optical adjustment” is used herein in its conventional sense to refer to any device that is capable of changing the spatial width irradiation or some other characteristic of irradiation from the laser light, such as for example, irradiation direction, wavelength, beam width, beam intensity, focal point and pulse width. [0062]; [0098]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the multi broadband laser of Chen to use the broadband multi-line laser further comprising: a control circuitry communicatively coupled to the second mirror to control direction of the output emission of the multi broadband laser, as taught by Diebold in, [0062 and 0098] for the predictable advantage of beam shaping configured to generate from a first beam of light and a second beam of light an output beam of light having a predetermined intensity profile, as taught by Diebold in [0005].
Regarding claim 14, Modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 11 (see above), with the first and second dichroic mirrors (see above).
Diebold further teaches the multi broadband laser, further comprising: a control circuitry communicatively coupled to the first visible or EO light source and the second visible or EO light source and configured to control one or more of wavelength, modulation, and on/off operation of the first and second visible or EO light sources (each laser is configured to irradiate at discrete intervals, systems may include one or more additional components to provide for intermittent irradiation with each laser. For example, the subject systems in these embodiments may include one or more laser beam choppers, manually or computer-controlled beam stops for blocking and exposing the beam shaping component with each laser, [0070]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the multi broadband laser of Chen to use a control circuitry communicatively coupled to the first and second laser light sources and configured to control one or more of wavelength, modulation, and on/off operation of the first and second laser light sources, as taught by Diebold in, [00070] for the predictable advantage of beam shaping configured to generate from a first beam of light and a second beam of light an output beam of light having a predetermined intensity profile, as taught by Dieblod in [0005].
Regarding claim 15, Modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 11 (see above), with the first and second dichroic mirrors (see above).
Modified Chen doesn’t explicitly teach the multi broadband laser, further comprising: the control circuitry communicatively coupled to the second mirror to control direction of the multi broadband laser beam.
Chen and Diebold are related as optical systems with mirrors.
Diebold teaches the multi broadband laser, further comprising: the control circuitry communicatively coupled to the second mirror to control direction of the multi broadband laser beam (each laser is configured to irradiate at discrete intervals, systems may include one or more additional components to provide for intermittent irradiation with each laser. For example, the subject systems in these embodiments may include one or more laser beam choppers, manually or computer-controlled beam stops for blocking and exposing the beam shaping component with each laser, [0070]). Light from each laser may be propagated directly to the beam shaping component or through one or more optical adjustment components. The term “optical adjustment” is used herein in its conventional sense to refer to any device that is capable of changing the spatial width irradiation or some other characteristic of irradiation from the laser light, such as for example, irradiation direction, wavelength, beam width, beam intensity, focal point and pulse width. [0062]; [0098]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the broadband multi-line laser of Chen to use the broadband multi-line laser further comprising: a control circuitry communicatively coupled to the second mirror to control direction of the output emission of the broadband multi-line laser, as taught by Diebold in, [0062 and 0098] for the predictable advantage of beam shaping configured to generate from a first beam of light and a second beam of light an output beam of light having a predetermined intensity profile, as taught by Diebold in [0005].
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. in view of Swan et al., as applied to claim 9, and further in view of Greenland et al. (US 2021/0003833, of record).
Regarding claim 12, Modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 11 (see above), with the first and second dichroic mirrors (see above).
Modified Chen doesn’t explicitly teach, wherein the second mirror comprises a fast-steering mirror (FSM).
Chen and Greenland are related as optical systems with mirrors.
Greenlane teaches the second mirror comprises a fast-steering mirror (FSM) (adding a fast-steering mirror (FSM) in place of one or more of the fold mirrors in the relay paths, [0037]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the multi broadband laser of modified Chen wherein the second mirror comprises a fast-steering mirror (FSM), as taught by Greenland for the predictable advantage of support improvement to jitter control, as taught by Greenland (the optical system disclosed herein can support improvement to jitter control, e.g., by adding a fast steering mirror (FSM) in place of one or more of the mirrors, [0037]).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. in view of Swan et al., as applied to claim 9, and further in view of
Harrison et al. (US 2020/0200363, of record).
Regarding claim 13, Modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 11 (see above), with the first and second dichroic mirrors (see above).
Modified Chen doesn’t explicitly teach, wherein the second mirror comprises a Micro- Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) mirror array configured to beam shape the multi broadband laser beam.
Chen and Harrison are related as optical systems with mirrors.
Harrison teaches wherein the mirror comprises a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) mirror array configured to beam shape the output emission of the broadband multi-line laser (beam shaping elements such as MEMS scanning mirrors, are employed to generate smart laser lighting, [0015]; The MEMS is configured to receive the laser electromagnetic radiation exited from the optical fiber and controllably deflect a beam of the laser electromagnetic radiation to desirable directions. [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the multi broadband laser of Chen, wherein the second mirror comprises a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) mirror array configured to beam shape the output emission of the broadband multi-line laser, as taught by Harrison in [0027] for the predictable advantage of controllably deflect a beam of the laser electromagnetic radiation to desirable directions, as taught by Harrison in [0027].
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. in view of Swan et al., as applied to claim 9, and further in view of Alexander et al. (US 2016/0349516, of record).
Regarding claim 17, the modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 9 (see above), first imaging dichroic mirror
The modified Chen doesn’t explicitly teach a housing that encloses a volume containing the at least a first dichroic mirror, the first and second visible or EO light sources, the first imaging dichroic mirror, and the infrared light source.
Chen and Alexander are related as device with laser diode.
Alexander teaches multi broadband laser of claim 9, further comprising a housing encloses a volume containing the at least a first dichroic mirror, the first and second visible or EO light sources, the first imaging dichroic mirror, and the infrared light source (laser module 111 that includes a red laser diode, labelled “R” in FIG. 1, a green laser diode, labelled “G” in FIG. 1, [0054]; the laser module including an infrared laser diode to output an infrared light and at least one visible light laser diode to output a visible light, [0012]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the multi broadband laser to include a housing encloses a volume containing the at least a first dichroic mirror, the first and second visible or EO light sources, the first imaging dichroic mirror, and the infrared light source, as taught by Alexander for the predictable advantage of securing the LEDs and the mirrors and capable of providing high-quality images to the user without limiting the user's ability to see their external environment, as taught by Alexander in [0004-0006] and Fig. 1).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. in view of Swan et al., as applied to claim 9, and further in view of Chen et al. (US 2005/0275925, of record, hereinafter Chen'925).
Regarding claim 18, the modified Chen teaches the multi broadband laser according to claim 17 (see above). Modified Chen doesn't explicitly teach, wherein the housing is further configured to include a desiccant within the volume. Chen and Chen'925 are related as light modules. Chen'925 teaches the housing is further configured to include a desiccant within the volume (the package, or light modulator 200, also includes a desiccant 260 positioned within the volume sealed by the casing 230, [0018]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the multi broadband laser of modified Chen to include a desiccant within the volume, as taught by Chen'925, for the predictable advantage of absorbing and trapping moisture to maintain a dry environment.
Claims 1, 4, 6-8, and 19 are allowed.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art taken either singularly or in a combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the independent claims, in such a manner that rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper. Independent Claims 1 and 19 are allowable over the prior art of record for at least the reason that, even though the prior art discloses a broadband multi-line laser beam comprising: a first imaging mirror configured to reflect a first range of wavelengths of light and pass a second range of wavelengths of light such that light beams emitted from two light sources directed at the first mirror at incident angles approximately perpendicular to one another are additively combined and emitted from the first mirror; a first laser light source aimed at the first mirror and configured to emit a first light beam at at least one first wavelength within the first range of wavelengths; the prior art fails to teach, or reasonably suggest, the method comprising: wherein the first imaging dichroic mirror comprises an imaging optic configured to additively combine visible or electro-optic (EO) laser light sources and infrared (IR) light sources, and the second mirror comprises a fast steering mirror (FSM) operable for controlling a direction of the output emission of the broadband multi-line laser; and wherein the first laser light source comprises an infrared (IR) laser light source and the second laser light source comprises a visible or electro-optic (EO) laser light source, (claim 1); directing at least one visible/EO laser beam toward at least one imaging mirror; directing at least one broadband IR laser beam toward the at least one imaging mirror for additively combining the at least one visible/EO laser beam and the at least one broadband IR laser beam, outputting the resultant multi-broadband beam for transmission including steering the resultant multi-broadband beam with a fast steering mirror (FSM), (claim 19); in combination of the other limitations of the independent claims 1 and 19.
Dependent claims 4, and 6-8 are also allowed due to their dependencies on independent claims 1 or 19.
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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Govorkov et al. (US 2005/0002425) teaches steering optics, TSUJITA, (JP 2001198079) teaches IR and visible mirrors; Matsunobu (US 2017/0343792), Medical imaging system.
Independent claim 9 will be allowable if the Applicant amend the independent claims 9 and add the claimed features similar to amended independent claim 1, as Applicant indicated in remarks page 9.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 RAHMAN ABDUR whose telephone number is (571)270-0438. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 am to 5:30.
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/R.A/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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