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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/26/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to the remarks filed on 12/26/2025. The amendments filed on 12/26/2025 are entered.
The amendments filed 12/26/2025 to the applicant’s specification have been entered.
The previous rejections of claims 1-8 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and 112(b) have been withdrawn in light of the applicant’s remarks/amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 5, the claims recite the limitation of “causing the refractive index to increase or decrease within the range of 1~6x10-4” in lines 14-15 and 13-14. The range listed does not provide units associated with the refractive index and this renders the scope of the claimed range unclear and indefinite. Therefore, the claims are rejected for indefiniteness.
Claims dependent upon rejected claims are also rejected for indefiniteness. Therefore, dependent claims 2-4 and 6-8 are also rejected.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsieh et al. (TW202108109A) hereinafter Hsieh (see attached combined FOR document and English translation of corresponding issued patent TW1741355B of the office action of 2/27/2025 for citations), in view of Yeh et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20210030432) hereinafter Yeh, in view of Chamanzar, M., et al. (“Ultrasonic sculpting of virtual optical waveguides in tissue,” Nature Communications. Vol 10(92), 2019. P. 1-10) hereinafter Chamanzar (see attached NPL reference of the office action of 8/26/2025 for citations), in further view of Masumura et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20090069674) hereinafter Masumura.
Regarding claim 1, primary reference Hsieh teaches:
A device for improving light penetration, applied to human tissues (page 1), and comprising:
a laser source for emitting a laser beam, wherein the laser beam is configured to penetrate a tissue inside a human body (page 2, paragraph 2, optical device is a laser device with a laser beam; page 2, paragraph 3, increasing light flux in biological tissue; pages 5-6, examples 1 and 2 include lasers and the light source); and
a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) probe, configured to be disposed on a surface of the human body, wherein ultrasounds generated by the HIFU are focused to form an acoustic beam around a forward path of the laser beam, causing the laser beam to pass through a central region of the acoustic beam (page 2, paragraph 1, high intensity focused ultrasonic device; page 2, paragraph 3, ultrasonic beam and treatment beam are confocal, which is considered to a central silent vortex action region of the acoustic beam; page 4-5, examples 1 and 2 include high intensity focused ultrasound which increases the light flux within the tissue; figure 1 and 2 show the laser beam centrally located, which teach to the central silent vortex action region of the acoustic beam as claimed); and
a virtual optical waveguide configured to be formed in surrounding tissues in the forward path of the laser beam through the acoustic beam (page 2, paragraph 1, high intensity focused ultrasonic device; page 2, paragraph 3, ultrasonic beam and treatment beam are confocal, which is considered to a virtual optical waveguide and through the ultrasound beam the optical light flux in the target tissue increases and provides for a hot channel that is analogous to the virtual optical waveguide; page 4-5, examples 1 and 2 include high intensity focused ultrasound which increases the light flux within the tissue through a hot channel which forms a virtual optical waveguide; figure 1 and 2 show the laser beam centrally located within the ultrasound acoustic beam).
Primary reference Hsieh fails to teach that the acoustic beam is an acoustic vortex. Therefore, Hsieh fails to teach:
wherein ultrasounds generated by the HIFU are focused to form an acoustic vortex around a forward path of the laser beam,
wherein there is silent vortex action in the central region of the acoustic vortex
tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex
However, the analogous art of Yeh of a catheter ultrasound generation system (abstract) teaches:
wherein ultrasounds generated by the HIFU are focused to form an acoustic vortex around a center of the acoustic beam ([0005]-[0011], acoustic vortex is generated in the output of the ultrasonic transducer; [0021]-[0030], acoustic vortex is generated around the center of the acoustic beam into the target region of interest),
wherein there is silent vortex action in the central region of the acoustic vortex ([0005]-[0011], acoustic vortex is generated in the output of the ultrasonic transducer; [0021]-[0030], acoustic vortex is generated around the center of the acoustic beam into the target region of interest, wherein the central region of a vortex forms a non spinning channel in which the vortex spins)
tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex ([0005]-[0011], acoustic vortex is generated in the output of the ultrasonic transducer; [0021]-[0030], acoustic vortex is generated around the center of the acoustic beam into the target region of interest, wherein the vortex forms a tornado shaped ultrasound; see figures 2-3)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh to incorporate the acoustic vortex as the ultrasound beam as taught by Yeh because it focuses the tissue region within the beam to a center of the acoustic beam (Yeh, [0011]; [0030]). This further enhances the acoustic channel within the center of the beam, providing higher focused ultrasound energy in the combined invention with Hsieh.
Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
An virtual optical waveguide is configured to be formed by inducing a refractive index in a scattering medium in surrounding tissues to mismatch in the forward path of the laser beam through ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex
However, the analogous art of Chamanzar of an optical imaging system for use with ultrasound generated virtual waveguides (abstract) teaches:
An virtual optical waveguide is configured to be formed by inducing a refractive index in a scattering medium in surrounding tissues to mismatch in the forward path of the laser beam through ultrasounds of the acoustic beam (page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2, virtual waveguides that utilize refractive index differences (mismatches) to generate the channel in which optical waves travel; pages 2-4, Results, discuss the sculpted optical waveguides generated using ultrasound waves to produce refractive index contrasts (mismatch) that enable the virtual waveguide; figure 4; see also pages 6-7)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh and Yeh to incorporate the use of the virtual optical waveguide based upon refractive index mismatches in tissue as taught by Chamanzar because it reduces the need for using invasive light guides such as optical fibers to be introduced into the tissue (Chamanzar, page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2). This leads to more efficient and less invasive procedures, while providing higher quality optical light penetration into tissue regions of interest, leading to improved imaging quality.
Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
wherein the tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex change a density of the local tissue, causing the refractive index to increase or decrease within the range of 1~6x 10-4.
However, the analogous art of Masumura of a combined acousto-optical imaging system for a tissue region of interest (abstract) teaches:
wherein the ultrasounds of the acoustic measurement site change a density of the local tissue, causing the refractive index to increase or decrease within the range of 1~6x 10-4 ([0030], “At the measurement site X, a sound pressure changes a density of the medium, causing a change in a refractive index of the medium and a displacement of the scatters. When the light passes through the measurement site X, a phase of the light is modulated with the ultrasonic frequency f due to the change of the refractive index of the medium and the displacement of the scatters. This phenomenon will be referred as an acousto-optical effect.”; As the refractive index changes and the claimed range covers increase or decreases from a baseline, this necessitates that any change as taught by Masumura would overlap with the claimed range and be sufficient to teach to the limitation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, and Chamanzar to incorporate the change in refractive index within the claimed range due to acoustic ultrasound focus area as taught by Masumura because when the light passes through the measurement site X, a phase of the light is modulated with the ultrasonic frequency f due to the change of the refractive index of the medium and the displacement of the scatters (Masumura, [0030]). This enables signal acquisition and processing and leads to higher quality data output.
Regarding claim 2, the combined references of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura teach all of the limitations of claim 1. Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by ultrasounds with more than two phase differences
However, the analogous art of Yeh of a catheter ultrasound generation system (abstract) teaches:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by ultrasounds with more than two phase differences ([0006], phase difference; [0010], phase difference between every two channels forms more than two phase differences; [0021]-[0022], phase differences; [0026]; [0028]; [0029], phase difference).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combined photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura to incorporate the use of more than two phase differences as taught by Yeh because the phase differences enable generation of acoustic vortexes within the target imaged regions of interest (Yeh, [0006]; [0010]; [0021]-[0022]). This provides for precise generation of the acoustic vortex on demand, providing a centrally located acoustic beam within the target tissue region of interest.
Regarding claim 3, the combined references of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura teach all of the limitations of claim 2. Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by increasing ultrasounds with different phase differences, to increase the fluence of the laser beam
However, the analogous art of Yeh of a catheter ultrasound generation system (abstract) teaches:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by increasing ultrasounds with different phase differences, ([0006], phase difference; [0010], phase difference between every two channels forms more than two phase differences; [0021]-[0022], phase differences; [0026]; [0028]; [0029], phase difference;).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combined photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura to incorporate the use of more than two phase differences as taught by Yeh because the phase differences enable generation of acoustic vortexes within the target imaged regions of interest (Yeh, [0006]; [0010]; [0021]-[0022]). This provides for precise generation of the acoustic vortex on demand, providing a centrally located acoustic beam within the target tissue region of interest.
Primary reference Hsieh is not relied upon to teach:
and is configured to increase the fluence of the laser beam
However, the analogous art of Chamanzar of an optical imaging system for use with ultrasound generated virtual waveguides (abstract) teaches:
and is configured to increase the fluence of the laser beam (page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2, virtual waveguides that utilize refractive index differences (mismatches) to generate the channel in which optical waves travel; pages 2-7, Results, discuss the sculpted optical waveguides generated using ultrasound waves to produce virtual waveguides that increase the energy and optical penetration of the laser beam (see page 2, col 2, paragraph 4 “laser beam”) which forms an increase in the fluence of the laser beam through the target tissues of interest)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura to incorporate the use of the virtual optical waveguide to increase the laser fluence in tissue as taught by Chamanzar because it reduces the need for using invasive light guides such as optical fibers to be introduced into the tissue (Chamanzar, page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2). This leads to more efficient and less invasive procedures, while providing higher quality optical light penetration into tissue regions of interest, leading to improved imaging quality.
Regarding claim 4, the combined references of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura teach all of the limitations of claim 1. Primary reference Hsieh further teaches:
wherein an acoustic pressure of the tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex is increased, and thus is configured to increase the fluence of the laser beam (pages 5-6, examples 1 and 2, as acoustic pressure an high intensity focused ultrasound increases the temperature of the target region of interest, fluence of the laser beam and light flux increases to the target point of interest. This increase in temperature forms an analogous teaching to acoustic pressure within the acoustic vortex in the combined invention with Yeh, which teaches specifically to the “tornado-shaped ultrasound” in the combined invention).
Regarding claim 5, primary reference Hsieh teaches:
A method for improving light penetration, applied to human tissues (page 1), and comprising steps of:
emitting, by a laser source, a laser beam, wherein the laser beam penetrates a tissue inside a human body (page 2, paragraph 2, optical device is a laser device with a laser beam; page 2, paragraph 3, increasing light flux in biological tissue; pages 5-6, examples 1 and 2 include lasers and the light source); and
focusing ultrasounds generated by a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) probe to form an acoustic beam around a forward path of the laser beam, causing the laser beam to pass through a central region of the acoustic beam (page 2, paragraph 1, high intensity focused ultrasonic device; page 2, paragraph 3, ultrasonic beam and treatment beam are confocal, which is considered to a central silent vortex action region of the acoustic beam; page 4-5, examples 1 and 2 include high intensity focused ultrasound which increases the light flux within the tissue; figure 1 and 2 show the laser beam centrally located, which teach to the central silent vortex action region of the acoustic beam as claimed),
wherein an virtual optical waveguide is configured to be formed in surrounding tissues in the forward path of the laser beam through the acoustic beam (page 2, paragraph 1, high intensity focused ultrasonic device; page 2, paragraph 3, ultrasonic beam and treatment beam are confocal, which is considered to a virtual optical waveguide and through the ultrasound beam the optical light flux in the target tissue increases and provides for a hot channel that is analogous to the virtual optical waveguide; page 4-5, examples 1 and 2 include high intensity focused ultrasound which increases the light flux within the tissue through a hot channel which forms a virtual optical waveguide; figure 1 and 2 show the laser beam centrally located within the ultrasound acoustic beam).
Primary reference Hsieh fails to teach that the acoustic beam is an acoustic vortex. Therefore, Hsieh fails to teach:
focusing ultrasounds generated by a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) probe to form an acoustic vortex around a forward path of the laser beam
wherein there is silent vortex action in the central region of the acoustic vortex
tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex
However, the analogous art of Yeh of a catheter ultrasound generation system (abstract) teaches:
focusing ultrasounds generated by a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) probe to form an acoustic vortex around a forward path of the acoustic beam ([0005]-[0011], acoustic vortex is generated in the output of the ultrasonic transducer; [0021]-[0030], acoustic vortex is generated around the center of the acoustic beam into the target region of interest),
wherein there is silent vortex action in the central region of the acoustic vortex ([0005]-[0011], acoustic vortex is generated in the output of the ultrasonic transducer; [0021]-[0030], acoustic vortex is generated around the center of the acoustic beam into the target region of interest, wherein the central region of a vortex forms a non spinning channel in which the vortex spins)
tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex ([0005]-[0011], acoustic vortex is generated in the output of the ultrasonic transducer; [0021]-[0030], acoustic vortex is generated around the center of the acoustic beam into the target region of interest, wherein the vortex forms a tornado shaped ultrasound; see figures 2-3)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh to incorporate the acoustic vortex as the ultrasound beam as taught by Yeh because it focuses the tissue region within the beam to a center of the acoustic beam (Yeh, [0011]; [0030]). This further enhances the acoustic channel within the center of the beam, providing higher focused ultrasound energy in the combined invention with Hsieh.
Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
An virtual optical waveguide is configured to be formed by inducing a refractive index in a scattering medium in surrounding tissues to mismatch in the forward path of the laser beam through tornado-shaped ultrasound of the acoustic vortex
However, the analogous art of Chamanzar of an optical imaging system for use with ultrasound generated virtual waveguides (abstract) teaches:
An virtual optical waveguide is configured to be formed by inducing a refractive index in a scattering medium in surrounding tissues to mismatch in the forward path of the laser beam through the acoustic beam (page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2, virtual waveguides that utilize refractive index differences (mismatches) to generate the channel in which optical waves travel; pages 2-4, Results, discuss the sculpted optical waveguides generated using ultrasound waves to produce refractive index contrasts (mismatch) that enable the virtual waveguide; figure 4; see also pages 6-7)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh and Yeh to incorporate the use of the virtual optical waveguide based upon refractive index mismatches in tissue as taught by Chamanzar because it reduces the need for using invasive light guides such as optical fibers to be introduced into the tissue (Chamanzar, page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2). This leads to more efficient and less invasive procedures, while providing higher quality optical light penetration into tissue regions of interest, leading to improved imaging quality.
Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
wherein the tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex change a density of the local tissue, causing the refractive index to increase or decrease within the range of 1~6x 10-4.
However, the analogous art of Masumura of a combined acousto-optical imaging system for a tissue region of interest (abstract) teaches:
wherein the ultrasounds of the acoustic measurement site change a density of the local tissue, causing the refractive index to increase or decrease within the range of 1~6x 10-4 ([0030], “At the measurement site X, a sound pressure changes a density of the medium, causing a change in a refractive index of the medium and a displacement of the scatters. When the light passes through the measurement site X, a phase of the light is modulated with the ultrasonic frequency f due to the change of the refractive index of the medium and the displacement of the scatters. This phenomenon will be referred as an acousto-optical effect.”; As the refractive index changes and the claimed range covers increase or decreases from a baseline, this necessitates that any change as taught by Masumura would overlap with the claimed range and be sufficient to teach to the limitation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, and Chamanzar to incorporate the change in refractive index within the claimed range due to acoustic ultrasound focus area as taught by Masumura because when the light passes through the measurement site X, a phase of the light is modulated with the ultrasonic frequency f due to the change of the refractive index of the medium and the displacement of the scatters (Masumura, [0030]). This enables signal acquisition and processing and leads to higher quality data output.
Regarding claim 6, the combined references of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura teach all of the limitations of claim 5. Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by ultrasounds with more than two phase differences
However, the analogous art of Yeh of a catheter ultrasound generation system (abstract) teaches:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by ultrasounds with more than two phase differences ([0006], phase difference; [0010], phase difference between every two channels forms more than two phase differences; [0021]-[0022], phase differences; [0026]; [0028]; [0029], phase difference).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combined photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura to incorporate the use of more than two phase differences as taught by Yeh because the phase differences enable generation of acoustic vortexes within the target imaged regions of interest (Yeh, [0006]; [0010]; [0021]-[0022]). This provides for precise generation of the acoustic vortex on demand, providing a centrally located acoustic beam within the target tissue region of interest.
Regarding claim 7, the combined references of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura teach all of the limitations of claim 6. Primary reference Hsieh further fails to teach:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by increasing ultrasounds with different phase differences,
However, the analogous art of Yeh of a catheter ultrasound generation system (abstract) teaches:
wherein the acoustic vortex is formed by increasing ultrasounds with different phase differences, ([0006], phase difference; [0010], phase difference between every two channels forms more than two phase differences; [0021]-[0022], phase differences; [0026]; [0028]; [0029], phase difference;).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combined photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura to incorporate the use of more than two phase differences as taught by Yeh because the phase differences enable generation of acoustic vortexes within the target imaged regions of interest (Yeh, [0006]; [0010]; [0021]-[0022]). This provides for precise generation of the acoustic vortex on demand, providing a centrally located acoustic beam within the target tissue region of interest.
Primary reference Hsieh is not relied upon to teach:
and is configured to increase the fluence of the laser beam
However, the analogous art of Chamanzar of an optical imaging system for use with ultrasound generated virtual waveguides (abstract) teaches:
and is configured to increase the fluence of the laser beam (page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2, virtual waveguides that utilize refractive index differences (mismatches) to generate the channel in which optical waves travel; pages 2-7, Results, discuss the sculpted optical waveguides generated using ultrasound waves to produce virtual waveguides that increase the energy and optical penetration of the laser beam (see page 2, col 2, paragraph 4 “laser beam”) which forms an increase in the fluence of the laser beam through the target tissues of interest)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the photoacoustic acoustic virtual waveguide photoacoustic device of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura to incorporate the use of the virtual optical waveguide to increase the laser fluence in tissue as taught by Chamanzar because it reduces the need for using invasive light guides such as optical fibers to be introduced into the tissue (Chamanzar, page 2, col 1, paragraphs 1-2). This leads to more efficient and less invasive procedures, while providing higher quality optical light penetration into tissue regions of interest, leading to improved imaging quality.
Regarding claim 8, the combined references of Hsieh, Yeh, Chamanzar, and Masumura teach all of the limitations of claim 5. Primary reference Hsieh further teaches:
wherein an acoustic pressure of the tornado-shaped ultrasounds of the acoustic vortex is increased, and thus is configured to increase the fluence of the laser beam (pages 5-6, examples 1 and 2, as acoustic pressure an high intensity focused ultrasound increases the temperature of the target region of interest, fluence of the laser beam and light flux increases to the target point of interest. This increase in temperature forms an analogous teaching to acoustic pressure within the acoustic vortex in the combined invention with Yeh, which teaches specifically to the “tornado-shaped ultrasound” in the combined invention).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-8 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Regarding the applicant’s arguments on pages 10-12 of the remarks, the applicant generally challenges the previous prior art references including towards the new amended subject matter. The additional prior art reference of Masumura teaches to the newly amended subject matter. Examiner reiterates that the combined prior art references as a combination teaches to each and every element of the claims. Hsieh provides for a ultrasound virtual optical waveguide within the tissue region and laser beam, Yeh teaches to a acoustic vortex application of HIFU with tornado shaped ultrasounds in a tissue region of interest, and Chamanzar teaches to the inducement of a refractive index in the scattering medium forming sculpted optical waveguides. Therefore, each of these references in combination with Masumura teach to the challenged claim language of the applicant in the remarks.
For these reasons, the applicant’s arguments have been considered but are not persuasive.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN A FRITH whose telephone number is (571)272-1292. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8:00-5:30 Second Fri 8:00-4:30.
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/SEAN A FRITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3798