Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/250,672

OPTOELECTRONIC MODULE COMPRISING AN INTERLOCK FEATURE

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Apr 26, 2023
Examiner
HE, AMY
Art Unit
2858
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
AMS-OSRAM AG
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
85%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allow Rate
425 granted / 523 resolved
+13.3% vs TC avg
Minimal +4% lift
Without
With
+4.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
543
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.9%
-39.1% vs TC avg
§103
44.6%
+4.6% vs TC avg
§102
36.7%
-3.3% vs TC avg
§112
9.4%
-30.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 523 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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. 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. 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. Claim s 1- 6 and 8- 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schrama (U. S. Patent 10,511,139) in view of CN108924295. As for claim 1, Schrama discloses a n optoelectronic module ( laser module 100 in Figs. 1A, 1B ) comprising: a radiation-emitting device ( laser 110 ); two or more terminals ( endpoints 232, 234, 252, 254 in Figs. 2A and 2B) disposed on a surface; a transparent substrate ( transparent conductive layer 130) , the transparent substrate comprising an interlock feature ( conductive trace 230, 240 in Figs. 2A, 2B ); a control unit ( PCB 140 ) coupled to the two or more terminals (endpoints 232, 234, 252, 254 in Figs. 2A and 2B) , wherein the control unit is configured to: supply an electrical current though the interlock feature (130) ; monitor an electrical parameter (current flow) associated with the interlock feature (see col. 3, line 66—col. 4, line 25); when the transparent substrate (130) is in a first orientation about an optical axis of the radiation-emitting device (laser 110) , the interlock feature (trace 230; 240) is coupled to at least two of the two or more terminals (232 and 234; or 252 and 254) and the optoelectronic module (100) is operable to provide a field of illumination in a first illumination orientation . Still referring to claim 1, Schrama does not specifically disclose : a housing comprising a wall or walls laterally surrounding the radiation-emitting device , wherein the two or more terminals are disposed on a surface of the wall or walls; wherein the terminals are arranged such that when the transparent substrate is in a second orientation about the optical axis of the radiation-emitting device, the interlock feature is coupled to at least two of the two or more terminals to provide a field of illumination in a second illumination orientation different from the first illumination orientation. CN108924295 discloses a photoelectric module (10 in Figs. 3-4) comprising: a housing ( protective cover 16; or the combination of lens barrel 12 and protective cover 16) comprising walls (161, 162) laterally surrounding a radiation-emitting device (see Fig. 5); and two or more terminals (181, 182 in Figs. 22-23) disposed on a surface of the walls. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schrama to disclose using a housing or protective cover as taught by CN108924295 , for the purpose of providing the protect ion for the optoelectronic module and supporting the plurality of terminals on the surface. Moreover , the person of ordinary skill in the art would also find it obvious to modify Schrama to arrange the terminals and substrate such that when the transparent substrate is placed in a second/different orientation, the interlock feature is coupled to the two terminals to provide a field of illumination in a second/different illumination orientation, for the purpose of choosing a specific location or orientation design to achieve a desired illumination orientation based on the different requirement of the application. As for claim 2 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1, wherein the two or more terminals comprise a first terminal ( 232; 252 ) and a second terminal ( 234; 254 ), wherein in the first orientation a first contact pad of the interlock feature (trace 230; 250) is coupled to the first terminal (232;252) and a second contact pad of the interlock feature (trace 230; 250) is coupled to the second terminal (234; 254) ; and wherein in the second orientation the first contact pad of the interlock feature (trace 230; 250) can be coupled to the second terminal (234; 254) and the second contact pad of the interlock feature (trace 230;250) can be coupled to the first terminal (232; 252) . As for claim 3 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 2, comprising a plurality of walls (wall 161 and 162 in Fig. 5 of CN108924295 ) , wherein the first terminal (232; or 252) can be disposed on a surface of a first wall of the housing, and wherein the second terminal (234; 254) can be disposed on a surface of one or more further walls of the housing. As for claim 4 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 2, comprising one wall (any one wall of 161, 162 ) , wherein the first terminal (232; 252) can be disposed on a first portion of the surface of the wall, and wherein the second terminal (234; 254) can be disposed on a second portion of the surface of the wall. As for claim s 5 -6 and 8 , Schrama discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1, wherein the two or more terminals comprise a first terminal (232 ; 252 ) , a second terminal (234 ; 254 ) , wherein in the first orientation a first contact pad of the interlock feature (230; 250) is coupled to the first terminal (232; 252) , a second contact pad of the interlock feature is coupled to the second terminal (234; 254); and wherein in the second orientation the first contact pad of the interlock feature can be coupled to the second terminal (234; 254) , the second contact pad of the interlock feature can be coupled to the first terminal (232; 252) . Still referring to claim s 5 -6 and 8 , Schrama does not specifically disclose a third terminal , a fourth terminal , a fifth terminal and a sixth terminal and their respective connections to the interlock feature in a first and a second orientation. CN108924295 discloses a photoelectric module (10 in Figs. 3-5) wherein a plurality of terminals (see Figs. 22 and 23) are used to form detection lines for detecting if the protective cover is faulty (see abstract and Fig. 1-5). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schrama to disclose using more than two terminals and connecting them to the interlock feature in different respective orientations , at taught by CN108924295 , for the purpose of selectively connecting different terminals to test different traces and different orientation designs of the interlock feature, to ensure the safety shuts down of the laser light to prevent any unsafe situation in the different designs (see col. 6, lines 20-38). As for claim 9 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 5, wherein the interlock feature (130) comprises a first track (230) and a second track, wherein the first track (230 in Fig. 2A is longer than 250 in Fig. 2B) is longer than the second track (250) and the electrical current is provided along the first track (230) . As for claim 10 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1, further comprising an optical element ( lens 120 ) coupled to the transparent substrate (130) , wherein the optical element (120) is configured to provide the field of illumination. As for claim 1 1 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1, wherein the electrical parameter comprises a current (col. 6, lines 26-30). As for claim 1 2 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1, wherein the radiation-emitting device comprises at least one vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (see VCSEL in col. 3, lines 35-36) . As for claim 1 3 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to initiate a safety action if the electrical parameter falls outside of a pre-determined acceptable range, wherein initiating the safety action comprises transmitting a control signal to the radiation-emitting device ( i.e., transmitting the control signal to shut down the laser when the system becomes unsafe, see col. 3, lines 37-45) . As for claim 1 4 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1, wherein the interlock feature (trace 230 or 250) is disposed on a surface of the transparent substrate (130) . As for claim 1 5 , Schrama discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1 as discussed above. Schrama does not specifically disclose that the transparent substrate is made of glass. CN108924295 discloses a photoelectric module (10 in Figs. 3-5) wherein a transparent substrate (15 in Fig. 5) is made of glass. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Schrama to use the conventional glass as the transparent substrate, as taught by CN108924295 , since glass is readily available and cheap as compared to other material. As for claim s 1 6 and 17 , Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 1 as discussed above , wherein the terminals can be disposed on an upper surface (161) or a side surface (162) of the wall or walls. As for claim 18, Schrama discloses t he optoelectronic module of claim 1, wherein the optoelectronic module is configured as an infrared illuminator (i.e., using the infrared red laser such as VCSEL, see col. 3, lines 34-36). As for claim 1 9 , Schrama discloses a mobile communications device comprising the optoelectronic module of claim 1 (i.e., when used in a mobile application for iris or facial recognition, see col. 3, lines 34-50) . 4 . Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schrama (U. S. Patent 10,511,139) in view of CN108924295 , and further in view of WO2007/063955. As for claim 7, Schrama in view of CN108924295 discloses the optoelectronic module of claim 5 as discussed above. Schrama in view of CN108924295 does not specifically disclose wherein the terminals, the interlock feature, and the control unit are configured as a Wheatstone bridge. WO2007/063955 discloses a resistance measurement system, wherein a conventional Wheatstone bridge is used with a four-terminal method (see abstract). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to further modify Schrama in view of CN108924295 to disclose wherein the terminals, the interlock feature, and the control unit of Schrama are configured as a Wheatstone bridge, as taught by WO2007/063955 , so as to accurately measure any small changes in electric parameters. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT AMY HE whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-2230 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT 9:00am--5:00pm . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Huy Phan can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 272-7924 . 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. /AMY HE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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Prosecution Timeline

Apr 26, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
81%
Grant Probability
85%
With Interview (+4.1%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 523 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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