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 .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A1 in the reply filed on 04/27/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 10 and 14-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/27/2026.
The Office notes that applicant indicated that claim 2 did not read on the elected species. However, claim 2 recites “a mid-infrared optical seed wavelength of the mid-infrared optical seed is less than or equal to 3.48 μm”. This is shown in Fig. 3 which corresponds to the elected Species. Accordingly, the Office has examined claim 2 as well.
Priority
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/362,478 filed 04/05/2022
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 8, 9, 11-13, and 18-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Islam (US20090296743A1), hereafter Islam, in view of Zhou et al. (CN105742954A), hereafter Zhou.
Regarding claims 1 and 20, Islam discloses a Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) laser system (Title), comprising: an optical source producing an infrared optical seed (Fig. 1 element 110; [0034]), the infrared optical seed having an infrared optical seed wavelength ([0034]); a first Raman resonator (Fig. 1 element 120) optically coupled to the optical source and configured to accept the infrared optical seed whereby the first Raman resonator shifts the infrared optical seed wavelength of the infrared optical seed using vibrational transitions to create a mid-infrared optical seed (Fig. 1 element 120; [0032]; [0034]), the mid-infrared optical seed having a mid-infrared optical seed wavelength greater than the near-infrared optical seed wavelength ([0034]); and a second Raman resonator optically coupled to the first Raman resonator optically and configured to accept the mid-infrared optical seed whereby the a second Raman resonator shifts the mid-infrared optical seed wavelength of the mid-infrared optical seed using Raman scattering to form a plurality of mid-infrared optical lines (Fig. 1 element 120; [0034]; Fig. 14), each of the mid-infrared optical lines having a mid-infrared optical line wavelength greater than the mid-infrared optical seed wavelength ([0034]). Islam does not explicitly disclose the second Raman resonator shifts the wavelength using rotational transitions. However, Zhou discloses a first Raman cell shifting a wavelength using vibrational transitions and a second Raman cell shifting wavelength using rotational transitions ([0010]). An advantage is to use a combination of vibrational and rotational transitions to access wavelengths in the mid-infrared range that cannot be access by just vibrational or just rotational transitions. ([0006]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Islam with a first Raman cell shifting a wavelength using vibrational transitions and a second Raman cell shifting wavelength using rotational transitions as disclosed by Zhou in order to access wavelengths in the mid-infrared range that cannot be access by just vibrational or just rotational transitions.
Regarding claim 2, Islam further discloses a mid-infrared optical seed wavelength of the mid-infrared optical seed is less than or equal to 3.48 μm ([0034]).
Regarding claim 3, Islam in view of Zhou do not explicitly disclose the plurality of mid-infrared optical lines possesses an optical line wavelength between 3.5 and 4.1 μm. However, Islam discloses a plurality of mid-infrared optical lines possesses an optical line wavelengths between approximately 2.5 μm to approximately 10 μm ([0034]) and wavelengths between 3.5 and 4.6 μm ([0061]). An advantage is to optimize the output based on the intended use of the device ([0004]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Islam in view of Zhou with the plurality of mid-infrared optical lines possesses an optical line wavelength between 3.5 and 4.1 μm, since Islam discloses overlapping ranges to be modified based on the intended use of the device and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 8, Zhou further discloses the mid-infrared optical seed is linearly polarized light ([0010]-[0011]).
Regarding claim 9, Zhou further discloses a quarter wave plate interposed between the first Raman resonator and the second Raman resonator configured to convert the mid-infrared optical seed from linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light ([0010]-[0011]).
Regarding claim 11, Islam further discloses the optical source is a continuous wave pump source ([0032]).
Regarding claim 12, Islam further discloses the optical source is a Thulium-doped fiber laser (Fig. 14 element 1410).
Regarding claim 13, Islam in view of Zhou do not explicitly disclose the Thulium-doped fiber laser output power exceeds one kilowatt. However, Islam discloses a seed power of 1 kW ([0077]). An advantage is to allow for higher power output based on the intended use ([0077]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Islam in view of Zhou with the Thulium-doped fiber laser output power exceeds one kilowatt, since Zhou discloses a seed power of 1 kW in order to allow for higher power output based on the intended use and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 18, Islam further discloses the first Raman resonator includes narrow band mirrors on both sides that resonate a single Raman shifted line (Fig. 14 elements 1420A and 1420B).
Regarding claim 19, Islam further discloses the second Raman resonator includes broadband mirrors that resonate multiple Raman shifted lines in a cascade (Fig. 7 elements 720 and 730).
Regarding claim 21, Zhou further discloses converting, by a quarter wave plate interposed between the first Raman resonator and the second Raman resonator, the mid-infrared optical seed from linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light ([0010]-[0011]).
Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Islam in view of Zhou, as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Rudolph et al. (US20130202006A1), hereafter Rudolph.
Regarding claim 4, Zhou further discloses the first Raman cell is a gas filled cell ([0005]). Islam in view of Zhou do not explicitly disclose the first Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber. However, Rudolph discloses the Raman cell is a gas filled hollow-core fiber ([0085]). An advantage is to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices ([0085]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Islam in view of Zhou with the first Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber as disclose by Rudolph in order to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices.
Regarding claim 5, Zhou further discloses the first Raman cell is a nitrogen gas filled cell ([0005]). Islam in view of Zhou do not explicitly disclose the first Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber. However, Rudolph discloses the Raman cell is a gas filled hollow-core fiber ([0085]). An advantage is to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices ([0085]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Islam in view of Zhou with the first Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber as disclose by Rudolph in order to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices.
Regarding claim 6, Zhou further discloses the second Raman cell is a gas filled cell ([0005]). Islam in view of Zhou do not explicitly disclose the second Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber. However, Rudolph discloses the Raman cell is a gas filled hollow-core fiber ([0085]). An advantage is to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices ([0085]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Islam in view of Zhou with the second Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber as disclose by Rudolph in order to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices.
Regarding claim 7, Zhou further discloses the second Raman cell is a nitrogen gas filled cell ([0005]). Islam in view of Zhou do not explicitly disclose the second Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber. However, Rudolph discloses the Raman cell is a gas filled hollow-core fiber ([0085]). An advantage is to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices ([0085]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Islam in view of Zhou with the second Raman resonator is a gas filled hollow-core fiber as disclose by Rudolph in order to improve the interaction between the gas and the light while allowing for compact cells that can be readily integrated into devices.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached Notice of References Cited. See, e.g., US5099147 Fig. 2 discloses a first and second raman cell which may be controlled to emit wavelengths corresponding to vibrational and/or rotational transitions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA KING whose telephone number is (571)270-1441. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 10am-5pm MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Min Sun Harvey can be reached at (571) 272-1835. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Joshua King/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828 05/13/2026
Prosecution Insights