CTNF 18/374,467 CTNF 91883 DETAILED ACTION This office action is in response to the application filed on September 28, 2023. Claims 1 – 17 are pending. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-27 AIA Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN202110357077.4 , filed on April 1, 2021 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on September 28, 2023, April 12, 2024, July 10, 2024, August 30, 2024, March 17, 2025, June 19, 2025 and September 16, 2025. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the Examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1 and 3 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Oka et al., (US 2020/0178361 A1) referred to as Oka hereinafter . Regarding Claim 1, Oka discloses a laser (Par. [0040] FIG. 1, a light emitting device 60), for a LiDAR (Par. [0035] The light emitting device used in the LiDAR apparatus is demanded to measure a distance using emission of light with short pulse), comprising: a plurality of light-emitting units (Par. [0040] a plurality of laser diodes LD (a laser diode LD11 (i.e. light emitting unit), a laser diode LD12, and a laser diode LD1n)), each light-emitting unit comprising a plurality of light- emitting points (Par. [0098] The laser diodes LD use, for example, VCSELs having a common cathode (Common-Cathode_VCSELs). For example, VCSELs including 40 light emitting elements (i.e. points) in an array are used), wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting units includes: a cathode or anode that is shared with another light-emitting unit ( Fig. 1, Par. [0098] The laser diodes LD use, for example, VCSELs having a common (i.e. shared) cathode (Common-Cathode_VCSELs)) , and a wiring unit electrically connected (Par. [0039] FIGS. 1 to 4 are circuit diagrams each illustrating a circuit configuration (i.e. wiring unit) of a light emitting device) to an unshared anode or cathode of that light-emitting unit (Fig. 1, Par. [0096] The second switch elements SW are coupled to anodes (Anode 1, Anode 2, . . . , and Anode n) of the respective (i.e. unshared anode) laser diodes LD (the laser diode LD1, the laser diode LD2, . . . , and the laser diode LDn) serving as light emitting elements). Regarding claim 3, Oka discloses Claim 1. Oka further discloses wherein the plurality of light- emitting units are configured to emit light simultaneously or successively (Par. [0070] The light emitting timings of the respective layers 111 are mutually independently controlled by the light-source drive circuit 31. Each layer 111 is controlled so that the plurality of light emitting elements 112 included in the layer 111 simultaneously emit light). Regarding claim 4, Oka discloses Claim 3. Oka further discloses wherein the wiring units of the plurality of light-emitting units are connected to different voltage sources when the plurality of light-emitting units are driven to emit light successively (the alternative limitation “the plurality of light-emitting units are configured to emit light successively” is not required, as Claim 3 recites “or”. Par. [0070] The light emitting timings of the respective layers 111 are mutually independently controlled by the light-source drive circuit 31. Each layer 111 is controlled so that the plurality of light emitting elements 112 included in the layer 111 simultaneously emit light). Regarding claim 5, Oka discloses Claim 3. Oka further discloses wherein the wiring units of the plurality of light-emitting units are connected to a same voltage source or different voltage sources when the plurality of light-emitting units are driven to emit light simultaneously (Par. [0041] In the light emitting device 60, the booster circuit BC10 boosts a direct-current voltage Vin, supplied from an external constant voltage source, to obtain a direct-current voltage Vhv, and supplies the direct-current voltage Vhv (i.e. same voltage source) to each low pass filter LPF). Regarding claim 6, Oka discloses Claim 1. Oka further discloses wherein the laser comprises two light-emitting units sharing a cathode (Fig. 1, Par [0109] two or more light emitting elements may serve as desirable light emitting elements, and the two or more light emitting elements may emit light simultaneously), and each light-emitting unit comprises one wiring unit (Par. [0039] FIGS. 1 to 4 are circuit diagrams each illustrating a circuit configuration (i.e. wiring unit) of a light emitting device) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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 of this title, 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 2, 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 2020/0178361 A1) in view of FAN (CN 111969414 A) (See IDS filed on September 16, 2025) referred to as FAN hereinafter . Regarding claim 2, Oka discloses Claim 1. Oka does not specifically teach constructional features, such as metal or insulation properties. Therefore, Oka fails to explicitly teach wherein the unshared anodes or cathodes of the plurality of light-emitting units are separated by an insulation layer, and the shared cathodes or anodes are connected by a first metal layer. However, FAN teaches wherein the unshared anodes or cathodes of the plurality of light-emitting units (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, page 3, Detailed description, paragraph 3, the independent cathodes 211 are all electrically connected to the common cathode units 22 around the VCSEL array) are separated by an insulation layer (page 4, paragraph 2, VCSEL unit 21 further comprises a passivation layer 209 and the first bonding layer 207 having an insulating dielectric film), and the shared cathodes or anodes are connected by a first metal layer (page 2, Disclosure of invention, paragraph 4, The VCSEL unit further includes a metal grid, so that the independent cathode is electrically connected to the common cathode unit through the metal grid). References Oka and FAN are considered to be analogous art because they relate to light-emitting elements. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify insulating independent components and using metal for common connected components as suggested by FAN in the invention of Oka in order to provide a current confinement layer by insulating the component and electrically connected to the common cathode unit through the metal grid (See FAN, page 2, Disclosure of invention, paragraph 4, page 4, paragraph 2). Regarding claim 7, Oka discloses Claim 1. Oka does not specifically teach constructional features, such as metal or insulation properties. Therefore, Oka fails to explicitly teach further comprising a second metal layer that covers the unshared anodes or cathodes of the light-emitting units, and includes an opening for light emission of each light-emitting point. However, FAN teaches further comprising a second metal layer that covers the unshared anodes or cathodes of the light-emitting units (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, page 2, Disclosure of invention, paragraph 4, The VCSEL unit further includes a metal grid, a part of the metal grid is connected to the independent cathode, and the other part covers the common cathode unit, so that the independent cathode is electrically connected to the common cathode unit through the metal grid. Page 4, paragraph 4, The common cathode unit includes a common cathode body and a second bump metal layer (i.e. second metal layer), the metal grid partially covers the common cathode body, the second bump metal layer is connected to the metal grid at the top of the common cathode unit, and is led out to the common cathode through the second bump metal layer), and includes an opening for light emission of each light-emitting point (page 4, paragraph 2, In order to realize the electrical connection between the independent anode 210 and the outside, the passivation layer 209 covered on the independent anode 210 is etched to open a through hole 213, the first bump The metal layer 201 can realize direct electrical contact with the independent anode 210 through the second through hole 213). References Oka and FAN are considered to be analogous art because they relate to light-emitting elements. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify connected components as suggested by FAN in the invention of Oka in order to provide a current confinement layer by insulating the component and electrically connected to the common cathode unit through the metal grid (See FAN, page 2, Disclosure of invention, paragraph 4, page 4, paragraph 2). Regarding claim 8, Oka in view of FAN teaches Claim 7. FAN further teaches wherein the wiring unit includes a portion of the second metal layer, or a wiring pad disposed on the second metal layer (page 4, paragraph 3, the VCSEL module 2 further comprises a metal grid 208, wherein a portion of the metal grid 208 is located on the independent cathode 210 and the other part of the metal grid 208 (i.e. portion of metal layer) covers the common cathode unit 211 so that the independent cathode 211 is electrically connected to the common cathode unit 211 through the metal grid 208). I t would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify connected components as suggested by FAN in the invention of Oka in order that the individual control of each VCSEL unit 21 is realized, and the laser array is improved (See FAN, page 2, Disclosure of invention, paragraph 4, page 4, paragraph 2) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 9 - 11 and 15 – 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 2020/0178361 A1) in view of Weinberg (US 2017/0343653 A1) referred to as Weinberg hereinafter . Regarding claim 9, Oka discloses a LiDAR (Fig. 1, (Par. [0035] The light emitting device used in the LiDAR apparatus is demanded to measure a distance using emission of light with short pulse), comprising: an emitting unit, comprising a plurality of lasers (Par. [0040] a plurality of laser diodes LD (a laser diode LD11 (i.e. light emitting unit), a laser diode LD12, and a laser diode LD1n)), wherein each laser comprises a plurality of light-emitting units configured to emit detection light beams, each light-emitting unit comprising a plurality of light-emitting points (Par. [0098] The laser diodes LD use, for example, VCSELs having a common cathode (Common-Cathode_VCSELs). For example, VCSELs including 40 light emitting elements (i.e. beam points) in an array are used), wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting units includes: a cathode or anode that is shared with another light-emitting unit ( Fig. 1, Par. [0098] The laser diodes LD use, for example, VCSELs having a common (i.e. shared) cathode (Common-Cathode_VCSELs)), and a wiring unit electrically connected (Par. [0039] FIGS. 1 to 4 are circuit diagrams each illustrating a circuit configuration (i.e. wiring unit) of a light emitting device) to an unshared anode or cathode of that light-emitting unit (Fig. 1, Par. [0096] The second switch elements SW are coupled to anodes (Anode 1, Anode 2, . . . , and Anode n) of the respective (i.e. unshared anode) laser diodes LD (the laser diode LD1, the laser diode LD2, . . . , and the laser diode LDn) serving as light emitting elements); and a receiving unit (Fig. 6, light receiver 20), comprising detector (Par. [0065] The integrator 25 integrates the detection signals of the light output from the plurality of light emitting element groups at different light emitting timings through single scanning and reflected by an object to be detected, and outputs the sum total value of the detection signals to the control circuit 32) configured to receive echo light beams of the detection light beams after being reflected off an object (Par. [0055] a light receiver 20 (i.e. receiving unit) that receives the reflected light (reflected light Lrof) (i.e. echo light) from an object 2) , and to convert the echo light beams into electrical signals (Par. [0065] The light receiving element 21 outputs a photocurrent corresponding to the intensity of the input reflected light. The photocurrent output from the light deceiving element 21 is converted into a voltage signal and amplified by a transimpedance amplifier (not illustrated), and then the amplified voltage signal (i.e. electrical signal) is input to the integrator 25). Oka does not specifically teach a receiving unit comprising a plurality of detectors. However, Weinberg teaches a receiving unit comprising a plurality of detectors (Fig. 1a and Fig. 1d, Par. [0031] the flash LIDAR system 109 can include a flash illuminator array 110, and a flash detector array 120, which may include a plurality of pixel receiver elements (e.g., photodiodes), or a plurality of any other suitable light detectors) References Oka and Weinberg are considered to be analogous art because they relate to light-emitting elements. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify a plurality of detectors in the receiving unit as suggested by Weinberg in the invention of Oka in order to improve the range of flash LIDAR systems (See Weinberg, Par. [0030]). Regarding claim 10, Oka in view of Weinberg teaches Claim 9. Weinberg further teaches wherein the emitting unit and the receiving unit of the LiDAR form a plurality of detection channels (Fig. 1d, Par. [0035] The signal processor/controller 130 can (1) control, via a control line 112, one or more illuminators of the flash illuminator array 110 to scan the field-of-view 108 with one or more transmitted light beam pulses 106, (2) synchronize, via a control line 114, the transmission of the light beam pulses 106 with reception of one or more reflected light beam pulses 107 at the flash detector array 120), each detection channel comprising one light-emitting unit and one corresponding detector (Fig. 2d, Par. [0038] respective illuminators 110a (i.e. one emitting unit) -110f transmitted light beam pulses 106a-106f, where each subset 120a (i.e. one detector), 120b, 120c, 120d, 120e, or 120f of the flash detector array 120 can then operate to receive, in turn, a reflected light beam pulse 107a, 107b, 107c, 107d, 107e, or 107f from the portion of the target object 105). Regarding claim 11, Oka in view of Weinberg teaches Claim 9. Weinberg further teaches wherein the echo light beams generated by the plurality of light-emitting units of a single laser are received by a single detector (Fig. 2d, Par. [0040] the illuminator 110a (i.e. single laser) of the flash illuminator array 110 can start scanning the total area of the field-of-view 108 by transmitting one or more light beam pulses 106a to illuminate the smaller area of the segment 108a. The subset 120a (i.e. single detector) of the flash detector array 120 can each receive a reflected light beam pulse 107a corresponding to a frame of data). Regarding claim 15, Oka in view of Weinberg teaches Claim 9. Oka further teaches wherein the emitting unit further comprises a driving circuit configured to provide different driving voltages to the plurality of light-emitting units of the lasers (Par. [0058] The light source 11 is controlled by a light-source drive circuit 31 so that the light emitting element groups emit light at mutually independent light emitting timings). Regarding claim 16, Oka in view of Weinberg teaches Claim 15. Oka further teaches wherein the emitting unit further comprises a switch comprising a first terminal electrically connected to the shared cathode or anode of the light-emitting units (As illustrated in Fig. 1, top of SW30 is connected to shared cathode) , a second terminal being grounded (As illustrated in Fig. 1, bottom of SW30 is connected to ground), and a control terminal configured to turn ON and OFF of the switch according to a driving signal (Fig. 1, Par. [0040] the third switch element SW30 is controlled to cause a short in the circuit (i.e. turn on and off), so that a short-circuit current is generated from the electric charge stored in the capacitor C and the current with a very short pulse width (for example, 5 ns or less) is fed to a laser diode LD serving as a light emitting element. Par. [0090] the capacitor with electricity by performing on/off control (i.e. turn on and off) on the corresponding switch element SW based on a control signal Charge_Ctrl). Regarding claim 17, Oka in view of Weinberg teaches Claim 9. Oka further teaches wherein the emitting unit is configured to drive each light-emitting unit in sequence to emit detection light beams (Par. [0113] control timings for individually driving the respective laser diodes LD, which are control timings for sequentially driving the respective laser diodes LD) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 2020/0178361 A1), in view of Weinberg (US 2017/0343653 A1) , and in further view of Ansari et al. (US 10,212,785 B2) referred to as Ansari hereinafter . Regarding claim 12, Oka in view of Weinberg teaches Claim 9. Oka further discloses wherein the plurality of lasers are arranged in columns along a vertical direction (Fig. 7, Par. [0069] The light source 11 is formed of, for example, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array including a plurality of laser element groups, each of which is called “layer”, are arranged in the same plane. The light source 11 has a plurality of layers 111 (a layer 111-1, . . . , a layer 111-k, . . . , and a layer 111-m). Each layer 111 includes a plurality of light emitting elements 112 (112-1 to 112-n)) and Weinberg further discloses wherein the plurality of lasers are arranged in a plurality of columns along a vertical direction (Par. [0036] a plurality of illuminators 110a-110f (see FIG. 2b illustrates 3 columns of lasers)). Oka in view of Weinberg does not specifically teach a staggered arrangement. However, Ansari teaches the plurality of lasers are arranged in a plurality of columns along a vertical direction (Fig. 5, Col. 15:52-54, the individually addressable light-emitting elements 114 may be spaced in a primary direction within a die (e.g., vertically)), the plurality of columns of lasers being staggered from each other ( Col. 15:54-57, such that an edge (e.g., bottom) of one projecting surface 116 aligns with an edge (e.g., top) of another projecting surface 116 (i.e. staggered). This is illustrated by the dashed lines in FIG. 5) , such that principal light directions of the detection light beams emitted by each light-emitting unit in the plurality of lasers are staggered from each other (Col. 5:59-62, This staggered arrangement may be such that the corresponding angles at which the substantially linear illumination patterns are projected relative to the light emitter are adjacent to one another). References Oka, Weinberg and Ansari are considered to be analogous art because they relate to light-emitting elements. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify staggered lasers as suggested by Ansari in the inventions of Oka and Weinberg in order that the light is spread in a first direction while being focused in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction (e.g., to produce a substantially linear illumination pattern) (See Ansari, Col. 6:9-12). Regarding claim 13, Oka in combination with Weinberg and Ansari teaches Claim 12. Ansari further discloses wherein each column of lasers are overall staggered from another column along the vertical direction (Col. 16:39-45, the pattern of eight staggered individually addressable light-emitting elements of FIG. 5 could be replicated on a different section of the circuit board that has the same horizontal location, but a different vertical location (i.e., the pattern of eight staggered individually addressable light-emitting elements of FIG. 5 is duplicated, but shifted up or down (i.e. vertical direction)), or only a middle portion of each column of lasers staggered from each other . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oka (US 2020/0178361 A1) in view of Weinberg (US 2017/0343653 A1) , in view of Ansari (US 10,212,785 B2) , and in further view of MANSOURI RAD et al. (US 2019/0377135 A1) referred to as MANSOURI RAD hereinafter . Regarding claim 14, Oka in combination with Weinberg and Ansari teaches Claim 13. Oka in combination with Weinberg and Ansari does not specifically teach angular resolution. However, MANSOURI RAD teaches wherein a vertical angular resolution of the LiDAR is less than 0.40 (Par. [0105] Each of the surface emitters is disposed and configured to emit light in a different direction, through a combination of orientation. The resulting LIDAR emitter may have a field of view of 110 degrees by 30 degrees with a resolution of 2 degrees by 0.4 degrees respectively. Each of the surface emitters has a surface area sufficient to emit a beam having a divergence of approximately 0.4 degrees at a wavelength of 905 nm). References Oka, Weinberg, Ansari and MANSOURI RAD are considered to be analogous art because they relate to light-emitting elements. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify less than .4 degree of angular resolution as suggested by MANSOURI RAD in the inventions of Oka, Weinberg and Ansari in order to provide a higher resolution with a larger surface emitter (See MANSOURI RAD, Par. [0107]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to SUSAN E HODGES whose telephone number is (571)270-0498. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday from 8:00 am (EST) to 4:00 pm (EST). If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor, Brian T. Pendleton, can be reached on (571) . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). /Susan E. Hodges/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 2 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 3 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 4 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 5 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 6 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 7 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 8 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 9 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 10 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 11 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 12 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 13 Art Unit: 2425 Application/Control Number: 18/374,467 Page 14 Art Unit: 2425