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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/02/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 –
(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.
Claims 1-2, 5-6, 8-11, 14-16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cullumber et al (“Cullumber” hereinafter, U.S. Publication No. 2020/0241113 A1).
As per claim 1, Cullumber discloses a system for aligning a component for lidar (paragraph [0005] & paragraph [0015] and figures 8 & 10 for a method of aligning a LIDAR system) comprising: a platform (figure 8: combination of flexures 822 and platform 820 is the claimed “platform”) arranged for positioning a base (lens mount 830 is the claimed “base”) on the platform; a first device comprising a first stage (actuator 882 is the claimed “first stage”); and a second device comprising a second stage (actuator 884 is the claimed “second stage”), wherein: the first stage is arranged to perform a first translational motion (paragraph [0054]: first actuator 882 is coupled with a controller 890 to move the platform 820 in the direction of “x-axis”); and the second stage is arranged to perform a second translational motion coordinated with the first translational motion (paragraph [0054]: the second actuator 884 is coupled with controller 890 to move the platform 850 in the direction of “y-axis”) to rotate a module (figure 8 & paragraph [0052]: the transceiver array attached platform 850 is the claimed “module”) with respect to the base to align an electro-optical device with respect to the base (paragraph [0052]: positioning the light sources 860, detectors 870 with lens 842 and 844).
As per claim 2, Cullumber discloses a first camera characterized by a first optical axis; a second camera characterized by a second optical axis, wherein: the second camera is arranged so that the second optical axis is skew to the first optical axis; and the first camera and the second camera are arranged to acquire images of the module (as shown in figure 7 and paragraph [0050], the transceiver module 600a and 660b are rotated by 180 degrees).
As per claim 5, Cullumber discloses wherein: the first device comprises a first tension contact; the second device comprises a second tension contact; and the first tension contact and the second tension contact are arranged to concurrently apply pressure to the module (as shown in figure 8, actuators 882 & 884 are tension contacts are controller by a controller 890 to apply pressure concurrently for a Lissajous scan and cancel any vibration caused by the electric-optical assembly).
As per claim 6, Cullumber discloses wherein the second translational motion is arranged to be parallel to and in an opposite direction of the first translational motion (paragraph [0054]: “the motion of the second platform 850 may be substantially opposite to the motion of the first platform 820 at any instant”).
As per claim 8, Cullumber discloses wherein the first stage is a linear translation stage (the actuator 882 may perform a linear translation when controlled by the controller 890).
As per claim 9, Cullumber discloses wherein the first stage is three-axis motorized linear translation stage (paragraph [0054]: “Lissajous scan pattern” implies the platform 820 may be rotated by the actuator 882 in three-axis).
As per claim 10, Cullumber discloses wherein the electro-optical device is arranged on the module to emit or detect light, the first stage and the second stage are arranged to manipulate the module to align the electro-optical device with respect to the base (see figure 8).
As per claim 11, see explanation in claim 1.
As per claim 14, see figure 8 for module secured and attached to platform 850.
As per claim 15, see figures 8 for transceiver array.
As per claim 16, see explanation in claim 1, the examiner notes Cullumber’s system is a computer-like system, which inherently includes a memory device.
As per claim 18, see explanation in claim 6.
As per claim 20, see explanation in claim 8.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 7, 12-13, 17 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOM Y LU whose telephone number is (571)272-7393. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Bella can be reached at (571) 272 - 7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TOM Y LU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2667