DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following grammatical informality:
In claim 2 line 1, “the processing process are followed” should be replaced with “the processing process is followed”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 4 is 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.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the buffer area" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, since the prior recitation was to a “buffer zone” in claim 3.
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 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inst Biophysics Cas CN 112033959 A (“Biophysics”).
Biophysics discloses:
9. A testing equipment, comprising:
a vibration mirror (e.g., Fig. 1 #4), reflecting a plurality of light signals from a sample to different directions according to a plurality of different timings (e.g., [0049]: “The beam deflection system 4 is used to receive the light signal output by the microscopic imaging system 3 and control the position of the light signal to be converged to switch between different photoelectric sensors and different sub-regions on the photosensitive surface of the sensor in the photoelectric sensor system 5”, [0061]);
an image sensing element (e.g., Fig. 1 #5), having a plurality of image sensing areas, wherein the image sensing element is respectively configured to receive the plurality of light signals from the plurality of different timings of the vibration mirror (e.g., [0050]: “The photoelectric sensor system 5 includes at least two photoelectric sensors. The photosensitive surface of each photoelectric sensor includes N sub-regions. The switching time between the two positions is less than the time resolution required by the system. Each sensor is used to alternately integrate the light signal and convert the signal. After the signal conversion, digital data of the image of the N sub-regions on each photoelectric sensor is obtained, and the digital data is transmitted to the control system”); and
a focusing module (e.g., Fig. 1 #3), disposed in a light path between the vibration mirror and the image sensing element or between the vibration mirror and the sample, wherein the focusing module is configured to make the plurality of light signals reflected by the vibration mirror from the different directions according to the plurality of different timings respectively be respectively imaged in each of the plurality of image sensing areas of the image sensing element, and the field of view of the focusing module covers the sample (e.g., [0048]: “Microscopic imaging system 3 is used to receive and focus the light signals emitted by sample 2”, [0051]-0052]),
wherein a recorded picture of the image sensing element in a single exposure comprises a plurality of images received by the plurality of different timings, and the plurality of images are respectively imaged in the plurality of different image sensing areas (e.g., [0051]: “The control system 6 is used to synchronously and orderly control the light source system 1, the beam deflection system 4, and the photoelectric sensor system 5, and to obtain a complete time series image of the entire field of view based on the digital data of the images of N sub-regions of each photoelectric sensor”, [0052]).
10. The testing equipment according to claim 9, wherein there is a light modulator located in middle of the light path, images of the sample corresponding to each of the plurality of different timings are imaged in the plurality of corresponding image sensing areas, and the light modulator is turned on so that the plurality of light signals are allowed to pass through the light modulator (e.g., Fig. 3 #3-5, [0066]: “aperture 3-5”).
11. The testing equipment according to claim 9, further comprising a light source (e.g., Fig. 1 #1) configured to illuminate the sample (e.g., [0047]: “Light source system 1 is used to provide the light source required for microscopic imaging”), wherein a plurality of time intervals illuminated by the light source are respectively synchronized with each of the plurality of timings when the vibration mirror reflects each of the plurality of light signals to each of the plurality of corresponding image sensing areas (e.g., [0051]: “The control system 6 is used to synchronously and orderly control the light source system 1, the beam deflection system 4, and the photoelectric sensor system 5, and to obtain a complete time series image of the entire field of view based on the digital data of the images of N sub-regions of each photoelectric sensor.”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Biophysics in view of Amsky Tech Co Ltd CN 115416302 A (“Amsky”).
Biophysics discloses:
1. A processing and testing equipment, comprising:
a carrier stage, configured to carry processing component (e.g., Fig. 1, 3: #2, [0048]: “sample 2”);
a measuring unit comprising:
a light source (e.g., Fig. 1 #1), illuminating a position of the processing component on the carrier stage, wherein the light source makes the processing component generate a plurality of light signals (e.g., [0047]: “Light source system 1 is used to provide the light source required for microscopic imaging”, [0052]: “excite the sample 2 or illuminate the sample 2 with bright field illumination so that the sample 2 reflects light”);
a vibration mirror (e.g., Fig. 1 #4), reflecting the plurality of light signals from the processing component to different directions according to a plurality of timings (e.g., [0049]: “The beam deflection system 4 is used to receive the light signal output by the microscopic imaging system 3 and control the position of the light signal to be converged to switch between different photoelectric sensors and different sub-regions on the photosensitive surface of the sensor in the photoelectric sensor system 5”, [0061]);
an image sensing element (e.g., Fig. 1 #5), having a plurality of image sensing areas, wherein the image sensing element is respectively configured to receive the plurality of light signals reflected by the vibration mirror according to the plurality of timings (e.g., [0050]: “The photoelectric sensor system 5 includes at least two photoelectric sensors. The photosensitive surface of each photoelectric sensor includes N sub-regions. The switching time between the two positions is less than the time resolution required by the system. Each sensor is used to alternately integrate the light signal and convert the signal. After the signal conversion, digital data of the image of the N sub-regions on each photoelectric sensor is obtained, and the digital data is transmitted to the control system”); and
a focusing module (e.g., Fig. 1 #3), disposed in a light path from the carrier stage to the image sensing element, wherein the focusing module is configured to make the plurality of light signals reflected by the vibration mirror from the different directions be respectively imaged in each of the plurality of the image sensing areas of the image sensing element according to the plurality of timings, and the field of view of the focusing module covers the processing component (e.g., [0048]: “Microscopic imaging system 3 is used to receive and focus the light signals emitted by sample 2”, [0051]-0052]),
wherein a plurality of time intervals when the light source are activated are synchronized with each of the plurality of timings when the vibration mirror reflects each of the plurality of light signals to each of the plurality of corresponding image sensing areas, a recorded picture of the image sensing element in a single exposure comprises a plurality of images received according to the plurality of different timings, and the plurality of images are respectively imaged in the plurality of different image sensing areas (e.g., [0051]: “The control system 6 is used to synchronously and orderly control the light source system 1, the beam deflection system 4, and the photoelectric sensor system 5, and to obtain a complete time series image of the entire field of view based on the digital data of the images of N sub-regions of each photoelectric sensor”, [0052]).
2.
3. The processing and testing equipment according to claim 1, wherein a buffer zone located between the plurality of image sensing areas is configured to spatially separate the plurality of image sensing areas (e.g., Fig. 1 #5, Fig. 3 #5-1,5-2 are separated by a spatial distance or zone, Fig. 5 depicts image sensing areas spatially separated by a line or “zone”).
4. The processing and testing equipment according to claim 3, wherein the image corresponding to the field of view is imaged into one of the plurality of image sensing areas and the buffer area surrounding the plurality of image sensing areas (e.g., [0069]-[0072], Fig. 5).
5. The processing and testing equipment according to claim 3, wherein the image corresponding to the field of view is completely imaged into one of the plurality of image sensing areas (e.g., [0069]-[0072], Fig. 3 #5-1 or 5-2).
Biophysics discloses a laser for illuminating the sample (e.g., [0053]).
However, Biophysics does not explicitly disclose a processing unit, providing a process laser, wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a processing process on the processing component on the carrier stage as recited in claim 1; wherein the processing process are followed by the plurality of timings, as recited in claim 2.
So, the laser of Biophysics is only used for illuminating/measuring the sample. It is not additionally used for processing the sample.
Amsky discloses a processing unit, providing a process laser, wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a processing process on the processing component on the carrier stage; wherein the processing process are followed by the plurality of timings (e.g., Figs. 1-3, abstract: “The 3D printing light path and the image collection light path are coaxial through the medium reflecting mirror, the 3D printing light path is used for collecting light spot images, the image collection module does not need an independent light path, the light spot image collection light path and the 3D printing light path are the same path, and the light spot images are collected through light spot light beams reflected from a printing working face. And alight spot image of high-speed movement can be observed in real time.”).
Biophysics and Amsky are analogous art since both pertain to high speed, wide-field-of-view imaging devices.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Biophysics with Amsky since Amsky teaches that a processing laser used for 3D printing can be used in combination with a sample measurement system. One would have been motivated to apply the sample measurement system of Biophysics to the 3D laser printing system of Amsky since Amsky teaches a combined laser processing/measurement system whereby the image collection light path and the 3D printing light path can share the same path (e.g., Figs. 1-3, abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest “the processing and testing equipment according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light sources with different wavelengths, and semi-reflective mirrors are respectively configured to guide light emitted by the plurality of light sources with the different wavelengths to the processing component,” as recited in claim 6, in combination with the remaining features and elements of the claimed invention.
Claims 7 and 8 depend from claim 6 and thus are also allowable by virtue of this dependency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Stallinga et al. US 2010/0314533 discloses a method of imaging a sample with a scanning microscope and an imaging system for a scanning microscope, comprising the steps of: initiating an exposure phase of a detector by a pulsed laser source; generating an optical image of the sample on the detector with a lens system; and terminating the exposure phase. The step of generating the optical image comprises a step of displacing the optical image on the detector with an image displacement means between two consecutive laser pulses. The image displacement means comprise a rotatable mirror situated on an optical path from the sample to the detector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN A JARRETT whose telephone number is (571)272-3742. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:30.
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/RYAN A JARRETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
03/05/26