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 .
Claim Interpretation
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “Polarization/modulation/ module” in claims 1.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
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.
Claims 1-10 are 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 1 has the limitation “the beam modulation module is configured to load a series of holographic phase maps of basic shapes of a target structure on the beam modulation module.
How can something load information onto itself? If the information already exists on the modulation module then it is already loaded on the modulation module.
Prior art
The Examiner has not rejected claims 1-10 over the prior art as it is unclear how any prior art could be made to read on the seemingly impossible limitation of something loading onto itself. However, it appears close prior art exists and is cited below along with an outline of how the prior art might be rejected.
LU CN 111999902 is the closest prior art teaching:
A partition laser assembling (PLA) system based on vector graphic structure and optical field modulation (Fig. 1), comprising: a laser; a beam shaping-polarization modulation module (2,10,11); a beam modulation module (4); and an objective lens (16); wherein the laser is configured to emit a laser beam to the beam shaping-polarization modulation module (Fig. 1, see beam shaping); the beam shaping-polarization modulation module is configured to perform shaping and polarization state modulation on the laser beam to generate a linearly-polarized and collimated laser beam and emit the linearly-polarized and collimated laser beam to the beam modulation module (abstract); and the beam modulation module is also configured to emit the series of laser spots to a pupil plane of the objective lens (Fig. 1); and the objective lens is configured to focus the series of laser spots on the target structure to perform partition laser assembling of the target structure (Fig. 1).
Lu does not teach that:
the beam modulation module is configured to load a series of holographic phase maps of basic shapes of a target structure on the beam modulation module to modulate the linearly-polarized and collimated laser beam in real time according to a processing flow, so as to generate a series of laser spots corresponding to the basic shapes in a vector processing path;
However, since the modulation module is given as an example of a commercial product it appears this would be obvious in view of Lu.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WOODY A LEE JR whose telephone number is (571)272-1051. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 0800-1630.
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/WOODY A LEE JR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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