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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on August 04, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination filed on the date: August 04, 2026.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Claims 1-2, 5, 7 and 10-11 have been amended. No claims have been cancelled or are new.
Response to Arguments
Discussion of Claim Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103
Applicant’s arguments, see REMARKS page 10, with respect to the rejection of independent claim 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 1 has been withdrawn.
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.
Claims 1-20 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.
The term “substantially” in claims 1, 7, 11, 12 and 17 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Claims 1, 7 and 17 recite the limitation “substantially equal to half of an initial wavelength”. Claim 11 recites the limitation “substantially equal to half of the initial wavelength”. Claim 12 recites the limitation “substantially equal to a power of the second light signal”. It is not clear how equal the values have to be with each other to be substantially equal.
Claims 2-10 are also rejected for inheriting the deficiencies of claim 1.
Claims 12-16 are also rejected for inheriting the deficiencies of claim 11.
Claims 18-20 are also rejected for inheriting the deficiencies of claim 17.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding independent claim 1, the prior arts of record taken alone or in combination fail to teach or suggest:
“a reflection detector disposed within and surrounded by the ring light source and configured to receive a reflection signal, of the light signal, reflected by a surface of the target object and generate an electrical signal based upon the reflection signal, wherein the reflection detector comprises at least one optical filter configured to filter the reflection signal to provide a filtered light having a reflected wavelength within a defined range of wavelengths, and the reflected wavelength is equal to half of an initial wavelength of the light signal;” when used in combination with all other limitations of claim 1.
Claims 2-10 are allowed for depending on claim 1.
Regarding independent claim 11 and 17, these claims were indicated as allowable subject matter in the previous Office Action mailed on May 04, 2026.
Claims 12-16 are allowed for depending on claim 11.
Claims 18-20 are allowed for depending on claim 17.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Almarzouk et al. discloses “Method and apparatus for measuring wavelength jitter of light signal” (see US2003/0038943)
Fu et al. discloses “Methods and apparatus for waveguide metrology” (see US2020/0141802)
Lipson et al. discloses “Systems having a reflected light sensor and methods of use” (see US8953160)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID B FREDERIKSEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8152. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached at (571)272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID B FREDERIKSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/HUY Q PHAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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