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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 6, 11, and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: the term coplaner is spelled incorrectly and should be “coplanar”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiya et al. (US20060125597) in view of Davis et al. (US2011/0199284).
Claim 1: Kamiya teaches a scanner ([0005] optical deflector used in a scanner of a projection display and a laser printer), comprising: a scan plate (movable plate 101), the scan plate including a scan plate surface (mirror surface 104); a first flexure structure (elastic supporting portion 103a) extending from the scan plate; a scanner frame (fixed portions 102a, 102b, Fig. 7A, 7B) at least partially surrounding the scan plate, the first flexure structure, wherein the scan plate, the first flexure structure, and the scanner frame are all formed from a semiconductor substrate (silicon substrate [0083]), the semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface (Fig. 7B shows the top and bottom surfaces); and a strain sensor disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the strain sensor including a first, a second, a third and a fourth piezoresistive element (active resistors 111a, 112a, 711a, and 712a) electrically coupled together to form a Wheatstone bridge circuit ([0077-0078]), where the first and the second piezoresistive elements are disposed proximate the first surface of the semiconductor substrate (111a, 112a are disposed on the front surface, Fig. 7B), and where the third and fourth piezoresistive elements are disposed proximate the second surface (711a, 711b are formed on the rear surface) of the semiconductor substrate.
Kamiya fails to teach wherein the scanner is a MEMS system scanner.
However, Davis teaches a MEMS scanner (Fig. 3A, 3B) including position sensors 210 in a bridge configuration.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teaching of Kamiya with a MEMS scanner, as taught by Davis, for the obvious benefit of detecting the position of a MEMS scanner since changing the size of device would not change the performance of the prior art device.
Claim 2: Kamiya in view of Davis teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 1. Kamiya teaches wherein the first piezoresistive element has a first current axis, the second piezoresistive element has a second current axis, the third piezoresistive element has a third current axis, and the fourth piezoresistive element has a fourth current axis (the four resistors inherently have a current axis wherein the current flow along the respective active resistor), and wherein the first piezoresistive element and the third piezoresistive element are disposed such that the first current axis is parallel to the third current axis in the semiconductor substrate (Fig. 9 shows 111a and 711a are parallel) and wherein the second piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element are disposed such that the second current axis is parallel to the fourth current axis (112a and 712a are parallel) in the semiconductor substrate (see Fig. 9).
Claim 3: Kamiya in view of Davis teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 2. Kamiya teaches wherein the first piezoresistive element and the second piezoresistive element are disposed such that the first current axis is perpendicular to the second current axis (111a and 112a are oriented perpendicular, Fig. 9) in the semiconductor substrate and the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element (711a and 712a are oriented perpendicular, Fig. 9) are disposed such that third current axis is perpendicular to the fourth current axis in the semiconductor substrate.
Claim 6: Kamiya in view of Davis teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 2. Kamiya teaches wherein the first piezoresistive element and the third piezoresistive element are disposed such that the first current axis is coplaner with the third current axis in the semiconductor substrate (111a and 711a are oriented in the same manner such that the current axes are parallel, Fig. 9).
Claim 7: Kamiya in view of Davis teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 1. Kamiya teaches wherein the first flexure structure (elastic supporting portion 103a) provides for angular movement of the scan plate (movable plate 101) about a rotation axis (D-D’) and where the first surface and the second surface are on substantially opposing sides of the rotation axis (see Fig. 2A, 7A, 7B), and wherein the first and the second piezoresistive elements are disposed a first distance from the rotation axis, and wherein the third and fourth piezoresistive elements are disposed a second distance from the rotation axis, and wherein the first distance and the second distance are substantially equal (Fig. 7B shows the elements 112b, 712b and 112a and 712a are on opposite sides of the deflector 100 at an equal distance from the rotation axis).
Claim 8: Kamiya in view of Davis teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 1. Kamiya teaches wherein the Wheatstone bridge circuit includes a first sensing node (the node between 111a and 112a, Fig. 3A, 4) between the first and the second piezoresistive elements (111a, 112a) and includes a second sensing node (node between 113a and 114a) between the third and fourth piezoresistive elements, and wherein the Wheatstone bridge circuit provides a signal indicative of the angular movement of the scan plate about a rotation axis at the first sensing node and the second sensing node ([0047]).
Claim 9: Kamiya in view of Davis teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 1. Kamiya teaches wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a portion of a silicon wafer ([0083]); wherein the first surface comprises a first wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer and the second surface comprises a second wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer [0083].
Kamiya fails to teach wherein the first piezoresistive element, the second piezoresistive element, the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element each comprise a doped regions in the portion of the silicon wafer, and wherein the first surface comprises a first wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer and the second surface comprises a second wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer.
However, Davis teaches the first piezoresistive element, the second piezoresistive element, the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element each comprise a doped regions in the portion of the silicon wafer ([0026] doped silicon at nodes 424 including doping patterns 422).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use piezoresistive elements which comprise doped regions, as taught by Davis, with the device of Kamiya in order to reduce sensitivity to misalignment in the piezoresistors (Davis [0028]).
Claim 10: Kamiya in view of Davis teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 1. Kamiya teaches a second flexure structure (elastic supporting portion 103b, Fig. 7A, 7B) extending from the scan plate, and wherein the first flexure structure comprises a first torsion arm, and wherein the second flexure structure comprises a second torsion arm (the structure is such that the movable plate 101 can fluctuate one-dimensionally with an axis (the pivot axis D-D') connecting the elastic supporting portions 103a and 103b as a center [0050]).
Claim 11: Kamiya teaches a scanner, comprising: a scan plate (movable plate 101), the scan plate including a scan plate surface (mirror surface 104); a first flexure structure (elastic supporting portion 103a) extending from the scan plate (Fig. 7A, 7B); a second flexure structure (elastic supporting portion 103b) extending from the scan plate, where the first flexure structure and the second flexure structure provides for angular movement of the scan plate about a rotation axis (the structure is such that the movable plate 101 can fluctuate one-dimensionally with an axis (the pivot axis D-D') connecting the elastic supporting portions 103a and 103b as a center [0050]); a scanner frame (fixed portions 102a, 102b, Fig. 7A, 7B) at least partially surrounding the scan plate, the first flexure structure, and the second flexure structure, wherein the scan plate, the first flexure structure, the second flexure structure, and the scanner frame are all formed from a MEMS semiconductor substrate (silicon substrate [0083]), the semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface such that the first surface and the second surface are on substantially opposing sides of the rotation axis (Fig. 7B shows the top and bottom surfaces on opposite sides of the rotations axis D-D’); and
a strain sensor (active resistors 111a, 112a, 711a, and 712a) disposed in the MEMS semiconductor substrate, the strain sensor including: a first piezoresistive element (111a) disposed in the scanner frame proximate the first surface, and where the first piezoresistive element has a first current axis (the four resistors inherently have a current axis wherein the current flow along the respective active resistor); a second piezoresistive element (112a) disposed in the scanner frame proximate the first surface, where the second piezoresistive element has a second current axis, and where the second current axis is perpendicular to the first current axis (111a and 112a are oriented perpendicular and their current axes are perpendicular, Fig. 9); a third piezoresistive element (711a) disposed in the scanner frame proximate the second surface, where the third piezoresistive element has a third current axis, and where the third current axis is coplanar with the first current axis (111a and 711a are arranged in the same direction and are parallel therefore the current axes run parallel and coplanar); a fourth piezoresistive element (712a) disposed in the scanner frame proximate the second surface, where the fourth piezoresistive element has a fourth current axis, where the fourth current axis is perpendicular to the third current axis (711a and 712a are oriented perpendicular, Fig. 9); and wherein the first piezoresistive element, the second piezoresistive element, the third piezoresistive element, and the fourth piezoresistive element are electrically coupled together to form a Wheatstone bridge (see Fig. 10) circuit that includes a first sensing node (mode connected to wire 813, Fig. 10) between the first and the second piezoresistive elements and includes a second sensing node (node connected to wire 811, Fig. 10) between the third and fourth piezoresistive elements, and wherein the Wheatstone bridge circuit is configured to provide a signal indicative of the angular movement of the scan plate about the rotation axis at the first sensing node and the second sensing node ([0091]).
Kamiya fails to teach wherein the scanner is a MEMS system scanner.
However, Davis teaches a MEMS scanner (Fig. 3A, 3B) including position sensors 210 in a bridge configuration.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teaching of Kamiya with a MEMS scanner, as taught by Davis, for the obvious benefit of detecting the position of a MEMS scanner since changing the size of device would not change the performance of the prior art device.
Claims 12-14, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiya in view of Davis further in view of Eichenholz (US20200025923).
Claim 12: Kamiya teaches a semiconductor scanner configured to scan pulses of laser light ([0005]), the scanner formed from a semiconductor substrate (silicon substrate [0083]), the semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface (top and bottom surfaces of substrate, Fig. 7B); and a strain sensor disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the strain sensor including a first, a second, a third and a fourth piezoresistive element (active resistors 111a, 112a, 711a, and 712a) electrically coupled together to form a Wheatstone bridge circuit ([0078], see Fig. 10), where the first and the second piezoresistive elements are disposed proximate the first surface of the semiconductor substrate (111a, 112a are disposed on the front surface, Fig. 7B, [0077]), and where the third and fourth piezoresistive elements are disposed proximate the second surface of the semiconductor substrate (711a, 712a are disposed on the back surface, Fig. 7B, [0077]).
Kamiya fails to teach a scanning laser device, comprising: a laser light source to generate laser light; and wherein the scanner is a MEMS scanner.
However, Davis teaches a MEMS scanner (Fig. 3A, 3B) including position sensors 210 in a bridge configuration, and a laser light source 910 [0032]
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teaching of Kamiya with a MEMS scanner, as taught by Davis, for the obvious benefit of detecting the position of a MEMS scanner since changing the size of device would not change the performance of the prior art device.
Kamiya in view of Davis fails to teach the laser light source generates pulses of laser light.
However, Eichenholz teaches a mirror 115 and scanner 120 used with a pulsed laser 110 [0038].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use a pulsed laser source as taught by Eichenholz with the device of Kamiya in view of Davis in order to allow for modification of the pulse energy and a more efficient distribution of laser power (Eichenholz [0034]).
Claim 13: Kamiya in view of Davis further in view of Eichenholz teaches the scanning laser device of claim 12. Kamiya teaches wherein the first piezoresistive element has a first current axis, the second piezoresistive element has a second current axis, the third piezoresistive element has a third current axis, and the fourth piezoresistive element has a fourth current axis (the four resistors inherently have a current axis wherein the current flow along the respective active resistor), and wherein the first piezoresistive element and the third piezoresistive element are disposed such that the first current axis is parallel to the third current axis in the semiconductor substrate (Fig. 9 shows 111a and 711a are parallel) and wherein the second piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element are disposed such that the second current axis is parallel to the fourth current axis (112a and 712a are parallel) in the semiconductor substrate (see Fig. 9).
Claim 14: Kamiya in view of Davis further in view of Eichenholz teaches the MEMS scanner of claim 2. Kamiya teaches wherein the first piezoresistive element and the second piezoresistive element are disposed such that the first current axis is perpendicular to the second current axis (111a and 112a are oriented perpendicular, Fig. 9) in the semiconductor substrate and the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element (711a and 712a are oriented perpendicular, Fig. 9) are disposed such that third current axis is perpendicular to the fourth current axis in the semiconductor substrate.
Claim 17: Kamiya in view of Davis further in view of Eichenholz teaches the scanning laser device of claim 13. Kamiya teaches wherein the first piezoresistive element and the third piezoresistive element are disposed such that the first current axis is coplaner with the third current axis in the semiconductor substrate (111a and 711a are oriented in the same manner such that the current axes are parallel, Fig. 9).
Claim 18: Kamiya in view of Davis further in view of Eichenholz teaches the scanning laser device of claim 12. Kamiya teaches wherein the first flexure structure (elastic supporting portion 103a) provides for angular movement of the scan plate (movable plate 101) about a rotation axis (D-D’) and where the first surface and the second surface are on substantially opposing sides of the rotation axis (see Fig. 2A, 7A, 7B), and wherein the first and the second piezoresistive elements are disposed a first distance from the rotation axis, and wherein the third and fourth piezoresistive elements are disposed a second distance from the rotation axis, and wherein the first distance and the second distance are substantially equal (Fig. 7B shows the elements 112b, 712b and 112a and 712a are on opposite sides of the deflector 100 at an equal distance from the rotation axis).
Claim 19: Kamiya in view of Davis further in view of Eichenholz teaches the scanning laser device of claim 12. Kamiya teaches wherein the Wheatstone bridge circuit includes a first sensing node (the node between 111a and 112a, Fig. 3A, 4) between the first and the second piezoresistive elements (111a, 112a) and includes a second sensing node (node between 113a and 114a) between the third and fourth piezoresistive elements, and wherein the Wheatstone bridge circuit provides a signal indicative of the angular movement of the scan plate about a rotation axis at the first sensing node and the second sensing node ([0047]).
Claim 20: Kamiya in view of Davis further in view of Eichenholz teaches the scanning laser device of claim 12. Kamiya teaches wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a portion of a silicon wafer ([0083]); wherein the first surface comprises a first wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer and the second surface comprises a second wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer [0083].
Kamiya fails to teach wherein the first piezoresistive element, the second piezoresistive element, the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element each comprise a doped regions in the portion of the silicon wafer, and wherein the first surface comprises a first wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer and the second surface comprises a second wafer slice surface of the silicon wafer.
However, Davis teaches the first piezoresistive element, the second piezoresistive element, the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element each comprise a doped regions in the portion of the silicon wafer ([0026] doped silicon at nodes 424 including doping patterns 422).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use piezoresistive elements which comprise doped regions, as taught by Davis, with the device of Kamiya in order to reduce sensitivity to misalignment in the piezoresistors (Davis [0028]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 15-16 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 closest prior art includes Kamiya. The prior art is silent with respect to changing a position of half of the Wheatstone bridge to a position off-axis. The prior art fails to teach, suggest, or make obvious a configuration wherein a first half of the Wheatstone bridge is symmetric with respect to the rotation axis and the second half, on an opposite surface, is not symmetric with respect to the rotation axis. This configuration allows for measurement of torsion while the piezoresistive elements can exhibit impedance changes that are similar or the same in magnitude and in the same direction when the substrate is under lateral strain thereby decreasing sensitivity to lateral strain. Therefore, the prior art fails to teach, suggest, or make obvious (Claims 4 and 15) wherein the first piezoresistive element and the second piezoresistive element are disposed on substantially opposing sides of the rotation axis and wherein the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element are disposed on substantially a same side of the rotation axis; (claims 5 and 16) wherein the first piezoresistive element and the second piezoresistive element are disposed such that the first current axis and the second current axis intersect at the rotation axis and wherein the third piezoresistive element and the fourth piezoresistive element are disposed such that third current axis and the fourth current axis intersect at a point offset from the rotation axis.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US11714276, US20210210473, US9470503, JP4697004, US7430920, US4657097 all teach various strain gauge arrangement for measuring movement of a flexural element.
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/JEAN F MORELLO/Examiner, Art Unit 2855 7/10/26
/DAVID Z HUANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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