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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
2. With respect to applicant’s remarks filed on 12/12//25 regarding rejected, pages 8-10, the new added limitation “a single-pixel light receiving element which is configured to simultaneously acquire lights of two or more wavelengths” has been found in reference of Zhao et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2021/0302330), ([056], lines 3-13. Images obtained using multiple wavelengths is not different from simultaneously acquire lights of two or more wavelengths).
Further, Ohno ‘435 also teaches this limitation, (figures 5; [0031], lines 18-21, discloses “a light beam that passes through the first wavelength selection region 24a has not only the first wavelength, but also an appropriate range of spectrum that includes a wavelength of 450 nm”; [0032], lines 6-9, discloses “light beam that passes through the second wavelength selection region 24b is not only the second wavelength, but also an appropriate range of spectrum that includes 650 nm”. It is inherent that an appropriate range of spectrum that includes 450nm or 650nm, must include plurality wavelengths). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having simultaneously acquiring lights of two or more wavelengths in order to select appropriate range of spectrum for inspection ([0031, 0032]).
3. Grounds for the rejection of claims are provided below as necessitated by amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. Claim(s) 1-11, 14-16, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2021/0302330) in view of Ohno (Pub. No. 2022/0146435). Hereafter “Ohno ‘435” and “Zhao”.
Regarding Claim(s) 1, 14, 16, Zhao teaches an optical inspection apparatus comprising:
a single-pixel light receiving element ([0058, 0070, 0073]; figure 5A, single pixel 506), which is configured to simultaneously acquire lights of two or more wavelengths, ([056], lines 3-13. Images obtained using multiple wavelengths is not different from simultaneously acquire lights of two or more wavelengths. Please see the explanation in paragraph 2 above);
an image formation optical element disposed at a position where the single-pixel light receiving element configured to receive image points corresponding to at least two different object points of an object ([0070, 0073], the limitation “first corresponding pixels include a single pixel from each of the multiple first images and second corresponding pixels include a single pixel from each of the multiple second images” is not different from the single-pixel light receiving element receiving image of at least two different object points); and
However, Zhao does not teach Ha first light beam selection portion that is provided between the image formation optical element and the light receiving element and that is configured to selectively shield at least one wavelength included in lights from the object points. Ohno ‘435 teaches a first light beam selection portion that is provided between the image formation optical element and the light receiving element and that is configured to selectively shield at least one wavelength included in lights from the object points ([0031, 0032]; figures 1, 3, element 24 is not different from light beam selection portion, element 22 is not different from the image formation optical element, image sensor 26 is not different from the light receiving element). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having light beam selection portion in order to select specific passing light ([0031, 0032]).
Further, Ohno ‘435 also teaches the limitation: to simultaneously acquire lights of two or more wavelengths, (figures 5; [0031], lines 18-21, discloses “a light beam that passes through the first wavelength selection region 24a has not only the first wavelength, but also an appropriate range of spectrum that includes a wavelength of 450 nm”; [0032], lines 6-9, discloses “light beam that passes through the second wavelength selection region 24b is not only the second wavelength, but also an appropriate range of spectrum that includes 650 nm”. It is inherent that an appropriate range of spectrum that includes 450nm or 650nm, must include plurality wavelengths). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having simultaneously acquiring lights of two or more wavelengths in order to select appropriate range of spectrum for inspection ([0031, 0032]. Please see the explanation in paragraph 2 above).
Regarding Claim(s) 2, 11, Zhao teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as stated above except for the first light beam selection portion includes at least one shielding region that is configured to shield light. Ohno ‘435 teaches the first light beam selection portion includes at least one shielding region that is configured to shield light (figures 1, 3, element 24b). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having light beam selection portion in order to shield specific light ([0031, 0032]).
Regarding Claim(s) 3, 11, Zhao teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as stated above except for the first light beam selection portion includes at least one wavelength selection region that allows light of at least one wavelength spectrum to pass therethrough from a plurality of different wavelength spectra of light incident on the first light beam selection portion and that is configured to shield light of at least one remaining wavelength spectrum. Ohno ‘435 teaches the first light beam selection portion includes at least one wavelength selection region that allows light of at least one wavelength spectrum to pass therethrough from a plurality of different wavelength spectra of light incident on the first light beam selection portion and that is configured to shield light of at least one remaining wavelength spectrum ([0031]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having light beam selection portion in order to allow specific passing light ([0031]).
Regarding Claim(s) 4, 11, Zhao teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as stated above except for the first light beam selection portion includes: a first wavelength selection region that allows light of a first wavelength spectrum included in the different wavelength spectra to pass therethrough and that is configured to shield light of at least one wavelength spectrum different from the light of the first wavelength spectrum; and a second wavelength selection region that allows light of a second wavelength spectrum different from the light of the first wavelength spectrum, which is included in the different wavelength spectra, to pass therethrough, and that is configured to shield light of at least one wavelength spectrum different from the light of the second wavelength spectrum. Ohno ‘435 teaches the first light beam selection portion includes: a first wavelength selection region that allows light of a first wavelength spectrum included in the different wavelength spectra to pass therethrough and that is configured to shield light of at least one wavelength spectrum different from the light of the first wavelength spectrum; and a second wavelength selection region that allows light of a second wavelength spectrum different from the light of the first wavelength spectrum, which is included in the different wavelength spectra, to pass therethrough, and that is configured to shield light of at least one wavelength spectrum different from the light of the second wavelength spectrum ([0031, 0032]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having light beam selection portion in order to allow specific passing light, and shield specific light ([0031, 0032]).
Regarding Claim(s) 5, Zhao teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as stated above except for the first light beam selection portion includes at least one polarized light selection region formed by a polarizing plate. Ohno ‘435 teaches the first light beam selection portion includes at least one polarized light selection region formed by a polarizing plate ([0088]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by including at least one polarized light selection region in order to receive polarized-light by polarized-light image sensor ([0088-0089]).
Regarding Claim(s) 6, Zhao teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as stated above except for the first light beam selection portion is disposed at or near a focal plane of the image formation optical element. Ohno ‘435 teaches the first light beam selection portion is disposed at or near a focal plane of the image formation optical element (figure 1, element 24, light beams 2a, 2b, 1a, 1b). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having light beam selection portion is disposed at or near a focal plane of the image formation optical element in order to allow specific passing light effectively (figure 1, element 24, light beams 2a, 2b, 1a, 1b).
Regarding Claim(s) 7, Zhao teaches the single-pixel light receiving element is configured to acquire lights of one or more different wavelength spectra as light reception signals ([0064-0065]).
Regarding Claim(s) 8, 9, Zhao teaches a light reception signal acquired by the light receiving element; and calculate information on a directional distribution of lights from the object points based on the light reception signal ([0070-0073]). Although Zhao does not teach one or more processor, Ohno ‘435 teaches one or more processor ([0024]; figure 10, element 18). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having one or more processor in order to executing programs stored in the memory with the processor ([0024]).
Regarding Claim(s) 10, 15, Zhao teaches an illuminator that is configured to emit different pattern lights toward the object as time passes (figure 2, it is inherent that different light source 202 has different pattern lights toward the object), to acquire an image of the object based on a correlation between the pattern lights upon emission of the pattern lights from the illuminator and light reception signals in the single-pixel light receiving element upon emission of the pattern lights from the illuminator ([0070-0073]). Further, Ohno ‘435 also teaches to emitting different pattern lights toward the object as time passes (Abstract, [0016, 0030, 0033, 0039, 0047, 0067]). However, Ohno does not teach one or more processor. Zhao teaches one or more processor ([0024]; figure 10, element 18). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao by having one or more processor in order to executing programs stored in the memory with the processor ([0024]).
6. Claim(s) 12, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 2021/0302330) in view of Ohno (Pub. No. 2022/0146435), further in view of Ohno et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 10,901,134). Hereafter “Ohno ‘435”, “Zhao”, “Ohno ‘134”.
Regarding Claim(s) 12, 13, Zhao teaches the illuminator includes: an illumination optical element (figure 1, lens 112); and a second light beam selection portion provided at a focal plane of the illumination optical element (figure 1, illumination pupil is provided at a focal plane of the illumination optical element 112), and the illuminator is configured to form the second light beam selection portion as a projection image of light (figure 1, second light beam selection portion as a projection image of light 142 on image sensor 158). Although Zhao and Ohno ‘435 do not teach electrical modulation or the illuminator is an electrically operated projector, Ohno ‘134 teaches (column 3, lines 24-27). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Zhao and Ohno ‘435 by having electrical modulation or the illuminator is an electrically operated projector in order to turn on and turn off light sources efficiently (column 3, lines 24-27).
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January 9, 2026
/Tri T Ton/
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2877