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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/04/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract exceeds 150 words. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The abstract objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “[0073]” should be deleted. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claims do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claims recite a computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program product comprising instructions configured for processing scanning instructions for an optical assembly which is not a process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 are allowed.
The prior art fails to teach all of the limitations of independent claim 1 which includes an optical pointing system comprising a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a gain factor according to actual and revised orientations of the prism elements, and to adjust at least one of rotation rates of the prism elements, a rotation rate of the fast steering mirror (FSM), a rotation amplitude of the FSM, and a repetition timing of the FSM according to the calculated gain factor.
Regarding claims 2-10 have dependency on independent claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Smith (US 7,236,299 B1) teaches an optical pointing system comprising a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis, a pair of RPA motors configured respectively to rotate the rotatable prism elements of the RPA.
Nilsson (US 2010/0027089 A1) teaches an optical pointing system comprising a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis; a pair of RPA motors configured respectively to rotate the rotatable prism elements of the RPA.
Cluff (US 8,373,126 B2) teaches an optical pointing system comprising a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis.
Staver (US 2014/0185119 A1) teaches an optical pointing system comprising: a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis; a pair of RPA motors configured respectively to rotate the rotatable prism elements of the RPA.
Feldmann (US 2022/0219260 A1) teaches an optical pointing system comprising a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis; a pair of RPA motors configured respectively to rotate the rotatable prism elements of the RPA.
Ostaszewski (“Risley Prism Beam Pointer”, Risley Prism Beam Pointer”, 2006, Free Space Laser communication SPIE Vol.6304) teaches an optical pointing system comprising a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis; a pair of RPA motors configured respectively to rotate the rotatable prism elements of the RPA.
Sills (US 12,529,559 B2) teaches an optical pointing system comprising a Risley prism assembly (RPA) comprising a pair of prism elements that are separately rotatable about a common axis; a pair of RPA motors configured respectively to rotate the rotatable prism elements of the RPA.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOURNEY F SUMLAR whose telephone number is (571)270-0656. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at 571-272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JOURNEY F. SUMLAR
Examiner
Art Unit 2872
21 January 2026
/RICKY L MACK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872