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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed 05/29/2026 have been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the last Office action is persuasive, to the extent that the prior rejections did not adequately establish the claimed limitation. Accordingly, the finality of the prior office action is withdrawn, and prosecution is reopened in view of the new ground of rejection set forth below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1, 4-16, 18 and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2019/0252863).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses an optical component ([0041] discloses: 500, laser diode package), comprising:
a substrate component ([0045] discloses: 528, common surface, of 530, housing);
a plurality of chip on submount (COS) components that emit a beam ([0041] discloses: 503a-503c, laser diodes, mounted on respective submounts 508a-508c, to form chips on submounts 510a-510c; 502a-502c, laser diode beams are emitted along parallel beam axes in 504 common plane); and
a plurality of mirrors disposed on a top surface of the substrate component in a single, horizontal plane ([0042] discloses: 526a-526c, turning mirrors, can be mounted on 528, common surface),
wherein the plurality of COS components are aligned to the plurality of mirrors ([0041] discloses: 502a-502c, laser diodes, beams are collimated to from beams 524a-524c; [0042] discloses: 524a-524c beams are redirected with respective 526a-526c turning mirrors), and
wherein a corresponding beam from a COS component of the plurality of COS components is reflected by a corresponding mirror ([0042] discloses: 524a-524c beams are redirected with respective 526a-526c turning mirrors; Examiner notes that “respective” is considered to be a one to one match of beam to mirror) of the plurality of mirrors, passing over other mirrors of the plurality of mirrors ([0042] discloses: beams are propagated above without being clipped by edge of [other] turning mirrors).
The Figure 5 embodiment of Chen does not expressly a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the single, horizontal plane, such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with the single, horizontal plane.
However, in an alternative example Chen teaches a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the single, horizontal plane ([0049] discloses: turning mirrors are tilted by angle alpha/2), such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with the single, horizontal plane ([0041] discloses: laser diodes emitted along parallel beam axis in 504, common plane and steered to propagate along parallel redirect beam axes at an angle alpha to 504, common plane; [0049] discloses: alpha can be 1.7 degrees),
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chens plurality of mirrors and provide a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the single, horizontal plane, such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with the single, horizontal plane. Doing so would allow for the mirrors to redirect the emitted beams along desired tilted optical paths while maintaining the compact common surface arrangement.
Regarding claim 4, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 1, wherein a first optical path associated with a first mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is in a first tilted plane and a second optical path associated with a second mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is in a second tilted plane that is parallel to the first tilted plane ([0041] discloses: 502a-502c, laser diodes, emitted along parallel beam axes 512a-512c, and steered to propagate along 514a-514c, parallel redirected beam axes; [0042] discloses: collimated beams are redirected by respective turning mirrors and can remain at the same reflection angle before and after reflection by the turning mirrors; Examiner notes that 502a is associated with 512a and 514a, and 502b is associated with 512b… and so on; Examiner notes that the same motivation to combine the embodiments applied to an earlier claim, 1, also applies here, and no further analysis is required, consistent with MPEP § 2143, which permits reliance on previously articulated rationale where the combination and reasonings remain unchanged).
Regarding claim 5, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 1, wherein a size of the plurality of mirrors and an angle of the plurality of mirrors with respect to the single, horizontal plane is configured such that each optical path associated with each mirror does not intersect with any other mirror of the plurality of mirrors ([0042] discloses: beams are propagated above without being clipped by edge of [other] turning mirrors; Examiner notes that this is considered to configured to avoid clipping, of which one of the characteristic includes size; [0055] discloses: turn mirrors can be configured to have different heights to allow beams to propagate without clipping or with reduced clipping; see [0045] discussing angle configuration and step size which would be affected by the size of the mirror).
Regarding claim 6, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 5, wherein a mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, includes at least a threshold area that is usable to provide an optical path without the optical path intersecting with any other mirror of the plurality of mirrors ([0042] discloses: redirection angle α are configured with respect to the characteristics of the collimated beams 524a-524c and turning mirrors 526a-526c such that the beam clipping is reduced or does not occur, and collimated beams propagates above without being clipped by an edge of [other] turning mirrors; [0057] discloses: a turning mirror that can be used in various examples herein; turning mirror also includes a chamfered portion where material of the turning mirror is removed or the turning mirror is formed so as not to be in a regular rectangular parallelepiped, so as to reduce optical clipping).
Regarding claim 7, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 1, wherein a first beam path directed toward a mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is parallel to the single, horizontal plane and a second beam path, reflected from the mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is non-orthogonally ([0044] discloses: diode laser beams propagating in a common plane are directed by tilted turning mirrors to propagate out of the common plane; [0042] discloses: 528, common surface parallel to 504, common plane; [0049] discloses: turning mirrors are tilted by angle alpha/2) angled to the single, horizontal plane ([0042] discloses: 502a-502c, laser diodes, emitted along parallel beam axes 512a-512c, and steered to propagate along 514a-514c, parallel redirected beam axes; [0042] discloses: collimated beams are redirected by respective turning mirrors and can remain at the same reflection angle before and after reflection by the turning mirrors; Examiner notes that 502a is associated with 512a and 514a, and 502b is associated with 512b… and so on; the redirection angle α of the collimated beams 524a-524c can remain the same before and after reflection by the turning mirrors).
Regarding claim 8, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 1, wherein a first beam path reflected from a mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is parallel to the single, horizontal plane and a second beam path, directed toward the mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is non-orthogonally angled to the single, horizontal plane ([0049] discloses: 820a, laser diode beam, is stepped upward at an angle α with respect to 808, common plane and received by 824a, turning mirror; 820b, laser diode beam is not steered at an angle with respect to 808, common plane; 824a, turning mirror is rotated forward/downward by α/2 to steer beam 820a to propagate parallel to beam 820b; therefore the incoming beam path is non-orthogonal angled and the reflected beam path is parallel to the common horizontal plane).
Regarding claim 9, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 1, wherein the optical component is a spatial beam combiner ([0042]-[0043] discloses: 524a-524c, collimated beams, are redirected by respective 526a-526c, turning mirrors, to form 525, beam stack; [0045] discloses: 525, beam stack lies adjacently as closely as possible without substantial impingement on the turning mirrors; therefore considered a ‘spatial beam combiner” under BRI).
Regarding claim 10, Chen discloses an optical module ([0041] discloses: 500, laser diode package), comprising:
a substrate ([0045] discloses: 528, common surface, of 530, housing);
a plurality of chip on submount (COS) components that emit a beam ([0041] discloses: 503a-503c, laser diodes, mounted on respective submounts 508a-508c, to form chips on submounts 510a-510c; 502a-502c, laser diode beams are emitted along parallel beam axes in 504 common plane);
a plurality of mirrors disposed on a top surface of the substrate, in a single horizontal plane ([0042] discloses: 526a-526c, turning mirrors, can be mounted on 528, common surface),
wherein the plurality of COS components are aligned to the plurality of mirrors ([0041] discloses: 502a-502c, laser diodes, beams are collimated to from beams 524a-524c; [0042] discloses: 524a-524c beams are redirected by 526a-526c, turning mirrors ), and
wherein a corresponding beam from a COS component of the plurality of COS components is reflected by a corresponding mirror of the plurality of mirrors ([0042] discloses: 524a-524c beams are redirected with respective 526a-526c turning mirrors; Examiner notes that “respective” is considered to be a one to one match of beam to mirror), passing
over other mirrors of the plurality of mirrors ([0042] discloses: beams are propagated above without being clipped by edge of [other] turning mirrors); and
one or more optical components to form a set of optical paths that includes each optical path associated with each mirror ([0041] discloses: 506a-506c, fast axis collimators, steer 502a-502c laser diodes to propagate along redirected 514a-514c, beam axis and 522a-522c, slow axis collimators receive 516a-516c to form 524a-524c, collimated beams; [0042] discloses: 524a-524c, collimated beams are redirected by respective 526a-526c turning mirrors to form 525, beam stack).
The Figure 5 embodiment of Chen does not expressly disclose a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled with respect to the plane of the top surface of the substrate, such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with and non- orthogonal to the plane of the top surface of the substrate.
However, in an alternative example Chen teaches a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled with respect to the plane of the top surface of the substrate ([0049] discloses: turning mirrors are tilted by angle alpha/2), such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with and non- orthogonal to the plane of the top surface of the substrate ([0041] discloses: laser diodes emitted along parallel beam axis in 504, common plane and steered to propagate along parallel redirect beam axes at an angle alpha to 504, common plane; [0049] discloses: alpha can be 1.7 degrees).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chens plurality of mirrors and provide a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the single, horizontal plane, such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with the single, horizontal plane. Doing so would allow for the mirrors to redirect the emitted beams along desired tilted optical paths while maintaining the compact common surface arrangement.
Regarding claim 11, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 10, wherein the one or more optical components include at least one of:
a common folding mirror ([0042] discloses: 526a-526c, turning mirrors),
a polarization beam combiner,
a coupling lens,
a fast axis collimator ([0041] discloses: 506a-506c, fast-axis collimators),
a slow axis collimator ([0041] discloses: 522a-522c, slow-axis collimators), or
a fiber bulkhead.
Regarding claim 12, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 10, wherein at least one optical component, of the one or more optical components, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the plane of the top surface of the substrate ([0049] discloses: turning mirrors are tilted by angle alpha/2; alpha can be 1.7 degrees; [0042] discloses: 528, common surface extends parallel to 504, common plane wherein 528, common surface corresponds to the plane of the top surface of the substrate).
Regarding claim 13, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 10, further comprising at least one of:
a spatial beam combiner ([0042] discloses: 524a-524c, collimated beams are redirected by respective 526a-526c turning mirrors to form 525, beam stack; therefore considered a spatial beam combiner under the BRI),
a wavelength locked module, or
a volume Bragg grating.
Regarding claim 14, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises:
a plurality of chips related to the plurality of COS components ([0041] discloses: 503a-503c, laser diodes, mounted on respective submounts 508a-508c, to form chips on submounts 510a-510c; 502a-502c, laser diode beams are emitted along parallel beam axes in 504 common plane),
wherein each chip, of the plurality of chips, is associated with a corresponding mirror of the plurality of mirrors ([0042] discloses: 524a-524c, collimated beams from respective laser diodes/COS components are redirected by 526a-526c turning mirrors).
Regarding claim 15, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 14, wherein each chip, of the plurality of chips, is mounted to a package in a same horizontal plane ([0006] discloses: each Chip-on-Substrate mounted on a supercarrier or directly to a housing surface and are placed on the same horizontal plane; [0041] discloses: 503a-503c, laser diodes, mounted on respective submounts 508a-508c, to form chips on submounts 510a-510c; 502a-502c; [0042] discloses: COS are mounted with epoxy or solder to 528, common surface of 530, housing or other mounting block).
Regarding claim 16, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 10.
The Figure 5 embodiment of Chen fails to disclose a device wherein the plurality of mirrors is a first plurality of mirrors forming a first bank, and wherein the optical module further comprises: a second plurality of mirrors forming a second bank, wherein each mirror, of the second plurality of mirrors, is angled with respect to the plane of the top surface of the substrate.
However an alternate embodiment of Chen discloses a device wherein the plurality of mirrors is a first plurality of mirrors forming a first bank ([0059] discloses: 1702a, group, includes 1714a, turning mirrors forming 1716a,beam stack; [0061] discloses: 1903a, group includes corresponding turning mirror 1914), and wherein the optical module further comprises:
a second plurality of mirrors forming a second bank ([0059] discloses: 1702b, group, includes 1714b, turning mirrors forming 1716b, beam stack; [0061] discloses: 1903b, group includes corresponding 1914, turning mirrors),
wherein each mirror, of the second plurality of mirrors, is angled with respect to the plane of the top surface of the substrate ([0061] base includes surfaces at small angles with respect to base for mounting optical components to receive beams and/or beams stack propagating at small angle; [0049] discloses: mirrors are tilted by α/2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chens plurality of mirrors and provide a device wherein the plurality of mirrors is a first plurality of mirrors forming a first bank, and wherein the optical module further comprises: a second plurality of mirrors forming a second bank, wherein each mirror, of the second plurality of mirrors, is angled with respect to the plane of the top surface of the substrate. Doing so would allow for the mirrors to redirect the emitted beams along desired tilted optical paths while maintaining the compact common surface arrangement.
Regarding claim 18, Chen discloses an optical component ([0041] discloses: 500, laser diode package), comprising:
a base ([0045] discloses: 528, common surface, of 530, housing);
a plurality of chip on submount (COS) components that emit a beam ([0041] discloses: 503a-503c, laser diodes, mounted on respective submounts 508a-508c, to form chips on submounts 510a-510c; 502a-502c, laser diode beams are emitted along parallel beam axes in 504 common plane); and
a plurality of mirrors disposed on the base in a single, horizontal plane ([0042] discloses: 526a-526c, turning mirrors, can be mounted on 528, common surface),
wherein the plurality of COS components are aligned to the plurality of mirrors ([0041] discloses: 502a-502c, laser diodes, beams are collimated to from beams 524a-524c; [0042] discloses: 524a-524c beams are redirected with respective 526a-526c turning mirrors), and
wherein a corresponding beam from a COS component of the plurality of COS components is reflected by a corresponding mirror of the plurality of mirrors ([0042] discloses: 524a-524c beams are redirected with respective 526a-526c turning mirrors; Examiner notes that “respective” is considered to be a one to one match of beam to mirror), passing over other mirrors of the plurality of mirrors, and
wherein each optical path, associated with each mirror, is parallel to each other optical path ([0041] discloses: 502a-502c, laser diode beams are steered to propagate along parallel 514a-514c, redirected beam axis; [0042] discloses: the redirection angle alpha of 524a-524c, collimated beams can remain the same before and after reflection by 526a-526c, turning mirrors, 524a-524c, collimated beams are stacked along the first axis to from 525, beam stack without slant relative to each other).
The Figure 5 embodiment of Chen does not expressly wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the single, horizontal plane, such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with the single, horizontal plane.
However, in an alternative example Chen teaches a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the single, horizontal plane ([0049] discloses: turning mirrors are tilted by angle alpha/2), such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with the single, horizontal plane ([0041] discloses: laser diodes emitted along parallel beam axis in 504, common plane and steered to propagate along parallel redirect beam axes at an angle alpha to 504, common plane; [0049] discloses: alpha can be 1.7 degrees),
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chens plurality of mirrors and provide a component wherein each mirror, of the plurality of mirrors, is angled, non-orthogonally, with respect to the single, horizontal plane, such that each optical path associated with each mirror is disposed in a corresponding tilted plane that is non-parallel with the single, horizontal plane. Doing so would allow for the mirrors to redirect the emitted beams along desired tilted optical paths while maintaining the compact common surface arrangement.
Regarding claim 21, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 10, wherein the one or more optical components are divided into a set of banks ([0059] discloses: 1702b, group, of laser diode emitters 1704b; beams propagate through slow axis collimators and turning mirrors to form beam stacks 1716a and 1716b; [0061] discloses: two groups of COS submounts and turning mirrors to form respective beam stacks; 1903a and 1903b of opposing sets of laser diode components, with each set including turning mirror configured to change a direction of the beam to form a beam stack for the respective group; considered to be divided into banks).
Regarding claim 22, the modified Chen discloses the optical module of claim 10, wherein each bank of the set of banks uses a fork structure ([0061] discloses: 1903a, 1903b, two groups if opposing sets of laser diodes mounted on base, each set includes optical components and turning mirror configured to change a direction of the beam to form respective beam stacks; Fig. 19A depicts: opposing elongated component groups arrange as a fork like structure banks on the base; Examiner notes that this is considered a set of banks using a fork structure under BRI, unless otherwise claimed ).
Regarding claim 23, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 1, wherein a tilting angle of an optical path of a COS component of the plurality of COS components is associated with a pitch of a channel associated with the COS component ([0041] discloses: 503a-503c COS/laser diodes, emit 502a-502c, beams that re steered to redirect 514a-514c, beam axes at angle alpha relative to 504, common plane; redirection angle alpha is configured with respect to characteristics of 524a-524c, collimated beams and 526a-526c, turning mirrors, to reduce or avoid clipping; [0045] discloses: angle configuration and step size/channel are selected for optical path channels; Examiner notes that under BRI, the claimed “pitch of a channel” is considered to be spacing/step side of the corresponding optical beam channel, unless otherwise claimed).
Regarding claim 24, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mirrors are aligned along the optical path, across the horizontal plane, alternating from one side to another ([0061] discloses: 1903a, 1903b, two groups if opposing sets of laser diodes mounted on base, each set includes optical components and turning mirror configured to change a direction of the beam; Figure 19 depicts: opposing mirror/component sets arranged on opposite sides across the base/horizontal plane; Examiner notes that under the BRI, “alternating from one side to another” is considered to encompass offset/opposing mirror sets arranged across the horizontal plane, and is not limited to a strict left-right-left-right sequence of individual mirrors unless further claimed).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2019/0252863), as applied to claim 18 above, in view of Ries (US 2017/0371163).
Regarding claim 19, the modified Chen discloses the optical component of claim 18.
Chen fails to disclose a component wherein a tilting angle of each mirror is associated with a pitch of each mirror. Chen and Ries are related because both disclose optical components.
Ries teaches a component wherein a tilting angle of each mirror is associated with a pitch of each mirror ([0036] discloses: pitch/yaw angles of the MEMS mirrors following and increasing or decreasing order; [0037] discloses: variation angle range is calculated for sweeping angles of the mirror, including pitch for horizontal and yaw for vertical).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chen in view of Ries and provide a component wherein a tilting angle of each mirror is associated with a pitch of each mirror. Doing so would allow for mirrors to direct a corresponding optical path at desired tilt angles in a predictable manner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Zhou et al. (US 2023/0012623/WO2023287954A1) discloses wavelength combining lasers but fails to disclose mounted on a substrate, Chryssis et al. (US 2017/0212355) discloses a laser diode stack but fails to disclose the proper mirror configuration.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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John Sipes
Examiner
Art Unit 2872
/J.C.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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