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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because: reference number 332, third end surface, is not seen in the drawings, however, 332F is seen in figures 5 and 7. Is 332F the same as 332?
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1, 2, 9, 18 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 recites “the laser receiving module comprises the first enclosing member”, which is a repeated limitation from claim 1. Recommended, for clarity, to avoid possible confusion with the earlier limitation, to rephrase or remove the limitation.
Claim 9 is similarly objected with regards to the limitation “the laser emission module comprises the second enclosing member” which is a repeated limitation from claim 1.
Claim 18 is similarly objected with regards to the limitations “the laser emission module comprises the second enclosing member” and “the laser receiving module comprises the first enclosing member” which are repeated limitations from claim 1.
Claims 1, 18 recite the term “the other”. Recommended to rephrase to avoid possible indefiniteness.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 1-3, 9-10, 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (CN 215932125U) in view of Yuki et al (US 20220158141).
In regards to claim 1, Liu discloses a laser ranging device, comprising
a housing (seen in Fig. 4, not referenced, four sides), at least one laser emission module (Fig. 4, ref. 12), and at least one laser receiving module (Fig. 4 ref. 13),
while Liu suggests a sheet over the device in Fig. 1, Liu does not expressly disclose: a light transmitting sheet.
Yuki teaches a light transmitting sheet which is sealed to a top surface of a light transmitting and receiving device in order to seal out foreign debris (Fig. 2 sheet ref. 29).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Liu with Yuki by providing a light transmitting sheet in order to add a protective cover to prevent damage or water intrusion to the lens or housing.
Liu as combined further discloses:
wherein: the light-transmitting sheet is connected to the housing to form an accommodating cavity (Liu as combined, Yuki discloses the sheet connected in at least Fig. 2, [0057] sealing layer, also the sheet is connected by way of one or more intermediate elements, thus the sheet forms one of the sides enclosing the housing);
the laser emission module is located in the accommodating cavity (as seen in Fig. 4) and comprises a laser (ref. 12 transmitting plate/laser, [0002] discloses Lidar device) and an emission lens module (Fig. 5, structure at ref. 142 lens mount);
the emission lens module is arranged between the laser and the light-transmitting sheet and comprises at least one emission optical element (as seen at least in Fig. 4);
the laser receiving module is arranged within the accommodating cavity (as seen in Fig. 4) and comprises a laser detector (Fig. 4 ref. 12) and a receiving lens module (Fig. 6 at ref. 152); and
the receiving lens module is arranged between the laser detector and the light-transmitting sheet (as seen at least in Fig. 4) and comprises at least one receiving optical element (as seen in Fig. 6, lens, pointed to by ref. 151); and
the laser receiving module also comprises a first enclosing member; the first enclosing member is arranged between a first optical element and the light-transmitting sheet, has one end hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet, and has the other end hermetically connected to the first optical element to enclose and form a first sealing cavity between the light-transmitting sheet and the first optical element; and the first optical element is the receiving optical element closest to the light- transmitting sheet; and/or
While Liu suggests sealing, Liu does not expressly disclose: the second enclosing member has the other end hermetically connected to the second optical element. Yuki teaches a hermetically sealing ([0057]) internal structures of a light emission and receiving device ([0057] “The sealing layer 29 that covers the light-emitting element 25 prevents foreign matters such as water or oxygen from infiltrating into the light-emitting element 25”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Liu with Yuki by providing the second enclosing member has the other end hermetically connected to the second optical element in order to add a protection to prevent external debris within the lens or housing.
Liu as combined thus discloses:
the laser emission module also comprises a second enclosing member (Fig. 5 ref. 143); the second enclosing member is arranged between a second optical element and the light-transmitting sheet (Liu as combined, as seen in Fig. 4, ref. 153 between outer sheet and optical lens), has one end hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet (Liu as combined, Yuki [0057] sealing connection), and has the other end hermetically connected to the second optical element to enclose and form a second sealing cavity between the light-transmitting sheet and the second optical element (Liu as combined, lens in Fig. 5 sealed/hermetically connected forms cavity between ends of ref. 143); and the second optical element is an emission optical element closest to the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 5 of Liu and figure below).
In regards to claim 2, Liu as combined discloses the laser ranging device according to claim 1, wherein:
the laser receiving module comprises the first enclosing member (Fig. 6 ref. 153);
the first enclosing member comprises a first inner wall surface, a first end surface, and a second end surface (as seen in figure below, detail of Fig. 6);
the first inner wall surface encloses and forms a first accommodating space (seen in figure below), at least a portion of the first optical element is exposed to the first accommodating space (as seen in below, lenses exposed to accommodating space);
the first end surface is connected to an end of the first inner wall surface closer to the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 6, connected by way of one or more intermediate elements) and has a first through hole communicating with the first accommodating space (as seen in Fig. 6 and figure below, the first enclosing member is of a ring shape, thus having a through hole); and the second end surface is connected to an end of the first inner wall surface farther away from the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 6 and figure below, connected by way of one or more intermediate elements) and has a second through hole communicating with the first accommodating space (seen in figure below, the first enclosing member is of a ring shape, thus having a through hole); and
while Liu des not expressly disclose: the first end surface is hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet and the first inner wall surface is hermetically connected to the portion of the first optical element exposed to the first accommodating space, Yuki teaches a hermetically sealing ([0057]) internal structures of a light emission and receiving device ([0057] “The sealing layer 29 that covers the light-emitting element 25 prevents foreign matters such as water or oxygen from infiltrating into the light-emitting element 25”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Liu with Yuki by providing the first end surface is hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet and the first inner wall surface is hermetically connected to the portion of the first optical element exposed to the first accommodating space in order to add a protection to prevent external debris within the lens or housing.
Liu as combined thus discloses:
the first end surface is hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet (Liu combined, Yuki [0057]), and the first inner wall surface is hermetically connected to the portion of the first optical element exposed to the first accommodating space to form the first sealing cavity between the light-transmitting sheet and the first optical element (as seen in figure below, Liu as combined, the first inner wall surface provide the hermetical sealing thus forming the first sealing cavity between the light-transmitting sheet and the first optical element).
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In regards to claim 3, Liu as combined discloses the laser ranging device according to claim 2, wherein: the first end surface has a first sealing path thereon, and the first sealing path surrounds the first through hole and is hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 6, the sealing path may be a surface of the first end surface, connected by way of intermediate elements);
and/or the first inner wall surface comprises a first sealing part, and the first sealing part is arranged around the portion of the first optical element exposed to the first accommodating space and is hermetically connected to the portion of the first optical element exposed to the first accommodating space.
In regards to claim 9, Liu as combined discloses the laser ranging device according to claim 1, wherein: the laser emission module comprises the second enclosing member (Fig. 5 ref. 143);
the second enclosing member comprises a second inner wall surface, a third end surface, and a fourth end surface (as seen in figure below from Fig. 5);
the second inner wall surface encloses and forms a second accommodating space (seen in figure), at least a portion of the second optical element is exposed to the second accommodating space (as seen in figure below, lens exposed to accommodating space); the third end surface is connected to an end of the second inner wall surface closer to the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 5 and below, connected by way of one or more intermediate elements ) and has a fifth through hole communicating with the second accommodating space (as seen in Fig. 5 and figure below, the first enclosing member is of a ring shape, thus having a through hole); and
the fourth end surface is connected to an end of the second inner wall surface farther away from the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 5 and below, connected by way of one or more intermediate elements) and has a sixth through hole communicating with the second accommodating space (as seen in Fig. 5 and figure below, the first enclosing member is of a ring shape, thus having a through hole); and
the third end surface is hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet, and the second inner wall surface is hermetically connected to the portion of the second optical element exposed to the second accommodating space to form the second sealing cavity between the light-transmitting sheet and the second optical element (Liu as combined).
In regards to claim 10, Liu as combined discloses the laser ranging device according to claim 9, wherein the third end surface has a second sealing path thereon (as seen in Fig. 5, the sealing path may be a surface of the third end surface, connected by way of intermediate elements), and the second sealing path surrounds the fifth through hole and is hermetically connected to the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 5 and figure below, the sealing path surrounds the 5th through hole); and/or
wherein the second inner wall surface comprises a second sealing part, and the second sealing part is arranged around the portion of the second optical element exposed to the second accommodating space and hermetically connected to the portion of the second optical element exposed to the second accommodating space.
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In regards to claim 18, Liu as combined discloses the laser ranging device according to claim 1, wherein: the light-transmitting sheet comprises a first light-transmitting sheet and a second light-transmitting sheet (Liu as combined, Yuki Fog. 2 ref. 269 made up of layers refs. 26-28);
the receiving lens module is provided between the laser detector and the first light-transmitting sheet (Liu as combined with Yuki providing the transmitting sheet, as seen at least in Figs. 4 and 6 of Liu); and the emission lens module is provided between the laser and the second light-transmitting sheet (Liu as combined with Yuki providing the transmitting sheet, as seen at least in Figs. 4 and 6 of Liu); and
the laser receiving module comprises the first enclosing member (Fig. 6 ref. 153), the first enclosing member is arranged between the first optical element and the light-transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 5 above),
while Liu des not expressly disclose: the first enclosing member has one end hermetically connected to the first light-transmitting sheet, and has the other end hermetically connected to the first optical element, Yuki teaches a hermetically sealing ([0057]) internal structures of a light emission and receiving device ([0057] “The sealing layer 29 that covers the light-emitting element 25 prevents foreign matters such as water or oxygen from infiltrating into the light-emitting element 25”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify, with the reasonable expectation of success, Liu with Yuki by providing the first enclosing member has one end hermetically connected to the first light-transmitting sheet, and has the other end hermetically connected to the first optical element in order to add a protection to prevent external debris within the lens or housing.
Liu as combined thus discloses:
the first enclosing member has one end hermetically connected to the first light-transmitting sheet, and has the other end hermetically connected to the first optical element to enclose (Liu as combined, Yuki [0057]) and form the first sealing cavity between the first light-transmitting sheet and the first optical element (Liu as combined, Liu cavity between ref. 153 and light transmission sheet, ref. 29 of Yuki); and
the laser emission module also comprises the second enclosing member (Liu Fig. 5 ref. 143), the second enclosing member is provided between the second optical element and the light- transmitting sheet (as seen in Fig. 5 and figure above), has one end hermetically connected to the second light-transmitting sheet, and has the other end hermetically connected to the second optical element to enclose and form the second sealing cavity between the second light-transmitting sheet and the second optical element (Liu as combined, Yuki [0057]) and form the first sealing cavity between the first light-transmitting sheet and the first optical element (Liu as combined, Liu cavity between ref. 153 and light transmission sheet, ref. 29 of Yuki).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4-8, 11-15, 16, 17 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 claims objected to as allowable display structure involved in securing lenses and lens modules within a laser ranging device housing which are not obvious or suggested in the references. Modifying in the primary reference of Liu et al would cause large structural change as well as be considered hindsight reasoning.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure cited on PTO 892. The cited references display laser emitter and receiver modules enclosed within a single hosusing or situated side by side.
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/V.R./Examiner, Art Unit 3642 /JOSHUA D HUSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3642
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