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 16 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “the light sensor” lacks antecedent basis and should be written as “a light sensor” since there has been no previous mention of a light sensor in claim 15 in which claims 16 and 17 are dependent. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (US 20060284845).
Re claim 1: Wu teaches a navigation sensor (fig. 2 and 3), comprising: a substrate (210); a light sensor (250), arranged on the substrate (210) (see fig. 2); a light source (240), arranged on the substrate (210) and located at a side of the light sensor (250) (see fig. 2), and configured to generate an emission light beam (see fig. 2, paragraph 33); and a light guide (230), comprising a first lens (2311), a first reflective surface (2301), a second reflective surface (2302) and a second lens (2312), wherein the emission light beam enters the light guide via the first lens (2311), the first reflective surface (2301) is opposite the first lens (2311) and configured to transversely reflect the emission light beam inside the light guide (230), and the second reflective surface (2302) is configured to reflect the reflected emission light beam toward the second lens (2312) to generate an illumination light beam leaving the light guide (230) via the second lens (2312) (fig. 2 and 3, paragraph 33), wherein the second reflective surface (2302) is located between the light sensor (250) and the first reflective surface (2301) in a transverse direction (see fig. 2 and 3).
Re claim 3: Wu teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the illumination light beam is a divergent light beam or a collimated light beam (claim 5, second lens 2312 spreads illumination beam to surface, paragraph 45, fig. 2 and 3).
Re claim 4: Wu teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the light guide (230) further comprises a third lens (2313) opposite the light sensor (250) (fig. 2 and 3).
Re claim 5: Wu teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the first lens is a convex lens, the first reflective surface is a plano-surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a convex lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a plano-lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a plano-lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a tilted plano-lens, a wedge or a prism, the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, or the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a tilted plano-lens (this claim includes several variations, of the first, second lenses and first, second reflective surface, Wu teaches at least the first and second lens, 2311 and 2312, are convex and the first and second reflective surfaces, 2301 and 2302 are plano-surface/planar, see fig. 2 and 3).
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(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) in view of Hwang et al. (US 20080088853).
Re claim 2: Wu teaches the navigation sensor, further comprising: an aperture stop (2212), opposite to the light sensor (250) and configured to limit amount of light impinging onto the light sensor (250) (see fig. 2, paragraph 31), but does not specifically teach a field stop, opposite to the light sensor and configured to shape a field of view of the light sensor. Hwang teaches an aperture stop (161), opposite to a light sensor (14) and configured to limit amount of light impinging onto the light sensor (14) (paragraph 47 and 48); and a field stop (121), opposite to the light sensor (14) and configured to shape a field of view of the light sensor (14) (fig. 4, paragraphs 47 and 48). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to further include a field stop similar to Hwang with Wu in order to reduce the amount of scattered light from entering the light sensor allowing for only light within a certain field of view of the stop to enter the light sensor providing for higher quality light capture.
Claim(s) 6, 15, 16, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) in view of Cheah et al. (US 20080158158).
Re claim 6: Wu teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the first reflective surface (2301) and the second reflective surface (2302) are reflection surfaces formed by an interface between molding material of the light guide (230) and air (see fig. 2 and 3), but does not explicitly state total internal reflection. Cheah teaches wherein a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface (154 and 152) are total internal reflection surfaces formed by an interface between molding material of a light guide (110) and air (paragraph 36 and fig. 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to understand the structure of Wu would provide the first and second reflective surfaces of the light guide as total internal reflection surfaces similar to Cheah which explicitly states this reduces extra materials needed to provide a reflective surface by using just the molding material and air for a more compact design.
Re claim 15: Wu teaches a light guide of a navigation sensor (fig. 2 and 3), the light guide (230) comprising: an upper surface (surface of 230 facing 250/240) and a bottom surface (surface of 230 facing 260); a first lens (2311), located at the upper surface (see fig. 3), and configured to receive an emission light beam of a light source (240); a first reflective surface (2301), opposite to the first lens (2311), and configured to transversally reflect the emission light beam coming from the first lens (2311) inside the light guide (230) (see fig. 2 and 3); a second lens (2312), located at the bottom surface (surface of 230 facing 260); and a second reflective surface (2302), opposite to the second lens (2312), and configured to reflect the reflected emission light beam toward the second lens (2312) (see fig. 2 and 3), wherein the first reflective surface (2311) and the second reflective surface (2312) are formed by a first interface and a second interface between molding material of the light guide (230) and air (see fig. 2 and 3), but does not explicitly state total internal reflection. Cheah teaches wherein a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface (154 and 152) are total internal reflection surfaces formed by an interface between molding material of a light guide (110) and air (paragraph 36 and fig. 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to understand the structure of Wu would provide the first and second reflective surfaces of the light guide as total internal reflection surfaces similar to Cheah which explicitly states this reduces extra materials needed to provide a reflective surface by using just the molding material and air for a more compact design.
Re claim 16: Wu as modified by Cheah teaches the light guide, wherein the second reflective surface (Wu, 2312) is located between the light sensor (Wu, 250) and the first reflective surface (Wu, 2311) in a transverse direction (Wu, see fig. 2 and 3).
Re claim 19: Wu as modified by Cheah teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the first lens is a convex lens, the first reflective surface is a plano-surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a convex lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a plano-lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a plano-lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a tilted plano-lens, a wedge or a prism, the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, or the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a tilted plano-lens (Wu, this claim includes several variations, of the first, second lenses and first, second reflective surface, Wu teaches at least the first and second lens, 2311 and 2312, are convex and the first and second reflective surfaces, 2301 and 2302 are plano-surface/planar, see fig. 2 and 3).
Re claim 20: Wu as modified by Cheah teaches the light guide, further comprising: a third lens (Wu, 2313), located at the bottom surface (Wu, surface of 230 facing 260), and an aperture stop (Wu, 2212), opposite to the third lens (Wu, 2313, see fig. 2 and 3).
Claim(s) 7 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) as modified by Cheah et al. (US 20080158158) as applied to claims 6 and 15 above, and further in view of Raynor et al. (US 20140028556).
Re claim 7: Wu as modified by Cheah teaches the navigation sensor, the first reflective surface and a second reflective surface (Wu, 2301 and 2302) are total internal reflection surfaces formed by an interface between molding material of the light guide (Wu, 230) and air (Cheah, paragraph 36 and fig. 6, Wu, fig. 2 and 3), but does not specifically teach wherein the light guide further comprises a first hollow region configured to form the first reflective surface, and the first hollow region extends from a bottom surface or a lateral surface of the light guide to the interface inside the light guide. Raynor teaches wherein a light guide (104) further comprises a first hollow region (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116) configured to form a first reflective surface (116) (fig. 1b), and the first hollow region (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116) extends from a bottom surface or a lateral surface of the light guide (104) to the interface inside the light guide (104) (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116, the indent extends from a lateral surface of 104, fig. 1b). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to shape the light guide with the first reflective surface to form an internal reflection surface of Wu as modified by Cheah in any way desired similar to Raynor so that the light guide structure fits within a navigation module securely while still allowing for reflection surfaces providing for compact continuous structure with fewer parts (MPEP, 2144.04, IV, B).
Re claims 18: Wu as modified by Cheah teaches the navigation sensor, the first reflective surface (Wu, 2301) and a second hollow region (Cheah, hollow region above 154) configured to form the second reflective surface (Wu, 2302, Cheah, 154) are total internal reflection surfaces formed by an interface between molding material of the light guide (Wu, 230) and air (Cheah, paragraph 36 and fig. 6, Wu, fig. 2 and 3) and the second hollow region (Cheah, hollow region above 154) extends from an upper surface or the lateral surface of the light guide to the second interface inside the light guide (Cheah, the second hollow region extends from an upper surface of the light guide 110, fig. 6), but does not specifically teach wherein the light guide further comprises a first hollow region configured to form the first reflective surface, and the first hollow region extends from a bottom surface or a lateral surface of the light guide to the interface inside the light guide. Raynor teaches wherein a light guide (104) further comprises a first hollow region (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116) configured to form a first reflective surface (116) (fig. 1b), and the first hollow region (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116) extends from a bottom surface or a lateral surface of the light guide (104) to the interface inside the light guide (104) (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116, the indent extends from a lateral surface of 104, fig. 1b). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to shape the light guide with the first reflective surface to form an internal reflection surface of Wu as modified by Cheah in any way desired similar to Raynor so that the light guide structure fits within a navigation module securely while still allowing for reflection surfaces providing for compact continuous structure with fewer parts (MPEP, 2144.04, IV, B).
Claim(s) 8 and 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) in view of Yao (US 20070211472).
Re claim 8: Wu teaches a navigation sensor (fig. 2 and 3), comprising: a substrate (210); a light sensor (250), arranged on the substrate (210) (see fig. 2); a light source (240), arranged on the substrate (210) and located at a side of the light sensor (250) (see fig. 2), and configured to generate an emission light beam (see fig. 2, paragraph 33); and a light guide (230), comprising a first lens (2311), a first reflective surface (2301), a second reflective surface (2302) and a second lens (2312), wherein the emission light beam enters the light guide via the first lens (2311), the first reflective surface (2301) is opposite the first lens (2311) and configured to transversely reflect the emission light beam inside the light guide (230), and the second reflective surface (2302) is configured to reflect the reflected emission light beam toward the second lens (2312) to generate an illumination light beam leaving the light guide (230) via the second lens (2312) (fig. 2 and 3, paragraph 33), wherein the second reflective surface (2302) is located between the light sensor (250) and the first reflective surface (2301) in a transverse direction (see fig. 2 and 3), but does not specifically teach wherein the light sensor is located between the second reflective surface and the first reflective surface in a transverse direction. Yao teaches a light guide (720/220/225), comprising a first reflective surface (722) and a second reflective surface (725s), wherein an emission light beam enters the light guide (720), the first reflective surface (722) is configured to transversely reflect the emission light beam inside the light guide (720), and the second reflective surface (725s) is configured to reflect the reflected emission light beam to generate an illumination light beam leaving the light guide (720), wherein a light sensor (730) is located between the second reflective surface (725s) and the first reflective surface (722) in a transverse direction (see fig. 7 and 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have the light sensor be between the first and second reflective surfaces similar to Yao with the light guide structure of Wu in order to increase the amount of light collection and detection providing for improved navigation.
Re claim 10: Wu as modified by Yao teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the illumination light beam is a divergent light beam or a collimated light beam (Wu, claim 5, second lens 2312 spreads illumination beam to surface, paragraph 45, fig. 2 and 3).
Re claim 11: Wu as modified by Yao teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the light guide (Wu, 230) further comprises a third lens (Wu, 2313) opposite the light sensor (Wu, 250, fig. 2 and 3).
Re claim 12: Wu as modified by Yao teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the first lens is a convex lens, the first reflective surface is a plano-surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a convex lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a plano-lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a plano-lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a tilted plano-lens, a wedge or a prism, the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a plano-surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a convex lens, or the first lens is a concave lens, the first reflective surface is a concave surface, the second reflective surface is a concave surface, and the second lens is a tilted plano-lens (Wu, this claim includes several variations, of the first, second lenses and first, second reflective surface, Wu teaches at least the first and second lens, 2311 and 2312, are convex and the first and second reflective surfaces, 2301 and 2302 are plano-surface/planar, see fig. 2 and 3).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) as modified by Yao (US 20070211472) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Hwang et al. (US 20080088853).
Re claim 9: Wu as modified by Yao teaches the navigation sensor, further comprising: an aperture stop (Wu, 2212), opposite to the light sensor (Wu, 250) and configured to limit amount of light impinging onto the light sensor (Wu, 250, see fig. 2, paragraph 31), but does not specifically teach a field stop, opposite to the light sensor and configured to shape a field of view of the light sensor. Hwang teaches an aperture stop (161), opposite to a light sensor (14) and configured to limit amount of light impinging onto the light sensor (14) (paragraph 47 and 48); and a field stop (121), opposite to the light sensor (14) and configured to shape a field of view of the light sensor (14) (fig. 4, paragraphs 47 and 48). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to further include a field stop similar to Hwang with Wu as modified by Yao in order to reduce the amount of scattered light from entering the light sensor allowing for only light within a certain field of view of the stop to enter the light sensor providing for higher quality light capture.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) as modified by Yao (US 20070211472) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Cheah et al. (US 20080158158).
Re claim 13: Wu as modified by Yao teaches the navigation sensor, wherein the first reflective surface (Wu, 2301) and the second reflective surface (Wu, 2302) are reflection surfaces formed by a first interface and a second interface between molding material of the light guide (Wu, 230) and air (Wu, see fig. 2 and 3), but does not explicitly state total internal reflection. Cheah teaches wherein a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface (154 and 152) are total internal reflection surfaces formed by an interface between molding material of a light guide (110) and air (paragraph 36 and fig. 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to understand the structure of Wu as modified by Yao would provide the first and second reflective surfaces of the light guide as total internal reflection surfaces similar to Cheah which explicitly states this reduces extra materials needed to provide a reflective surface by using just the molding material and air for a more compact design.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) as modified by Yao (US 20070211472) and Cheah et al. (US 20080158158) as applied to claims 13 above, and further in view of Raynor et al. (US 20140028556).
Re claims 14: Wu as modified by Yao and Cheah teaches the navigation sensor, the first reflective surface (Wu, 2301) and a second hollow region (Cheah, hollow region above 154) configured to form the second reflective surface (Wu, 2302, Cheah, 154) are total internal reflection surfaces formed by an interface between molding material of the light guide (Wu, 230) and air (Cheah, paragraph 36 and fig. 6, Wu, fig. 2 and 3) and the second hollow region (Cheah, hollow region above 154) extends from an upper surface or the lateral surface of the light guide to the second interface inside the light guide (Cheah, the second hollow region extends from an upper surface of the light guide 110, fig. 6), but does not specifically teach wherein the light guide further comprises a first hollow region configured to form the first reflective surface, and the first hollow region extends from a bottom surface or a lateral surface of the light guide to the interface inside the light guide. Raynor teaches wherein a light guide (104) further comprises a first hollow region (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116) configured to form a first reflective surface (116) (fig. 1b), and the first hollow region (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116) extends from a bottom surface or a lateral surface of the light guide (104) to the interface inside the light guide (104) (indent in 104 forming interface between 104 and air for total internal reflection surface 116, the indent extends from a lateral surface of 104, fig. 1b). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to shape the light guide with the first reflective surface to form an internal reflection surface of Wu as modified by Yao and Cheah in any way desired similar to Raynor so that the light guide structure fits within a navigation module securely while still allowing for reflection surfaces providing for compact continuous structure with fewer parts (MPEP, 2144.04, IV, B).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20060284845) as modified by Cheah et al. (US 20080158158) as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Yao (US 20070211472).
Re claim 17: Wu as modified by Cheah teaches the light guide, wherein the second reflective surface (Wu, 2312) is located between the light sensor (Wu, 250) and the first reflective surface (Wu, 2311) in a transverse direction (Wu, see fig. 2 and 3), but does not specifically teach wherein the light sensor is located between the second reflective surface and the first reflective surface in a transverse direction. Yao teaches a light guide (720/220/225), comprising a first reflective surface (722) and a second reflective surface (725s), wherein an emission light beam enters the light guide (720), the first reflective surface (722) is configured to transversely reflect the emission light beam inside the light guide (720), and the second reflective surface (725s) is configured to reflect the reflected emission light beam to generate an illumination light beam leaving the light guide (720), wherein a light sensor (730) is located between the second reflective surface (725s) and the first reflective surface (722) in a transverse direction (see fig. 7 and 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have the light sensor be between the first and second reflective surfaces similar to Yao with the light guide structure of Wu in order to increase the amount of light collection and detection providing for improved navigation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER D BENNETT whose telephone number is (571)270-3419. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM EST M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Georgia Epps can be reached at 571-272-2328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JENNIFER D BENNETT/Examiner, Art Unit 2878
Prosecution Insights