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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of the species restriction in the reply filed on 08/03/2026 is acknowledged. Arguments are found persuasive. The species restriction of 06/03/2026 is withdrawn.
Claim Interpretation
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: a first light adjusting portion and a second light adjusting portion in claim 16.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1, 6, 12 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai (US 20190253676 A1) in view of Masayuki (US 20160088273 A1), and Uchida (2019/0146237 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Cai discloses a laser projection apparatus (see fig.1 and figs.2-4), comprising: a laser source assembly (111 and 112 in fig.1) configured to provide illumination beams; a light modulation assembly (see at least 20 in fig.6, and 140 ) configured to modulate the illumination beams, so as to obtain projection beams; the light modulation assembly (see140) including a light pipe configured to receive the illumination beams provided by the laser source assembly and homogenize the illumination beams, a light inlet (see 141 in fig.2) of the light pipe being in a shape of a rectangle (see S2); and a projection lens (see 30 in fig.6) configured to project the projection beams into an image; wherein the laser source assembly (111 and 112 in fig.5) includes: a laser device (111 and 112 in fig.5) configured to emit a plurality of laser beams (see 110 and 111 in fig.5); a microlens array (see 150 in fig.1) located on a laser-exit side of the laser device and configured to increase divergence angles of the plurality of laser beams in a slow axis direction and a fast axis direction, so as to make a ratio of a divergence angle of the laser beams diverged by the microlens array in the slow axis direction to a divergence angle of the laser beams diverged by the microlens array in the fast axis direction be proportional to a length-width ratio of the light inlet of the light pipe (see the shape of the beam S3 and the resulting transformation of S1 in fig.1:see para.[0028]: “Each lens unit 151 of the lens array 150 has, for example, a positive refractive power. For example, each lens unit 151 may be a plano-convex lens, a biconvex lens, or the like. In another embodiment, each lens unit 151 may have a negative refractive power according to the requirements. For example, each lens unit 151 may be a biconcave lens.” and para.[0029]: “the shape of each lens unit 151 is a rectangle corresponding to the shape of the light incident end 141 of the light homogenizing element 140, and the aspect ratio of each lens unit 151 is greater than the aspect ratio of the light incident end 141 of the light homogenizing element 140. The relationship between the aspect ratio of each lens unit 151 and the aspect ratio of the light incident end 141 of the light homogenizing element 140 will be exemplified below.”;); an angle at which the microlens array diffuses the incident laser beams in the fast axis direction being different from an angle at which the microlens array diffuses the incident laser beams in the slow axis direction (see disclosed by the aspect ratio of each lens as disclosed above); a combining component (120 in fig.1) located on a side of the microlens array away from the laser device, the combining component being configured to reflect laser beams and a fluorescent beam (120 in fig.1) exiting from a phosphor wheel (see 130 in fig.1) and transmit the plurality of laser beams emitted by the laser device; and the phosphor wheel (see 130 in fig.1) located on a side of the combining component away from the microlens array, the phosphor wheel (see the operation of fig.1, 130) being configured to reflect the laser beams transmitted by the combining component and be excited to emit the fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the laser beams; wherein the laser beams reflected by the phosphor wheel (130 in fig.1) and the fluorescent beam emitting by the phosphor wheel are incident on the combining component and reflected to the light inlet of the light pipe by the combining component (see the operation of 120), and the laser beams and the fluorescent beam incident on the light pipe constitute the illumination beams (see the operation in fig.1) but Cai does not disclose wherein , the combining component being configured to reflect laser beams and a fluorescent beam and the microlens array including a first substrate and a plurality of microlenses arranged in an array on the first substrate.
Masayuki discloses wherein the combing component (4’ in fig.6) is configured to reflect laser beams and a fluorescent beam (see the operation of 4’).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the laser projection apparatus of Cai with the teaching of Masayuki so that the combining component is configured to reflect laser beams and a fluorescent beam to make the projection system more compact.
Cai in view of Masayuki does not disclose wherein the microlens array including a first substrate and a plurality of microlenses are arranged in an array on the first substrate.
Uchida discloses wherein the microlens array (2 in fig.1) including a first substrate ([0100]: Further, the diffuser plate 10 may be configured such that microlens arrays are formed on respective surfaces of the substrate.) and a plurality of microlenses (2 in fig.1) arranged in an array on the first substrate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Cai in view of Masayuki with the teaching of Uchida so that microlenses are arranged in an array on the first substrate to improve the structural support of the lenticular lenses.
With respect to claim 6, Cai in view of Masayuki and Uchida the laser projection apparatus according to claim 1, Cai in combination with Masayuki and Uchida discloses wherein the microlens array satisfies one of following: the microlens array (Uchida discloses in 2 fig.1) includes a single-sided microlens array (see the single sided array of fig.1), and a radius of a curved surface of at least one of the plurality of microlenses is equal to a first preset value (see the curvature of the microlenses in fig.1; [0100]: Further, the diffuser plate 10 may be configured such that microlens arrays are formed on respective surfaces of the substrate.); and the microlens array includes a double-sided microlens array, the plurality of microlenses have a same size, a radius of a curved surface of at least one of the plurality of microlenses is equal to a second preset value, and a ratio of the second preset value to the first preset value is greater than or equal to 1.8 and less than or equal to 2.3.
With respect to claim 12, Cai in view of Masayuki and Uchida discloses the laser projection apparatus according to claim 1, Cai discloses wherein the laser source assembly further includes a first lens group (170 in fig.1), and the first lens group is located between the combining component (see 120 in fig.1) and the phosphor wheel (130 in fig.1) and configured to converge the plurality of laser beams transmitted by the combining component to the phosphor wheel (see the operation in vie fig.1).
With respect to claim 20, Cai discloses a laser projection apparatus (see fig.1 and figs.2-4), comprising: a laser source assembly (111 and 112 in fig.1) configured to provide illumination beams; a light modulation assembly (see at least 20 in fig.6, and 140 ) configured to modulate the illumination beams, so as to obtain projection beams; the light modulation assembly (see140) including a light pipe configured to receive the illumination beams provided by the laser source assembly and homogenize the illumination beams, a light inlet (see 141 in fig.2) of the light pipe being in a shape of a rectangle (see S2); and a projection lens (see 30 in fig.6) configured to project the projection beams into an image; wherein the laser source assembly (111 and 112 in fig.5) includes: a laser device (111 and 112 in fig.5) configured to emit a plurality of laser beams (see 110 and 111 in fig.5); a microlens array (see 150 in fig.1) located on a laser-exit side of the laser device and configured to increase divergence angles of the plurality of laser beams in a slow axis direction and a fast axis direction, so as to make a ratio of a divergence angle of the laser beams diverged by the microlens array in the slow axis direction to a divergence angle of the laser beams diverged by the microlens array in the fast axis direction be proportional to a length-width ratio of the light inlet of the light pipe (see the shape of the beam S3 and the resulting transformation of S1 in fig.1:see para.[0028]: “Each lens unit 151 of the lens array 150 has, for example, a positive refractive power. For example, each lens unit 151 may be a plano-convex lens, a biconvex lens, or the like. In another embodiment, each lens unit 151 may have a negative refractive power according to the requirements. For example, each lens unit 151 may be a biconcave lens.” and para.[0029]: “the shape of each lens unit 151 is a rectangle corresponding to the shape of the light incident end 141 of the light homogenizing element 140, and the aspect ratio of each lens unit 151 is greater than the aspect ratio of the light incident end 141 of the light homogenizing element 140. The relationship between the aspect ratio of each lens unit 151 and the aspect ratio of the light incident end 141 of the light homogenizing element 140 will be exemplified below.”;); an angle at which the microlens array diffuses the incident laser beams in the fast axis direction being different from an angle at which the microlens array diffuses the incident laser beams in the slow axis direction (see disclosed by the aspect ratio of each lens as disclosed above);a combining component (120 in fig.1) located on a side of the microlens array away from the laser device, and the laser beams and the fluorescent beam incident on the light pipe constitute the illumination beams (see the operation in fig.1)
But Cai does not disclose the combining component being configured to reflect the plurality of laser beams emitted by the laser device and transmit laser beams and a fluorescent beam exiting from a phosphor wheel; and the phosphor wheel located on a side of the combining component, an arrangement direction of the phosphor wheel and the combining component being perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the microlens array and the combining component, the phosphor wheel being configured to reflect the laser beams reflected by the combining component and be excited to emit the fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the laser beams; wherein the laser beams reflected by the phosphor wheel and the fluorescent beam emitted by the phosphor wheel are incident on the combining component and transmitted to the light inlet of the light pipe by the combining component.
Masayuki discloses the combining component (see 4) being configured to reflect the plurality of laser beams emitted by the laser device and transmit laser beams and a fluorescent beam exiting from a phosphor wheel (see the operation of fig.1); and the phosphor wheel located on a side of the combining component (see the location of 1 and 2 in fig.1), an arrangement direction of the phosphor wheel and the combining component being perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the lens array and the combining component (see the arrangement in fig.1), the phosphor wheel being configured to reflect the laser beams reflected by the combining component and be excited to emit the fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the laser beams (see the operation in fig.1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the laser projection apparatus of Cai with the teaching of Masayuki so that the combining component being configured to reflect the plurality of laser beams emitted by the laser device and transmit laser beams and a fluorescent beam exiting from a phosphor wheel; and the phosphor wheel located on a side of the combining component, an arrangement direction of the phosphor wheel and the combining component being perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the microlens array and the combining component, the phosphor wheel being configured to reflect the laser beams reflected by the combining component and be excited to emit the fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the laser beams; wherein the laser beams reflected by the phosphor wheel and the fluorescent beam emitted by the phosphor wheel are incident on the combining component and transmitted to the light inlet of the light pipe by the combining component to make the projection system more compact
Uchida discloses wherein the microlens array (2 in fig.1) including a first substrate ([0100]: Further, the diffuser plate 10 may be configured such that microlens arrays are formed on respective surfaces of the substrate.) and a plurality of microlenses (2 in fig.1) arranged in an array on the first substrate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Cai in view of Masayuki with the teaching of Uchida so that microlenses is arranged in an array on the first substrate to improve the structural support of the lenticular lenses.
Claim(s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai (United States Patent Application Publication 2019/0253676 A1) in view of Masayuki (United States Patent Application Publication 20160088273 A1), Uchida (United States Patent Application Publication 2019/0146237 A1) and Jeoung (United States Patent Application Publication 2015/0316839 A1).
With respect to claim 13-15, Cai in view of Masayuki and Uchida discloses the laser projection apparatus according to claim 12, but does not disclose wherein the phosphor wheel includes: a fluorescent region configured to be excited to emit a first fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and a laser region configured to reflect the incident laser beam and be excited to emit a second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam, so that the second fluorescent beam is mixed with the laser beam reflected by the laser region to adjust a wavelength range of the laser beam reflected by the laser region, wherein the phosphor wheel satisfies one of following: the phosphor wheel further includes: a second substrate, the fluorescent region and the laser region each being located on a surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component, and the fluorescent region and the laser region being enclosed to constitute a closed-loop; a first light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region, the first light adjusting portion being configured to be excited to emit the second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and a second light adjusting portion located in the laser region, at least a portion of the second light adjusting portion being disposed on a surface of the first light adjusting portion away from the second substrate, and the second light adjusting portion being configured to reflect the incident laser beam and transmit at least a portion of the incident laser beam; and the phosphor wheel further includes: the second substrate, the fluorescent region and the laser region being each located on a surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component, and the fluorescent region and the laser region being enclosed to constitute a closed-loop; the first light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region, and the first light adjusting portion being configured to be excited to emit the second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and the second light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region, and the second light adjusting portion being located on a side of the first light adjusting portion and configured to reflect the incident laser beam, wherein the laser beams emitted by the laser device are blue laser beams, and the second fluorescent beam is a green fluorescent beam.
Jeoung discloses wherein the phosphor wheel (see fig.7) includes: a fluorescent region (see 322R) configured to be excited to emit a first fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and a laser region (322G or 322Y and 321) configured to reflect the incident laser beam (see BA) and be excited to emit a second fluorescent beam (see 322G or 322Y) due to irradiation of the incident laser beam, so that the second fluorescent beam is mixed with the laser beam reflected by the laser region to adjust a wavelength range of the laser beam reflected by the laser region (see the operation in fig.7), wherein the phosphor wheel satisfies one of following: the phosphor wheel further includes: a second substrate (see the substrate of fig.7), the fluorescent region (see 322R ) and the laser region (see 322G, 322Y and 321) each being located on a surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component (see the position of 322G and 321 in fig.7 and 305 in fig.7), and the fluorescent region and the laser region being enclosed to constitute a closed-loop (see the loop formed by 322R, 322Y and 322G and 321); a first light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region, the first light adjusting portion being configured to be excited to emit the second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and a second light adjusting portion located in the laser region, at least a portion of the second light adjusting portion being disposed on a surface of the first light adjusting portion away from the second substrate, and the second light adjusting portion being configured to reflect the incident laser beam and transmit at least a portion of the incident laser beam; and the phosphor wheel further includes: the second substrate (see substrate of the wheel in fig.7), the fluorescent region and the laser region being each located on a surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component (see disclosure above), and the fluorescent region and the laser region being enclosed to constitute a closed-loop (see the loop formed by 322G, 321 and 322Y); the first light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region (see 322G), and the first light adjusting portion being configured to be excited to emit the second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam (see 322G); and the second light adjusting portion (321) disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region (see 321), and the second light adjusting portion (see 321) being located on a side of the first light adjusting portion and configured to reflect the incident laser beam, wherein the laser beams emitted by the laser device are blue laser beams (see BA in fig.7), and the second fluorescent beam is a green fluorescent beam (see 322G).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the light source of Cai in view of Masayuki with the teaching of Jeoung so that a fluorescent region configured to be excited to emit a first fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and a laser region configured to reflect the incident laser beam and be excited to emit a second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam, so that the second fluorescent beam is mixed with the laser beam reflected by the laser region to adjust a wavelength range of the laser beam reflected by the laser region, wherein the phosphor wheel satisfies one of following: the phosphor wheel further includes: a second substrate, the fluorescent region and the laser region each being located on a surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component, and the fluorescent region and the laser region being enclosed to constitute a closed-loop; a first light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region, the first light adjusting portion being configured to be excited to emit the second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and a second light adjusting portion located in the laser region, at least a portion of the second light adjusting portion being disposed on a surface of the first light adjusting portion away from the second substrate, and the second light adjusting portion being configured to reflect the incident laser beam and transmit at least a portion of the incident laser beam; and the phosphor wheel further includes: the second substrate, the fluorescent region and the laser region being each located on a surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component, and the fluorescent region and the laser region being enclosed to constitute a closed-loop; the first light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region, and the first light adjusting portion being configured to be excited to emit the second fluorescent beam due to irradiation of the incident laser beam; and the second light adjusting portion disposed on the surface of the second substrate proximate to the combining component and located in the laser region, and the second light adjusting portion being located on a side of the first light adjusting portion and configured to reflect the incident laser beam, wherein the laser beams emitted by the laser device are blue laser beams, and the second fluorescent beam is a green fluorescent beam to enhance color balance.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai (United States Patent Application Publication 2019/0253676 A1) in view of Masayuki (United States Patent Application Publication 2016/0088273 A1), Uchida (United States Patent Application Publication 2019/0146237 A1) , Lin (CN 108802986 A) and Kitano (United States Patent Application Publication 2012/0242912 A1).
With respect to claim 19, Cai in view of Masayuki and Uchida discloses the laser projection apparatus according to claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the laser source assembly further includes: a second lens group located between the microlens array and the laser device and configured to contract a beam spot of the incident laser beam; a third lens group located on a laser-exit side of the combining component and configured to converge the laser beams and the fluorescent beam reflected by the combining component; and a filter wheel located on a laser-exit side of the third lens group and configured to filter the incident laser beams and the fluorescent beam.
Lin discloses a second lens group (see 141 and 142 in fig.1) located between the microlens array (see 150) and the laser device (see 110) and configured to contract a beam spot of the incident laser beam; a third lens group (160 in fig.1) located on a laser-exit side of the reflector (see 132) component and configured to converge the laser beams and the fluorescent beam reflected by the reflector component (132).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Cai in view of Masayuki and Uchida with the teaching of Lin so that the laser source assembly further includes: a second lens group located between the microlens array and the laser device and configured to contract a beam spot of the incident laser beam; a third lens group located on a laser-exit side of the combining component and configured to converge the laser beams and the fluorescent beam reflected by the combining component to enhance the brightness of the light source.
Cai in view of Masayuki, Uchida and Lin does not disclose a filter wheel located on a laser-exit side of the third lens group and configured to filter the incident laser beams and the fluorescent beam.
Kitano disclose a filter wheel (see 204, 203 in fig.1) located on a laser-exit side of the third lens group (see 210 in fig.1) and configured to filter the incident laser beams and the fluorescent beam (see the operation in fig.1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the light source of Cai in view of Masayuki, Uchida and Lin with the teaching of Kitano so that a filter wheel located on a laser-exit side of the third lens group and configured to filter the incident laser beams and the fluorescent beam to facilitate light sequence control and limiting the number of modulator required by the projector thereby making the projection system more compact.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 7-11 and 16-18 are 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.
With respect to claim 2, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious the laser projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser device includes a collimating lens group (112) disposed on a laser-exit surface of the laser device and configured to collimate the plurality of laser beams emitted by the laser device, and a divergence angle of the laser beams collimated by the collimating lens group in the slow axis direction is greater than a divergence angle of the laser beams collimated by the collimating lens group in the fast axis direction; and an angle at which at least one of the plurality of microlenses diffuses the laser beam in the slow axis direction is greater than an angle at which the at least one microlens diffuses the laser beam in the fast axis direction.
With respect to claim 3, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious the laser projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an orthogonal projection of the at least one of the plurality of microlenses on the first substrate is in a shape of a rectangle, and an angle at which the at least one microlens diffuses the laser beam in a long side of the at least one microlens is greater than an angle at which the at least one microlens diffuses the laser beam in a short side direction of the at least one microlens.
Claims 4 and 5 are allowed as they depend from claim 3.
With respect to claim 7, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious the laser projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser beams emitted by the laser device provide a plurality of first beam spots on the microlens array, and each of the plurality of first beam spots includes: a first region; and a second region surrounding the first region; the plurality of microlenses include: a plurality of first microlenses disposed on the first substrate, the plurality of first microlenses constituting a first homogenizing light region overlapping with the first region of the first beam spot; and a plurality of second microlenses disposed on the first substrate, the plurality of second microlenses constituting a second homogenizing light region overlapping with the second region of the first beam spot; wherein an ability of the first microlens of the plurality of first microlenses for homogenizing light is higher than an ability of the second microlens of the plurality of second microlenses for homogenizing light.
Claims 8-11 are allowable as they depend from an allowable claim.
With respect to claim 16, the prior art does not disclose the laser projection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the laser source assembly further includes a driving component configured to drive the first lens group to move between the combining component and the phosphor wheel along at least one of a first direction or a second direction, so as to adjust a size and a position of a beam spot provided on the phosphor wheel by the laser beams converged by the first lens group, so as to adjust a ratio of areas of the beam spot irradiating on a first light adjusting portion and a second light adjusting portion; wherein the second direction is parallel to an arrangement direction of the phosphor wheel and the first lens group, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
With respect to claim 17, the prior art of record does not disclose or render obvious the laser projection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the combining component is disposed obliquely with respect to a laser-exit direction of the laser device, and the combining component includes: a plurality of reflecting regions configured to reflect the laser beams and the fluorescent beam exiting from the phosphor wheel; and a plurality of transmitting regions configured to transmit the plurality of laser beams emitted by the laser device, the plurality of reflecting regions and the plurality of transmitting regions being alternately arranged; wherein beam spots produced on the first lens group by any two laser beams among the plurality of laser beams incident on the plurality of transmitting regions are asymmetrical with respect to an optical axis of the first lens group.
Claim 18 is allowed as it depend from an allowable claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY L. BROOKS whose telephone number is (571)270-5711. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-4:00 PM.
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/JERRY L BROOKS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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