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 under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the second ports are non-equally spaced must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the spacing between adjacent second ports located in the center region is smaller than a spacing between adjacent second ports located in an edge region must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) below is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hosseini (20180267250).
Referring to claim 1, Hosseini shows a light path converter module for a FMCW LiDAR (see figures 2, and 7A), being coupled to a light emitter module (see figure 2 and 7A note the laser) and configured to receive and output a light signal emitted from the light emitter module (see the laser output going to the switch, the light signal being frequency modulated continuous laser (see paragraph 49), wherein the light path converter module comprises: at least one first port (see the input to the first switch in figure 2 and 7A) and a plurality of second ports (note the output to the multiple optical antennas shown in figure 2 and 7A); wherein
the at least one first port is coupled to the light emitter module (see figure 2 note the laser going into SW-1-1 also see figure 7 where the light source is coupled to the first switch by the 2x2 switch);
the plurality of second ports are distributed at least along a first direction (see figure 2 note the switches SW-3-1 to SW-3-4 also see figure 7 note the switches that are connected to the optical antennas) and are arranged on a focal plane of an emitting optical component of the FMCW LiDAR (see paragraph 29), light signals outputted from different second ports being emitted at different angles after running through the emitting optical component (note the emission angle is shown in figure 1 see the emission from emitter A and emitter B); and
the light path converter module is configured to receive the light signal inputted from the first port and select one or more of the second ports for outputting the light signal (see the switching of the ports as shown in figure 7A).
Referring to claim 2, Hosseini shows wherein the light path converter module comprises a first converter apparatus configured to perform one-port output or multiport output on the light signal emitted from the light emitter module (see figure 7A note the first switch controlled by V1).
Referring to claim 3, Hosseini shows the first converter apparatus comprises a first light splitter unit; the first light splitter unit comprises: a first input terminal corresponding to the first port and a plurality of first output terminals, and is configured to split the light signal into multiple channels and output them from the plurality of first output terminals respectively (see figure 7A note the switch that is controlled by V1 has a first and second output that passes to the second stage controlled by V2).
Referring to claim 4, Hosseini shows wherein there is one-to-one correspondence between the first output terminals and the second ports (see the transmission path that has a one-to-one correspondence between the input port and the output ports as shown in figure 7A).
Referring to claim 7, Hosseini shows wherein the first converter apparatus comprises a first optical switch assembly; the first optical switch assembly comprises a plurality of first transmission paths located between the first port and the second ports; and the first optical switch assembly is configured to transmit the light signal along at least one of the first transmission paths (see figure 7A note the first switch).
Referring to claim 8, Hosseini shows wherein the light path converter module further comprises a second converter apparatus configured to perform one-port output or multiport output on the light signal outputted from the first converter apparatus (see figure 2 note SW-2-1 controlled by V2).
Referring to claim 9, Hosseini shows wherein the second converter apparatus comprises a second light splitter unit, the second light splitter unit comprises: a second input terminal and a plurality of second output terminals; the second input terminal is coupled to the first converter apparatus, and the plurality of second output terminals correspond to the plurality of second ports respectively; and the second light splitter unit is configured to split the received light signal into a plurality of channels, and output them from the plurality of second output terminals respectively (see figure 2 note the signal from SW-1-1 that is passed to SW-2-1 or SW-2-2 and then passed onto the third level).
Referring to claim 10, Hosseini shows a second optical switch assembly; the second optical switch assembly comprises a plurality of second transmission paths located between the first converter apparatus and the second ports; and the second optical switch assembly is configured to transmit the light signal along at least one of the second transmission paths (see the second switches SW-2-1 and SW-2-2 controlled by V2 as shown in figure 2).
Referring to claim 12, Hosseini shows wherein the light path converter module is further configured to determine one of the second ports for outputting the light signal based on a light path control signal (see the control of the first switch by V1 also see paragraph 35).
Referring to claim 13, Hosseini shows wherein the second ports of the light path converter module are further configured to receive an echo signal of the light signal reflected from an obstacle (see figure 7A note the return signal is collected through the same switching array that the transmitted signal passes through).
Referring to claim 14, Hosseini shows wherein the second ports are equally spaced (see figure 7A).
Referring to claim 15, Hosseini shows wherein the second ports are non-equally spaced (see figure 7D).
Referring to claim 16, Hosseini shows a spacing between adjacent second ports located in the center region is smaller than a spacing between adjacent second ports located in an edge region (see figure 7D note the output ports in the center next to the laser are closer than the output ports at the edge).
Referring to claim 17, Hosseini shows a light emitter module configured to emit a light signal, the light signal being frequency modulated continuous laser; and
the light path converter module of claim 1 coupled to the light emitter module, and is configured to receive the light signal and select one or more second ports for outputting the light signal (see the light source and coherent detector as shown by figure 7A).
Referring to claims 18 and 28, Hosseini shows a conversion frequency of the light path converter module is configured based on a preset angular resolution and a scanning frequency of the FMCW LiDAR (see paragraph 37-39 note the change in the frequency between V1 and V2 to maintain a consistent angular rate also see figure 6 note the V1 signal and the V2 signal).
Referring to claims 19 and 26, Hosseini shows a frequency mixer module configured to mix local oscillator light with an echo signal of the light signal reflected from an obstacle to obtain a beat frequency signal, wherein the local oscillator light is partial light isolated from the light signal;
a light receiver module configured to perform photoelectric conversion on the beat frequency signal; and
a data processor module configured to perform sampling and data processing on an electrical signal outputted from the receiver module (see figure 7A note the coherent detector that receives the laser reference and the return also see paragraph 72 also see paragraph 73 note a data processor is inherent for determining range as required for a LIDAR device as taught by Hosseini).
Referring to claim 20, Hosseini inherently shows is one-to-one correspondence between the frequency mixer module and the second ports of the light path converter module (note this is inherent because the frequency mixer receives the laser reference from the laser that is also transmitted to the world through the light path converter as shown in figure 7A).
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) 5, 6, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosseini (20180267250) in view of Skirlo (20190265574).
Referring to claim 5, Hosseini fails to show but Skirlo shows a light intensity regulator unit, wherein
the light intensity regulator unit is coupled to the plurality of first output terminals, and is configured to enhance probe laser outputted from at least one of the first output terminals or attenuate probe laser outputted from other first output terminals (see paragraph 96 also see figures 8, 9, and 10A Ref 812 and 912). It would have been obvious to include the light intensity regulator unit as shown by Skirlo because this allows the system to output a desired power level based on ambient light conditions while maintaining power efficiency (see paragraph 98-102).
Referring to claim 6, the combination of Hosseini and Skirlo shows wherein the light intensity regulator unit comprises a semiconductor optical amplifier (see paragraph 96 of Skirlo as taught above).
Referring to claim 11, Hosseini fails to show but Skirlo shows an amplifier apparatus located between the light emitter module and the first converter apparatus, and is configured to amplify the light signal outputted from the light emitter module, and output the amplified light signal to the first converter apparatus (see figure 8 Ref 882). It would have been obvious to include the amplifier as shown by Skirlo because this allows for compensation of the losses through converter apparatus as taught by Skirlo (see paragraph 87-90).
Claim(s) 20, 22, 23, and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosseini (20180267250) in view of Hosseini (20220011409).
Referring to claims 20 and 27, Hosseini fails to show but Hosseini ‘409 shows the FMCW LiDAR further comprises: a scanner module configured to reflect the light signal, and reflect the echo signal to the light path converter module (see figure 7b). It would have been obvious to include the scanner as shown by Hosseini ‘409 because this allows for the LIDAR device to scan in azimuth as well as in elevation as taught by Hosseini ‘409.
Referring to claim 22, Hosseini fails to show but Hosseini ‘409 shows the scanner module comprises a one-dimensional scanner apparatus that rotates around a third rotation axis at a third frequency (see figure 7c note the polygonal scanner). It would have been obvious to include the scanner as shown by Hosseini ‘409 because this allows for the LIDAR device to scan in azimuth as well as in elevation as taught by Hosseini ‘409.
Referring to claim 23, Hosseini ‘409 shows the third rotation axis is parallel to the first direction (see figure 7c). It would have been obvious to include the scanner as shown by Hosseini ‘409 because this allows for the LIDAR device to scan in azimuth as well as in elevation as taught by Hosseini ‘409.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosseini (20180267250) in view of Hosseini (20220011409) and Jeong (20190212419).
Referring to claim 21, Hosseini ‘409 teaches the combination of a scanning mirror and a polygonal scanner (see paragraph 37 note the moving mirror and/or polygon mirror) however fails to specifically so an embodiment using both.
Jeong shows a similar device that includes a two-dimensional scanner apparatus configured to rotate along a first rotation axis at a first frequency, and rotate around a second rotation axis at a second frequency; or
two one-dimensional scanner apparatuses, one of which is configured to rotate around the first rotation axis at the first frequency and the other one of which rotates along the second rotation axis at the second frequency;
wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the first rotation axis, and the second direction is perpendicular to the second rotation axis (see figure 3 Ref 121 and 126 also see figure 4 Ref 122 and 127). It would have been obvious to include the scanner as shown by Jeong because this allows for scanning in a two dimensional plane as shown in figure 24.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jiang (20240255625), Seok (11754683), Davydenko (11237254), and Dunn (20210255324).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUKE D RATCLIFFE whose telephone number is (571)272-3110. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Isam Alsomiri can be reached at 571-272-6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUKE D RATCLIFFE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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