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(s) 1-4, 7-8, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gadhok US6275319.
Regarding independent claim 1, Gadhok discloses, in Figures 3-7,
A scanning apparatus (Gadhok; Fig. 3-7) for a LiDAR (Gadhok; title: “laser scanning”; intended-use limitation), the scanning apparatus comprising: a resonant motor (Gadhok; moving magnet motor 102) comprising a rotor (Gadhok; rotor 108) and a stator (Gadhok; stator 104), wherein the rotor is configured to rotate from a balance position (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; the neutral position; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110) to a predetermined position (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; the non-neutral position; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110) around a rotation shaft (Gadhok; the shaft 108a of rotor 108), and the stator comprises a restorer assembly (Gadhok; Fig. 3 and 11; nonlinear biasing element 160) configured to restore the rotor to the balance position around the rotation shaft (Gadhok; col. 7:1-4 “used to orient the rotor 108 in the shown neutral position when there is no current in the coils”); and a scanning mirror (Gadhok; scanning mirror 110) configured to reflect a light beam to perform optical scanning (Gadhok; title: “laser scanning”) and connected to the resonant motor for reciprocating swing of the scanning mirror (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110).
Regarding claim 2, Gadhok discloses The scanning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resonant motor further comprises: a magnetic ring comprising a plurality of pairs of magnets (Gadhok; Fig. 6; col. 6:62-67 the magnetic ring of eight magnets forming magnetic poles on rotor 108), wherein the plurality of pairs of magnets are arranged along a circumferential direction of the magnetic ring (Gadhok; Fig. 6); and a coil pack comprising a plurality of winding coils (Gadhok; Fig. 6; the assembly of coils 140/142/144/146), and the plurality of winding coils are arranged along the circumferential direction (Gadhok; Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 3, Gadhok discloses The scanning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of winding coils of the coil pack (Gadhok; Fig. 6; the assembly of coils 140/142/144/146) are located on an outer periphery of the magnetic ring and arranged surrounding the magnetic ring (Gadhok; Fig. 6; col. 6:62-67 the magnetic ring of eight magnets forming magnetic poles on rotor 108).
Regarding claim 4, Gadhok discloses The scanning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the restorer assembly (Gadhok; Fig. 3; nonlinear biasing element 160) is located on a side of the coil pack (Gadhok; Fig. 6; the assembly of coils 140/142/144/146) away (Gadhok; Fig. 3; nonlinear biasing element 160 is on the bottom-facing-side of the assembly of coils 140/142/144/146 that is facing perpendicularly-downwards and vertically-downwards and thus facing away from the magnets of the rotor 108) from the magnetic ring (Gadhok; Fig. 6; col. 6:62-67 the magnetic ring of eight magnets forming magnetic poles on rotor 108).
Regarding claim 7, Gadhok discloses The scanning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotor (Gadhok; rotor 108) further comprises the magnetic ring (Gadhok; Fig. 6; col. 6:62-67 the magnetic ring of eight magnets forming magnetic poles on rotor 108), and the stator (Gadhok; stator 104) further comprises the coil pack (Gadhok; Fig. 6; the assembly of coils 140/142/144/146) (Gadhok; Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 8, Gadhok discloses The scanning apparatus of claim 7, wherein a first action is configured to drive the rotor to rotate from the balance position to the predetermined position around the rotation shaft, wherein the first action comprises an interaction between a current transmitted in the plurality of winding coils of the coil pack and a magnetic field of the magnetic ring (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110).
Regarding independent claim 19, Gadhok discloses, in Figures 3-7,
A method (Gadhok; Fig. 3-7) of controlling a scanning apparatus (Gadhok; galvo scanner 100) for a LiDAR (Gadhok; title: “laser scanning”; intended-use limitation), the method comprising: controlling an exciting coil (Gadhok; Fig. 6; coil 140 of coils 140/142/144/146) surrounding a magnetic part (Gadhok; Fig. 6; magnetic tooth parts/poles 131 of magnetic teeth parts/poles 131-138 of magnetic eight-pole lamination 106) to regulate a magnetic field of the magnetic part, wherein the scanning apparatus comprises a resonant motor (Gadhok; moving magnet motor 102) comprising a rotor (Gadhok; rotor 108) and a stator (Gadhok; stator 104), the stator comprises a restorer assembly (Gadhok; Fig. 6; the assembly of coils 140/142/144/146 and magnetic teeth parts/poles 131-138 of magnetic eight-pole lamination 106), and the restorer assembly comprises the exciting coil (Gadhok; Fig. 6; coil 140 of coils 140/142/144/146) and the magnetic part (Gadhok; Fig. 6; magnetic tooth parts/poles 131 of magnetic teeth parts/poles 131-138 of magnetic eight-pole lamination 106); and causing the restorer assembly to form a predetermined effective magnetic field (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110).
Regarding claim 20, Gadhok discloses The method of claim 19, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate from a balance position (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; the neutral position; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110) to a predetermined position (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; the non-neutral position; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110) around a rotation shaft (Gadhok; the shaft 108a of rotor 108), the restorer assembly is configured to restore the rotor to the balance position around the rotation shaft, and the scanning apparatus further comprises a scanning mirror (Gadhok; scanning mirror 110), wherein the scanning mirror is configured to reflect a light beam to perform optical scanning (Gadhok; title: “laser scanning”) and connected to the resonant motor for reciprocating swing of the scanning mirror (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110).
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) 18 and 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gadhok US6275319 in view of Duan US20200381156.
Regarding independent claim 18, Gadhok discloses, in Figures 3-7, the invention substantially the same as described above in reference to independent claim 1, and
A scanning apparatus (Gadhok; Fig. 3-7) for a LiDAR (Gadhok; title: “laser scanning”; intended-use limitation), the scanning apparatus comprising: a resonant motor (Gadhok; moving magnet motor 102) comprising a rotor (Gadhok; rotor 108) and a stator (Gadhok; stator 104), wherein the rotor is configured to rotate from a balance position (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; the neutral position; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110) to a predetermined position (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; the non-neutral position; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110) around a rotation shaft (Gadhok; the shaft 108a of rotor 108), and the stator comprises a restorer assembly (Gadhok; Fig. 3 and 11; nonlinear biasing element 160) configured to restore the rotor to the balance position around the rotation shaft (Gadhok; col. 7:1-4 “used to orient the rotor 108 in the shown neutral position when there is no current in the coils”); and a scanning mirror (Gadhok; scanning mirror 110) configured to reflect a light beam to perform optical scanning (Gadhok; title: “laser scanning”) and connected to the resonant motor for reciprocating swing of the scanning mirror (Gadhok; Fig. 6 and 7A-7B; col. 7:15-30 forming the predetermined magnetic field to operate between the neutral position and away from the neutral position to adjust the angle of the scanning mirror 110).
Gadhok does not specifically disclose A LiDAR, comprising: a light emitter apparatus configured to generate detection light; wherein the scanning apparatus is configured to reflect the detection light to a three-dimensional space and reflect echo light formed by a target in the three-dimensional space reflecting the detection light; and a light receiver apparatus configured to detect the echo light.
Duan teaches A LiDAR, comprising: a light emitter apparatus configured to generate detection light (Duan; light projection unit 20 with laser diode LD module 21; [0002] lidar for object distance detection; [0020] for the purpose of detecting an object’s distance and direction); wherein the scanning apparatus is configured to reflect the detection light to a three-dimensional space (Duan; scanning assembly 30) and reflect echo light formed by a target in the three-dimensional space reflecting the detection light (Duan; [0084] FOV 70; [0088] echo light from an object/target surface); and a light receiver apparatus configured to detect the echo light (Duan; light reception unit 40).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the effective filing date of the invention to apply the scanning apparatus as taught by Gadhok to a lidar as taught by Duan for the purpose of detecting an object’s distance and direction (Duan; [0002] lidar for object distance detection; [0020] for the purpose of detecting an object’s distance and direction).
Regarding claim 21, Gadhok discloses The method of claim 19, further comprising: an effective magnetic field of the restorer assembly (Gadhok; Fig. 6; the assembly of coils 140/142/144/146 and magnetic teeth parts/poles 131-138 of magnetic eight-pole lamination 106).
Gadhok does not disclose detecting an effective magnetic field of the restorer assembly; and in response to a detection result of the effective magnetic field, controlling the exciting coil to regulate the magnetic field of the magnetic part.
Duan teaches detecting an effective magnetic field of the restorer assembly; and in response to a detection result of the effective magnetic field, controlling the exciting coil to regulate the magnetic field of the magnetic part (Duan; [0262] “magnetic sensor 482 detects the orientation of the magnet for detection 481 in real time, and outputs a signal of current or voltage corresponding to the orientation… The scanning speed calculation circuitry 484 converts the signal input by the ADC 483 into an orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481 based on the pre-restored corresponding relationship between the signal level of the magnetic sensor 482 and the orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481, then calculates, based on the temporal rate of change of the orientation angle, the rotation angular velocity of the magnet for detection 481, that is, the rotation angular velocity (scanning speed) of the mirror 401″, and provides the rotation angular velocity to the control circuitry 471.”; [0268] “The magnetic sensor 482 may also be a sensing coil or a Hall element… the magnetic sensor 482 can detect the change in the magnetic force when the mirror 401″ rotates.”; [0264] “The control circuitry 471 calculates, by using the angular velocity ω(t) of the mirror 401″ input by the ADC 483 at each timing t, the firing interval T for lighting the LD module 21 to obtain a desired resolution on the primary scanning lines 71a.”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the effective filing date of the invention to modify the controlling method as taught by Gadhok to include controlling the magnetic field based on the magnetic field detection as taught by Duan for the purpose of obtaining the desired scanning pattern (Duan; [0264] “The control circuitry 471… to obtain a desired resolution on the primary scanning lines 71a.”).
Regarding claim 22, Modified Gadhok teaches the invention substantially the same as described above, and The method of claim 21, wherein detecting the effective magnetic field of the restorer assembly comprises detecting the effective magnetic field in a power-on self-test process (Duan; the self-test is performed by the magnetic sensor 482 and test control adjustments are made by control circuitry 471 in response to the self-test by the magnetic sensor 482; [0262] “magnetic sensor 482 detects the orientation of the magnet for detection 481 in real time, and outputs a signal of current or voltage corresponding to the orientation… The scanning speed calculation circuitry 484 converts the signal input by the ADC 483 into an orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481 based on the pre-restored corresponding relationship between the signal level of the magnetic sensor 482 and the orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481, then calculates, based on the temporal rate of change of the orientation angle, the rotation angular velocity of the magnet for detection 481, that is, the rotation angular velocity (scanning speed) of the mirror 401″, and provides the rotation angular velocity to the control circuitry 471.”; [0268] “The magnetic sensor 482 may also be a sensing coil or a Hall element… the magnetic sensor 482 can detect the change in the magnetic force when the mirror 401″ rotates.”; [0264] “The control circuitry 471 calculates, by using the angular velocity ω(t) of the mirror 401″ input by the ADC 483 at each timing t, the firing interval T for lighting the LD module 21 to obtain a desired resolution on the primary scanning lines 71a.”).
Regarding claim 23, Modified Gadhok teaches the invention substantially the same as described above, and The method of claim 21, further comprising: detecting the magnetic field of the magnetic part in real time in a scanning process (Gadhok; col. 3:11-15 “scanning applications”) of the scanning apparatus (Duan; [0262] “magnetic sensor 482 detects the orientation of the magnet for detection 481 in real time, and outputs a signal of current or voltage corresponding to the orientation… The scanning speed calculation circuitry 484 converts the signal input by the ADC 483 into an orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481 based on the pre-restored corresponding relationship between the signal level of the magnetic sensor 482 and the orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481, then calculates, based on the temporal rate of change of the orientation angle, the rotation angular velocity of the magnet for detection 481, that is, the rotation angular velocity (scanning speed) of the mirror 401″, and provides the rotation angular velocity to the control circuitry 471.”; [0268] “The magnetic sensor 482 may also be a sensing coil or a Hall element… the magnetic sensor 482 can detect the change in the magnetic force when the mirror 401″ rotates.”; [0264] “The control circuitry 471 calculates, by using the angular velocity ω(t) of the mirror 401″ input by the ADC 483 at each timing t, the firing interval T for lighting the LD module 21 to obtain a desired resolution on the primary scanning lines 71a.”).
Regarding claim 24, Modified Gadhok teaches the invention substantially the same as described above, and The method of claim 21, further comprising: controlling the exciting coil to magnetize the magnetic part under a predetermined condition (Duan; the predetermined condition is the desired scanning resolution; [0262] “magnetic sensor 482 detects the orientation of the magnet for detection 481 in real time, and outputs a signal of current or voltage corresponding to the orientation… The scanning speed calculation circuitry 484 converts the signal input by the ADC 483 into an orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481 based on the pre-restored corresponding relationship between the signal level of the magnetic sensor 482 and the orientation angle of the magnet for detection 481, then calculates, based on the temporal rate of change of the orientation angle, the rotation angular velocity of the magnet for detection 481, that is, the rotation angular velocity (scanning speed) of the mirror 401″, and provides the rotation angular velocity to the control circuitry 471.”; [0268] “The magnetic sensor 482 may also be a sensing coil or a Hall element… the magnetic sensor 482 can detect the change in the magnetic force when the mirror 401″ rotates.”; [0264] “The control circuitry 471 calculates, by using the angular velocity ω(t) of the mirror 401″ input by the ADC 483 at each timing t, the firing interval T for lighting the LD module 21 to obtain a desired resolution on the primary scanning lines 71a.”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 5-6 and 9-17 is/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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 5, in combination with the other structures required by the base claim and intervening claims, the prior art fails to disclose, teach, suggest, or render obvious the claimed relative positioning between the coil pack and the magnetic ring, and it would not be obvious to reverse Gadhok’s coil pack and magnetic ring because doing so would change the principle of operation of the prior art invention being modified and/or would require a substantial reconstruction and redesign of the elements shown in Gadhok (MPEP 2143.01(VI) THE PROPOSED MODIFICATION CANNOT CHANGE THE PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION OF A REFERENCE).
Regarding claim 9, in combination with the other structures required by the base claim and intervening claims, the prior art fails to disclose, teach, suggest, or render obvious the claimed second action since the restorer assembly, as mapped in parent independent claim 1, is the nonlinear biasing element 160 (this is in contrast to how the restorer assembly is mapped for independent claim 19; it is noted that applicant’s claim 1 and claim 19 refer to different species in view of applicant’s disclosure in which claim 19 refers to applicant’s alternative species shown in applicant’s Figures 6-7).
Claims 6 and 10-17 are also indicated as having allowable subject matter due to their dependency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Matthew US20210033845 teaches discloses, in Figures 1-11 and 23, A scanning apparatus (Matthew; Fig. 1-11 and 23) for a LiDAR (Matthew; lidar system 100), the scanning apparatus comprising: a partially rotating portion (Matthew; rotatable scanning platform 824) and a static portion (Matthew; fixed platform 822), wherein the partially rotating portion is configured to rotate (Matthew; [0070] scanning platform 824 rotates on pivot axis) from a balance position to a predetermined position; a restorer assembly (Matthew; flexures 826/828); and a scanning mirror (Matthew; scanning mirror 810). However, Matthew does not disclose a stator, rotor, and a rotation shaft, and it would not be obvious to modify Matthew’s lidar system to include a stator, rotor, and rotation shaft because doing so would change the principle of operation of the prior art invention being modified and/or would require a substantial reconstruction and redesign of the elements shown in Matthew.
Shpunt US20180252914 teaches a resonant scanning mirror with magnetic and mechanical torsion springs.
Li US20190137610 teaches a lidar with a stator and a rotor.
Nakagawa US6064471 teaches, in prior art Figure 10, a mirror 4 on a revolving shaft 5, a magnet 40, and a movable coil 42 wound around a core 41.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN MALIKASIM whose telephone number is (313)446-6597. The examiner can normally be reached M-F; 8 am - 5 pm (CST).
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/JONATHAN MALIKASIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645 8/7/26
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