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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 120.
Drawings
The originally filed drawings were received on 5/8/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 includes the abbreviation “LIDAR” in line 1. The full, unabbreviated word or phrase must be included the first time an abbreviation is used. Claims 2-11 are dependent on Claim 1, and hence inherit the deficiencies of Claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 12, 20, as best understood, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishizuka et al. (EP 0548848 A1).
Ishizuka et al. discloses a semiconductor optical device (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-14) for a LIDAR sensor system for a vehicle, the semiconductor optical device comprising a first portion (See for example 31A, 32A in Figure 1C) including a first microlens structure (See for example 31A in Figure 1C) configured to receive a first beam (See for example beam generated by element 1 in Figure 1C); and a first notch structure (See for example 32A in Figure 1C) coupled to the first microlens structure, the first notch structure configured to receive the first beam and direct the first beam into an environment of the vehicle (See for example 20 in Figure 1C; 101 in Figure 11; Page 2, lines 12-18; Page 3, lines 35-37; Page 7, lines 47-57); and a second portion (See for example (31B, 32B) or (31C, 32C) in Figure 1C) bonded to the first portion, the second portion including a second notch structure (See for example 32B or 32C in Figure 1C) surface configured to receive a second beam (See for example beam received by either element 4B, 4C in Figure 1C) from the environment of the vehicle; and a second microlens structure (See for example 31B or 31C in Figure 1C) coupled to the second notch structure, the second microlens structure configured to receive the second beam reflected by the second notch surface and direct the second beam to a receiver (See for example one of 4B or 4C in Figure 1C).
Ishizuka et al. further discloses a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-14) for a vehicle, the LIDAR system comprising a light source (See for example 1 in Figure 1C) configured to output a first beam (See for example beam generated by element 1 in Figure 1C); a semiconductor optical device (See for example 3 in Figure 1C), comprising a first portion (See for example 31A, 32A in Figure 1C) including a first microlens structure (See for example 31A in Figure 1C) configured to receive the first beam; and a first notch structure (See for example 32A in Figure 1C) coupled to the first microlens structure, the first notch structure configured to receive the first beam and direct the first beam into an environment of the vehicle (See for example 20 in Figure 1C; 101 in Figure 11; Page 2, lines 12-18; Page 3, lines 35-37; Page 7, lines 47-57); and a second portion (See for example (31B, 32B) or (31C, 32C) in Figure 1C) bonded to the first portion, the second portion including a second notch structure (See for example 32B or 32C in Figure 1C) configured to receive a second beam (See for example beam received by either element 4B, 4C in Figure 1C) from the environment of the vehicle; and a second microlens structure (See for example 31B or 31C in Figure 1C) coupled to the second notch structure, the second microlens structure configured to receive the second beam reflected by the second notch structure and direct the second beam to a receiver (See for example one of 4B or 4C in Figure 1C).
Finally, Ishizuka et al. further discloses an autonomous vehicle (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-14) comprising a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system (See for example Figure 1C), the LIDAR system comprising a light source (See for example 1 in Figure 1C) configured to output a first beam (See for example beam generated by element 1 in Figure 1C); a semiconductor optical device (See for example 3 in Figure 1C), comprising a first portion (See for example 31A, 32A in Figure 1C) including a first microlens structure (See for example 31A in Figure 1C) configured to receive the first beam; and a first notch structure (See for example 32A in Figure 1C) coupled to the first microlens structure, the first notch structure configured to receive the first beam and direct the first beam into an environment of the vehicle (See for example 20 in Figure 1C; 101 in Figure 11; Page 2, lines 12-18; Page 3, lines 35-37; Page 7, lines 47-57); and a second portion (See for example (31B, 32B) or (31C, 32C) in Figure 1C) bonded to the first portion, the second portion including a second notch structure (See for example 32B or 32C in Figure 1C) configured to receive a second beam (See for example beam received by either element 4B, 4C in Figure 1C) from the environment of the vehicle; and a second microlens structure (See for example 31B or 31C in Figure 1C) coupled to the second notch structure, the second microlens structure configured to receive the second beam reflected by the second notch structure and direct the second beam to a receiver (See for example one of 4B or 4C in Figure 1C).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-11, 13-19 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.
Claims 2-11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 12199132 to Wang.
U.S. Patent No. 12471393 to Wang.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2017/0176683 A1 to Héroux.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2005/0176161 A1 to Bapst et al.
CN 114236499 A to Cheng et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARNEL C LAVARIAS whose telephone number is (571)272-2315. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:30 AM-7 PM.
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, Stephone Allen can be reached at 571-272-2434. 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.
ARNEL C. LAVARIAS
Primary Examiner
Group Art Unit 2872
3/7/2026
/ARNEL C LAVARIAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872