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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/26/24 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takashima et. al. (WO 2020/023969 A1) in view of Hua et. al. (US 2020/0110250 A1).
Regarding claim 1 Takashima teaches (figs. 10a – 11c, and 17a - 20) an optical system for modulating a light beam emitted by a laser light source, comprising:
a. a phase light modulation device (110) positioned to receive the laser light beam (para. 0034, 0095);
b. a 4f relay optics positioned to receive light emitted from the phase light modulation device (para. 0078), and having a tilt mirror positioned in the light path, the tilt mirror having a center hole that permits light to pass therethrough and relay to a focusing lens, whereby a modulated and linearly polarized beam is transmitted (fpara. 0045, see fig. 7); and
d. a digital micromirror device (16) comprising an array of micromirrors and that modulates amplitude of light in a pixelated manner by redirecting light into two directions comprising an on direction and an off direction, by electrically controlling the tilt angle of each micromirror (para. 0045-0046, and 0063-0064).
Takashima does not teach a quarter wave plate having a polarized beam splitter positioned to receive the modulated and linearly polarized beam.
Hua teaches (fig. 14) a quarter wave plate (108) having a polarized beam splitter (116) positioned to receive the modulated and linearly polarized beam (para. 0052).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the optical system as taught by Takashima with the quarter wave plate as taught by Hua for the benefit of higher beam alignment capabilities.
Regarding claim 2 Takashima as modified by Hua teaches (figs. 10a – 11c, and 17a - 20) an optical system, further comprising a polarizer that separates a rejected beam by a first interaction with the digital micromirror device from a diffracted beam by a second interaction of the beam with the digital micromirror device (para. 0072; see fig. 10).
Regarding claim 3 Takashima as modified by Hua teaches (figs. 10a – 11c, and 17a - 20) an optical system, where the phase light modulation device is one of a liquid crystal on silicon and a MEMS phase light modulator (para. 0094).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Further optical systems include Fujii (US 2012/0249989 A1), Futterer (US 2016/0327906 A1), and Takashima et. al. (US 2021/0144347 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT E TALLMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3958. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10 a.m. -6 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at 571-272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Robert E. Tallman/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872