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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyazono et al (EP2395380A1).
As to claim 1, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) an optical microscope (100), (paragraphs [0029]-[0030]) comprising: an optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11) and a confocal diaphragm (8), the confocal diaphragm (8) being arranged in a Fourier plane (SP) of the microscope (100), transverse to an optical axis (optical axis, light path) of the microscope (100), the Fourier plane (SP) being optically conjugate (conjugate) with an object plane (fluorescence image) via the optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11), the confocal diaphragm (8) being fixed relative to the microscope body (100), the microscope (100) being able to collect a light beam (light) from the object plane (fluorescence image), the optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11) being adapted to focus (focus) the light beam (IL, light) in the Fourier plane (SP) and to inject (incident) at least a portion of the light beam (light) through the confocal diaphragm (8), characterized in that the optical microscope (100) includes a refractive optical component (1) arranged between the optical system (12) and the confocal diaphragm (8), the refractive optical component (1) being rotatably mounted (drive unit 15 for rotating VPH 1 grating defines the refractive optical component rotatably mounted) transverse to the optical axis (10) of the microscope (100), in order to adjust (tilt) a lateral position of the focused (focus) light beam (light) relative to the confocal diaphragm (8), (paragraphs [0031]-[0033]).
As to claim 2, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) wherein the confocal diaphragm (8) comprises a confocal hole (pinhole), (paragraph [0031]).
As to claim 3, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) wherein the confocal diaphragm (8) is formed by an end of an optical fibre (2) having a core (passage and/or guiding light through fiber defines optical fiber having a core) with micrometric cross-sectional dimensions, (paragraph [0031]).
As to claim 4, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) comprising: an optical fibre connector (2, 3), the optical fibre connector (2, 3) being attached rigidly to the microscope body (100), the optical fibre connector (2, 3) being suitable for receiving the optical fibre end (2) in such a way that the optical fibre end (2) is arranged in a real image plane (fluorescence image) of the microscope (100), (paragraph [0031]).
As to claim 5, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 10) the optical microscope (105) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8) has an image numerical aperture (opening, slit) of less than 0.1, and wherein the refractive optical component (1a, 1b) comprises a transparent plate (28a, 28b) with flat and parallel faces, the plate (28a, 28b) being rotatably mounted (independently moved) about at least one axis (optical axis, light path) of rotation (rotating) transverse to the microscope optical axis (optical axis), (paragraphs [0109]-[0111]).
As to claim 6, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 10) the optical microscope (105) wherein the plate (28a, 28b) is a glass plate (28a, 28b), the plate (28a, 28b) having a thickness between 1 mm and 6 mm, (paragraph [0111]).
As to claim 7, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8) has an image numerical aperture (pinhole) adapted to that of the optical fibre (2) and wherein the refractive optical component (1) comprises a converging lens (lens) rotatably mounted (drive unit 15 rotating VPH grating 1 defines converging lens rotatably mounted) about a centre of rotation (rotation) on the microscope (100) optical axis (optical axis, light path) between the lens (lens) and the focal plane (fluorescence image) of the optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8), (paragraphs [0031]-[0033]).
As to claim 8, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) comprising: a laser source (LS) adapted to generate an excitation laser beam (laser light), the confocal diaphragm (8) being arranged between the optical system (7, 9, 1, 12) and a detector (13) adapted to detect a Raman scattering radiation (diffracted fluorescence), (paragraphs [0030]-[0031]).
As to claim 9, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) comprising: an opaque housing (confocal microscope structure defines opaque housing), the confocal diaphragm (8) and the refractive optical component (1) being arranged inside the housing (confocal microscope structure defines housing), the refractive optical component (1) being mounted on a translation and/or rotation stage (15), said stage (15) including optomechanical adjustment means (15), the optomechanical adjustment means (15) being accessible from the outside of the housing ( confocal microscope structure defines housing), (paragraphs [0031]-[0033]).
As to claim 10, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) comprises a microscope objective (6), (paragraph [0031]).
As to claim 11, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) an optical microscopy method comprising the following steps: collecting a light beam (light) from an object plane (fluorescence image) and focusing (focusing) the collected light beam (light) in a Fourier plane (SP) by means of an optical system (12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6) in a microscope (100), the Fourier plane (SP) being optically conjugate (conjugate) with the object plane (fluorescence image), the Fourier plane (SP) being transverse to an optical axis (optical axis) of the microscope (100); transmitting the collected light beam (light) through a refractive optical component (1) arranged between the optical system (12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6) and the Fourier plane (SP); focusing the light beam (light) transmitted on a confocal diaphragm (8) arranged in the Fourier plane (SP) of the microscope (100), the confocal diaphragm (8) being fixed with respect to the microscope body (1); adjusting the refractive optical component (1) by rotation (rotation, rotated) transverse to the microscope optical axis (optical axis) in order to adjust a lateral position of the focused (focus) light beam (light) relative to the confocal diaphragm (8), (paragraphs [0030]-[033]).
As to claim 12, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 10) the optical microscope (105) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8) has an image numerical aperture (opening, slit) of less than 0.1, and wherein the refractive optical component (1a, 1b) comprises a transparent plate (28a, 28b) with flat and parallel faces, the plate (28a, 28b) being rotatably mounted (independently moved) about at least one axis (optical axis, light path) of rotation (rotating) transverse to the microscope optical axis (optical axis), (paragraphs [0109]-[0111]).
As to claim 13, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 10) the optical microscope (105) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8) has an image numerical aperture (opening, slit) of less than 0.1, and wherein the refractive optical component (1a, 1b) comprises a transparent plate (28a, 28b) with flat and parallel faces, the plate (28a, 28b) being rotatably mounted (independently moved) about at least one axis (optical axis, light path) of rotation (rotating) transverse to the microscope optical axis (optical axis), (paragraphs [0109]-[0111]).
As to claim 14, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) comprising: a laser source (LS) adapted to generate an excitation laser beam (laser light), the confocal diaphragm (8) being arranged between the optical system (7, 9, 1, 12) and a detector (13) adapted to detect a Raman scattering radiation (diffracted fluorescence), (paragraphs [0030]-[0031]).
As to claim 15, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) comprising: an opaque housing (confocal microscope structure defines opaque housing), the confocal diaphragm (8) and the refractive optical component (1) being arranged inside the housing (confocal microscope structure defines housing), the refractive optical component (1) being mounted on a translation and/or rotation stage (15), said stage (15) including optomechanical adjustment means (15), the optomechanical adjustment means (15) being accessible from the outside of the housing ( confocal microscope structure defines housing), (paragraphs [0031]-[0033]).
As to claim 16, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) comprises a microscope objective (6), (paragraph [0031]).
As to claim 17, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) comprising: a laser source (LS) adapted to generate an excitation laser beam (laser light), the confocal diaphragm (8) being arranged between the optical system (7, 9, 1, 12) and a detector (13) adapted to detect a Raman scattering radiation (diffracted fluorescence), (paragraphs [0030]-[0031]).
As to claim 18, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) comprising: an opaque housing (confocal microscope structure defines opaque housing), the confocal diaphragm (8) and the refractive optical component (1) being arranged inside the housing (confocal microscope structure defines housing), the refractive optical component (1) being mounted on a translation and/or rotation stage (15), said stage (15) including optomechanical adjustment means (15), the optomechanical adjustment means (15) being accessible from the outside of the housing ( confocal microscope structure defines housing), (paragraphs [0031]-[0033]).
As to claim 19, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) comprises a microscope objective (6), (paragraph [0031]).
As to claim 20, Miyazono et al disclose (fig. 4) the optical microscope (100) wherein the optical system (12, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) comprises a microscope objective (6), (paragraph [0031]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DON J WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-8538. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m..
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/DON J WILLIAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2878
/GEORGIA Y EPPS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2878