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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/08/2024, 01/21/2025 and 01/14/2026 are 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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Guo (US 2022/0075159) in view of Kubota (US 2016/0363745) in view of Kingslake et al. (“Lens Design Fundamentals”, 2010, Examiner has provided an PFD copy).
Regarding claim 1, A large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens, wherein the objective lens comprises nineteen spherical lenses (Figure 1 depicts: 19 spherical lenses) that are arranged on the same optical axis, and the nineteen lenses sequentially comprise, from an object side to an image side (Figure 1, from left hand side of figure 1 to right and side of Figure 1), a first lens (Figure 1 depicts: 1, first lens), a second lens (Figure 1 depicts: 2, second lens), a third lens (Figure 1 depicts: 3, third lens), a fourth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 4, fourth lens), a fifth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 5, fifth lens), a sixth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 6, sixth lens), a seventh lens (Figure 1 depicts: 7, seventh lens), an eighth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 8, eighth lens), a ninth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 9, ninth lens), a tenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 10, tenth lens), an eleventh lens (Figure 1 depicts: 11, eleventh lens), a twelfth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 12, twelfth lens), a thirteenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 13, thirteenth lens), a fourteenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 14, fourteenth lens), a fifteenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 15, fifteenth lens), a sixteenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 16, sixteenth lens), a seventeenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 17, seventeenth lens), an eighteenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 18, eighteenth lens) and a nineteenth lens (Figure 1 depicts: 19, nineteenth lens), wherein the surface of the first lens facing the object side is a concave surface (Figure 1 depicts: 1, lens, concave on object side, left hand side) and the surface thereof facing the image side is a concave surface (Figure 1 depicts: 1, lens, concave on image side), the surface of the second lens facing the object side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 2, lens, convex on object side), wherein the surface of the third lens facing the object side is a concave (Figure 1 depicts: 3, lens, concave on object side) surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 3, lens, convex on image side), the surface of the fourth lens facing the object side is a concave surface (Figure 1 depicts: 4, lens, concave on object side) and the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 5, lens, convex on image side), the surface of the sixth lens facing the object side is a convex (Figure 1 depicts: 6, lens, convex on object side) surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 6, lens, convex on image side); wherein the surface of the seventh lens facing the object side is a convex (Figure 1 depicts: 7, lens, convex on object side) surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a concave surface (Figure 1 depicts: 7, lens, concave on image side), the surface of the eighth lens facing the object side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 7, lens, convex on object side) and the surface thereof facing the image side is a concave surface (Figure 1 depicts: 10, lens, concave on image side), the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 11, lens, convex on image side), the surface of the thirteenth lens facing the object side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 13, lens, convex on object side), wherein the surface of the fourteenth lens facing the object side is a concave surface (Figure 1 depicts: 14, lens, concave on object side) the surface of the fifteenth lens facing the image side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 15, lens, convex on image side), wherein the surface of the seventeenth lens facing the object side is a convex surface (Figure 1 depicts: 17, lens, convex on object side).
Guo fails to disclose an apparatus wherein, the first lens and the second lens are combined to form a cemented lens, the surface of the second lens facing the image side is a convex surface, and the concave surface of the first lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the second lens facing the object side are cemented together; the third lens, the fourth lens and the fifth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, the surface of the fourth lens facing the image side is a planar surface, the surface of the fifth lens facing the object side is a planar surface, the convex surface of the third lens facing the image side and the concave surface of the fourth lens facing the object side are cemented together, and the planar surface of the fourth lens facing the image side and the planar surface of the fifth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the seventh lens and the eighth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, the surface of the eighth lens facing the image side is a convex surface, and the concave surface of the seventh lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the eighth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the ninth lens, the tenth lens and the eleventh lens are combined to form a cemented lens, wherein the surface of the ninth lens facing the object side is a convex surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a planar surface, the surface of the tenth lens facing the object side is a planar surface the surface of the eleventh lens facing the object side is a convex surface the planar surface of the ninth lens facing the image side and the planar surface of the tenth lens facing the object side are cemented together, and the concave surface of the tenth lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the eleventh lens facing the object side are cemented together; the twelfth lens and the thirteenth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, wherein the surface of the twelfth lens facing the object side is a convex surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a concave surface, the surface of the thirteenth lens facing the image side is a concave surface, and the concave surface of the twelfth lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the thirteenth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the fourteenth lens and the fifteenth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, the surface of the fourteenth lens facing the image side is a concave surface, the surface of the fifteenth lens facing the object side is a convex surface and the concave surface of the fourteenth lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the fifteenth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the surface of the sixteenth lens facing the object side is a concave surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface; the seventeenth lens and the eighteenth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, the surface of the seventeenth lens facing the image side is a convex surface, the surface of the eighteenth lens facing the object side is a concave surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a concave surface, and the convex surface of the seventeenth lens facing the image side and the concave surface of the eighteenth lens facing the object side are cemented together; and the surface of the nineteenth lens facing the object side is a convex surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface.
Specifically regarding cementing limitations, Guo fails to disclose wherein: the first lens and the second lens are combined to form a cemented lens, and the concave surface of the first lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the second lens facing the object side are cemented together; the third lens, the fourth lens and the fifth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, the convex surface of the third lens facing the image side and the concave surface of the fourth lens facing the object side are cemented together, and the planar surface of the fourth lens facing the image side and the planar surface of the fifth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the seventh lens and the eighth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, and the concave surface of the seventh lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the eighth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the ninth lens, the tenth lens and the eleventh lens are combined to form a cemented lens, the planar surface of the ninth lens facing the image side and the planar surface of the tenth lens facing the object side are cemented together, and the concave surface of the tenth lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the eleventh lens facing the object side are cemented together; the twelfth lens and the thirteenth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, and the concave surface of the twelfth lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the thirteenth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the fourteenth lens and the fifteenth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, and the concave surface of the fourteenth lens facing the image side and the convex surface of the fifteenth lens facing the object side are cemented together; the seventeenth lens and the eighteenth lens are combined to form a cemented lens, and the convex surface of the seventeenth lens facing the image side and the concave surface of the eighteenth lens facing the object side are cemented together. However, cemented components are widely used in optical systems to reduce the number of air-glass interfaces and to improve chromatic correction and mechanical stability and is considered an optimizable design choice and well within the bounds of normal experimentation. See MPEP 2144.04, In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960), In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975), and In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955). Kubota discusses in [0100] sets of lenses that are cemented together to optimize performance, which a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize as a routine optical design choice. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to design choice to cemented any particular set of lenses together since it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable designs by routine experimentation. Since applicant has not disclosed that designing the specific order of cemented lenses described in the instant application solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose or produces and unexpected result or is tied to a specific parameter that distinguishes it from the prior art. Moreover, it appears that the invention would perform equally well with various optimized cemented lens configurations, and success in doing so would have been predictable. Therefore, the claimed use of numerous instances of cemented lenses represents a routine variation within the skill of the art.
Specifically regarding lens shape limitations, the modified Guo fails to disclose wherein, the surface of the second lens facing the image side is a convex surface, the surface of the fourth lens facing the image side is a planar surface, the surface of the fifth lens facing the object side is a planar surface, the surface of the eighth lens facing the image side is a convex surface, wherein the surface of the ninth lens facing the object side is a convex surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a planar surface, the surface of the tenth lens facing the object side is a planar surface the surface of the eleventh lens facing the object side is a convex surface wherein the surface of the twelfth lens facing the object side is a convex surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a concave surface, the surface of the thirteenth lens facing the image side is a concave surface the surface of the fourteenth lens facing the image side is a concave surface, the surface of the fifteenth lens facing the object side is a convex surface the surface of the sixteenth lens facing the object side is a concave surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface; the surface of the seventeenth lens facing the image side is a convex surface, the surface of the eighteenth lens facing the object side is a concave surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a concave surface, and the surface of the nineteenth lens facing the object side is a convex surface and the surface thereof facing the image side is a convex surface. However, choosing specific curvatures for a lens surface is considered a design choice and well within the bounds of normal experimentation. See MPEP 2144.04, In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960), In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975), and In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955). Kingslake discusses in “Lens Design Fundamentals” on page 219, second paragraph: there are many similar designs that have essentially the same performance as the airgap is varied and the curvatures are readjusted. Optical designers routinely adjust surface curvature to balance aberrations, manufacturability, and packaging constraints while maintaining overall system performance. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to design choice to adjust the curvatures of the lenses between: convex, concave and planar since it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable designs by routine experimentation. Since applicant has not disclosed that designing the specific lens curvatures described in the instant application solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose or produces an unexpected result or is tied to a specific technical feature to distinguish it over the prior art. Moreover, it appears that the invention would perform equally well with various optimized lens curvature configurations, and success in doing so would have been predictable. Therefore, the claimed use of the specified convex, concave and planar surfaces represents a routine variation within the skill of the art.
Regarding claim 2, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 1, wherein, the concave surface of the first lens facing the object side is a first lens surface, the surface where the first lens and the second lens are cemented together is a second lens surface, the convex surface of the second lens facing the image side is a third lens surface, the concave surface of the third lens facing the object side is a fourth lens surface, the surface where the third lens and the fourth lens are cemented together is a fifth lens surface, the surface where the fourth lens and the fifth lens are cemented together is a sixth lens surface, the convex surface of the fifth lens facing the object side is a seventh lens surface, the convex surface of the sixth lens facing the object side is an eighth lens surface, the convex surface of the sixth lens facing the image side is a ninth lens surface, the convex surface of the seventh lens facing the object side is a tenth lens surface, the surface where the seventh lens and the eighth lens are cemented together is an eleventh lens surface, the convex surface of the eighth lens facing the image side is a twelfth lens surface, the convex surface of the ninth lens facing the object side is a thirteenth lens surface, the surface where the ninth lens and the tenth lens are cemented together is a fourteenth lens surface, the surface where the tenth lens and the eleventh lens are cemented together is a fifteenth lens surface, the convex surface of the eleventh lens facing the image side is a sixteenth lens surface, the convex surface of the twelfth lens facing the image side is a seventeenth lens surface, the surface where the twelfth lens and the thirteenth lens are cemented together is an eighteenth lens surface, the concave surface of the thirteenth lens facing the image side is a nineteenth lens surface, the concave surface of the fourteenth lens facing the object side is a twentieth lens surface, the surface where the fourteenth lens and the fifteenth lens are cemented together is a twenty-first lens surface, the convex surface of the fifteenth lens facing the image side is a twenty-second lens surface, the concave surface of the sixteenth lens facing the object side is a twenty-third lens surface, the convex surface of the sixteenth lens facing the image side is a twenty-fourth lens surface, the convex surface of the seventeenth lens facing the object side is a twenty-fifth lens surface, the surface where the seventeenth lens and the eighteenth lens are cemented together is a twenty-sixth lens surface, the concave surface of the eighteenth lens facing the image side is a twenty-seventh lens surface, the convex surface of the nineteenth lens facing the object side is a twenty-eighth lens surface, and the convex surface of the nineteenth lens facing the image side is a twenty-ninth lens surface. (Examiner notes that claims 2 merely enumerates and labels lens surfaces and cemented interfaces already discloses by the modified lens system of claim 1 and does not introduce additional structural or functional limitations; therefore the modified Guo discloses all the elements present in claim 2)
Regarding claim 3, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 2.
Guo fails to disclose an apparatus wherein, the parameters of the first lens surface comprise R1=−10.834 to −10.098 mm, D1=6.673 to 6.921 mm, and ϕ1=12.145 to 13.514 mm, where R1 is the radius of curvature of the first lens surface, DI is the lens surface distance of the first lens surface, and ϕ1 is the effective clear aperture of the first lens surface; the parameters of the second lens surface comprise R2=44.389 to 46.237 mm, D2=15.786 to 16.234 mm, ϕ2=23.597 to 24.415 mm, where R2 is the radius of curvature of the second lens surface, D2 is the lens surface distance of the second lens surface, and ϕ2 is the effective clear aperture of the second lens surface; the parameters of the third lens surface comprise R3=−31.457 to −29.467 mm, D3=0.125 to 0.231 mm, and ϕ3=33.856 to 34.915 mm, where R3 is the radius of curvature of the third lens surface, D3 is the lens surface distance of the third lens surface, and ϕ3 is the effective clear aperture of the third lens surface; the parameters of the fourth lens surface comprise R4=−118.657 to −114.324 mm, D4=9.324 to 9.639 mm, and ϕ4=38.467 to 40.125 mm, where R4 is the radius of curvature of the fourth lens surface, D4 is the lens surface distance of the fourth lens surface, and ϕ4 is the effective clear aperture of the fourth lens surface; the parameters of the fifth lens surface comprise R5=−37.541 to −34.654 mm, D5=6.042 to 6.203 mm, ϕ5=41.921 to 43.015 mm, where R5 is the radius of curvature of the fifth lens surface, D5 is the lens surface distance of the fifth lens surface, and ϕ5 is the effective clear aperture of the fifth lens surface; the parameters of the sixth lens surface comprise R6=0, D6=13.658 to 14.132 mm, ϕ6=49.687 to 51.032 mm, where R6 is the radius of curvature of the sixth lens surface, D6 is the lens surface distance of the sixth lens surface, and ϕ6 is the effective clear aperture of the sixth lens surface; the parameters of the seventh lens surface comprise R7=−67.671 to −64.321 mm, D7=7.825 to 8.214 mm, and ϕ7=54.598 to 55.127 mm, where R7 is the radius of curvature of the seventh lens surface, D7 is the lens surface distance of the seventh lens surface, and ϕ7 is the effective clear aperture of the seventh lens surface; the parameters of the eighth lens surface comprise R8=124.982 to 130.475 mm, D8=24.658 to 25.479 mm, and ϕ8=63.985 to 64.125 mm, where R8 is the radius of curvature of the eighth lens surface, D8 is the lens surface distance of the eighth lens surface, and ϕ8 is the effective clear aperture of the eighth lens surface; the parameters of the ninth lens surface comprise R9=−75.984 to −73.411 mm, D9=0.265 to 0.478 mm, and ϕ9=64.934 to 65.984 mm, where R9 is the radius of curvature of the ninth lens surface, D9 is the lens surface distance of the ninth lens surface, and ϕ9 is the effective clear aperture of the ninth lens surface; the parameters of the tenth lens surface comprise R10=308.458 to 315.541 mm, D10=6.475 to 6.632 mm, and ϕ10=62.798 to 63.327 mm, where R10 is the radius of curvature of the tenth lens surface, D10 is the lens surface distance of the tenth lens surface, and ϕ10 is the effective clear aperture of the tenth lens surface; the parameters of the eleventh lens surface comprise R11=38.645 to 44.654 mm, D11=18.764 to 19.241 mm, and ϕ11=59.024 to 60.147 mm, where R11 is the radius of curvature of the eleventh lens surface, D11 is the lens surface distance of the eleventh lens surface, and ϕ11 is the effective clear aperture of the eleventh lens surface; the parameters of the twelfth lens surface comprise R12=−328.455 to −317.951 mm, D12=3.074 to 4.021 mm, ϕ12=59.312 to 60.147 mm, where R12 is the radius of curvature of the twelfth lens surface, D12 is the lens surface distance of the twelfth lens surface, and ϕ12 is the effective clear aperture of the twelfth lens surface; the parameters of the thirteenth lens surface comprise R13=43.217 to 46.398 mm, D13=15.846 to 16.352 mm, and ϕ13=58.498 to 59.214 mm, where R13 is the radius of curvature of the thirteenth lens surface, D13 is the lens surface distance of the thirteenth lens surface, and ϕ13 is the effective clear aperture of the thirteenth lens surface; the parameters of the fourteenth lens surface comprise R14=0, D14=6.045 to 6.134 mm, and ϕ14=56.413 to 57.041 mm, where R14 is the radius of curvature of the fourteenth lens surface, D14 is the lens surface distance of the fourteenth lens surface, and ϕ14 is the effective clear aperture of the fourteenth lens surface; the parameters of the fifteenth lens surface comprise R15=41.657 to 48.691 mm, D15=15.231 to 16.098 mm, and ϕ15=49.547 to 50.412 mm, where R15 is the radius of curvature of the fifteenth lens surface, D15 is the lens surface distance of the fifteenth lens surface, and ϕ15 is the effective clear aperture of the fifteenth lens surface; the parameters of the sixteenth lens surface comprise R16=−163.485 to −158.547 mm, D16=3.987 to 4.021 mm, and ϕ16 =49.134 to 50.145 mm, where R16 is the radius of curvature of the sixteenth lens surface, D16 is the lens surface distance of the sixteenth lens surface, and ϕ16 is the effective clear aperture of the sixteenth lens surface; the parameters of the seventeenth lens surface comprise R17=38.468 to 44.651 mm, D17=10.046 to 10.541 mm, and ϕ17=40.165 to 40.941 mm, where R17 is the radius of curvature of the seventeenth lens surface, D17 is the lens surface distance of the seventeenth lens surface, and ϕ17 is the effective clear aperture of the seventeenth lens surface; the parameters of the eighteenth lens surface comprise R18=60.134 to 71.347 mm, D18=3.647 to 4.067 mm, and ϕ18=35.145 to 35.654 mm, where R18 is the radius of curvature of the eighteenth lens surface, D18 is the lens surface distance of the eighteenth lens surface, and ϕ18 is the effective clear aperture of the eighteenth lens surface; the parameters of the nineteenth lens surface comprise R19=26.547 to 32.541 mm, D19=18.034 to 19.654 mm, and ϕ19=29.132 to 29.984 mm, where R19 is the radius of curvature of the nineteenth lens surface, D19 is the lens surface distance of the nineteenth lens surface, and ϕ19 is the effective clear aperture of the nineteenth lens surface; the parameters of the twentieth lens surface comprise R20=−29.451 to −32.475 mm, D20=2.458 to 4.425 mm, and ϕ20=26.123 to 26.841 mm, where R20 is the radius of curvature of the twentieth lens surface, D20 is the lens surface distance of the twentieth lens surface, and ϕ20 is the effective clear aperture of the twentieth lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-first lens surface comprise R21=45.374 to 49.324 mm, D21=22.348 to 25.487 mm, and ϕ21=30.546 to 30.987 mm, where R21 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-first lens surface, D21 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-first lens surface, and ϕ21 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-first lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-second lens surface comprise R22=−75.341 to −66.874 mm, D22=26.784 to 29.541 mm, ϕ22=40.568 to 41.025 mm, where R22 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-second lens surface, D22 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-second lens surface, and ϕ22 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-second lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-third lens surface comprise R23=−592.657 to −554.654 mm, D23=9.849 to 10.244 mm, and ϕ23=56.154 to 56.987 mm, where R23 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-third lens surface, D23 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-third lens surface, and ϕ23 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-third lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-fourth lens surface comprise R24=−89.354 to −85.214 mm, D24=0.178 to 0.211 mm, and ϕ24=58.324 to 59.016, where R24 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-fourth lens surface, D24 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-fourth lens surface, and ϕ24 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-fourth lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-fifth lens surface comprise R25=244.534 to 251.541 mm, D25=9.047 to 10.231 mm, and ϕ25=58.314 to 59.154 mm, where R25 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-fifth lens surface, D25 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-fifth lens surface, and ϕ25 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-fifth lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-sixth lens surface comprise R26=−141.354 to −136.214 mm, D26=9.475 to 11.347 mm, and ϕ26=57.987 to 59.015 mm, where R26 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-sixth lens surface, D26 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-sixth lens surface, and ϕ26 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-sixth lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-seventh lens surface comprise R27=84.394 to 87.398 mm, D27=44.674 to 50.379 mm, and ϕ27=56.124 to 57.621 mm, where R27 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-seventh lens surface, D27 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-seventh lens surface, and ϕ27 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-seventh lens surface; the parameters of the twenty-eighth lens surface comprise R28=132.437 to 136.124 mm, D28=10.754 to 11.314 mm, and ϕ28=65.564 to 66.314 mm, where R28 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-eighth lens surface, D28 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-eighth lens surface, and ϕ28 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-eighth lens surface; and the parameters of the twenty-ninth lens surface comprise R29=−326.154 to −317.645 mm, D29=123.457 to 134.637 mm, and ϕ29=65.324 to 66.654 mm, where R29 is the radius of curvature of the twenty-ninth lens surface, D29 is the lens surface distance of the twenty-ninth lens surface, and ϕ29 is the effective clear aperture of the twenty-ninth lens surface. However, optimizing the radii of curvature, lens surface distances and effective clear apertures of the lens surfaces previously defined in claim 2 is well within the bounds of normal experimentation. These parameters are well known result effective variables in optical system design and are routinely optimized to balance aberration correction, field of view, and resolution. See MPEP 2144.05 II (A). “Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. ”In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). A person skilled in the art would expect many workable solutions within and outside those ranges. Furthermore, “a particular parameter must first be recognized as a result-effective variable, i.e., a variable which achieves a recognized result, before the determination of the optimum or workable ranges of said variable might be characterized as routine experimentation. ”In re Antonie, 559 F.2d 618, 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977). In the case at hand, as discussed Supra, Kingslake teaches in “Lens Design Fundamentals” on page 219, second paragraph: there are many similar designs that have essentially the same performance as the airgap is varied and the curvatures are readjusted and establishes these lens parameters as a variable which achieves a recognized result. Therefore, the prior art teaches adjusting optimizing the radii of curvature, lens surface distances and effective clear apertures of the lens surfaces and identifies said sizes/ratios as result-effective variables. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective time of filing to try various optimized lens curvature configurations and distances, including the ranges above, of all 19 lenses since it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.
Regarding claim 4, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 3.
Guo fails to disclose wherein the cemented lens formed by the first lens and the second lens has a focal length of −29.522 mm, the cemented lens formed by the third lens, the fourth lens and the fifth lens has a focal length of 127.315 mm, the sixth lens has a focal length of 94.234 mm, the cemented lens formed by the seventh lens and the eighth lens has a focal length of −570.237 mm, the cemented lens formed by the ninth lens, the tenth lens and the eleventh lens has a focal length of 121.547 mm, the cemented lens formed by the twelfth lens and the thirteenth lens has a focal length of −226.157 mm, the cemented lens formed by the fourteenth lens and the fifteenth lens has a focal length of −51.524 mm, the sixteenth lens has a focal length of 101.647 mm, the cemented lens formed by the seventeenth lens and the eighteenth lens has a focal length of −437.35 mm, and the nineteenth lens has a focal length of 149.951 mm. However, choosing system requirements, such as: focal length, FOV or F/# etc., then optimizing: curvature, spacings and apertures is well within the bounds of normal experimentation. See MPEP 2144.05 II (A). “Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. ”In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). Furthermore, “a particular parameter must first be recognized as a result-effective variable, i.e., a variable which achieves a recognized result, before the determination of the optimum or workable ranges of said variable might be characterized as routine experimentation. ”In re Antonie, 559 F.2d 618, 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977). In the case at hand, as discussed Supra, Kingslake teaches in “Lens Design Fundamentals” on page 219, second paragraph: there are many similar designs that have essentially the same performance as the airgap is varied and the curvatures are readjusted and establishes these lens parameters as a variable which achieves a recognized result. Therefore, the prior art teaches adjusting curvature, spacings and apertures to achieve a selected focal length and identifies said sizes/ratios as result-effective variables. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective time of filing to adjusting curvature, spacings and apertures of all 19 lenses while holding focal length as a system requirement, since it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.
Claims 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Guo (US 2022/0075159) in view of Kubota (US 2016/0363745) in view of Kingslake et al. (“Lens Design Fundamentals”, 2010), as applied to claim 4 above, in view of Ikemori (US 4,206,973).
Regarding claim 5, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 4.
Guo fails to disclose wherein the first lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.85/30.06, the second lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.693/49.2, the third lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.922/20.882, the fourth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.816/46.5, the fifth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.804/46.56, the sixth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.5/66.05, the seventh lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.64/60.21, the eighth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.438/94.94, the ninth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.438/94.94, the tenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.755/27.54, the eleventh lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.5/66.05, the twelfth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.804/46.56, the thirteenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.784/25.72, the fourteenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.816/46.56, the fifteenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.693/49.23, the sixteenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.755/27.54, the seventeenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.497/81.59, the eighteenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.497/81.59, and the nineteenth lens has a refractive index/Abbe number of 1.64/60.214. However, optimizing the Abbe number, and necessarily the refractive index, is well within the bounds of normal experimentation. See MPEP 2144.05 II (A). “Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. ”In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). Furthermore, “a particular parameter must first be recognized as a result-effective variable, i.e., a variable which achieves a recognized result, before the determination of the optimum or workable ranges of said variable might be characterized as routine experimentation. ”In re Antonie, 559 F.2d 618, 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977). In the case at hand, Ikemori teaches in Col. 4, line 65 to Col. 5, lnes 36 that abbe numbers are adjusted lens by lens to correct chromatic aberrations, and establishes abbe number, and necessarily the refractive index as they are not independent choices and are selected together during glass selection, as a variable which achieves a recognized result. Therefore, the prior art teaches adjusting the abbe number and the refractive index and identifies said sizes/ratios as result-effective variables. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective time of filing to optimizing the Abbe number, and necessarily the refractive index of all 19 lenses since it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.
Regarding claim 6, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 5, wherein the objective lens satisfies: 0.5≤NA<0.7, the NA denoting the numerical aperture of the objective lens ([0027] discloses: relative aperture of 1/1.4; NA is calculated to be 0.699, which falls within the claimed range).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Guo (US 2022/0075159) in view of Kubota (US 2016/0363745) in view of Kingslake et al. (“Lens Design Fundamentals”, 2010) in view of Ikemori (US 4,206,973), as applied to claim 6 above, in view of Mercado (US 2016/0341934).
Regarding claim 7, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 6.
Guo fails to disclose a device wherein the objective lens satisfies: 6 mm≤FOV<10 mm, the FOV denoting the object-side effective field of view of the objective lens. Guo and Mercado are related because both disclose optical systems.
Mercado teaches a device wherein the objective lens satisfies: 6 mm≤FOV<10 mm, the FOV denoting the object-side effective field of view of the objective lens ([0095] teaches: focal length of 4.1 an FOV of 37 degrees, the mm FOV is calculated to be 6.18, which falls within the claimed range).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Guo to incorporate the teachings of Mercado and provide a device wherein the objective lens satisfies: 6 mm≤FOV<10 mm, the FOV denoting the object-side effective field of view of the objective lens. Doing so would allow for selected field of view and compactness of the system, thereby improving the overall functionality and quality of the optical system.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Guo (US 2022/0075159) in view of Kubota (US 2016/0363745) in view of Kingslake et al. (“Lens Design Fundamentals”, 2010) in view of Ikemori (US 4,206,973) in view of Mercado (US 2016/0341934), as applied to claim 7 above, in view of Sawamoto (US 2020/0192060).
Regarding claim 8, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 7.
Guo fails to disclose an apparatus wherein the objective lens satisfies: 400 nm≤Wavelength<1000 nm, the Wavelength denoting the effective working wavelength of the objective lens. Guo and Sawamoto are related because both disclose optical systems.
Sawamoto teaches an apparatus wherein the objective lens satisfies: 400 nm≤Wavelength<1000 nm, the Wavelength denoting the effective working wavelength of the objective lens ([0044] teaches: wavelength of 435 mm, which falls within the claimed range).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention of Guo to incorporate the teachings of Sawamoto and provide an apparatus wherein the objective lens satisfies: 400 nm≤Wavelength<1000 nm, the Wavelength denoting the effective working wavelength of the objective lens. Doing so would allow for wavelength selection with a predictable result and compatibility with the illumination source, thereby improving the overall functionality and efficiency of the optical system.
Regarding claim 9, the modified Guo discloses the large-field of view, high-resolution broadband objective lens according to claim 8.
Guo fails to disclose an apparatus wherein the objective lens satisfies: 2×10.sup.8≤SBP<1.08×10.sup.9, where the SBP denotes the imaging throughput of the objective lens, SBP=2×(FOV/r.sub.xy).sup.2, and the r.sub.xy denotes the lateral resolution of the objective lens. However, adjusting the lateral resolution with respect to the FOV is well within the bounds of normal experimentation. See MPEP 2144.05 II (A). “Where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. ”In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). Furthermore, “a particular parameter must first be recognized as a result-effective variable, i.e., a variable which achieves a recognized result, before the determination of the optimum or workable ranges of said variable might be characterized as routine experimentation. ”In re Antonie, 559 F.2d 618, 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977). In the case at hand, SBP is a derived performance metric and considered a variable which achieves a recognized result. Therefore, the prior art teaches adjusting the lateral resolution with respect to the FOV and identifies said sizes/ratios as result-effective variables. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective time of filing to adjust the lateral resolution with respect to the FOV since it is not inventive to dis-cover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Nishioka et al. (US 2021/013235), Imaoka et al. (US 2020/0319434), Am et al. (US 2020/0310256), Wang et al. (US 2017/0038567), Abe (US 2016/0116724) and Toyama et al. (US 2014/0240849) all disclose relevant optical systems.
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/J.C.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872