DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s Communication filed on 04/19/2024. In virtue of the communication:
Claims 1-12 are pending in the instant application.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
The references cited in the Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS(s)) filed on 04/19/2024 have been considered by the examiner.
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) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KONDO (U.S. Pub. 2020/0244039 A1).
Regarding claim 1, KONDO discloses a light emitting device (Figs. 1-15) comprising:
a plurality of light emitting elements (LD 102, Fig. 1);
a plurality of driving thyristors (thyristors S, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of light emitting elements and become conductive themselves to thereby feed a light emission current to the light emitting elements (current supplies to LD) and drive the light emitting elements (Fig. 1);
a selection unit including a plurality of selection thyristors (thyristors T, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of driving thyristors (S) and output a conduction signal for making the driving thyristors conductive when the selection thyristors become conductive themselves and alternately repeats a transfer period in which the plurality of driving thyristors are sequentially selected by shifting, in order, a position of the selection thyristor coming into a conduction state among the plurality of selection thyristors and a driving period in which the light emitting element is driven by the selected driving thyristor (driving thyristors S is driving by transfer thyristors T with timing periods, Fig. 8, pars [0036]-[0040] and [0168]-[0185]);
a light emission current supply unit (unit 22, Fig. 1) that supplies the light emission current to the light emitting element via the selected driving thyristor in the driving period; and
a current adjustment unit (transfer signal generation unit 21, Fig. 1) that supplies a conduction current of the selection thyristor and adjusts the conduction current of the selection thyristor in the driving period.
Regarding claim 2, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the current adjustment unit adjusts the conduction current based on a holding current of the selection thyristor (as of the current/voltage Vh as in Fig. 5C).
Regarding claim 3, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the light emission current supply unit supplies the light emission current in a light emission period in which the light emitting element is caused to emit light and stops the supply of the light emission current in a non-light emission period in which the light emission of the light emitting element is stopped (Fig. 8, pars [0177]-[0178]).
Regarding claim 4, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the light emission current supply unit alternately repeats the light emission period and the non-light emission period (Fig. 8, pars [0177]-[0178]).
Regarding claim 5, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the light emitting device includes a plurality of light emitting element groups (#1 - #4 of LD groups, Fig. 1) configured by the plurality of light emitting elements, the driving thyristors (S) are disposed for each of the light emitting elements of each of the plurality of light emitting element groups, and the selection thyristors (T) are disposed for each of the light emitting element groups and output the conduction signal to the plurality of driving thyristors of the light emitting element group in common (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, KONDO discloses a distance measuring device (Figs. 1-15) comprising:
a light emitting device (Fig. 1) including:
a plurality of light emitting elements (LD 102, Fig. 1);
a plurality of driving thyristors (thyristors S, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of light emitting elements and become conductive themselves to thereby feed a light emission current to the light emitting elements (current supplies to LD) and drive the light emitting elements (Fig. 1);
a selection unit including a plurality of selection thyristors (thyristors T, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of driving thyristors and output a conduction signal for making the driving thyristors conductive when the selection thyristors become conductive themselves and alternately repeats a transfer period in which the plurality of driving thyristors are sequentially selected by shifting, in order, a position of the selection thyristor coming into a conduction state among the plurality of selection thyristors and a driving period in which the light emitting element is driven by the selected driving thyristor (driving thyristors S is driving by transfer thyristors T with timing periods, Fig. 8, pars [0036]-[0040] and [0168]-[0185]);
a light emission current supply unit (unit 22, Fig. 1) that supplies the light emission current to the light emitting element via the selected driving thyristor in the driving period; and
a current adjustment unit (transfer signal generation unit 21, Fig. 1) that supplies a conduction current of the selection thyristor and adjusts the conduction current of the selection thyristor in the driving period;
a light receiving unit (unit 11, Fig. 15) that receives reflected light of light from the light emitting element reflected by an object (13) and generates a light reception signal (using unit 12, Fig. 15); and
a distance measuring unit (unit 12, Fig. 15) that measures a distance to the object based on the light reception signal (Fig. 15, pars [0224]-[0225]).
Regarding claim 7, KONDO discloses a light emitting device (Figs. 1-15) comprising:
a plurality of light emitting elements (LD 102, Fig. 1);
a plurality of driving thyristors (thyristors S, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of light emitting elements and become conductive themselves to thereby feed a light emission current to the light emitting elements (current supplies to LD) and drive the light emitting elements;
a selection unit including a plurality of selection thyristors (thyristors T, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of driving thyristors and output a conduction signal for making the driving thyristors conductive when the selection thyristors become conductive themselves and alternately repeats a transfer period in which the plurality of driving thyristors are sequentially selected by shifting, in order, a position of the selection thyristor coming into a conduction state among the plurality of selection thyristors and a driving period in which the light emitting element is driven by the selected driving thyristor (driving thyristors S is driving by transfer thyristors T with timing periods, Fig. 8, pars [0036]-[0040] and [0168]-[0185]);
a light emission current supply unit (unit 22, Fig. 1) that supplies the light emission current to the light emitting element via the selected driving thyristor in the driving period; and
a control unit (unit 20, Fig. 1) that performs control for stopping the supply of the conduction current to the selection thyristor in the driving period (Fig. 8, par [0177]).
Regarding claim 8, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the light emission current supply unit supplies the light emission current in a light emission period in which the light emitting element is caused to emit light and stops the supply of the light emission current in a non-light emission period in which the light emission of the light emitting element is stopped (Fig. 8, pars [0177]-[0178]).
Regarding claim 9, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the light emission current supply unit alternately repeats the light emission period and the non-light emission period (Fig. 8, pars [0177]-[0178]).
Regarding claim 10, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the light emission current supply unit supplies an electric current based on a holding current of the driving thyristor in the non-light emission period (as of the current/voltage Vh as in Fig. 5C).
Regarding claim 11, KONDO discloses the light emitting device wherein the light emitting device includes a plurality of light emitting element groups (#1 - #4 of LD groups, Fig. 1) configured by the plurality of light emitting elements, the driving thyristors (S) are disposed for each of the light emitting elements of each of the plurality of light emitting element groups, and the selection thyristors (T) are disposed for each of the light emitting element groups and output the conduction signal to the plurality of driving thyristors of the light emitting element group in common (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, KONDO discloses a distance measuring device (Figs. 1-15) comprising:
a light emitting device (Fig. 1) including:
a plurality of light emitting elements (LD 102, Fig. 1);
a plurality of driving thyristors (thyristors S, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of light emitting elements and become conductive themselves to thereby feed a light emission current to the light emitting elements (current supplies to LD) and drive the light emitting elements;
a selection unit including a plurality of selection thyristors (thyristors T, Fig. 1) that are disposed for each of the plurality of driving thyristors and output a conduction signal for making the driving thyristors conductive when the selection thyristors become conductive themselves and alternately repeats a transfer period in which the plurality of driving thyristors are sequentially selected by shifting, in order, a position of the selection thyristor coming into a conduction state among the plurality of selection thyristors and a driving period in which the light emitting element is driven by the selected driving thyristor (driving thyristors S is driving by transfer thyristors T with timing periods, Fig. 8, pars [0036]-[0040] and [0168]-[0185]);
a light emission current supply unit (unit 22, Fig. 1) that supplies the light emission current to the light emitting element via the selected driving thyristor in the driving period; and
a control unit (unit 20, Fig. 1) that performs control for stopping the supply of the conduction current to the selection thyristor in the driving period (Fig. 8, par [0177]);
a light receiving unit (unit 11, Fig. 15) that receives reflected light of light from the light emitting element reflected by an object (13) and generates a light reception signal (using unit 12, Fig. 15); and
a distance measuring unit (unit 12, Fig. 15) that measures a distance to the object based on the light reception signal (Fig. 15, pars [0224]-[0225]).
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY T VU whose telephone number is (571)272-1832. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Regis Betsch can be reached on 571-270-7101. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are 571-273-8300.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-2800.
/JIMMY T VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844
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