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 § 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 1-5 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.
Scope of the limitation “a reflection body that reflects at least a portion of beams irradiated with which a scanning range of the scanning unit is irradiated” is indefinite. It is Important to note that even glass window satisfy the characteristics of the claim language. One can argue that any lens or Fresnel lens , window or other material like mirror can read on claimed language. Examiner will present at least two completely different art rejections for independent claim which show how one element can mean completely two different inventions.
According to Ex parte Miyazaki, 89 USPQ2d 1207 (BPAI 2008) : If a claim has multiple plausible interpretations, the applicant must amend it to clarify the metes and bounds; otherwise, it is indefinite under § 112(b),
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 and claims bellow are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by D1 US 20190293763 A1/ D2 US 20140320845 A1.
Regarding claim 1 D1/D2 teaches
[Claim 1] (Original) A sensor device comprising:
a scanning unit; and [0014]/[0002]
a reflection body(43)/(24)[0037] that reflects at least a portion of beams irradiated with which a scanning range of the scanning unit is irradiated,
wherein at least a portion of the reflection body is positioned at a plurality of places shifted from each other in a predetermined direction on one side in the predetermined direction with respect to a center of the scanning range. (fig. 1A+ fig. 3, 4)/(fig.2, 3)
[Claim 2] (Original) The sensor device according to (Original) The sensor device according to wherein at least the one portion of the reflection body has at least one of a pattern extending in a direction different from the predetermined direction and a pattern separated from each other in a direction different from the predetermined direction. (D1 fig. 4)
[Claim 3] (Currently amended) The sensor device according to (Currently amended) The sensor device according to wherein at least another portion of the reflection body is positioned at a plurality of places shifted from each other in a direction different from the predetermined direction on one side in the direction different from the predetermined direction with respect to the center of the scanning range. (D1 fig. 4)
[Claim 4] (Original) The sensor device according to (Original) The sensor device according to wherein at least the other portion of the reflection body has at least one of a pattern extending in the predetermined direction and a pattern separated from each other in the predetermined direction. (D1 fig. 4)
[Claim 5] (Currently amended) The sensor device according to any one of Claims Claim 1 to 4, further comprising: a translucent base material over which the reflection body is provided. (D1 [0045])
[Claim 6] (Currently amended) The sensor device according to any one of Claims Claim 1 to 5, wherein the reflection body is a heating element.[0045]
Alternative rejection for claims 1-5 with calibration pattern.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D3 US 20200094677 A1.
Regarding claim 1 D3 teaches
[Claim 1] (Original) A sensor device comprising:
a reflection body(26) that reflects at least a portion of beams irradiated
wherein at least a portion of the reflection body is positioned at a plurality of places shifted from each other in a predetermined direction on one side in the predetermined direction with respect to a center of the FOV. (fig. 4)
but does not teach
a scanning unit;
Although D1 does not explicitly teach scanning unit It will be obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art to modify teachings taught by D1 to place scanning unit in order to scan FOV.
Claims 2-5 D3 also teaches see (fig. 4-8)
As one can see in this scenario the reflection body is calibration pattern which is completely different in the scope from the heater which is described in the current Application(two completely different inventions).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOVHANNES BAGHDASARYAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7845. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuqing Xiao can be reached at (571) 270-3603. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOVHANNES BAGHDASARYAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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