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 .
As per MPEP 2111 and 2111.01, the claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation and the words of the claims are given their plain meaning consistent with the specification without importing claim limitations from the specification.
In responding to this Office action, the applicant is requested to include specific references (figures, paragraphs, lines, etc.) to the drawings/specification of the present application and/or the cited prior arts that clearly support any amendments/arguments presented in the response, to facilitate consideration of the amendments/arguments.
Information Disclosure Statement
An Information Disclosure Statement has not been entered. Applicant is reminded of the duty to disclose material information under 37 CFR 1.56. If applicant wishes to have an Information Disclosure Statement made of record, please submit form PTO/SB/08, along with any statements and fees required by 37 CFR 1.97, prior to or along with the payment of the issue fee.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed June 2, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-2, 4-9, and 11-16 remain pending in this application. Claims 3 and 10 have been cancelled at applicant’s request. Claims 1 and 8 have been amended. Claims 15-16 have been added. No new matter has been added.
Applicant’s amendments to the Specification, Drawings, and Claims have overcome each and every objection and 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed February 6, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2022/0134659 A1 to Francis L. Leard, et al. (hereafter Leard).
Regarding Independent Claim 1, Leard discloses a data storage system (A phase change light valve system configured to store information: Leard, ¶[0033]), comprising:
a first laser configured to generate a read optical beam at a first wavelength (An unpatterned high fluence beam at a first λ: Leard, ¶[0027]);
a second laser configured to generate a write optical beam at a second wavelength (A second patterned low fluence write beam: Leard, ¶[0027]) different from the first wavelength (The second write beam operating at a second λ: Leard, ¶[0027]);
a 2D patternable light valve having a phase change material (A light valve comprising a phase change material: Leard, ¶[0025]),
wherein in response to the write optical beam (In response to the write optical beam: Leard, ¶[0028]),
one or more phase states in the phase change material are changed to form a spatial pattern (The phase change material undergoes a phase change: Leard, ¶[0028])
as data stored in the phase change material (The phase change encoding information in the phase change material: Leard, ¶[0033]),
wherein the phase change material is substantially non-responsive to the read optical beam at the first wavelength (The phase change material being non-responsive to the read optical beam at the first λ: Leard, ¶[0018]),
wherein the read optical beam is modulated by the spatial pattern of the phase states to encode the stored data as a two-dimensional pattern (The phase change encoding information in the phase change material: Leard, ¶[0033]),
the modulated read optical beam having higher fluence than the write optical beam (Disclosing the read optical beam as being a high fluence light while the write beam being low fluence: Leard, ¶[0027]).
Regarding Claim 2 and the substantially similar limitations of Claim 9, Leard discloses the data storage system of claim 1, wherein
the phase change material supports volumetric phase change (Disclosing a volumetric phase change light valve: Leard, Figure 1B).
Regarding Claim 4 and the substantially similar limitations of Claim 11, Leard discloses the data storage system of claim 1, wherein
the phase change material is a quantum dot phase change material (Disclosing a quantum dot phase change material light valve: Leard, Figure 1C).
Regarding Claim 5 and the substantially similar limitations of Claim 12, Leard discloses the data storage system of claim 1, wherein
the phase change material is a pixel strained phase change material (Disclosing a pixel strained phase change material light valve: Leard, Figure 1E).
Regarding Claim 6 and the substantially similar limitations of Claim 13, Leard discloses the data storage system of claim 1, wherein
the phase change material is a structured material (Disclosing a structured material light valve: Leard, Figure 1F).
Regarding Claim 7 and the substantially similar limitations of Claim 14, Leard discloses the data storage system of claim 1, wherein
the phase change material is a non-linear material phase change material (Disclosing a non-linear material phase change material light valve: Leard, Figure 1G).
Regarding Independent Claim 8, Leard discloses a method of storing data (A phase change light valve system configured to store information: Leard, ¶[0033]), comprising:
generating a read laser beam at a first wavelength (An unpatterned high fluence beam at a first λ: Leard, ¶[0027]);
generating a write laser beam (A second patterned low fluence write beam: Leard, ¶[0027]) at a second wavelength (The second write beam operating at a second λ: Leard, ¶[0027]); and
writing on a phase change material responsive to the write laser beam at the second wavelength (A light valve comprising a phase change material: Leard, ¶[0025]),
wherein in response to the write optical beam (In response to the write optical beam: Leard, ¶[0028]),
one or more phase states in the phase change material are changed to form a spatial pattern (The phase change material undergoes a phase change: Leard, ¶[0028])
as data stored in the phase change material (The phase change encoding information in the phase change material: Leard, ¶[0033]),
wherein the phase change material is substantially non-responsive to the read optical beam at the first wavelength (The phase change material being non-responsive to the read optical beam at the first λ: Leard, ¶[0018]),
wherein the read optical beam is modulated by the spatial pattern of the phase states to encode the stored data as a two-dimensional pattern (The phase change encoding information in the phase change material: Leard, ¶[0033]),
the modulated read optical beam having higher fluence than the write optical beam (Disclosing the read optical beam as being a high fluence light while the write beam being low fluence: Leard, ¶[0027]).
Regarding new Claim 15 and the substantially similar limitations of Claim 16, Leard discloses the method of claim 8, wherein
the modulated read laser beam is a high fluence 2D patterned beam (The read beam being modulated into a patterned beam: Leard, ¶[0070])
for modifying a target material by melting, fusing, sintering, or amalgamating (The patterned beam being suitable for melting, fusing, sintering, or amalgamating: Leard, ¶[0070]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed with respect to the amended claims have been fully considered but are thought to be fully addressed by the modified and new grounds of rejections above. Applicant’s response is considered to be a bona fide attempt at a response and is being accepted as a complete response.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2017/0232515 A1 to James A. DeMuth: Additive manufacturing method using a two-laser system wherein the substrate is reactive to one laser but non-reactive to the other.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER LANE REECE whose telephone number is (571)272-0288. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Richard Elms can be reached at (571) 272-1869. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHRISTOPHER LANE REECE/Examiner, Art Unit 2824
/PHO M LUU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2824
Prosecution Insights