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 § 103
2. 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.
3. Claim(s) 1-3, 5-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA (CN102192706A).
4. As to claim 1, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) a dynamic concentrator system (system), comprising: a lens (6) configured to receive (receive) an incoming light (incoming light) at an entrance angle α and direct the light beam (light) on a focus spot (focus spot) (§46, see D1, 1); a tracker platform (1, 2) having a detector optical aperture (5) and at least one (actuator), the detector optical aperture (5) being configured to receive the light beam (light beam) and the at least one actuator (actuator) being configured to move the detector optical aperture (5) in a spatial plane to a center location of the focus spot (focus spot); and at least one detector (8) configured to supply a directional feedback signal indicative of a position of the focus spot (focus spot), wherein the detector optical aperture (5), is moved in response to the directional feedback signal to the center location of the focus spot (focus spot), (§46, see D1, 1). NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA fail to disclose Etendue effect. However, the optical system structure as disclosed by NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA is used to control the light angle received by the lens. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the optical system of NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA in order to direct and/or concentrate more light on the center location of the focus spot to strengthen the signal response which defines the compensating for the Etendue effect.
5. As to claim 2, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the detector (8) comprises an Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) Avalanche Photodiode (APD) detector (Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) Avalanche Photodiode (APD) detector), (see D1, 1.2).
6. As to claim 3, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) further comprising: a receiver (8, 9) having a fiberoptic line (7) coupled to the at least one detector (8), (see D1, 1, 1.1).
7. As to claim 5, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the fiber optic line (7) comprises a fiber collimator (the collection lens 6 attached fibre 7 function as a fiber collimator) (§46 of see D1, 1), (see D1, 1.1).
8. As to claim 6, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the fiber collimator (the collection lens 6 attached fibre 7 function as a fiber collimator) is a bare end of the fiberoptic line (7), (see D1, 1, 1.1).
9. As to claim 7, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the detector optical aperture (5) comprises a fiber collimator (the collection lens 6 attached fibre 7 function as a fiber collimator) (§46 of see D1, 1).
10. As to claim 8, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the tracker platform (1, 2) comprises a tracking stage (tracking stage), and wherein the detector optical aperture (5) is affixed (affixed) to the tracking stage (tracking stage), (see D1, 1.1).
11. As to claim 9, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the at least one actuator (actuators) comprises a pair of actuators (actuators), each of the pair of actuators (actuators) being configured to move in a direction orthogonal to the other of the pair of actuators (actuators), (see D1, 1.2).
12. As to claim 10, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the one or more actuators (actuators) comprises an electromagnetic coil (electromagnetic coil), (see D1, 1.2).
13. As to claim 11, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the tracker platform (1, 2) includes at least one guide (104), (§46. See D1, 1.1).
14. As to claim 12 NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the at least one detector (8) comprises 5 x 5 detectors (8) or more arranged as a detector array (8) and configured to detect a silhouette image of a target (focus spot), (§46, see D1, 1.1).
15. As to claim 13, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) further comprising: a receiver (8, 9) having a multicore fiberoptic line (7) coupled to the detector array (8), wherein the receiver (8, 9) includes a controller configured to identify a target (focus spot), (see D1, 1, 1.1).
14. As to claim 14, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) a dynamic concentrator system (system), comprising: a lens (6) configured to receive (receive) an incoming light (incoming light) at an entrance angle α and direct the light beam (light) on a focus spot (focus spot) (§46, see D1, 1); a tracker platform (1, 2) having a detector optical aperture (5) and at least one or more (actuators), the detector optical aperture (5) being configured to receive the concentrated light beam (light beam) and the one or more actuators (actuators) being configured to move the detector optical aperture (5) to the focus spot (focus spot); and a receiver (8, 9) having at least one detector (8) optically coupled to the detector optical aperture (5) and configured to receive the concentrated light beam (light) from the detector optical aperture (5), and wherein the at least one detector (8) is configured to supply a directional feedback signal indicative of a position of the focus spot (focus spot), wherein the detector optical aperture (5), is moved in response to the directional feedback signal to the center location of the focus spot (focus spot), (§46, see D1, 1). NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA fail to disclose Etendue effect. However, the optical system structure as disclosed by NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA is used to control the light angle received by the lens. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the optical system of NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA in order to direct and/or concentrate more light on the center location of the focus spot to strengthen the signal response which defines the compensating for the Etendue effect.
15. As to claim 15, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the detector optical aperture (5) comprises a fiber collimator (the collection lens 6 attached fibre 7 function as a fiber collimator), (§46 of see D1, 1).
16. As to claim 16, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the detector (8) comprises an Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) Avalanche Photodiode (APD) detector (Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) Avalanche Photodiode (APD) detector), (see D1, 1.2).
17. As to claim 17, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the tracker platform (1, 2) comprises a tracking stage (tracking stage), and wherein the detector optical aperture (5) is affixed (affixed) to the tracking stage (tracking stage), (see D1, 1.1).
18. As to claim 18, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the tracker platform (1, 2) comprises a guide rod (104 ) and drive sleeve (drive sleeve) configured to travel (slides) along a portion of a length of the guide rod (104), and wherein the drive sleeve (drive sleeve) is connected directly or indirectly to the tracking stage (105) and configured to engage one of the one or more actuators (actuators) to move the tracking stage (105) along a first axis, (D1, 1.2).
19. As to claim 19, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the tracker platform (1, 2) comprises a second guide rods (104) and a second drive sleeves (drive sleeve) configured to travel along a portion of a length of the second guide rod (104), and wherein the second drive sleeve (drive sleeves) is connected directly or indirectly to the tracking stage (105) and configured to engage another one of the one or more actuators (actuators) to move the tracking stage (105) along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, (see D1, 1.2).
20. As to claim 20, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA disclose (fig. 1) the dynamic concentrator system (system) wherein the at least one detector (8) comprises 5 x 5 detectors (8) or more arranged as a detector array (8) and configured to detect a silhouette image of an object (focus spot); and the receiver (8, 9) includes a controller configured to identify the object based on the detected silhouette image (focus spot) (§46, see D1, 1.1).
21. Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA (CN102192706A) in view of Haiwara (5,798,831).
22. As to claim 4, NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA discloses (fig. 1) wherein the fiberoptic line (7) and the receiver (8,9), (See 1.1, 1.2). NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA fail to disclose a multicore fiber comprises a multicore collimator optically coupled to an end of the multicore fiber. Haiwara discloses (fig. 41) multicore fiber (54) comprises a multicore collimator (54) optically coupled to an end of the multicore fiber (54), (column 40, lines 7-24). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify NAT CT NANOSCIENCE NCNST CHINA to include multicore fiber comprises a multicore collimator optically coupled to an end of the multicore fiber as taught by Haiwara in order to conduct discriminating detection of minute circuit patterns and foreign particles as well as to detect defects on the surface of a substrate with high precision, (see Abstract to Hagiwara).
Conclusion
23. 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
/KEVIN K PYO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878