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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
1. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/25/24 has been entered. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
3. The drawings filed on 07/25/24. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. Claim(s) 1-3, 12, 13, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Margalit et al. (Pub. No. 2022/0026271), in view of Borremans et al. (2023/0082539). Hereafter “Margalit”, “Borremans”.
Regarding Claim(s) 1, 12, Margalit teaches a detection device comprising:
a placement substrate capable of having an object to be detected placed thereon (the following figure 5 and figures 6, 7, element 206 is not different from a placement substrate with detected object 206A);
a light guide plate that is disposed on one side in a first direction of the placement substrate so as to overlap the placement substrate and has a light-transmitting property (figures 5-7, a light guide plate 208 on one side in a first direction of the placement substrate sample 206. It is inherent that light guide plate 208 has a light-transmitting property to transmit light in light path P4);
an optical sensor that is disposed on one side in the first direction of the light guide plate so as to overlap the light guide plate and arranged in a planar configuration (figures 5-7, photodetector 214 is not different from an optical sensor, which is disposed on one side in the first direction of the light guide plate 208); and
a light source that is disposed adjacent to the light guide plate in a second direction intersecting the first direction and is configured to emit light to a side surface of the light guide plate (figures 5-7, light source 202 being disposed adjacent to the light guide plate 208 in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and emits light to a side surface of the light guide plate 208).
However, Margalit does not teach the optical sensor comprising a plurality of photodetection elements. Borremans teaches the optical sensor comprising a plurality of photodetection elements, (figure 20A; [0103], pixel array comprises a plurality of photodetection pixel elements). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Margalit by having the optical sensor comprising a plurality of photodetection elements in order to detect a large surface.
Further, regarding to claim 12, Margalit teaches an optical structure that is provided on the light guide plate and is configured to transmit, toward the other side in the first direction, the light incident from the light source (the following figure 5, a plurality of the optical structures A are provided on a first surface 205 of the light guide plate 208, placement substrate 206, light source 202).
Regarding Claim(s) 2, Margalit teaches the light guide plate is provided with an optical structure configured to transmit, toward the placement substrate, the light incident from the light source, (the following figure 5, a plurality of the optical structures A are provided on a first surface 205 of the light guide plate 208, placement substrate 206, light source 202).
Regarding Claim(s) 3, Margalit teaches a plurality of the optical structures are provided, and the optical structures are provided on a first surface of the light guide plate on the optical sensor side thereof (the following figure 5, a plurality of the optical structures A are provided on a first surface 205 of the light guide plate 208).
Regarding Claim(s) 13, Margalit teach using the optical sensor in a state where the object to be detected is placed and not placed on the placement substrate, (the above figure 5, detected sample 206A to be detected is not different from placed on the placement substrate and sample 206B is not different from not placed on the placement substrate). However, Margalit does not teach a storage circuit configured to store base image data obtained by detecting the light emitted from the light source using the optical sensor in a state where the object to be detected is not placed on the placement substrate; and an image generation circuit configured to acquire captured image data obtained by detecting the light emitted from the light source using the optical sensor in a state where the object to be detected is placed on the placement substrate, and obtain, from a difference between the base image data and the captured image data, difference image data indicating a detection result in a state. Borremans teaches limitation ([0172, 0179]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Margalit by having a storage circuit in order to store data for inspection (Borremans, [0172, 0179]).
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6. Claim(s) 4, 7, 10, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Margalit et al. (Pub. No. 2022/0026271), in view of Borremans et al. (2023/0082539), further in view of Tsang et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0122094). Hereafter “Margalit”, “Borremans”, “Tsang”.
Regarding Claim(s) 4, Margalit and Borremans teach all the limitations of claims 1, 2, 3, as stated above except for the optical structures are scatterers configured to scatter the light that has propagated in the light guide plate and reached the scatterers. Tsang teaches the optical structures are scatterers configured to scatter the light that has propagated in the light guide plate and reached the scatterers, ([0031], lines 1-2; [0033], lines 1-9; [0038], lines 1-9; [0039]; Figures 2B, 2C, 2D, scatterer 152, light guide body 131). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Margalit and Borremans by having scatters in order to scatter light for inspection system.
Regarding Claim(s) 7, Margalit teaches an optical filter is provided between the light guide plate and the optical sensor, (figures 5-7, an optical filter 212, light guide plate 208, optical sensor 214).
Regarding Claim(s) 10, Margalit teach using the optical sensor in a state where the object to be detected is placed and not placed on the placement substrate, (the above figure 5, detected sample 206A to be detected is not different from placed on the placement substrate and sample 206B is not different from not placed on the placement substrate). However, Margalit and Tsang do not teach a storage circuit configured to store base image data obtained by detecting the light emitted from the light source; and an image generation circuit configured to acquire captured image data obtained by detecting the light emitted from the light source using the optical sensor and obtain, from a difference between the base image data and the captured image data, difference image data indicating a detection result. Borremans teaches limitation ([0172, 0179]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Margalit by having a storage circuit in order to store data for inspection (Borremans, [0172, 0179]).
7. Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Margalit et al. (Pub. No. 2022/0026271), in view of Borremans et al. (2023/0082539), further in view of Tsang et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0122094), further in view of Cho et al. (U.S. Pub. No. U.S. 2023/0110294). Hereafter “Margalit”, “Borremans”, “Tsang”, “Cho”.
Regarding Claim(s) 9, Margalit and Borremans and Tsang teach all the limitations of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, as stated above except for a first light source configured to emit first light, a second light source configured to emit second light having a different wavelength band from the first light, and a third light source configured to emit third light having a different wavelength band from the first and the second light. Cho teaches a first light source configured to emit first light, a second light source configured to emit second light having a different wavelength band from the first light, and a third light source configured to emit third light having a different wavelength band from the first and the second light, ([0011, 0036, 0060] green light source, blue light source, red light source are not different from the a first light source, the second light source and the third light source). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Margalit and Borremans and Tsang by having a first light source, a second light source, and a third light source in order to provide different wavelengths for inspection, (Cho, [0011, 0036, 0060]).
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 5, 6, 8, 11, are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
9. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: there was no prior art found by the examiner that suggested modification or combination with the cited art so as to satisfy the combination of all the limitations in claims 5, 6, 8, 11.
10. As claim 5, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious a detection device comprising a light guide plate disposed on one side in a first direction of the placement substrate so as to overlap the placement substrate; an optical sensor disposed on one side in the first direction of the light guide plate so as to overlap the light guide plate comprising a plurality of photodetection elements arranged in a planar configuration; and a light source that is disposed adjacent to the light guide plate in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of scatterers are provided on a first surface of the light guide plate to scatter the light that has propagated in the light guide plate and reached the scatterers; wherein the first surface of the light guide plate has a first region and a second region that have the same area and are positioned on one side of the light source in the second direction, the second region is located on one side of the first region in the second direction, and the number of the scatterers included in the second region is larger than the number of the scatterers included in the first region; in combination with the rest of the limitations of claims 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5.
11. As claim 6, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious a detection device comprising a light guide plate disposed on one side in a first direction of the placement substrate so as to overlap the placement substrate; an optical sensor disposed on one side in the first direction of the light guide plate so as to overlap the light guide plate comprising a plurality of photodetection elements arranged in a planar configuration; and a light source that is disposed adjacent to the light guide plate in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of scatterers are provided on a first surface of the light guide plate to scatter the light that has propagated in the light guide plate and reached the scatterers; wherein each of the scatterers has a circular shape having a first diameter when viewed in the first direction, and a minimum value of a distance between adjacent two of the scatterers is equal to or larger than three times the first diameter; in combination with the rest of the limitations of claims 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 6.
12. As claim 8, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious a detection device comprising a light guide plate disposed on one side in a first direction of the placement substrate so as to overlap the placement substrate; an optical sensor disposed on one side in the first direction of the light guide plate so as to overlap the light guide plate comprising a plurality of photodetection elements arranged in a planar configuration; and a light source that is disposed adjacent to the light guide plate in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of scatterers are provided on a first surface of the light guide plate to scatter the light that has propagated in the light guide plate and reached the scatterers; wherein each of the scatterers has a circular shape having a first diameter when viewed in the first direction, the optical filter comprises a light-blocking portion and a light guide portion, and the light-blocking portion has higher absorbance of the light than the light guide portion, and a maximum distance of the light guide portion along the second direction is larger than the first diameter of the scatterer; in combination with the rest of the limitations of claims 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 7 and 8.
13. As claim 11, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious a detection device comprising a light guide plate disposed on one side in a first direction of the placement substrate so as to overlap the placement substrate; an optical sensor disposed on one side in the first direction of the light guide plate so as to overlap the light guide plate comprising a plurality of photodetection elements arranged in a planar configuration; and a light source that is disposed adjacent to the light guide plate in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a plurality of scatterers are provided on a first surface of the light guide plate to scatter the light that has propagated in the light guide plate and reached the scatterers; wherein the light source comprises a first light source, a second light source, and a third light source, each light source emitting different wavelength band; wherein a first period during which the first light source is lit, a second period during which the second light source is lit, and a third period during which the third light source is lit are different from one another, and to obtain a detection result by combining first data obtained during the first period, second data obtained during the second period, and third data obtained during the third period; in combination with the rest of the limitations of claims 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 9 and 11.
Fax/Telephone Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRI T TON whose telephone number is (571)272-9064. The examiner can normally be reached on 8am-4pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michelle Iacoletti can be reached on (571)270-5789. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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February 21, 2026
/Tri T Ton/
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2877
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