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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because figures in the drawings section lack any kind of reference label connecting them to a description in the specification, making the diagrams confusing to follow and understand. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, and 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hong et al. (United states Patent Application Publication 20220413095 A1) hereinafter Hong.
Regarding claim 1, Hong teaches a light detection and ranging receiving system ([Title]) comprising:
a plurality of lenses, an aperture and a detector ([Fig. 4]; [0032] an image sensor 130; [0058] According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 , the lens part 100 is configured to include a total of six lenses, and the filter part 120 is positioned adjacent to the rear of the aperture 110.), wherein
a vertex curvature of a lens of the plurality of lenses farthest from the detector is positive, lenses of the plurality of lenses on left and right sides of the aperture are asymmetric placed relative to the aperture, an instantaneous field of view angle gradually increases from a central field of view of the light detection and ranging receiving system to an edge field of view of the light detection and ranging receiving system, and a negative distortion gradually increases ([Fig. 4]; [0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a (wide-angle type) lens system).
Regarding claim 7, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1, comprising five lenses, wherein a first lens, a second lens and a third lens of the five lenses are located on a side of the aperture, a fourth lens, a fifth lens of the five lenses and the detector are located on another side of the aperture, the first lens, the third lens and the fifth lens are double-sided aspheric lenses, and the second lens and the fourth lens are spherical lenses ([0040] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens part is designed such that five lenses are spherical lenses and one lens is the aspherical lens, wherein the design may be changed according to specifications of a product.).
Regarding claim 8, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1, comprising eight lenses, wherein the first lens, the second lens, the third lens, the fourth lens and the fifth lens of the eight lenses are located on a side of the aperture, the sixth lens, the seventh lens and the eighth lens of the eight lenses and the detector are located on another side of the aperture ([0039] As a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens part 100 includes a plurality of lens arrays, and may preferably be composed of four to six lens groups. The more the number of lenses is provided, the higher resolution and high pixel images may be obtained;[0040] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens part is designed such that five lenses are spherical lenses and one lens is the aspherical lens, wherein the design may be changed according to specifications of a product.).
Regarding claim 9, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 8, wherein a surface of the first lens away from the detector is an aspheric surface, and another surface of the first lens and all surfaces of other lenses of the eight lenses are spherical surfaces ([0040] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens part is designed such that five lenses are spherical lenses and one lens is the aspherical lens, wherein the design may be changed according to specifications of a product; [0058] According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 , the lens part 100 is configured to include a total of six lenses).
Regarding claim 10, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1, comprising eight lenses, wherein a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens of the eight lenses are located on a side of the aperture, a fifth lens, a sixth lens, a seventh lens, and an eighth lens of the eight lenses and the detector are located on another side of the aperture, and each of the eight lenses is a spherical lens ([0039] As a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens part 100 includes a plurality of lens arrays, and may preferably be composed of four to six lens groups. The more the number of lenses is provided, the higher resolution and high pixel images may be obtained;[0040] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens part is designed such that five lenses are spherical lenses and one lens is the aspherical lens, wherein the design may be changed according to specifications of a product.).
Regarding claim 11, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1, comprising six lenses, wherein a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens of the six lenses are located on a side of the aperture, a fifth lens, a sixth lens of the six lenses and the detector are located on another side of the aperture, the first lens, the fourth lens, and the sixth lens are double-sided aspherical lenses, and the second lens, the third lens, and the fifth lens are spherical lenses ([0040] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens part is designed such that five lenses are spherical lenses and one lens is the aspherical lens, wherein the design may be changed according to specifications of a product; [0058] According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 , the lens part 100 is configured to include a total of six lenses).
Regarding claim 12, Hong teaches a light detection and ranging system comprising a light detection and ranging receiving system ([Title]), wherein
the light detection and ranging receiving system comprises a plurality of lenses, an aperture and a detector ([Fig. 4]; [0032] an image sensor 130; [0058] According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 , the lens part 100 is configured to include a total of six lenses, and the filter part 120 is positioned adjacent to the rear of the aperture 110.),
a vertex curvature of a lens of the plurality of lenses farthest from the detector is positive, lenses of the plurality of lenses on left and right sides of the aperture are asymmetric placed relative to the aperture, an instantaneous field of view angle gradually increases from a central field of view of the light detection and ranging receiving system to an edge field of view, and a negative distortion gradually increases ([Fig. 4]; [0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a (wide-angle type) lens system).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 2-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong in view of Panas et al. (United States Patent Application Publication 20210286053 A1), hereinafter Panas.
Regarding claim 2, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1,
Hong fails to teach the system wherein a maximum instantaneous field of view angle of the edge field of view is more than 1.2 times a minimum instantaneous field of view angle of the central field of view.
However, Panas teaches the system wherein a maximum instantaneous field of view angle of the edge field of view is more than 1.2 times a minimum instantaneous field of view angle of the central field of view ([0044] By “smaller scan area”, System A may zoom in by a factor of, for example 2-10, to create a significantly smaller field of view.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Hong to comprise the adjustable maximum field of view similar to Panas, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a known technique in the art to focus the lidar system on a fine or course field of view with a wide angle.
Regarding claim 3, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1,
Hong fails to teach the system wherein a maximum instantaneous field of view angle of the edge field of view is 1.5 to 5 times a minimum instantaneous field of view angle of the central field of view.
However, Panas teaches the system wherein a maximum instantaneous field of view angle of the edge field of view is 1.5 to 5 times a minimum instantaneous field of view angle of the central field of view ([0044] By “smaller scan area”, System A may zoom in by a factor of, for example 2-10, to create a significantly smaller field of view.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Hong to comprise the adjustable maximum field of view similar to Panas, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a known technique in the art to focus the lidar system on a fine or course field of view with a wide angle.
Regarding claim 4, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1,
Hong fails to teach the system wherein a maximum instantaneous field of view angle of the edge field of view is 3 to 4 times a minimum instantaneous field of view angle of the central field of view.
However, Panas teaches the system wherein a maximum instantaneous field of view angle of the edge field of view is 3 to 4 times a minimum instantaneous field of view angle of the central field of view ([0044] By “smaller scan area”, System A may zoom in by a factor of, for example 2-10, to create a significantly smaller field of view.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Hong to comprise the adjustable maximum field of view similar to Panas, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a known technique in the art to focus the lidar system on a fine or course field of view with a wide angle.
Regarding claim 5, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 1,
Hong fails to teach the system wherein an entrance pupil area of the light detection and ranging receiving system is variable.
However, Panas teaches the system wherein an entrance pupil area of the light detection and ranging receiving system is variable ([0067] In one embodiment the aperture control subsystem 310 may comprise an electronically controlled dynamic field stop subsystem, which in this example is identical in construction to the dynamically variable field stop 31c2. .... A field stop may thus be understood, in a broad sense, as a device or system which sets the limiting aperture defining the angular range of acceptance for viewing, which is what the dynamic field stop 310 operates to do.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Hong to comprise the adjustable maximum field of view similar to Panas, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a known technique in the art to focus the lidar system on a fine or course field of view with a wide angle.
Regarding claim 6, Hong teaches the light detection and ranging receiving system of claim 5,
Hong fails to teach the system wherein the entrance pupil area of the light detection and ranging receiving system gradually increases from the edge field of view to the central field of view.
However, Panas teaches the system wherein the entrance pupil area of the light detection and ranging receiving system gradually increases from the edge field of view to the central field of view ([0067] In one embodiment the aperture control subsystem 310 may comprise an electronically controlled dynamic field stop subsystem, which in this example is identical in construction to the dynamically variable field stop 31c2. .... A field stop may thus be understood, in a broad sense, as a device or system which sets the limiting aperture defining the angular range of acceptance for viewing, which is what the dynamic field stop 310 operates to do.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Hong to comprise the adjustable maximum field of view similar to Panas, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a known technique in the art to focus the lidar system on a fine or course field of view with a wide angle.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT WILLIAM VASQUEZ JR whose telephone number is (571)272-3745. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Thursday, Flex Friday, 8:00-5:00 PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HELAL ALGAHAIM can be reached at (571)270-5227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT W VASQUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/HELAL A ALGAHAIM/SPE , Art Unit 3645
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