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 § 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang (US 2024/0310488 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhang discloses a miniaturized LIDAR module ([0023]), comprising:
a mounting housing (2) ([0007]), a circuit board (5) arranged on the mounting housing (2) ([0011]), and a laser transceiver assembly (6) arranged on the mounting housing (2) ([0020]) and electrically connected to the circuit board (5) ([0143]), the mounting housing (2) comprises a circuit board mounting portion (24) arranged to support the circuit board (5) ([0120]: positioning members);
the circuit board (5) comprises at least one rigid circuit board and at least one flexible electrical connector electrically connected to the rigid circuit board ([0118]);
the circuit board (5) is a bent structure with an opening at one end ([0011], [0119]; Figures 9-11) and stuck on the circuit board mounting portion (24) ([0019]: “fixing columns”).
Regarding Claim 2, which depends from rejected Claim 1, Zhang further discloses wherein the circuit board (5) comprises a first PCB board (51) arranged on an upper surface of the circuit board mounting portion (24) , a second PCB board (52) arranged on a lower surface of the circuit board mounting portion (24) and opposite to the first PCB board (51), and at least one first flexible circuit board (53) for connecting the first PCB board (51) with the second PCB board (52) (Figure 11; [0120]: “The first positioning member 37 and the second positioning member 38 are arranged to facilitate controllable bending and fixing of the flexible circuit board 36, to ensure a stacking arrangement of the first rigid circuit board 41 and the second rigid circuit board 42,” The first board is in contact with the first positioning member, and the second board is identified with the second positioning member. Together the positioning members are identified with the circuit board mounting portion of the instant application.).
Regarding Claim 3, which depends from rejected Claim 2, Zhang further discloses wherein the first PCB board (51), the second PCB board (52) and the first flexible circuit board (53) are in an integral form ([0142]).
Regarding Claim 4, which depends from rejected Claim 2, Zhang further discloses wherein a cross-sectional shape of the circuit board (5) is matched with a cross-sectional shape of the circuit board mounting portion (24) ([0120]: “The first positioning member 37 and the second positioning member 38 are arranged to facilitate controllable bending and fixing of the flexible circuit board 36,”; Figure 11 also shows the flexible portion of the circuit board matching the shape between the positioning members.);
the first flexible circuit board (53) is in close contact with an end of the circuit board mounting portion (24) away from the opening (Figure 11; [0120]: “The first positioning member 37 and the second positioning member 38 are arranged to facilitate controllable bending and fixing of the flexible circuit board 36, to ensure a stacking arrangement of the first rigid circuit board 41 and the second rigid circuit board 42,” The first board is in contact with the first positioning member, and the second board is identified with the second positioning member. Together the positioning members are identified with the circuit board mounting portion of the instant application.) .
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 5-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Hu (US 2021/0104865 A1).
Regarding Claim 5, which depends from rejected Claim 1, Zhang further discloses wherein a top of the mounting housing (2) is provided with a first accommodating cavity (21) for supporting the laser transceiver assembly (6) ([0081]: “The first housing 313 may have a first cavity 3131, and the second housing 314 may have a second cavity 3141 communicated with the first cavity 3131.”) ; a bottom of the mounting housing (2) is provided with a second accommodating cavity (22), which is provided thereon with a through hole (23) communicating the first accommodating cavity (21) with the second accommodating cavity (22) ([0081]: “The first housing 313 may have a first cavity 3131, and the second housing 314 may have a second cavity 3141 communicated with the first cavity 3131.“);
Zhang does not teach and Hu does teach a bottom of the laser transceiver assembly (6) is provided with a temperature controller (4) electrically connected to the circuit board (5) ([0061]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching to include a TEC connected to the laser transceiver and a circuit board into the device of Zhang. Hu notes in [0003] that TECs are used for temperature control to ensure the stability of the working wavelength of the laser. This benefit can yield more accurate and higher quality measurements of the instrument’s target.
Regarding Claim 6, which depends from rejected Claim 5, Zhang further discloses wherein a base plate (1) is detachably arranged on a bottom of the mounting housing (2) ([0099]: transferring board 39);
an upper housing (3) is detachably arranged on a top of the mounting housing (2) (Figure 5, element 313, first housing); and
the base plate (1), the mounting housing (2) and the upper housing (3) are matched ([0096]: sealing ring between the housing portions requires that they be matched together) with each other to form a package structure to accommodate the temperature controller (4), the circuit board (5) and the laser transceiver assembly (6) ([0007], all components are disposed within the housing).
Regarding Claim 7, which depends from rejected Claim 6, wherein the base plate (1) is provided with a placement seat (11), and the placement seat (11) is arranged in the second accommodating cavity (22) and located below the through hole (23) ([0092]: “Further, the emitting board 322 may be provided with a first heat dissipation hole 3222 at the position corresponding to the emitting sensor, and the housing 31 may be provided with a second convex platform 3152 at the position of the emitting sensor. The second convex platform 3152 may contact the emitting sensor by passing through the first heat dissipation hole 3222, so that heat generated by the emitting sensor can be directly transferred to the housing 31.”); and
the temperature controller (4) is arranged on the placement seat (11) and connected to the laser transceiver assembly (6) through the through hole (23) ([0092]: “The second convex platform 3152 may contact the emitting sensor by passing through the first heat dissipation hole 3222, so that heat generated by the emitting sensor can be directly transferred to the housing 31.”).
Zhang does not teach and Hu does teach wherein the cooling components comprise contacting the placement seat comprise a thermoelectric cooler ([0061]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching to include a TEC connected to the laser transceiver and a circuit board into the device of Zhang. Hu notes in [0003] that TECs are used for temperature control to ensure the stability of the working wavelength of the laser. This benefit can yield more accurate and higher quality measurements of the instrument’s target.
Regarding Claim 8, which depends from rejected Claim 7, Zhang does not teach and Hu does teach wherein the temperature controller (4) comprises a semiconductor cooler (41) arranged on the placement seat (11) and having a cold end being in contact with and connected to the bottom of the laser transceiver assembly (6) (Abstract; [0018]), and a connector (42) having one end connected to the semiconductor cooler (41) and the other end electrically connected to the circuit board (5) ([0042], the pad 1 is identified here with a the connector).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching to include a TEC connected to the laser transceiver and a circuit board into the device of Zhang. Hu notes in [0003] that TECs are used for temperature control to ensure the stability of the working wavelength of the laser. This benefit can yield more accurate and higher quality measurements of the instrument’s target.
Regarding Claim 9, which depends from rejected Claim 8, Zhang further discloses wherein the connector (42) is a second flexible circuit board;
the connector (42) comprises a first connecting portion (421) connected to the semiconductor cooler (41) and arranged on a bottom of the circuit board mounting portion (24), a third connecting portion (423) arranged on the bottom of the circuit board (5), and a second connecting portion (422) connecting the first connecting portion (421) with the third connecting portion (423) ([0023], Figure 10, and [0124]-[0125] disclose a flexible circuit board 36 which is bent over on itself several times (bent portions 361 and 362). The examiner reasonably interprets this to be a zig-zag shape. The three regions formed by the first and second bent portions are identified by the examiner with the first, second, and third connecting portions of the instant application.).
Regarding Claim 10, which depends from rejected Claim 9, Zhang further discloses wherein the first connecting portion (421), the second connecting portion (422) and the third connecting portion (423) form a connector (42) having a zigzag shape; the first connecting portion (421), the second connecting portion (422) and the third connecting portion (423) are in an integral form ([0023], Figure 10, and [0124]-[0125] disclose a flexible circuit board 36 which is bent over on itself several times (bent portions 361 and 362). The examiner reasonably interprets this to be a zig-zag shape.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li (US 2022/0107394 A1) discloses a laser receiving device and a LiDAR which uses flexible printed circuits to connect components.
Akimoto (US 2019/0391239 A1) discloses a LiDAR housing with a top, middle, and bottom portion.
Minota (US 2010/0061735 A1) discloses an optical communication device which uses flexible printed circuit boards in a zig-zag configuration to connect components.
Edwards (US 2009/0211801 A1) discloses an optical transceiver with independent internal spaces.
Epitaux (US 2006/0291785 A1) discloses an optical transponder which uses a dual board flexible printed circuit.
Terui (US 2002/0008876 A1) discloses a laser device housing with several through holes through various internal components.
Miyamae (EP 1429164 A2) discloses an optical communication device with a flexible circuit substrates.
Suzuki (JP-H11177278-A) discloses an optical transmission and reception module which uses flexible printed circuit boards to connect components.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN WADE CLOUSER whose telephone number is (571)272-0378. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 - 5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ISAM ALSOMIRI can be reached at (571) 272-6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/B.W.C./ Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/ISAM A ALSOMIRI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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