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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/20/2025 and 12/24/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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)(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.
Claims 1-3 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (2022/0146682).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses an optical tracking device (at least Figure 2, 1100, LiDAR device), comprising: a circuit board (at least [0360] teaches a printed circuit board); a sensing light source (100, laser emitting unit), electrically connected to the circuit board and configured to emit sensing light ([0128] teaches 400, processer, may control 100, laser emitting unit); and a light shielding plate ([0208, 0210] teach the optic unit includes a beam collimation and steering component; Figure 9 depicts 230, steering component), disposed on the sensing light source (at least Figures 2 and 17), and comprising a light path reconstruction structure overlapping the sensing light source (at least Figure 17, 234, steering component), wherein the light path reconstruction structure has a first surface facing the sensing light source (bottom surface of 234, steering component), and a second surface away from the sensing light source (top surface of 234, steering component), wherein the first surface has a first micro structure ([0256] teaches 235, micro prisms, may be disposed on both surfaces of 236, substrate, thus interpreted as 235, micro prisms, to be present on the bottom surface), the second surface has a second micro structure (235, micro prisms, depicted to be on the top surface), and the sensing light passes through the first micro structure and the second micro structure in sequence after being emitted from the sensing light source (Figure 17, [0251-0252, 0256]).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 1, wherein the first micro structure is an uneven surface or a plurality of prism structures (235, micro prisms).
Regarding claim 3, Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 1, wherein the second micro structure comprises a plurality of prism structures or is an uneven surface ([0256] teaches 235, micro prisms, may be disposed on both surfaces of 236, substrate, thus interpreted as 235, micro prisms, to be present on the bottom surface).
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical element disposed between the light path reconstruction structure and the sensing light source (Figure 9, 210, collimation component, is disposed between 230, steering component, and 100, laser emitting unit).
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 4-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (2022/0146682) in view of Last et al. (2020/0111768).
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 1, but fails to teach a spacer, disposed between the circuit board and the light shielding plate, wherein the spacer has an accommodation space, and the sensing light source is disposed in the accommodation space. Park and Last are related because both teach an optical tracking device.
Last teaches an optical tracking device (Figure 2) comprising: a spacer (Figure 2, 120, spacer structure, and 170, shim), disposed between the circuit board (110, first substrate; [0039] teaches 110, first substrate, may be a printed circuit board) and the light shielding plate (160, second substrate), wherein the spacer has an accommodation space (at least the cavity formed by 124a, upper surface, and 170, shim), and the sensing light source is disposed in the accommodation space (131, light-emitting region).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Park to incorporate the teachings of Last and provide a spacer, disposed between the circuit board and the light shielding plate, wherein the spacer has an accommodation space, and the sensing light source is disposed in the accommodation space. Doing so would allow for a durable housing configuration that protects the components of the optical tracking device while maintaining functionality of the device.
Regarding claim 5, the modified Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 4, further comprising: a first adhesion layer, disposed between the spacer and the circuit board (Last: [0091] teaches an adhesive between the spacer and the substrate); and a second adhesion layer, disposed between the spacer and the light shielding plate (Last: [0084] teaches an adhesive is applied to an interface between 170, shim, and 162, mounting surface).
Regarding claim 6, the modified Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 5, wherein a height of the spacer on the circuit board is greater than a height of the sensing light source on the circuit board (Last: Figure 2).
Regarding claim 7, the modified Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 5, wherein there is a spacing between the spacer and the sensing light source (Last: Figure 2, spacing between 170, shim, and 131, light-emitting region).
Regarding claim 8, the modified Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 5, wherein the first adhesion layer, the second adhesion layer, and the spacer all surround the sensing light source on a projection plane of the circuit board (Last: Figure 2).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (2022/0146682) in view of Kubo (2024/0264346).
Regarding claim 9, Park discloses the optical tracking device according to claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the light shielding plate has a transmittance less than or equal to 30% for the sensing light. Park and Kubo are related because both teach an optical tracking device.
Kubo teaches an optical tracking device wherein the light shielding plate has a transmittance less than or equal to 30% for the sensing light ([0066] teaches 10, light absorber, has a maximum transmittance in 800-1200 nm wavelength of 10% or less; [0071, 0120] teach 10, light absorber, can be included in Lidar systems).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Park to incorporate the teachings of Kubo and provide wherein the light shielding plate has a transmittance less than or equal to 30% for the sensing light. Doing so would allow for reduction of ghost and flare while still having a high ability to detect objects and distances.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park (2026/0043904), Chin (2025/0383484), Kato (2025/0079801), Zhou (2024/0337776), Kalinowski (2024/0187554), Zhang (2024/0022696), Park (2023/0204731), Won (2023/0168376), Lee (2023/0161422), Finkelstein (2023/0130993), Fisher (2022/0229159), Ma (2020/0033711), Lin (2019/0227147), You (2019/0137665), Welford (2018/0269646), and Vasylyev (2012/0012741) disclose relevant optical tracking devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BALRAM T PARBADIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0602. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.
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, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BALRAM T PARBADIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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