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
Amendment
The amendment filed on 04/29/2026 has been entered into this application. Claim 2 is cancelled.
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.
Claims 1, and 3-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vohra et al. (2021/0231499 A1) in view of Moggridge (2020/0300699 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 6, Vohra teaches of an optical detector for detecting implicitly a predetermined order (established or decided in advance wavelength(s)) of light (a light 36 having an established or decided in advance wavelength(s)) in light to be measured dispersed by diffraction grating 44 in a predetermined (established or decided in advance) direction and a spectroscopic measurement device (claim 6) is included in a spectrometer 20 (fig. 1, 5-7 and 16), the optical detector comprising:
a package a bundle of something/element(s) that is/are packed in a box or house/housing [pars. 0060-61] having an opening a spatial filter 41 comprises an aperture, slit or notch [pars. 0056-57];
an aperture, slit or opening in the spatial filter 41 is a window closing the opening and allowing the predetermined order of light the light 36 having an established or decided in advance wavelength(s) to transmit; and
a light detection element a detector 48 disposed implicitly inside the package the house/housing [pars. 0060-61], including
a light receiving region a collimating lens 42/diffraction grating 44/detector focusing lens 50 and detector 48 surface(s) facing the window the aperture, slit or opening in the spatial filter 41, and configured to detect the predetermined order of light the light 36 having an established or decided in advance wavelength(s), wherein:
the light receiving region a collimating lens 42/diffraction grating 44/detector focusing lens 50 and detector 48 surface(s) includes a plurality of light detection channels arranged in multichannel detector (figs. 2Aand 2B) [par. 0069] in the predetermined direction receiving divided Raman beam 46 passes through a detector focusing lens 50 that focuses the spatially separated wavelengths of the divided Raman beam 46 onto the detector 48 [pars. 0051-58], and the window includes:
a light transmitting member a collimating lens 42/detector focusing lens 50 surface(s) having a light incident surface and a light exit surface;
a light entrance portion is included in the spatial filter 66 comprises an aperture, or slit allowing light to be measured to be incident thereon [pars. 0074-78];
a diffraction grating is diffraction grating 64 configured to disperse the light to be measured incident from the light entrance portion, as can be seen in depicted drawing (figs. 1, 5-7); and
an analyzer is a spectrometer 60 configured to generate spectral data of the light to be measured; and the optical detector optical sensor 48.
Vohra also teaches of long pass filter [par. 0055] formed implicitly/obviously on the light incident beam(s) 26 surface and the light exit surface, and having a transmitted wavelength changing along the predetermined direction excitation laser wavelengths is been shifted [pars. 0078-79, 0086-87, 0091, 0108], and implicitly/obviously as the system is a unit/one directly/indirectly includes wherein the filter is formed on the light incident surface, and implicitly/obviously as the system is a unit/one directly/indirectly includes the light exit surface of the light transmitting member is joined to a peripheral portion of the opening of the package the bundle of something/element(s) that is/are packed in a box or house/housing [pars. 0060-61].
Vohra fail to explicitly specify the structure of the long pass filter as being a linear variable filter coating, however, even though, Vohra fail to teach the structural make-up of the filter as being a linear variable filter coating, the constructional/structural changes in material is considered obvious substitution/adjustment/variation, since based on the Applicant’s disclosure as found in as published specification [par. 0042], the applicants has described that the linear variable filter coat, functions as a long-pass filter. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Vohra with the linear variable filter coating filter, since the filter function in the same manner as the long pass filter, and would function in the manner set forth in applicant's claim(s), since the propose modification of the prior art would not change the principle of operation of the prior art invention being modified.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Vohra system as desired appropriate, such as in the manner set forth in applicant's claim(s), since the propose modification of the prior art would not change the principle of operation of the prior art invention being modified, since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
In addition, achieving a transmission wavelength variable filter by coating a transmission material with a film is generally common technical knowledge in the art, in order to enable the continuous extraction of multiple wavelengths by coating (i.e. a glass substrate) with a film whose thickness varies linearly in one direction in order to enhance image and allow a significant wavelength shift of the centering wavelength of the filter according to the point that is illuminated or in order to isolate specific wavelengths, create compact spectrometers, and enable hyperspectral imaging.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Vohra system as desired appropriate such as in the manner set forth in applicant's claim(s), since the propose modification of the prior art would not change the principle of operation of the prior art invention being modified, in order to enhance image and allow a significant wavelength shift of the centering wavelength of the filter according to the point that is illuminated or in order to isolate specific wavelengths, create compact spectrometers, and enable hyperspectral imaging, since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
Furthermore, Moggridge from the same field of endeavor teaches of using a linear variable filter coat formed on the light incident surface in order to convert shorter wavelengths to longer wavelengths such as visible to IR is known in the art, Moggridge (Moggridge, [pars. 0050-51].
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Vohra filter in the manner set forth in applicant’s claims, in view of the teaching of Moggridge in order to convert shorter wavelengths to longer wavelengths such as visible to IR, as per teachings of Moggridge (Moggridge, [pars. 0050-51].
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Vohra filter in the manner set forth in applicant’s claims, in view of the teaching of Moggridge in order to convert shorter wavelengths to longer wavelengths such as visible to IR, as per teachings of Moggridge (Moggridge, [pars. 0050-51], since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
As to claims 3-5, Vohra when modified by Moggridge, Vohra teaches of the features of claim 1, as applied to claims 2-5 comprising a spectrometer comprises an optical system adapted to receive a spectroscopy signal and alter that signal by moving a component of the optical system to shift the spectroscopy signal relative to an optical sensor (e.g., a CCD array sensor), a long pass filter that removes extraneous radiation (e.g., from the light source 22 or another source) prior to dispersing the spectroscopy signal 36 into a spectrum [par. 0055], and dispersed Raman signal relative to one or more sensor elements of the detector/optical sensor [par. 0024, 0058-59, 0066, 0078 and 0086, 0094].
Vohra fail to explicitly specify or teaches the constructional changes in the optical detector system of claim 1, as that claimed by Applicants claims 3-5, such as, wherein the predetermined order of light is primary light (claim 3); wherein the linear variable filter coat is a linear variable long-pass filter coat in which a cut-on wavelength changes along the predetermined direction, or a linear variable bandpass filter coat in which a transmitted wavelength band changes along the predetermined direction (claim 4); and wherein the window further includes a reflection reduction layer formed on the other one of the light incident surface and the light exit surface (claim 5).
However, even though, Vohra fail to teach the constructional changes in the device of claim 1, as that claimed by Applicants claims 3-5, the constructional changes differences are considered obvious design adjustment and variation in view of Vohra teaches that the light detection element is an optical sensor (e.g., a CCD array sensor); alternatively, the filter element may comprise a notch filter, or any other filter (e.g. long pass filter), the light having an established or decided in advance wavelength(s) is implicitly to any light source, the spatial filter 66 comprises an aperture, slit or notch as disclosed above. Further Vohra teaches that those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention and that changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims [par. 0111] in order to accurately provide a multi-dispersive spectrometer. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Vohra when modified by Moggridge optical system as desired appropriate, such as in the manner set forth in applicant's claims 3-5, in order to accurately provide a multi-dispersive spectrometer that allow for accurate identification of chemical properties, compositions, and structures of a sample, since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Vohra when modified by Moggridge optical system as desired appropriate, such as in the manner set forth in applicant's claims 3-5, in order to accurately provide a multi-dispersive spectrometer that allow for accurate identification of chemical properties, compositions, and structures of a sample, since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments/remarks, filed on 04/29/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of the references being used in the current rejection because the claims invention is broad enough to read individually on each of the references.
Additional Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references listed in the attached form PTO-892 teach of other prior art optical detector for detecting a predetermined order of light in light to be measured dispersed in a predetermined direction and a spectroscopic measurement device.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Isiaka Akanbi whose telephone number is (571) 272-8658. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tarifur R. Chowdhury can be reached on (571) 272-2287. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/ISIAKA O AKANBI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
Prosecution Insights