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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/31/2024 was considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875).
Regarding Claim 26, Sprowl discloses an alignment and/or positioning device (Fig. 2, Paragraphs 0036-0047), comprising:
at least one first holding unit (Fig. 2, projection system 200, Paragraph 0036) configured for a positionally fixed mounting of a target (Fig. 2, projection surface 210, Paragraph 0042), of a laser projector (Fig. 2, laser sources 201, 202, 203, Paragraph 0036), of a 1-D sensor (Fig. 2, sensor 225, Paragraph 0043, the sensor 225 is a CMOS, which is an array of 1-D sensors), and of a micromirror (Fig. 2, the spatial light modulator 207 comprises a MEMS scanning mirror, Paragraph 0037); and
at least one second holding unit configured to mounting a laser module (Fig. 2, additional light source 211, Paragraph 0041) and at least one other laser module such that the position and/or alignment thereof can be modified (Fig. 2, additional optical alignment device 242, Paragraph 0041, lines 4-9).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-25 are allowed.
Regarding Claim 14, Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875) discloses a method for aligning and/or positioning a laser module (Fig. 2, laser sources 201, 202, 203, Paragraph 0036) of a laser projector relative to at least one other laser module (Fig. 2, additional light source 211, Paragraph 0041) of the laser projector (Paragraph 0039), the method comprising the following steps:
scanning a laser beam output (Fig. 2, light beams 204, 205, and 206, Paragraph 0038) by the laser module by a micromirror (Fig. 2, the spatial light modulator 207 comprises a MEMS scanning mirror, Paragraph 0037) over a region that includes a target (Fig. 2, projection surface 210, Paragraph 0042);
scanning another laser beam output Fig. 2, additional light beam 212, Paragraph 0041) by the other laser module by the same micromirror (Fig. 2, the spatial light modulator 207 comprises a MEMS scanning mirror, Paragraph 0037) over another region which includes the same target (Fig. 2, projection surface 210, Paragraph 0042);
detecting a reflection signal of the scanned laser beam and another reflection signal of the other scanned laser beam (Fig. 2, sensor 225, Paragraph 0043).
Neither Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875) nor the prior art of record specifically disclose “ … based on an operating parameter of the micromirror which is detected or ascertained simultaneously with the respective reflection signal and other reflection signal; and adapting the alignment and/or position of at least the laser module relative to the other laser module and/or adapting the alignment and/or position of the other laser module relative to the laser module, until a reflection of the reflection signal of the laser beam by the target and a reflection of the other reflection signal of the other laser beam by the target are detected with an at least substantially matching operating parameter of the micromirror.”.
Regarding Claim 24, Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875) discloses a laser projector (Fig. 2, Paragraphs 0036-0047), comprising:
at least one laser module (Fig. 2, laser sources 201, 202, 203, Paragraph 0036); and
at least one other laser module (Fig. 2, additional light source 211, Paragraph 0041), wherein at least the laser module and the other laser module are aligned and/or positioned relative to one another (Paragraphs 0038-0039), by:
scanning a laser beam output (Fig. 2, light beams 204, 205, and 206, Paragraph 0038) by the laser module by a micromirror (Fig. 2, the spatial light modulator 207 comprises a MEMS scanning mirror, Paragraph 0037) over a region that includes a target (Fig. 2, projection surface 210, Paragraph 0042);
scanning another laser beam output Fig. 2, additional light beam 212, Paragraph 0041) by the other laser module by the same micromirror (Fig. 2, the spatial light modulator 207 comprises a MEMS scanning mirror, Paragraph 0037) over another region which includes the same target (Fig. 2, projection surface 210, Paragraph 0042);
detecting a reflection signal of the scanned laser beam and another reflection signal of the other scanned laser beam (Fig. 2, sensor 225, Paragraph 0043).
Neither Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875) nor the prior art of record specifically disclose “ … based on an operating parameter of the micromirror which is detected or ascertained simultaneously with the respective reflection signal and other reflection signal; and adapting the alignment and/or position of at least the laser module relative to the other laser module and/or adapting the alignment and/or position of the other laser module relative to the laser module, until a reflection of the reflection signal of the laser beam by the target and a reflection of the other reflection signal of the other laser beam by the target are detected with an at least substantially matching operating parameter of the micromirror.”.
Regarding Claim 25, Belenkii et al. (US 2017/0285343) discloses a virtual retinal display in data glasses (Abstract), comprising:
Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875) further discloses
a laser projector (Fig. 2, Paragraphs 0036-0047) including:
at least one laser module (Fig. 2, laser sources 201, 202, 203, Paragraph 0036); and
at least one other laser module (Fig. 2, additional light source 211, Paragraph 0041), wherein at least the laser module and the other laser module are aligned and/or positioned relative to one another (Paragraphs 0038-0039), by:
scanning a laser beam output (Fig. 2, light beams 204, 205, and 206, Paragraph 0038) by the laser module by a micromirror (Fig. 2, the spatial light modulator 207 comprises a MEMS scanning mirror, Paragraph 0037) over a region that includes a target (Fig. 2, projection surface 210, Paragraph 0042);
scanning another laser beam output Fig. 2, additional light beam 212, Paragraph 0041) by the other laser module by the same micromirror (Fig. 2, the spatial light modulator 207 comprises a MEMS scanning mirror, Paragraph 0037) over another region which includes the same target (Fig. 2, projection surface 210, Paragraph 0042);
detecting a reflection signal of the scanned laser beam and another reflection signal of the other scanned laser beam (Fig. 2, sensor 225, Paragraph 0043).
Neither Belenkii et al. (US 2017/0285343), Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875), nor the prior art of record specifically disclose “ … based on an operating parameter of the micromirror which is detected or ascertained simultaneously with the respective reflection signal and other reflection signal; and adapting the alignment and/or position of at least the laser module relative to the other laser module and/or adapting the alignment and/or position of the other laser module relative to the laser module, until a reflection of the reflection signal of the laser beam by the target and a reflection of the other reflection signal of the other laser beam by the target are detected with an at least substantially matching operating parameter of the micromirror.”.
Additionally, neither Wood et al. (US 2008/0045841), Sverdrup et al. (US 2012/0105310), Wood et al. (US 2016/0135733), Wood et al. (US 2019/0239798), Smits (US 2022/0326594), Oyer et al. (US 2022/0045119), Guido et al. (US 11,480,793), Yamamoto et al. (US 2007/0120983), Nomoto et al. (US 2011/0096383), nor the prior art of record remedy the deficiencies of Belenkii et al. (US 2017/0285343) and Sprowl et al. (US 2012/0032875).
Reasons for Allowance/Examiner’s Comments
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: with respect to the allowable subject matter, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Specifically, regarding the allowability of independent claim 14: The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest a method comprising “ … based on an operating parameter of the micromirror which is detected or ascertained simultaneously with the respective reflection signal and other reflection signal; and adapting the alignment and/or position of at least the laser module relative to the other laser module and/or adapting the alignment and/or position of the other laser module relative to the laser module, until a reflection of the reflection signal of the laser beam by the target and a reflection of the other reflection signal of the other laser beam by the target are detected with an at least substantially matching operating parameter of the micromirror.”, along with other claim limitations. Claims 15-23 are allowable due to pendency on independent claim 14.
Specifically, regarding the allowability of independent claim 24: The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest a laser projector comprising “ … based on an operating parameter of the micromirror which is detected or ascertained simultaneously with the respective reflection signal and other reflection signal; and adapting the alignment and/or position of at least the laser module relative to the other laser module and/or adapting the alignment and/or position of the other laser module relative to the laser module, until a reflection of the reflection signal of the laser beam by the target and a reflection of the other reflection signal of the other laser beam by the target are detected with an at least substantially matching operating parameter of the micromirror.”, along with other claim limitations.
Specifically, regarding the allowability of independent claim 25: The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest a virtual retinal display in data glasses comprising “ … based on an operating parameter of the micromirror which is detected or ascertained simultaneously with the respective reflection signal and other reflection signal; and adapting the alignment and/or position of at least the laser module relative to the other laser module and/or adapting the alignment and/or position of the other laser module relative to the laser module, until a reflection of the reflection signal of the laser beam by the target and a reflection of the other reflection signal of the other laser beam by the target are detected with an at least substantially matching operating parameter of the micromirror.”, along with other claim limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM R ALEXANDER whose telephone number is (571)270-7656. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30 AM- 4:00 PM.
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/WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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