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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-23 are pending.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9, and 11 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Independent claim 1 recites a laser distance ranging method comprising the steps of:
generating a dual comb radiation that comprises a first radiation portion with train of first radiation pulses having a first pulse repetition frequency and a second radiation portion with a train of second radiation pulses having a second pulse repetition frequency different from the first pulse repetition frequency;
using a first radiation splitter to split the first radiation portion into a first signal radiation portion and a first local oscillator radiation portion;
using a second radiation splitter to split the second radiation portion into a second signal radiation portion and a second local oscillator radiation portion;
combining the first signal radiation portion and the second signal radiation portion into a combined signal radiation;
directing the combined signal radiation onto an object;
receiving a signal thrown back from the object irradiated by the combined signal radiation;
splitting the signal into a first signal portion and a second signal portion;
superimposing, by the first radiation splitter, the first signal portion with the second local oscillator radiation portion to generate a first measurement signal;
superimposing, by the second radiation splitter, the second signal portion with the first local oscillator radiation portion to generate a second measurement signal; and
deducting a distance to the object from the first and second measurement signals.
Regarding claim 1, the prior art alone or as combined, fails to teach the steps of having two (first / second) radiation splitters in order to split the first / second radiation portions of the dual comb laser source into a first / second signal radiation portion, and a first / second local oscillator radiation portion. Then, after receiving the signal reflected back from the target, splitting the signal into a first / second signal portions, and superimposing (by the first / second radiation splitters) the first / second signal portion with the second / first local oscillator radiation portion to generate the first / second measurement signals.
The closet prior art, Nürnberg et al., Absolute laser ranging with sub-μm resolution from a free-running dual-comb Yb:CaF2 laser (“Nürnberg”), teaches:
generating a dual comb radiation that comprises a first radiation portion with train of first radiation pulses having a first pulse repetition frequency and a second radiation portion with a train of second radiation pulses having a second pulse repetition frequency different from the first pulse repetition frequency (Fig. 1c and Paragraph 1 [Introduction], lines 6-7, Page 1: Yb:CaF2 laser has a pulse repetition rate of 137 MHz, corresponding to an intrinsic ambiguity range of 1094 mm. The difference in pulse repetition rate is 952 Hz);
using a first radiation splitter to split the first radiation portion into a first signal radiation portion and a first local oscillator radiation portion (Fig. 1c, beam splitter (BS) located between the λ/2 wave plate and reference R. It should be noted that only one splitter is used to split the combined polarized combs into a signal and LO arms);
directing the combined signal radiation onto an object (Fig. 1c and Paragraph 2 [Experimental setup], lines 8-9, Page 1: In the signal arm, the combs are first reflected by the wedge (R, reference position) and then by the moving target (T));
superimposing, by the first radiation splitter, the first signal portion with the second local oscillator radiation portion to generate a first measurement signal (Fig. 1c and Paragraph 2 [Experimental setup], lines 9-12, Page 1: In the LO arm there is a quarter wave plate such that the polarization of the combs is exchanged upon returning to the nonpolarizing beam splitter (BS). This facilitates distance measurements via interference at the BS between the LO arm and the reflections from the reference and the target in the signal arm. It should be noted that only one beam splitter is used to superimpose the reflected signal from the target with the LO, while relying on polarization to distinguish LO signals attributed to different combs, in order to facilitate the two distance measurements);
deducting a distance to the object from the first and second measurement signals (Fig. 1c, Page 1: LIDAR setup, facilitating two simultaneous measurements of the distance. Also, Paragraph 1, lines 1-2, Page 2: Because we send both combs to each arm of the interferometer, the two polarization components of the beam after the beam splitter correspond to separate distance measurements with the role of the signal and LO combs exchanged).
Another prior art reference, Koos et al. (US20150070685Al), teaches a method for optical distance measurement that generates two frequency comb signals, where the first and second comb signals are provided with different line spacings in order to make a first and second distance measurements (Claims 1 and 4).
However, no prior art teaches or fairly suggests the claimed limitations of splitting and superimposing the comb signals utilizing two splitters, as recited in independent claim 1.
Claims 2-9, and 11 are allowable due to claim dependency.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/14/2024 is 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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10, and 12-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 10, lines 1-2, “the first local oscillator portion” lack antecedent basis. Previously, in claim 9, lines 2-3, splitter for “the first local oscillator radiation portion”. Line 3, “the second local oscillator portion” lack antecedent basis. Previously, in claim 9, line 7, to direct “the second local oscillator radiation portion “.
Regarding claim 12, lines 24-25, “the first signal portion” lack antecedent basis. Also, line 28, “the second signal potion” lack antecedent basis.
Claims 13-23 are also rejected by virtue of their dependency on claim 12.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHALIL ALI AHMAD whose telephone number is (571)270-0954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7am-4:30pm, Fridays 8am-12pm.
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/KHALIL ALI AHMAD/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
