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 .
Preliminary amendments
The preliminary amendment filed 12/04/2024 has been entered.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/04/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kasamatsu et al. (US 2012/0310047 A1 Hereinafter Kasamatsu).
Regarding claim 1, Kasamatsu discloses a light source apparatus (light source apparatus of Fig. 15; light source apparatus 2, Fig. 1 and 4) comprising:
a first light source unit (visible light lamp 50, Fig. 20) that outputs first light having a wavelength in a visible light region (ordinary light L1, white light including wavelengths of a broad range of 400 to 700 nm, Fig. 4 and 20);
a second light source unit (near infrared laser diode 52, Fig. 20) that is disposed before the first light source unit (Fig. 20, specifically 52 is disposed on the optical axis of condenser lens 73 upstream of the dichroic combiner while lamp 50 is disposed in a direction orthogonal to that axis and folded into the same train), and outputs second light having a wavelength in a near-infrared region (excitation light L2, near infrared light with a wavelength from 750 to 790 nm, Fig. 4 and 20); and
a light guide (light guide LG, Fig. 4 and 20) on which the first light and the second light are incident (light incident end face 60 of light guide LG, Fig. 20), wherein
the first light and the second light are incident on the light guide in a coaxial optical path (Fig. 20, specifically the dichroic reflects ordinary light L1 toward condenser 73 and transmits excitation light L2 from 52a/52b so both are coaxial through condenser 73 onto LG).
Regarding claim 2, Kasamatsu discloses a beam shaping element (54 and 55, Fig. 20, Paragraph 0075) that is disposed between the second light source unit and the first light source unit, and controls an angular distribution of the second light.
Regarding claim 3, Kasamatsu discloses one or more condenser lenses (73, Fig. 20) disposed between the first light source unit (50, Fig. 20) and the light guide (LG, Fig. 20).
Regarding claim 9, Kasamatsu discloses the second light source unit (52, 52a, 52b, Fig. 4 and 15) includes one or more light emitting elements, and the one or more light emitting elements comprise semiconductor lasers (near infrared laser diodes 52a and 52b, Fig. 20).
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.
Claim(s) 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasamatsu et al. (US 2012/0310047 A1 Hereinafter Kasamatsu).
Regarding claim 6, Kasamatsu discloses a reflection mirror (75, Fig. 15) that is disposed after the beam shaping element (magnification lens 54 and collimating lens 55 / excitation light zoom lens 74 upstream of mirror 75, Fig. 15; emission angle converting element 400 of Iwane on the narrow-band path before combining) and reflects the second light in a first direction (toward dichroic 72, Fig. 15); and
a first synthesis mirror (dichroic of Fig. 20; dichroic 72, Fig. 15) that is disposed on an optical path of the second light (Fig. 15 and 20) and multiplexes the first light and the second light by transmitting the second light and selectively reflecting the first light in the first direction (Fig. 20, specifically the dichroic reflects ordinary light L1 toward condenser 73 and transmits excitation light L2 from 52a/52b).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included the reflection mirror of Kasamatsu Fig. 15 with the transmit-second / reflect-first synthesis of Kasamatsu Fig. 20 in the beam-shaped train of Kasamatsu, in order to fold one band and pass the other on a dichroic so both share condenser 73 and light guide LG after angular control of the near-infrared path.
Regarding claim 7, Kasamatsu discloses the first synthesis mirror comprises a dichroic mirror (dichroic of Fig. 20; dichroic 72, Figs. 15 or 20).
Claim(s) 4, 5, 8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasamatsu et al. (US 2012/0310047 A1 Hereinafter Kasamatsu) in view of Nagae et al. (US 12,004,722 B2 Hereinafter Nagae).
Regarding claim 4, Kasamatsu fails to teach an integrator optical system disposed between the light guide and the one or more condenser lenses.
Nagae teaches an integrator optical system (rod integrator 61, Fig. 3) disposed between the light guide (light guide cable 6, Fig. 1) and the one or more condenser lenses (59, Fig. 3, specifically condenser 59 condenses multiplexed light into rod 61, which homogenizes and emits toward the light guide).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included the integrator optical system of Kasamatsu as taught by Nagae, in order to homogenize the combined visible and near-infrared beam before launch into the light guide.
Regarding claim 5, Kasamatsu fails to teach a polarizing optical element disposed between the first light source unit and the one or more condenser lenses.
Nagae teaches a polarizing optical element (beam splitter 36 with dichroic mirror film 35, Fig. 9, specifically the first and second laser light beams may be polarized and combined by the beam splitter) disposed between a light source unit and the condenser (59, Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included a polarizing optical element of Kasamatsu as taught by Nagae, in order to multiplex source beams with a polarizing combiner already used in a medical light source feeding a condenser and guide.
Regarding claim 8, Kasamatsu fails to teach the first light source unit and the second light source unit are linearly disposed.
Nagae teaches the first light source unit and the second light source unit are linearly disposed (laser light sources of groups 81-83 arranged with opposed emission directions and combined in the same direction, Fig. 3; a plurality of laser light sources placed on the same surface of enclosure 94, Fig. 2 and 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included linearly disposing the first and second light source units of Kasamatsu as taught by Nagae, in order to pack the visible and near-infrared sources along a common combiner train into one condenser and light guide.
Regarding claim 10, Kasamatsu fails to teach the one or more condenser lenses include a high refractive index material.
Nagae teaches the optical train after the sources includes a high refractive index material (rod integrator 61 formed of synthetic quartz, Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included condenser lenses of a high refractive index material of Kasamatsu as taught by the synthetic quartz of Nagae, in order to more tightly couple the combined beam into the integrator and light guide.
Claim(s) 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasamatsu et al. (US 2012/0310047 A1 Hereinafter Kasamatsu) in view Ramesh et al. (US 10,687,697 B2 Hereinafter Ramesh).
Regarding claim 11, Kasamatsu in view of Iwane fails to teach at least one of a light amount sensor or a chromaticity sensor is disposed on a surface, of the reflection mirror, on an opposite side of a reflection surface of the reflection mirror.
Ramesh teaches at least one of a light amount sensor or a chromaticity sensor (infrared sensor 56, Fig. 2 and 3) is disposed on a surface, of the reflection mirror (first dichroic filter 50, Fig. 3), on an opposite side of a reflection surface of the reflection mirror (Fig. 3, specifically sensor 56 is adjacent dichroic 50 at a location opposite laser diode 30).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included a light amount or chromaticity sensor of Kasamatsu as taught by Ramesh, in order to monitor near-infrared output through the combiner for intensity control.
Regarding claim 12, Kasamatsu fails to teach a third light source unit that is disposed between the first light source unit and the one or more condenser lenses, and outputs third light having a wavelength in a visible light region.
Ramesh teaches a third light source unit (second LED 34, Fig. 3) that is disposed between the first light source unit (first LED 32, Fig. 3) and the one or more condenser lenses (lens system 22, Fig. 1A), and outputs third light having a wavelength in a visible light region (Fig. 3, specifically green LED 34).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included a third visible light source unit of Kasamatsu as taught by Ramesh, in order to add a further visible color into the same dichroic train that already combines visible and near-infrared into the light guide.
Regarding claim 13, Kasamatsu fails to teach a second synthesis mirror that is disposed on an optical path of the first light and the second light that are multiplexed, and multiplexes the first light, the second light, and the third light by transmitting the third light and selectively reflecting the first light and the second light in a second direction.
Ramesh teaches a second synthesis mirror (second dichroic filter 52, Fig. 3) that is disposed on an optical path of the first light and the second light that are multiplexed (Fig. 3), and multiplexes the first light, the second light, and the third light by transmitting the third light and selectively reflecting the first light and the second light in a second direction (52, Fig. 3, specifically dichroic 52 allows red and green to pass while reflecting blue into the common path).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included a second synthesis mirror of Kasamatsu as taught by Ramesh, in order to fold a third visible color onto the already combined visible / near-infrared path before the condenser and light guide.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasamatsu et al. (US 2012/0310047 A1 Hereinafter Kasamatsu) in view of Ramesh et al. (US 10,687,697 B2 Hereinafter Ramesh) and Nagae et al. (US 12,004,722 B2 Hereinafter Nagae).
Regarding claim 14, Kasamatsu in view of Ramesh fails to teach the second synthesis mirror comprises a polarizing beam splitter.
Nagae teaches the second synthesis mirror comprises a polarizing beam splitter (beam splitter 36, Fig. 9, specifically the first laser light beam and the second laser light beam may be polarized and combined by the beam splitter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included a polarizing beam splitter of Kasamatsu as taught by Nagae, in order to multiplex an additional color onto the combined path with a polarizing combiner already used in a medical light source.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasamatsu et al. (US 2012/0310047 A1 Hereinafter Kasamatsu) in view of Ramesh et al. (US 10,687,697 B2 Hereinafter Ramesh) and Yang et al. (US 9,547,165 B2 Hereinafter Yang).
Regarding claim 15, Kasamatsu in view of Ramesh fails to teach the first light comprises blue light and the third light comprises yellow light.
Yang teaches the first light comprises blue light (blue LED 223, Fig. 2; or blue/UV LED of white LED 330, Fig. 3) and the third light comprises yellow light (white LED 330 including a blue or UV LED with a phosphor coating generating visible light from 400 nm to 700 nm, Fig. 3, specifically phosphor-converted visible light which includes a yellow band).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included blue first light and yellow third light of Kasamatsu as taught by Yang, in order to build white illumination from a blue pump plus a longer-wavelength converted band in the same endoscope light source that already combines visible and near-infrared into one guide.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kasamatsu et al. (US 2012/0310047 A1 Hereinafter Kasamatsu) in view of Ramesh et al. (US 10,687,697 B2 Hereinafter Ramesh) and Tanaka et al. (US 10,869,596 B2 Hereinafter Tanaka).
Regarding claim 16, Kasamatsu in view of Ramesh fails to teach a fourth light source unit that outputs excitation light, wherein the third light source unit includes a wavelength conversion unit that outputs the third light by performing a wavelength conversion on the excitation light, and the first light source unit, the second light source unit, the third light source unit, and the fourth light source unit are linearly disposed.
Tanaka teaches a fourth light source unit (semiconductor laser LD 38, Fig. 1) that outputs excitation light (excitation light EL, Fig. 2), wherein
the third light source unit includes a wavelength conversion unit (phosphor 36 on fluorescent wheel 35, Fig. 1-3) that outputs the third light by performing a wavelength conversion on the excitation light (fluorescence FL generated by irradiating phosphor 36 with excitation light EL, Fig. 2), and
the first light source unit, the second light source unit, the third light source unit, and the fourth light source unit are linearly disposed (Fig. 1 and 14, specifically semiconductor laser LD 38, phosphor 36, red LED 61, blue LED 62, and violet LED 63 feeding dichroics toward light guide 26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to have included a fourth excitation unit and a wavelength conversion unit on the third unit of Kasamatsu as taught by Tanaka, in order to generate converted visible light from an excitation laser while keeping multiple source units feeding one light guide.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Fengler et al. (US 9,173,554 B2) multimode vis and NIR illuminators combined by dichroic mirrors 222/228 and focused by lens 206 onto fiber optic illumination guide 17 (Figs. 1 and 2c-2d). US 6,293,911 vis lamp plus IR laser through an endoscope light guide.
Conclusion
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/ERIC T EIDE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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