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 12/13/2024 has been was filed 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.
Claims 1-3 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Matsuoka (US Patent Number 8,223,415 B2).
Matsuoka, teaches, as claimed in claim 1, a system comprising (Fig. 1-5) a mirror set (32 and 33) comprising a first mirror (32) and a second mirror (33); and a movable stage (35) to which the mirror set (32 and 33) is mounted to cause the first mirror (32) and the second mirror (33) to move together with the movable stage (35; “the folding mirrors 32 and 33 are shifted by the XY stage 35”), wherein the first mirror (32) is configured to receive a beam (Light from light source 1) at a first angle from an axis of the mirror set, wherein the second mirror is configured to provide the beam at a second angle from the axis of the mirror set (See Fig. 4 the angle 2ѡ), the beam providing an output after reflection by the second mirror (light going to lens 34), wherein movement of the mirror set parallel to the axis results in a parallel shift of the output along the beam1 , and wherein movement of the mirror set perpendicular to the axis results in a perpendicular shift of the output perpendicular to the beam2.
Matsuoka, teaches, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the beam is a light beam from a light source (1) in an optical scanning device (Fig. 1).
Matsuoka, teaches, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the output is a focus point of the light beam3(“points of focuses of … condensing lens 34”).
Matsuoka, teaches, as claimed in claim 16, A method comprising (Fig. 1-5) receiving, at a first mirror (32), a beam at a first angle (See Fig. 4 the angle 2ѡ) from an axis of a mirror set (32 and 33), the mirror set comprising the first mirror (32) and a second mirror (33); and providing an output of the beam ( light going to lens 34) after reflection of the beam from the second mirror (33) at a second angle (See Fig. 4 the angle 2ѡ) from the axis of the mirror set (32 and 33), wherein moving the mirror set together parallel to the axis results in a parallel shift of the output along the beam4, and wherein moving the mirror set together perpendicular to the axis results in a perpendicular shift of the output perpendicular to the beam5.
Matsuoka, teaches, as claimed in claim 17, wherein the beam is a light beam from a light source (1) in an optical scanning device (Fig. 1).
Matsuoka, teaches, as claimed in claim 18, wherein the output is a focus point of the light beam6( “points of focuses of … condensing lens 34”).
Claims 1, 4, 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brooker (US Patent Number 6,850,362 B2)
Brooker, teaches, as claimed in claim 1, a system comprising (Fig. 1-7) a mirror set (25a & 25b) comprising a first mirror (25a) and a second mirror (25b); and a movable stage (Col. 5, lines 13-15 “the objectives 13, 13a and the mirror 25, 25a are provided on a single plate which can move on tracks in both the x and y directions”) to which the mirror set (25a and 25b) is mounted to cause the first mirror (32) and the second mirror (33) to move together with the movable stage (Col. 5, lines 13-15 “the objectives 13, 13a and the mirror 25, 25a are provided on a single plate which can move on tracks in both the x and y directions”), wherein the first mirror (25a) is configured to receive a beam (Light from light source 72) at a first angle from an axis of the mirror set (See Fig. 8 both mirrors 25 share the same axis), wherein the second mirror (25b) is configured to provide the beam at a second angle from the axis of the mirror set (See Fig. 8,), the beam providing an output after reflection by the second mirror (see light going from the leftmost mirror in to objective 13), wherein movement of the mirror set parallel (23) to the axis results in a parallel shift of the output along the beam (Col. 5, lines 18-20 “any movement of the objectives 13, 13a in the x or y direction results in an identical movement in the mirrors 25, 25a in the x and y directions”), and wherein movement of the mirror set perpendicular (24) to the axis results in a perpendicular shift of the output perpendicular to the beam (Col. 5, lines 18-20 “any movement of the objectives 13, 13a in the x or y direction results in an identical movement in the mirrors 25, 25a in the x and y directions”).
Brooker teaches, as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an objective (13) to receive the output (light from 25) and configured to move with the movable stage (Col. 5, lines 13-15 “the objectives 13, 13a and the mirror 25, 25a are provided on a single plate which can move on tracks in both the x and y directions”), wherein during movement of the movable stage and objective the output remains stationary with respect to the objective (Col. 5, lines 18-20 “any movement of the objectives 13, 13a in the x or y direction results in an identical movement in the mirrors 25, 25a in the x and y directions”)7.
Brooker, teaches, as claimed in claim 16, a method comprising receiving (Fig. 1-7), at a first mirror (25a), a beam at a first angle from an axis of a mirror set (See Fig. 8 both mirrors 25 share the same axis), the mirror set comprising the first mirror (25a) and a second mirror (25b), and providing an output of the beam after reflection of the beam from the second mirror at a second angle from the axis (See Fig. 8 both mirrors 25 share the same axis) of the mirror set (see light going from the leftmost mirror in to objective 13), wherein moving the mirror set together parallel to the axis results in a parallel shift of the output along the beam (Col. 5, lines 18-20 “any movement of the objectives 13, 13a in the x or y direction results in an identical movement in the mirrors 25, 25a in the x and y directions”), and wherein moving the mirror set together perpendicular to the axis results in a perpendicular shift of the output perpendicular to the beam (Col 5. lines 18-20 “any movement of the objectives 13, 13a in the x or y direction results in an identical movement in the mirrors 25, 25a in the x and y directions”).
Brooker teaches, as claimed in claim 19, further comprising an objective (13) to receive the output (light from 25) and configured to move with the movable stage (Col. 5, lines 13-15 “the objectives 13, 13a and the mirror 25, 25a are provided on a single plate which can move on tracks in both the x and y directions”), wherein during movement of the movable stage and objective the output remains stationary with respect to the objective (Col. 5, lines 18-20 “any movement of the objectives 13, 13a in the x or y direction results in an identical movement in the mirrors 25, 25a in the x and y directions”)8.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-15 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art fails to teach all of the limitations of claim 5, which includes wherein an angular ratio that is a ratio between the first angle and the second angle determines a movement ratio of the movable stage that is an amount of movement at the output compared to an amount of movement at the movable stage.
Regarding claim 6 has dependency on claim 5.
The prior art fails to teach all of the limitations of claim 7, which includes a first static mirror configured to direct the beam to the objective, wherein movement of moving the movable stage and the objective along the first direction retains the position of the output at the objective along a second direction.
Regarding claims 8-10 and 12-14 have dependency on claim 7.
The prior art fails to teach all of the limitations of claim 11, which includes further comprising a first static mirror configured to redirect the beam to the objective; a second static mirror configured to direct the beam to the first static mirror, wherein movement of moving the movable stage and the objective to maintain a displacement along the first direction and along the second direction retains a position of the output at the objective.
The prior art fails to teach all of the limitations of claim 15, which includes further comprising a first static mirror configured to direct the beam to the objective; a second static mirror configured to direct the beam to the first static mirror; and a folding mirror coupled to the movable stage and configured to turn the beam to be along a second direction, wherein movement of moving the movable stage and the objective to maintain the displacement retains a position of the output at the objective along the second direction.
The prior art fails to teach all of the limitations of claim 20, which includes further comprising receiving the output at an objective configured to move in a first direction; and directing the beam to the objective using a first static mirror, wherein moving the mirror set and the objective along the first direction retains the position of the output at the objective along a second direction.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nagasaka (US Patent Publication Number 2007/0153247 A1) is considered the closest prior art teaches , a system comprising a mirror set (2 and 5) comprising a first mirror (5) and a second mirror (2); and a movable stage (4) , the mirror set (32 and 33) is mounted to cause the second mirror (32) move together (¶0060 “MD has a plurality of reflecting elements (micromirrors) 2 which are driven on the basis of predetermined electronic data”), wherein the first mirror (2) is configured to receive a beam (IL1) at a first angle from an axis of the mirror set, wherein the second mirror (5) is configured to provide the beam at a second angle from the axis of the mirror set, the beam providing an output after reflection by the second mirror (light going to PL1 and PL2).
Yu (US Patent Publication Number 2020/0292382 A1) teaches a system comprising: a mirror set comprising a first mirror and a second mirror; and a movable stage to which the mirror set is mounted to cause the first mirror and the second mirror to move together with the movable stage.
Yuan; (US Patent Publication Number 2022/0066195 A1) teaches a system comprising: a mirror set comprising a first mirror and a second mirror; and a movable stage to which the mirror set is mounted to cause the first mirror and the second mirror to move together with the movable stage.
Wang (US Patent Publication Number 2022/0257111 A1) teaches a system comprising: a mirror set comprising a first mirror and a second mirror; and a movable stage to which the mirror set is mounted to cause the first mirror and the second mirror to move together with the movable stage.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOURNEY F SUMLAR whose telephone number is (571)270-0656. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4pm.
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JOURNEY F. SUMLAR
Examiner
Art Unit 2872
19 August 2026
/RICKY L MACK/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
1 An XY stage inherently moves in the y direction which is considered parallel to the optical axis of the mirrors. Once the mirror is moved in the y direction, this would cause a shift in the output in light.
2 An XY stage inherently moves in the x direction which is considered perpendicular to the optical axis of the mirrors. Once the mirror is moved in the x direction, this would cause a shift in the output in light.
3 The output is reflected to lens 34 which provides a focus point to deflector 4.
4 An XY stage inherently moves in the y direction which is considered parallel to the optical axis of the mirrors. Once the mirror is moved in the y direction, this would cause a shift in the output in light.
5 An XY stage inherently moves in the x direction which is considered perpendicular to the optical axis of the mirrors. Once the mirror is moved in the x direction, this would cause a shift in the output in light.
6 The output is reflected to lens 34 which provides a focus point to deflector 4.
7 If the movement of the objectives and the stage are identical (which the examiner is interpreting the term “identical” to be the same direction and the same amount) then the output would inherently be stationary. For instance, if the mirror and the objective both move identically 5mm to the right x -direction, there would be no change in the output. Therefore, the output would be stationary.
8 If the movement of the objectives and the stage are identical (which the examiner is interpreting the term “identical” to be the same direction and the same amount) then the output would inherently be stationary. For instance, if the mirror and the objective both move identically 5mm to the right x -direction, there would be no change in the output. Therefore, the output would be stationary.
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