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 filed 11/08/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered. Specifically, the C25 and C37 references do not appear to be previously cited in the parent applications and are not provided with the 11/08/2024 IDS.
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 35-40 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.
Claim 35 recites the limitation "the cylinder lens array" in line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The pairing of the collimation lens array and the diverger array appears to be the embodiment shown in figure 4. The cylinder lens array is a feature of a different embodiment, and the diverger array of this embodiment directly receives light from the collimation lens array (element 492, figure 4; see also paragraph 0082 of the USPGPub of this case which describes this feature). Therefore, for the purpose of examination the ‘cylinder lens array’ of claim 35 line 8 will be reinterpreted as the ‘collimation lens array’ of line 6.
Claims 36-40 are rejected inasmuch as they depend from claim 35.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-34 are allowed.
Claim 35 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 21-34, prior art does not teach the cross cylindrical array positioned to receive the light from the output couplers. See reasons for allowable subject matter in office action mailed 4/12/2023 in application 17/470916.
Regarding claim 35, prior art does not teach the collimating array positioned to receive the light from the set of output couplers and a diverger array positioned to receive light from the collimating array. See reasons for allowable subject matter in office action mailed 4/12/2023 in application 17/470916.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN D HOWARD whose telephone number is (571)270-5358. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached at 5712722303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN D HOWARD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882 9/17/2026
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