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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Preliminary Amendment
The preliminary amendment filed on 01/10/2025 has been entered into this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 01/10/2025 has been entered and considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 01/10/2025, has been accepted for examination.
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 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(s) 1-10 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (WO 2020/257513 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Li discloses a sensor module for Raman spectroscopy and method of conducting Raman spectroscopy, using a sensor module (claim 15) (see Title and abstract)(figs. 1A-12), comprising a sensor package enclosing a light emitter arrangements Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300 (figs. 1B, 2A-3 and 11A-11B), a dispersive element PWG 200 and a light detector arrangement detector array 20b comprising a light detector array, a photo-detector 20a/detector array 20b, a comparator and lock-in amplifier arranged on or integrated into a carrier, (11), wherein:
- the light emitter arrangement laser 100 which is tunable laser/a plurality of lasers is operable to emit light with multiple excitation wavelengths out of the sensor module [pars. 0051, 0082],
- the dispersive element PWG 200 is operable to receive light incident on the sensor module and operable to disperse the incident light into spectral components [pars. 0037, 0055, 0057, 0080], and
- the light detector arrangement a photo-detector 20a/detector array 20b is operable to generate spectral sensor signals indicative of the spectral components, and
- the comparator and lock-in amplifier electronics and control module (50) is operable to receive spectral output signals of light detectors of the light detector array a photo-detector 20a/detector array 20b and to extract the spectral sensor signal [par. 0049-52, 0055-61].
For the purposes of clarity, the method claim 15 is taught/suggested by the functions shown/stated/set forth with regards to the apparatus/sensor/system claim 1 as rejected above as being anticipated by Li. Additionally, with regards comparator and the lock-in amplifier, considering the BRI consistent with the instant description the comparator and the lock-in amplifier are essential analog and digital signal processing circuits anticipated by electronics and control module (50).
As to claims 2-3, Li also discloses a structure that is use in the sensor module system that is implementing limitations such as, wherein the PWG/AWG 200 the dispersive element is operable to disperse the incident light by the laser 100 which is tunable laser/a plurality of lasers into spatially separate spectral components [pars. 0004, 0033, and 0057] (claim 2); and wherein the PWG/AWG 200 the dispersive element comprises: - an arrayed waveguide grating AWG, - a diffraction grating, - a refractive prism, and/or - a poled domain prism demultiplexers of [par. 0053] (claim 3)
As to claims 4-5, Li also discloses a structure that is use in the sensor module system that is implementing limitations such as, wherein the laser 100 which is tunable laser/a plurality of lasers the light emitter arrangement implicitly comprises two or more light emitters each laser having different wavelength [par. 0082], each operable to emit light out of the sensor module with an excitation wavelength from the multiple excitation wavelengths (claim 4); and wherein the laser 100 which is tunable laser/a plurality of lasers the light emitter arrangement comprises implicitly at least one tuneable light emitter operable to emit light out of the sensor module to be tuned to an excitation wavelength from the multiple excitation wavelengths [pars. 0051, 0055, 0082].
As to claim 6, Li also discloses wherein each light detector of the photo-detector 20a/detector array 20b the light detector array implicit/inherent function is operable to detect/generate one of the spectral sensor signal indicative of a respective spectral component [pars. 0049-50, and 0052].
As to claims 7-10, Li also discloses a structure that is use in the sensor module system that is implementing limitations such as, wherein the carrier/medium/transmission/frequency waveform comprises a photonic integrated circuit in fiber optical communication [par. 0058] or is a chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300/System on a Chip (SOC) (claim 7); and wherein the chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300/ System on a Chip (SOC) [pars. 0049-50, 0052, 0056-57] the photonic integrated circuit the chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300 using electronic interface 40 comprises: - a single input port to receive the incident light, the input port being an input waveguide, - at least one output port, , the output port being an output waveguide, wherein the PWG/AWG 200 the dispersive element is arranged between the input waveguide and the output waveguide on the photonic integrated circuit chip, wherein the output port is operable to couple the spectral components from dispersive element the PWG/AWG 200 to the light detector arrangement the photo-detector 20a/detector array 20b (claim 8); and wherein the input port the connection point/surface that receives incoming data, signals, comprises: - a grating the PWG/AWG 200 fabricated on a surface of the chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300/System on a Chip (SOC) the photonic integrated circuit, the chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300/ System on a Chip (SOC) comprising at least, input waveguide 12a, star couplers 11, arrayed waveguides 12b, AWG 200a, and an array of output waveguides 12c... 12n, and array of photo-detectors 20b connected to output waveguides 12c... 12n [par. 0057], and/or fiber optical communication [par. 0058] – (i.e. structural shape a tapered waveguide at the edge of the carrier), and/or - an optical fiber (claim 9); and wherein the output port the connection point/surface on AWG device that transmits data, signal to an external peripheral, monitor, or system, it acts as a "sender" or an exit pathway for information leaving a AWG comprises: - an array of waveguides arrayed waveguides 12b, implicitly each waveguide located at specific spatial locations to couple the spectral components from dispersive element the PWG/AWG 200, - a single waveguide within arrayed waveguides 12b, - multiple waveguides arrayed waveguides 12b with different widths, and/or - multiple waveguides arrayed waveguides 12b with a specific spacing between individual waveguides each waveguides 12b [par. 0050, 0057] (claim 10)
For the purposes of clarity, the system as a unit/one with plurality of waveguides for example, each waveguide(s) within the system, function or act as input and out waveguides/ to function together as a unit. Further each of the elements in the system as a unit inherently/implicitly has/have a connection point/surface that receives incoming data, signals, it acts as a gateway, allowing information to flow into the element/device, and thus the system anticipates input port, the opposite if the output connection point/surface. Additionally, an arrayed waveguide grating are generally made of optical transparency to minimize signal loss, and include glasses for optical frequencies
As to claims 13-14, Li also discloses a structure that is use in the sensor module system that is implementing limitations such as, wherein the module fits into a footprint of about 1cm2 is a small foot-print [par. 0049] (claim 13); and the electronic device the Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300 (figs. 1B, 2A-3 and 11A-11B) comprising a sensor module for Raman spectroscopy according to claim 1 and a host system, wherein: - the sensor module is embedded in and electrically connected to the host system, - the host system comprises one of a mobile device, Smartphone, handheld computer, Smart Watch, handheld Medical-device, or a point-of-care device are desired for hand-held device, mobile, and even in-cell phone Raman analysis application [pars. 0004-5, 0031 and 0049] (claim 14).
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.
Claims 7-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (WO 2020/257513 A1).
As to claims 11-12, Li teaches of the features of claims 11 and 12, as applied to claim 1 comprising the sensor package enclosing a light emitter arrangements Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300 (figs. 1B, 2A-3 and 11A-11B) implicitly includes a housing, light emitter arrangement laser 100 which is tunable laser/a plurality of lasers is operable to emit light with multiple excitation wavelengths out of the sensor module [pars. 0051, 0082], allow incident light to enter the sensor module the photo-detector 20a/detector array 20b.
Li fail to explicitly specify the constructional changes in the device/system of claim 1, as that claimed by Applicants claims 11-12, such as wherein: - the sensor package comprises a hollow housings, - the housing comprises a first aperture to allow the light emitted by the light emitter arrangement to leave the sensor module, - the housing comprises a second aperture to allow incident light to enter the sensor module (claim 11); and wherein - the housing comprises optically isolated first and second chambers, - the first chamber encloses the light emitter arrangement, and - the second chamber encloses the light detector arrangement 9claim 12).
However, the constructional changes differences are considered obvious design adjustment and variation in view of Li teaches of the system as a unit/one chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300/ System on a Chip (SOC) [pars. 0049-50, 0052, 0056-57] and the chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300 using electronic interface 40; isolating the detector part of the emitter part is generally known the art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Li system as desired appropriate, such as in the manner set forth in applicant's claims 11-12, in order to accurately provide a system that will result in high channel count and high-resolution Raman measurement of sufficient spectral range and/or ensure the recapture/capture of the spectral information, as per teachings of Li (Li, see abstract), since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
As to claim 7-10, in the alternative, if the Applicant argues that Li does not anticipates the limitations such as that claimed by Applicants claims 7-10, then in view of Li teaching of medium/transmission/frequency waveform, fiber optical communication [par. 0058] or is a chip-based planar Raman spectroscopic measurement system 300/System on a Chip (SOC), wherein the system comprising, photo-detector 20a/detector array 20b, connection point/surface that receives incoming data, signals; at least, input waveguide 12a, star couplers 11, arrayed waveguides 12b, AWG 200a, and an array of output waveguides 12c... 12n, and array of photo-detectors 20b connected to output waveguides 12c... 12n [par. 0057], and/or fiber optical communication [par. 0058]; and connection point/surface on AWG device that transmits data, signal to an external peripheral, monitor, or system, it acts as a "sender" or an exit pathway for information leaving a AWG, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Li system as desired appropriate, such as in the manner set forth in applicant's claims 7-10, in order to accurately provide a system that will result in high channel count and high-resolution Raman measurement of sufficient spectral range and/or ensure the recapture/capture of the spectral information, as per teachings of Li (Li, see abstract), since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Li system as desired appropriate, such as in the manner set forth in applicant's claims 7-10, in order to accurately provide a system that will result in high channel count and high-resolution Raman measurement of sufficient spectral range and/or ensure the recapture/capture of the spectral information, as per teachings of Li (Li, see abstract), since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art, In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CC1954).
Additional Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references listed in the attached form PTO-892 teach of other prior art sensor module for Raman spectroscopy and method of conducting Raman spectroscopy, using a sensor module.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Isiaka Akanbi whose telephone number is (571) 272-8658. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tarifur R. Chowdhury can be reached on (571) 272-2287. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/ISIAKA O AKANBI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
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