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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 14, 15, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tabata (WO 2015194312 A1 ).
With respect to claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 14, 15, 17, and 18, Tabata discloses a method of forming a combined light beam (see fig.9), comprising receiving a diverging first light beam from an emission surface and forming therefrom an expanded first light beam (see the operation of 154 and the diverging beam of 130); directing the expanded first light beam to an exit plane (see any plane formed by the region after160 in fig.9 which contains both the beam of 130 and 120) over a first optical path of an optical system (see the path along which the light from 130 travels in fig.9) that includes a first axis (see the axis on which 120 is exposed or see the optical axis of 130); emitting from an end face of a distal section of a light guide (see the 120 in fig.9) a second light beam that travels within the expanded first light beam (see the location and light emitted from 120 and see the second light beam from 120) and over a second optical path within the expanded first optical path by inserting the distal section of the light guide into the expanded first optical path from an off-axis direction (see wherein 120 is insert from a direction off the axis of 130; examiner notes that an off-axis direction is not define with respect to any particular axis); directing the second light beam to the exit plane of the expanded first light beam to form the combined light beam (see the plane after 160 which contains the beam from 120 and 130), wherein the expanded first light beam is redirected by a light- redirecting member (see 160), and wherein the inserting of the distal section of the light guide comprises performing said inserting downstream of the light-redirecting member (see wherein the light guide is slightly down stream in fig.10), wherein the inserting the distal section of the light guide comprises positioning the end face of the light guide on the first axis (see the axis on which 118 is inserted), wherein the inserting of the distal section of the light guide comprises positioning the end face of the light guide in a plane perpendicular to the first axis (see wherein when the first axis is interpreted as the optical axis of 130 or plane perpendicular to the axis on which 120 is exposed), wherein the inserting of the distal section (see fig.10) of the light guide comprises supporting at least the distal section of the light guide with a support member (see the support member of 122 in fig.10), wherein the support member is planar and defines a plane (see the rear of 124 in fig.10) and has a support edge (see where 126 contacts 124), and wherein the light guide is supported at or proximate to the support edge and resides within the plane (see the location of 126 and interfacial plane in fig.10), wherein the exit plane comprises an exit aperture (see the aperture formed by 120), wherein the light guide comprises an optical fiber (see 118 in fig.10), wherein the light guide comprises a light pipe (see 118 in fig.10), wherein the light guide end face resides on the first axis (see the interpretation wherein the light guide resides on the first axis in fig.9), but does not explicitly disclose off axis insertion.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (United States Patent Application Publication 2005/0013132 A1).
With respect to claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 10, Kim discloses a method of forming a combined light beam, comprising receiving a diverging first light beam from an emission surface (see the light from 43 in fig.5) and forming therefrom an expanded first light beam (see the expanded beam of fig.5); directing the expanded first light beam to an exit plane (see the exit plane between A and A) over a first optical path of an optical system that includes a first axis (see the first optical path that includes the axis parallel to the beam emitted by 43); emitting from an end face of a distal section of a light guide a second light beam that travels within the expanded first light beam (see the end of 42) and over a second optical path within the expanded first optical path by inserting the distal section of the light guide into the expanded first optical path from an off-axis direction (see the placement of 42 in fig.5); directing the second light beam to the exit plane of the expanded first light beam to form the combined light beam (see the operation of 42 in fig.5), wherein the expanded first light beam is redirected by a light- redirecting member (see 45 in fig.5), and wherein the inserting of the distal section of the light guide (see 42 in fig.5) comprises performing said inserting downstream of the light-redirecting member (see the position of 42 in fig.5), wherein the inserting the distal section of the light guide comprises positioning the end face of the light guide on the first axis (see the location of the end of 42), wherein the inserting of the distal section of the light guide comprises positioning the end face of the light guide in a plane perpendicular to the first axis (see a plane perpendicular to the first axis in fig.5), wherein the inserting of the distal section of the light guide (see the end of 42) comprises supporting at least the distal section of the light guide with a support member (see support member of bulb of 43), comprising the support member maintaining a bend in the light guide (see the bend in 42 and the operation of 43 in holding 42).
Claim(s) 1, 6, 7, 16, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Slobodin (United States Patent Application Publication 2004/0174501 A1 A1).
With respect to claims 1, 7, 16, and 19, Slobodin discloses a method of forming a combined light beam (see fig.10a, b and c and the undisclosed arc lamp light --see 102 of [0050]), comprising receiving a diverging first light beam from an emission surface and forming therefrom an expanded first light beam (see the beam expanded from the bulb of the arc lamp 102);directing the expanded first light beam (see the operation of the reflector of the arc lamp) to an exit plane (142 in fig.10) over a first optical path of an optical system that includes a first axis (see the exit plane of 102); emitting from an end face of a distal section of a light guide a second light beam that travels within the expanded first light beam and over a second optical path within the expanded first optical path by inserting the distal section of the light guide into the expanded first optical path from an off-axis direction (see the insertion of the distal section formed by 312 or 316b);directing the second light beam to the exit plane of the expanded first light beam to form the combined light beam (see the plane formed by 142), comprising disposing an optical element at or adjacent the end face of the light guide to change the second optical path of the second light beam (see 316b), wherein the light guide comprises a prism (see the prism of 312 in fig.10a), wherein the second light beam emitted from the end face has a first beam angle and the method comprises change the first beam angle by an optical component that resides at or proximate the end face (see the angle light is emitted from 146 and see component of 316b).
With respect to claim 6, Slobodin discloses the method of claim 1, wherein inserting of the distal section of the light guide (see the prism of 312 in fig.10a or 316b in fig.10c) comprises positioning the end face of the light guide at an angle relative to the first axis (see bottom of the prism which is at a 90o angle with respect to the first axis along or the angle of 316b ).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (United States Patent Application Publication 2005/0013132 A1) in view of Stahl (United States Patent Application Publication 2002/0186349 A1).
With respect to claim 3, Kim discloses the method of claim 1, discloses wherein the inserting of the distal section of the light guide (see the distal end of 42) is performed between an adjacent wavelength-selective light-redirecting member and the reflector (45) disposed along the first axis (see the axis along which 41 and 49 lies in fig.6) but does not explicitly disclose between adjacent wavelength-selective light-redirecting members.
Stahl discloses the reflector (104) includes a cold mirror (“light reflector 104 may have an ellipsoidal, a paraboloidal, a general aspheric, or a faceted form. Because it provides illumination beam collection and focusing, light reflector 104 preferably includes a cold mirror.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kim with the teaching of Stahl so that the inserting of the distal section of the light guide is performed between adjacent wavelength-selective light-redirecting members to protect optical and electronic components from damaging radiation.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabata (WO 2015194312 A1 ).
With respect to claim 9, Tabata discloses the method of claim 8, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the support member blocks less than 3% of the expanded first light beam.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabata so that the support member blocks less than 3% of the expanded first light beam, since it would predictable enhance light utilization and since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabata (WO 2015194312 A1 ) in view of Otsuka (JP 2001013328A).
With respect to claim 12, Tabata discloses the method of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the light guide has a diameter and wherein the support member has a width the same as or less than the diameter of the light guide.
Otsuka discloses wherein the inserting of the distal section of the light guide comprises supporting (see 18 and 6 surrounding structure of fig.1 and fig.1A) at least the distal section of the light guide with a support member (see the structure of 6 and 18 in figs. 3 and 4) , wherein the support member is planar and defines a plane (see the plane defined along the optical axis in fig.1) and has a support edge (see the edge of 6,18 and 18A in fig.1, fig.1A), and wherein the light guide (see 10 in fig.1) is supported at or proximate to the support edge and resides within the plane (see the configuration of fig.1, 1A), wherein the light guide has a diameter (see the diameter of 10 in fig.1) and wherein the support member has a width the same as or less than the diameter of the light guide (see the wide of operator 18A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Tabata with the teaching of Otsuka so that
the method includes wherein the support member is planar and defines a plane and has a support edge, and wherein the light guide is supported at or proximate to the support edge and resides within the plane, wherein the light guide has a diameter and wherein the support member has a width the same as or less than the diameter of the light guide to facilitate alignment of the beam.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabata (WO 2015194312 A1 ) in view of Aizawa (JP 2010097182 A).
With respect to claim 8, Tabata discloses the method of claim 1, but does not disclose comprising adjusting the support member to adjust at least one of a position and an orientation of the light guide end face within the first optical path.
Aizawa discloses a method for adjusting the support member to adjust at least one of a position and an orientation of the light guide end face within the first optical path ( 14th para. of Embodiment of fig.1: “The temporarily tightened screws 18a to 18c are loosened so that the optical fiber holder 5 moves in the in-plane direction. The optical fiber holder 5 can be shifted by the backlash of the holes 5a to 5c and the screws 18a to 18c formed therein”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Tabata with the teaching of Aizawa so that the support member is adjusted at least one of a position and an orientation of the light guide end face within the first optical path to facilitate alignment correction.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Slobodin (United States Patent Application Publication 2004/0174501 A1 A1) in view of Mukawa (United States Patent Application Publication 2002/20154277 A1).
With respect to claim 20, Slobodin discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the expanded first light beam (see beam emitted by 104 ) and the second light beam (see 144) have respective first and second wavelength bands, and wherein the first and second wavelength bands are dissimilar (disclosed by the operation of the dichroic mirror 316a in fig.10a) but does not explicitly disclose wherein the wavelengths are non-overlapping.
Mukawa discloses wherein the wavelengths are non-overlapping (see 17 in fig.4 and fig.5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Slobodin with the teaching of Mukawa so that the expanded first light beam and the second light beam have respective first and second wavelength bands, and wherein the first and second wavelength bands are non-overlapping to enhance utilization efficiency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY L. BROOKS whose telephone number is (571)270-5711. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-4:00 PM.
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/JERRY L BROOKS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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