`geste
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`2877
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`DATE MAILED: 02/07/2025
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`17/786,545
`
`06/17/2022
`
`Piergiorgio SARTOR
`
`18667US01
`
`5452
`
`TITLE OF INVENTION: POLARIZATION IMAGING SYSTEM AND POLARIZATION IMAGING METHOD
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`Piergiorgio SARTOR
`06/17/2022
`17/786,545
`TITLE OF INVENTION: POLARIZATION IMAGING SYSTEM AND POLARIZATION IMAGING METHOD
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`18667US01
`
`5452
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`06/17/2022
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`Piergiorgio SARTOR
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`18667USO1
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`5452
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`165418
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`7590
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`02/07/2025
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`2877
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`ae
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`17/786,545
`
`JUDY D TRAN
`
`SARTOR, Piergiorgio
`
`2877
`
`Yes
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`All claims being allowable, PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application. If not included
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`1{¥] This communication is responsive to amendmentsfiled 12/20/2024.
`(J A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
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`* Certified copies not received:
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`sheet. Replacement sheet(s) should be labeled as such in the header according to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
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`6.LJ DEPOSIT OFand/or INFORMATION aboutthe deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the
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`4[¥] Acknowledgmentis made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c) () Noneofthe:
`a) MAI
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`1. (1 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`3.
`Copiesof the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this national stage application from the
`International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2877
`
`Attachment(s)
`1.[¥] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2.[¥] Information Disclosure Statements (PTO/SB/08),
`Paper No./Mail Date 12/19/2024.
`3. Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirementfor Deposit
`of Biological Material
`.
`4.C) Interview Summary (PTO-413),
`Paper No./Mail Date.
`(JUDY DAO TRAN/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2877
`
`5. (2 Examiner's Amendment/Comment
`6.
`Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`
`7. LD Other
`
`.
`
`/MICHELLE M IACOLETTI/
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-37 (Rev. 08-13)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`.
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20250122
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
`
`is being examined
`
`underthefirst inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), wasfiled in this application after final rejection. Since this
`
`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action
`
`has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on
`
`12/20/2024 has been entered.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`The amendmentfiled 12/20/2024 is acknowledged and entered. Claims 1-20 are
`
`pending.
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`Applicant's arguments, see pages 7-8,filed 12/20/2024, with respect to claims 1
`
`and 12 have beenfully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1 and
`
`12 have been withdrawn.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
`
`Page 3
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`Claims 1 and 12 are allowed. Claims 2-11 and 13-20 are allowed byvirtue of
`
`their dependence on claims 1 and 12.
`
`The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
`
`Regarding Claim 1, Masao (US 5,910,841, which was provided in the IDS)
`
`teaches a polarization imaging system (ellipsometer of Fig. 4) comprising:
`
`an imaging portion (Fig. 4: color CCD area sensor 10) having a color channel
`
`elementof a first color type and acolor channel element of a second color type (A
`
`color CCD area sensor would have acolor channel elementof a first color type and a
`
`color channel element of a second color type to be able to detect different colors.);
`
`and a light polarization portion (Fig. 4: polarizers 3 and analyzer 6)
`
`configured to:
`
`in an optical path before an object (Fig. 4: object 11, where the optical
`
`path referred to is the path between the light source 1 and just before the object
`
`11):
`
`receive light of the first color type and light of the second
`
`color type (Fig. 4: The total reflection mirror and dichroic mirrors 8
`
`separate the light beam from light source 1
`
`into three color components
`
`which is then received bythe three polarizers 3 as described in Col 4,Il.
`
`18-22);
`
`and asafirst polarization (Fig. 4: polarizers 3 provideafirst
`
`polarization),
`
`individually provide a first light polarization of a first
`
`polarization type for the light of the first color type and a second
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
`
`Page 4
`
`light polarization of the first polarization type for the light of the
`
`second color type (Fig. 4: polarizers 3 are individually providingafirst
`
`and secondlight polarization of a first polarization type (linear) for the first
`
`and second color type, respectively) and in an optical path after the
`
`object:
`
`as asecond polarization (Fig. 4: analyzer 6 provides a
`
`second polarization), convert a second polarization type into the
`
`first polarization type (Fig. 4: analyzer 6 convertselliptical
`
`polarization (second polarization type) to linear polarization (first
`
`polarization type); Col. 2,
`
`Il. 51-58: Reflected beam from sample 11
`
`is elliptically polarized which is then converted into linear
`
`polarization by analyzer 6.), whereby the secondpolarization
`
`type converted into thefirst polarization type is detectable in
`
`the imaging portion (Shownin Fig. 4 where the imaging portion is
`
`color CCD area sensor 10).
`
`Masao does not teach a control circuitry configured to control the second
`
`polarization based upon thefirst polarization.
`
`Yamamoto (published as JP 8681498 A with document ID JP H11281944 A),
`
`related to the polarization of signals, teaches a controlcircuitry (Fig. 1: polarization
`
`control circuit 22; para. 10 from section [0028]) wherea first liquid crystal plate 22
`
`receivesa first polarization light signal from a polarization control circuit 22 and changes
`
`the polarization state of the first polarization light signal
`
`in accordance with a control
`
`signal CL (received from the polarization control circuit 22) (para. 10 from section
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
`
`Page 5
`
`[0028]). The changein polarization state of the first polarization light signal
`
`is a post-
`
`changepolarization optical signal (para. 9 of section [0014]). While Yamamoto’s control
`
`circuitry does change a second polarization (first polarization light signal) toafirst
`
`polarization (post-change polarization optical signal), the change is based on a control
`
`signal from the control circuitry and not based uponthefirst polarization as disclosed by
`
`the Applicant ([0100], [0108], and [0118-0128] from the specification of the USPGPub).
`
`Therefore, Yamamoto does not teach that the control circuitry is configured to
`
`control the second polarization based upon thefirst polarization.
`
`As to Claim 1, the prior art of record, taken either alone or in combination, fails to
`
`disclose or render obvious a polarization imaging system comprising a control circuitry
`
`configured to control the second polarization based uponthefirst polarization,
`
`in
`
`combination with the rest of the limitations in Claim 1.
`
`Regarding Claim 12, Masao (US 5,910,841, which was provided in the IDS)
`
`teaches a polarization imaging method comprising:
`
`in an optical path before an object (Fig. 4: object 11, where the optical path is
`
`betweenthelight source 1 and just before the object 11):
`
`receiving light of a first color type and light of a second color type (Fig. 4:
`
`dichroic mirrors 8 separate the light beam from light source 1
`
`into three color
`
`components which is then received by the three polarizers 3. The three colors being
`
`red, blue, and green. Therefore, green could bethefirst color type and blue could be
`
`the second color type.);
`
`and asa first polarization (Fig. 4: polarizers 3 providesa first
`
`polarization),
`
`individually providing a first light polarization of a first
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
`
`Page 6
`
`polarization type for the light of the first color type and a secondlight
`
`polarization of the first polarization type for the light of the second color
`
`type (Fig. 4: polarizers 3 are individually providing a first and secondlight
`
`polarization of a first polarization type (linear) for the first and second colortype,
`
`respectively), and in an optical path after the object:
`
`as asecond polarization (Fig. 4: analyzer 6 provides a second
`
`polarization), converting a second polarization type into thefirst
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`polarization type (Fig. 4: analyzer 6 convertselliptical polarization
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`(second polarization type) to linear polarization (first polarization type);
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`Col. 2, Il. 51-58: Reflected beam from sample 11 is elliptically polarized
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`which is then converted into linear polarization by analyzer 6.)), whereby
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`the second polarization type converted into the first polarization type
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`is detectable in an imaging portion including a color channel element
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`of the first color type and a color channel element of the second
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`color type (Shownin Fig. 4 where the imaging portion is color CCD area
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`sensor 10 which has acolor channel elementof a first and second color
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`type to be able to detect different colors.).
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`Masao does not teach controlling the second polarization based upon the
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`first polarization.
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`Yamamoto (published as JP 8681498 A with document ID JP H11281944 A),
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`related to the polarization of signals, teaches a control circuitry (Fig. 1: polarization
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`control circuit 22; [(0028]) wherea first liquid crystal plate 22 receivesa first polarization
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`light signal from a polarization control circuit 22 and changesthe polarization state of
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
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`Page 7
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`the first polarization light signal in accordance with a control signal CL (received from
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`the polarization control circuit 22) ([0028]). This changein polarization state of thefirst
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`polarization light signal is a post-change polarization optical signal (para. 9 of section
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`[0014]). While Yamamoto’s control circuitry does change a second polarization (first
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`polarization light signal) to a first polarization (post-change polarization optical signal),
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`the change is based on a control signal from the control circuitry and not based upon
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`the first polarization, as disclosed by the Applicant ([0100], [0108], and [0118-0128] from
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`the specification of the USPGPub).
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`Therefore, Yamamoto does not teach that the control circuitry is configured to
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`control the second polarization based upon thefirst polarization.
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`As to Claim 12, the prior art of record, taken either alone or in combination, fails
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`to disclose or render obvious a polarization imaging method comprising controlling the
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`second polarization based upon thefirst polarization,
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`in combination with the rest of the
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`limitations in Claim 12.
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`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later
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`than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably
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`accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on
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`Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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`Other References Considered but not Cited
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`1) Chhibber (US 2013/0076932 A1), related to polarization imaging, discloses a
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`control circuitry (Fig. 2A: polarizer control circuitry on a control board 224;
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`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
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`Page 8
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`[0047]) where changein polarization is due to instructions from a control
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`board [0047)).
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`2) Hong (US 2022/0279158 A1), related to the polarization of signals, discloses
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`a control circuit (from [0153]) which sends a control signal toafirst liquid
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`crystal element 752 to change anincidentlight to circularly polarized light
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`([0153)).
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`Conclusion
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`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to JUDY DAO TRAN whosetelephone numberis
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
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`supervisor, Michelle lacoletti can be reached on (571) 270-5789. The fax phone number
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`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Application/Control Number: 17/786,545
`Art Unit: 2877
`
`Page 9
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`/JUDY DAO TRAN/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2877
`
`/MICHELLE M IACOLETTI/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2877
`
`