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 IDS filed to date have been considered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Escuti (US 20120188467) herein after referred to as D1, and further in view of Koma (US 20050270462) herein after referred to as D2 and still further in view of Jamali (US 20200081252) herein after referred to as D3.
With regard to claim 1, D1 teaches a device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0095], [0100], [0210-0225]); comprising: a diffraction element (220); and an optical filter (205) stacked with the diffraction element (220) and configured to: forwardly deflect a light from a real-world environment incident onto the optical filter (205), at an incidence angle greater than or equal to a predetermined angle ([0089] and [0096]), toward the diffraction element (220), wherein the diffraction element (220) is configured to substantially transmit the light forwardly deflected by the optical filter (205).
However, D1 does not expressly disclose a device, comprising: “a first plurality of liquid crystals having a first orientation along a first slant and a second plurality of liquid crystals having a second orientation along a second slant that is parallel to the second slant.” And “the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure comprising helical axes, with the helical axes extending along a thickness direction perpendicular to the optical filter.”
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches a Liquid Crystal Display Device, in at least (figs. 3, 5, and 7); comprising: a first plurality of liquid crystals (410) having a first orientation (slant right) along a first slant and a second plurality of liquid crystals (410) having a second orientation (slant left) along a second slant that is parallel to the second slant (many orientations seen in figs 3, 5, and 7 are parallel to each other with LC 410 oriented in different positions along different slants).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention of D1 with the LC slant angles of D2 for the purpose of better fine movement control of each LC.
However, D1 and D2 do not expressly disclose “the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure comprising helical axes, with the helical axes extending along a thickness direction perpendicular to the optical filter.”
In a related endeavor, D3 teaches optical systems for large pupil acceptance angles, in at least {0081]; the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure ([0081]; liquid crystal molecules that are arranged in a helical pattern) comprising helical axes ([0081]; counter-clockwise rotation pattern around an axes and clockwise rotation pattern around an axes), with the helical axes ([0081]) extending along a thickness direction perpendicular ([0081]; along the direction of light propagation) to the optical filter.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention of D1 in view of D2 with the helical LC structures of D3 for the purpose of creating a selectable polarization volume grating and therefore better control of light entering the LC system.
With regard to claim 2, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein the light from the real-world environment incident onto the optical filter at the incidence angle greater than or equal to the predetermined angle is a first light having a first incidence angle, the optical filter is configured to: transmit a second light from the real-world environment incident onto the optical filter at a second incidence angle less than the predetermined angle toward the diffraction element.
With regard to claim 3, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein the diffraction element is configured to substantially diffract the second light transmitted through the optical filter.
With regard to claim 4, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein the optical filter includes a transmissive polarization volume hologram (“PVH”) element ([0004]).
With regard to claim 5, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein the diffraction element includes one of a transmissive PVH element and a reflective PVH element.
With regard to claim 6, D1 teaches a device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); comprising: a polarization hologram (PG1 or PG2) having a first surface and a second surface; a retardation film ([0104]) having a third surface and a fourth surface; and a substrate (705 or 710) disposed between the polarization hologram (PG1 or PG2) and the retardation film ([0104]), wherein the polarization hologram (PG1 or PG2) is configured to refract a first light incident (input light) onto the first surface toward the substate (705/710) and the retardation film ([0104]), the first light (input light) propagating through the substate (705/710) into the retardation film ([0104]) from the third surface, wherein the retardation film ([0104]) is configured to reflect the first light (input light) at the fourth surface as a second light (circular polarized light) propagating toward the third surface, and convert the second light (circular polarized light) into a third light having a predetermined polarization while transmitting the second light (circular polarized light), the third light propagating through the substrate into the polarization hologram (PG1 /PG2) from the second surface, and wherein the polarization hologram (PG1/PG2) is configured to transmit the third light out of the polarization hologram (PG1/PG2) from the first surface.
However, D1 does not expressly disclose a device, comprising: “a first plurality of liquid crystals having a first orientation along a first slant and a second plurality of liquid crystals having a second orientation along a second slant that is parallel to the second slant.” And “the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure comprising helical axes, with the helical axes extending along a thickness direction perpendicular to the optical filter.”
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches a Liquid Crystal Display Device, in at least (figs. 3, 5, and 7); comprising: a first plurality of liquid crystals (410) having a first orientation (slant right) along a first slant and a second plurality of liquid crystals (410) having a second orientation (slant left) along a second slant that is parallel to the second slant (many orientations seen in figs 3, 5, and 7 are parallel to each other with LC 410 oriented in different positions along different slants).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention of D1 with the LC slant angles of D2 for the purpose of better fine movement control of each LC.
However, D1 and D2 do not expressly disclose “the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure comprising helical axes, with the helical axes extending along a thickness direction perpendicular to the optical filter.”
In a related endeavor, D3 teaches optical systems for large pupil acceptance angles, in at least {0081]; the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure ([0081]; liquid crystal molecules that are arranged in a helical pattern) comprising helical axes ([0081]; counter-clockwise rotation pattern around an axes and clockwise rotation pattern around an axes), with the helical axes ([0081]) extending along a thickness direction perpendicular ([0081]; along the direction of light propagation) to the optical filter.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention of D1 in view of D2 with the helical LC structures of D3 for the purpose of creating a selectable polarization volume grating and therefore better control of light entering the LC system.
With regard to claim 7, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein the polarization hologram is configured to substantially diffract a circularly polarized light having a first handedness, and substantially transmit a circularly polarized light having a second handedness opposite to the first handedness, and the third light having the predetermined polarization is a circularly polarized light having the second handedness.
With regard to claim 8, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein the second light is a substantially s-polarized light.
With regard to claim 9, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein an incidence angle of the first light at the fourth surface of the retardation film is within a range of 25° to 40°.
With regard to claim 10, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); wherein the retardation film includes at least one of an A-film, an O-film, or a biaxial film.
With regard to claim 11, D1 teaches an optical element, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0210-0225]); comprising: a birefringent medium layer ([0040]) having an optic axis configured with respective spatially varying orientations in both of an in-plane direction and an out-of-plane direction (left to right), wherein the birefringent medium layer ([0040]) includes optically anisotropic molecules ([0096], and [0150]), orientations of directors of the optically anisotropic molecules ([0096], and [0150]) spatially varying in the out-of-plane direction, and wherein a vertical pitch of the birefringent medium layer ([0040]) varies in the out-of-plane direction (right), the vertical pitch being a distance along the out-of-plane direction over which the orientations of the directors of the optically anisotropic molecules ([0096], and [0150]) vary by a predetermined angle ([0004]).
However, D1 does not expressly disclose a device, comprising: “a first plurality of liquid crystals having a first orientation along a first slant and a second plurality of liquid crystals having a second orientation along a second slant that is parallel to the second slant.” And “the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure comprising helical axes, with the helical axes extending along a thickness direction perpendicular to the optical filter.”
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches a Liquid Crystal Display Device, in at least (figs. 3, 5, and 7); comprising: a first plurality of liquid crystals (410) having a first orientation (slant right) along a first slant and a second plurality of liquid crystals (410) having a second orientation (slant left) along a second slant that is parallel to the second slant (many orientations seen in figs 3, 5, and 7 are parallel to each other with LC 410 oriented in different positions along different slants).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention of D1 with the LC slant angles of D2 for the purpose of better fine movement control of each LC.
However, D1 and D2 do not expressly disclose “the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure comprising helical axes, with the helical axes extending along a thickness direction perpendicular to the optical filter.”
In a related endeavor, D3 teaches optical systems for large pupil acceptance angles, in at least {0081]; the first slant and the second slant are formed by helical structure ([0081]; liquid crystal molecules that are arranged in a helical pattern) comprising helical axes ([0081]; counter-clockwise rotation pattern around an axes and clockwise rotation pattern around an axes), with the helical axes ([0081]) extending along a thickness direction perpendicular ([0081]; along the direction of light propagation) to the optical filter.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention of D1 in view of D2 with the helical LC structures of D3 for the purpose of creating a selectable polarization volume grating and therefore better control of light entering the LC system.
With regard to claim 12, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the out-of-plane direction is a thickness direction of the birefringent medium layer.
With regard to claim 13, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the predetermined angle is 180 degrees.
With regard to claim 14, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the birefringent medium layer includes a PVH film configured with a birefringence that is equal to or less than a predetermined value.
With regard to claim 15, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 14, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the predetermined value is 0.2.
With regard to claim 16, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 14, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the predetermined value is 0.1.
With regard to claim 17, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the optical element is a single layer PVH element, and the birefringent medium layer includes a single PVH film configured with the vertical pitch varying in the out-of-plane direction.
With regard to claim 18, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the optical element is a multi-layer PVH element, and the birefringent medium layer includes two PVH films configured with different vertical pitches.
With regard to claim 19, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the optical element is a multi-layer PVH element, and the birefringent medium layer includes a first PVH film configured with the vertical pitch varying in the out-of-plane direction and a second PVH film configured with a constant vertical pitch.
With regard to claim 20, D1 in view of D2 and further in view of D3 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches a PVH device, in at least one of (Figs. 1-10; and [0004], [0040], [0089], [0095-0096], [0100], [0150] [0210-0225]); wherein the first plurality of liquid crystals and the second plurality of liquid crystals have non-zero pretilt angles (fig. 2A shows liquid crystals 205 in alignment layer 215, starting at different angles in each slant multiple of which are non-zero).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GRANT A GAGNON whose telephone number is (571)270-0642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GRANT A GAGNON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872