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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regard to the argument that the amended limitations overcome the prior art of record, the examiner respectfully disagrees. As it is the newly added limitation seems to provide more structure to the second Fresnel lens which is stacked on the first Fresnel lens giving it a concave surface to rest on the convex surface of the first lens and a planar top surface, while this does seem to clean up the language of the original limitations, it is believed that the prior art still reads on the new limitations. As such the rejection has been restated below to include the amended limitations.
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wheelwright (US 11022784) herein after referred to as D1, and further in view of Masuda (US 20110228403) herein after referred to as D2.
With regard to claim 1, D1 teaches an apparatus, in at least (figures 2 and 3); comprising: a display (104); a first lens assembly (200) and first reflector (224); and a second lens assembly (404).
However, D1 does not expressly disclose a substrate positioned on a partial region of the first Fresnel lens, the substrate including a first surface that is planar and a second surface that is concave
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches an optical illumination system, in at least (figs. 7A-7E); a first lens assembly (512) including a first Fresnel lens (15), a second Fresnel lens (18A), and a substrate (10) positioned on a partial region of the first Fresnel lens (15), the substrate including a first surface (10b) that is planar and a second surface that is concave (10a; and [0066]; 10a functions as a concave mirror)
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 a substrate positioned on a partial region of the first Fresnel lens, the substrate including a first surface that is planar and a second surface that is concave of D2 for the purpose of producing a thinner lens with similar or better optical properties.
With regard to claim 2, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 and 3); wherein: the first lens assembly (200) has a rear surface facing the second lens assembly (400), and the first lens assembly further comprises an optical retarder (224) supported by the rear surface.
With regard to claim 3, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 does not expressly disclose wherein the first reflector is located between the first Fresnel lens and the second Fresnel lens.
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches an optical illumination system, in at least (figs. 11-17); wherein the first lens assembly further comprises a second Fresnel lens (28), wherein the first reflector is located between the first Fresnel lens (25) and the second Fresnel lens (28).
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 faceted surface of D2 for the purpose of producing a lens system comprising thinner lenses with similar or better optical properties.
With regard to claim 4, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 3, wherein D1 does not expressly teach wherein the first reflector is disposed on facets of a Fresnel surface of the first Fresnel lens.
However, in a related endeavor D2 teaches an apparatus, in at least (Fig. 7A-7E); wherein the first reflector (15) is disposed on the facets of the Fresnel surface of the first Fresnel lens (18A).
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 reflector placement of D2 for the purpose of producing a thinner lens with similar or better optical properties.
With regard to claim 5, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 3, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 and 3); wherein the first reflector comprises a polarized reflector (224) or a beamsplitter.
With regard to claim 6, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 5, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 and 3); a second reflector including a polarized reflector (216) or a beamsplitter.
With regard to claim 7, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 and 3); wherein the apparatus is configured so that: a display light of the display is transmitted through the first lens assembly (404); reflected by the second reflector (224) to the first lens assembly (404); and reflected by the first reflector (216) through the second lens assembly (200).
With regard to claim 8, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 3, wherein D1 fails to further teach wherein: the first reflector is supported by an additional curved surface of the second Fresnel lens.
However, in a related endeavor D2 teaches an apparatus, in at least (Fig. 7A-7E); wherein: the first reflector (15) is supported by an additional curved surface of the second Fresnel lens (10).
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 lens structure of D2 for the purpose of producing a thinner lens with similar or better optical properties.
With regard to claim 9, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 8, wherein D1 does not expressly teach wherein the Fresnel surface is formed in at least a portion of the additional surface of the second Fresnel lens.
However, in a related endeavor D2 teaches an apparatus, in at least (Fig. 7A-7E); wherein: the Fresnel surface is formed in at least a portion of the additional surface of the second Fresnel lens (10).
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 lens structure of D2 for the purpose of producing a thinner lens with similar or better optical properties.
With regard to claim 10, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 9, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); wherein the Fresnel surface is formed within a central portion of the additional curved surface.
With regard to claim 11, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 9, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); wherein the additional curved surface is an aspheric surface.
With regard to claim 12, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 9, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); wherein the Fresnel surface is formed in a Fresnel substrate attached to the curved surface of the first lens.
With regard to claim 15, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); wherein the apparatus comprises a head-mounted device, wherein a display light of the display forms an image at an eye of a user when the user wears the head-mounted device.
With regard to claim 16, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 15, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); wherein the head-mounted device is an augmented-reality device.
With regard to claim 17, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 15, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); wherein the head-mounted device is a virtual-reality device.
With regard to claim 18, D1 teaches a lens assembly, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); comprising: a lens (200) having a convex surface (left side of 200); the lens (200) including a first Fresnel lens (Col. 3, Ln. 4; often uses Fresnel or smooth lenses), a second Fresnel lens (400), and a first reflector (224),
However, D1 does not expressly disclose the reflector supported by the convex surface, the reflector having a curved surface that is generally parallel to an additional curved surface of the second Fresnel lens; a Fresnel substrate positioned on a partial region of the lens, the Fresnel substrate including a first surface that is planar and second surface that is concave.
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches an optical illumination system, in at least (figs. 7A-7E); the first reflector (15) having a curved surface (facets of reflector 15 are curved and parallel to the facets of lens 10) that is generally parallel (facets of reflector 15 are curved and parallel to the facets of lens 10)) to an additional curved surface of the second Fresnel lens 18a); a Fresnel substrate (18a) positioned on a partial region of the lens (10), the Fresnel substrate (18a) including a first surface that is planar (18a top) and second surface that is concave (18a bottom).
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 curved and parallel surfaces of the reflector and second lens of D2 for the purpose of producing a thinner lens with similar or better optical properties.
With regard to claim 19, D1 teaches a method of operating, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); comprising: emitting display light from a display (104); transmitting the display light through a first lens assembly (404) comprising a Fresnel lens (Col. 3, Ln. 4-14)) and a first reflector (216); reflecting the display light from a second lens (200) assembly comprising a second reflector (224); and reflecting the display light from the first reflector (216) so that the display light passes through the second lens assembly (200), wherein: the first reflector (216) is located on a plurality of facets of the Fresnel lens (Col. 3, Ln. 4-14).
However, D1 does not expressly disclose a substrate positioned on a partial region of the lens, the Fresnel substrate including a first surface that is planar and second surface that is concave.
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches an optical illumination system, in at least (figs. 7A-7E); a substrate (18a) positioned on a partial region of the lens (10), the Fresnel substrate (18a) including a first surface that is planar (18a top) and second surface that is concave (18a bottom).
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 a substrate positioned on a partial region of the lens, the Fresnel substrate including a first surface that is planar and second surface that is concave of D2 for the purpose of producing a thinner lens with similar or better optical properties.
With regard to claim 20, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 19, wherein D1 further teaches a method, in at least (fig. 2 & 3; and Col. 3, Ln. 4-14); further comprising forming an augmented reality image or a virtual reality image using the display light (Col. 1, Ln. 6-31).
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.
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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.
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/GRANT A GAGNON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872