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 .
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), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/17/2025 has been entered.
Claim Objection
3. Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In lines 1-2 of claim 13: “… the at least one spectrum-specific components is …” should be changed into --… the at least one spectrum-specific component is …--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. Claims 1-8 and 10-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (U.S. Patent No. US 11,307,654 B1) in view of Ko (U.S. Pub. No. US 2017/0111557 A1).
As to claim 1, Zhang (Figs. 1-17) teaches a head-mounted display (HMD) (a head-mounted display (HMD) 200; Fig. 2) comprising:
a housing (a body 220; a frame 305; Fig. 2-3) made of an infrared (IR)-transmissive material (e.g., poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) which is a transparent and rigid plastic; col. 6, lines 49-53; Fig. 8),
wherein an outer surface (a shortwave-pass (SWP) filter 830) of the housing is coated with an IR-opaque material (may include a thin layer of reflective coating that may reflect light with wavelengths greater than a threshold value, such as IR light with wavelengths greater than 750nm; col. 23, lines 41-44; Fig. 8), and
wherein one or more locations (an array of holes) on the outer surface are devoid of the IR-opaque material to provide one or more IR-transmissive windows on the housing (an array of windows 850 (or apertures) where IR light may pass through; col. 23, lines 51-54; IR light can only pass through windows 850; col. 23, line 60) (Fig. 8).
Zhang does not expressly teach one or more IR sensors disposed inside the housing directly behind the one or more IR-transmissive windows.
Ko (Figs. 1-6) teaches
one or more IR sensors (the imaging sensor 106 for capturing both visible light imagery and IR light imagery) disposed inside the housing (the shielding assembly 110) directly behind the one or more IR-transmissive windows (the center region 304 of the through hole filter 122) (Figs. 1-6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used a filter as taught by Ko in a head-mounted display device of Zhang because the filter provides two different effective f-stops concurrently for visible light capture and IR light capture by an imaging sensor of the camera assembly.
As to claim 2, Zhang teaches
wherein the outer surface is coated with an IR-transmissive coating that substantially covers the IR-opaque material and the one or more locations (the shortwave-pass (SWP) filter 830 may include the thin layer of reflective coating that may reflect light with wavelengths greater than a threshold value, such as IR light with wavelengths greater than 750nm; col. 23, lines 41-44; Fig. 8).
As to claim 3, Zhang teaches
wherein a thickness of the housing at the one or more locations is thinner than a thickness of a remainder of the housing (a thickness at the array of windows 850 is thinner than a thickness of the remaining area) (Fig. 8).
As to claim 4, Zhang teaches
wherein the one or more IR sensors are mounted to an inner surface of the housing behind the one or more locations (the sensors 350a-350e are mounted to the frame 305 behind the array of windows 850 (or apertures)) (Figs. 3 and 8).
As to claim 5, Zhang teaches
wherein the one or more locations are circular in shape to provide one or more circular IR-transmissive windows on the housing (the window may have a circular shape; col. 23, lines 65-67; Fig. 8).
As to claim 6, Zhang teaches
wherein the one or more IR-transmissive windows comprise a plurality of IR-transmissive windows (an array of windows 850 (or apertures) where IR light may pass through; col. 23, lines 51-54; IR light can only pass through windows 850; col. 23, line 60) (Fig. 8).
As to claim 7, Zhang teaches
wherein at least some of the plurality of IR-transmissive windows (the array of windows 850 (or apertures) are located on a front of the HMD (the head-mounted display (HMD) 200) (Figs. 2-3 and 8).
As to claim 8, Zhang (Figs. 1-17) teaches a method of manufacturing a head-mounted display (HMD) (a head-mounted display (HMD) 200; Fig. 2) having at least one window that allows electromagnetic radiation in a specific spectrum to pass through the at least one window (an array of windows 850 (or apertures) where IR light may pass through; col. 23, lines 51-54; IR light can only pass through windows 850; col. 23, line 60; Fig. 8), the method comprising:
forming a housing (a body 220; a frame 305; Fig. 2-3) for the HMD out of a first material (a substrate 820; Fig. 8) that is configured to allow the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum to pass therethrough (transparent to visible light and infrared light; col. 1, lines 65-66) (Figs. 2-3 and 8);
painting an outer surface of the housing with a second material that is configured to block the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum (a shortwave-pass (SWP) filter 830 may include a thin layer of reflective coating that may reflect light with wavelengths greater than a threshold value, such as IR light with wavelengths greater than 750nm; col. 23, lines 41-44; Fig. 8); and
removing the second material (the shortwave-pass (SWP) filter 830 including the thin layer of reflective coating) from at least one location on the outer surface (the array of holes corresponding to the array of windows 852 (or apertures)) (Fig. 8); and
created by the removing of the second material from the at least one location (an array of holes may be drilled through ambient light illuminator, including SWP filter 830, substrate 820, and/or AR coating, to form an array of windows 850 (or aperture) where IR light may pass through; col. 23, lines 51-53) (Fig. 8).
Zhang does not expressly teach mounting at least one spectrum-specific component on an inner surface of the housing directly behind the at least on window.
Ko (Figs. 1-6) teaches
mounting at least one spectrum-specific component (the imaging sensor 106 for capturing both visible light imagery and IR light imagery) on an inner surface of the housing (the shielding assembly 110) directly behind the at least on window (the center region 304 of the through hole filter 122) (Figs. 1-6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used a filter as taught by Ko in a method for manufacturing a head-mounted display device of Zhang because the filter provides two different effective f-stops concurrently for visible light capture and IR light capture by an imaging sensor of the camera assembly.
As to claim 11, Zhang teaches further comprising
coating the outer surface with the first material or a third material that is configured to allow the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum to pass therethrough (ambient light illuminator 910 may also include another antireflective coating layer (not shown in Fig. 9) formed on the top surface of substrate 920 to reduce reflection at the top surface of substrate 920; col. 24, lines 50-54it is easily known that antireflective coating layer can be applied to the substrate 820) (Figs. 8-9).
As to claim 12, Zhang teaches
wherein the at least one spectrum-specific component is at least one sensor configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum (the infrared light) (e.g., illuminator(s) 330 may project light in a dark environment (or in an environment with low intensity of infra-red light); col. 16, lines 17-21) (Figs. 3 and 8).
As to claim 13, Zhang teaches
wherein the at least one spectrum-specific components is at least one beacon (illuminator(s) 330) configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum (e.g., illuminator(s) 330 may project light in a dark environment (or in an environment with low intensity of infra-red light) to assist sensors 350a-350e in capturing images of different object within the dark environment; col. 16, lines 17-21) (Figs. 3 and 8).
As to claim 14, Zhang teaches
wherein the specific spectrum is the infrared (IR) spectrum (an array of windows 850 (or apertures) where IR light may pass through; col. 23, lines 51-54; IR light can only pass through windows 850; col. 23, line 60; Fig. 8).
As to claim 15, Zhang teaches
wherein the first material comprises an IR-transmissive polycarbonate plastic (poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) which is a transparent and rigid plastic; col. 6, lines 49-53; Fig. 8).
As to claim 16, Zhang (Figs. 1-17) teaches an electronic device (a head-mounted display (HMD) 200; Fig. 2) comprising:
a housing (a body 220; a frame 305; Fig. 2-3) made of a spectrum-transmissive material (a substrate 820; Fig. 8) that is configured to allow electromagnetic radiation in a specific spectrum to pass therethrough (transparent to visible light and infrared light; col. 1, lines 65-66) (Figs. 2-3 and 8),
wherein an outer surface of the housing is coated with a spectrum-opaque material that is configured to block the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum (ambient light illuminator 910 may also include another antireflective coating layer (not shown in Fig. 9) formed on the top surface of substrate 920 to reduce reflection at the top surface of substrate 920; col. 24, lines 50-54it is easily known that antireflective coating layer can be applied to the substrate 820) (Figs. 8-9), and
wherein one or more locations on the outer surface are devoid of the spectrum-opaque material to provide one or more spectrum-transmissive windows on the housing (an array of windows 850 (or apertures) where IR light may pass through; col. 23, lines 51-54; IR light can only pass through windows 850; col. 23, line 60) (Fig. 8).
Zhang does not expressly teach one or more spectrum-specific components disposed inside the housing directly behind the one or more spectrum-transmissive windows.
Ko (Figs. 1-6) teaches
one or more spectrum-specific components (the imaging sensor 106 for capturing both visible light imagery and IR light imagery) disposed inside the housing (the shielding assembly 110) directly behind the one or more spectrum-transmissive windows (the center region 304 of the through hole filter 122) (Figs. 1-6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used a filter as taught by Ko in a head-mounted display device of Zhang because the filter provides two different effective f-stops concurrently for visible light capture and IR light capture by an imaging sensor of the camera assembly.
As to claim 17, Zhang teaches
wherein the outer surface is coated with a spectrum-transmissive coating that substantially covers the spectrum-opaque material and the one or more locations (the shortwave-pass (SWP) filter 830 may include the thin layer of reflective coating that may reflect light with wavelengths greater than a threshold value, such as IR light with wavelengths greater than 750nm; col. 23, lines 41-44; Fig. 8).
As to claim 18, Zhang teaches
wherein the one or more spectrum-specific components are at least one of sensors that detect the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum, or beacons that emit the electromagnetic radiation in the specific spectrum (e.g., illuminator(s) 330 may project light in a dark environment (or in an environment with low intensity of infra-red light) to assist sensors 350a-350e in capturing images of different object within the dark environment ; col. 16, lines 17-21) (Figs. 3 and 8).
As to claim 19, Zhang teaches
wherein a thickness of the housing at the one or more locations is thinner than a thickness of a remainder of the housing (a thickness at the array of windows 850 is thinner than a thickness of the remaining area) (Fig. 8).
As to claim 20, Zhang teaches
wherein the specific spectrum is the infrared (IR) spectrum (an array of windows 850 (or apertures) where IR light may pass through; col. 23, lines 51-54; IR light can only pass through windows 850; col. 23, line 60; Fig. 8).
6. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Ko as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Brown (U.S. Patent No. US 8,659,826 B1).
As to claim 9, Zhang and Ko teach the method of claim 8.
Zhang also teaches
wherein removing the second material comprises etching the second material away from the outer surface (no holes need to be drilled in substrate 920 and windows 940 may be relatively easily formed on SWP filter 930 using etching or laser cutting techniques; it is easily known that etching can be applied to in Fig.8) (Figs. 8-9).
Zhang and Ko do not expressly teach laser [etching].
Brown (Figs. 1-9) teaches
laser [etching] (laser etching; col. 5, lines 59-62).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a laser etching process as taught by Brown for a method of manufacturing a head-mounted display device of Zhang as modified by Ko because the precision of the laser etching process makes it ideal for designs with small details and the etching process can be done of a multitude of materials including metals, paper, wood and some acrylics.
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Poulad (U.S. Pub. No. US 2020/0271933 A1) is cited to teach a head mounted display visor assembly including a molded world-facing visor coupled to a separately molded user-facing bathtub, which includes an IR opaque and visual light opaque portion coupled to a separately manufactured IR permissive portion.
Tzvieli (U.S. Pub. No. US 2017/0367651 A1) is cited to teach a wearable system including a frame configured to be worn on a user’s head, and at least one non-contact thermal camera.
Inquiry
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kwang-Su Yang whose telephone number is (571)270-7307. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri during 9:00am-6:00pm EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chanh Nguyen, can be reached on (571)272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KWANG-SU YANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623