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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/01/2023, 09/18/2023, 10/02/2024 and 01/02/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claim 17, the applicant claims “a distance S between a center of the light diffuser screen and the optical center of the optical image device is calculated according to the following formula,
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f is a focal length of the optical imaging unit; and driving, by the second driving device, the light diffuser screen to move to a position in which a distance to the optical center of the optical imaging unit is S”, however, it is unclear to the Examiner as to what the acceptable values for “S” are as the formula is unbounded and has an infinite possibility of values (i.e., is it greater than 0, is it greater than or equal to 1, is it greater than or equal to 5 is it less than or equal to 20, etc.). For purposes of expediting prosecution, the Examiner interprets that the distance “S” is --greater than 0--.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 8, 11-13, 15 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 2019/0302464; already of record) in view of Fan-Chiang (US 2021/0208391).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses, a display apparatus (Figs. 1-6), comprising:
an image generation device (1) with a focal length (Para. 0041);
a light diffuser screen (3, 3’, 3”), disposed on an image plane of the multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0041 and see Fig. 2), and configured to:
receive the first image (Para. 0041-0042); and
diffuse light beam of the first image (Para. 0041-0042; note, the Examiner interprets the first image is the image that is the beam modulated by and emitted from the SLM 2 in Fig. 2) to generate a second plurality of images (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses images are produced on diffusion screens 3, 3’, 3” at different positions); and
an optical imaging unit (4, 5), configured to image light beams of the second plurality of images diffused through light beams of the light diffuser screen (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses the light beams produced by the diffusion screens 3, 3’ and 3” (second plurality of images) are reflected onto the windshield to produce virtual images 8, 8’ and 8” (third plurality of images)), so as to form a third plurality of images with different imaging distances (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses the light beams produced by the diffusion screens 3, 3’ and 3” are reflected onto the windshield to produced virtual images 8, 8’ and 8”).
Li does not explicitly disclose the image generation device is a multi-focus image generation device with a plurality of different focal lengths, configured to generate a first plurality of images, wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions, and configured to receive the first plurality of images, and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams.
Fan-Chiang teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus (Figs. 1 and 4) that it would have been desirable to make the image generation device (110) is a multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0046, lines 1-4) with a plurality of different focal lengths (Para. 0046, lines 1-4), configured to generate a first plurality of images (Para. 0029, lines 16-22 and 0046, lines 1-4; note, discloses displaying a far virtual image that contains information that relates to the vehicle status such speedometer, the tachometer, the odometer which the Examiner interprets that each type of information is an image that makes up the first plurality of images), wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions (Para. 0046, lines 1-4; discloses generating an image at multiple focal planes), and configured to receive the first plurality of images (see “P1” of Fig. 4), and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams (Para. 0044, lines 11-14; note the Examiner interprets that this is the light beams that are emitted by “LCP3” that is incident on “LCP4” in Fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the image generation device is a multi-focus image generation device with a plurality of different focal lengths, configured to generate a first plurality of images, wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions, and configured to receive the first plurality of images, and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 2, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Li further discloses, the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (1); and a spatial light modulator (2), disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen (see Fig. 4).
Furthermore, Fan-Chiang further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (110), configured to generate a fourth plurality of images (Para. 0029 and 0036; note, discloses performs phase modulation according to a phase delay distribution), and the light diffuser screen is configured to load different phase information to optical waves of the fourth plurality of images (Para. 0041-0042; note, discloses displaying a far virtual image that contains information that relates to the vehicle status such as the engine coolant temperature gauge, the fuel gauge, the turn indicators, the gearshift position indicator, the seat belt warning light, the parking-brake warning light, the engine-malfunction lights which the Examiner interprets that each type of information is an image that makes up the fourth plurality of images) to enable the multi-focus image generation device to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0041-0042).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 4, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Fan-Chiang further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the display apparatus further comprises: a time sequence control device (130C), configured to control a moment at which one of the first plurality of images is switched to and a moment at which one of the plurality of focal lengths is switched to, to enable the multi-focus image generation device to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0046; note, discloses the time sequence control device operates in different time sequences to display virtual images at 1st status 1st focal plane imaging distance and 2nd status 2nd focal plane imaging distance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 5, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Li further discloses, the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (1); and a spatial light modulator (2), disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen (see Fig. 4).
Furthermore, Fan-Chiang further discloses, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element, configured to generate a fourth plurality of images (Para. 0029 and 0036; note, discloses performs phase modulation according to a phase delay distribution), and the light diffuser screen is configured to load different phase information to optical waves of the fourth plurality of images (Para. 0041-0042; note, discloses displaying a far virtual image that contains information that relates to the vehicle status such as the engine coolant temperature gauge, the fuel gauge, the turn indicators, the gearshift position indicator, the seat belt warning light, the parking-brake warning light, the engine-malfunction lights which the Examiner interprets that each type of information is an image that makes up the fourth plurality of images) to enable the multi-focus image generation device to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0041-0042), wherein the time sequence control device (130C), configured to control a moment at which one of the first plurality of images is switched to and a moment at which one of the plurality of focal lengths is switched to, to enable the multi-focus image generation device to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0046; note, discloses the time sequence control device operates in different time sequences to display virtual images at 1st status 1st focal plane imaging distance and 2nd status 2nd focal plane imaging distance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 8, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Li further discloses, the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (1), having a plurality of image generation areas (Para. 0042-0043); and a spatial light modulator (2), disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen (see Fig. 2), wherein the spatial light modulator has a plurality of modulation areas (Para. 0042-0043).
Furthermore, Fan-Chiang teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to make each modulation area corresponds to one image generation area (Para. 0046), and the plurality of modulation areas load different phase information to optical waves of images generated in corresponding image generation areas, allowing a plurality of images generated by the image generation element at a same moment to correspond to different focal lengths (Para. 0046; note, discloses the time sequence control device operates in different time sequences to display virtual images at 1st status 1st focal plane imaging distance and 2nd status 2nd focal plane imaging distance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 11, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Li further discloses, a plurality of light diffuser screens (3, 3’, 3”), each light diffuser screen corresponds to one image plane of an image generated by the multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0041-0042), and different light diffuser screens are located on different image planes (see 3, 3’, 3”).
Regarding claim 12, Li discloses, a display method, applied to a display apparatus (Figs. 1-6), comprising:
generating, by an image generation device (1), wherein the image generation device has a focal lengths (Para. 0041);
receiving (Para. 0041-0042), by a light diffuser screen (3, 3’, 3”) disposed on an image plane of the image generation device (Para. 0041 and see Fig. 2), the image generated by the image generation unit (Para. 0041 and see Fig. 2), and
diffusing light beams of the first plurality of images (Para. 0041-0042; note, the Examiner interprets the first image is the image that is the beam modulated by and emitted from the SLM 2 in Fig. 2) to generate a second plurality of images (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses images are produced on diffusion screens 3, 3’, 3” at different positions); and
imaging, by an optical imaging device (4, 5), light beams of the second plurality of images diffused through light beams of the light diffuser screen (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses the light beams produced by the diffusion screens 3, 3’ and 3” (second plurality of images) are reflected onto the windshield to produce virtual images 8, 8’ and 8” (third plurality of images)), so as to form a third plurality of images with different imaging distances (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses the light beams produced by the diffusion screens 3, 3’ and 3” are reflected onto the windshield to produced virtual images 8, 8’ and 8”).
Li does not explicitly disclose the image generation device is a multi-focus image generation device with a plurality of different focal lengths, configured to generate a first plurality of images, wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions, and configured to receive the first plurality of images, and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams.
Fan-Chiang teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display method (Figs. 1 and 4) that it would have been desirable to make the image generation device (110) is a multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0046, lines 1-4) with a plurality of different focal lengths (Para. 0046, lines 1-4), configured to generate a first plurality of images (Para. 0029, lines 16-22 and 0046, lines 1-4; note, discloses displaying a far virtual image that contains information that relates to the vehicle status such speedometer, the tachometer, the odometer which the Examiner interprets that each type of information is an image that makes up the first plurality of images), wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions (Para. 0046, lines 1-4; discloses generating an image at multiple focal planes), and configured to receive the first plurality of images (see “P1” of Fig. 4), and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams (Para. 0044, lines 11-14; note the Examiner interprets that this is the light beams that are emitted by “LCP3” that is incident on “LCP4” in Fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the image generation device is a multi-focus image generation device with a plurality of different focal lengths, configured to generate a first plurality of images, wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions, and configured to receive the first plurality of images, and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams as taught by the display method of Fan-Chiang in the display method of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display method for the purpose of providing a display method that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 13, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Fan-Chiang further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display method that it would have been desirable to make the display method comprises: generating (110) a fourth plurality of images (Para. 0029 and 0036; note, discloses performs phase modulation according to a phase delay distribution), and loading different phase information (Para. 0041-0042; note, discloses displaying a far virtual image that contains information that relates to the vehicle status such as the engine coolant temperature gauge, the fuel gauge, the turn indicators, the gearshift position indicator, the seat belt warning light, the parking-brake warning light, the engine-malfunction lights which the Examiner interprets that each type of information is an image that makes up the fourth plurality of images) to optical waves of the fourth plurality of images to enable the multi-focus image generation device to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0041-0042).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 15, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Fan-Chiang further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display method that it would have been desirable to make the display method comprises: controlling a moment at which one of the first plurality of images is switched to and a moment at which one of the plurality of focal lengths is switched to, to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0046; note, discloses the time sequence control device operates in different time sequences to display virtual images at 1st status 1st focal plane imaging distance and 2nd status 2nd focal plane imaging distance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 18, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, Li further discloses, projecting an image generated by the multi-focus image generation device (1) to a corresponding light diffuser screen (Para. 0041-0042).
Regarding claim 19, Li discloses, a display apparatus (Figs. 1-6), comprising:
an image generation device (1) with a focal length (Para. 0041);
a light diffuser screen (3, 3’, 3”), disposed on an image plane of the multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0041 and see Fig. 2), and configured to:
receive the first image (Para. 0041-0042); and
diffuse light beam of the first image (Para. 0041-0042; note, the Examiner interprets the first image is the image that is the beam modulated by and emitted from the SLM 2 in Fig. 2) to generate a second plurality of images (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses images are produced on diffusion screens 3, 3’, 3” at different positions); and
an optical imaging unit (4, 5), configured to image light beams of the second plurality of images diffused through light beams of the light diffuser screen (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses the light beams produced by the diffusion screens 3, 3’ and 3” (second plurality of images) are reflected onto the windshield to produce virtual images 8, 8’ and 8” (third plurality of images)), so as to form a third plurality of images with different imaging distances (Para. 0042, lines 8-17; note, discloses the light beams produced by the diffusion screens 3, 3’ and 3” are reflected onto the windshield to produced virtual images 8, 8’ and 8”); and
a reflector (4, 5, 6), wherein the reflector is located on an imaging optical path of the optical imaging device (Para. 0041-0042 and see Fig. 2).
Li does not explicitly disclose the image generation device is a multi-focus image generation device with a plurality of different focal lengths, configured to generate a first plurality of images, wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions, and configured to receive the first plurality of images, and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams.
Fan-Chiang teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus (Figs. 1 and 4) that it would have been desirable to make the image generation device (110) is a multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0046, lines 1-4) with a plurality of different focal lengths (Para. 0046, lines 1-4), configured to generate a first plurality of images (Para. 0029, lines 16-22 and 0046, lines 1-4; note, discloses displaying a far virtual image that contains information that relates to the vehicle status such speedometer, the tachometer, the odometer which the Examiner interprets that each type of information is an image that makes up the first plurality of images), wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions (Para. 0046, lines 1-4; discloses generating an image at multiple focal planes), and configured to receive the first plurality of images (see “P1” of Fig. 4), and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams (Para. 0044, lines 11-14; note the Examiner interprets that this is the light beams that are emitted by “LCP3” that is incident on “LCP4” in Fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the image generation device is a multi-focus image generation device with a plurality of different focal lengths, configured to generate a first plurality of images, wherein focal planes of the first plurality of images are located in different positions, and configured to receive the first plurality of images, and diffuse light beams of the first plurality of light beams as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 20, Li in view of Fan-Chiang discloses and teaches as set forth above, Li further discloses, the display system according to claim 19 (see rejection of claim 19 above), wherein: the display apparatus is installed in a cab (Para. 0041-0042; note, discloses the system is installed inside a vehicle as a HUD); and the reflector (4, 5, 6) is a windshield installed in the cab (Para. 0041-0042).
Claims 3, 6-7, 9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 2019/0302464; already of record) in view of Fan-Chiang (US 2021/0208391) as applied to claims 1, 4 and 12 above, and further in view of Niu (US 2022/0365364).
Li in view of Fan-Chiang remains as applied to claims 1, 4 and 12 above.
Furthermore, Fan-Chiang teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (110), configured to generate a fourth plurality of images (Para. 0029 and 0036; note, discloses performs phase modulation according to a phase delay distribution).
Li in view of Fan-Chiang does not disclose a zoom liquid lens, disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen, wherein the multi-focus image generation device generates different images at different focal lengths by changing curvature of a light-exiting surface.
Niu further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to include a zoom liquid lens (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens), disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens), wherein the multi-focus image generation device generates different images at different focal lengths by changing curvature of a light-exiting surface (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a zoom liquid lens, disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen, wherein the multi-focus image generation device generates different images at different focal lengths by changing curvature of a light-exiting surface as taught by the display apparatus of Niu in the combination Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Niu teaches it is known to include this feature in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a high resolution and low cost display apparatus that effectively and efficiently changes the position of an image.
Regarding claim 6, Li, Fan-Chiang and Niu discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Li further discloses, the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (1).
Furthermore, Fan-Chiang further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the display apparatus further comprises: a time sequence control device (130C), configured to control a moment at which one of the first plurality of images is switched to and a moment at which one of the plurality of focal lengths is switched to, to enable the multi-focus image generation device to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0046; note, discloses the time sequence control device operates in different time sequences to display virtual images at 1st status 1st focal plane imaging distance and 2nd status 2nd focal plane imaging distance).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Li in view of Fan-Chiang does not disclose a zoom liquid lens, disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen, wherein curvature of a light-exiting surface of the zoom liquid lens at different moments is different, allowing the plurality of images generated at different moments to correspond to different focal lengths.
Niu further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to include a zoom liquid lens (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens), disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens), wherein curvature of a light-exiting surface of the zoom liquid lens at different moments is different, allowing the plurality of images generated at different moments to correspond to different focal lengths (Para. 0109).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Niu in the combination Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Niu teaches it is known to include this feature in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a high resolution and low cost display apparatus that effectively and efficiently changes the position of an image.
Regarding claim 7, Li, Fan-Chiang and Niu discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Li further discloses, the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (1); a fixed-focus lens (Para. 0109 and see annotated Fig. 2 below), disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen (Para. 0109 and see annotated Fig. 2 below).
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Fan-Chiang teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to include the time sequence control device (130C) is configured to control a moment at which one of the fourth plurality of images is switched to and a moment at which one of the positions is switched to (Para. 0046; note, discloses the time sequence control device operates in different time sequences to display virtual images at 1st status 1st focal plane imaging distance and 2nd status 2nd focal plane imaging distance), allowing the multi-focus image generation device to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0041-0042; note, discloses displaying a far virtual image that contains information that relates to the vehicle status such as the engine coolant temperature gauge, the fuel gauge, the turn indicators, the gearshift position indicator, the seat belt warning light, the parking-brake warning light, the engine-malfunction lights which the Examiner interprets that each type of information is an image that makes up the fourth plurality of images).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Fan-Chiang in the display apparatus of Li since Fan-Chiang teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Li in view of Fan-Chiang does not explicitly disclose a first driving device, connected to the fixed-focus lens, wherein the first driving device drives the fixed-focus lens to move to different positions at different moments, to generate the fourth plurality of images at different moments to correspond to different focal lengths.
Niu teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to include a first driving device (Para. 0109; note, the Examiner interprets a first driving device that mechanically moves the lens), connected to the fixed-focus lens, wherein the first driving device drives the fixed-focus lens to move to different positions at different moments (Para. 0109), to generate the fourth plurality of images at different moments to correspond to different focal lengths (Para. 0109).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a zoom liquid lens, disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen, wherein the multi-focus image generation device generates different images at different focal lengths by changing curvature of a light-exiting surface as taught by the display apparatus of Niu in the combination Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Niu teaches it is known to include this feature in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a high resolution and low cost display apparatus that effectively and efficiently changes the position of an image.
Regarding claim 9, Li, Fan-Chiang and Niu discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Fan-Chiang further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the multi-focus image generation device comprises: an image generation element (110), configured to generate a fourth plurality of images (Para. 0029 and 0036; note, discloses performs phase modulation according to a phase delay distribution).
Niu further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to include a zoom liquid lens (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens), disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens), wherein the zoom liquid lens has a plurality of lens areas, each lens area corresponds to one image generation area (Para. 0109), and curvature of light-exiting surfaces of the plurality of lens areas is different (Para. 0109), allowing a plurality of images generated by the image generation element at a same moment to correspond to different focal lengths (Para. 0109).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a zoom liquid lens, disposed on an optical path between the image generation element and the light diffuser screen, wherein the multi-focus image generation device generates different images at different focal lengths by changing curvature of a light-exiting surface as taught by the display apparatus of Niu in the combination Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Niu teaches it is known to include this feature in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a high resolution and low cost display apparatus that effectively and efficiently changes the position of an image.
Regarding claim 14, Li, Fan-Chiang and Niu discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Niu further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display method that it would have been desirable to make the display method comprises: generating a fourth plurality of images (Para. 0029 and 0036; note, discloses performs phase modulation according to a phase delay distribution), and changing curvature of a light-exiting surface to generate different images at different focal lengths (Para. 0109; note, discloses an imaging lens that employs a fast zoom lens such as a liquid/liquid crystal lens).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display apparatus of Niu in the combination Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Niu teaches it is known to include this feature in a display method for the purpose of providing a high resolution and low cost display method that effectively and efficiently changes the position of an image.
Claims 10 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 2019/0302464; already of record) in view of Fan-Chiang (US 2021/0208391) as applied to claims 1 and 12 above, and further in view of Nagano et al. (US 2019/0025580).
Li in view of Fan-Chiang remains as applied to claims 1 and 12 above.
Li in view of Fan-Chiang does not disclose a second driving device, connected to the light diffuser screen, wherein the second driving device controls the light diffuser screen to move to an image plane of an image generated by the multi-focus image generation device.
Nagano teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display apparatus that it would have been desirable to include a second driving device (284 of Fig. 5), connected to the light diffuser screen (41c of Fig. 18), wherein the second driving device controls the light diffuser screen to move to an image plane of an image generated by the multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0128-0130 and see 41c of Fig. 18).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a second driving device, connected to the light diffuser screen, wherein the second driving device controls the light diffuser screen to move to an image plane of an image generated by the multi-focus image generation device as taught by the display apparatus of Nagano in the combination of Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Nagano teaches it is known to include these features in a display apparatus for the purpose of providing a display apparatus that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 16, Li, Fan-Chiang and Nagano discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Nagano further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display method that it would have been desirable to make the light diffuser screen (41c of Fig. 18) is connected to a second driving device (284 of Fig. 5), and wherein the display method further comprises: when a focal length of the multi-focus image generation device is converted, controlling, by the second driving device, the light diffuser screen to move to an image plane of an image generated by the multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0128-0130 and see 41c of Fig. 18).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display method of Nagano in the combination of Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Nagano teaches it is known to include these features in a display method for the purpose of providing a display method that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Regarding claim 17, Li, Fan-Chiang and Nagano discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Nagano further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in a display method that it would have been desirable to make the controlling, by the second driving device (284 of Fig. 5), the light diffuser screen (41c of Fig. 18) to move to an image plane of an image generated by the multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0128-0130 and see 41c of Fig. 18) comprises: determining an imaging distance V of the display apparatus based on the focal length of the multi-focus image generation device (Para. 0128-0130 and see 41c of Fig. 18), wherein the imaging distance V is a distance between an image plane of the optical imaging device and an optical center of the optical imaging device (Para. 0128-0130 and see 41c of Fig. 18), and then a distance S between a center of the light diffuser screen and the optical center of the optical imaging device is calculated(Para. 0128-0130 and see 41c of Fig. 18) according to the following formula,
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f is a focal length of the optical imaging device; and driving, by the second driving device, the light diffuser screen to move to a position in which a distance to the optical center of the optical imaging device is S .
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the display method of Nagano in the combination of Li in view of Fan-Chiang since Nagano teaches it is known to include these features in a display method for the purpose of providing a display method that effectively displaying information to a user without largely changing the line of sight of a user.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kishigami et al. (US 2017/0146803) and Shimada et al. (US 2019/0139286) discloses a display apparatus and method that includes a multi-focus image generation device, a light diffuser screen and an optical image device.
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/DAWAYNE PINKNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 01/23/2026