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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract contains more than 150 words. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The specification lacks paragraph numbers (Other than in a reissue application or reexamination or supplemental examination proceeding, the paragraphs of the specification, other than in the claims or abstract, may be numbered at the time the application is filed, and should be individually and consecutively numbered using Arabic numerals, so as to unambiguously identify each paragraph. The number should consist of at least four numerals enclosed in square brackets, including leading zeros (e.g., [0001]). The numbers and enclosing brackets should appear to the right of the left margin as the first item in each paragraph, before the first word of the paragraph, and should be highlighted in bold.) (MPEP; 37 CFR 1.52 (b)(6)).
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.
Claims 3-4, 11-16 are 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.
As of claim 3, the limitation “each layer of optical layered structure is made from multilayer optical film” is ambiguous. A review of the description (Page 1, lines 7-10), repeats the claim limitation for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter. For the purpose of the examination, the Examiner has interpreted “each layer of optical layered structure is made from multilayer optical film” as “the polarized-light selective reflection layer constitutes partial selective reflection layers”.
Claims 15-16 are rejected as being dependent on claim 3.
As of claim 4, the limitation “each optical layered structure is made from metal film” is indefinite. A review of the description (Page 2, lines 15-16) describes “Said first layer of film 411 is configured to be a metal film, and the second layer of film 412 is configured to be a fully transparent optical medium film” not each optical layered structure is made from metal film. For the purpose of the examination, the Examiner has interpreted “each optical layered structure is made from metal film” as “the substate is made of metal”.
Claims 11-14 are rejected as being dependent on claim 4.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 11, 14,17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Umeya (US 2005/0030617 A1).
As of claim 1, Umeya teaches a projection screen 10 [fig 3] maintaining polarization state of projection light redirected from the screen (to improve image visibility while maintaining the polarized-light-separating property inherent in the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11) [fig 3] [0097], comprising a plurality of projection screen units (polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 and the substrate 12) [fig 3] [0098], the projection screen unit 10 [fig 3] further comprises at least two layers of optical layered structures (three partial selective reflection layers 11a, 11b and 11c) [fig 3] [0098], wherein the phase change of the first optical layered structure (to minimize the influence of phase differences that are produced in proportion to the thickness of the cholesteric liquid crystal structure (the influence of the layer situated on the side closer to the viewer's side exerted on the layer situated on the side farther from the viewer's side)) [0098] is compensated by another layer ((the environmental light and imaging light that pass through the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 (or the partial selective reflection layers 11a, 11b and 11c that constitute the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11) do not undergo so-called depolarization, that is, the disturbance of the state of polarization. It is thus possible to improve image visibility while maintaining the polarized-light-separating property inherent in the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11)) [0097].
As of claim 2, Umeya teaches each layer of optical layered structure 11, 12 [fig 3] is made from optical medium film and/or metal film (substrate 12 is for supporting the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11, and a material selected from plastic films, metals, paper, cloth, glass, and the like can be used for forming the substrate 12) [0057].
As of claim 3, Umeya teaches each layer of optical layered structure 11 [fig 3] is made from multilayer optical film (11a, 11b and 11c) [fig 3].
As of claim 4, Umeya teaches each optical layered structure 12 [fig 3] is made from metal film [0057]; and reflection angles of the metal films [0137] are set to be smaller than 45 degrees (15 degrees).
As of claim 6, Umeya teaches each optical layered structure comprises two layers of metal films 11, 12 (reflection layer 11 and substrate is a metal) [fig 3] [0057].
As of claim 7, Umeya teaches optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures 11, 12 [fig 1] are tilted 33 [fig 1] with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit 10 [fig 1].
As of claim 8, Umeya teaches the tilting angles of the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures 11, 12 [fig 1] are between +/-20 degrees and +/-45 degrees (15 degrees) [0137] with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit 10 [fig 1].
As of claim 11, Umeya teaches the tilting angles of the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures 11, 12 [fig 1] are between +/-20 degrees and +/-45 degrees (15 degrees) [0137] with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit 10 [fig 1].
As of claim 14, Umeya teaches the tilting angles of the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures 11, 12 [fig 1] are between +/-20 degrees and +/-45 degrees (15 degrees) [0137] with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit 10 [fig 1].
As of claim 17, Umeya teaches the tilting angles of the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures 11, 12 [fig 1] are between +/-20 degrees and +/-45 degrees (15 degrees) [0137] with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit 10 [fig 1].
As of claim 20, Umeya teaches the tilting angles of the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures 11, 12 [fig 1] are between +/-20 degrees and +/-45 degrees (15 degrees) [0137] with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit 10 [fig 1].
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umeya (US 2005/0030617 A1) in view of YANAI et al. (US 2018/0321577 A1; YANAI).
Umeya teaches the invention as cited above except for the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures are tilted with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit.
YANAI teaches a transparent screen 10a [fig 1] having the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures 12b, 14 [fig 1] are tilted [fig 1] with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit 10a [fig 1].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the optical axis directions of the layers of optical layered structures are tilted with respect to the corresponding projection screen unit as taught by YANAI to provide a transparent screen that reflects light from a front surface side and transmits light from a back surface side, in which the reflected glare of the light source is prevented from being seen by the viewer by making emission angles of the reflected light of the video light and the reflected light of the outermost surface different from each other, and in which reflection intensity of the video light can be increased and transparency can be increased (YANAI; [0011]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 9, 18-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As of claim 5, the closest prior art Umeya (US 2005/0030617 A1) teaches a projection screen 10 according to this embodiment is for displaying an image by reflecting imaging light projected from the viewer's side (the upper side of the figure), and comprises a polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure (periodic structure), capable of selectively reflecting a specific polarized-light component (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light), and a substrate 12 that supports the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11. Of these component layers, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 is made from a cholesteric liquid crystalline composition, and physically, liquid crystalline molecules in this layer are aligned in helical fashion in which the directors of the liquid crystalline molecules are continuously rotated in the direction of the thickness of the layer. Owing to such a physical alignment of the liquid crystalline molecules, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 has the polarized-light-separating property, the property of separating a light component circularly polarized in one direction from a light component circularly polarized in the opposite direction. Namely, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 converts unpolarized light that enters this layer along the helical axis into light in two different states of polarization (right-handed circularly polarized light and left-handed circularly polarized light), and transmits one of these lights and reflects the other. This phenomenon is known as circular dichroism. If the direction of rotation of liquid crystalline molecular helix is properly selected, a light component circularly polarized in the same direction as this direction of rotation is selectively reflected. Namely, as shown in FIG. 1, of the unpolarized light that has entered the projection screen 10 from the viewer's side and has been split into right-handed circularly polarized light 31R and left-handed circularly polarized light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and into right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range, one of the circularly polarized-light components in the wave range (selective reflection wave range) with the width .DELTA. Lambda., centered at the wavelength .lambda..sub.0 (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light 31R in the selective reflection wave range) is reflected from the projection screen 10 as reflected light 33, and the other light (e.g., left-handed circularly polarized-light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range) pass through the projection screen 10, owing to the above-described polarized-light-separating property. Umeya does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, each layer of optical layered structure comprises two layers of films; a first layer of film is made from metal, a second layer of film is made from a transparent optical medium film, and the optical medium film is disposed above the metal film.
As of claim 9, the closest prior art Umeya (US 2005/0030617 A1) teaches a projection screen 10 according to this embodiment is for displaying an image by reflecting imaging light projected from the viewer's side (the upper side of the figure), and comprises a polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure (periodic structure), capable of selectively reflecting a specific polarized-light component (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light), and a substrate 12 that supports the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11. Of these component layers, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 is made from a cholesteric liquid crystalline composition, and physically, liquid crystalline molecules in this layer are aligned in helical fashion in which the directors of the liquid crystalline molecules are continuously rotated in the direction of the thickness of the layer. Owing to such a physical alignment of the liquid crystalline molecules, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 has the polarized-light-separating property, the property of separating a light component circularly polarized in one direction from a light component circularly polarized in the opposite direction. Namely, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 converts unpolarized light that enters this layer along the helical axis into light in two different states of polarization (right-handed circularly polarized light and left-handed circularly polarized light), and transmits one of these lights and reflects the other. This phenomenon is known as circular dichroism. If the direction of rotation of liquid crystalline molecular helix is properly selected, a light component circularly polarized in the same direction as this direction of rotation is selectively reflected. Namely, as shown in FIG. 1, of the unpolarized light that has entered the projection screen 10 from the viewer's side and has been split into right-handed circularly polarized light 31R and left-handed circularly polarized light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and into right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range, one of the circularly polarized-light components in the wave range (selective reflection wave range) with the width .DELTA. Lambda., centered at the wavelength .lambda..sub.0 (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light 31R in the selective reflection wave range) is reflected from the projection screen 10 as reflected light 33, and the other light (e.g., left-handed circularly polarized-light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range) pass through the projection screen 10, owing to the above-described polarized-light-separating property. Umeya does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the tilting angles are controlled to specific angular surface distribution by one or more of following methods: laser direct writing, binary optics, diffractive optics, and surface embossing.
As of claim 18, the closest prior art Umeya (US 2005/0030617 A1) teaches a projection screen 10 according to this embodiment is for displaying an image by reflecting imaging light projected from the viewer's side (the upper side of the figure), and comprises a polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure (periodic structure), capable of selectively reflecting a specific polarized-light component (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light), and a substrate 12 that supports the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11. Of these component layers, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 is made from a cholesteric liquid crystalline composition, and physically, liquid crystalline molecules in this layer are aligned in helical fashion in which the directors of the liquid crystalline molecules are continuously rotated in the direction of the thickness of the layer. Owing to such a physical alignment of the liquid crystalline molecules, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 has the polarized-light-separating property, the property of separating a light component circularly polarized in one direction from a light component circularly polarized in the opposite direction. Namely, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 converts unpolarized light that enters this layer along the helical axis into light in two different states of polarization (right-handed circularly polarized light and left-handed circularly polarized light), and transmits one of these lights and reflects the other. This phenomenon is known as circular dichroism. If the direction of rotation of liquid crystalline molecular helix is properly selected, a light component circularly polarized in the same direction as this direction of rotation is selectively reflected. Namely, as shown in FIG. 1, of the unpolarized light that has entered the projection screen 10 from the viewer's side and has been split into right-handed circularly polarized light 31R and left-handed circularly polarized light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and into right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range, one of the circularly polarized-light components in the wave range (selective reflection wave range) with the width .DELTA. Lambda., centered at the wavelength .lambda..sub.0 (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light 31R in the selective reflection wave range) is reflected from the projection screen 10 as reflected light 33, and the other light (e.g., left-handed circularly polarized-light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range) pass through the projection screen 10, owing to the above-described polarized-light-separating property. Umeya does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the tilting angles are controlled to specific angular surface distribution by one or more of following methods: laser direct writing, binary optics, diffractive optics, and surface embossing.
Claim 19 is allowed as being dependent on claim 18.
Claims 12-13, 15-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if earlier 112(b) rejections are successfully overcome and if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As of claim 12, the closest prior art Umeya (US 2005/0030617 A1) teaches a projection screen 10 according to this embodiment is for displaying an image by reflecting imaging light projected from the viewer's side (the upper side of the figure), and comprises a polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure (periodic structure), capable of selectively reflecting a specific polarized-light component (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light), and a substrate 12 that supports the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11. Of these component layers, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 is made from a cholesteric liquid crystalline composition, and physically, liquid crystalline molecules in this layer are aligned in helical fashion in which the directors of the liquid crystalline molecules are continuously rotated in the direction of the thickness of the layer. Owing to such a physical alignment of the liquid crystalline molecules, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 has the polarized-light-separating property, the property of separating a light component circularly polarized in one direction from a light component circularly polarized in the opposite direction. Namely, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 converts unpolarized light that enters this layer along the helical axis into light in two different states of polarization (right-handed circularly polarized light and left-handed circularly polarized light), and transmits one of these lights and reflects the other. This phenomenon is known as circular dichroism. If the direction of rotation of liquid crystalline molecular helix is properly selected, a light component circularly polarized in the same direction as this direction of rotation is selectively reflected. Namely, as shown in FIG. 1, of the unpolarized light that has entered the projection screen 10 from the viewer's side and has been split into right-handed circularly polarized light 31R and left-handed circularly polarized light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and into right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range, one of the circularly polarized-light components in the wave range (selective reflection wave range) with the width .DELTA. Lambda., centered at the wavelength .lambda..sub.0 (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light 31R in the selective reflection wave range) is reflected from the projection screen 10 as reflected light 33, and the other light (e.g., left-handed circularly polarized-light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range) pass through the projection screen 10, owing to the above-described polarized-light-separating property. Umeya does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the tilting angles are controlled to specific angular surface distribution by one or more of following methods: laser direct writing, binary optics, diffractive optics, and surface embossing.
Claim 13 is allowed as being dependent on claim 12.
As of claim 15, the closest prior art Umeya (US 2005/0030617 A1) teaches a projection screen 10 according to this embodiment is for displaying an image by reflecting imaging light projected from the viewer's side (the upper side of the figure), and comprises a polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 having a cholesteric liquid crystalline structure (periodic structure), capable of selectively reflecting a specific polarized-light component (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light), and a substrate 12 that supports the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11. Of these component layers, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 is made from a cholesteric liquid crystalline composition, and physically, liquid crystalline molecules in this layer are aligned in helical fashion in which the directors of the liquid crystalline molecules are continuously rotated in the direction of the thickness of the layer. Owing to such a physical alignment of the liquid crystalline molecules, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 has the polarized-light-separating property, the property of separating a light component circularly polarized in one direction from a light component circularly polarized in the opposite direction. Namely, the polarized-light selective reflection layer 11 converts unpolarized light that enters this layer along the helical axis into light in two different states of polarization (right-handed circularly polarized light and left-handed circularly polarized light), and transmits one of these lights and reflects the other. This phenomenon is known as circular dichroism. If the direction of rotation of liquid crystalline molecular helix is properly selected, a light component circularly polarized in the same direction as this direction of rotation is selectively reflected. Namely, as shown in FIG. 1, of the unpolarized light that has entered the projection screen 10 from the viewer's side and has been split into right-handed circularly polarized light 31R and left-handed circularly polarized light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and into right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range, one of the circularly polarized-light components in the wave range (selective reflection wave range) with the width .DELTA. Lambda., centered at the wavelength .lambda..sub.0 (e.g., right-handed circularly polarized light 31R in the selective reflection wave range) is reflected from the projection screen 10 as reflected light 33, and the other light (e.g., left-handed circularly polarized-light 31L in the selective reflection wave range, and right-handed circularly polarized light 32R and left-handed circularly polarized light 32L not in the selective reflection wave range) pass through the projection screen 10, owing to the above-described polarized-light-separating property. Umeya does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the tilting angles are controlled to specific angular surface distribution by one or more of following methods: laser direct writing, binary optics, diffractive optics, and surface embossing.
Claim 16 is allowed as being dependent on claim 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art WANG (US 20180309967 A1) teaches an optical device having at least one group of following structure 1) phase modulation layer, 2) a partially reflective layer, and 3) a phase compensation layer. When incident lights pass through the phase modulation layer, the partially reflective layer reflects and scatters the light back to the viewers. The direction and profile of the reflected light are determined by the phase modulation profile. On the other hand, when light passes through both the first phase modulation layer and the second phase compensation layer, its phase modulation is compensated to substantially small level. Therefore, the transparent light passes through the optical device just like passing through a parallel transparent substrate without any disturbing;
- Prior Art Sarma et al. (US 20160327853 A1) teaches an active window display (AWD) system having a first surface that provides a wide field of view image for cross-cockpit viewing that is readable against sunlight illumination is provided. The displayed image in the AWD is not visible from a backside (or second surface) of the AWD. The AWD system further capably switches from transmitting wavelengths to being opaque, to block the optical emissions associated with a displayed image from escaping the backside or second surface.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SULTAN U. CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3336. The examiner can normally be reached on 5:30 AM-5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached on 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SULTAN CHOWDHURY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882