Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/019,775

SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZED SELECTIVE LIGHT PASS THROUGH

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Feb 03, 2023
Examiner
NGUYEN, LAUREN
Art Unit
2871
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
54%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 5m
To Grant
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 54% of resolved cases
54%
Career Allow Rate
549 granted / 1007 resolved
-13.5% vs TC avg
Strong +36% interview lift
Without
With
+35.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
74 currently pending
Career history
1081
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
63.0%
+23.0% vs TC avg
§102
30.3%
-9.7% vs TC avg
§112
5.6%
-34.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1007 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 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 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. Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A2 (figure 1D), including claims 1-3, 10-12, 14-16, in the reply filed on 01/22/2026 is acknowledged. Specification The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-3, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takashi (JP 2010-197917). Regarding claim 1, Takashi (figures 1-4) discloses a computing device, comprising: a device image display that outputs device display light rendering device display images (second liquid crystal display element 21); an optical configuration (reflective polarizing plate 1; figure 1) for a viewer (40; figure 4) of the computing device to view external display images (16, 26; see at least paragraphs 0044-0045) rendered with external display light from an external image display and the device display images rendered with the device display light from the device image display (The second image 26 is displayed on the second liquid crystal display element 21 with the same resolution as the first liquid crystal display element 11 by performing an RGBW mosaic arrangement and performing a predetermined rendering process according to the RGBW mosaic arrangement; see at least paragraph 0058); wherein the external display light is of a first light property (the transmission axis of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the light emitted from the first display body 10 as in the case where the light emitted from the first and second display bodies 10 and 20 is non-polarized light. Light other than the polarization component parallel to 1a passes through the reflective polarizing plate 1 and leaks to the viewer side, or the reflection axis 1b of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the emitted light from the second display body 20 Light other than the parallel polarization component is not reflected to the viewer side by the reflective polarizing plate 1; see at least paragraphs 0054-0056); wherein the device display light is of a second light property different from the first light property (the transmission axis of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the light emitted from the first display body 10 as in the case where the light emitted from the first and second display bodies 10 and 20 is non-polarized light. Light other than the polarization component parallel to 1a passes through the reflective polarizing plate 1 and leaks to the viewer side, or the reflection axis 1b of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the emitted light from the second display body 20 Light other than the parallel polarization component is not reflected to the viewer side by the reflective polarizing plate 1; see at least paragraphs 0054-0056); a display light combiner implemented as a part of the optical configuration to combine the external display light of the first light property and the device display light of the second light property to reach the viewer's vision field (11; the first display body 10 controls the transmission of light incident from one surface and transmits the transmitted light from the other surface to display an image. 11 and a first surface light source 14 which is a light emitting element arranged to face the incident surface of the first liquid crystal display element 11, that is, a backlight, and the incident surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11. The polarizing plate 12 and the first polarizing plate 13 provided on the emission surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11 and functioning as the polarizing means; see at least paragraph 0028); wherein the display light combiner causes the optical configuration to selectively reflect, based on the second light property, the device display light toward the viewer's vision field and to selectively transmit, based on the first light property, the external display light toward the viewer's vision field (11; the first display body 10 controls the transmission of light incident from one surface and transmits the transmitted light from the other surface to display an image. 11 and a first surface light source 14 which is a light emitting element arranged to face the incident surface of the first liquid crystal display element 11, that is, a backlight, and the incident surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11. The polarizing plate 12 and the first polarizing plate 13 provided on the emission surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11 and functioning as the polarizing means; see at least paragraph 0028). Regarding claim 2, Takashi (figures 1-4) discloses wherein the device image display comprises a light source (14, 24), a light filter (polarizing plate 12 and polarizing plate 13) and an image output (11); wherein the light filter is configured to filter incoming source light of the light source to generate outgoing filtered light in accordance with the second light property; and wherein the outgoing filtered light is further modulated by the image output into the device display light rendering device display images. Regarding claim 3, Takashi (figures 1-4) discloses wherein the first light property is represented by a first light spectral distribution, wherein the second light property is a second light spectral distribution different from the first light spectral distribution (the transmission axis of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the light emitted from the first display body 10 as in the case where the light emitted from the first and second display bodies 10 and 20 is non-polarized light. Light other than the polarization component parallel to 1a passes through the reflective polarizing plate 1 and leaks to the viewer side, or the reflection axis 1b of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the emitted light from the second display body 20 Light other than the parallel polarization component is not reflected to the viewer side by the reflective polarizing plate 1; see at least paragraphs 0054-0056). Regarding claim 14, Takashi (figures 1-4) discloses a method, comprising: outputting, with a device image display of a computing device, display light rendering device display images (second liquid crystal display element 21); outputting, with an external image display, external display light rendering external display images (16, 26; see at least paragraphs 0044-0045); providing through an optical configuration (reflective polarizing plate 1; figure 1) of the computing device for a viewer of the computing device to view the external display images rendered with the external display light from the external image display and the device display images rendered with the device display light from the device image display (The second image 26 is displayed on the second liquid crystal display element 21 with the same resolution as the first liquid crystal display element 11 by performing an RGBW mosaic arrangement and performing a predetermined rendering process according to the RGBW mosaic arrangement; see at least paragraph 0058); wherein the external display light is of a first light property (the transmission axis of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the light emitted from the first display body 10 as in the case where the light emitted from the first and second display bodies 10 and 20 is non-polarized light. Light other than the polarization component parallel to 1a passes through the reflective polarizing plate 1 and leaks to the viewer side, or the reflection axis 1b of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the emitted light from the second display body 20 Light other than the parallel polarization component is not reflected to the viewer side by the reflective polarizing plate 1; see at least paragraphs 0054-0056); wherein the device display light is of a second light property different from the first light property (the transmission axis of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the light emitted from the first display body 10 as in the case where the light emitted from the first and second display bodies 10 and 20 is non-polarized light. Light other than the polarization component parallel to 1a passes through the reflective polarizing plate 1 and leaks to the viewer side, or the reflection axis 1b of the reflective polarizing plate 1 out of the emitted light from the second display body 20 Light other than the parallel polarization component is not reflected to the viewer side by the reflective polarizing plate 1; see at least paragraphs 0054-0056); combining, with a display light combiner implemented as a part of the optical configuration of the computing device, the external display light of the first light property and the device display light of the second light property to reach the viewer's vision field (11; the first display body 10 controls the transmission of light incident from one surface and transmits the transmitted light from the other surface to display an image. 11 and a first surface light source 14 which is a light emitting element arranged to face the incident surface of the first liquid crystal display element 11, that is, a backlight, and the incident surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11. The polarizing plate 12 and the first polarizing plate 13 provided on the emission surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11 and functioning as the polarizing means; see at least paragraph 0028); wherein the display light combiner causes the optical configuration of the computing device to selectively reflect, based on the second light property, the device display light toward the viewer's vision field and to selectively transmit, based on the first light property, the external display light toward the viewer's vision field (11; the first display body 10 controls the transmission of light incident from one surface and transmits the transmitted light from the other surface to display an image. 11 and a first surface light source 14 which is a light emitting element arranged to face the incident surface of the first liquid crystal display element 11, that is, a backlight, and the incident surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11. The polarizing plate 12 and the first polarizing plate 13 provided on the emission surface side of the first liquid crystal display element 11 and functioning as the polarizing means; see at least paragraph 0028). Regarding claim 15, Takashi (figures 1-4) discloses system comprising a computing device and an external image display (16, 26; see at least paragraphs 0044-0045 and figure 3), wherein the system is configured to perform the method as recited in claim 14 (figure 4) Regarding claim 16, Takashi (figures 1-4) discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing software instructions, which when executed by one or more processors cause performance of the method recited in claim 14 (72; see at least paragraph 0036). 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 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 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takashi (JP 2010-197917) in view of Ninan et al. (US 2018/0295351). Regarding claim 10, Takashi discloses the limitations as shown in the rejection of claim 1 above. However, Takashi is silent regarding wherein the device display images comprise a right view device display image visible only to the viewer's right view vision field and a left view device display image visible only to the viewer's left view vision field. Ninan et al. (figures 1-4) teaches wherein the device display images comprise a right view device display image visible only to the viewer's right view vision field and a left view device display image visible only to the viewer's left view vision field (left view optical stack 202-2 and right view optical stack 202-1). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the computing device as taught by Ninan et al. in order to achieve augmented entertainment system renders right view cinema display images for the viewer to view through a right view optical stack of the wearable device. Consequently, an increase in profitability would be achieved. Regarding claim 11, Takashi discloses the limitations as shown in the rejection of claim 1 above. However, Takashi is silent regarding wherein the external display images comprise a right view external display image visible only to the viewer's right view vision field and a left view external display image visible only to the viewer's left view vision field. Ninan et al. (figures 1-4) teaches wherein the external display images comprise a right view external display image visible only to the viewer's right view vision field and a left view external display image visible only to the viewer's left view vision field (left view optical stack 202-2 and right view optical stack 202-1). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the computing device as taught by Ninan et al. in order to achieve augmented entertainment system renders right view cinema display images for the viewer to view through a right view optical stack of the wearable device. Consequently, an increase in profitability would be achieved. Regarding claim 10, Takashi discloses the limitations as shown in the rejection of claim 1 above. However, Takashi is silent regarding wherein the external display images are visible to a first vision field of the viewer's left and right view vision fields but are not visible to a second different vision field of the viewer's left and right view vision fields. Ninan et al. (figures 1-4) teaches wherein the external display images are visible to a first vision field of the viewer's left and right view vision fields but are not visible to a second different vision field of the viewer's left and right view vision fields (left view optical stack 202-2 and right view optical stack 202-1). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the computing device as taught by Ninan et al. in order to achieve augmented entertainment system renders right view cinema display images for the viewer to view through a right view optical stack of the wearable device. Consequently, an increase in profitability would be achieved. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1428. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM -6:00 PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Carruth, can be reached at 571-272-9791. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /LAUREN NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 03, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 27, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
54%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+35.5%)
3y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1007 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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