DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/24/2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-25, 27, 30 and 32 are cancelled. Claims 26 and 28 is amended. Claims 26, 28, 29, 31 and 33-36 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 26, 28, 29, 31 and 33-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhai (US PG Pub. 20210191138) in view of Ueda (US PG Pub. 20150252978)
Regarding claim 26, Zhai discloses an optical system comprising:
a first red light emitting diode (LED) (long wavelength red LED 301 of fig. 4) configured to emit a first light having a first wavelength (para. 0048; deep red (DR) wavelength of 640-660 nm);
a second red LED (short wavelength red (R) LED 302 of fig. 4) configured to emit a second light having a second wavelength (para. 0048; red-amber wavelength around 620 nm);
a blue LED (blue(B) wavelength LED 303 of fig. 4) configured to emit a third light having a third wavelength (para. 0048; blue wavelength LED 303 may have a long blue (LB) wavelength chip of 460-470 nm);
a blue laser diode (pump short wavelength blue (BP) LED 307 of fig. 4) (para. 0011; The red, green and blue light source or devices could be semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs), laser light source) configured to emit a fourth light having the third wavelength (para. 0016; top pump short blue LED light may have peak wavelength of 430-450 nm); and
a green phosphor (converted green (CG) LED 304 of fig. 4) configured to convert the fourth light (BP) into a fifth light having a fourth wavelength (~540nm; para. 0003),
wherein the first light (301), the second light (302), the third light (303), and the fifth light (304) are directed in a first direction (a direction toward condenser lens 320 of fig. 4);
a first dichroic mirror (deep red reflector mirror 308A of fig. 4) configured to reflect the first light (301);
a second dichroic mirror (dichroic mirror 305 of fig. 4) configured to reflect the second light (302); and
a third dichroic mirror (blue reflector mirror 308B of fig. 4) configured to reflect the third light.
Zhai fails to teach wherein the second dichroic mirror is disposed to cross the first dichroic mirror, and also fails to teach wherein the third dichroic mirror is configured to reflect the third and the fourth light; however, if Zhai had the particular light source arrangement as the instant application the third dichroic mirror would be configured to reflect the third and the fourth light; therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a multichannel high brightness light engine; since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art (This is further evidenced by Zhai fig. 25 wherein the deep red LED 2401 and red-amber LED 2402 are combined by a X-plate dichroic mirror 2408 these two wavelengths (short and long wavelength) red light are very similar to the current application.). In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70
Zhai fails to explicitly teach a housing having an inner space; a lens provided at a first side of the housing and wherein the first red LED and the second red LED are located closer to the display panel than the blue laser diode is located with respect to the display panel.
Zhai discloses the first red light source close to the modulator; however, the second red light source is not, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention was made to place the second red light source close to the modulator because it allows for more efficient and precise control over the red light's path and intensity. Having a more direct path reduces the light energy lost over a particular distance therefore, the projector can achieve a brighter reds on the projection screen; since, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70
Ueda discloses a housing (housing comprising upper panel 11; front panel 12; left side panel 15; right side panel of figs. 1 and 3) having an inner space (illustrated in fig. 3); a lens (condenser lens 195 of fig. 3) provided at a first side of the housing (the condenser lens is located on the left side 15 of the housing).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify optical system of Zhai with the housing of Ueda in order to keep dust and debris off of the optical components of the projection device.
Zhai as modified by Ueda fails to explicitly teach wherein the fourth light having a higher brightness than the third light; however, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to make the fourth light (307) a Pump blue light having higher intensity because it is used to stimulate or convert a phosphor into visible light i.e. green. Excitation light such as the fourth light, is specifically designed to be a strong/intense and focused light source emitted onto a phosphor, which then emits weaker visible light.
Regarding claim 28, Zhai discloses wherein the third dichroic mirror (dichroic mirror 308B) is configured to reflect the third light (303) in the first direction, and
wherein the green phosphor (CG 304) is configured to emit the fifth light (green light) in the first direction (illustrated in fig. 4).
Zhai fails to teach wherein the third dichroic mirror is configured to reflect the third and the fourth light; however, if Zhai had the particular light source arrangement as the instant application the third dichroic mirror would be configured to reflect the third and the fourth light; therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a multichannel high brightness light engine; since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70
Regarding claim 29, Zhai discloses wherein the second red LED (302) is disposed at a position to face the first red LED (301), and wherein the first dichroic mirror (308B) and the second dichroic mirror (305) are disposed between the first red LED and the second red LED (illustrated in fig. 4).
Regarding claim 31, Zhai discloses wherein the blue LED (303) is disposed at a position to face the blue laser diode (307), and wherein the third dichroic mirror (308A) is disposed between the blue LED and the blue laser diode (illustrated in fig. 4).
Regarding claim 33, Zhai discloses wherein the green phosphor (CG) is disposed in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the third dichroic mirror (illustrated in fig. 4).
Regarding claim 34, Zhai discloses wherein the first wavelength (para. 0048; (DR deep red)) is a longer wavelength (para. 0048; DR wavelength 640~660nm) than the second wavelength (para. 0048; red-amber wavelength 620nm).
Regarding claim 35, Zhai as modified by Ueda discloses the projection system of the claimed invention (illustrated in fig. 4). Zhai further teaches wherein the first wavelength is 650nm (para. 0048; 640~660nm).
Zhai as modified by Ueda fails to explicitly teach the specific second wavelength at 615nm and the third wavelength is 415nm; however, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the red and blue light sources to the specific wavelengths in order to achieve a desired color gamut of the projection device.
Regarding claim 36, Zhai as modified by Ueda discloses an illumination system comprising a fourth light (converted green(CG) LED 304). Green light typically ranges between 500-570nm.
Zhai as modified by Ueda fails to specifically teach wherein the fourth wavelength is 550nm; however, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the illumination system of Zhai and Ueda with the specific wavelength of 550nm in order to achieve a specific color gamut and further in increase perceived brightness.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANELL L OWENS whose telephone number is (571)270-5365. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00pm M-F.
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/DANELL L OWENS/Examiner, Art Unit 2882 25 February 2026
/BAO-LUAN Q LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882