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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-2, 4-5, 7-10, 12-13, 15-16 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al.
Lee et al. (US Patent No. 9,646,562 B1) discloses (see annotated Figures 1 and 3):
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Regarding claim 1, a scalable display system (Figure 1, element 100), comprising: a photochromatic material (Figure 1, element 110) deposited on a display surface (Figure 1, element A); a second photochromatic material (Figure 4, element 410) deposited on the display surface (column 6, lines 65-66), where the second photochromatic material (Figure 4, element 410) differs from the first photochromatic material (Figure 4, element 405); a light source (i.e. laser; Figure 1, element 125) spatially separated from the display surface (Figure 1, element A) and operable to project an incident beam of light (Figure 1, element 127) onto the display surface (Figure 1, element A), where the display surface (Figure 1, element A) faces the light source (Figure 1, element 125); a second light source (i.e. light source of element 105B in Figure 3) operable to project a second incident beam of light (Figure 3, element 127B) onto the display surface (Figure 3, element 110), where the second incident beam of light (Figure 3, element 127B) having a different wavelength (i.e. lasers with different wavelengths; column 3, lines 39-41) than the incident beam of light (Figure 3, element 127A); and a controller (Figure 1, element 150) electrically coupled to the light source (Figure 1, element 125) and operates to turn the light source (Figure 1, element 125) on and off (column 5, lines 42-48), thereby rendering a display on the display surface (Figure 1, element A).
Regarding claims 2 and 10, the light source (Figure 1, element 125) is a laser (column 3, lines 39-40).
Regarding claims 4, 12 and 18, an actuator (i.e. MEMS actuators; column 3, line 9) coupled to the light source (Figure 1, element 125) and operable to move the light source (Figure 1, element 125) and thereby redirect the incident beam (Figure 1, element 127) to a different location on the display surface (Figure 1, element A).
Regarding claims 5, 13 and 19, an optical component (i.e. micromirrors; column 3, line 8) disposed in a light path of the light source (Figure 1, element 125) and operable to redirect the incident beam to a different location on the display surface (Figure 1, element A).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, a sensor (Figure 1, element 134) configured to detect an interaction with the display by a person (i.e. logic engine [element 150] may recognize a person), wherein the controller, in response to detecting an interaction, issues a command to a device (column 5, lines 36-39).
Regarding claim 8, a deactivation light source (Figure 1, element 155) arranged proximate to the display surface (Figure 1, element A) and operates to project white light (column 3, lines 60-62) onto the display surface (Figure 1, element A).
Regarding claim 9, a scalable display system (Figure 1, element 100), comprising: a photochromatic material (Figure 1, element 110) deposited on a display surface (Figure 1, element A); an activation light source (i.e. laser; Figure 1, element 125) spatially separated from the display surface (Figure 1, element A) and operable to project an incident beam of light (Figure 1, element 127) onto the display surface (Figure 1, element A), where the display surface (Figure 1, element A) faces the light source (Figure 1, element 125); a deactivation light source (Figure 1, element 155) arranged proximate to the display surface (Figure 1, element A) and operates to project white light (column 3, lines 60-62) onto the display surface (Figure 1, element A); and a controller (Figure 1, element 150) electrically coupled to the light source (Figure 1, element 125) and operates to turn the light source (Figure 1, element 125) on and off (column 5, lines 42-48), thereby rendering a display on the display surface (Figure 1, element A).
Regarding claim 16, a scalable display system (Figure 1, element 100), comprising: a photochromatic material (Figure 1, element 110) deposited on a display surface (Figure 1, element A); a light source (i.e. laser; Figure 1, element 125) spatially separated from the display surface (Figure 1, element A) and operable to project an incident beam of light (Figure 1, element 127) onto the display surface (Figure 1, element A), where the display surface (Figure 1, element A) faces the light source (Figure 1, element 125); a controller (Figure 1, element 150) electrically coupled to the light source (Figure 1, element 125) and operates to turn the light source (Figure 1, element 125) on and off (column 5, lines 42-48), thereby rendering a display on the display surface (Figure 1, element A); and a sensor (Figure 1, element 134) configured to detect an interaction with the display by a person (i.e. logic engine [element 150] may recognize a person), wherein the controller (Figure 1, element 150), in response to detecting an interaction, issues a command to a device (column 5, lines 36-39).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 12/22/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant has argued that “Lee does not disclose a second light source, where the light projected therefrom has a different wavelength”. However, Lee et al. (US Patent No. 9,646,562 B1) teaches a second light source (i.e. light source of element 105B in Figure 3), where the light projected therefrom has a different wavelength (Lee et al., column 3, lines 39-42).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MAGDA CRUZ/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
03/13/2026