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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendments to the claims in the submission dated 02/11/2026 in response to the office action mailed 11/17/2025 are acknowledged and accepted. Claims 1, 6, 8, 13,18, and 20 are amended. Claims 4, 5, 7, 16, 17, and 19 are cancelled. Claims 22-27 are new. Claims 1-3, 6, 8-11, 13-15, 18, and 20-27 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In paragraph 1 on page 11 of 17 through paragraph 2 on page 13 of 17 of Applicant’s Remarks, the applicant argues that Khan fails to teach the limitations of claims 1 and 13, specifically “wherein both the object side surface and the image side surface of each of the at least two laminating lenses are curved surfaces.” The applicant argues that “Khan does not disclose at least two laminating lenses are curved surface; and instead, Khan explicitly teaches that lens element 26 is a plano-convex lens element,” and provides several examples where Khan describes lens element 26 as a plano-convex lens. While the examiner agrees that Khan teaches examples where the relied upon lens element 26 is a plano-convex lens, the examiner respectfully disagrees that Khan fails teach the specific limitations because the rejection relies on the example shown in Khan’s Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7 the object and image sides of lens 26 have curved structures. Further, Khan states explicitly in paragraph [0037] that the image side surface S1 of lens 26 is a curved surface, in paragraph [0041] that the lens element 26 is a meniscus lens (both image side and object side surfaces are curved), and in paragraph [0044] that surfaces S6 and S7 on the object side of lens 26, as shown in Fig. 7, have a curved shape where S6 is convex and S7 is concave. Thus, Khan teaches that both the image side surface S1 and the object side surface S6/S7 of the second laminating lens 26 are curved, and the argument is not persuasive.
In paragraph 3 on page 13 of 17 through paragraph 1 on page 15 of 17 of Applicant’s Remarks, the applicant argues that Khan fails to teach the limitations of claims 1 and 13, specifically “the reflective polarizer is laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and the partially transmissive and partially reflective film is laminated to the object side surface of the second laminating lens.” The applicant argues that the combination of Khan’s example as shown in Figure 7, which teaches “the partially transmissive and partially reflective film is laminated to the object side surface of the second laminating lens,” and Khan’s example as shown in Figure 3, which teaches “the reflective polarizer is laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens,” does not teach the specific limitation because these features are disclosed in two separate embodiments. Applicant further argues “neither embodiment discloses both the reflective polarizer laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and the partially transmissive and partially reflective film laminated to the object side surface of the second laminating lens” and because these limitations are taught in separate embodiments there would be no motivation for one of ordinary skill in the art to combine these embodiments. Examiner respectfully disagrees. This argument relies on a premise that one ordinary skill in the art would not know how to combine teaching from two embodiments within a single reference. Given that Khan teaches laminated lens systems with different arrangements of polarizers and partially reflective films within a single inventive concept, this premise clearly underestimates the level skill of an ordinary skilled artisan within the art of optical systems. “A person of ordinary skill in the art is also a person of ordinary creativity, not an automaton.” KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1397 (2007). “[I]n many cases a person of ordinary skill will be able to fit the teachings of multiple patents together like pieces of a puzzle.” Id. at 420, 82 USPQ2d 1397. Office personnel may also take into account “the inferences and creative steps that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ.” Id. at 418, 82 USPQ2d at 1396. See MPEP §2141.03(I).
In paragraph 1 on page 16 of 17 of Applicant’s Remarks, the applicant argues that modifying Fig. 7 of Khan by using the configuration from Fig. 3 of Khan would “require a significant redesign of the optical system, including redesigning the curvature of lens 54, recalculating all optical powers, adjusting all lens spacings, and reoptimizing for field of view and distortion.”
First, In response to applicant's argument that “this is not a simple incorporation of a known element into a known system,” the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981).
Second, this argument is not persuasive because it fails to take into account the inferences and creative steps that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ. In particular, the ordinary skilled artisan has at their disposal sophisticated lens design and optimization programs such as Zemax, which allow an artisan to make changes to a lens design, constrain the range over which parameters can be allowed to vary and which parameters are allowed to vary, and to run appropriate simulations to obtain a new working lens system. Thus performing an appropriate optimization process after making some adjustments to the system would be amongst the typical steps that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ.
In paragraphs 2-3 on page 16 of 17 of Applicant’s Remarks, the applicant argues that new claims 22-27 are allowable for the reasons provided above. These arguments are not persuasive for the reasons provided above.
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 1-3, 6, 9-11, 13-15, 18, and 21-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khan et al., US 2018/0039052 A1 (referenced in the IDS dated 09/25/2024 and hereinafter referred to as Khan).
As to claim 1, Khan teaches an optical system (Khan, Fig. 1, 20, 40, paragraph [0028], the optical system includes an optical system 20 and a display system 40) comprising:
an object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 40, the object side is on the side of the glasses 10 toward the display system 40);
an image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 46, the image side is on the side of the glasses 10 toward the user’s eyes 46);
a plurality of lenses sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 20, 26, 32, 54, paragraph [0027], “the optical system 20 may include lens elements such as lens elements 26 and 32, paragraph [0042], “additional lens element 54,” the figure 7 shows lenses 26, 32, and 54 are arranged from the object side to the image side),
wherein each of the lenses comprises:
an object side surface facing the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, S5, S7, the figure 7 shows that each lens comprises an object side surface facing toward the object side, for example surfaces S5 and S7); and
an image side surface disposed opposite to the object side surface and facing the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, S4, S6, the figure 7 shows that each lens comprises an object side surface facing toward the image side, for example surfaces S4 and S6),
wherein the lenses comprise at least two laminating lenses comprising: (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, 54, paragraphs [0030] and [0042], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” “reflective polarizer 30 and the lens element 54 may be attached to the adjacent curved surface of lens element 32 using optically clear adhesive,” thus the lenses comprise at least two laminating lens),
a first laminating lens that is farthest from the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 54, paragraph [0042], “reflective polarizer 30 and the lens element 54 may be attached to the adjacent curved surface of lens element 32 using optically clear adhesive,” thus lens 54 is the first laminating lens and is farthest from the object side); and
a second laminating lens that is closest to the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, paragraph [0030], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” thus lens 26 is the second laminating lens and is closest to the object side),
wherein the object side surface and the image side surface of the at least two laminating lens are curved surfaces (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, 54, S4, S7, paragraphs [0030], [0043], [0044], and [0053], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” thus the object side of the second laminating lens is curved; in the example of Fig. 7, surfaces S6 and S7 have a curved shape, thus the image side of the second laminating lens is curved; “outwardly facing surface S4 of lens element 54 may be curved,” thus the object side surface of the first laminating lens is curved; “linear polarizer 34 may be formed on the eye side (concave surface S8) of element 54,” thus the image side surface of the first laminating lens is curved);
a linear polarizer (Khan, Fig. 7, 16, paragraph [0029], “linear polarizer 16”);
a first quarter-phase retarder (Khan, Fig. 7, 18, paragraph [0029] “quarter wave plate 18”);
a partially transmissive and partially reflective film laminated to the object side surface of the second laminating lens (Khan, Fig. 7, 22, paragraph [0030], “partially reflective mirror (e.g., a metal mirror coating or other mirror coating such as a dielectric multi-layer coating with a 50% transmission and a 50% reflection) such as partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26”);
a second quarter-phase retarder configured to bend towards the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 28, S6, S7, paragraph [0031], “second quarter wave plate,” paragraph [0044], “S6 is convex and S7 is concave,” thus the second quarter-phase retarder 28 bends towards the image side); and
wherein the linear polarizer, the first quarter-phase retarder, the partially transmissive and partially reflective film, the second quarter-phase retarder, and the reflective polarizer are sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 16, 18, 22, 28, 38, the figure 7 shows that the linear polarizer 16, the first quart-phase retarder 18, the partially transmissive and partially reflective film 22, the second quarter-phase retarder 28, and the reflective polarizer 38 are sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side).
The current embodiment of Khan does not teach a reflective polarizer laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side.
However, in the same field of endeavor an alternate embodiment of Khan teaches a reflective polarizer laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side (Khan, Fig. 3, 32, 30, paragraph [0039], “lens element 32… in which reflective polarizer 30 is formed on curved surface S3 of lens element 32,” thus the lens element 32 is the first laminating lens that is farthest from the object side and the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to the image side surface S3 of the first laminating lens 32; paragraph [0027], the lens element 32 has a concave surface S3 facing the user, thus is configured to bend towards the image side).
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 optical system of the current embodiment of Khan with the optical system where a reflective polarizer is laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side of the alternate embodiment of Khan, because additional optical power and/or distortion correction capabilities or a larger display field of view may be provided (Khan, paragraph [0039]).
As to claim 2, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 1, wherein a first surface vector height of the reflective polarizer at a location with an effective aperture of h is S1, wherein a second surface vector height of the second quarter-phase retarder at the location is S2, and wherein the reflective polarizer and the second quarter-phase retarder are configured to meet a relationship of S2-S1≤h/5 (Khan, Fig. 10, paragraphs [0045] and [0051] describe how the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to lenses 54 and 32 and how the second quarter wave plate 28 is laminated to lens 32. This means the reflective polarizer 30 and second quarter wave plate 28 have the same curvature, and the first surface vector height of the reflective polarizer S1 and the second surface vector height of the second quarter wave plate S2 are the same, thus S2-S1=0 which satisfies the condition S2-S1=0≤h/5).
As to claim 3, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 1, wherein the object side surface and the image side surface of the at least one laminating lens are spherical surfaces, aspheric surfaces, or free curved surfaces with one inflection (Khan, Fig. 3/Fig. 7, 26, S1, S3, paragraph [0039], “curved surfaces in system 20 such as surfaces S1 and/or S3 may be aspherical”).
As to claim 6, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 1, wherein the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens or the image side surface of the second laminating lens (Khan, Fig. 7, 28, paragraph [0032], the quarter wave plate 28 is formed on the surface of lens element 26, as shown in figure 7 the second quarter-phase retarder 28 is laminated to the image side surface S7 of the second laminating lens 26).
As to claim 9, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 1, wherein the reflective polarizer and the second quarter-phase retarder are laminated to different laminating lenses (Khan, Fig. 7, 30, 28, paragraph [0032], quarter wave plate 28 may be formed on the surface of the lens element, paragraph [0042], the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to lens element 54).
As to claim 10, Khan teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1. Khan discloses the claimed invention except for a total track length of the optical system is less than or equal to 30 millimeters (mm), and wherein a mass of the lenses is less than or equal to 25 grams (g). However, Khan does teach that the display system 40 and the optical components of the glasses 10 may be configured using a lightweight and compact arrangement (Khan, paragraph [0025]). It would have been an obvious matter of choice to modify the optical system such that the total track length of the optical system is less than or equal to 30 millimeters (mm), and the mass of the lenses is less than or equal to 25 grams (g), since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of the component. A change of size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). See MPEP §2144.04(IV)(A).
As to claim 11, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 1, further comprising a display located on the object sides of the lenses (Khan, Fig. 7, 40, 14, paragraph [0026], “display system 40 may include a source of images such as pixel array 14”).
As to claim 13, Khan teaches an electronic device (Khan, Fig. 1, 10, paragraph [0017], “virtual reality glasses (head-mounted display) 10”) comprising:
a holder (Khan, Fig. 7, 12, paragraph [0022], “housing 12 for glasses 10”); and
an optical system (Khan, Fig. 1, 20, 40, paragraph [0028], the optical system includes an optical system 20 and a display system 40) fastened to the holder (Khan, Fig. 7, 12, paragraph [0022], “optical system 20 and display system 40 may be supported by head-mounted support structures such as housing 12 for glasses 10”), wherein the optical system comprises:
an object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 40, the object side is on the side of the glasses 10 toward the display system 40);
an image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 46, the image side is on the side of the glasses 10 toward the user’s eyes 46);
a plurality of lenses sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 20, 26, 32, 54, paragraph [0027], “the optical system 20 may include lens elements such as lens elements 26 and 32, paragraph [0042], “additional lens element 54,” the figure 7 shows lenses 26, 32, and 54 are arranged from the object side to the image side),
wherein each of the lenses comprises:
an object side surface facing the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, S5, S7, the figure 7 shows that each lens comprises an object side surface facing toward the object side, for example surfaces S5 and S7); and
an image side surface disposed opposite to the object side surface and facing the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, S4, S6, the figure 7 shows that each lens comprises an object side surface facing toward the image side, for example surfaces S4 and S6),
wherein the lenses comprise at least two laminating lens comprising: (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, 54, paragraphs [0030] and [0042], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” “reflective polarizer 30 and the lens element 54 may be attached to the adjacent curved surface of lens element 32 using optically clear adhesive,” thus the lenses comprise at least two laminating lens),
a first laminating lens that is farthest from the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 54, paragraph [0042], “reflective polarizer 30 and the lens element 54 may be attached to the adjacent curved surface of lens element 32 using optically clear adhesive,” thus lens 54 is the first laminating lens and is farthest from the object side); and
a second laminating lens that is closest to the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, paragraph [0030], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” thus lens 26 is the second laminating lens and is closest to the object side),
wherein the object side surface and the image side surface of the at least two laminating lens are curved surfaces (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, 54, S4, S7, paragraphs [0030], [0043], [0044], and [0053], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” thus the object side of the second laminating lens is curved; in the example of Fig. 7, surfaces S6 and S7 have a curved shape, thus the image side of the second laminating lens is curved; “outwardly facing surface S4 of lens element 54 may be curved,” thus the object side surface of the first laminating lens is curved; “linear polarizer 34 may be formed on the eye side (concave surface S8) of element 54,” thus the image side surface of the first laminating lens is curved);
a linear polarizer (Khan, Fig. 7, 16, paragraph [0029], “linear polarizer 16”);
a first quarter-phase retarder (Khan, Fig. 7, 18, paragraph [0029] “quarter wave plate 18”);
a partially transmissive and partially reflective film laminated to the object side surface of the second laminating lens (Khan, Fig. 7, 22, paragraph [0030], “partially reflective mirror (e.g., a metal mirror coating or other mirror coating such as a dielectric multi-layer coating with a 50% transmission and a 50% reflection) such as partially reflective mirror 22”);
a second quarter-phase retarder configured to bend towards the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 28, S6, S7, paragraph [0031], “second quarter wave plate,” paragraph [0044], “S6 is convex and S7 is concave,” thus the second quarter-phase retarder 28 bends towards the image side); and
wherein the linear polarizer, the first quarter-phase retarder, the partially transmissive and partially reflective film, the second quarter-phase retarder, and the reflective polarizer are sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 16, 18, 22, 28, 38, the figure 7 shows that the linear polarizer 16, the first quart-phase retarder 18, the partially transmissive and partially reflective film 22, the second quarter-phase retarder 28, and the reflective polarizer 38 are sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side).
The current embodiment of Khan does not teach a reflective polarizer laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side.
However, in the same field of endeavor an alternate embodiment of Khan teaches a reflective polarizer laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side (Khan, Fig. 3, 32, 30, paragraph [0039], “lens element 32… in which reflective polarizer 30 is formed on curved surface S3 of lens element 32,” thus the lens element 32 is the first laminating lens that is farthest from the object side and the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to the image side surface S3 of the first laminating lens 32; paragraph [0027], the lens element 32 has a concave surface S3 facing the user, thus is configured to bend towards the image side).
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 optical system of the current embodiment of Khan with the optical system where a reflective polarizer is laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side of the alternate embodiment of Khan, because additional optical power and/or distortion correction capabilities or a larger display field of view may be provided (Khan, paragraph [0039]).
As to claim 14, Khan teaches the electronic device of claim 13, wherein a first surface vector height of the reflective polarizer at a location with an effective aperture of h is S1, wherein a second surface vector height of the second quarter-phase retarder at the location is S2, and wherein the reflective polarizer and the second quarter-phase retarder are configured to meet a relationship of S2-S1≤h/5 (Khan, Fig. 10, paragraphs [0045] and [0051] describe how the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to lenses 54 and 32 and how the second quarter wave plate 28 is laminated to lens 32. This means the reflective polarizer 30 and second quarter wave plate 28 have the same curvature, and the first surface vector height of the reflective polarizer S1 and the second surface vector height of the second quarter wave plate S2 are the same, thus S2-S1=0 which satisfies the condition S2-S1=0≤h/5).
As to claim 15, Khan teaches the electronic device of claim 13, wherein the object side surface and the image side surface of the at least one laminating lens are spherical surfaces, aspheric surfaces, or free curved surfaces with one inflection (Khan, Fig. 3/Fig. 7, 26, S1, S3, paragraph [0039], “curved surfaces in system 20 such as surfaces S1 and/or S3 may be aspherical”).
As to claim 18, Khan teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 17, and Khan further teaches the electronic device of claim 17, wherein the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens or the image side surface of the second laminating lens (Khan, Fig. 7, 28, paragraph [0032], the quarter wave plate 28 is formed on the surface of lens element 26, as shown in figure 7 the second quarter-phase retarder 28 is laminated to the image side surface S7 of the second laminating lens 26).
As to claim 21, Khan teaches the electronic device of claim 13, wherein the reflective polarizer and the second quarter-phase retarder are laminated to different laminating lenses (Khan, Fig. 7, 30, 28, paragraph [0032], quarter wave plate 28 may be formed on the surface of the lens element, paragraph [0042], the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to lens element 54).
As to claim 20, Khan teaches an optical system (Khan, Fig. 1, 20, 40, paragraph [0028], the optical system includes an optical system 20 and a display system 40) comprising:
an object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 40, the object side is on the side of the glasses 10 toward the display system 40);
an image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 46, the image side is on the side of the glasses 10 toward the user’s eyes 46);
a plurality of lenses sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 20, 26, 32, 54, paragraph [0027], “the optical system 20 may include lens elements such as lens elements 26 and 32, paragraph [0042], “additional lens element 54,” the figure 7 shows lenses 26, 32, and 54 are arranged from the object side to the image side),
wherein each of the lenses comprises:
an object side surface facing the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, S5, S7, the figure 7 shows that each lens comprises an object side surface facing toward the object side, for example surfaces S5 and S7); and
an image side surface disposed opposite to the object side surface and facing the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, S4, S6, the figure 7 shows that each lens comprises an object side surface facing toward the image side, for example surfaces S4 and S6),
wherein the lenses comprise at least two laminating lenses (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, 54, paragraphs [0030] and [0042], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” “reflective polarizer 30 and the lens element 54 may be attached to the adjacent curved surface of lens element 32 using optically clear adhesive,” thus the lenses comprise at least two laminating lens) comprising:
a first laminating lens that is farthest from the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 54, paragraph [0042], “reflective polarizer 30 and the lens element 54 may be attached to the adjacent curved surface of lens element 32 using optically clear adhesive,” thus lens 54 is the first laminating lens and is farthest from the object side); and
a second laminating lens that is closest to the object side (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, paragraph [0030], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” thus lens 26 is the second laminating lens and is closest to the object side),
wherein both the object side surface and the image side surface of each of the at least two laminating lenses are curved surfaces (Khan, Fig. 7, 26, 54, S4, S7, paragraphs [0030], [0043], [0044], and [0053], “partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26,” thus the object side of the second laminating lens is curved; in the example of Fig. 7, surfaces S6 and S7 have a curved shape, thus the image side of the second laminating lens is curved; “outwardly facing surface S4 of lens element 54 may be curved,” thus the object side surface of the first laminating lens is curved; “linear polarizer 34 may be formed on the eye side (concave surface S8) of element 54,” thus the image side surface of the first laminating lens is curved),
a linear polarizer (Khan, Fig. 7, 16, paragraph [0029], “linear polarizer 16”);
a first quarter-phase retarder (Khan, Fig. 7, 18, paragraph [0029] “quarter wave plate 18”);
a partially transmissive and partially reflective film laminated to the object side surface of the second laminating lens (Khan, Fig. 7, 22, paragraph [0030], “partially reflective mirror (e.g., a metal mirror coating or other mirror coating such as a dielectric multi-layer coating with a 50% transmission and a 50% reflection) such as partially reflective mirror 22 may be formed on the convex surface of lens element 26”);
a second quarter-phase retarder configured to bend towards the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 28, S6, S7, paragraph [0031], “second quarter wave plate,” paragraph [0044], “S6 is convex and S7 is concave,” thus the second quarter-phase retarder 28 bends towards the image side); and
wherein the linear polarizer, the first quarter-phase retarder, the partially transmissive and
partially reflective film, the second quarter-phase retarder, and the reflective polarizer are
sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side (Khan, Fig. 7, 16, 18, 22, 28, 38, the figure 7 shows that the linear polarizer 16, the first quart-phase retarder 18, the partially transmissive and partially reflective film 22, the second quarter-phase retarder 28, and the reflective polarizer 38 are sequentially arranged from the object side to the image side).
The current embodiment of Khan does not teach the optical system wherein at least one of the object side surface and the image side surface of each laminating lens is a spherical surface, an aspheric surface, or a free curved surface having only a single vertex; and
a reflective polarizer laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side.
However, in the same field of endeavor an alternate embodiment of Khan teaches an optical system wherein at least one of the object side surface and the image side surface of each laminating lens is a spherical surface, an aspheric surface, or a free curved surface having only a single vertex (Khan, Fig. 3, S1, S3, paragraph [0037], “surface S3 may be concave, convex, aspherical, freeform, concave in parts and convex in parts, or may have other suitable shapes. Curved surfaces in system 20 such as surfaces S1 and/or S3 may be aspherical); and
a reflective polarizer laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side (Khan, Fig. 3, 32, 30, paragraph [0039], “lens element 32… in which reflective polarizer 30 is formed on curved surface S3 of lens element 32,” thus the lens element 32 is the first laminating lens that is farthest from the object side and the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to the image side surface S3 of the first laminating lens 32; paragraph [0027], the lens element 32 has a concave surface S3 facing the user, thus is configured to bend towards the image side).
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 optical system of the current embodiment of Khan with the optical system where an optical system wherein at least one of the object side surface and the image side surface of each laminating lens is a spherical surface, an aspheric surface, or a free curved surface having only a single vertex; and a reflective polarizer is laminated to the image side surface of the first laminating lens and configured to bend towards the image side of the alternate embodiment of Khan, because doing so improves sharpness or reduces distortion in the image presented to the user (Khan, paragraph [0037], and additional optical power and/or distortion correction capabilities or a larger display field of view may be provided (Khan, paragraph [0039]).
As to claim 23, Khan teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 22. The current embodiment of Khan does not teach the optical system wherein at least one of the linear polarizer, the first quarter-phase retarder, or the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to an object side surface of the at least two laminating lenses.
However, in the same field of endeavor an alternate embodiment of Khan teaches an optical system wherein at least one of the linear polarizer, the first quarter-phase retarder, or the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to an object side surface of the at least two laminating lenses (Khan, Fig. 3, 28, paragraph [0037] the quarter wave plate 28 is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens 32).
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 optical system of the current embodiment of Khan with the optical system where an optical system wherein the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens of the alternate embodiment of Khan, because additional optical power and/or distortion correction capabilities or a larger display field of view may be provided (Khan, paragraph [0039]).
As to claim 24, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the linear polarizer, the first quarter-phase retarder, or the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to an image side surface of one of the at least two laminating lenses (Khan, Fig. 7, 28, paragraph [0032], the quarter wave plate 28 is formed on the surface of lens element 26, as shown in figure 7 the second quarter-phase retarder 28 is laminated to the image side surface S7 of the second laminating lens 26).
As to claim 25, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 22, wherein a first surface vector height of the reflective polarizer at a location with an effective aperture of h is S1, wherein a second surface vector height of the second quarter-phase retarder at the location is S2, and wherein the reflective polarizer and the second quarter-phase retarder are configured to meet a relationship of S2-S1≤h/5 (Khan, Fig. 10, paragraphs [0045] and [0051] describe how the reflective polarizer 30 is laminated to lenses 54 and 32 and how the second quarter wave plate 28 is laminated to lens 32. This means the reflective polarizer 30 and second quarter wave plate 28 have the same curvature, and the first surface vector height of the reflective polarizer S1 and the second surface vector height of the second quarter wave plate S2 are the same, thus S2-S1=0 which satisfies the condition S2-S1=0≤h/5).
As to claim 26, Khan teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 22. The current embodiment of Khan does not teach the optical system of claim 22, wherein the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens.
However, in the same field of endeavor an alternate embodiment of Khan teaches an optical system wherein the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens (Khan, Fig. 3, 28, paragraph [0037] the quarter wave plate 28 is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens 32).
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 optical system of the current embodiment of Khan with the optical system where an optical system wherein the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to the object side surface of the first laminating lens of the alternate embodiment of Khan, because additional optical power and/or distortion correction capabilities or a larger display field of view may be provided (Khan, paragraph [0039]).
As to claim 27, Khan teaches the optical system of claim 22, wherein the second quarter-phase retarder is laminated to the image side surface of the second laminating lens (Khan, Fig. 7, 28, paragraph [0032], the quarter wave plate 28 is formed on the surface of lens element 26, as shown in figure 7 the second quarter-phase retarder 28 is laminated to the image side surface S7 of the second laminating lens 26).
Claims 8 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khan et al., US 2018/0039052 A1 (referenced in the IDS dated 09/25/2024 and hereinafter referred to as Khan), and further in view of Ruan et al., US 2021/0033878 A1 (referenced in the IDS dated 09/25/2024 and hereinafter referred to as Ruan).
As to claim 8, Khan teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1. Khan does not teach the optical system of claim 1, wherein the lenses further comprise at least one optical adjustment lens, wherein the object side surface or the image side surface of the optical adjustment lens is a free curved surface with a plurality of inflections, and wherein the at least one optical adjustment lens is configured to adjust an optical effect of the optical system.
However, in the same field of endeavor Ruan teaches an optical system (Ruan, Fig. 10, the optical imaging system and optical imaging module, paragraph [0114], describes the optical system of figure 10), wherein the lenses further comprise at least one optical adjustment lens (Ruan, Fig. 10, first aberration compensation lens group, paragraph [0114], “the first aberration compensation lens group includes one aberration compensation lens”), wherein the object side surface or the image side surface of the optical adjustment lens is a free curved surface with a plurality of inflections (Ruan, Fig. 10, first aberration compensation lens group, paragraph [0114], “surfaces shapes of the aberration compensation lens are both curved surface,” paragraph [0068], surfaces of the imaging lens are set to aspherical surfaces or freeform surfaces… to increase an opportunity of reducing aberration,” as shown in figure 10 the object side surface and image side surface are free curved surfaces with more than one inflection point), and wherein the at least one optical adjustment lens is configured to adjust an optical effect of the optical system (Ruan, Fig. 10, first aberration compensation lens group, paragraph [0114], “both surfaces of the aberration compensation lens are refraction surfaces”).
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 optical system of Khan with the optical system wherein the lenses further comprise at least one optical adjustment lens, wherein the object side surface or the image side surface of the optical adjustment lens is a free curved surface with a plurality of inflections, and wherein the at least one optical adjustment lens is configured to adjust an optical effect of the optical system of Ruan, because doing so reduces aberration (Ruan, paragraph [0068]).
As to claim 20, Khan teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 13. Khan does not teach the electronic device of claim 13, wherein the lenses further comprise at least one optical adjustment lens, wherein the object side surface or the image side surface of the optical adjustment lens is a free curved surface with a plurality of inflections, and wherein the at least one optical adjustment lens is configured to adjust an optical effect of the optical system.
However, in the same field of endeavor Ruan teaches an electronic device (Ruan, Fig. 15, head-mounted display device, paragraph [0024], “a head-mounted display device, including the optical imaging system described above”), wherein the lenses further comprise at least one optical adjustment lens (Ruan, Fig. 10, first aberration compensation lens group, paragraph [0114], “the first aberration compensation lens group includes one aberration compensation lens”), wherein the object side surface or the image side surface of the optical adjustment lens is a free curved surface with a plurality of inflections (Ruan, Fig. 10, first aberration compensation lens group, paragraph [0114], “surfaces shapes of the aberration compensation lens are both curved surface,” paragraph [0068], surfaces of the imaging lens are set to aspherical surfaces or freeform surfaces… to increase an opportunity of reducing aberration,” as shown in figure 10 the object side surface and image side surface are free curved surfaces with more than one inflection point), and wherein the at least one optical adjustment lens is configured to adjust an optical effect of the optical system (Ruan, Fig. 10, first aberration compensation lens group, paragraph [0114], “both surfaces of the aberration compensation lens are refraction surfaces”).
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 optical system of Khan with the optical system wherein the lenses further comprise at least one optical adjustment lens, wherein the object side surface or the image side surface of the optical adjustment lens is a free curved surface with a plurality of inflections, and wherein the at least one optical adjustment lens is configured to adjust an optical effect of the optical system of Ruan, because doing so reduces aberration (Ruan, paragraph [0068]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yokoyama et al., US 2023/0418377 A1, Display Systems with Optical Sensing, relevant to claims 1-3, 6, 8-11, 13-15, 18, and 20-27.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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JENNIFER A JONES
Examiner
Art Unit 2872
/JENNIFER A JONES/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/THOMAS K PHAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit
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