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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent 11.360,259 to Li et al.
In regards to claims 1 and 20, Li recites a display system/method (Figure 3A), comprising: a display element (132) comprising an array of pixels; at least one light source (116); and a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) illumination element (110) overlapping the display element, the PIC illumination element comprising: at least one in-coupler (124) for in-coupling light from the at least one light source; and an array of out-coupling emitters (128) configured to emit light from the PIC illumination element toward the display element. Although Li does not expressly recite the array of out-coupling emitters is not aligned pixel-by-pixel with the array of pixels, Li clearly shows in Figure 3A an array of pixels (132 a, b, c) to be over the array out out-coupling emitters (128a, b), where the alignment between the two components is not aligned (Figure 3A, Column 4). Therefore, although it is not expressly stated, Li does clearly show the array of out-coupling emitters is not aligned pixel-by-pixel with the array of pixels and therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to a person having ordinary skill in the art for the device of Li to have provided the array of out-coupling emitters is not aligned pixel-by-pixel with the array of pixels to provide the display image as desired.
In regards to claims 2 and 3, Li recites the display element comprises a transmissive-type display element. Although Li does not expressly recite the display element comprises a reflective-type display element, reflective-type display elements are an obvious variant and a known alternative to a transmissive-type display. This is further evidenced in Applicant’s Specification and Figures 5 & 6, showing transmissive and reflective devices as alternative embodiments. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have provided a reflective-type display element in order to provide the desired image direction.
In regards to claims 4 and 5, although Li does not expressly recite a dispatch circuit configured to direct light from the in-coupler to the array of out-coupling emitters, the dispatch circuit comprises at least one of a y-splitter tree, a star coupler, an evanescent coupler, or a waveguide crossing, the inclusion of an additional coupler to ensure light is coupled efficiently to the illumination element would be advantageous to prevent loss of light. It would have been a matter of common skill and obvious design choice to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have included a dispatch circuit configured to direct light from the in-coupler to the array of out-coupling emitters and to have included the dispatch circuit comprises at least one of a y-splitter tree, a star coupler, an evanescent coupler, or a waveguide crossing since y-splitter tree, a star coupler, an evanescent coupler, or a waveguide crossing are known optical couplers in the art and effective light coupling components.
In regards to claim 6, Li recites the out-coupling emitters comprise at least one of a short grating, a chirped grating, or a resonant grating. (Column 16)
In regards to claims 7 and 8, Li recites light from multiple color light sources is guided through the PIC illumination element in a single PIC layer. Although Li does not expressly recite a wavelength multiplexer and demultiplexer or each of the separated PIC layers guides one of the multiple colors of light, wavelength multiplexers and demultiplexers and separated PIC layers are known the art for their light manipulation functions. These components are readily available and it would have been an obvious matter of common skill and design choice to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have chosen to include a wavelength multiplexer or demultiplexer or each of the separated PIC layers guides one of the multiple colors of light when multiple color light sources are provided in order to aid in the manipulation of light.
In regards to claim 9, Li recites the at least one light source comprises at least one of a laser diode or a super luminescence light-emitting diode.
In regards to claim 10, Li recites the at least one light source is in-coupled to the at least one in-coupler by at least one of edge coupling or flip-chip laser bonding.
In regards to claims 11 and 12, Li recites different colors of light are pre-combined before in-coupling with the PIC illumination element and different colors of light are combined through one or more separate PIC components within the PIC illumination element.
In regards to claim 13, Li recites the PIC illumination element comprises at least one waveguide, a core that is transparent to one or more wavelengths of light and has a first refractive index; and a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding having a second refractive index that is different than the first refractive index. (Column 5)
In regards to claims 14 and 15, Li recites at least some of the out-coupling emitters comprise at least one grating structure defined by a surface region of the core and at least some of the out-coupling emitters comprise at least one grating structure formed by a grating layer overlapping a portion of the core.
In regards to claim 16, Li recites the cladding at least partially surrounds the grating layer.
In regards to claim 17, Li recites the at least one waveguide comprises a single mode waveguide or a multiple mode waveguide.
In regards to claim 18, although Li does not expressly recite the at least one waveguide utilizes at least one of a transverse electric mode or a transverse magnetic mode for light polarization, the use of TE or TM modes for light polarization is advantageous in order to optimize the performance of the optical waveguide and maximize transmission characteristics. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to a person having ordinary skill in the art for the at least one waveguide utilizes at least one of a transverse electric mode or a transverse magnetic mode for light polarization.
In regards to claim 19, Li recites a display lighting unit (Figure 3A), comprising: at least one light source (116); and a PIC illumination element (132) overlapping the display element, the PIC illumination element comprising: at least one in-coupler (124) for in-coupling light from the at least one light source; and an array of out-coupling emitters (128) configured to emit light from the PIC illumination element such that light cones emitted from two or more of the out-coupling emitters. Although Li does not expressly recite the light cones to at least partially overlap, Li does teach scattering out portions of light through the out-coupling emitters. Since the exit light is scattered, there must be some light loss in the system that would therefore overlap the adjacent light cones. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to a person having ordinary skill in the art for the light cones to at least partially overlap.
References Cited
The references cited made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
The documents submitted by applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement and Third-Party Submission under 37 CFR 1.290 have been considered and made of record. Note attached copy of forms.
Inventorship
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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TINA M WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-2352. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at (571) 272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TINA WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874