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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tanaka (US 2023/0259013 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Tanaka teaches a laser source (22, 26, 38, 34, 44, figure 1; paragraph 0021); to provide illumination beams, and the laser source including:
A laser device (paragraph 0021) including:
A plurality of first light emitting components configured to emit a first laser beam (22, 26, figure 1);
A plurality of second light emitting components (38, 34, figure 1) configured to emit a second laser beam; and
A plurality of third light emitting components (44, figure 1); wherein the plurality of first light emitting components, the plurality of second light emitting components, and the plurality of third light emitting components each are arranged in an array (see 23, 27, 39, 35, and 45, figure 1), so as to provide a light emitting group;
A combining lens group (28, 31, 40, 41, figure 1) located on a laser exit side of the laser device and configured to combine the laser beams of different colors emitted by the light emitting group to a same position and propagate the combined laser beam in a preset direction (emitted light, figure 1);
A polarization conversion component (30, figure 1; paragraph 0021) located on the laser exit side of the laser device and configured to change a polarization direction of a portion of the laser beam of at least one color (paragraph 0029), so that the laser beam of the at least one color has different polarization directions (paragraph 0030);
A light modulation assembly (200, 201, 217, 218 and 219, and 224 figure 11) configured to modulate (paragraph 0066) the illumination beams with an image signal so as to obtain projection beams, and the light modulation assembly including:
A fly eye lens group (200, 201, figure 11, paragraph 0066) located on a laser exit side of the laser source and configured to homogenize the incident laser beam; and
A light modulation device (217, 218, and 219, figure 11) configured to modulate the illumination beams to obtain the projection beams; and
A projection lens (224, figure 11) configured to project the projection beams into an image (paragraph 0064).
Regarding claim 2, Tanaka teaches the wavelengths of the first laser beam, the second laser beam, and the third laser beam are different form each other (paragraph 0021), and the light emitting group includes a first light emitting group (22, 26, figure 1), a second light emitting group (38, 34, figure 1) and a third light emitting group (44, figure 1),
The plurality of first light emitting components are arranged in an array (see 20, 21, 24, 25, figure 1), so as to provide the first light emitting group and the first light emitting group is configured to emit the first laser beam;
The plurality of second light emitting components (32, 33, 36, 37, figure 1) are arranged in a n array, so as to provide the second light emitting group, and the second light emitting group is configured to emit the second laser beam, and
The plurality of third light emitting components are arranged in an array (42, 43, figure 1), so as to provide the third light emitting group, and the third light emitting group is configured to emit the third laser beam; and
Wherein a size of a beam spot combined by the combining lens group matches the Etendue of the fly eye lens group (if 106 is considered part of the combining lens group, then the Etendue of 106 would match the Etendue of 200, since they are both refracting elements and are Etendue preserving).
Regarding claim 3, Tanaka teaches a first combining lens group (31, figure 1) configured to combine the first laser beam emitted by the first light emitting group with the laser beam emitted by one of the second light emitting group (34, 38, figure 1); and
A second combining lens group (40, 41, figure 1) configured to combine the laser beam combined by the first combining lens group with the laser beam emitted by another of the third light emitting group (44, figure 1).
Regarding claim 19, Tanaka teaches the light modulation assembly further includes a first light homogenizing component (105, figure 11) located on the laser exit side of the laser source, and the first light homogenizing component is configured to homogenize and diffuse (104, paragraph 0065) the illumination beams from the laser source.
Regarding claim 20, Tanaka teaches a beam shaping assembly (106, figure 11) located on a laser exit side of the first light homogenizing component, the beam shaping assembly being configured to converge the illumination beams diffused by the first light homogenizing component (paragraph 0065), the fly eye lens group (200, 201, figure 11) being located on a laser exit side of the beam shaping assembly; and
A lens assembly (203, figure 11) located on a laser exit side of the fly eye lens group and configured to propagate the illumination beams to the light modulation device.
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) 4-5, 8-9 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2023/0259013 A1) in view of Chen et al. (CN 112197193 B), Machine translation in English provided by Applicant.
Regarding claim 4 and 18, Tanaka does not specify that the first light emitting group includes a first light emitting sub group and a second light emitting sub group, and the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group are arranged in a row along a first direction, and the second light emitting group and the third light emitting group are arranged in another row along the first direction.
Chen teaches that the first light emitting group includes a first light emitting sub group and a second light emitting sub group (103 has subgroups arranged horizontally, figure 3), and the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group are arranged in a row along a first direction (horizontally, figure 3), and the second light emitting group (102) and the third light emitting group (101, figure 3) are arranged in another row along the first direction (102 and 101 are arranged horizontally in figure 3).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the projector of Tanaka to use the coplanar groups of Chen in order to make the illumination system more compact.
Regarding claim 5, Chen teaches the first light emitting sub group (103, middle group) and the second light emitting group (102, figure 3 are arranged in a column along the vertical direction), and the second light emitting sub group (rightward group of 103, figure 3) and the third light emitting group (101, figure 3) are arranged in at least one column along the second direction (vertical), the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; and
A number of rows in an array provided by the first light emitting group is equal to a number of rows in an array provided by the second light emitting group and the third light emitting group (2 rows, the additional 2 rows of 103 can be arbitrarily ignored for the purpose of this limitation), and a number of columns in the array provided by the first light emitting group is equal to a number of columns in the array provided by the second light emitting group and the third light emitting group (2 or 3 columns in figure 3).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the projector of Tanaka to use the coplanar groups of Chen in order to make the illumination system more compact.
Regarding claim 8 and 9, Tanaka teaches the first light emitting components are configured to emit one of a red laser beam (22, 26, figure 1),
The second light emitting components are configured to emit one of a green laser beam (34, 38, figure 1); and
The third light emitting components are configured to emit a blue laser beam (44, figure 1).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2023/0259013 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Tanaka teaches the first light emitting group includes a first light emitting sub group (22, figure 1) and a second light emitting sub group (26, figure 1).
Tanaka does not teach in the embodiment relied upon that the combining lens group includes;
A first combining lens group configured to combine the first laser beams emitted by the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group; a second combining lens group configured to combine the laser beams emitted by the second light emitting group and the third light emitting group, and a third combining lens group configured to combine the laser beam combined by the first combing lens group with the laser beam combined by the second combining lens group.
Tanaka teaches in an alternative embodiment a first combining lens group (28, left side, figure 8) configured to combine the first laser beams emitted by the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group; a second combining lens group (84, figure 8) configured to combine the laser beams emitted by the second light emitting group and the third light emitting group, and a third combining lens group (86, figure 8) configured to combine the laser beam combined by the first combing lens group with the laser beam combined by the second combining lens group.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the primary projector embodiment of Tanaka with the alternative embodiment of Tanaka in order to make the projection system brighter.
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2023/0259013 A1) the primary embodiment in view of the alternative embodiment as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Chen et al. (CN 112197193 B), Machine translation in English provided by Applicant.
Regarding claim 11, Tanaka does not specify the second light emitting group and the first light emitting sub group are arranged in a row along a first direction, the third light emitting group and the second light emitting sub group are arranged in another row along the first direction, the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group are arranged in at least one column along the second direction and the second light emitting group and the third light emitting group are arranged in at least one column along the second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
Chen teaches the second light emitting group (102, middle section, figure 3) and the first light emitting sub group (103, figure 3, middle section) are arranged in a row along a first direction (vertical direction), the third light emitting group (101, figure 3) and the second light emitting sub group (103, rightward section) are arranged in another row along the first direction (Vertical), the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group are arranged in at least one column (103, lower groups in the horizontal direction) along the second direction and the second light emitting group and the third light emitting group are arranged in at least one column (102, and 101, arranged along the horizontal ‘column’) along the second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction (vertical and horizontal are perpendicular).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the projector of Tanaka to use the coplanar groups of Chen in order to make the illumination system more compact.
Regarding claim 12, Tanaka does not teach the number of rows in an array provided by the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group is equal to the number of rows in an array provided by the second light emitting sub group and the third light emitting group, and a number of columns in the array provided by the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting group is equal to the number of columns in the array provided by the second light emitting sub groups and the third light emitting groups.
Chen teaches the number of rows in an array provided by the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group is equal to the number of rows in an array provided by the second light emitting sub group and the third light emitting group, and a number of columns in the array provided by the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting group is equal to the number of columns in the array provided by the second light emitting sub groups and the third light emitting groups (the array is 2x2, figure 8).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the projector of Tanaka to use the coplanar groups of Chen in order to make the illumination system more compact.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 13-17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 6, closest prior art Tanaka teaches in an alternative embodiment a first combining lens group including:
A first reflector located on a laser exit side of the first light emitting group and configured to reflect the first laser beam (see 28 for the first reflector, figure 8, right branch); and
a second combining lens group including a second reflector (31, figure 8, right branch) located on a laser exit side of the second light emitting group and configured to reflect the second laser beam;
a third reflector (29, figure 8, right branch) located on a laser exit side of the second reflector and configured to reflect eh second laser beam; and
a second combining lens (85, figure 8) located on laser exits sides of the first combining lens and the third reflector and configured to transmits the second laser beam and reflect the first laser beam and the third laser beam.
Tanaka therefore fails to teach the first combining lens located on laser exit sides of the third light emitting group and the first reflector and configured to reflect the third laser beam and transmit the first laser beam.
Regarding claim 7, Tanaka teaches a first combining lens group includes a first reflector (28, figure 8, rightward branch) located on a laser exit side of the first light emitting group and configured to reflect the first laser beam, a first combining lens located on a laser exit side of the second light emitting group and the first reflector and configured to reflect the second laser beam and transmit the first laser beam (see 31, figure 8, rightward branch);
A second combining lens group includes:
A third reflector (85, figure 8) located on a laser exit side of the first combining lens configured to reflect the first laser beam and the second laser beam; and
A second combining lens located on the laser exit sides of the third reflector and configured to reflect the third laser beam.
Tanaka therefore does not teach the second reflector located on a laser exit side of the third light emitting group and configured to reflect the third laser beam; and the second combining lens located on the laser exit side of the second reflector and configured to transmit the first laser beam and the second laser beam.
Regarding claim 13, Tanaka does not teach the first laser beams emitted by the first light emitting sub group and the second light emitting sub group and first linearly polarized light and the second laser beam emitted by the second light emitting group and the third laser beam emitted by the third light emitting group are a second linearly polarized light, and polarization directions of the first linearly polarized light and the second linearly polarized light are perpendicular to each other; and the polarization conversion component is further configured to adjust the polarization direction of the incident laser beam, so that the first linearly polarized light is converted into the second linearly polarized light and the second linearly polarized light is converted into the first linearly polarized light.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN D HOWARD whose telephone number is (571)270-5358. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5:00.
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/RYAN D HOWARD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882 3/03/2026