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
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claims 1-4, 6, 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YASUI (US 2022/0100074 A1) in view of Bhakta et al. (US 2016/0187644 A1; Bhakta) and further in view of KADO (US 2018/0239233 A1).
As of claim 1, YASUI teaches a system [fig 1] comprising: a light splitter 14 (wavelength selective PBS) [fig 1] [0069] configured to reflect first light having a first wavelength and a first polarization (s-polarized blue light) [fig 1], to transmit light having the first wavelength and a second polarization (p-polarized blue light) [fig 1], to transmit light having a second wavelength Ye (yellow light) [fig 1] [0081], a quarter wave plate 13 (QWP, quarter-wave plate) [fig 1] [fig 1 [0067] optically coupled to the light splitter 14 [fig 1].
YASUI teaches the invention as cited above except for the light splitter to transmit light having a third wavelength.
Bhakta teaches a multi-wavelength light generation apparatus [fig 1] having a light splitter 127 (dichroic mirror) [fig 1] to transmit light having a third wavelength 153 (red light).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the light splitter to transmit light having a third wavelength as taught by Bhakta to the system as disclosed by YASUI to create multiple primary colors from a low etendue, narrow band excitation light source such as a laser (Bhakta; [0004]).
YASUI in view of Bhakta teaches the invention as cited above except for a color wheel optically coupled to the quarter wave plate, the color wheel having a first filter segment, a second filter segment, and a third filter segment; and a phosphor optically coupled to the color wheel, the phosphor configured to produce second light responsive to receiving the first light, and the color wheel configured to receive the second light and produce light having the second wavelength or the third wavelength.
KADO teaches a color wheel 16 [fig 1] [0031] optically coupled to the quarter wave plate 14 [fig 1] [0031], the color wheel 16 [fig 1] having a first filter segment 161 [fig 3], a second filter segment 162 [fig 3], and a third filter segment 163 [fig 3]; and a phosphor 18 [fig 1] [0031] optically coupled to the color wheel 16 [fig 1], the phosphor configured to produce second light responsive to receiving the first light (the yellow fluorescent material 181 generates yellow fluorescence having a longer wavelength than the blue laser light with the blue laser light as the excitation light) [fig 5] [0051], and the color wheel 16 [fig 1] configured to receive the second light (yellow light) and produce light having the third wavelength (red light) (the yellow fluorescence entering the color wheel 16 passes through the color wheel 16 to become red illumination light) [0055].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a color wheel optically coupled to the quarter wave plate, the color wheel having a first filter segment, a second filter segment, and a third filter segment; and a phosphor optically coupled to the color wheel, the phosphor configured to produce second light responsive to receiving the first light, and the color wheel configured to receive the second light and produce light having the second wavelength or the third wavelength as taught by KADO to the system as disclosed by YASUI in view of Bhakta to project an image onto, e.g., a screen, to enlarge and display the image thereon (KADO; [0003]).
As of claim 2, YASUI in view of Bhakta teaches the invention as cited above except for a spatial light modulator optically coupled to the color wheel; and one or more projection lenses optically coupled to the spatial light modulator.
KADO teaches a spatial light modulator 24 [fig 1] optically coupled to the color wheel 16 [fig 1]; and one or more projection lenses 25 [fig 1] optically coupled to the spatial light modulator 24 [fig 1].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a spatial light modulator optically coupled to the color wheel; and one or more projection lenses optically coupled to the spatial light modulator as taught by KADO to the system as disclosed by YASUI in view of Bhakta to project an image onto, e.g., a screen, to enlarge and display the image thereon (KADO; [0003]).
As of claim 3, YASUI teaches a homogenizing element 16 (lens array) [fig 1] [0067] optically coupled to the light splitter 14 [fig 1].
As of claim 4, YASUI teaches a collimator 15 [fig 1] [0040] optically coupled between the color wheel 16 [fig 1] and the phosphor 18 [fig 1].
As of claim 6, YASUI teaches the phosphor 111 [fig 2] is a yellow phosphor [0080].
As of claim 9, YASUI in view of Bhakta teaches the invention as cited above except for the homogenizing element is a light tunnel.
KADO teaches a homogenizing element 21 [fig 1] is a light tunnel [0030].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the homogenizing element is a light tunnel as taught by KADO to the system as disclosed by YASUI in view of Bhakta to project an image onto, e.g., a screen, to enlarge and display the image thereon (KADO; [0003]).
As of claim 10, YASUI teaches the homogenizing element 16 [fig 1] is a fly's eye array [0067].
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YASUI (US 2022/0100074 A1) in view of Bhakta et al. (US 2016/0187644 A1; Bhakta) and KADO (US 2018/0239233 A1) and further in view of KAMIJIMA et al. (US 2019/0041739 A1; KAMIJIMA).
YASUI in view of Bhakta and KADO teaches the invention as cited above except for the phosphor is a static phosphor.
KAMIJIMA teaches an illumination device 2 [fig 2] having the phosphor 32 (phosphor layer) [fig 2] [0068] is a static phosphor [fig 2].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the phosphor is a static phosphor as taught by KAMIJIMA to the system as disclosed by YASUI in view of Bhakta and KADO to provide a light source device small in size and capable of obtaining light having a necessary diffusion angle (KAMIJIMA; [0005]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 11, 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KADO (US 2018/0239233 A1).
As of claim 11, KADO teaches a system 1 [fig 1], comprising: a light splitter 13 (wavelength-selective polarization splitter) [fig 1] [0031]; a color wheel 16 (color wheel) [fig 1] [0031] optically coupled to the light splitter 13 [fig 1], the color wheel 16 [fig 1] having a first filter segment 161 [fig 3], a second filter segment 162 [fig 3], and a third filter segment 163 [fig 3]; a homogenizing element 21 [fig 1] optically coupled to the color wheel 16 [fig 1]; a phosphor 18 (phosphor wheel) [fig 1] [0031] optically coupled to the homogenizing element 21 [fig 1]; a quarter wave plate 14 [fig 1] [0031] optically coupled between the light splitter 13 [fig 1] and the color wheel 16 [fig 1]; and a spatial light modulator 24 (image forming element) [fig 1] optically coupled to the light splitter 13 [fig 1].
As of claim 13, KADO teaches the light splitter 13 [fig 1], the color wheel 16 [fig 1], and the phosphor 18 [fig 1] are in a non-telecentric optical path (not situated on a single line) [fig 1].
As of claim 14, KADO teaches the phosphor 18 [fig 1]is a phosphor wheel [0031].
As of claim 15, KADO teaches a condenser lens 15 [fig 1] [0045] optically coupled to the phosphor 18 [fig 1] and the color wheel 16 [fig 1], the condenser lens 15 [fig 1] configured to condense light onto the color wheel 16 [fig 1].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 8, 12 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.
As of claim 5, the closest prior art YASUI (US 2022/0100074 A1) teaches an illumination optical system 1 and a projection optical system 2. In addition, the optical system according to the first embodiment includes a first light valve 31 and a second light valve 32, and a PBS (polarization beam splitter) 41 in an optical path between the illumination optical system 1 and the projection optical system 2. The illumination optical system 1 includes a blue light source 10, a phosphor wheel 11, a light-condensing lens 12, a QWP (quarter-wave plate) 13, a wavelength selective PBS 14, a notch filter 15, a lens array 16, a PS converter 17, a first region-division wavelength selective wave plate 51, and a relay lens 18. The projection optical system 2 includes a plurality of lenses 21, a second region-division wavelength selective wave plate 52, and a post polarizer 22. It is to be noted that in FIG. 1, a direction that is orthogonal to a paper surface is S polarization for the PBS 41, and a direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis and parallel to the paper surface is P polarization for the PBS 41. In addition, a direction corresponding to the S polarization for the PBS 41 is referred to as a Z direction, and a direction corresponding to the P polarization for the PBS 41 is referred to as a Y direction, as appropriate. The same applies to the following other diagrams. In addition, the same also applies to the following other embodiments. The illumination optical system 1 corresponds to a specific example of a “first optical system” in the technology of the present disclosure. The projection optical system 2 corresponds to a specific example of a “second optical system” in the technology of the present disclosure. The first region-division wavelength selective wave plate 51 corresponds to a specific example of a “first optical element” in the technology of the present disclosure. The second region-division wavelength selective wave plate 52 corresponds to a specific example of a “second optical element” in the technology of the present disclosure. The illumination optical system 1 generates illumination light including a plurality of color light beams in mutually different wavelength bands. The illumination optical system 1 generates color light beams of R, G, and B as the plurality of color light beams, and outputs the color light beams toward the PBS 41. YASUI does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the first filter segment is configured to transmit a first color, the second filter segment is configured to transmit a second color, and the third filter segment is a reflective segment.
As of claim 8, the closest prior art YASUI (US 2022/0100074 A1) teaches an illumination optical system 1 and a projection optical system 2. In addition, the optical system according to the first embodiment includes a first light valve 31 and a second light valve 32, and a PBS (polarization beam splitter) 41 in an optical path between the illumination optical system 1 and the projection optical system 2. The illumination optical system 1 includes a blue light source 10, a phosphor wheel 11, a light-condensing lens 12, a QWP (quarter-wave plate) 13, a wavelength selective PBS 14, a notch filter 15, a lens array 16, a PS converter 17, a first region-division wavelength selective wave plate 51, and a relay lens 18. The projection optical system 2 includes a plurality of lenses 21, a second region-division wavelength selective wave plate 52, and a post polarizer 22. It is to be noted that in FIG. 1, a direction that is orthogonal to a paper surface is S polarization for the PBS 41, and a direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis and parallel to the paper surface is P polarization for the PBS 41. In addition, a direction corresponding to the S polarization for the PBS 41 is referred to as a Z direction, and a direction corresponding to the P polarization for the PBS 41 is referred to as a Y direction, as appropriate. The same applies to the following other diagrams. In addition, the same also applies to the following other embodiments. The illumination optical system 1 corresponds to a specific example of a “first optical system” in the technology of the present disclosure. The projection optical system 2 corresponds to a specific example of a “second optical system” in the technology of the present disclosure. The first region-division wavelength selective wave plate 51 corresponds to a specific example of a “first optical element” in the technology of the present disclosure. The second region-division wavelength selective wave plate 52 corresponds to a specific example of a “second optical element” in the technology of the present disclosure. The illumination optical system 1 generates illumination light including a plurality of color light beams in mutually different wavelength bands. The illumination optical system 1 generates color light beams of R, G, and B as the plurality of color light beams, and outputs the color light beams toward the PBS 41. YASUI does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the phosphor is a phosphor wheel, and wherein the color wheel and the phosphor wheel share a motor.
As of claim 12, the closest prior art YASUI (US 2022/0100074 A1) teaches an illumination optical system 1 and a projection optical system 2. In addition, the optical system according to the first embodiment includes a first light valve 31 and a second light valve 32, and a PBS (polarization beam splitter) 41 in an optical path between the illumination optical system 1 and the projection optical system 2. The illumination optical system 1 includes a blue light source 10, a phosphor wheel 11, a light-condensing lens 12, a QWP (quarter-wave plate) 13, a wavelength selective PBS 14, a notch filter 15, a lens array 16, a PS converter 17, a first region-division wavelength selective wave plate 51, and a relay lens 18. The projection optical system 2 includes a plurality of lenses 21, a second region-division wavelength selective wave plate 52, and a post polarizer 22. It is to be noted that in FIG. 1, a direction that is orthogonal to a paper surface is S polarization for the PBS 41, and a direction that is orthogonal to an optical axis and parallel to the paper surface is P polarization for the PBS 41. In addition, a direction corresponding to the S polarization for the PBS 41 is referred to as a Z direction, and a direction corresponding to the P polarization for the PBS 41 is referred to as a Y direction, as appropriate. The same applies to the following other diagrams. In addition, the same also applies to the following other embodiments. The illumination optical system 1 corresponds to a specific example of a “first optical system” in the technology of the present disclosure. The projection optical system 2 corresponds to a specific example of a “second optical system” in the technology of the present disclosure. The first region-division wavelength selective wave plate 51 corresponds to a specific example of a “first optical element” in the technology of the present disclosure. The second region-division wavelength selective wave plate 52 corresponds to a specific example of a “second optical element” in the technology of the present disclosure. The illumination optical system 1 generates illumination light including a plurality of color light beams in mutually different wavelength bands. The illumination optical system 1 generates color light beams of R, G, and B as the plurality of color light beams, and outputs the color light beams toward the PBS 41. YASUI does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the first filter segment is configured to transmit a first color, the second filter segment is configured to transmit a second color, and the third filter segment is a reflective segment.
Claims 16-20 are allowed.
As of claim 16, the closest prior art KADO (US 2018/0239233 A1) teaches an image projection apparatus 1 which includes an illumination device 10, a light tunnel 21, a lens group 22, a mirror group 23, an image forming element 24, and a projection optical section 25. The illumination device 10 includes a light source 11, a condenser lens 12, a wavelength-selective polarization splitter 13, a quarter wavelength plate 14, a first lens group 15, a color wheel 16, a second lens group 17, and a phosphor wheel 18. The illumination device 10 is designed to sequentially emit the blue, red, and green light rays toward the light tunnel 21 in the common direction (along the common optical path), in time division. In the illumination device 10, the light source 11 emits a first light beam having a first linear polarization component. In the present embodiment for an example of the illumination device 10, cases where the light source 11 is a laser diode (LD) that emits a blue laser beam of a wavelength λB having a P polarization component (a P wave) are described. The wavelength λB is, for example, in the range of greater than 400 nanometer (nm) and less than 470 nm. However, no limitation is intended thereby. Thus, alternatively, in some embodiments, the light source 11 is a light emitting diode (LED) that emits a blue light beam, or an organic electro luminescence (EL) device. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the light source 11 is a combination of the LED and the organic EL. Alternatively, in still some other embodiments, the light source 11 is any one of, e.g., a laser diode (LD), an LED, and an organic EL device for emitting light with an ultraviolet region wavelength. Alternatively, the light source 11 is a combination of these LD, LED, and organic EL device. The illumination device 10 includes a single light source 11 or a plurality of light sources 11. Further, between the light source 11 and the condenser lens 12, a coupling lens for guiding the laser beam emitted from the light source 11 to the condenser lens 12 as an approximately collimated light beam is provided. The blue laser light emitted from the light source 11 is used as first illumination light. Further, the blue laser light emitted from the light source 11 is used as excitation light that causes fluorescence in the phosphor wheel 18. KADO does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a homogenizing element optically coupled to the light splitter and configured to homogenize the reflected first light to produce first homogenized light; a color wheel optically coupled to the homogenizing element, the color wheel having a first filter segment configured to reflect the first light and a second filter segment configured to transmit the first light; and a phosphor optically coupled to the color wheel, the phosphor configured to produce second light responsive to receiving the first light, the second light having a second color, wherein the second filter segment of the color wheel is configured to filter the second light to produce third light having a third color, and the light splitter is configured to transmit the third light having the third color.
Claims 17-20 are allowed as being dependent on claim 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art HU et al. (US 20220197126 A1) teaches a light source system and a display device, including: a first light source configured to emit first light; a second light source configured to emit second light; a wavelength conversion device configured to perform a wavelength conversion on the first light to obtain third light; a first optical splitter having a first area and a second area; and a first light combining device. The first optical splitter moves in timing sequence to make the first area and the second area be sequentially located on a preset light path. A side surface of the first optical splitter is configured to homogenize the first light and the second light that are emitted to the first light combining device; and the first light combining device is configured to guide the first light, the second light, and the third light to exit along a same light path to form illumination light;
- Prior Art Liu (US 20220121094 A1) teaches an illumination system configured to provide an illumination beam is provided. At a timing for blue light, first blue light penetrates a light homogenizing element, so that the illumination system outputs blue light of the illumination beam. At a timing for green light, the first blue light is converted into first green light via a phosphor wheel and penetrates the light homogenizing element. At the same time, second blue light is converted into second green light via the phosphor wheel and penetrates the light homogenizing element, so that the illumination system outputs green light of the illumination beam. A projection device is also provided. According to the illumination system and the projection device provided herein, each light source may be effectively utilized.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SULTAN U. CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3336. The examiner can normally be reached on 5:30 AM-5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached on 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SULTAN CHOWDHURY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882