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.
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.
Claims 1, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) in view of KASUGAI et al. (US 2015/0226389 A1; KASUGAI) and further in view of HIRANUMA et al. (US 2008/0279238 A1; HIRANUMA).
As of claim 1, Noda teaches a light source control device 10 [fig 1] configured to output illumination light 30 (compression optical system) [fig 1] comprising: a first light emitting element 31b, 32b [fig 1] configured to output blue light [0024] [0025]; a second light emitting element 31r, 32r [fig 1] configured to output red light [0023] [0024]; a wavelength conversion element 451 (fluorescent body) [fig 1] [0029] configured to convert the blue light 31b, 32b [fig 1] entering the wavelength conversion element 451 [fig 1] into wavelength-converted light (emitting fluorescent light in a yellow band) [fig 1] [0029].
Noda does not teach a first thermoelectric conversion element thermally coupled to the wavelength conversion element.
KASUGAI teaches a light source 101 [fig 1A] having first thermoelectric conversion element 209 (heat radiation mechanism such as a Peltier element) [fig 1D] [0103] thermally coupled to the wavelength conversion element 17R (first fluorescence emission component) [fig 1D] [0103].
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 first thermoelectric conversion element thermally coupled to the wavelength conversion element as taught by KASUGAI to the light source control device as disclosed by Noda to a light source having a large light output of output light, a small speckle, and higher directivity of the output light (KASUGAI; [0001]).
KASUGAI in view of Noda teaches the invention as cited above except for a first radiation member thermally coupled to the first thermoelectric conversion element; a second thermoelectric conversion element thermally coupled to the second light emitting element; a second radiation member thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric conversion element; and a controller configured to control drive of each of the first thermoelectric conversion element and the second thermoelectric conversion element.
HIRANUMA teaches a projection display apparatus 100 [fig 1] having a first radiation member 30 R, G, B (heat sink) [fig 1] [0038] thermally coupled to the first thermoelectric conversion element 20 R, G, B (Peltier elements) [fig 1] [0037]; a second thermoelectric conversion element 20G [fig 1] thermally coupled to the second light emitting element 10G (solid-state light source) [fig 1] [0034]; a second radiation member 30G [fig 1] thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric conversion element 20G [fig 1]; and a controller 150 [fig 1] configured to control drive (power is supplied from the control/power circuit 150 through each of the power lines 15) [0034] of each of the first thermoelectric conversion element and the second thermoelectric conversion element 20 R, G, B [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 first radiation member thermally coupled to the first thermoelectric conversion element; a second thermoelectric conversion element thermally coupled to the second light emitting element; a second radiation member thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric conversion element; and a controller configured to control drive of each of the first thermoelectric conversion element and the second thermoelectric conversion element as taught by HIRANUMA to the light source control device as disclosed by KASUGAI in view of Noda to keep the power consumption can be reduced while keeping constant the amount of the light emitted from the solid-state light source (HIRANUMA; [0011]).
As of claim 13, Noda teaches a projector 10 [fig 1] comprising: an image forming device DMD [0021] configured to form image light from the light emitted from the light source control device [0032]; and a projection optical device 70 [fig 1] configured to project the image light formed by the image forming device DMD [0021].
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) in view of KASUGAI et al. (US 2015/0226389 A1; KASUGAI) and HIRANUMA et al. (US 2008/0279238 A1; HIRANUMA) and further in view of OHSUGI (US 2023/0194970 A1).
Noda in view of KASUGAI and HIRANUMA teaches the invention as cited above except for a fan configured to circulate an airflow through each of the first radiation member and the second radiation member, wherein the controller is configured to control drive of the fan.
OHSUGI teaches a projector 10 [fig 2] having a fan (cooling fan) [0027] configured to circulate an airflow through each of the first radiation member 79 [fig 2] [0029] and the second radiation member 86 [fig 2] [0029], wherein the controller 38 [fig 1] is configured to control drive of the fan (the processor 38 causes the cooling fan drive control circuit 43 to keep the cooling fan rotating using a timer or the like even after a power supply to a main body of the projector 10 is switched off or causes the cooling fan control circuit 43 to switch off the power supply to the main body of the projector 10 depending on the results of the temperature detections by the temperature sensors) [0027].
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 fan configured to circulate an airflow through each of the first radiation member and the second radiation member, wherein the controller is configured to control drive of the fan as taught by OHSUGI to the light source control device as disclosed by Noda in view of KASUGAI and HIRANUMA to keep the cooling fan rotating using a timer or the like even after a power supply to a main body of the projector is switched off or causes the cooling fan control circuit to switch off the power supply to the main body of the projector depending on the results of the temperature detections by the temperature sensors (OHSUGI; [0027]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4-12 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 2, the closest prior art Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) teaches a projection-type display apparatus 10 includes a light source optical system 20, an illumination optical system 50, a color separation/combination optical system 60, a projection lens 70, and an exterior housing 80 which includes these configurations. The light source optical system 20 is divided into a compression optical system 30 and a converging optical system 40. The compression optical system 30 includes a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements that output light having a wavelength in a blue band, for example, blue light sources 31b as laser diodes (hereinbelow, also referred to as LDs) and a plurality of red-light sources 31r that output light having a wavelength in a red band, which is different from the wavelength in the blue light source 31b. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r are arranged to be held by a holding unit 37 and to radiate heat. Holding of the LDs by the holding unit 37 and heat radiation are described in detail below. The compression optical system 30 further includes collimator lenses 32b and 32r that are provided to correspond to each light source, a reflection mirror array 33, a first dichroic mirror 34, and a condenser lens 35. The converging optical system 40 includes a second dichroic mirror 43, a condenser lens 44a, a condenser lens 44b, a fluorescent body unit 45, and an afocal lens 47. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r respectively oscillate an excitation light beam 100b and an excitation light beam 100r radially, and emit the excitation light beams 100b and 100r to lens components in the compression optical system 30. The reflection mirror array 33 is irradiated with the excitation light beam 100r oscillated from the red-light source 31r via the collimator lens 32b. The fluorescent body unit 45 includes a fluorescent body wheel 452 on which the fluorescent body 451 is disposed and a motor 453 which rotates the fluorescent body wheel 452. The fluorescent body 451 is formed from a fluorescent material having a characteristic emitting fluorescent light in a yellow band when being irradiated with light having the wavelength in the blue band and a material in which a diffusion material for diffusing and reflecting excitation light is mixed in a binder. The fluorescent body 451 is disposed on a circumferential surface of the fluorescent body wheel 452, which is irradiated with the excitation light beams 100b and 100r when being rotated by the fluorescent body wheel 452. Noda does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the controller is configured to perform cooling of the wavelength conversion element with the first thermoelectric conversion element in priority to cooling of the second light emitting element with the second thermoelectric conversion element.
As of claim 4, the closest prior art Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) teaches a projection-type display apparatus 10 includes a light source optical system 20, an illumination optical system 50, a color separation/combination optical system 60, a projection lens 70, and an exterior housing 80 which includes these configurations. The light source optical system 20 is divided into a compression optical system 30 and a converging optical system 40. The compression optical system 30 includes a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements that output light having a wavelength in a blue band, for example, blue light sources 31b as laser diodes (hereinbelow, also referred to as LDs) and a plurality of red-light sources 31r that output light having a wavelength in a red band, which is different from the wavelength in the blue light source 31b. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r are arranged to be held by a holding unit 37 and to radiate heat. Holding of the LDs by the holding unit 37 and heat radiation are described in detail below. The compression optical system 30 further includes collimator lenses 32b and 32r that are provided to correspond to each light source, a reflection mirror array 33, a first dichroic mirror 34, and a condenser lens 35. The converging optical system 40 includes a second dichroic mirror 43, a condenser lens 44a, a condenser lens 44b, a fluorescent body unit 45, and an afocal lens 47. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r respectively oscillate an excitation light beam 100b and an excitation light beam 100r radially, and emit the excitation light beams 100b and 100r to lens components in the compression optical system 30. The reflection mirror array 33 is irradiated with the excitation light beam 100r oscillated from the red-light source 31r via the collimator lens 32b. The fluorescent body unit 45 includes a fluorescent body wheel 452 on which the fluorescent body 451 is disposed and a motor 453 which rotates the fluorescent body wheel 452. The fluorescent body 451 is formed from a fluorescent material having a characteristic emitting fluorescent light in a yellow band when being irradiated with light having the wavelength in the blue band and a material in which a diffusion material for diffusing and reflecting excitation light is mixed in a binder. The fluorescent body 451 is disposed on a circumferential surface of the fluorescent body wheel 452, which is irradiated with the excitation light beams 100b and 100r when being rotated by the fluorescent body wheel 452. Noda does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the controller is configured to perform cooling of the wavelength conversion element with the first thermoelectric conversion element in priority to the fan.
Claim 5 would be allowed as being dependent on claim 4.
As of claim 6, the closest prior art Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) teaches a projection-type display apparatus 10 includes a light source optical system 20, an illumination optical system 50, a color separation/combination optical system 60, a projection lens 70, and an exterior housing 80 which includes these configurations. The light source optical system 20 is divided into a compression optical system 30 and a converging optical system 40. The compression optical system 30 includes a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements that output light having a wavelength in a blue band, for example, blue light sources 31b as laser diodes (hereinbelow, also referred to as LDs) and a plurality of red-light sources 31r that output light having a wavelength in a red band, which is different from the wavelength in the blue light source 31b. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r are arranged to be held by a holding unit 37 and to radiate heat. Holding of the LDs by the holding unit 37 and heat radiation are described in detail below. The compression optical system 30 further includes collimator lenses 32b and 32r that are provided to correspond to each light source, a reflection mirror array 33, a first dichroic mirror 34, and a condenser lens 35. The converging optical system 40 includes a second dichroic mirror 43, a condenser lens 44a, a condenser lens 44b, a fluorescent body unit 45, and an afocal lens 47. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r respectively oscillate an excitation light beam 100b and an excitation light beam 100r radially, and emit the excitation light beams 100b and 100r to lens components in the compression optical system 30. The reflection mirror array 33 is irradiated with the excitation light beam 100r oscillated from the red-light source 31r via the collimator lens 32b. The fluorescent body unit 45 includes a fluorescent body wheel 452 on which the fluorescent body 451 is disposed and a motor 453 which rotates the fluorescent body wheel 452. The fluorescent body 451 is formed from a fluorescent material having a characteristic emitting fluorescent light in a yellow band when being irradiated with light having the wavelength in the blue band and a material in which a diffusion material for diffusing and reflecting excitation light is mixed in a binder. The fluorescent body 451 is disposed on a circumferential surface of the fluorescent body wheel 452, which is irradiated with the excitation light beams 100b and 100r when being rotated by the fluorescent body wheel 452. Noda does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the controller is configured to perform the cooling of the second light emitting element with the second thermoelectric conversion element in priority to the fan.
Claim 7 would be allowed as being dependent on claim 6.
As of claim 8, the closest prior art Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) teaches a projection-type display apparatus 10 includes a light source optical system 20, an illumination optical system 50, a color separation/combination optical system 60, a projection lens 70, and an exterior housing 80 which includes these configurations. The light source optical system 20 is divided into a compression optical system 30 and a converging optical system 40. The compression optical system 30 includes a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements that output light having a wavelength in a blue band, for example, blue light sources 31b as laser diodes (hereinbelow, also referred to as LDs) and a plurality of red-light sources 31r that output light having a wavelength in a red band, which is different from the wavelength in the blue light source 31b. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r are arranged to be held by a holding unit 37 and to radiate heat. Holding of the LDs by the holding unit 37 and heat radiation are described in detail below. The compression optical system 30 further includes collimator lenses 32b and 32r that are provided to correspond to each light source, a reflection mirror array 33, a first dichroic mirror 34, and a condenser lens 35. The converging optical system 40 includes a second dichroic mirror 43, a condenser lens 44a, a condenser lens 44b, a fluorescent body unit 45, and an afocal lens 47. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r respectively oscillate an excitation light beam 100b and an excitation light beam 100r radially, and emit the excitation light beams 100b and 100r to lens components in the compression optical system 30. The reflection mirror array 33 is irradiated with the excitation light beam 100r oscillated from the red-light source 31r via the collimator lens 32b. The fluorescent body unit 45 includes a fluorescent body wheel 452 on which the fluorescent body 451 is disposed and a motor 453 which rotates the fluorescent body wheel 452. The fluorescent body 451 is formed from a fluorescent material having a characteristic emitting fluorescent light in a yellow band when being irradiated with light having the wavelength in the blue band and a material in which a diffusion material for diffusing and reflecting excitation light is mixed in a binder. The fluorescent body 451 is disposed on a circumferential surface of the fluorescent body wheel 452, which is irradiated with the excitation light beams 100b and 100r when being rotated by the fluorescent body wheel 452. Noda does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the controller is configured to control a ratio of a light intensity of the blue light included in the illumination light to a light intensity of the red light included in the illumination light with the first thermoelectric conversion element, the second thermoelectric conversion element, and the fan.
Claims 9-12 would be allowed as being dependent on claim 8.
Claims 14-20 are allowed.
As of claim 14, the closest prior art Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) teaches a projection-type display apparatus 10 includes a light source optical system 20, an illumination optical system 50, a color separation/combination optical system 60, a projection lens 70, and an exterior housing 80 which includes these configurations. The light source optical system 20 is divided into a compression optical system 30 and a converging optical system 40. The compression optical system 30 includes a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements that output light having a wavelength in a blue band, for example, blue light sources 31b as laser diodes (hereinbelow, also referred to as LDs) and a plurality of red-light sources 31r that output light having a wavelength in a red band, which is different from the wavelength in the blue light source 31b. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r are arranged to be held by a holding unit 37 and to radiate heat. Holding of the LDs by the holding unit 37 and heat radiation are described in detail below. The compression optical system 30 further includes collimator lenses 32b and 32r that are provided to correspond to each light source, a reflection mirror array 33, a first dichroic mirror 34, and a condenser lens 35. The converging optical system 40 includes a second dichroic mirror 43, a condenser lens 44a, a condenser lens 44b, a fluorescent body unit 45, and an afocal lens 47. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r respectively oscillate an excitation light beam 100b and an excitation light beam 100r radially, and emit the excitation light beams 100b and 100r to lens components in the compression optical system 30. The reflection mirror array 33 is irradiated with the excitation light beam 100r oscillated from the red-light source 31r via the collimator lens 32b. The fluorescent body unit 45 includes a fluorescent body wheel 452 on which the fluorescent body 451 is disposed and a motor 453 which rotates the fluorescent body wheel 452. The fluorescent body 451 is formed from a fluorescent material having a characteristic emitting fluorescent light in a yellow band when being irradiated with light having the wavelength in the blue band and a material in which a diffusion material for diffusing and reflecting excitation light is mixed in a binder. The fluorescent body 451 is disposed on a circumferential surface of the fluorescent body wheel 452, which is irradiated with the excitation light beams 100b and 100r when being rotated by the fluorescent body wheel 452. Noda does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a first base which has a first surface and a second surface at an opposite side to the first surface, which supports the wavelength conversion element with the first surface, and which has thermal conductivity, and a first thermoelectric conversion element thermally coupled to the second surface, the second light source includes a light emitting element, a second base which has a third surface and a fourth surface at an opposite side to the third surface, which supports the light emitting element with the third surface, and which has thermal conductivity, and a second thermoelectric conversion element thermally coupled to the fourth surface, the first radiation member is arranged at an opposite side to the first base with respect to the first thermoelectric conversion element, and is thermally coupled to the first thermoelectric conversion element, and the second radiation member is arranged at an opposite side to the second base with respect to the second thermoelectric conversion element, and is thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric conversion element.
Claims 15-19 are allowed as being dependent on claim 14.
As of claim 20, the closest prior art Noda (US 2020/0133108 A1) teaches a projection-type display apparatus 10 includes a light source optical system 20, an illumination optical system 50, a color separation/combination optical system 60, a projection lens 70, and an exterior housing 80 which includes these configurations. The light source optical system 20 is divided into a compression optical system 30 and a converging optical system 40. The compression optical system 30 includes a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements that output light having a wavelength in a blue band, for example, blue light sources 31b as laser diodes (hereinbelow, also referred to as LDs) and a plurality of red-light sources 31r that output light having a wavelength in a red band, which is different from the wavelength in the blue light source 31b. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r are arranged to be held by a holding unit 37 and to radiate heat. Holding of the LDs by the holding unit 37 and heat radiation are described in detail below. The compression optical system 30 further includes collimator lenses 32b and 32r that are provided to correspond to each light source, a reflection mirror array 33, a first dichroic mirror 34, and a condenser lens 35. The converging optical system 40 includes a second dichroic mirror 43, a condenser lens 44a, a condenser lens 44b, a fluorescent body unit 45, and an afocal lens 47. The plurality of blue light sources 31b and the plurality of red-light sources 31r respectively oscillate an excitation light beam 100b and an excitation light beam 100r radially, and emit the excitation light beams 100b and 100r to lens components in the compression optical system 30. The reflection mirror array 33 is irradiated with the excitation light beam 100r oscillated from the red-light source 31r via the collimator lens 32b. The fluorescent body unit 45 includes a fluorescent body wheel 452 on which the fluorescent body 451 is disposed and a motor 453 which rotates the fluorescent body wheel 452. The fluorescent body 451 is formed from a fluorescent material having a characteristic emitting fluorescent light in a yellow band when being irradiated with light having the wavelength in the blue band and a material in which a diffusion material for diffusing and reflecting excitation light is mixed in a binder. The fluorescent body 451 is disposed on a circumferential surface of the fluorescent body wheel 452, which is irradiated with the excitation light beams 100b and 100r when being rotated by the fluorescent body wheel 452. Noda does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a first cooling step of cooling the wavelength conversion element; a second cooling step of cooling the second light emitting element; and a control step of controlling temperature of the second light emitting element based on a ratio between a light intensity of the blue light included in light output from the light source device and a light intensity of the red light included in the light output from the light source device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art MASUDA (US 20180231880 A1) teaches a wavelength conversion device which includes a wavelength conversion layer having a plurality of pores, and excited by light in a first wavelength band to thereby generate light in a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band, a transparent member adapted to fill in a recessed section occurring on a surface of the wavelength conversion layer due to the pore, a reflecting member formed on the surface of the wavelength conversion layer and a surface of the transparent member, and a base member disposed on an opposite side to the wavelength conversion layer of the reflecting member;
- Prior Art NISHIMORI et al. (US 20180059521 A1) teaches a light source device which includes a first light-source unit, a second light-source unit, and a third light-source unit emitting light of spectra different from each other. Each of the first through third light-source units includes a heat dissipator and a light source. The light source includes a light emitting device. The heat dissipators of the first through third light-source units are disposed in an ascending order of values of T/Q of the first through third light-source units, in a direction of cooling air flow. “Q” represents a heat generation amount from the light source of each of the first through third light-source units, when the light sources are driven to obtain predetermined light intensity and lifespan. “T” represents a preset, upper-limit temperature for the light emitting device of each of the first through third light-source units to obtain the predetermined light intensity and lifespan.
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