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.
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagatoshi et al. (US PG Pub. 20190306390) in view of Zhang et al. (CN 112099230 A).
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Nagatoshi discloses a projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1) that projects an image (para. 0049; imaging optical system is, for example, mounted on a projection display device), which is displayed on an image display surface on a reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1; reduction side imaging surface (image display surface Sim)), to a magnification side (telephoto end),
wherein at least one intermediate image (intermediate image MI of fig. 1) is formed inside the projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1), and
the projection optical system comprises a first stop (aperture stop St of fig. 1), at a position closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1).
Nagatoshi fails to teach wherein the aperture stop is variable.
Zhang discloses of which an aperture diameter is variable (variable diaphragm 33 of fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the fixed aperture of Nagatoshi with the variable aperture Zhang in order to adjust the brightness of the projection picture projected (Zhang; pg. 8 2nd para.).
Claim(s) 2 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagatoshi et al. (US PG Pub. 20190306390) and Zhang et al. (CN 112099230 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Imaoka et al. (US PG Pub. 20210356693).
Regarding claim 2, Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang discloses a projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1) that projects an image (para. 0049; imaging optical system is, for example, mounted on a projection display device), which is displayed on an image display surface on a reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1; reduction side imaging surface (image display surface Sim)), to a magnification side (telephoto end); the projection optical system comprises a first stop (aperture stop St of fig. 1), at a position closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1).
Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang fails to teach further comprising an interchangeable optical system at a position closer to the magnification side than the first stop.
Imaoka discloses an interchangeable lens image projection device further comprising an interchangeable optical system (interchangeable lens 1 further includes a focus lens group FG1 of fig. 2) at a position closer to the magnification side (magnification optical system Op of fig. 2) than the first stop (clearly illustrated as aperture A of fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify projection system of Nagatoshi and Zhang with the interchangeable lens of Imaoka in order to provide the user with the option of switching between different optical properties depending on your environment or activity.
Regarding claim 4, Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang discloses a projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1) that projects an image (para. 0049; imaging optical system is, for example, mounted on a projection display device), which is displayed on an image display surface on a reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1; reduction side imaging surface (image display surface Sim)), to a magnification side (telephoto end); the projection optical system comprises a first stop (aperture stop St of fig. 1), at a position closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1).
Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang fails to teach further comprising a group that moves by changing a spacing between adjacent groups during magnification change, in a part different from the interchangeable optical system.
Imaoka discloses an interchangeable lens image projection device (interchangeable lens 1 further includes a focus lens group FG1 of fig. 2) further comprising a group (lens group G2 of fig. 3) that moves by changing a spacing between adjacent groups during magnification change (illustrated in fig. 3), in a part different from the interchangeable optical system (illustrated in fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the projection system of Nagatoshi and Zhang with the interchangeable lens of Imaoka in order to provide the user with the option of switching between different optical properties depending on your environment or activity.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagatoshi et al. (US PG Pub. 20190306390), Zhang et al. (CN 112099230 A) and Imaoka et al. (US PG Pub. 20210356693) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Sugita (US PG Pub. 20140198393).
Regarding claim 3, Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang and Imaoka discloses a projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1) that projects an image (para. 0049; imaging optical system is, for example, mounted on a projection display device), which is displayed on an image display surface on a reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1; reduction side imaging surface (image display surface Sim)), to a magnification side (telephoto end); the projection optical system comprises a first stop (aperture stop St of fig. 1), at a position closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1).
Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang and Imaoka fails to teach wherein the interchangeable optical system includes a second stop of which an aperture diameter is variable, and an F number of the projection optical system is determined by the first stop.
Sugita discloses an optical system wherein the interchangeable optical system (para. 0100; interchangeable lens apparatus) includes a second stop (para. 0038; STV1 represent a first variable stop of fig. 10) of which an aperture diameter is variable, and an F number of the projection optical system is determined by the first stop (para. 0038; STO represents an F-number determining member acting as an aperture stop for determining (limiting) a minimum f-number (Fno) light beam (hereinafter referred to as an "aperture stop")).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the projection optical system of Nagatoshi, Zhang and Imaoka with the aperture system of Sugita in order to vary the light attenuation characteristics of the peripheral light intensity (Sugita; 0051).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagatoshi et al. (US PG Pub. 20190306390) and Zhang et al. (CN 112099230 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Li (CN 211427018 U).
Regarding claim 7, Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang discloses a projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1) that projects an image (para. 0049; imaging optical system is, for example, mounted on a projection display device), which is displayed on an image display surface on a reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1; reduction side imaging surface (image display surface Sim)), to a magnification side (telephoto end); the projection optical system comprises a first stop (aperture stop St of fig. 1), at a position closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1).
Nagatoshi fails to teach wherein the stop blades included in the first stop are made of metal.
Li discloses a projection device comprising an aperture with metal blades (pg. 6 8th para.; the aperture 341 comprises a plurality of arc-shaped thin metal blade).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the aperture stop of Nagatoshi and Zhang with the metal blades of Li in order to increase the durability of the aperture; thereby increasing the working life of the projection device.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagatoshi et al. (US PG Pub. 20190306390) and Zhang et al. (CN 112099230 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Uno et al. (US PG Pub. 20200301247).
Regarding claim 8, Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang discloses a projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1) that projects an image (para. 0049; imaging optical system is, for example, mounted on a projection display device), which is displayed on an image display surface on a reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1; reduction side imaging surface (image display surface Sim)), to a magnification side (telephoto end).
Nagatoshi as modified by Zhang fails to teach wherein stop blades included in the first stop are made of heat resistant resin.
Uno discloses wherein stop blades included in the first stop are made of heat resistant resin (para. 0099; aperture stop blades 24a to 24c are molded from a highly heat-resistant polyimide resin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the projection device of Nagatoshi and Zhang with the heat resistant resin of Uno in order to reduce the deformation of the aperture blades (Uno; para. 0064).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 6 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 subject matter of claim 5 that was found to be allowable is wherein a combined lateral magnification of lenses ranging from a lens closest to the magnification side among lenses, of which magnification side lens surfaces are located closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side, to a lens closest to the reduction side in the projection optical system is β, where β is a value in a case where the magnification side is an object side and the reduction side is an image side, and β is a value at a wide angle end in a case where the projection optical system includes a variable magnification optical system, Conditional Expression (1) is satisfied, which is represented by 0.25 < |β| < 2 (1).
Claim 6 is allowable as being dependent on claim 5.
The closest available prior art Nagatoshi discloses a projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1) that projects an image (para. 0049; imaging optical system is, for example, mounted on a projection display device), which is displayed on an image display surface on a reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1; reduction side imaging surface (image display surface Sim)), to a magnification side (telephoto end), wherein at least one intermediate image (intermediate image MI of fig. 1) is formed inside the projection optical system (illustrated in fig. 1), and the projection optical system comprises a first stop (aperture stop St of fig. 1), at a position closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side (illustrated in fig. 1); however, fails to teach or render obvious the lateral magnification which describes how images are scaled relative to the dimensions of the object wherein a combined lateral magnification of lenses ranging from a lens closest to the magnification side among lenses, of which magnification side lens surfaces are located closer to the reduction side than the intermediate image closest to the reduction side, to a lens closest to the reduction side in the projection optical system is β, where β is a value in a case where the magnification side is an object side and the reduction side is an image side, and β is a value at a wide angle end in a case where the projection optical system includes a variable magnification optical system, Conditional Expression (1) is satisfied, which is represented by 0.25 < |β| < 2 (1), this is important in determining how images are scaled relative to the dimensions
Conclusion
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/DANELL L OWENS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2882 16 April 2026
/TOAN TON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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