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.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Hikmet US20100149444A1 in view of Duston US20070146910A1
Regarding claim 1, Hikmet teaches a liquid crystal optical element (fig. 3) comprising; a first liquid crystal cell (31); a second liquid crystal cell (32) overlapping the first liquid crystal cell (31)(see fig. 3); each of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the second liquid crystal cell (32) including a first substrate (33; 39; [0107]), a second substrate (37; [0107]) arranged to face the first substrate (33, 39), and a liquid crystal layer (36) arranged between the first substrate (33, 39) and the second substrate (37)(see fig. 3), the first substrate (33, 37; [0107]) comprising: a first electrode group (42a, 43a) arranged alternately in parallel to a first direction (see fig. 3) with a first transparent electrode (42a) and a second transparent electrode (43a); and a second electrode group (42b, 43b) arranged alternately in parallel to the first direction (see fig. 3) with a fifth transparent electrode (42b) and a sixth transparent electrode (43b) and adjacent to the first electrode group (42a, 43a). the second substrate (37, 39) comprising: a third electrode group (44a, 45a) arranged alternately in parallel to a second direction (see fig. 3) intersecting the first direction with a third transparent electrode (44a) and a fourth transparent electrode (45a) and facing the first electrode group (42a, 43a)(see fig. 3); and a fourth electrode group (44b, 45b) arranged alternately in parallel to the second direction (see fig. 3) with a seventh transparent electrode (44b) and an eighth transparent electrode (45b) adjacent to the third electrode group (44a, 45b), and facing the second electrode group (42b, 43b)(see fig. 3).
However, Hikmet does not explicitly disclose an optical element overlapping the second liquid crystal cell and refracting light.
Duston teaches an optical element (580) overlapping the second liquid crystal cell (550) (see fig. 5) and refracting light ([0l05]) for the purpose of substantially steering the light rays to the light focusing element ([0007]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the liquid crystal optical element of Hikmet to include the optical element of Duston for the purpose of substantially steering the light rays to the light focusing element ([0007]).
Regarding claim 2, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Duston further teaches wherein the optical element (580) includes a first optical conversion part (left portion 580) overlapping the first electrode group (left portion 570) (see fig. 5), and a second optical conversion part (right portion 580) facing and overlapping the second electrode group (right portion 570) (see fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teaches wherein the second direction (see fig. 3) is orthogonal to the first direction (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teaches wherein a second pitch ([0173]) between the third transparent electrode (44a) and the fourth transparent electrode (45a) is narrower than a first pitch ([0173]) between the first transparent electrode (42a) and the second transparent electrode (43a). Hikmet further teaches that electrode pitch is a matter of choice for optical lens characteristics ([0173]).
However, Hikmet does not explicitly disclose the pitches of the electrodes. In cases like the present, where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen dimensions or upon another variable recited within the claims, Applicant must show that the chosen dimensions are critical. As such, the claimed dimensions appear to be an obvious matter of engineering design choice and thus, while being a difference, does not serve in any way to patentably distinguish the
claimed invention from the applied prior art. In re Woodruff F.2d 1575,1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990); In re Kuhle, 526 F2d. 553, 555, 188 USPQ 7, 9 (CCPA 1975).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a second pitch between the third transparent electrode and the fourth transparent electrode is narrower than a first pitch between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode.
Regarding claim 5, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim I, Hikmet further teaches wherein a second pitch ([0173]) between the seventh transparent electrode (44b) and the eighth transparent electrode (45b) is narrower than a first pitch ([0173]) between the fifth transparent electrode (42b) and the sixth transparent electrode (43b). Hikmet further teaches that electrode pitch is a matter of choice for optical lens characteristics ([0173]).
However, Hikmet does not explicitly disclose the pitches of the electrodes. In cases like the present, where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen dimensions or upon another variable recited within the claims, Applicant must show that the chosen dimensions are critical. As such, the claimed dimensions appear to be an obvious matter of engineering design choice and thus, while being a difference, does not serve in any way to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the applied prior art. In re Woodruff F.2d 1575,1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990); In re Kuhle, 526 F2d. 553, 555, 188 USPQ 7, 9 (CCPA 1975).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a second pitch between the seventh transparent electrode and the eighth transparent electrode is narrower than a first pitch between the fifth transparent electrode and the sixth transparent electrode.
Regarding claim 6, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teaches further comprising a control circuit ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0120]) configured to supply the same voltage to each of the first transparent electrode (42a), the second transparent electrode (43a), the third transparent electrode (44a), the fourth transparent electrode (45a), the fifth transparent electrode (42b), the sixth transparent electrode (43b), the seventh transparent electrode (44b) and the eighth transparent electrode (45b).
Regarding claim 7, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teaches further comprising a control circuit ([0052; [0064]; [0 I18]-[0126]) configured to supply a first voltage ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) to each of the first transparent electrode (42a), the second transparent electrode (43a), the third transparent electrode (44a) and the fourth transparent electrode (45a), to supply a second voltage ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) different from the first voltage to the fifth transparent electrode (42b) and the seventh transparent electrode (44b), and to supply a third voltage different ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) from the first and second voltages to the sixth transparent electrode (43b) and the eighth transparent electrode (45b).
Regarding claim 8, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teaches further comprising a control circuit ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) configured to supply a first voltage ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) to each of the fifth transparent electrode (42b), the sixth transparent electrode (43b), the seventh transparent electrode (44b) and the eighth transparent electrode (45b), to supply a second voltage ([0052; [0064]; [0 I18]-[0126]) different from the first voltage to the first transparent electrode (42a)
the third transparent electrode (44a), and to supply a third voltage ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) different from the first and second voltages to the second transparent electrode (43a) and the fourth transparent electrode (45a).
Regarding claim 9, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim l, Hikmet further teaches further comprising a control circuit ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) configured to supply a first voltage ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) to each of the second transparent electrode (43a), the fourth transparent electrode (45a), the sixth transparent electrode (43b) and the eighth transparent electrode (45b), to supply a second voltage ([0052; [0064]; (0118)-(0126]) different from the first voltage to the first transparent electrode (42a) and the third transparent electrode (44a), and to supply a third voltage ([0052; [0064]; [0118]-[0126]) different from the first and second voltages to the fifth transparent electrode (42b) and the seventh transparent electrode (44b).
Regarding claim 10, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teach wherein in a plan view,
the first transparent electrode (42a) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the first transparent electrode (42a) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in an extending direction (fig. 3), the second transparent electrode (43a) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the second transparent electrode (43a) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in the extending direction (fig. 3),
the third transparent electrode (44a) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the third transparent electrode (44a) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in the extending direction (fig. 3),
the fourth transparent electrode (44b) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the fourth transparent electrode (44b) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in the extending direction (fig. 3), the fifth transparent electrode (42b) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the fifth transparent electrode (42b) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in the extending direction (fig. 3), the sixth transparent electrode (43b) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the sixth transparent electrode (43b) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in the extending direction (fig. 3), the seventh transparent electrode (446) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the seventh transparent electrode (446) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in the extending direction (fig. 3), and the eighth transparent electrode (45b) of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the eighth transparent electrode (45b) of the second liquid crystal cell (32) overlap in the extending direction (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teaches further comprising a third electrode group (see fig. 5b; [0103]) arranged between the first electrode group (42a, 43a) and the second electrode group (42b, 43b).
Regarding claim 12, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Duston further teaches wherein the optical element is a prism [0104]-[0106].
Regarding claim 13, Hikmet and Duston teach the liquid crystal optical element according to claim 1, Hikmet further teaches wherein the liquid crystal included in the liquid crystal layer (36) is a twisted nematic liquid crystal (0157]).
Regarding claim 14, Hikmet teaches a lighting device (fig. 7) comprising; a light source (107); a liquid crystal optical element (fig. 3) including a first liquid crystal cell (31); a second liquid crystal cell (32) overlapping the first liquid crystal cell (31) (see fig. 3), each of the first liquid crystal cell (31) and the second liquid crystal cell (32) including a first substrate (33; 39; [0107]), a second substrate (37; [0107]) arranged to face the first substrate (33, 39), and a liquid crystal layer (36) arranged between the first substrate (33, 39) and the second substrate (37)(see fig. 3); the first substrate (33, 37; [0107]) including a first electrode group (42a, 43a) arranged alternately in parallel to a first direction (see fig. 3) with a first transparent electrode (42a) and a second transparent electrode (43a); and a second electrode group (42b, 43b) arranged alternately in parallel to the first direction (see fig. 3) with a fifth transparent electrode (42b) and a sixth transparent electrode (43b) and adjacent to the first electrode group (42a, 43a); and the second substrate (37, 39) including a third electrode group (44a, 45a) arranged alternately in parallel to a second direction (see fig. 3) intersecting the first direction with a third transparent electrode (44a) and a fourth transparent electrode (45a) and facing the first electrode group (42a, 43a)(see fig. 3); and a fourth electrode group (44b, 45b) arranged alternately in parallel to the second direction (see fig. 3) with a seventh transparent electrode (44b) and an eighth transparent electrode (45b), and adjacent to the third electrode group (44a, 45b), and arranged to face the second electrode group (42b, 43b)(see fig. 3).
However, Hikmet does not explicitly disclose an optical element overlapping the second
liquid crystal cell and refracting light.
Duston teaches an optical element (580) overlapping the second liquid crystal cell (550)(see fig. 5) and refracting light ([0105]) for the purpose of substantially steering the light rays to the light focusing element ([0007]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the liquid crystal optical element of Hikmet to include the optical element of Duston for the purpose of substantially steering the light rays to the light focusing element ([0007]).
Regarding claim 15, Hikmet and Duston teach the lighting device according to claim 14, further comprising a Fresnel lens (Duston: 580; [0018]; [0101]) arranged between the light source (Hikmet: 24; figs. 2, 3) and the liquid crystal optical element (Hikmet: 20, 30; figs. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 16, Hikmet and Duston teach the lighting device according to claim 14, further comprising a Fresnel lens (Duston: 580; [0018]; [0101]) arranged on a side opposite to a side on which the light source (Hikmet: 24; figs. 2, 3) is arranged with respect to the liquid crystal optical element (Hikmet: 20, 30; figs. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 17, Hikmet and Duston teach the lighting device according to claim 14, further comprising a convex lens (Duston: 580) arranged between the light source (Hikmet: 24; figs. 2, 3) and the liquid crystal optical element (Hikmet: 20, 30; figs. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 18, Hikmet and Duston teach the lighting device according to claim 14, further comprising a reflector (580) reflecting light emitted from the light source (Hikmet: 24; figs. 2, 3) so as to enter the liquid crystal optical element (Hikmet: 20, 30; figs. 2, 3).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AGNES DOBROWOLSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-7650. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7 am -11am.
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/AGNES DOBROWOLSKI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2871
/JENNIFER D. CARRUTH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2871