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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 8 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim 2 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the cited reference Tien only shows RGB pixels and does not mention a horizontal and vertical ratio of ½ to 2 of at least a sensor pixel. However Tien was introduced only to show that a pixel arrangement having a horizontal and vertical ratio of ½ to 2 is well known in the art and therefore 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 blue pixel and sensor pixel of Percival et al to have a horizontal and vertical ratio of ½ to 2 as disclosed by Tian et al in order to reduce random noise and improve overall image quality. The rejection is sustained.
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.
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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Percival et al (U.S. Pat # 10,319,266) in view of Liu et al (pub # 20200059589).
Consider claim 1. Percival et al teaches A display device (abstract). comprising:
a glasses corresponding to a display area of a lens; (Figs. 2 and 3 as well as col. 3 lines 14-16, HMD 105 comprising electronic display 155).
a display panel configured to display light; (Fig. 4 and col. 8 lines 35-41, The display panel 400 may include, among other components, a display substrate 402 (or “substrate 402”), a pixel layer 404, and an optical layer 406. The pixel layer 404 includes an array of pixels 410 that are positioned on the surface 418 of the display substrate 402. The pixels 410 of the pixel layer 404 emit light to provide images to the viewer.).
a reflective member configured to reflect the display light emitted from the display panel in a direction of the glasses; (Col. 5 lines 18-25, The imaging device 110 is configured to detect light emitted or reflected from the locators 170 in a field of view of the imaging device 110. In embodiments where the locators 170 include passive elements (e.g., a retroreflector), the imaging device 110 may include a light source that illuminates some or all of the locators 170, which retro-reflect the light towards the light source in the imaging device 110.).
and a light source unit configured to emit near-infrared light for tracking eyes of a user, (Col. 8 lines 21-29, The invisible light is emitted from non-visible LEDs or other non-visible light emitters (e.g., infrared emitters) of the electronic display 155, transmitted through the optics block 165, reflected off the eye 245, and transmitted back through the optics block 165 to propagate to non-visible light detectors of the electronic display 155. The visible light provides video images to the viewer while the non-visible is used for eye position tracking.).
wherein the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups arranged in a matrix configuration, (Col. 8 lines 49-55, The pixel layer 404 may include, among other components, the sub-pixel components of the pixels 410. For example, a pixel 410 may include one or more visible LEDs (such as visible LEDs 420, 422, and 424), a non-visible LED 426, and a light detector 428. The sub-pixel components are positioned on the display substrate 402 adjacent to each other to form a matrix of pixels 410.).
the pixel groups including a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel and a sensor pixel (Fig. 6 and col. 12 lines 21-25, The pixel layer 600 includes square pixels 602 arranged adjacently to each other. Each square pixel 602 has square sub-pixels including a red LED 604, a green LED 606, a blue LED 608, and a light detector 610.).
including a photodiode configured to sense the near-infrared light reflected by the eyes of the user, (Col. 9 lines 26-28, The light detector 428 is a component formed on the display substrate 402 for detecting the invisible light reflected from the user's eye, thus a photodiode).
one pixel group includes 2*2 sub-areas, and any one of the red pixel, the green pixel, and composite pixels, in which the blue pixel and the sensor pixel are adjacent to each other, is located in each of the sub-areas. (See at least Fig. 8 where there is disclosed a square pixel 802 comprising 2x2 sub-areas red LED 804, green LED 806, blue LED 808 and light detector 810. As can be seen from Fig. 8 the blue LED 808 is adjacent to the light detector 810).
Percival et al does not specifically disclose each of the 2*2 sub-areas located in one corresponding row and one corresponding column, and the composite pixels comprise the blue pixel and the sensor pixel in a same sub- area of the 2*2 sub-areas.
In an analogous art Liu et al teaches each of the 2*2 sub-areas located in one corresponding row and one corresponding column, (Fig. 8C and paragraph 0105, pixel arrays 602a-602d comprising 2x2 sub-pixels in row and column directions).
and the composite pixels comprise the blue pixel and the sensor pixel in a same sub- area of the 2*2 sub-areas. (Fig. 8C and paragraph 0105, blue sub-pixel labelled B in a same sub-area as infrared sensor sub-pixel labelled NIR in pixel array 602b).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Percival et al to include the features of Liu et al so as to provide improved collocated 2D and 3D imaging operations, as well as improved global shutter operations (Liu et al paragraph 0053).
Claim(s) 2-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Percival et al (U.S. Pat # 10,319,266) in view of Liu et al (pub # 20200059589) and further in view of Tian et al (pub # 20110101205).
Consider claim 2. Percival et al further teaches The display device of claim 1, wherein the red pixel and the green pixel have a same area, and each of the red pixel and the green pixel has a horizontal and vertical ratio of 1 to 1, (See at least Fig. 7 where the green LED 706 and red LED 704 have a same area and have a horizontal and vertical ratio of 1 to 1).
Percival et al in view of Liu et al does not specifically disclose and each of the blue pixel and the sensor pixel has a horizontal and vertical ratio of 1/2 to 2. However Tian et al in at least Fig. 8a and items 8031 and 8032 discloses a group of pixels having a vertical ratio of ½ to 2 (Y binning factor 2 green to 1 red/blue). Fig. 8c and items 8081 8082 discloses a group of pixels having a horizontal ratio of ½ to 2 (X binning factor 2 green to 1 red/blue). Therefore 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 blue pixel and sensor pixel of Percival et al to have a horizontal and vertical ratio of ½ to 2 as disclosed by Tian et al in order to reduce random noise and improve overall image quality.
Consider claim 3. Tian et al further teaches The display device of claim 2, wherein, among the 2*2 sub-areas, a blue pixel in a first row and a blue pixel in a second row are adjacent to each other, (Fig. 5h, blue pixels in first and second rows are adjacent to each other).
and a sensor pixel in the first row and a sensor pixel in the second row are adjacent to each other. (Fig. 5l, sensor pixels UV and X-Ray adjacent to each other in first and second rows).
Consider claim 4. Tian et al further teaches The display device of claim 2, wherein, among the 2*2 sub-areas, a blue pixel in a first row and a sensor pixel in a second row are adjacent to each other, and a sensor pixel in the first row and a blue pixel in the second row are adjacent to each other. (Fig. 5k, blue pixel in first row adjacent to sensor pixel, X-ray, in second row and blue pixel in second row adjacent to sensor pixel, UV, in first row).
Consider claim 5. Percival et al further teaches The display device of claim 2, wherein, among the 2*2 sub-areas, the composite pixels in which the blue pixel and the sensor pixel are arranged to be adjacent to each other are in a first row and a first column, (Fig. 6).
and the blue pixel and the sensor pixel are adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction. (Fig. 6, blue pixel and sensor pixel adjacent to each other in diagonal direction).
Consider claim 6. Percival et al further teaches The display device of claim 5, wherein the sensor pixel is positioned at a corner of the one pixel group, and the blue pixel is in a second row and a second column among the 2*2 sub-areas. (Fig. 6, light detector 610 at the corner and blue LED 608 in different row and column).
Consider claim 7. Percival et al further teaches The display device of claim 5, wherein the blue pixel is positioned at a corner of the one pixel group, and the sensor pixel is in a second row and a second column among the 2*2 sub-areas. (Fig. 6, blue LED 608 positioned at corner and light detector 610 in second row and second column).
Claim(s) 8-10 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Percival et al (U.S. Pat # 10,319,266) in view of Tian et al (pub # 20110101205) and further in view of Yang (pub # 20230035728).
Consider claim 8. Percival et al teaches A display device (abstract). comprising:
a glasses corresponding to a display area of a lens; (Figs. 2 and 3 as well as col. 3 lines 14-16, HMD 105 comprising electronic display 155).
a display panel configured to emit display light; (Fig. 4 and col. 8 lines 35-41, The display panel 400 may include, among other components, a display substrate 402 (or “substrate 402”), a pixel layer 404, and an optical layer 406. The pixel layer 404 includes an array of pixels 410 that are positioned on the surface 418 of the display substrate 402. The pixels 410 of the pixel layer 404 emit light to provide images to the viewer.).
a reflective member configured to reflect the display light emitted from the display panel in a direction of the glasses; (Col. 5 lines 18-25, The imaging device 110 is configured to detect light emitted or reflected from the locators 170 in a field of view of the imaging device 110. In embodiments where the locators 170 include passive elements (e.g., a retroreflector), the imaging device 110 may include a light source that illuminates some or all of the locators 170, which retro-reflect the light towards the light source in the imaging device 110.).
and a light source unit configured to emit near-infrared light for tracking eyes of a user, (Col. 8 lines 21-29, The invisible light is emitted from non-visible LEDs or other non-visible light emitters (e.g., infrared emitters) of the electronic display 155, transmitted through the optics block 165, reflected off the eye 245, and transmitted back through the optics block 165 to propagate to non-visible light detectors of the electronic display 155. The visible light provides video images to the viewer while the non-visible is used for eye position tracking.).
wherein the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups arranged in a matrix configuration, (Col. 8 lines 49-55, The pixel layer 404 may include, among other components, the sub-pixel components of the pixels 410. For example, a pixel 410 may include one or more visible LEDs (such as visible LEDs 420, 422, and 424), a non-visible LED 426, and a light detector 428. The sub-pixel components are positioned on the display substrate 402 adjacent to each other to form a matrix of pixels 410.).
the pixel groups including a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel and a sensor pixel (Fig. 6 and col. 12 lines 21-25, The pixel layer 600 includes square pixels 602 arranged adjacently to each other. Each square pixel 602 has square sub-pixels including a red LED 604, a green LED 606, a blue LED 608, and a light detector 610.).
including a photodiode configured to sense the near-infrared light reflected by the eyes of the user, (Col. 9 lines 26-28, The light detector 428 is a component formed on the display substrate 402 for detecting the invisible light reflected from the user's eye, thus a photodiode).
Percival et al does not specifically disclose one pixel group includes 4*4 sub-areas, and any one of the red pixel, the green pixel, the blue pixel and the sensor pixel is in each of the sub-areas. However Tian et al in at least Fig. 5a and paragraph 0079 discloses a pixel layout configured in a 4x4 arrangement. Therefore 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 red, green, blue, and sensor pixels of Percival et al to be in a 4x4 arrangement as disclosed by Tian et al in order to reduce random noise and improve overall image quality.
Percival in view of Tian et al does not specifically disclose each of the 4*4 sub-areas located in one corresponding row and one corresponding column, and at least one of the sub-areas among the 4*4 sub-areas comprises the sensor pixel or composites pixels comprising the blue pixel and the sensor pixel in a same sub- area among the 4*4 sub-areas.
In an analogous art Yang teaches each of the 4*4 sub-areas located in one corresponding row and one corresponding column, (Fig. 2 and paragraph 0028 pixel array 202 includes 4x4 groupings of color and infrared pixels).
and at least one of the sub-areas among the 4*4 sub-areas comprises the sensor pixel or composites pixels comprising the blue pixel and the sensor pixel in a same sub- area among the 4*4 sub-areas. (Fig. 2, 2x2 sub-area comprising rows 0-1 and columns 0-1 in the 4x4 sub-area includes both the blue pixel B and infrared pixel IR).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Yang with the invention of Percival et al in view of Tian et al in order to enhance image sensors in their functionality, performance metrics, and the like in as many ways as possible (e.g., resolution, power consumption, dynamic range, etc.) through both device architecture design as well as image acquisition processing (Yang paragraph 0002).
Consider claim 9. Percival et al further teaches The display device of claim 8, wherein the sensor pixel is in a sub-area positioned at any one corner of the 4*4 sub-areas, and any one of the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel is in the other sub-areas except the sub-area positioned at any one corner. (Fig. 6, light detector 610 at the corner and blue LED 608 in different row and column).
Consider claim 10. Tian et al further teaches The display device of claim 9, wherein, among the 4*4 sub-areas, the red pixel and the green pixel are in a first column and a third column, in the first column and the third column, the red pixel and the green pixel are alternately arranged, and the blue pixel is in a second column and a portion of a fourth column except the sensor pixel. (Fig. 8c item 8090, red and green pixels alternately arranged in first and third columns and blue pixels in second and fourth columns).
Consider claim 20. Percival et al further teaches The display device of claim 8, wherein the display panel includes a semiconductor wafer substrate and an OLED on the semiconductor wafer substrate. (Col. 8 lines 35-41, The display panel 400 may include, among other components, a display substrate 402. Col. 11 lines 45-49, The μLED 500 may be less than 50 μm in diameter with a parabolic structure (or a similar structure) etched directly onto the LED die during the wafer processing steps to form a quasi-collimated light beam emerging from the light emitting face 510.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-19 are allowed.
Consider independent claim 11. The prior art of record does not teach or render obvious, in combination with all the other limitations of the claim, A display device comprising:
a glasses corresponding to a display area of a lens;
a display panel configured to emit display light;
a reflective member configured to reflect the display light emitted from the display panel in a direction of the glasses;
and a light source unit configured to emit near-infrared light for tracking eyes of a user,
wherein the display panel includes a plurality of pixel groups arranged in a matrix configuration, the pixel groups including a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel, and a sensor pixel including a photodiode configured to sense the near-infrared light reflected by the eyes of the user,
one pixel group includes 4*4 sub-areas,
any one of the red pixel, the green pixel, the blue pixel, and the sensor pixel is in each of the sub-areas,
the plurality of pixel groups include a first pixel group and a second pixel group, and the first pixel group and the second pixel group are arranged in accordance with a designated rule, among the 4*4 sub-areas of the first pixel group, the red pixel and the green pixel are alternately arranged in a first column and a third column, the blue pixel is in a second column and a portion of a fourth column except the sensor pixel, and the sensor pixel is in a first row and the fourth column, and among the 4*4 sub-areas of the second pixel group, the red pixel and the green pixel are alternately arranged in the first column and the third column, the blue pixel is in the second column and a portion of the fourth column except the sensor pixel, and the sensor pixel is in a fourth row and the fourth column.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/CHAYCE R BIBBEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2624
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