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
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (CN 101389984 A) in view of Li (US 5831700) and in view of Tasaka et al (US 20130021564)
Regarding Claim 1,
(CN 101389984 A) discloses (Fig. 7 also pasted below) a polarization modulation element comprising: a light incident-side substrate (11) on which linearly polarized light is incident (from 17); a light emitting-side substrate (“… In particular, that in the polarizer of the polarizing plate 30 to the liquid crystal unit 20 exists between the transparent protective film…” Therefore, the transparent protective film is the light emitting side substrate) opposing the light incident-side substrate; a nematic liquid crystal layer that is twist-aligned (20, “…the molecular structure is rod-like liquid crystalline compound, preferably a nematic liquid crystal compound. for example, it can make the nematic liquid crystalline compound dispersed orientation, becomes optically anisotropic layer 13 in the polymer, but if considering the stability of orientation, preferably used in the certain temperature range display polyfunctional compound 2 containing at least one polymerizable functional group in a nematic liquid crystal phase and a molecule, under the condition that it is the normal direction Fe of state to make it polymerize, so as to form optical anisotropic layer 13…”) and is sandwiched between the light incident-side substrate (11) and the light emitting-side substrate (the transparent protective film); and a polymer (20, “…the molecular structure is rod-like liquid crystalline compound, preferably a nematic liquid crystal compound. for example, it can make the nematic liquid crystalline compound dispersed orientation, becomes optically anisotropic layer 13 in the polymer, but if considering the stability of orientation, preferably used in the certain temperature range display polyfunctional compound 2 containing at least one polymerizable functional group in a nematic liquid crystal phase and a molecule, under the condition that it is the normal direction Fe of state to make it polymerize, so as to form optical anisotropic layer 13…”) that is dispersed in the nematic liquid crystal layer and that is aligned according to a twist-alignment of the nematic liquid crystal layer, wherein an alignment axis direction (12) of the light incident-side substrate and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light (18) are orthogonal to each other.
(CN 101389984 A) does not disclose a nematic liquid crystal layer that is twist-aligned and is sandwhiched between the light incident side substrate and the light emitting side substrate, and an alignment axis direction of the light incident side substrate and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light are orthogonal to each other.
Li discloses a nematic liquid crystal layer that is twist-aligned and is sandwhiched between the light incident side substrate and the light emitting side substrate (ABSTRACT).
Tasaka et al discloses an alignment axis direction of the light incident side substrate and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light are orthogonal to each other.[0016]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify (CN 101389984 A) to include Li’s nematic liquid crystal layer that is twist-aligned and is sandwhiched between the light incident side substrate and the light emitting side substrate (ABSTRACT) motivated by the desire to improve mechanical stability, response characteristics and alignment retention to further include Tasaka et al’s alignment axis direction of the light incident side substrate and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light are orthogonal to each other motivated by the desire to achieve excellent balance of gamma characteristics of the LCD and that thereby has a high display quality [0015].
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (CN 101389984 A) and of Li (US 5831700) and of Tasaka et al (US 20130021564) in view of (KR 20050008756 A)
Regarding Claim 2,
(CN 101389984 A), Li and tasaka et al discloses everything as disclosed above.
(CN 101389984 A), Li and tasaka et al does not disclose wherein a twist angle of the nematic liquid crystal layer is 90°.
(KR 20050008756 A) wherein a twist angle of the nematic liquid crystal layer is 90°.(“…Current liquid crystal display (LCD) devices utilize a twisted namatic mode, i.e., a structure in which the alignment direction of the nematic liquid crystal molecules is twisted at 90 ° between the upper and lower electrode substrate pairs…”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify (CN 101389984 A), Li and tasaka et al to include (KR 20050008756 A) motivated by the desire to be able to have the liquid crystal molecules vertically aligned when no voltage is provided.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (CN 101389984 A) and of Li (US 5831700) and of Tasaka et al (US 20130021564) in view of (KR 100193354 B1)
Regarding Claim 3,
CN 101389984 A), Li and tasaka et al discloses everything as disclosed above.
CN 101389984 A), Li and tasaka et al does not disclose a content of the polymer is from 1 wt% to 10 wt% with respect to a nematic liquid crystal composition that forms the nematic liquid crystal layer
(KR 100193354 B1) discloses a content of the polymer is from 1 wt% to 10 wt% with respect to a nematic liquid crystal composition that forms the nematic liquid crystal layer (“…The polymer content is 10 wt% or less based on the total weight of the chiral nematic liquid crystal and the polymer. The polymer content in the preferred composition is about 1.5 to about 5 wt%...” Description).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify CN 101389984 A), Li and tasaka et al to include (KR 100193354 B1) content of the polymer is from 1 wt% to 10 wt% with respect to a nematic liquid crystal composition that forms the nematic liquid crystal layer motivated by the desire to have unique combination of properties to offer a haze-free light transmission. (detailed description of the invention)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10-13 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.
Regarding Claim 10,
The prior art does not disclose nor would it be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include another reference to disclose A smart glass comprising: the polarization modulation element according to claim 1; a light-transmitting substrate that is disposed on a side of the polarization modulation element on which the linearly polarized light is incident, and on which external light is incident; a first polarizing plate that is disposed between the light-transmitting substrate and the polarization modulation element, and that emits, to the polarization modulation element, the external light that transmits through the light-transmitting substrate as the linearly polarized light incident on the polarization modulation element; and a second polarizing plate on which emission light emitted from the polarization modulation element is incident, and that has a transmission axis that is orthogonal to a transmission axis of the first polarizing plate.
Regarding Claim 11,
The prior art does not disclose nor would it be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include another reference to disclose A one-way mirror comprising: the polarization modulation element according to claim 1; a half mirror that is disposed on a side of the polarization modulation element on which the linearly polarized light is incident, and on which external light is incident; a first polarizing plate that is disposed between the half mirror and the polarization modulation element, and that emits, to the polarization modulation element, the external light that transmits through the half mirror as the linearly polarized light incident on the polarization modulation element; and a second polarizing plate on which emission light emitted from the polarization modulation element is incident, and that has a transmission axis that is orthogonal to a transmission axis of the first polarizing plate.
Regarding Claim 12,
The prior art does not disclose nor would it be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include another reference to disclose A display device comprising: the polarization modulation element according to claim 1; a display panel that is disposed on a side of the polarization modulation element on which the linearly polarized light is incident, and that emits display light toward the polarization modulation element; a first polarizing plate that is disposed between the polarization modulation element and the display panel, and that emits, to the polarization modulation element, the display light of the display panel as the linearly polarized light incident on the polarization modulation element; a second polarizing plate on which emission light emitted from the polarization modulation element is incident, and that has a transmission axis that is orthogonal to a transmission axis of the first polarizing plate; and a half mirror on which the emission light of the polarization modulation element that transmits through the second polarizing plate is incident.
Regarding Claim 13,
The prior art does not disclose nor would it be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include another reference to disclose a three-dimensional-image display device comprising: the polarization modulation element according to claim 1; a display unit that sequentially displays a first image and a second image, and emits display light of the first image and display light of the second image as the linearly polarized light, that enters the polarization modulation element, for which a polarization direction is a predetermined first direction; and a polarized bifocal lens into which emission light emitted from the polarization modulation element enters, and in which a focal distance for the emission light emitted from the polarization modulation element differs based on the polarization direction of the emission light, wherein the first image and the second image are two-dimensional images obtained by projecting, from a side of an observer, a display subject on each of a first display surface and a second display surface positioned at different positions in a depth direction from a perspective of the observer, the polarization modulation element maintains the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light in the predetermined first direction and emits when the linearly polarized light is the display light of the first image, and changes the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light to a second direction orthogonal to the predetermined first direction and emits when the linearly polarized light is the display light of the second image, thereby switching the polarization direction of the emission light between the predetermined first direction and the second direction and emitting, and the polarized bifocal lens forms each of the first image and the second image as a virtual image on each of the first display surface and the second display surface.
Claim 4-9 are allowed.
Regarding Claim 4,
(JP 3071658 B2) discloses (Fig. 4 and pasted below) a polarization modulation element comprising: a plurality of twisted nematic liquid crystal cells (70,71), each including a light incident-side substrate (3, 8), a light emitting-side substrate (9,1) opposing the light incident-side substrate, a nematic liquid crystal layer (71) that is twist-aligned and is sandwiched between the light incident-side substrate (3) and the light emitting-side substrate (9), and a polymer that is dispersed in the nematic liquid crystal layer (“… Further, a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal such as PDLC may be used…”) and that is aligned according to a twist-alignment of the nematic liquid crystal layer, wherein a twist direction of the nematic liquid crystal layer of each of the plurality of twisted nematic liquid crystal cells is identical (claim 4 “…at least one of the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid crystal layer is composed of twist-aligned liquid crystal, and has a twist angle of 180…”) , the plurality of nematic liquid crystal cells (70,71) are sequentially stacked with the light incident-side substrate (8) of one of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells (70) opposing the light emitting-side substrate (1) of another of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells.
(JP 3071658 B2) does not disclose linearly polarized light is incident and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light are orthogonal to each other.
(CN 101389984 A) discloses (Fig. 7 also pasted above under Claim 1) linearly polarized light is incident (12) and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light (18) are orthogonal to each other.
The prior art does not disclose nor would it be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include another reference to disclose a twist direction of the nematic liquid crystal layer of each of the plurality of twisted nematic liquid crystal cells is identical, linearly polarized light is incident and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light are orthogonal to each other motivated by the desire to form a wide viewing angle and in the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells (70,71) that are adjacent, of the plurality of twisted nematic liquid crystal cells (70,71), an alignment axis direction of the light emitting-side substrate of one of the nematic liquid crystal cells and an alignment axis direction of the light incident-side substrate of another of the nematic liquid crystal cells match , and an alignment axis direction of the light incident-side substrate of a first twisted nematic liquid crystal cell, of the plurality of twisted nematic liquid crystal cells because there is no motivation to do so.
Claim 5,6 depends on Claim 4, therefore is allowable.
Regarding Claim 7,
The prior art does not disclose nor would it be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine all the references and include a new reference to disclose three or more twisted nematic liquid crystal cells, each including a light incident-side substrate, a light emitting-side substrate opposing the light incident-side substrate, a nematic liquid crystal layer that is twist-aligned and is sandwiched between the light incident-side substrate and the light emitting-side substrate, and a polymer that is dispersed in the nematic liquid crystal layer and that is aligned according to a twist-alignment of the nematic liquid crystal layer, wherein a twist direction of the nematic liquid crystal layer of each of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells is identical, the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells are sequentially stacked with the light incident-side substrate of one of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells opposing the light emitting-side substrate of another of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells, in at least one group of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells that are adjacent, an alignment axis direction of the light emitting-side substrate of one of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells and an alignment axis direction of the light incident-side substrate of another of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells are orthogonal to each other, in the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells that are adjacent, except for the at least one group of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells that are adjacent, the alignment axis direction of the light emitting-side substrate of one of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells and the alignment axis direction of the light incident-side substrate of another of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells match, and an alignment axis direction of the light incident-side substrate of a first twisted nematic liquid crystal cell, of the twisted nematic liquid crystal cells, on which linearly polarized light is incident and a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light are orthogonal to each other.
Claim 8,9 depends on Claim 7, therefore is allowable.
Conclusion
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/LUCY P CHIEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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