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 .
Specification
Brief description of Figs. 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B needs to be described individually.
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 8-9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MITSUHASHI (US 2017/0124926 A1) in view of ARNTSEN et al. (US 2021/0211624 A1; ARNTSEN).
As of claim 8, MITSUHASHI teaches a safety protection method [0074] of a projection device [fig 1], comprising: calculating (by calculator 410) [fig 1] a warning range 625 [fig 1] [0134] according to lens information corresponding to a projection lens module (model of the projection lens section 305 is read out) [fig 1] [0122]; detecting (by distance sensor) [0146] whether an object enters the warning range (when an object has been detected at a distance shorter than the reference distance in a projection region or when the object has been detected at or near the reference distance, alarm image information or alarm sound may be output. That is, an entry or an entry possibility in the warning-required region may be presented by the alarm image information or the alarm sound) [0146].
MITSUHASHI does not teach controlling the projection device to reduce brightness of a light source or turn off the light source in response to the object entering the warning range.
ARNTSEN (in one embodiment) teaches a high-intensity projector 280 [fig 2] controlling (by projection controller 200) [fig 2] the projection device 280 [fig 2] to reduce brightness of a light source or turn off the light source in response to the object entering the warning range (the projector controller 200 monitors a detection region 286 for the presence of objects. Detection region 286 extends at least below exclusion zone 184, such that an object (e.g., the head of a theater patron) moving from a row 193 toward exclusion zone 184 is detected by projector controller 200 prior to reaching exclusion zone 184. Projector controller 200 is configured to control projector 280 when detecting the presence of an object in detection region 286. Projector controller 200 may turn off or reduce screen illumination 282 in response to detecting the presence of an object in detection region 286) [0028].
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 controlling the projection device to reduce brightness of a light source or turn off the light source in response to the object entering the warning range as taught by ARNTSEN (in one embodiment) to the safety protection method as disclosed by MITSUHASHI to detect the presence of an object in detection region (ARNTSEN; [0028]).
As of claim 9, MITSUHASHI teaches the invention as cited above except for whether the object enters a detection range is detected using a time-of-flight sensor, a millimeter wave sensor, or a linear distance sensor.
ARNTSEN (in another embodiment) teaches whether the object (e.g., the head of a theater patron) enters a detection range is detected using a time-of-flight sensor 854 [0057].
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 whether the object enters a detection range is detected using a time-of-flight sensor, a millimeter wave sensor, or a linear distance sensor as taught by ARNTSEN (in another embodiment) to the safety protection method as disclosed by MITSUHASHI to detect the presence of an object in detection region (ARNTSEN; [0028]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12 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 10, the closest prior art MITSUHASHI (US 2017/0124926 A1) teaches an image display apparatus 500 includes a light source section 100, an image generator 200, and a projection section 300. The light source section 100 is capable of emitting light. The image generator 200 generates an image on the basis of light from the light source section 100. The projection section 300 projects an image (image light I), which has been generated by the image generator 200, on a screen (not shown) or the like. The image display apparatus 500 further includes a controller 400 and an operation section 450. The controller 400 is capable of controlling operations of mechanisms of the image display apparatus 500. The operation section 450 receives an operation from a user. As shown in FIG. 1, the light source section 100, the image generator 200, and the controller 400 are housed in a casing 501 having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The projection section 300 is disposed on a front portion 502 of the casing 501. The operation section 450 is disposed on a top portion (not shown) of the casing 501. Note that it is not limited to this configuration and, for example, the light source section 100 may be provided outside the casing 501 and light emitted from the light source section 100 may be introduced into the image generator 200 in the casing 501 through optical fibers and the like. For example, solid-state light sources such as LEDs and LDs are used as the light source section 100. For example, a light source section including a three-color laser light source and a combining optical system is used. The three-color laser light source emits respective color light beams of RGB. The combining optical system combines those light beams to generate white light W. Alternatively, a light source section having a configuration in which a phosphor wheel or the like is irradiated with blue laser light and the blue laser light and light in the red wavelength region to the green wavelength region that is generated from a fluorescent substance are combined to generate white light may be used. Otherwise, a light source section using a mercury-vapor lamp, a xenon lamp, and the like may be used. For example, the image generator 200 includes an integrator element, a polarization conversion element, a division optical system that divides the white light W into three color beams of RGB, three light modulators that modulate the respective color light beams, and a combining optical system that combines the modulated color light beams to generate the image light I. The integrator element functions, as a whole, to adjust incident light, which is emitted from the light source apparatus 100 to the polarization conversion element, to have uniform luminance distribution. The polarization conversion element has a function of equalizing polarization states of the white light W emitted from the integrator element. MITSUHASHI does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, adjusting the warning range according a projection beam included angle change of the projection device or a movement of the projection lens module.
As of claim 11, the closest prior art MITSUHASHI (US 2017/0124926 A1) teaches an image display apparatus 500 includes a light source section 100, an image generator 200, and a projection section 300. The light source section 100 is capable of emitting light. The image generator 200 generates an image on the basis of light from the light source section 100. The projection section 300 projects an image (image light I), which has been generated by the image generator 200, on a screen (not shown) or the like. The image display apparatus 500 further includes a controller 400 and an operation section 450. The controller 400 is capable of controlling operations of mechanisms of the image display apparatus 500. The operation section 450 receives an operation from a user. As shown in FIG. 1, the light source section 100, the image generator 200, and the controller 400 are housed in a casing 501 having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The projection section 300 is disposed on a front portion 502 of the casing 501. The operation section 450 is disposed on a top portion (not shown) of the casing 501. Note that it is not limited to this configuration and, for example, the light source section 100 may be provided outside the casing 501 and light emitted from the light source section 100 may be introduced into the image generator 200 in the casing 501 through optical fibers and the like. For example, solid-state light sources such as LEDs and LDs are used as the light source section 100. For example, a light source section including a three-color laser light source and a combining optical system is used. The three-color laser light source emits respective color light beams of RGB. The combining optical system combines those light beams to generate white light W. Alternatively, a light source section having a configuration in which a phosphor wheel or the like is irradiated with blue laser light and the blue laser light and light in the red wavelength region to the green wavelength region that is generated from a fluorescent substance are combined to generate white light may be used. Otherwise, a light source section using a mercury-vapor lamp, a xenon lamp, and the like may be used. For example, the image generator 200 includes an integrator element, a polarization conversion element, a division optical system that divides the white light W into three color beams of RGB, three light modulators that modulate the respective color light beams, and a combining optical system that combines the modulated color light beams to generate the image light I. The integrator element functions, as a whole, to adjust incident light, which is emitted from the light source apparatus 100 to the polarization conversion element, to have uniform luminance distribution. The polarization conversion element has a function of equalizing polarization states of the white light W emitted from the integrator element. MITSUHASHI does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the warning range is adjusted according to a projection brightness change of the projection device.
As of claim 12, the closest prior art MITSUHASHI (US 2017/0124926 A1) teaches an image display apparatus 500 includes a light source section 100, an image generator 200, and a projection section 300. The light source section 100 is capable of emitting light. The image generator 200 generates an image on the basis of light from the light source section 100. The projection section 300 projects an image (image light I), which has been generated by the image generator 200, on a screen (not shown) or the like. The image display apparatus 500 further includes a controller 400 and an operation section 450. The controller 400 is capable of controlling operations of mechanisms of the image display apparatus 500. The operation section 450 receives an operation from a user. As shown in FIG. 1, the light source section 100, the image generator 200, and the controller 400 are housed in a casing 501 having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The projection section 300 is disposed on a front portion 502 of the casing 501. The operation section 450 is disposed on a top portion (not shown) of the casing 501. Note that it is not limited to this configuration and, for example, the light source section 100 may be provided outside the casing 501 and light emitted from the light source section 100 may be introduced into the image generator 200 in the casing 501 through optical fibers and the like. For example, solid-state light sources such as LEDs and LDs are used as the light source section 100. For example, a light source section including a three-color laser light source and a combining optical system is used. The three-color laser light source emits respective color light beams of RGB. The combining optical system combines those light beams to generate white light W. Alternatively, a light source section having a configuration in which a phosphor wheel or the like is irradiated with blue laser light and the blue laser light and light in the red wavelength region to the green wavelength region that is generated from a fluorescent substance are combined to generate white light may be used. Otherwise, a light source section using a mercury-vapor lamp, a xenon lamp, and the like may be used. For example, the image generator 200 includes an integrator element, a polarization conversion element, a division optical system that divides the white light W into three color beams of RGB, three light modulators that modulate the respective color light beams, and a combining optical system that combines the modulated color light beams to generate the image light I. The integrator element functions, as a whole, to adjust incident light, which is emitted from the light source apparatus 100 to the polarization conversion element, to have uniform luminance distribution. The polarization conversion element has a function of equalizing polarization states of the white light W emitted from the integrator element. MITSUHASHI does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the lens information comprises at least one of an included angles and an included angle range of a projection beam.
Claims 1-7 are allowed.
As of claim 1, the closest prior art MITSUHASHI (US 2017/0124926 A1) teaches an image display apparatus 500 includes a light source section 100, an image generator 200, and a projection section 300. The light source section 100 is capable of emitting light. The image generator 200 generates an image on the basis of light from the light source section 100. The projection section 300 projects an image (image light I), which has been generated by the image generator 200, on a screen (not shown) or the like. The image display apparatus 500 further includes a controller 400 and an operation section 450. The controller 400 is capable of controlling operations of mechanisms of the image display apparatus 500. The operation section 450 receives an operation from a user. As shown in FIG. 1, the light source section 100, the image generator 200, and the controller 400 are housed in a casing 501 having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. The projection section 300 is disposed on a front portion 502 of the casing 501. The operation section 450 is disposed on a top portion (not shown) of the casing 501. Note that it is not limited to this configuration and, for example, the light source section 100 may be provided outside the casing 501 and light emitted from the light source section 100 may be introduced into the image generator 200 in the casing 501 through optical fibers and the like. For example, solid-state light sources such as LEDs and LDs are used as the light source section 100. For example, a light source section including a three-color laser light source and a combining optical system is used. The three-color laser light source emits respective color light beams of RGB. The combining optical system combines those light beams to generate white light W. Alternatively, a light source section having a configuration in which a phosphor wheel or the like is irradiated with blue laser light and the blue laser light and light in the red wavelength region to the green wavelength region that is generated from a fluorescent substance are combined to generate white light may be used. Otherwise, a light source section using a mercury-vapor lamp, a xenon lamp, and the like may be used. For example, the image generator 200 includes an integrator element, a polarization conversion element, a division optical system that divides the white light W into three color beams of RGB, three light modulators that modulate the respective color light beams, and a combining optical system that combines the modulated color light beams to generate the image light I. The integrator element functions, as a whole, to adjust incident light, which is emitted from the light source apparatus 100 to the polarization conversion element, to have uniform luminance distribution. The polarization conversion element has a function of equalizing polarization states of the white light W emitted from the integrator element. MITSUHASHI does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, the storage circuit stores at least one lens information; the detection unit detects whether an object enters a detection range of the detection unit and provides a detection result; and the control circuit is coupled to the projection lens module, the light source driving circuit, the storage circuit, and the detection unit, configured to read corresponding lens information from the at least one lens information in the storage circuit according to the lens identification signal, configured to calculate a warning range according to the lens information, configured to judge whether the object enters the warning range according to the detection result, and configured to control the light source driving circuit to reduce brightness of the light source or turn off the light source in response to the object entering the warning range.
Claims 2-7 are allowed as being dependent of claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art Hong et al. (US 20200118524 A1) teaches a projector and a projection method that effectively protect a to-be-protected object existing in a sensing area are provided. The projector includes a first sensor, a second sensor, an optical engine and a processor. The optical engine includes a light source. The first sensor receives a first sensed signal, generates a first signal corresponding to the first sensed signal and transmits the first signal to the processor. The second sensor receives a second sensed signal different from the first sensed signal, generates a second signal corresponding to the second sensed signal and transmits the second signal to the processor. The processor determines whether the first signal and the second signal fall into their respective pre-determined ranges. The processor transmits a light adjusting signal to control a light source;
- Prior Art Maes (US 20150219500 A1) teaches a projection system which includes a safety detection system for a protected space, said projection system including a projection light source, a projection imaging system, a projection lens system, a detection source comprising at least of a detection light source and a detection camera comprising at least of a detection sensor, characterized by the fact that the optical axis of the projection source is identical to the optical axis of the detection source and the detection camera at least in the protected space.
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.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SULTAN CHOWDHURY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882