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 of this title, 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 1-11 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PCT Publication WO 2019/104046 A1 to Lee et al. (hereinafter "Lee”, included in IDS provided by Applicant) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0171005 A1 to Lee et al. (hereinafter "Seo"), and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0075196 A1 to Waldern et al. (hereinafter "Waldern").
Regarding Claims 1 and 19, Lee teaches an image display apparatus and a light guide optical system, comprising: a light guide plate (Claim 1; Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; waveguide 6); a polarization beam splitter unit arranged on a first surface of the light guide plate (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; PVG 4); a polarization state converting unit, wherein the polarization state converting unit reflects image display light that has passed through the polarization beam splitter unit and entered the light guide plate (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 9, ln. 22 of Lee; light 14 is reflected by concave reflector 5 and the polarization state is flipped such that the reflected light from concave reflector 5 will be deflected by reflective PVG 4… quarter-wave-plate disposed before reflector 5 can convert the polarization of light 14 to the correct polarization state resulting in a majority of the light 15 being accepted and deflected by PVG 4) and converts a polarization state of the image display light into a polarization state to be reflected by the polarization beam splitter unit at a time of reflection (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 9, ln. 22 of Lee; light 14 is reflected by concave reflector 5 and the polarization state is flipped such that the reflected light from concave reflector 5 will be deflected by reflective PVG 4… quarter-wave-plate disposed before reflector 5 can convert the polarization of light 14 to the correct polarization state resulting in a majority of the light 15 being accepted and deflected by PVG 4).
Lee does not explicitly disclose a polarization state converting unit arranged on a second surface of the light guide plate, and an emission unit arranged on the first surface of the light guide plate.
However, Seo teaches a polarization state converting unit arranged on a second surface of a light guide plate (Fig. 17; Para. 124 of Seo; diffractive grating GP is placed above a second entrance surface S2 of a light guide plate LGP).
Therefore, at the time when the invention was filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to include a polarization state converting unit arranged on a second surface of the light guide plate using the teachings of Seo in order to modify the apparatus and system taught by Lee. The motivation to combine these analogous arts would have been to provide a multi-image display apparatus providing a wide angle of view using a diffractive optical lens element while reducing the chromatic aberration of the diffractive optical lens element (Para. 2 of Seo).
The combination of Lee and Seo does not explicitly disclose an emission unit arranged on the first surface of the light guide plate.
However, Waldern teaches an emission unit arranged on a first surface of a light guide plate (Fig. 9; Para. 73 of Waldern; illumination module comprises red green and blue lasers 60 a,60 b,60 c a beam combiner and beam expander module 61, a despeckling device 62 and an optical means 63 for coupling the laser light into the lightguide).
Therefore, at the time when the invention was filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to include an emission unit arranged on the first surface of the light guide plate using the teachings of Waldern in order to modify the apparatus and system taught by the combination of Lee and Seo. The motivation to combine these analogous arts would have been to provide a compact, lightweight wearable display providing a high brightness, high contrast information display with a high degree of transparency to external light (Para. 3-8 of Waldern).
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the image display apparatus includes an incidence unit that allows the image display light to enter the light guide plate, and the incidence unit reflects or transmits the image display light and allows the image display light to reach the polarization beam splitter unit (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; tunable lens 10).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the polarization beam splitter unit is arranged between the incidence unit and the light guide plate (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; Upon deflection by the reflective PVG 4, light 16 enters waveguide 6… tunable lens 10).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the emission unit reflects and diffracts or transmits and diffracts the image display light and allows the image display light to be emitted from the light guide plate (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; Grating 8 is adapted to deflect and distribute light 16 into a wider region as depicted by light 17).
Regarding Claim 5, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the emission unit includes a hologram lens element (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; Grating 8 is adapted to deflect and distribute light 16 into a wider region as depicted by light 17…. Figs. 9-12; Para. 108 of Seo; grating element GE10 may include a surface relief grating or a volume grating being a hologram grating).
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the emission unit reflects and diffracts or transmits and diffracts the image display light so that the image display light concentrates (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; Grating 8 is adapted to deflect and distribute light 16 into a wider region as depicted by light 17… Grating 8 is also designed to allow transmission of background light 11, which also passes through waveguide 6 and film 7 to be seen by a user… deflection of light 16 by grating 8 weakens the light and produces several reflections with nonuniform intensity).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the polarization beam splitter unit selectively allows linearly polarized light or circularly polarized light to pass therethrough (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 7, ln. 40 of Lee; PVG 4 is designed to redirect/deflect right handed circular polarized light… light 14 is characterized by left-handed circular polarization and thus a majority (about 90%) of light 14 will pass through PVG 4 when headed towards reflector 5).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the polarization beam splitter unit selectively allows linearly polarized light that is the image display light to pass therethrough, and the polarization state converting unit converts a polarization state of the linearly polarized light into the polarization state to be reflected by the polarization beam splitter unit when reflecting the linearly polarized light that has passed through the polarization beam splitter unit (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 6, ln. 21 to Pg. 9, ln. 22 of Lee; PVG 4 is designed to redirect/deflect right handed circular polarized light. In this case, light 14 is characterized by left-handed circular polarization and thus a majority (about 90%) of light 14 will pass through PVG 4 when headed towards reflector 5. Light 14 is reflected by, a preferably concave, reflector 5 producing light 15 which is circularly polarized in the right-hand direction. Thus, PVG 4 redirects/deflects the right handed circularly polarized light 15. While the provided example characterizes light 14 as being circularly polarized in a left-hand direction and PVG 4 being designed to redirect/deflect right handed circular polarized light, an embodiment may be designed such that light 14 is circularly polarized in a right-hand direction and PVG 4 is designed to redirect/deflect left-handed circular polarized light. In addition, an embodiment may use linearly polarized light with a PVG designed to deflect linearly polarized light reflected from reflector 5… quarter-wave-plate disposed before reflector 5 can convert the polarization of light 14 to the correct polarization state resulting in a majority of the light 15 being accepted and deflected by PVG 4).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern does not explicitly disclose that the polarization beam splitter unit includes a wire grid or a multi-layer dielectric film.
However, including a wire grid or a multi-layer dielectric film in a polarization beam splitter unit would only require routine skill for a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time when the invention was filed based on the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have pursued having the polarization beam splitter unit include a wire grid or a multi-layer dielectric film with a reasonable expectation of success that would have yielded predictable results and can be accomplished without any undue experimentation in order to provide an optical film having excellent productivity and an aerial image display device capable of creating a large aerial image by using the optical film, acquiring sufficient brightness, and displaying an aerial image of high image quality.
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the polarization state converting unit includes a wave plate (Figs. 1-3; Pg. 9, ln. 19-22 of Lee; quarter-wave-plate).
Regarding Claim 11, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern does not explicitly disclose that a phase control reflection film is provided on a surface of two surfaces of the wave plate, which is on an air interface side.
However, including a phase control reflection film on a surface of two surfaces of a wave plate would only require routine skill for a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time when the invention was filed based on the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have pursued providing a phase control reflection film is on a surface of two surfaces of the wave plate with a reasonable expectation of success that would have yielded predictable results and can be accomplished without any undue experimentation in order to minimize or reduce reflection of external light.
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the image display apparatus further includes a scanning mirror, and the scanning mirror scans the image display light and allows the image display light to travel inside the light guide plate (Figs. 16-17; Para. 120-123 of Seo; dichroic mirror stack DMS).
Regarding Claim 18, the combination of Lee, Seo, and Waldern teaches that the image display apparatus is configured so that image display light emitted from the light guide plate is concentrated in vicinity of a pupil and reaches a retina (Para. 84 of Seo; diffractive optical lens element DL may condense the first image L10 having the first linear polarization component or the first circular polarization component on an ocular organ 10 of a user, particularly, a pupil 5).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered but are believed to be answered by and therefore moot in view of new grounds of rejection presented above.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABHISHEK SARMA whose telephone number is (571)272-9887. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/ABHISHEK SARMA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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