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, 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 1-7, 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yun et al (US Publication No.: US 2020/0284963 A1, “Yun”) in view of Liang et al (US Publication No.: US 2022/0099988 A1 “Liang”).
Regarding Claim 1, Yun discloses an optical structure (Figure 1), comprising:
A first lens, comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein both the first surface and the second surface are non-planar surfaces (Figure 1, lens 310, first surface 314 and second surface 312; Paragraph 0030-0031);
A transflective film, located at a side of the first surface away from the second surface (Figure 1, transflective film 320 on a side of the first surface 314 away from the second surface 312; Paragraph 0028), wherein
The optical structure further comprise a light-transmitting assembly comprises a light-transmitting plate (Figure 1, light-transmitting plate 410, where a light-transmitting plate is interpreted to mean any sort of layer that transmits some sort of light), a phase retardation film (Figure 1, phase retardation film 420) and a polarizing reflective film (Figure 1, polarizing reflective film 220),
The polarizing reflective film is located at a side of the phase retardation film away from the first lens (Figure 1, polarizing reflective film 220 is disposed at a side of the phase retardation film 420 away from the first lens 310), and
Both the phase retardation film and the polarizing reflective film are located on a surface of the light-transmitting plate or inside the light-transmitting plate (Figure 1, the phase retardation film 420 and the polarizing reflective film 220 are disposed on either side of the light-transmitting plate 410).
Yun fails to disclose a light-transmitting flat plate assembly where the light-transmitting plate is a flat plate.
However, Liang discloses a similar light-transmitting flat plate assembly where the light-transmitting plate is a flat plate (Liang, Figures 12-13, light-transmitting flat plate RB; Paragraph 0075).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light-transmitting plate as disclosed by Yun to be a flat plate as disclosed by Liang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing light leakage by improving viewing angle (Liang, Paragraph 0149; Paragraphs 0070-0075).
Regarding Claim 2, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 1, wherein the phase retardation film and the polarizing reflective film are located on different plate surfaces (Yun, the phase retardation film 420 and the polarizing reflective film 220 are disposed on either side of the light-transmitting plate 410).
Yun fails to disclose that the light-transmitting flat plate comprises at least two flat plate surfaces arranged in parallel and perpendicular to the optical axis of the first lens, and the at least two flat plate surface are both planes.
However, Liang discloses a similar structure where the light-transmitting flat plate comprises at least two flat plate surfaces arranged in parallel and perpendicular to the optical axis of the first lens, and the at least two flat plate surface are both planes (Liang, Figures 12-13 discloses the light-transmitting flat plate RB to have flat vertical surfaces and flat horizontal surfaces that are both planes and parallel and perpendicular to the optical axis of the first lens LENS2/LENS1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light-transmitting plate as disclosed by Yun to be a flat plate as disclosed by Liang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing light leakage by improving viewing angle (Liang, Paragraph 0149; Paragraphs 0070-0075).
Regarding Claim 3, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 1.
The first embodiment of Yun fails to disclose that the light-transmitting flat plate assembly further comprises a polarizing transmissive film, the polarizing transmissive film is located at a side of the polarizing reflective film away from the phase retardation film, and the polarizing transmissive film is located on the flat plate surface of the light-transmitting flat plate or inside the light-transmitting flat plate.
However, another embodiment of Yun discloses a similar structure where the light-transmitting flat plate assembly further comprises a polarizing transmissive film, the polarizing transmissive film is located at a side of the polarizing reflective film away from the phase retardation film, and the polarizing transmissive film is located on the flat plate surface of the light-transmitting flat plate or inside the light-transmitting flat plate (Yun, Figure 7A, polarizing transmissive film 860 is located on a side of the polarizing reflective film 850 away from the phase retardation film 810 or 820; Paragraph 0074).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first embodiment of Yun to include a polarizing transmissive film as disclosed by another embodiment of Yun. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of creating a bright field image or a dark field image thereby optimizing viewing quality (Yun, Paragraph 0075).
Regarding Claim 4, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 3.
The first embodiment of Yun fails to disclose that the light-transmitting flat plate comprises two flat plate surfaces arranged in parallel and perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens, one of the phase retardation film, the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film is located on one flat plate surface, and two of the phase retardation film, the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film are located on the other flat plate surface, and the two flat plate surfaces are both planes.
However, another embodiment of Yun discloses a similar structure where the light-transmitting flat plate comprises two flat plate surfaces arranged in parallel and perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens, one of the phase retardation film, the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film is located on one flat plate surface, and two of the phase retardation film, the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film are located on the other flat plate surface, and the two flat plate surfaces are both planes (Yun, Figure 7A, the phase retardation film 810 is disposed on one flat plate surface of the light-transmitting flat plate 820, where the polarizing reflective film 850 and the polarizing transmissive film 860 are located on another flat plate surface of the light-transmitting flat plate 820).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first embodiment of Yun to have particular element position as disclosed by another embodiment of Yun. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of creating a bright field image or a dark field image thereby optimizing viewing quality (Yun, Paragraph 0075).
Regarding Claim 5, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 4.
Yun fails to disclose that the phase retardation film is located on the flat plate surface, close to the first lens, in the two flat plate surfaces, and the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film are both located on the flat plate surface, away from the first lens, in the two flat plate surfaces.
However, Liang discloses a similar structure where the phase retardation film is located on the flat plate surface, close to the first lens, in the two flat plate surfaces, and the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film are both located on the flat plate surface, away from the first lens, in the two flat plate surfaces (Liang, Figure 15, the phase retardation film QWP2 is located on a flat plate surface close to the first lens LENS1 and the polarizing reflective film PBS and the polarizing transmissive film POL2 is located on a flat plate surface of the light-transmitting flat plate RB that is away from the first lens LENS1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light-transmitting plate as disclosed by Yun to have particular elements disposed around it as disclosed by Liang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing light leakage by improving viewing angle (Liang, Paragraph 0149; Paragraphs 0070-0075).
Regarding Claim 6, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 5, wherein the light-transmitting flat plate assembly further comprises an antireflection film, the antireflection film is located at a side of the phase retardation film away from the polarizing reflective film. (Yun, Paragraph 0104 discloses an antireflection film).
Regarding Claim 7, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 4.
The first embodiment of Yun fails to disclose that the light-transmitting flat plate comprises two flat plate surfaces arranged in parallel and perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens, and the phase retardation film, the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film are all located on a same flat plate surface, and the two flat plate surfaces are both planes.
However, another embodiment of Yun discloses a similar structure where the light-transmitting flat plate comprises two flat plate surfaces arranged in parallel and perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens, and the phase retardation film, the polarizing reflective film and the polarizing transmissive film are all located on a same flat plate surface, and the two flat plate surfaces are both planes (Yun, Figure 7A discloses a light-transmitting flat plate 810 comprising two flat plate surfaces arranged in parallel and perpendicular to an optical axis of the first lens 830, the phase retardation film 820, the polarizing reflective film 850 and the polarizing transmissive film 860 are all located on a same flat plate surface).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first embodiment of Yun to have particular element position as disclosed by another embodiment of Yun. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of creating a bright field image or a dark field image thereby optimizing viewing quality (Yun, Paragraph 0075).
Regarding Claim 20, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a second lens, comprising a third surface and a fourth surface, and at least one of the third surface and the fourth surface is a non-planar surface, wherein the second lens is located between the first lens and the light-transmitting flat plate assembly, or the second lens is located at a side of the light-transmitting flat plate assembly away from the first lens (Yun, Figure 1, second lens 210 is disposed at a side of the light-transmitting flat plate assembly away from the first lens 310).
Regarding Claim 21, Yun in view of Liang discloses a display device (Yun, Paragraph 0033), comprising a display screen and the optical structure according to claim 1, wherein the display screen is located at a side of the first lens away from the light-transmitting flat plate assembly (Yun, Figure 1, display screen 100).
Claims 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yun in view of Liang in further view of Wang et al (US Publication No.: US 2023/0418080 A1, “Wang”).
Regarding Claim 16, Yun in view of Liang discloses the optical structure according to claim 1.
Yun fails to disclose that a focal length of the optical structure is in a range from 5 to 100mm.
However, Wang discloses a similar structure where a focal length of the optical structure is in a range from 5 to 100mm (Wang, Paragraph 0032).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the optical structure as disclosed by Yun to have a particular focal length as disclosed by Wang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving a wide field of view (Wang, Paragraph 0032).
Regarding Claim 17, Yun in view of Liang and Wang discloses the optical structure according to claim 16.
Yun fails to disclose that in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the first lens, a maximum thickness of the first lens is in a range from 1 to 10 mm, a thickness of the light-transmitting flat plate is in a range from 0.1 to 5 mm, and a distance between the first lens and the light-transmitting flat plate is in a range from 0.5 to 100 mm.
However, Wang discloses a similar structure where in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the first lens, a maximum thickness of the first lens is in a range from 1 to 10 mm, a thickness of the light-transmitting flat plate is in a range from 0.1 to 5 mm, and a distance between the first lens and the light-transmitting flat plate is in a range from 0.5 to 100 mm (Wang, Paragraph 0055 discloses a first thickness to be 4mm, a second thickness to be 3.5mm, and a distance to be 2mm).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the optical structure as disclosed by Yun to have particular element thicknesses as disclosed by Wang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving a wide field of view (Wang, Paragraph 0032).
Regarding Claim 18, Yun in view of Lian discloses the optical structure according to claim 1.
Yun fails to disclose that at least one of the first surface and the second surface is aspheric or spherical.
However, Wang discloses a similar structure where at least one of the first surface and the second surface is aspheric or spherical (Wang, Paragraph 0032 discloses an aspheric surface).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the optical structure as disclosed by Yun to have particular element surface structure as disclosed by Wang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving a wide field of view (Wang, Paragraph 0032).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-15 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.
Conclusion
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/MARIAM QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2871