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 .
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-11 are currently pending and have been amended.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/08/2026 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hikmet et al. (US 20230229068 A1) in view of Li et al. (US 20250084308 A1) and Akiyama (US 20220026788 A1).
Concerning claim 1, Hikmet et al. (hereinafter Hikmet) teaches a projector (fig. 4: projector 3) comprising:
a phosphor comprising:
a phosphor phase made of A3B5O12:Ce having a garnet structure (fig. 2A: 210; ¶0013; ¶0015; ¶0151); wherein
a ratio of Ce to A in terms of number of atoms is 0.0002 or more and 0.005 or less (¶0110: The content of Ce may be at least 0.2% (0.002) to 1.5% (0.015) of A, especially 0.4% (0.004) to 1.0% (0.010), wherein the values of 0.002 and/or 0.004 are more than the claimed 0.0002 and less than 0.005 ),
A is at least one selected from the group consisting of Lu, Gd, Tb, Ga, and Y, and B is Al (¶0015: “…the luminescent material comprises a luminescent material of the type A.sub.3B.sub.5O.sub.12:Ce, wherein A in embodiments comprises one or more of Y, La, Gd, Tb and Lu, especially (at least) one or more of Y, Gd, Tb and Lu, and wherein B in embodiments comprises one or more of Al, Ga, In and Sc.”). Not explicitly taught is a matrix phase having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the phosphor phase.
Li et al. (hereinafter Li), in the same field of endeavor, teaches a matrix phase having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the phosphor phase (¶0035: aluminum nitride matrix phase). 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 teachings of Hikmet and Li and have a matrix phase having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the phosphor phase. Having a matrix phase composed of material having a higher refractive index allows for more efficiently confined light generated in the matrix phase, thereby enhancing light-guiding properties. Hikmet and Li fail to explicitly teach the projector comprising: a homogenizer optical system; wherein the phosphor receives an excitation light from the homogenizer optical system; the homogenizer optical system makes a light intensity distribution on the phosphor; and the light intensity distribution comprises a top hat distribution.
In the same field of endeavor, Akiyama teaches an illumination device and projector, comprising:
a homogenizer optical system (fig. 2: homogenizer optical system 21 & ¶0038); wherein
the phosphor receives an excitation light from the homogenizer optical system (fig. 2 & ¶¶0038-0043: wavelength conversion layer 42 receives an excitation of blue light (BL) from light emitting element 20 that has passed through homogenizer optical system 21.);
the homogenizer optical system makes a light intensity distribution on the phosphor (¶0038); and
the light intensity distribution comprises a top hat distribution (¶0038).
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 teachings of Hikmet, Li and Akiyama and include a homogenizer optical system in order to convert the illuminance distribution into a uniform distribution (Akiyama, ¶0037).
Concerning claim 2, Hikmet further teaches the projector according to claim 1, wherein A is Y (¶0015).
Concerning claim 3, Hikmet further teaches the projector according to claim 1, wherein the ratio is 0.003 or less (¶0110: The content of Ce may be at least 0.2% (0.002) to 1.5% (0.015) of A, wherein the value of 0.002 is less than the claimed 0.003).
Concerning claim 4, Hikmet further teaches the projector according to claim 1, wherein the ratio is 0.001 or more (¶0110: The content of Ce may be at least 0.2% (0.002) to 1.5% (0.015) of A, especially 0.4% (0.004) to 1.0% (0.010), wherein the values of 0.002 and 0.004 are more than the claimed 0.001).
Concerning claim 5, Li further teaches the projector according to claim 1, wherein the matrix phase is AlN (¶0035).
Concerning claim 6, Hikmet further teaches the projector according to claim 1, wherein the projector further comprises:
a substrate (figs. 1A-3B: element 400; ¶0071; ¶0073), wherein the phosphor is provided on the substrate and is configured to convert an incident excitation light into fluorescence (figs. 1A-3B: luminescent body 200 & element 400; ¶0004; ¶0009; ¶0013); and
a reflective layer provided at an opposite side of a light incident side of the phosphor (figs. 1A-3B: coating layer 500 comprises reflective layer 510 positioned under luminescent body 200; ¶0071).
Concerning claim 7, Hikmet further teaches the projector according to claim 1, wherein the projector further comprises:
a substrate (figs. 1A-3B: element 400; ¶0071; ¶0073), wherein the phosphor is provided on the substrate and is configured to convert an incident excitation light into fluorescence (figs. 1A-3B: luminescent body 200 & element 400; ¶0004; ¶0009; ¶0013); and
an optical layer provided on a light incident side of the phosphor and configured to transmit the excitation light and reflect the fluorescence (¶¶0089-0091: “In embodiments, also one or more optics, like a lens, a reflector, an optical filter, may be configured in the optical path between light generating element and item or material”).
Concerning claim 8, Hikmet further teaches the projector according to claim 6, wherein the projector further comprises:
a light source configured to emit the excitation light (figs. 1A-3B: light source 100).
Concerning claim 9, Hikmet further teaches the projector according to claim 7, wherein the projector further comprises:
a light source configured to emit the excitation light (figs. 1A-3B: light source 100).
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hikmet et al. (US 20230229068 A1) in view of Li et al. (US 20250084308 A1), further in view of Akiyama (US 20220026788 A1) and Chiou (US 20230069926 A1).
Concerning claim 10, Hikmet in view of Li, further in view of Akiyama teaches the projector according to claim 8. Hikmet further teaches a projector (Hikmet, fig. 4: projector 3; ¶0165) comprising:
a light source (Hikmet, figs. 1A-4: light generating device 1000, ¶0133; ¶0165). Not explicitly taught is the projector comprising: a liquid crystal panel which modulates a light emitted from the light source, wherein the modulated light is projected by a projector.
Chiou, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a projector, comprising:
a liquid crystal panel which modulates a light emitted from the light source (fig. 1: light valve 14, (see, ¶0034)), wherein the modulated light is projected by a projector (fig. 1: projection lens 16; ¶0034). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add these commonly known features into the projector of the Hikmet in view of Li and Akiyama invention in order to convert the light from the illumination device and project a color image on a projection target (Chiou, ¶0034).
Concerning claim 11, Hikmet in view of Li, further in view of Akiyama teaches the projector according to claim 9. Hikmet further teaches a projector (Hikmet, fig. 4: projector 3; ¶0165) comprising:
a light source (Hikmet, figs. 1A-4: light generating device 1000, ¶0133; ¶0165). Not explicitly taught is the projector comprising: a liquid crystal panel which modulates a light emitted from the light source, wherein the modulated light is projected by a projector.
Chiou, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a projector, comprising:
a liquid crystal panel which modulates a light emitted from the light source (fig. 1: light valve 14, (see, ¶0034)), wherein the modulated light is projected by a projector (fig. 1: projection lens 16; ¶0034). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add these commonly known features into the projector of the Hikmet in view of Li and Akiyama invention in order to convert the light from the illumination device and project a color image on a projection target (Chiou, ¶0034).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 5 of the remarks, filed 05/22/2026, with respect to the interpretation of claims 10-11 as invoking 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) have been fully considered and are persuasive. In light of the claim amendments, it has been determined that 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) is no longer invoked.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 5-6 of the remarks, filed 05/22/2026, with respect to rejection of claims 1-11 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 have been fully considered, but they are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES M ANDERSON II whose telephone number is (571)270-1444. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10AM-6PM.
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/James M Anderson II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425
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