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
This Office action is in response to Applicant’s Amendment filed on 06/18/2026. Claim 14 is amended. Claims 17-20 are new claims. Claims 1-20 are now pending.
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.
Claims 14, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KATO (US 2015/0334384 A1) in view of HARA (US 2013/0242266 A1).
As of claim 14, KATO teaches a light source device 600 [fig 6] comprising: a light source 101 R, G, B [fig 6] configured to emit light [0051]; and a transmissive optical part 108 (rotating prism) [fig 6] [0047] which is rotatably supported [0086], and which is configured to transmit the light emitted from the light source 101 R, G, B [fig 6], wherein the light source includes a first light emitting unit 101 R [fig 6] configured to emit a first colored light beam (red light) [0048], a second light emitting unit 101 G [fig 6] configured to emit a second colored light beam (green light) [0048] different from the first colored light beam (red light) [0048], and a third light emitting unit 101 B [fig 6] configured to emit a third colored light beam (blue light) [0048] different from the first colored light beam (red light) [0048] and the second colored light beam (green light) [0048], the transmissive optical part 108 [fig 6] rotates centering on a rotational axis (shown with fig. 6 as a small circle in the center of the rotating prism 108) extending along a first direction crossing an incident direction of the light (rotating prism 108 receives light from the illuminating lens 107) [fig 6] , a cross-sectional shape of the light 102 B, 102 R [fig 6] perpendicular [fig 6] to a principal ray of the light emitted from the light source 101 R, B [fig 6] is a shape having a long axis extending along the first direction (from the rotation axis towards illuminating lens 109) [fig 6], the light emitted from the light source 101 R, G, B [fig 6] enters the transmissive optical part 108 [fig 6] without being separated according to a wavelength band (color-composing dichroic mirror 106 composes: red lights R1, R2 passed through illuminating lens 105R; green lights G1, G2 passed through illuminating lens 105G; and blue lights B1, B2 passed through illuminating lens 105B, and emits the composed light to illuminating lens 107) [0084], and in the transmissive optical part 108 [fig 6], a plane of incidence (top right plane of rotating prism 108) [fig 6] which the light emitted from the light source enters 102 R, 102 G, 102 B [fig 6], and an exit surface (bottom left plane of rotating prism 108) [fig 6] from which the light entering the plane of incidence is emitted are parallel to each other (incident light at the rotating prism 108 is parallel to exiting light from the rotating prism 108) [fig 6].
KATO does not teach the first light emitting element, the second light emitting element, and the third light emitting element are configured to emit the first colored light beam, the second colored light beam, and the third colored light beam in respective periods different from each other.
HARA teaches the first light emitting element, the second light emitting element, and the third light emitting element are configured to emit the first colored light beam, the second colored light beam, and the third colored light beam (time-sharing light emitting device 40 repeatedly and successively emits a plurality of color lights, namely, the red light, the green light and the blue light) [fig 1] [0028] in respective periods different from each other (the time-sharing light emitting device 40 emits each of the red light, the green light and the blue light one time during a period of one frame) [fig 2] [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 the first light emitting element, the second light emitting element, and the third light emitting element are configured to emit the first colored light beam, the second colored light beam, and the third colored light beam in respective periods different from each other as taught by HARA to the light source device as disclosed by KATO to produce time-sharing light emitting device which repeatedly and successively emits a plurality of color lights (HARA; [0007]).
As of claim 16, KATO teaches a projector 600 [fig 6] comprising: a light modulation device 601 R, G, B (DMDs) [fig 6] [0122] configured to modulate the light beam emitted from the transmissive optical part of the light source device 120 [fig 6] based on image information (stereoscopic image signal) [fig 1]; and a projection optical device 112 [fig 6] configured to project the light modulated by the light modulation device 601 R, G, B [fig 6].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13, 15, 17-20 are allowed.
As of claim 1, the closest prior art KATO (US 2015/0334384 A1) teaches a projector 100 having a color splitting prism 103R separates the red light emitted from rod integrator 102R into the shorter-wavelength light and the longer-wavelength light, of the wavelength band of the red light. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, if wavelength band of the light emitted from rod integrator 102R is called R, color splitting prism 103R splits the light into the shorter-wavelength light (wavelength band R1) and the longer-wavelength light (wavelength band R2), from wavelength band R. That is, the shorter-wavelength light (wavelength band R1) and the longer-wavelength light (wavelength band R2) (hereinafter referred to as red light R2) of wavelength band R are definitely red in color, and the two lights are so called ‘of the same color.’ In order to separate the light in this manner, it is desirable to design the wavelength selective film formed on color splitting prism 103R to have the property of reflecting light of wavelength band R1 and transmitting light of wavelength band R2, as shown in FIG. 4A. Color splitting prism 103G separates the green light emitted from rod integrator 102G into light of shorter-wavelength side and light of longer-wavelength side, of wavelength band of the green light. KATO does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a cross-sectional shape of the first light beam perpendicular to a principal ray of the first light beam emitted from the first light source is a shape having a long axis extending along the first direction, a cross-sectional shape of the second light beam perpendicular to a principal ray of the second light beam emitted from the second light source is a shape having a long axis extending along the first direction, a cross-sectional shape of the third light beam perpendicular to a principal ray of the third light beam emitted from the third light source is a shape having a long axis extending along the first direction, the first light beam enters the transmissive optical part at a first position, the second light beam enters the transmissive optical part at a second position different from the first position, the third light beam enters the transmissive optical part at a third position different from the first position and the second position, and in the transmissive optical part, a plane of incidence which the first light beam enters and an exit surface from which the first light beam entering the plane of incidence is emitted are parallel to each other, a plane of incidence which the second light beam enters and an exit surface from which the second light beam entering the plane of incidence is emitted are parallel to each other, and a plane of incidence which the third light beam enters and an exit surface from which the third light beam entering the plane of incidence is emitted are parallel to each other.
Claims 2-13 are allowed as being dependent on claim 1.
As of claim 15, the closest prior art KATO (US 2015/0334384 A1) teaches a projector 100 having a color splitting prism 103R separates the red light emitted from rod integrator 102R into the shorter-wavelength light and the longer-wavelength light, of the wavelength band of the red light. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, if wavelength band of the light emitted from rod integrator 102R is called R, color splitting prism 103R splits the light into the shorter-wavelength light (wavelength band R1) and the longer-wavelength light (wavelength band R2), from wavelength band R. That is, the shorter-wavelength light (wavelength band R1) and the longer-wavelength light (wavelength band R2) (hereinafter referred to as red light R2) of wavelength band R are definitely red in color, and the two lights are so called ‘of the same color.’ In order to separate the light in this manner, it is desirable to design the wavelength selective film formed on color splitting prism 103R to have the property of reflecting light of wavelength band R1 and transmitting light of wavelength band R2, as shown in FIG. 4A. Color splitting prism 103G separates the green light emitted from rod integrator 102G into light of shorter-wavelength side and light of longer-wavelength side, of wavelength band of the green light. KATO does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a transmissive optical part which is rotatably supported, and which is configured to transmit the first colored light beam, the second colored light beam, and the third colored light beam respectively emitted from the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source, wherein the transmissive optical part rotates centering on a rotational axis extending along a first direction crossing incident directions to the transmissive optical part of the first colored light beam, the second colored light beam, and the third colored light beam, a cross-sectional shape of the first colored light beam perpendicular to a principal ray of the first colored light beam, a cross-sectional shape of the second colored light beam perpendicular to a principal ray of the second colored light beam, and a cross-sectional shape of the third colored light beam perpendicular to a principal ray of the third colored light beam are each a shape having a long axis extending along the first direction, the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source are configured to emit the first colored light beam, the second colored light beam, and the third colored light beam in respective periods different from each other, and in the transmissive optical part, a plane of incidence which the first colored light beam enters, and an exit surface from which the first colored light beam entering the plane of incidence is emitted are parallel to each other.
Claims 17-20 are allowed as being dependent on claim 15.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art Destain (US 20090073527 A1) teaches a system for, and method of, generating multicolor scan lines and a multicolor projection video display (PVD) incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: light sources that emit light of different colors at different emission locations and first and second lenses having lenticular arrays associated therewith and configured to receive the light of the different colors and generate multicolor scan lines therefrom, the emission locations separated by different distances from the first lens;
- Prior Art Liao et al. (US 7499218 B1) teaches an illumination system including at least one first light source, a prism and a light uniforming device is provided. The first light source is capable of providing a first beam. The prism is disposed on a transmission path of the first beam, and has four first facets. Two of the first facets are opposite to each other, and the other two first facets are opposite to each other. The first beam passes through one of the first facets and is totally internally reflected by another first facet opposite to the one of the first facets. The light uniforming device is disposed on the transmission path of the first beam from another first facet. The cost of the illumination system is lower, and the illumination system has high flexibility of the light source design and can provide illumination with high brightness.
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.
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/SULTAN CHOWDHURY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
Prosecution Insights