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 Objections
Claim 56 is objected to because of the following informalities: The phrase “comprising: comprising the light-field projector” should be changed to “comprising: a light-field projector”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 50-59 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 50 recites the limitation "comprising the light-field projector" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 51-55 are rejected on inheriting the deficiencies of claim 50 from which they depend.
Claim 56 recites the limitation "comprising the light-field projector" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 57-59 are rejected on inheriting the deficiencies of claim 56 from which they depend.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 42-44, 49-50 and 56-59 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Maimone (US 2016/0320620).
Regarding claim 42, Maimone discloses a light-field projector for projecting a near-eye projected image to the eyes of a user (see figures 1B, 4 and 13-14, for instance), comprising: a light source (100) comprising a plurality of illumination point-lights ([0052]) configured for sequentially emitting a plurality of incident light fields (see figure 13); a spatial light modulator (110) configured for providing a sequence of source images ([0036]); the spatial light modulator (110) being further configured for modulating each of the incident light-fields in accordance with the source images such as to project sequentially a plurality of pinhole-aperture light-fields (see figure 4), each pinhole-aperture light-fields (“PINLIGHT PLANE”) carrying a light-field component from the source image; wherein each sequentially projected pinhole-aperture light-field forms an intersection virtual pinhole through which the component from the source image can be seen ([0078]), each virtual pinholes having an aperture stop which is determined by the size of the illumination point-light and being spatially shifted in relation with each other ([0078]), the near-eye projected image being seen through the plurality of virtual pinholes (see figure 4, “RETINAL PLANE”); wherein the light-field projector further comprises a display control electronics circuit (126; [0119]) configured for producing a plurality of sequences of source images on the spatial light modulator (110); wherein the light-field projector further comprises an illumination control electronics circuit (126; [0119]) configured to provide a signal for controlling the plurality of illumination point-lights (114, 110), the illumination control electronics circuit (126) being configured to illuminate a sub-ensemble of the plurality of point-lights according to a time sequence function ([0054] describes control of sub-ensembles of pinlights); wherein the display control electronics circuit (126) is further configured such that the sub-ensemble of the plurality of point-lights is varied for each sequence of source images ([0054]).
Regarding claim 43, Maimone discloses the light-field projector according to claim 42, wherein the illumination control electronics circuit (126) is further configured such that the plurality of point-lights (110) is varied for each sequence of source images until all point-lights have been illuminated ([0054]).
Regarding claim 44, Maimone discloses the light-field projector according to claim 42, wherein the illumination control electronics circuit (126) is further configured to control the length of exposure of the source images by a time period during which one point-light illuminates with a specific average light intensity ([0078]).
Regarding claim 49, Maimone discloses the light-field projector according to claim 42, wherein the source images comprise monochrome dithered images comprising a plurality of pixels ([0094]), the density of bright pixels determining the brightness.
Regarding claim 50, Maimone discloses an augmented reality device destined to be worn by a user (see figures 1B, 4 and 13-14, for instance), comprising a light-field projector (see figure 13) comprising: a light source (100) comprising a plurality of illumination point-lights ([0052]) configured for sequentially emitting a plurality of incident light fields (see figure 13); a spatial light modulator (110) configured for providing a sequence of source images ([0036]); the spatial light modulator (110) being further configured for modulating each of the incident light-fields in accordance with the source images such as to project sequentially a plurality of pinhole-aperture light-fields (see figure 4), each pinhole-aperture light-fields (“PINLIGHT PLANE”) carrying a light-field component from the source image; wherein each sequentially projected pinhole-aperture light-field forms an intersection virtual pinhole through which the component from the source image can be seen ([0078]), each virtual pinholes having an aperture stop which is determined by the size of the illumination point-light and being spatially shifted in relation with each other ([0078]), the near-eye projected image being seen through the plurality of virtual pinholes (see figure 4, “RETINAL PLANE”); wherein the light-field projector further comprises a display control electronics circuit (126; [0119]) configured for producing a plurality of sequences of source images on the spatial light modulator (110); wherein the light-field projector further comprises an illumination control electronics circuit (126; [0119]) configured to provide a signal for controlling the plurality of illumination point-lights (114, 110), the illumination control electronics circuit (126) being configured to illuminate a sub-ensemble of the plurality of point-lights according to a time sequence function ([0054] describes control of sub-ensembles of pinlights); wherein the display control electronics circuit (126) is further configured such that the sub-ensemble of the plurality of point-lights is varied for each sequence of source images ([0054]), wherein the point-light source (100) and the spatial light modulator (110) are arranged such that the pinhole-aperture light-fields are projected along the visual axis of at least one eye of the user (“RETINAL PLANE”; fig. 4), such as to reach the eye retina, when the augmented reality device is worn (see figure 4).
Regarding claim 56, Maimone discloses the method for operating the augmented reality device (see figures 1B, 4 and 13-14, for instance), comprising: a light-field projector (see figure 13) comprising: a light source (100) comprising a plurality of illumination point-lights ([0052]) configured for sequentially emitting a plurality of incident light fields (see fig. 13); a spatial light modulator (110) configured for providing a sequence of source images; the spatial light modulator being further configured for modulating each of the incident light-fields in accordance with the source images such as to project sequentially a plurality of pinhole-aperture light-fields (see figure 4), each pinhole-aperture light-fields (“PINLIGHT PLANE”) carrying a light-field component from the source image; wherein each sequentially projected pinhole-aperture light-field forms an intersection virtual pinhole through which the component from the source image can be seen ([0078]), each virtual pinholes having an aperture stop which is determined by the size of the illumination point-light and being spatially shifted in relation with each other ([0078]), the near-eye projected image being seen through the plurality of virtual pinholes (see figure 4, “RETINAL PLANE”); wherein the light-field projector further comprises a display control electronics circuit (126; [0119]) configured for producing a sequence of source images on the spatial light modulator (110); wherein the light-field projector further comprises an illumination control electronics circuit (126; [0119]) configured to provide a signal for controlling the plurality of illumination point-lights (114, 110), the illumination control electronics circuit (126) being configured to illuminate a sub-ensemble of the plurality of point-lights according to a time sequence function ([0054]); wherein the sub-ensemble of the plurality of point-lights is varied for each sequence of source images ([0054]), wherein the point-light source (100) and the spatial light modulator (110) are arranged such that the pinhole-aperture light-fields are projected along the visual axis of at least one eye of the user (“RETINAL PLANE”; fig. 4), such as to reach the eye retina, when the augmented reality device is worn (see figure 4); the method comprising: displaying a sequence of source images ([0096]) on the spatial light modulator (110); illuminating the displayed source images with the light-field of radial rays ([0058]); wherein a sub-ensemble of the plurality of point-lights is illuminated according to a time sequence function ([0054]).
Regarding claim 57, Maimone discloses the method according to claim 56, further comprising varying the plurality of point-lights until all point-lights have been illuminated ([0064]).
Regarding claim 58, Maimone discloses the method according to claim 56, further comprising controlling the length of exposure of the source images by illuminating the point-light with a specific average light intensity during a time period ([0006]; [0078]).
Regarding claim 59, Maimone discloses the method according to claim 56, wherein the near-eye projected image is combinable with a distant image formed by light-fields coming from objects at distance vision (see figure 10E, for instance); and wherein the near-eye projected image is combined with the distant image by sequential illuminating the displayed source images with the light-field of radial rays (“augmented images“; [0095]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 45-48 and 51-55 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANAEL R BRIGGS whose telephone number is (571)272-8992. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/NATHANAEL R BRIGGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871 2/3/2026