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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The originally filed drawings were received on 4/4/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (CN 115016126 A) in view of Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD (CN 114415288 A), of record.
Wang et al. discloses a diffraction optical component (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-17) for a wearable displaying device, wherein the wearable displaying device comprises a micro display (See for example 1 in Figure 1) for generating imaging light, and the diffraction optical component (See for example 2, 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1) comprises a light guide plate (See for example 2 in Figure 1), comprising a first area (See for example 3 in Figure 1), a second area (See for example 4 in Figure 1), and a third area (See for example 5 in Figure 1) arranged on a surface thereof in sequence; a first polarization volume grating (PVG) layer, formed on the first area (See for example 3 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation); a second PVG layer, formed on the second area (See for example 4 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation); and a third PVG layer, formed on the third area (See for example 5 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation), wherein the imaging light enters the light guide plate through the first PVG layer, is diffracted by the second PVG layer, and then projected outward through the third PVG layer (See Figure 1). Wang et al. further discloses the light guide plate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, the first surface faces the micro display, the first area, the second area, and the third area are arranged on the second surface, and the imaging light is projected to the first area through the first surface (See for example 2, 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1); an area of the first area is smaller than an area of the second area, and the area of the second area is smaller than an area of the third area (See for example 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1); the first area and the second area are arranged along a first direction, and the second area and the third area are arranged along a second direction (See for example 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1, wherein elements 3, 4 lie along x direction, and elements 4, 5 lie along y direction); the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction (See for example 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1, wherein elements 3, 4 lie along x direction, and elements 4, 5 lie along y direction); and there is an angle between the first direction and the second direction, and the angle is between 60 and 150 degrees (See for example 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1, wherein elements 3, 4 lie along x direction, and elements 4, 5 lie along y direction, i.e. 90 degrees).
Wang et al additionally discloses a wearable displaying device (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-17), comprising a micro display (See for example 1 in Figure 1) for generating imaging light; and a diffraction optical component (See for example 2, 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1), comprising a light guide plate (See for example 2 in Figure 1), comprising a first area (See for example 3 in Figure 1), a second area (See for example 4 in Figure 1), and a third area (See for example 5 in Figure 1) arranged on a surface thereof in sequence; a first polarization volume grating (PVG) layer, formed on the first area (See for example 3 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation); a second PVG layer, formed on the second area (See for example 4 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation); and a third PVG layer, formed on the third area (See for example 5 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation), wherein the imaging light enters the light guide plate through the first PVG layer, is diffracted by the second PVG layer, and then projected outward through the third PVG layer (See Figure 1). Wang et al. further discloses the light guide plate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, the first surface faces the micro display, the first area, the second area, and the third area are arranged on the second surface, and the imaging light is projected to the first area through the first surface (See for example 2, 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1); and the wearable displaying device is a pair of augmented reality glasses (See for example Abstract; Figure 1; Page 1, Paragraph 4; Page 2, Paragraphs 1-3 in English translation).
Finally, Wang et al. additionally discloses a fabrication method of a diffraction optical component (See for example Abstract; Figure 1), comprising providing a light guide plate (See for example 2 in Figure 1), and defining a first area (See for example 3 in Figure 1), a second area (See for example 4 in Figure 1), and a third area (See for example 5 in Figure 1) arranged on a surface thereof in sequence; forming a first polarization volume grating (PVG) layer on the first area (See for example 3 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation); forming a second PVG layer on the second area (See for example 4 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation); and forming a third PVG layer on the third area (See for example 5 in Figure 1; Page 3, Paragraphs 4-6; Page 5, Paragraph 6 in English translation).
Wang et al. discloses the invention as set forth above, except for a thickness of the first PVG layer is greater than that of the second PVG layer, and is also greater than that of the third PVG layer. However, Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD teaches a similar, conventional near-eye display device (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-8) that utilizes a first volume grating (See for example 11 in Figures 1-3), a second volume grating (See for example 12 in Figures 1-3), and a third volume grating (See for example 22 in Figures 1-3). In particular, Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD teaches that a thickness of the first volume grating for coupling in image light is made thicker than the second or third volume grating specifically to increase the diffraction efficiency for that grating. The second and third volume gratings are made thinner than the first volume grating specifically to achieve uniformity in image light expansion performed by the second and third volume grating (See Paragraphs 0037, 0046). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a thickness of the first PVG layer be greater than that of the second PVG layer, and be also greater than that of the third PVG layer, as taught by Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD, in the component, device, and method of Wang et al., to increase the diffraction efficiency of the first PVG layer, while achieving uniformity in image light expansion in the second and third PVG layers.
The combined teachings of Wang et al. and Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD further teach a thickness ratio of the first PVG layer to the second PVG layer is between 3:1 and 4:1 (See Paragraphs 0037, 0046 of Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD, wherein the thickness of the first volume grating is 17-18 microns, and the thickness of the second volume grating is 5 microns, 3.4:1 to 3.6:1); and a thickness ratio of the second PVG layer to the third PVG layer is between 1:1 and 3:1 (See Paragraphs 0037, 0046 of Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD, wherein the thickness of the second volume grating is 5 microns, and the thickness of the third volume grating is 5 microns, 1:1).
Claim(s) 4, 7, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. in view of Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD as applied to Claims 1-3, 5-14 above, and further in view of Li et al. (CN 113589528 A).
Wang et al. in view of Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD discloses the invention as set forth above, except for the first PVG layer, the second PVG layer, and the third PVG layer are cholesteric liquid crystal polarization volume grating layers, and the step of forming the first PVG layer on the first area comprises: (a) forming a first phase alignment layer (PAL) on the first area; (b) coating a cholesteric liquid crystal coating on the first PAL; (c) curing the cholesteric liquid crystal coating; and (d) repeating the steps (b) and (c) until a thickness of the cholesteric liquid crystal coating reaches a preset thickness. However, Li et al. teaches a similar, conventional near-eye display device (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-5) that utilizes a least three volume gratings (See for example 2, 3, 4, 5 in Figure 5). In particular, Li et al. teaches that each of the at least here volume gratings are polarization volume gratings formed using cholesteric liquid crystals (See for example Figure 2; 2, 3, 4, 5 in Figure 5; Page 4, Paragraphs 2-4, 8). Further, Li et al. teaches that each of these cholesteric liquid crystal polarization volume gratings may be formed by a process that includes (a) forming a first phase alignment layer (PAL) on the first area; (b) coating a cholesteric liquid crystal coating on the first PAL; (c) curing the cholesteric liquid crystal coating; and (d) repeating the steps (b) and (c) until a thickness of the cholesteric liquid crystal coating reaches a preset thickness (See for example Pages 4-5 of English translation). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first PVG layer, the second PVG layer, and the third PVG layer are cholesteric liquid crystal polarization volume grating layers, and the step of forming the first PVG layer on the first area comprises: (a) forming a first phase alignment layer (PAL) on the first area; (b) coating a cholesteric liquid crystal coating on the first PAL; (c) curing the cholesteric liquid crystal coating; and (d) repeating the steps (b) and (c) until a thickness of the cholesteric liquid crystal coating reaches a preset thickness, as taught by Li et al., in the component, device, and method of Wang et al. in view of Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD, to take advantage of a known conventional liquid crystal material with good optical performance, while also taking advantage of known fabrication processes that are able to accurately create the requisite polarization volume gratings with appropriate central wavelengths and diffraction angles.
The combined teachings of Wang et al. in view of Beijing Layerjia Display Tech Co LTD, and further in view of Li et al. disclose an area of the first area is smaller than an area of the second area, and the area of the second area is greater than or equal to an area of the third area (See for example 3, 4, 5 in Figure 1 of Wang et al.; 3, 4, 5 in Figure 5 of Li et al.).
Conclusion
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ARNEL C. LAVARIAS
Primary Examiner
Group Art Unit 2872
2/13/2026
/ARNEL C LAVARIAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872