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 .
Response to Amendment
The addition of Claims 2-20 in the preliminary amendment filed 3/25/2025 are acknowledged and accepted.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) and 120.
Drawings
The originally filed drawings were received on 5/20/2024. 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) 1-4, 7-8, 10-13, 16-17, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bonnett et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2009/0067156 A1), of record.
Bonnett et al. discloses a display (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-22) comprising a transmissive spatial light modulator (See for 31 in Figures 3A-B); a first backlight (See for example 36, 40 in Figures 3A-B) emitting first light from one or more first light sources (See for example 36 in Figures 3A-B) out of a first light emitting surface (See for example side surface of 40 adjacent 36 in Figures 3A-B) in a first light emitting region of the first backlight with a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity in a first light output plane (See for example top surface of 40 in Figures 3A-B) orthogonal to the first light emitting surface; and a second backlight (See for example 34, 38 in Figures 3A-B) comprising a film-based lightguide (See for example 38 in Figures 3A-B) receiving light from one or more second light sources (See for example 34 in Figures 3A-B) and emitting second light from the one or more second light sources out of a second light emitting surface (See for example side surface of 38 adjacent 32 in Figures 3A-B) in a second light emitting region of the second backlight positioned above the first light emitting region of the first backlight with a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity in a second light output plane (See for example top surface of 38 in Figures 3A-B) orthogonal to the second light emitting surface, wherein in a first display mode (See specifically Figure 3B), the first light passes through the film-based lightguide, and the first light emitting surface and illuminates the transmissive spatial light modulator, and in a second display mode (See specifically Figure 3A) different from the first display mode, the second light illuminates the transmissive spatial light modulator. Bonnett et al. further discloses wherein in the second display mode, the first backlight does not emit light (See for example Figure 3A); wherein in a third display mode the first backlight and second backlight emit light toward the transmissive spatial light modulator (See for example Paragraph 0143); the first light output plane (See for example top surface of 40 in Figures 3A-B) is parallel to the second light output plane (See for example top surface of 38 in Figures 3A-B); the first light has a first luminous flux, and a percentage of the first luminous flux that exits the second and first backlight when only the first backlight is emitting light is greater than 75% of the first luminous flux (See for example Figure 3B; Paragraph 0141; In the instant case, the percentage of first luminous flux that exits the second and first backlight when only the first backlight is emitting light is nearly 100% of the first luminous flux since the second backlight neither scatters nor absorbs the incident light from the first backlight); and the first light has a first luminous flux, and a percentage of the first luminous flux that exits the second and first backlight when only the first backlight is emitting light is greater than 85% of the first luminous flux (See for example Figure 3B; Paragraph 0141; In the instant case, the percentage of first luminous flux that exits the second and first backlight when only the first backlight is emitting light is nearly 100% of the first luminous flux since the second backlight neither scatters nor absorbs the incident light from the first backlight).
Additionally, Bonnett et al. discloses a display (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-22) comprising a transmissive liquid crystal display comprising a rear polarizer (See for 31 in Figures 3A-B); a first backlight (See for example 36, 40 in Figures 3A-B) emitting first light from one or more first light sources (See for example 36 in Figures 3A-B) out of a first light emitting surface (See for example side surface of 40 adjacent 36 in Figures 3A-B) in a first light emitting region of the first backlight with a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity in a first light output plane (See for example top surface of 40 in Figures 3A-B) orthogonal to the first light emitting surface; and a second backlight (See for example 34, 38 in Figures 3A-B) comprising a film-based lightguide (See for example 38 in Figures 3A-B) receiving light from one or more second light sources (See for example 34 in Figures 3A-B) and emitting second light from the one or more second light sources out of a second light emitting surface (See for example side surface of 38 adjacent 32 in Figures 3A-B) in a second light emitting region of the second backlight positioned above the first light emitting region of the first backlight with a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity in a second light output plane (See for example top surface of 38 in Figures 3A-B) orthogonal to the second light emitting surface, wherein in a first display mode (See specifically Figure 3B), the first light passes through the film-based lightguide, and the first light emitting surface and illuminates the transmissive liquid crystal display, and in a second display mode (See specifically Figure 3A) different from the first display mode, the second light illuminates the transmissive liquid crystal display, and the film-based lightguide (See for example 38 in Figures 3A-B) comprises a cladding layer (See for example top portion of 38 in Figures 3A-B) optically coupling the film-based lightguide to the rear polarizer. Bonnett et al. further discloses wherein in the second display mode, the first backlight does not emit light (See for example Figure 3A); wherein in a third display mode the first backlight and second backlight emit light toward the transmissive spatial light modulator (See for example Paragraph 0143); and the first light output plane (See for example top surface of 40 in Figures 3A-B) is parallel to the second light output plane (See for example top surface of 38 in Figures 3A-B).
Finally, Bonnett et al. discloses a method of illuminating a transmissive display (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-22), the method comprising positioning a first backlight (See for example 36, 40 in Figures 3A-B) to emit first light from a first light emitting surface (See for example side surface of 40 adjacent 36 in Figures 3A-B) in a first light emitting region of the first backlight toward the transmissive display (See for 31 in Figures 3A-B), the first light having a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity in a first light output plane (See for example top surface of 40 in Figures 3A-B) orthogonal to the first light emitting surface; positioning a second backlight (See for example 34, 38 in Figures 3A-B) to emit second light from a second light emitting surface (See for example side surface of 38 adjacent 32 in Figures 3A-B) in a second light emitting region of the second backlight toward the transmissive display, the second light having a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity in a second light output plane (See for example top surface of 38 in Figures 3A-B) orthogonal to the second light emitting surface less than 50 degrees, wherein the second light emitting region is positioned between the first light emitting region and the transmissive display; illuminating the transmissive display in a first display mode (See specifically Figure 3B) such that the first light passes through the second light emitting region and illuminates the transmissive display; and illuminating the transmissive display in a second display mode (See specifically Figure 3A) such the second light illuminates the transmissive display, and the first light does not illuminate the transmissive display.
Bonnett et al. discloses the invention as set forth above, and further discloses the first backlight (See for example 36 in Figures 3A-B) having an angular illumination range that is relatively wide to provide a public mode, and the second backlight (See for example 34 in Figures 3A-B) having an angular illumination range that is relatively narrower in comparison to the first backlight to provide a private mode (See for example Paragraphs 0139-0141). Bonnett et al. does not specifically disclose the first backlight having a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity greater than 60 degrees, and the second backlight having a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity less than 50 degrees. However, 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 backlight have a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity greater than 60 degrees, and the second backlight have a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity less than 50 degrees, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. One would have been motivated to have the first backlight have a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity greater than 60 degrees, and the second backlight have a full-angular width at half-maximum luminous intensity less than 50 degrees, to adjust the available viewing range for a viewer in each of the public and private modes, based on the intended application. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235.
Claim(s) 9, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bonnett et al. in view of Nichol et al. (CN 103038567 A).
Bonnett et al. discloses the invention as set forth above, except for the first backlight comprises a lightguide formed from an acrylic sheet and a brightness enhancement film. However, Nichol et al. teaches a conventional backlight with integrated light guide (See for example Abstract; Figures 1-101, particular Figures 1-2), wherein the lightguide (See for example 104 in Figures 1-2) of the backlight may be formed of an acrylic material (See for example Paragraph 0271), and the lightguide of the backlight may also include optional optical element, such as a polarizer, phase difference film, diffuser film, brightness enhancing film, and protective film (See for example Paragraphs 0299-0302). 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 backlight comprises a lightguide formed from an acrylic sheet and a brightness enhancement film, 1) to provide appropriate material flexibility of the waveguide based on the intended application, and 2) to provide additional adjustments to the output light based on the intended optical characteristics required from the backlight.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 14-15, 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 5, 14, 20 are allowable over the cited art of record for at least the reason that the cited art of record fails to teach or reasonably suggest a display and method as generally set forth in Claims 1, 5, 10, 14, 19-20, the display and method including, in combination with the features recited in Claims 1, 5, 10, 14, 19-20, the second light output plane is parallel to an array direction of the array of coupling lightguides.
Claims 6, 15 are allowable over the cited art of record for at least the reason that the cited art of record fails to teach or reasonably suggest a display and method as generally set forth in Claims 1, 6, 10, 15, the display and method including, in combination with the features recited in Claims 1, 6, 10, 15, the second light emitting region comprises light extraction features that occupy less than 30 percent of a surface area of the second light emitting region.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
WO 2013/080488 A1 to Sugiyama et al- Display apparatus with a first and second backlight, each backlight utilizing a waveguide structure, and the display also including a first public mode and a second privacy mode of operation.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARNEL C LAVARIAS whose telephone number is (571)272-2315. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:30 AM-7 PM.
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ARNEL C. LAVARIAS
Primary Examiner
Group Art Unit 2872
4/27/2026
/ARNEL C LAVARIAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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