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.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgement is made of receipt of Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO-1449) filed 02/27/2024 and 09/24/2025. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
Response to Amendment
The cancelation of Claim(s) 1-20 and the addition of Claim(s) 21-40, filed 10/17/2024, are acknowledged and accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 21-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Roggatz (US 2020/0209627 A1), of record.
With respect to Claim 21, Roggatz discloses a holographic system comprising: a spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) arranged to display a hologram (3, Figure 1) of an image (51, Figure 4) and to output spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) encoded with the hologram (3, Figure 1); and an optical fibre pupil expander (48, Figure 4) comprising a plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]), each optical fibre (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) having an input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) and an output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]), wherein the optical fibre pupil expander (48, Figure 4) is arranged so that spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) output by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) is coupled into the input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of each optical fibre (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) and output from the output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) thereof to a viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]), wherein each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) is arranged to propagate (¶[0019]) the spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) received at its input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) so as to expand an exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) of the holographic system in a first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]), wherein the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]) corresponds to a dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]) of the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 22, Roggatz further discloses wherein each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) is arranged to form a replica (output into the spectacle glass and reflected then by a mirror 19, ¶[0019]) of the spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) received at its input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) so as to expand the exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) in the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 23, Roggatz further discloses wherein the output ends (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) are arranged in a one-dimensional array (27, Figure 2) in the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 24, Roggatz further discloses an optical fibre splitter (¶[0020]) arranged to couple the spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) output by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) into the input ends (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) at the same time (¶[0019]-[0020]).
With respect to Claim 25, Roggatz further discloses a multiplexer (70, Figure 5) arranged to couple the spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) output by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) into each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) one at a time, in a defined sequence (¶[0019]-[0020]), wherein a duration of the defined sequence (¶[0019]-[0020]) is less than an integration time of a human eye (eyes, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 26, Roggatz further discloses wherein the image (51, Figure 4) comprises image information (¶[0094), and wherein the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) is arranged to output spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) encoded (39, Figure 3) with the hologram (3, Figure 1) at a plurality of angles (74 and 75, Figure 6) so that output light at each angle forms a respective light channel (24 output is received at an area comprising a plurality of subareas 27 each corresponding to an output angle of the SLM 24 defining a light channel, Figure 2) that is coupled into an input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of each, or a respective one or more of, the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]), wherein each angular light channel (¶[0094]) comprises a part of the image information (¶[0094) divided by angle.
With respect to Claim 27, Roggatz further discloses wherein each light channel (24 output at 27, Figure 2) is coupled into an input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of at least two optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]), wherein each of the at least two optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) replicates the respective light channel (24 output at 27, Figure 2) so as to expand the exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) in the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]), and optionally wherein each of the at least two optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) have adjacent output ends (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) in the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 28, Roggatz further discloses wherein the holographic system is arranged to dynamically control (projector dynamically controls, ¶[0020]) an allocation of light channels (24 output at 27, Figure 2) to the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) in response to feedback (¶[0020]) from an eye tracking system (53, Figure 4; ¶[0020]).
With respect to Claim 29, Roggatz further discloses wherein the exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) is additionally expanded in a second dimension (the dimension orthogonal to the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]), wherein the second dimension (the dimension orthogonal to the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]) is orthogonal to the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]) and, optionally, corresponds to a dimension of the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 30, Roggatz further discloses wherein the output ends (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) are arranged in a two-dimensional array (27, Figure 2) in the first (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]) and second dimensions (the dimension orthogonal to the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 31, Roggatz further discloses further comprising a collimation lens (89, Figure 9) arranged to collimate light (89, Figure 9) output from the output ends (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) of the optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) for relay to the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 32, t Roggatz further discloses a light source (90, Figure 10) arranged to illuminate the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) so as to spatially modulate light in accordance with the hologram (3, Figure 1).
With respect to Claim 33, Roggatz further discloses wherein the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) comprises a liquid crystal on silicon (“LCOS”) spatial light modulator (¶[0140]-[0141]), encoded (39, Figure 3) with the hologram (3, Figure 1).
With respect to Claim 34, Roggatz further discloses magnification optics (spectacles 11, Figure 1) arranged to increase a range of available diffraction angles (¶[0110]) to the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]) beyond a diffraction angle (¶[0110]) of the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2).
With respect to Claim 35, Roggatz further discloses wherein the holographic system is arranged in a direct view configuration and the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]) is an area for viewing the image (51, Figure 4) a the human eye.
With respect to Claim 36, Roggatz further discloses wherein the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]) is spatially separated from the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) by a propagation distance (Figure 1) of at least one order of magnitude greater than a width of an aperture of the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2), wherein the propagation distance is in a range of 30 cm to 150 cm (¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 37, Roggatz discloses a head-up display comprising a holographic system, wherein the holographic system comprises: a spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) arranged to display a hologram (3, Figure 1) of an (51, Figure 4) and to output spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) encoded (39, Figure 3) with the hologram (3, Figure 1); and an optical fibre pupil expander (48, Figure 4) comprising a plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]), each optical fibre (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) having an input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) and an output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]), wherein the optical fibre pupil expander (48, Figure 4) is arranged so that spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) output by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) is coupled into the input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of each optical fibre (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) and output from the output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) thereof to a viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]), wherein each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) is arranged to propagate the spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) received at its input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) so as to expand an exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) of the holographic system in a first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]), wherein the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]) corresponds to a dimension of the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]), and wherein the viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]) comprises an eye-motion box (53, Figure 4; ¶[0020]).
With respect to Claim 38, Roggatz discloses a method of expanding an exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) of a holographic system, the method comprising: displaying, by a spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2), a hologram (3, Figure 1) of an image (51, Figure 4); outputting, by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2), spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) encoded (39, Figure 3) with the hologram (3, Figure 1); coupling, by an optical fibre pupil expander (48, Figure 4) comprising a plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]), spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) output by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) into an input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]); and propagating, by each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) of the optical fibre pupil expander (48, Figure 4), the spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) received at its input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) for output at its output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]), in order to expand an exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) of the holographic system in a first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]), wherein the first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]) corresponds to a dimension of a viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 39, Roggatz discloses a holographic system comprising: a spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) arranged to display a hologram (3, Figure 1) of an image (51, Figure 4) and to output spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) encoded (39, Figure 3) with the hologram (3, Figure 1); and a plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) each having an input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) and an output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]), wherein the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) is arranged so that spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) output by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) is coupled into the input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of each optical fibre (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) and output from the output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) thereof to a viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]), wherein each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) is arranged to form a replica of the spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) received at its input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) such that the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) expand an exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) in a first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]).
With respect to Claim 40, Roggatz discloses a holographic system comprising: a spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2) arranged to display a hologram (3, Figure 1) of an image (51, Figure 4) and to output spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3) encoded (39, Figure 3) with the hologram (3, Figure 1) comprising a plurality of light channels (24 output at 27, Figure 2); and a plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) each having an input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) and an output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]), wherein the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) is arranged so that spatially modulated light (39, Figure 3), comprising one or more of the plurality of light channels (24 output at 27, Figure 2) output by the spatial light modulator (24, Figure 2), is coupled into the input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) of each respective optical fibre and output from the output end (projection at the spectacles, ¶[0019]) thereof to a viewing area (project in a grid into the eye, ¶[0019]), wherein each of the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) is arranged to propagate one or more respective light channels (24 output at 27, Figure 2) received at its input end (input optical fibers are routed at will through the eyeglass side arm, ¶[0019]) such that the plurality of optical fibres (optical fiber projection points 48, Figure 4; ¶[0019]) expand an exit pupil (pupils, ¶[0019]) in a first dimension (the dimension of the spectacle rim in the case of the line variant, ¶[0019]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Adcock et al., (US 2024/0053820 A1) teaches holographic display system.
Schowengerdt (US 2021/0397004 A1) teaches an augmented reality and virtual reality display systems.
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/TYW/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/STEPHONE B ALLEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872