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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/21/2026 has been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-9 and 11-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yosha et al. (US 2006/0215244; already of record).
Regarding claim 1, Yosha discloses, an apparatus (Figs. 3 and 6), comprising:
at least one light guide (200, 210) comprising at least;
a diffractive in-coupler (206, 212) configured to in-couple one or more input beams of light (216A, 220A) through the light guide from a light engine (192, 194), an expander (202, 204) configured to expand the one or more input beams of light (Para. 0067 and 0069), and a diffractive out-coupler (208, 214) configured to out-couple one or more expanded beams of light from the light guide (Para. 0068);
wherein the at least one light guide is configured to provide a first virtual image (216C) in a first location for a head-up display (Para. 0068-0069) and is configured to provide a second virtual image (220C) in a second location for a control panel (Para. 0068-0069; note, the light beams 220C provide information to a user that displays control panels the user needs to look at while they control the vehicle).
Yosha does not disclose in the same embodiment that the light guide is a single light guide, and the single light guide is configured to provide a first virtual image in a first location for a head-up display and is configured to provide a second virtual image in a second location for a control panel.
Yosha teaches, in a different embodiment and from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus (Figs. 1-2) that it would have been desirable to make the light guide is a single light guide (106, 108, 156 and 158), and the single light guide is configured to provide a first virtual image in a first location for a head-up display (Para. 0021-0022 and 164E; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image) and is configured to provide a second virtual image in a second location for a control panel (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the light guide is a single light guide, and the single light guide is configured to provide a first virtual image in a first location for a head-up display and is configured to provide a second virtual image in a second location for a control panel as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 2, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the at least one light guide comprises a first portion configured to provide the first virtual image (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image) for the head-up display and a second portion configured to provide the second virtual images for the control panel (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 3, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further discloses, the first portion (see annotated Fig. 3 above) of the at least one light guide (200) comprises a first expander (204) and a first diffractive out-coupler (208) and the second portion (see annotated Fig. 3 above) of the at least one light guide (210) comprises a second expander (202) and a second diffractive out-coupler (214).
Regarding claim 6, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further discloses, the apparatus comprises one or more moveable components configured to enable a position of at least one of the first virtual image or the second virtual image to be adjusted (Para. 0075; note, discloses using a scanner to scan a modulated laser beam, horizontally and vertically).
Regarding claim 7, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make a plurality of light guides (106, 108, 156 and 158) arranged in a stacked configuration (106, 108, 156 and 158), the plurality of light guides comprising the single light guide (106, 108, 156 and 158).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 8, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further discloses, at least two reflectors, where a first reflector of the at least two reflectors (see annotated Fig. 3 below) is configured to reflect images from the single light guide to provide images for the head-up display (Para. 0067-0069 and see 216C) and a second reflector of the at least two reflectors (see annotated Fig. 3 below) is configured to reflect images from the single light guide to provide images for the control panel (Para. 0067-0069 and see 200C).
Regarding claim 9, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further discloses, the apparatus is configured to enable a windshield (222) to be used as a first reflector (Para. 0069).
Regarding claim 11, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further discloses, the second virtual image and the first virtual image comprise a shared region of an image (Para. 0067-0069 and see 216C and 220C).
Regarding claim 12, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further discloses, a module, a device, a vehicle, or a cab for a vehicle (Para. 0069) comprising an apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 13, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the first location is separate from the second location such that the first location and the second location do not overlap (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image), such that the first virtual image in the first location and the second virtual image in the second location are separate and do not overlap (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 14, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the single light guide is configured to simultaneously: provide the first virtual image in the first location for the head-up display (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image), and provide the second virtual image in the second location for the control panel (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 15, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the diffractive out-coupler is configured to output the first virtual image simultaneously with the second diffractive out-coupler outputting the second virtual image (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 16, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the diffractive in-coupler is a single in-coupler configured to in-couple a first input beam of the one or more input beams to the expander and to in-couple a second input beam of the one or more input beams to the second expander (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 17, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the first input beam contains the first virtual image, wherein the second input beam contains the second virtual image, and wherein the single in-coupler is configured to simultaneously: in-couple the first input beam containing the first virtual image to the expander, and in-couple the second input beam containing the second virtual image to the second expander (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Regarding claim 18, Yosha in view of Yosha discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an optical apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the single light engine is configured to simultaneously provide images both for the head-up display and the control panel (Para. 0021-0022 and 164G; note, discloses a first pixel array portion of the display to project a first image and a second pixel array portion of the display to project a second image).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the optical apparatus of Yosha in the optical apparatus of Yosha since Yosha teaches it is known to include these features in an optical apparatus for the purpose of providing an optical apparatus with reduced eye fatigue and visual stress for a user.
Claims 4-5 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yosha et al. (US 2006/0215244; already of record) in view of Yosha et al. (US 2006/0215244; already of record) as applied to claims 1-2 above, and further in view of Zimmerman et al. (US 2016/0377862; already of record).
Yosha in view of Yosha remains as applied to claims 1-2 above.
Yosha in view of Yosha does not disclose the at least part of the single light guide is transparent and is provided overlaying at least part of a control panel.
Zimmerman teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the at least part of the single light guide (24, 28, 82, 84) is transparent and is provided overlaying at least part of a control panel (Para. 0025 and see 24, 28 of Figs. 3-4A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make at least part of the single light guide is transparent and is provided overlaying at least part of a control panel as taught by the apparatus of Zimmerman in the apparatus of Yosha in view of Yosha since Zimmerman teaches it is known to include this feature in an apparatus for the purpose of providing an apparatus that offers a continuous view of an image with the environment with reduced view blocking effects and increased field of view.
Regarding claim 5, Yosha, Yosha and Zimmerman discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Yosha further discloses, at least one light guide is configured to display virtual images at a longer focal distance (220C) than at least one of the focal distance of images on the control panel or a focal distance to the control panel (216C; note, the Examiner interprets that the virtual images 220C are at longer focal distances than virtual images 216C because 220C are further away from the users eyes 218).
Regarding claim 10, Yosha, Yosha and Zimmerman discloses and teaches as set forth above, and Zimmerman further teaches, from the same field of endeavor that in an apparatus that it would have been desirable to make the apparatus comprises a light engine (150 of Figs. 2 and 4A) and the apparatus (82, 84 of Figs. 2 and 4A) is configured so that the light engine provides images both for the head-up display and the control panel (Para. 0042-0043 and 42, 56, 58, 71, 150 of Figs. 2 and 4A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the above mentioned limitations as taught by the apparatus of Zimmerman in the combination of Yosha in view of Yosha since Zimmerman teaches it is known to include this feature in an apparatus for the purpose of providing an apparatus that offers a continuous view of an image with the environment with reduced view blocking effects and increased field of view.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to applicant’s arguments that Yosha fails to teach or suggest Applicant’s feature of “the single light guide is configured to provide a first virtual image in a first location for a head-up display and is configured to provide a second virtual image in a second location for a control panel". The Examiner points out that Yosha teaches, in a different embodiment in Figs. 1-2, that it would have been desirable to make the light guide is a single light guide (see 106, 108, 156 and 158).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAWAYNE A PINKNEY whose telephone number is (571)270-1305. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at 571-270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAWAYNE PINKNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 09/16/2026
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