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 (PTO-1449) filed 12/04/2024. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
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 1-2 and 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng (CN 212781467 U) in view of Gross et al. “Handbook of Optical Systems Volume 3: Aberration Theory and Correction of Optical Systems".
Regarding claim 1, Zheng discloses in at least figure 1, an optical imaging module (projection optical engine 200 may project a virtual image paragraph [n0025] of translation), characterized by comprising:
a stop (aperture 260 fig. 1), a lens assembly (lens 240 fig. 1), and a light source (display 220 fig. 1);
wherein the lens assembly comprises (lens 240 fig. 1) a first lens (first lens 241 fig. 1), a second lens (second sub-lens 2432 fig. 1), a third lens (first sub-lens 2431 fig. 1), and a fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1), with the light source (display 220 fig. 1) located on an object side (a first lens 241, a second lens 242, a third lens 243 and a fourth lens 244 are arranged sequentially from image source side to imaging side paragraph [n0025] of translation and the display 220 is on the source side of the first lens 241 fig. 1) of the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1), and the stop (aperture 260 fig. 1) located on an image side (the aperture 260 is on the image side of the first lens 241 fig. 1) of the first lens (first lens 241 fig. 1);
the first lens has a positive focal power (the first lens 241 is a positive power lens paragraph [n0026] of translation), the second lens has a positive focal power (the second sub-lens 2432 is a positive power lens paragraph [n0028] of translation), the third lens has a negative focal power (the first sub-lens 2431 is a negative power lens paragraph [n0028] of translation), and the fourth lens has a positive focal power (the fourth lens 244 is a positive power lens paragraph [n0026] of translation);
the optical imaging module (projection optical engine 200 may project a virtual image paragraph [n0025] of translation) satisfies the following inequality:
0.5 mm < TL/D < 3 mm (TL/D = 4.48 mm as a result of the values below);
where TL (TL = 11.8 paragraph [n0049] of translation) is a distance between the light source (display 220 fig. 1) and the stop (aperture 260 fig. 1), and D is the maximum lens diameter (the maximum optical diameter is 8 mm paragraph [n0046] of translation) of the first lens (first lens fig. 1), the second lens (second sub-lens 2432 fig. 1), the third lens (first sub-lens 2431 fig. 1), and the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1)
Zheng does not disclose, The first to fourth lenses arranged in order.
However Gross teaches (pages 377) that reversing the order of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see suggestion 5). As noted on page 378, Gross teaches that flipping a lens or lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to flip the order of the cemented doublet where the first sub-lens will be positive and the second sub-lens will be negative, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing a cemented doublet does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Zheng further discloses, characterized in that the lens assembly (lens 240 fig. 1) satisfies the following inequality:
4 mm < f < 11.7 mm (f = 9.4 mm paragraph [n0049] of translation);
where f is a total effective focal length of the lens assembly (is the focal length of the projection optical engine paragraph [n0049] of translation).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Zheng further discloses, characterized in that the first lens, the second lens, the third lens, and the fourth lens are all glass spherical lenses (all lenses of lens 240 are glass and spherical paragraph [n0031] of translation).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Zheng further discloses, characterized in that a refractive index of the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1) is greater than 1.75 (the refractive index of the fourth lens 244 is between 1.88 and 1.98 paragraph [n0046] of translation),
and both an object side (fourth light-emitting surface S42 fig. 1) and an image side (fourth light-incident surface S41 fig. 1) of the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1) are convex surfaces (S41 and S42 are convex paragraph [n0035] of translation).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Zheng further discloses, characterized in that the light source is a self-luminous light source (the display 220 can be a self-emissive micro led paragraph [n0029] of translation).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Zheng further discloses, characterized in that the light source is a micro-LED monochrome light source (the display 220 can be a micro light-emitting diode that is monochrome paragraph [n0029] of translation).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Zheng further discloses, an AR device (augmented reality devices typically include a projector and a camera paragraph [n0003 of translation such as projection optical engine 200 in near eye display 20 paragraph [n0077]), characterized by comprising an optical imaging module (projection optical engine 200 may project a virtual image paragraph [n0025] of translation) according to any one of claims 1-8 (see claim rejection above as interpreted under 122(d)).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 9 and Zheng further discloses, characterized by further comprising an optical waveguide structure (waveguide element 600 fig. 11), where light emitted from the light source (display 220 fig. 11) passes through the lens assembly (lens 240 fig. 11) and is then transmitted through the optical waveguide structure (waveguide element 600 fig. 11) before being emitted into the human eye (light is emitted from display 220 though lens 240 and waveguide element 600 to the eye fig. 11).
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yun et al. (US 20130235464 A1) in view of Zheng (CN 212781467 U).
Regarding claim 1, Yun discloses in at least example 2 (figures 1-2 tables 4-6), an optical imaging module (optical engine 61 fig. 1), characterized by comprising:
a stop (sto table 5), a lens assembly (projection optics 66 fig. 1), and a light source (imager fig. 2 can be a liquid crystal display paragraph [0013]);
wherein the lens assembly comprises (projection optics 66 fig. 1) a first lens (lens element L3 fig. 2), a second lens (lens element L4 fig. 2), a third lens (lens element L5 fig. 2), and a fourth lens (lens element L8 fig. 7), arranged in order (lens elements L1-L10 are in order from the screen side fig. 2) and the stop (STO table 5) located on an image side (STO is image side of L3 table 5) of the first lens (lens element L3 table 5);
the first lens has a positive focal power (L3 has a focal length of 23.75 as a result of matrix calculations from the values in table 5), the second lens has a positive focal power (L4 has a focal length of 120.98 as a result of matrix calculations from the values in table 5), the third lens has a negative focal power (L5 has a focal length of -62.85 as a result of matrix calculations from the values in table 5), and the fourth lens has a positive focal power (L8 has a focal length of 49.57 as a result of matrix calculations from the values in table 5);
the optical imaging module (optical engine 61 fig. 1) satisfies the following inequality:
0.5 mm < TL/D < 3 mm (TL/D = 2.46 mm as a result of the values below);
where TL (TL = 42.15 mm as a result of the sum of D values from STO to IMA in table 5) is a distance between the light source (IMA table 5) and the stop (STO table 5), and D is the maximum lens diameter (the maximum lens diameter is L8 = 17.14845 mm table 5) of the first lens (L3 diameter = 15.60859 mm table 5), the second lens (L4 diameter = 15.27506 mm table 5), the third lens (L5 diameter = 14.37989 mm table 5), and the fourth lens (L8 diameter = 17.14845 mm table 5).
Yun does not disclose, with the light source located on an object side of the fourth lens.
However Zheng discloses in at least figure 1, with the light source (display 220 fig. 1) located on an object side (a first lens 241, a second lens 242, a third lens 243 and a fourth lens 244 are arranged sequentially from image source side to imaging side paragraph [n0025] of translation and the display 220 is on the source side of the first lens 241 fig. 1) of the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to arrange the light source on the object side of the of the fourth lens as taught by Zheng in the optical engine of Yun. The display 220 emits light to pass through the lens 240 to improve the quality of the virtual image (paragraph [n0025] of translation).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yun et al. (US 20130235464 A1) in view of Zheng (CN 212781467 U) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Gross et al. “Handbook of Optical Systems Volume 3: Aberration Theory and Correction of Optical Systems".
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Yun and Zheng discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yun further discloses, a diameter of the fourth lens (L8 diameter = 17.14845 mm table 5) is larger than those of the first lens (L3 diameter = 15.60859 mm table 5), the second lens (L4 diameter = 15.27506 mm table 5), and the third lens (L5 diameter = 14.37989 mm table 5).
Yun does not disclose, characterized in that the stop has an aperture diameter of 4mm.
However the combination of Zheng and Gross discloses the limitations of claim 1, Zheng discloses in at least figure 1, an optical imaging module (projection optical engine 200 may project a virtual image paragraph [n0025] of translation), characterized by comprising:
a stop (aperture 260 fig. 1), a lens assembly (lens 240 fig. 1), and a light source (display 220 fig. 1);
wherein the lens assembly comprises (lens 240 fig. 1) a first lens (first lens 241 fig. 1), a second lens (second sub-lens 2432 fig. 1), a third lens (first sub-lens 2431 fig. 1), and a fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1), with the light source (display 220 fig. 1) located on an object side (a first lens 241, a second lens 242, a third lens 243 and a fourth lens 244 are arranged sequentially from image source side to imaging side paragraph [n0025] of translation and the display 220 is on the source side of the first lens 241 fig. 1) of the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1), and the stop (aperture 260 fig. 1) located on an image side (the aperture 260 is on the image side of the first lens 241 fig. 1) of the first lens (first lens 241 fig. 1);
the first lens has a positive focal power (the first lens 241 is a positive power lens paragraph [n0026] of translation), the second lens has a positive focal power (the second sub-lens 2432 is a positive power lens paragraph [n0028] of translation), the third lens has a negative focal power (the first sub-lens 2431 is a negative power lens paragraph [n0028] of translation), and the fourth lens has a positive focal power (the fourth lens 244 is a positive power lens paragraph [n0026] of translation);
the optical imaging module (projection optical engine 200 may project a virtual image paragraph [n0025] of translation) satisfies the following inequality:
0.5 mm < TL/D < 3 mm (TL/D = 4.48 mm as a result of the values below);
where TL (TL = 11.8 paragraph [n0049] of translation) is a distance between the light source (display 220 fig. 1) and the stop (aperture 260 fig. 1), and D is the maximum lens diameter (the maximum optical diameter is 8 mm paragraph [n0046] of translation) of the first lens (first lens fig. 1), the second lens (second sub-lens 2432 fig. 1), the third lens (first sub-lens 2431 fig. 1), and the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1)
Zheng does not disclose, The first to fourth lenses arranged in order.
However Gross teaches (pages 377) that reversing the order of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see suggestion 5). As noted on page 378, Gross teaches that flipping a lens or lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to flip the order of the cemented doublet where the first sub-lens will be positive and the second sub-lens will be negative, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing a cemented doublet does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Zheng additionally discloses, characterized in that the stop has an aperture diameter of 4 mm (D is the aperture of the light-transmitting area and the diameter can be 4.0 mm paragraph [n0054] of translation).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use and aperture diameter in the range of 4.0 mm as taught by Zheng in the optical engine of Yun. The light-transmitting area facilitates the adjustment of the effective light signal transmitted through the lens 240 (paragraph [n0054] of translation).
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang et al. (US 20160018629 A1) in view of Zheng (CN 212781467 U) and Gross et al. “Handbook of Optical Systems Volume 3: Aberration Theory and Correction of Optical Systems".
Regarding claim 1, Tang discloses in at least embodiment 2 (figs. 2A-2B tables 3-4), an optical imaging module (optical image capturing system according to the second embodiment paragraph [0119]), characterized by comprising:
a stop (aperture strop 200 fig. 2A) and a lens assembly (lenses 210-260 fig. 2A);
wherein the lens assembly (lenses 210-260 fig. 2A) comprises a first lens (second lens element 220 fig. 2A), a second lens (third lens element 230 fig. 2A), a third lens (fourth lens element 240 fig. 2A), and a fourth lens (fifth lens element 250 fig. 2A) arranged in order (the lenses 210-260 are arranged in order fig. 2A),
the first lens has a positive focal power (the second lens element 220 has a positive refractive power paragraph [0121]), the second lens has a positive focal power (the third lens element 230 has a positive refractive power paragraph [0122]), the third lens has a negative focal power (the fourth lens element 240 has a negative refractive power paragraph [0123]), and the fourth lens has a positive focal power(the fifth lens element 250 has a positive refractive power paragraph [0124]);
Tang does not explicitly disclose, a light source;
with the light source located on an object side of the fourth lens, and the stop located on an image side of the first lens;
the optical imaging module satisfies the following inequality:
0.5mm < TL/D < 3mm;
where TL is a distance between the light source and the stop, and D is the maximum lens diameter of the first lens, the second lens, the third lens, and the fourth lens.
However Zheng discloses in at least figure 1, a light source (display 220 fig. 1);
with the light source (display 220 fig. 1) located on an object side (a first lens 241, a second lens 242, a third lens 243 and a fourth lens 244 are arranged sequentially from image source side to imaging side paragraph [n0025] of translation and the display 220 is on the source side of the first lens 241 fig. 1) of the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1);
the optical imaging module (projection optical engine 200 may project a virtual image paragraph [n0025] of translation) satisfies the following inequality:
0.5 mm < TL/D < 3 mm (TL/D = 4.48 mm as a result of the values below);
where TL (TL = 11.8 paragraph [n0049] of translation) is a distance between the light source (display 220 fig. 1) and the stop (aperture 260 fig. 1), and D is the maximum lens diameter (the maximum optical diameter is 8 mm paragraph [n0046] of translation) of the first lens (first lens fig. 1), the second lens (second sub-lens 2432 fig. 1), the third lens (first sub-lens 2431 fig. 1), and the fourth lens (fourth lens 244 fig. 1).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use a light source on the object side of the first lens as taught by Zheng in the optical image capturing system of Tang. The display 220 emits light to pass through the lens 240 to improve the quality of the virtual image (paragraph [n0025] of translation).
Additionally Gross teaches (pages 377) that moving the stop position is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see suggestion 12). As noted on page 378, Gross teaches that moving the stop position is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to move the stop position to the image side of the second lens 220, because Gross teaches that moving the stop position is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that moving the stop position does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Tang, Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Tang further discloses, characterized in that the lens assembly (optical image capturing system according to the second embodiment paragraph [0119]) satisfies the following inequality:
4mm < f < 11.7mm (f = 4.5758 mm table 3);
where f is a total effective focal length of the lens assembly (a focal length of the optical image capturing system is f paragraph [0018]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Tang, Zheng and Gross discloses all the limitations of claim 2 and Tang further discloses, characterized in that the first lens (second lens element 220 fig. 2A), the second lens (third lens element 230 fig. 2A), the third lens (fourth lens element 240 fig. 2A), and the fourth lens (fifth lens element 250 fig. 2A) respectively satisfy the following inequalities:
10 mm < f1< 16.3 mm (focal length of lens 2 is 14.6925 mm table 3);
6 mm <f2 (focal length of lens 3 is 13.2625 mm table 3);
-6 mm <f3 < -1.4 mm (focal length of lens 4 is -5.2223 mm table 3);
and 2 mm <f4< 8 mm (focal length of lens 5 is 3.3674 mm table 3);
where f1 is an effective focal length of the first lens (focal lengths of the first through sixth lens elements are f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, and f6, respectively paragraph [0018]), f2 is an effective focal length of the second lens (focal lengths of the first through sixth lens elements are f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, and f6, respectively paragraph [0018]), f3 is an effective focal length of the third lens (focal lengths of the first through sixth lens elements are f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, and f6, respectively paragraph [0018]), and f4 is an effective focal length of the fourth lens (focal lengths of the first through sixth lens elements are f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, and f6, respectively paragraph [0018]).
Tang does not explicitly disclose, the following inequalities:
6 mm <f2< 12.1 mm.
However It is a well-established proposition that a prima facie case of obviousness exists where the claimed ranges or amounts do not overlap with the prior art but are merely close. Titanium Metals Corp. of America v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775, 783, 227 USPQ 773, 779 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (Court held as proper a rejection of a claim directed to an alloy of "having 0.8% nickel, 0.3% molybdenum, up to 0.1% iron, balance titanium" as obvious over a reference disclosing alloys of 0.75% nickel, 0.25% molybdenum, balance titanium and 0.94% nickel, 0.31% molybdenum, balance titanium. "The proportions are so close that prima facie one skilled in the art would have expected them to have the same properties."). See MPEP §2144.05.
In the instant case, the prior art teaches a value of 13.2625 mm which is so close to the claimed range of 6 mm <f2 < 12.1 mm that prima facie one skilled in the art would have expected them to have the same properties. Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to choose f2 such that 6mm <f2< 12.1 mm since it has been held that a prima facie case of obviousness exists where the claimed ranges or amounts do not overlap with the prior art but are merely close. Titanium Metals Corp. of America v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775, 783, 227 USPQ 773, 779 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (Court held as proper a rejection of a claim directed to an alloy of "having 0.8% nickel, 0.3% molybdenum, up to 0.1% iron, balance titanium" as obvious over a reference disclosing alloys of 0.75% nickel, 0.25% molybdenum, balance titanium and 0.94% nickel, 0.31% molybdenum, balance titanium. "The proportions are so close that prima facie one skilled in the art would have expected them to have the same properties."). See MPEP §2144.05.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chen et al. (US 9726860 B2) discloses an optical image lens system with three lenses that are positive and one that is negative.
Nagatoshi (US 20220057612 A1) discloses a projection optical system and display device with at least four lenses and a display device emitting light.
Mi et al. (US 20210223545 A1) discloses an optical lens with at least four lenses where the system focal length is 4 mm.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW R WRIGHT whose telephone number is (703)756-5822. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7:30-5 Friday 8-12.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at 1-571-270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW R WRIGHT/ Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/PINPING SUN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872