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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments are moot in view of the amendments to the claims and the new grounds of rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1-6, 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Colla et al (US Publication No.: US 2025/0264725 A1 of record, “Colla”) in view of Volkov et al (US Publication No.: US 2025/0116865 A1 of record, “Volkov”) and Schultz (US Publication No.: US 2022/0382061 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Colla disclose a virtual image display device (Paragraph 0024 discloses a virtual display device), comprising:
An image light, providing an image light beam (Paragraph 0024 discloses a virtual image display device that project a virtual image via incident beams of light); and
A waveguide component (Figure 1, waveguide component 100), comprising:
An incident grating, configured to receive the image light beam, wherein the image light beam enters the incident grating and then proceeds along a first light path (Figure 1, incident grating 104a; Paragraph 0024 discloses that the incident grating in-couples the incident beams and diffracts the incident beams);
A relay grating, disposed on the first light path, allocating a part of energy of the image light beam to generate a plurality of relay light beams, making the relay light beams proceed along a second light path (Figure 1, relay grating 104b; Paragraph 0024 discloses relay light beams that proceed along a second light path after going through the relay light beams); and
An output grating, disposed on the second light path, receiving the relay light beams, generating a plurality of output light beams by allocating a part of energy of each of the relay light beams (Figure 1, output grating 104c; Paragraph 0025 discloses each of the relay light beams going under TIR until each light beam propagates from the third grating through the waveguide to the user’s eyes).
Colla fails to explicitly disclose that the image light is an image light source, providing an image light beam.
However, Volkov discloses a similar display where the image light is an image light source, providing an image light beam (Volkov, Paragraph 0057 discloses an image light source S).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light beam as disclosed by Colla to be from an image light source as disclosed by Volkov. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of improving image quality and improving light transmission (Volkov, Paragraph 0057).
Colla also fails to disclose that each area of the output grating has different grating parameters.
However, Schultz discloses a similar display device where each area of the output grating has different grating parameters (Schultz, Paragraph 0036 discloses different areas of the output grating ODO having different grating parameters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the output grating as disclosed by Colla to have different parameters in different areas as disclosed by Schultz. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of effectively expanding an outgoing light beam (Schultz, Paragraph 0036).
Regarding Claim 2, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image display device according to claim 1.
Colla fails to disclose that the image light source is a laser scanning image light source and is configured to generate the image light beam as a collimated light beam.
However, Volkov discloses a similar display where the image light source is a laser scanning image light source and is configured to generate the image light beam as a collimated light beam (Volkov, Paragraph 0057 discloses a laser scanning image light source that collimates the light beam).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light beam as disclosed by Colla to be from an image light source as disclosed by Volkov. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of improving image quality and improving light transmission (Volkov, Paragraph 0057).
Regarding Claim 3, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image display device according to claim 1.
Colla fails to disclose that the image light beam is incident on the incident grating according to an incident angle of 0 degrees.
However, Volkov discloses a similar display where the image light beam is incident on the incident grating according to an incident angle of 0 degrees (Volkov, Paragraph 0034 discloses an incident angle that is normal to the surface which implies an incident angle of 0 degrees).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the incident angle as disclosed by Colla to be 0 degrees as disclosed by Volkov. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving optical design best practices (Volkov, Paragraph 0034).
Regarding Claim 4, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein the incident grating makes the image light beam diffract to a total reflection angle, and makes the image light beam travel along the first light path through a plurality of total reflections (Colla, Paragraph 0024 discloses diffracted beams that undergo total internal reflection through the incident grating 104a).
Regarding Claim 5, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein the relay light beams travel along the second light path through a plurality of total reflections (Colla, Paragraph 0024 discloses that the relay light beams travel along the second light path through a plurality of total internal reflections after going through the relay grating 104b).
Regarding Claim 6, Colla in view of Volkov discloses virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein the output grating makes the output light beams to be transmitted from the waveguide component according to an emission angle (Colla, Paragraph 0025 discloses output light that is emitted from the output grating 104c through the waveguide according to an emission angle to overlay a virtual image over an ambient environment).
Regarding Claim 11, Colla discloses a virtual image generation method (Paragraph 0024), comprising:
Making an image source provide an image light beam (Paragraph 0024 discloses a virtual image display device that project a virtual image via incident beams of light);
Making an incident grating of a waveguide component receive the image light beam (Figure 1, incident grating 104a; Paragraph 0024 discloses that the incident grating in-couples the incident beams), and
Making the image light beam enter the incident grating and then proceed along a first light path (Figure 1, incident grating 104a; Paragraph 0024 discloses that the incident grating diffracts the incident beams);
Making a relay grating of the waveguide component allocate a part of energy of the image light beam to generate a plurality of relay light beams, and making the relay light beams proceed along a second light path (Figure 1, relay grating 104b; Paragraph 0024 discloses relay light beams that proceed along a second light path after going through the relay light beams); and
Making an output grating of the waveguide component receive the relay light beams and generate a plurality of output light beams by allocating a part of energy of the each of the relay light beams (Figure 1, output grating 104c; Paragraph 0025 discloses each of the relay light beams going under TIR until each light beam propagates from the third grating through the waveguide to the user’s eyes).
Colla fails to explicitly disclose that the image light is an image light source, providing an image light beam.
However, Volkov discloses a similar display where the image light is an image light source, providing an image light beam (Volkov, Paragraph 0057 discloses an image light source S).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light beam as disclosed by Colla to be from an image light source as disclosed by Volkov. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of improving image quality and improving light transmission (Volkov, Paragraph 0057).
Colla also fails to disclose that each area of the output grating has different grating parameters.
However, Schultz discloses a similar display device where each area of the output grating has different grating parameters (Schultz, Paragraph 0036 discloses different areas of the output grating ODO having different grating parameters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the output grating as disclosed by Colla to have different parameters in different areas as disclosed by Schultz. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of effectively expanding an outgoing light beam (Schultz, Paragraph 0036).
Regarding Claim 12, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses the virtual image generation method according to claim 11.
Colla fails to disclose that the image light source is a laser scanning image light source and is configured to generate the image light beam as a collimated light beam.
However, Volkov discloses a similar method where the image light source is a laser scanning image light source and is configured to generate the image light beam as a collimated light beam (Volkov, Paragraph 0057 discloses a laser scanning image light source that collimates the light beam).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light beam as disclosed by Colla to be from an image light source as disclosed by Volkov. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of improving image quality and improving light transmission (Volkov, Paragraph 0057).
Regarding Claim 13, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image generation method according to claim 11.
Colla fails to disclose a step of making the image light beam be incident on the incident grating according to an incident angle of 0 degrees.
However, Volkov discloses a similar method comprising a step of making the image light beam be incident on the incident grating according to an incident angle of 0 degrees (Volkov, Paragraph 0034 discloses an incident angle that is normal to the surface which implies an incident angle of 0 degrees).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the incident angle as disclosed by Colla to be 0 degrees as disclosed by Volkov. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving optical design best practices (Volkov, Paragraph 0034).
Regarding Claim 14, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image generation method according to claim 11, further comprising: making the image light beam diffract to a total reflection angle, and making the image light beam travel along the first light path through a plurality of total reflections (Colla, Paragraph 0024 discloses diffracted beams that undergo total internal reflection through the incident grating 104a).
Regarding Claim 15, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image generation method according to claim 11, further comprising: making the relay light beams travel along the second light path through a plurality of total reflections (Colla, Paragraph 0024 discloses that the relay light beams travel along the second light path through a plurality of total internal reflections after going through the relay grating 104b).
Regarding Claim 16, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image generation method according to claim 11, further comprising: making the output light beams to be transmitted from the waveguide component according to an emission angle (Colla, Paragraph 0025 discloses output light that is emitted from the output grating 104c through the waveguide according to an emission angle to overlay a virtual image over an ambient environment).
Claims 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz in further view of Farrell et al (US Publication No.: US 2025/0093560 A1 of record, “Farrell”).
Regarding Claim 7, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image display device according to claim 6.
Colla fails to disclose that the output light beams form an N times M array, where N and M are both integers greater than 1.
However, Farrell discloses a similar display where the output light beams form an N times M array, where N and M are both integers greater than 1 (Farrell, Paragraph 0107; Figure 11B discloses an N times M array 1160, where both N and M are greater than 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the output light as disclosed by Colla to be formed in an array as disclosed by Farrell. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of forming an image for a viewer’s eyes (Farrell, Paragraph 0107).
Regarding Claim 17, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses virtual image generation method according to claim 16.
Colla fails to disclose a step of making the output light beams form an N times M array, where N and M are both integers greater than 1.
However, Farrell discloses a similar method comprising a step of making the output light beams form an N times M array, where N and M are both integers greater than 1 (Farrell, Paragraph 0107; Figure 11B discloses an N times M array 1160, where both N and M are greater than 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the output light as disclosed by Colla to be formed in an array as disclosed by Farrell. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of forming an image for a viewer’s eyes (Farrell, Paragraph 0107).
Claims 8-9 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz in further view of Moon et al (US Publication No.: US 2022/0343815 A1 of record, “Moon”).
Regarding Claim 8, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1.
Colla fails to disclose a focusing optical component, disposed overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, wherein the focusing component has a plurality of light condensing structures, and the light condensing structures respectively correspond to traveling directions of the output light beams.
However, Moon discloses a similar display comprising a focusing optical component, disposed overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, wherein the focusing component has a plurality of light condensing structures, and the light condensing structures respectively correspond to traveling directions of the output light beams (Moon, Paragraph 0058; Figure 1, light condensing structures 121).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display as disclosed by Colla to include a focusing optical component as disclosed by Moon. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving a high quality virtual image (Moon, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 9, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1.
Colla fails to disclose a focusing optical component, disposed overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, the focusing optical component having a light condensing structure, the light condensing structure covering traveling directions of the output light beams.
However, Moon discloses a similar display comprising a focusing optical component, disposed overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, the focusing optical component having a light condensing structure, the light condensing structure covering traveling directions of the output light beams (Moon, Paragraph 0058; Figure 1, light condensing structures 121).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display as disclosed by Colla to include a focusing optical component as disclosed by Moon. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving a high quality virtual image (Moon, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 18, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses the virtual image generation method according to claim 11.
Colla fails to disclose a step of disposing a focusing optical component overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, and disposing a plurality of light condensing structures, wherein the light condensing structures respectively correspond to traveling directions of the output light beams.
However, Moon discloses a similar method comprising a step of disposing a focusing optical component overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, and disposing a plurality of light condensing structures, wherein the light condensing structures respectively correspond to traveling directions of the output light beams. (Moon, Paragraph 0058; Figure 1, light condensing structures 121).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display as disclosed by Colla to include a focusing optical component as disclosed by Moon. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving a high quality virtual image (Moon, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 19, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses the virtual image generation method according to claim 11.
Colla fails to disclose a step of disposing a focusing optical component overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, and forming a light condensing structure on the focusing optical component, wherein the light condensing structure covers traveling directions of the output light beams.
However, Moon discloses a similar method comprising a step of disposing a focusing optical component overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, and forming a light condensing structure on the focusing optical component, wherein the light condensing structure covers traveling directions of the output light beams (Moon, Paragraph 0058; Figure 1, light condensing structures 121).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display as disclosed by Colla to include a focusing optical component as disclosed by Moon. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of achieving a high quality virtual image (Moon, Paragraph 0058).
Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz in further view of Kang et al (US Publication No.: US 2016/0139411 A1 of record, “Kang”).
Regarding Claim 10, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1.
Colla fails to disclose a plurality of focusing optical components, disposed overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, wherein the focusing optical components are respectively disposed corresponding to traveling directions of the output light beams.
However, Kang discloses a similar display comprising a plurality of focusing optical components, disposed overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, wherein the focusing optical components are respectively disposed corresponding to traveling directions of the output light beams (Kang, Paragraph 0377; Figure 27, focusing optical components 2701, 2741, 2742; Paragraph 0371; Paragraph 0373).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display as disclosed by Colla to include a plurality of focusing optical components as disclosed by Kang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of improving brightness (Kang, Paragraph 0461).
Regarding Claim 20, Colla in view of Volkov and Schultz discloses the virtual image generation method according to claim 11.
Colla fails to disclose a step of disposing a plurality of focusing optical components overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, and making the focusing optical components to be disposed corresponding to traveling directions of the output light beams.
However, Kang discloses a similar method comprising a step of disposing a plurality of focusing optical components overlapping the output grating of the waveguide component, and making the focusing optical components to be disposed corresponding to traveling directions of the output light beams (Kang, Paragraph 0377; Figure 27, focusing optical components 2701, 2741, 2742; Paragraph 0371; Paragraph 0373).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display as disclosed by Colla to include a plurality of focusing optical components as disclosed by Kang. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of improving brightness (Kang, Paragraph 0461).
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 MARIAM QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-4434. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Caley can be reached at 571-272-2286. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MARIAM QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2871
Prosecution Insights