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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the drive section" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination the limitation “the drive section” will be interpreted as “a drive section”. Claim 20 is rejected as being indefinite.
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.
Claims 1-8 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takagi (US 2018/0059523).
Regarding Claim 1, Takagi teaches a light source device (Figure 2; Illumination Device 31) comprising:
a first light source section (Figure 2; First Light Source Section 412) including one or more first light emitters (Figure 2; Solid-State Light Source S1) to emit first light (see Paragraph [0053]);
a second light source section (Figure 2; Second Light Source Section 413) including one or more second light emitters (Figure 2; Solid-State Light Source S2) to emit second light (see Paragraph [0054]);
a light-transmissive member (Figure 2; Collimating Lens 422) having a central axis to transmit the first light and the second light therethrough to emit the first light and the second light from the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2); and
circuitry (Figure 3; Lighting Device 414) configured to individually drive the one or more first light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S1) and the one or more second light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S2) to reduce illuminance of light emitted from the light-transmissive member (Figure 2; Collimating Lens 422) to be below a predetermined illuminance level (see Paragraph [0082]),
wherein the first light source section (Figure 2; First Light Source Section 412) emits the first light that enters the light-transmissive member (Figure 2; Collimating Lens 422) at a positive angle relative to the central axis in a view in a direction orthogonal to the central axis (see Figure 2), and
the second light source section (Figure 2; Second Light Source Section 413) emits the second light that enters the light-transmissive member (Figure 2; Collimating Lens 422) at a negative angle relative to the central axis in the view in the direction orthogonal to the central axis (see Figure 2).
Regarding Claim 2, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches the circuitry (Figure 3; Lighting Device 414) is further configured to: cause the one or more first light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S1) to individually reduce first amount of the first light and cause the one or more second light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S2) to individually reduce second amount of the second light (see Paragraph [0082]); or individually turn off the one or more first light emitters and the one or more second light emitters (see Paragraph [0082]).
Regarding Claim 3, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches the one or more first light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S1) including:
a first narrow-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the first narrow angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s1 which is closest to axis Ax); and
a first wide-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the first wide angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s1 which is furthest from axis Ax),
the one or more second light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S2) including:
a second narrow-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the second narrow angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s2 which is closest to axis Ax); and
a second wide-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the second wide angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s2 which is furthest from axis Ax), and
the first narrow-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the first narrow angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s1 which is closest to axis Ax) emits a first beam of the first light to the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2),
the first wide-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the first wide angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s1 which is furthest from axis Ax) emits a second beam of the first light to the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2),
the second narrow-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the second narrow angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s2 which is closest to axis Ax) emits a third beam of the second light to the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2),
the second wide-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the second wide angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s2 which is furthest from axis Ax) emits a fourth beam of the second light to the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2), and
a first absolute value of an angle of a principal ray of the first beam of the first light is smaller than a second absolute value of an angle of a principal ray of the second beam of the first light, relative to the central axis (see Figure 2),
a third absolute value of an angle of a principal ray of the third beam of the second light is smaller than a fourth absolute value of an angle of a principal ray of the fourth beam of the second light, relative to the central axis (see Figure 2).
Regarding Claim 4, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 3 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches in the plane orthogonal to the central axis, the first absolute value is equal to the third absolute value, and the second absolute value is equal to the fourth absolute value (see Figure 2; wherein the solid-state light sources s1 and s2 are in equal and opposite locations with respect to the axis Ax).
Regarding Claim 5, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 3 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches the first narrow-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the first narrow angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s1 which is closest to axis Ax) and the second narrow-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the second narrow angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s2 which is closest to axis Ax) form a first group (see Figure 2), the first wide-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the first wide angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s1 which is furthest from axis Ax) and the second wide-angle light emitter (Figure 2; wherein the second wide angle light emitter corresponds to the solid-state light source s2 which is furthest from axis Ax) form a second group (see Figure 2), and
the circuitry (Figure 3; Lighting Device 414) further:
alternately turns off the first group and the second group; or
alternately reduces the first amount of the first light emitted from the first group and the second amount of the second light emitted from the second group (see Paragraphs [0082]-[0083]).
Regarding Claim 6, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 5 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches the circuitry (Figure 3; Lighting Device 414), according to a switching cycle: alternately turns off the first group and the second group; or alternately reduces the first amount of the first light emitted from the first group and the second amount of the second light emitted from the second group (see Paragraphs [0082]-[0083]).
Regarding Claim 7, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches the first light source section (Figure 2; First Light Source Section 412) further includes a first start point to emit the first light toward the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2), the second light source section (Figure 2; Second Light Source Section 413) further includes a second start point to emit the second light toward the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2), the light-transmissive member (Figure 2; Collimating Lens 422) further includes a first end point to receive the first light from the first start point and a second end point to receive the second light from the second start point (see Figure 2), the first start point is connected to the first end point by a first line segment (see Figure 2), the second start point is connected to the second end point by a second line segment (see Figure 2), the direction orthogonal to the central axis (Figure 2; Axis Ax) divides an angle, between a first line orthogonal to the first line segment and a second line orthogonal to the second line segment, into symmetrical angles (see Figure 2), and each of the one or more first light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S1) and the one or more second light emitters (Figure 3; Solid-State Light Source S2) includes at least one of a light-emitting diode element or a semiconductor laser element (see Paragraph [0053]).
Regarding Claim 8, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches a rotatable wavelength converter (Figure 2; Wavelength Conversion Device 45) including:
a wavelength conversion area (Figure 2; Wavelength Conversion Layer 453) to receive the first light and the second light and emit wavelength-converted light (see Paragraph [0068]); and
a reflective area to receive the first light and the second light and emit reflected blue light (see Paragraphs [0014]-[0015]),
wherein each of the first light and the second light is blue light (see Paragraph [0052]), and the wavelength converter (Figure 2; Wavelength Conversion Device 45) rotates to alternately emit the wavelength-converted light and the reflected blue light (see Paragraph [0132]).
Regarding Claim 15, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches the circuitry (Figure 3; Lighting Device 414) further alternately turns on the first light source section (Figure 2; First Light Source Section 412) and the second light source section (see Paragraphs [0082]-[0083]).
Regarding Claim 16, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches the circuitry (Figure 3; Lighting Device 414) further simultaneously turns on the first light source section (Figure 2; First Light Source Section 412) and the second light source section (see Paragraphs [0082]-[0083]).
Regarding Claim 17, Takagi teaches a light source device (Figure 2; Illumination Device 31) comprising:
a first light source section (Figure 2; First Light Source Section 412) including one or more first light emitters (Figure 2; Solid-State Light Source S1) to emit first light (see Paragraph [0053]);
a second light source section (Figure 2; Second Light Source Section 413) including one or more second light emitters (Figure 2; Solid-State Light Source S2) to emit second light (see Paragraph [0054]);
a light-transmissive member (Figure 2; Collimating Lens 422) having a central axis to transmit the first light and the second light therethrough to emit the first light and the second light from the light-transmissive member (see Figure 2); and
circuitry (Figure 3; Lighting Device 414) configured to:
cause the one or more first light emitters (Figure 2; Solid-State Light Source S1) to individually reduce first amount of the first light (see Paragraph [0082]) and cause the one or more second light emitters (Figure 2; Solid-State Light Source S2) to individually reduce second amount of the second light (see Paragraph [0082]); or
Regarding Claim 18, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches a projection apparatus (Figure 1; Projector 1) comprising:
the light source device according to claim 1 (see Claim 1 rejection above);
a light modulator (Figure 1; Light Modulation Device 34) to spatially modulate light emitted from the light-transmissive-member (see Paragraph [0045]); and a projector (Figure 1; Projection Optical Device 36) to project the light modulated by the light modulator (see Paragraph [0047]).
Regarding Claim 19, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 6 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches a projection apparatus (Figure 1; Projector 1) comprising:
the light source device according to claim 6 (see claim 6 rejection above);
a light modulator (Figure 1; Light Modulation Device 34) to spatially modulate light emitted from the light source device (see Paragraph [0045]);
and
a projector (Figure 1; Projection Optical Device 36) to project the light modulated by the light modulator (see Paragraph [0047]),
wherein the light modulator (Figure 1; Light Modulation Device 34) further generates a projection image with the light at a frame cycle (see Paragraph [0045]), and
a length of the switching cycle is less than or equal to a length of the frame cycle (see Paragraph [0045]).
Regarding Claim 20, Takagi teaches the limitations of claim 5 as detailed above.
Takagi further teaches a projection apparatus (Figure 1; Projector 1) comprising:
the light source device according to claim 5 (see claim 5 rejection above);
a light modulator (Figure 1; Light Modulation Device 34) to spatially modulate light emitted from the light source device (see Paragraph [0045]); and
a projector (Figure 1; Projection Optical Device 36) to project the light modulated by the light modulator (see Paragraph [0047]),
wherein at each startup of the projection apparatus (Figure 1; Projector 1), the drive section:
alternately turns off the first group and the second group; or
alternately reduces the first amount of the first light emitted from the first group and the second amount of the second light emitted from the second group (see Paragraphs [0082]-[0083]).
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takagi (US 2018/0059523) as applied to claim 1, in view of Sugiyama et al (US 2012/0300178; hereinafter referred to as Sugiyama).
Regarding Claim 14, Takagi discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above.
Takagi further discloses a rotatable first wavelength converter (Figure 2; Wavelength Conversion Device 45) including:
a first wavelength conversion area (Figure 2; Wavelength Conversion Layer 453) to receive the first light and emit wavelength-converted light (see Paragraph [0068]); and
a first reflective area to receive the first light and emit reflected blue light (see Paragraphs [0014]-[0015]); and
wherein each of the first light and the second light is blue light (see Paragraph [0052]).
Takagi does not expressly disclose a rotatable second wavelength converter including: a second wavelength conversion area to receive the second light and emit the wavelength-converted light; and a second reflective area to receive the second light and emit the reflected blue light, and each of the first wavelength converter and the second wavelength converter would rotate to allow the light-transmissive member to alternately emit the wavelength-converted light and the reflected blue light.
Sugiyama discloses a rotatable first wavelength converter (Figure 7; Phosphor Substrate 392) including:
a first wavelength conversion area (Figure 7; Phosphor 37) to receive the first light and emit wavelength-converted light (see Paragraph [0055]); and
a first reflective area (Figure 7; Main Body 35) to receive the first light and emit reflected blue light (see Paragraph [0055]); and
wherein each of the first light and the second light is blue light (see Paragraph [0048]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the device of Takagi to incorporate a rotatable second wavelength converter including: a second wavelength conversion area to receive the second light and emit the wavelength-converted light; and a second reflective area to receive the second light and emit the reflected blue light, as taught by Sugiyama, wherein upon combination each of the first wavelength converter and the second wavelength converter would rotate to allow the light-transmissive member to alternately emit the wavelength-converted light and the reflected blue light, because doing so would produce fluorescence (or projection light) having the same wavelength regardless of the lighting timing of each light source, and that can combine the produced fluorescence (or projection light) to obtain color light of high intensity (see Sugiyama Paragraph [0010]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-13 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.
Regarding Claim 9, the prior art of record, whether taken alone or in combination, fails to teach, suggest or render obvious the limitations which require each of the first light and the second light is light in a first wavelength range, the wavelength converter receives the first light and the second light and emits light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range, the light source device emits: the light in the first wavelength range that has not passed through the wavelength converter during a first period (t1); the light in the second wavelength range emitted from the wavelength converter during a second period (t2) different from the first period (t1); and the light source device has: a first mode to emit light at a first output level: by covering at least part of each of the light in the first wavelength range emitted during the first period (t1) and the light in the second wavelength range emitted during the second period (t2); or by combining at least part of the first period (t1) with at least part of the second period (t2); and a second mode to emit light at a second output level different from the first output level, and a first ratio (η1) of M1_PLD1 to M1_PLD2 is different from a second ratio (η2) of M2_PLD1 to M2_PLD2, where M1_PLD1 indicates an output of the first light source section to allow the light source device to emit the light in the first wavelength range in the first mode, M1_PLD2 indicates an output of the one or more first light emitters or the one or more second light emitters to allow the light source device to emit the light in the second wavelength range in the first mode, M2_PLD1 indicates an output of the one or more first light emitters or the one or more second light emitters to allow the light source device to emit the light in the first wavelength range in the second mode, and M2_PLD2 indicates an output of the one or more first light emitters or the one or more second light emitters to allow the light source device to emit the light in the second wavelength range in the second mode.
These limitations in combination with the limitations of claims 1 and 8 would render the claim non-obvious over the prior art of record if rewritten in independent form.
Claims 10-13 would likewise be non-obvious over the prior art of record if the above-mentioned amendments were made by virtue of their dependency upon claim 9.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER A LAMB II whose telephone number is (571)270-0648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am - 5pm EST.
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/CHRISTOPHER A LAMB II/Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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