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 § 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 1-9 and 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication to Grabarnik 2022/0091413US embodiment 1 (Figure 14a-b) in view of embodiment #2 (Figure 18).
In terms of Claim 1, Grabarnik (Embodiment 1 or Figure 14a-b) teaches a system, comprising: a waveguide (Figures 8-14a-b) configured to guide an in-coupled image light to propagate inside the waveguide (2) via total internal reflection ([0091]); an in-coupling element (Figure 15a: 17; [0125]) configured to couple an input image light into the waveguide (Figure 15a: 17 direct light across waveguide 2) as the in-coupled image light ([0125]); a plurality of partial reflectors (Figure 14a-b: partial reflectors 3; [0030] or [0115]) at least partially embedded inside the waveguide (Figure 14b: 3 is within 2); and an in-plane relay (Figure 8 and 14a-b: 4 and 5) at least partially embedded inside the waveguide (Figure 14b: 4 and 5 is part of the waveguide 2) and wherein the in-plane relay includes a plurality of cylindrical reflectors (lens 4 and 5 can by cylindrical reflectors [0128] or [0077]), and wherein the in-plane relay (4 and 5) is configured to convert the in-coupled image light received from the in-coupling element (17) into a relayed image light (Figures 8 and 14a-b: light is bounce back and forth between 5 and 4).
Embodiment #1 or Figure 14a-b does not teach wherein the in-plane relay is disposed between the in-coupling element and the partial reflectors.
Embodiment #2 or Figure 18 does teach wherein diffraction structures 21/22 maybe of cylindrical curve structures is disposed between the in-coupling element (Figure 18: by the source) and the partial reflectors (horizontal lines running from left to right shown in 3). Grabarnik indicated that diffractive elements such as 21/22 are used for selective polarization applications to maximize polarization efficiency ([0129]-[0130]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the location of the diffractive elements to be between the incoupling element and partial reflectors to increase polarization efficiency ([0130]).
As for Claim 2, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cylindrical reflectors includes at least one cylindrical mirror (Figure 14a: 5; [0091]).
As for Claim 3, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the in-coupled image light includes a plurality of bundles of first parallel rays (Figure 7a: r1 and r2 are parallel as it hits cylindrical mirror [0087]), and the in-plane relay is configured to convert the plurality of bundles of first parallel rays into a plurality of bundles of second parallel rays included in the relayed image light (Figure 20b: light hits 5 as parallel and reflects back as parallel).
As for Claim 4, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of cylindrical reflectors (4 and 5) include a first cylindrical reflector (4) and a second cylindrical reflector (5) arranged opposite to the first cylindrical reflector (Figure 14a-b: 4 and 5 are opposite of each other), the first cylindrical reflector (4) is configured to reflect the plurality of bundles of first parallel rays as a plurality of bundles of non-parallel rays (Figure 7a: r1 and r2 teaches wherein light maybe parallel to each other hit the surface of the cylindrical concave reflective surface) propagating toward the second cylindrical reflector (Figure 14a-b: from 4 to 5) via total internal reflection (through 2), and the second cylindrical reflector is configured to reflect the plurality of bundles of non-parallel rays as the plurality of bundles of second parallel rays (Figure 7c: wherein the reflector can reflect back parallel signals that converges).
As for Claim 5, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the in-plane relay (5) is configured to relay a virtual image represented by the in-coupled image light received from the in-coupling element (Figure 15a: from 17) to an intermediate image plane located at a predetermined portion of the waveguide ((Figure 14a-b: at 3), wherein the partial reflectors (3) are at least partially embedded at the predetermined portion (Figure 14a-b: 3).
As for Claim 6, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the partial reflectors (3) are configured to split the relayed image light into a plurality of redirected image lights propagating inside the waveguide ([0115]).
As for Claim 7, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 6, wherein the partial reflectors (3) are first partial reflectors (Figure 14a: 3 contains a series of parallel facets wherein each facets function as a reflector ([0115]), and the system further comprises a plurality of second partial reflectors (Figure 14a: a second reflector in the series of reflectors facets shown in 3) at least partially embedded inside the waveguide (Figure 14a: the entire series of reflector 3 are all in embedded in 2), and the first partial reflectors are disposed between the in-plane relay and the second partial reflectors (Figure 14a-b: 3 is between 4 and the last reflectors in the series of reflectors).
As for Claim 8, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 7, wherein the relayed image light output from the in-plane relay (Figure 14a-b: either from 4 or 5) is incident onto the first partial reflectors (Figure 14a-b: 3) as a first convergent image light, and the redirected image lights are incident onto the second partial reflectors as second convergent image lights (Figure 3a: see light converges or crosses at 708 and then reflects backs wherein the light crosses with input light again or See Figure 20c: at 36).
As for Claim 9, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 8, wherein the second partial reflectors are configured to couple the redirected image lights out of the waveguide as a plurality of output image lights (Figure 15b: at 18 and Figure 15c).
As for Claim 11, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 7, wherein the in-plane relay is configured to relay (Figure 14a-b: 4 or 5 or both) a virtual image represented by the in-coupled image light received from the in-coupling element (Figure 15a: 17) to an intermediate image plane (Figure 14a-b: 3) located at a predetermined portion of the waveguide (Figure 14a-b: 2), and the first partial reflectors (3) are at least partially embedded at the predetermined portion (Figure 14a-b: 3 is within 2).
As for Claim 12, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 7, wherein the in-plane relay (Figure 14a-b: 4 or 5 or both) is configured to relay a virtual image represented by the in-coupled image light received from the in-coupling element (Figure 15a: 17) to an intermediate image plane (at 3) located at a predetermined portion of the waveguide (2), and the second partial reflectors are at least partially embedded at the predetermined portion (Figure 14a-b: a second reflector in the series of facets reflector 3).
As for Claim 13, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 7, wherein the in-plane relay (Figure 14a-b: 4 or 5 or both) is configured to relay a virtual image represented by the in-coupled image light received from the in-coupling element (17) to an intermediate image plane (at 3) located between a first portion of the waveguide and a second portion of the waveguide (left side of 3 and right side of 3), the first partial reflectors are at least partially embedded at the first portion (left side of 3), and the second partial reflectors are at least partially embedded at the second portion (right side of 3).
As for Claim 14, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 7, wherein the in-plane relay is configured to relay (4/5) a virtual image represented by the in-coupled image light received from the in-coupling element (17) to an intermediate image plane located (at 3) within an eye-box region of the system (Figure 15a: 3 and 18).
As for Claim 15, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the in-plane relay is configured to form one of a 4-f imaging assembly, a 2-f imaging assembly, a 1-f imaging assembly, or a 0.5-f imaging assembly (Figure 11a: F1 and F2).
As for Claim 16, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the in-plane relay (4) is configured to at least partially correct an optical aberration in the in-coupled image light (Figure 14a-b: 4 and 5; wherein cylindrical lens 4 can correct the aberration of cylindrical mirror 5 [0094]).
As for Claim 17, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the pluralities of cylindrical reflectors include at least one of a concave cylindrical mirror, a convex cylindrical mirror, or a freeform cylindrical mirror (5; [0091]).
As for Claim 18, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the partial reflectors (3) include flat partial reflective surfaces arranged in parallel (Figure 14a: 3), and one or more of the flat partial reflective surfaces form an acute angle with respect to a surface perpendicular to a thickness direction of the waveguide (Figure 14a: 3 forms an acute angle with the bottom layer extending up to top layer thickness).
As for Claim 19, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the relayed image light is incident onto the partial reflectors as a convergent image light (Figure 8: at 3).
As for Claim 20, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the in-coupling element includes at least one of a mirror or a grating (element 17; [0125]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication to Grabarnik 2022/0091413US in view of the US Patent Application Publication to Calafiore 2021/0302738US.
In regard to Claim 10, Grabarnik teaches the device of claim 9.
Grabarnik does not teach wherein at least one of the output image lights propagates convergently and then divergently toward an eye-box region of the system.
Calafiore does teach wherein at least one of the output image lights propagates convergently and then divergently toward an eye-box region of the system wherein the convergence / divergence of light can be adjusted at the out-coupling location which is directed to the eyebox to maximize perceived depth of focus ([0068]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Grabarnik to include a varifocal adjust which can adjust the convergence / divergent of light to improve the perceived depth of focus of the device [0068]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent Application Publication to Mceldowney 20220221725US teaches a display for eyewear device having a waveguide, incoupler, outcouplers, and reflective structures to direct light image into an eyebox.
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/HOANG Q TRAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/UYEN CHAU N LE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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