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 09/18/2024 in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “the reflected light” should be “the reflected video light” to be consistent with the terminology of the claims. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 5, 7, and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hirata et al.
The applied reference has a common assignee and inventors with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Hirata et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0375854 A1) discloses:
Regarding claim 1, air floating video display apparatus (i.e. space floating video information display system illustrated in Figure 4) configured to display an air floating video (i.e. space floating video; Figure 4, element 3), the air floating video display apparatus comprising: a light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13); a video display element (Figure 4, element 11) configured to emit video light based on light from the light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13); and a retroreflector (Figure 4, element 2) configured to reflect the video light from the video display element (Figure 4, element 11) to form, by the reflected light, the air floating video (i.e. space floating video; Figure 4, element 3) that is a real image in air (clearly illustrated in Figure 4), wherein a board (i.e. FPC; element 403) connected to the video display element (Figure 4, element 11) is arranged so as to detour around a light source unit (i.e. LEDs, elements 14a and 14b) of the light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13) and wrap around to a back surface side (page 8, paragraph 0079, lines 1-11) of the light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13) such that a space is provided between the board (i.e. FPC; element 403) and the light source unit (i.e. LEDs, elements 14a and 14b).
Regarding claim 5, a sensor (Figure 8(B), element 56) configured to detect an operation on a plane of the air floating video (page 5, paragraph 0056, lines 10-15), wherein the sensor (Figure 8(B), element 56) is arranged above the retroreflector on a front surface of a housing (Figure 8(B), element 50) of an air floating video display system (i.e. space floating video information display system) in which the air floating video display apparatus (i.e. space floating video information display system illustrated in Figures 4 and 8(B)) is mounted (clearly illustrated in Figure 8(B)).
Regarding claim 7, the light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13) includes: a light source (i.e. LEDs, elements 14a and 14b) and a reflector (Figure 4, element 2b) configured to reflect light from the light source as the light source unit (i.e. LEDs, elements 14a and 14b); and a light guide (Figure 2(C), element 2a) configured to guide light from the reflector (Figure 4, element 2b) toward the video display element (Figure 4, element 11).
Regarding claim 9, the light guide (Figure 2(C), element 2a) is a reflective light guide (i.e. retroreflector) provided with a reflection surface having a plurality of inclinations (clearly illustrated in Figures 2(B) and 2(C)).
Regarding claim 10, an air floating video display apparatus (i.e. space floating video information display system illustrated in Figure 4) configured to display an air floating video (i.e. space floating video; Figure 4, element 3), the air floating video display apparatus (i.e. space floating video information display system illustrated in Figure 4) comprising: a light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13); a display panel (Figure 4, element 11) configured to emit light from the light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13) as video light; and a retroreflector (Figure 4, element 2) configured to reflect the video light from the display panel (Figure 4, element 11) to form, by the reflected light, the air floating video (i.e. space floating video; Figure 4, element 3) that is a real image in air (clearly illustrated in Figure 4), wherein the light source apparatus (Figure 4, element 13) includes: a light source (i.e. LEDs, elements 14a and 14b); a reflector (Figure 4, element 2b) configured to reflect light from the light source (i.e. LEDs, elements 14a and 14b); and a light guide (i.e. retroreflector; element 2) configured to guide light from the reflector (Figure 4, element 2b) toward the display panel (Figure 4, element 11), and wherein the light guide (i.e. retroreflector; element 2) includes a nearest portion having a recess (clearly illustrated in Figure 2(C)).
Regarding claim 11, a diffusion plate (Figure 4, element 101) is arranged between the light guide (i.e. retroreflector; Figure 4, element 2) and the display panel (Figure 4, element 11), and wherein the nearest portion is a portion where a distance between a light incident surface of the diffusion plate (Figure 4, element 101) and a reflection surface of the light guide (i.e. retroreflector; Figure 4, element 2) is the shortest (clearly illustrated in Figure 4).
Regarding claim 12, the nearest portion further includes a protrusion (Figure 2(C), element 2a).
Regarding claim 13, the protrusion (Figure 2(C), element 2a) has an angle of 70 degrees to 110 degrees (clearly illustrated in Figures 2(B) and 2(C)).
Regarding claim 14, the protrusion (Figure 2(C), element 2a) has an angle of 80 degrees to 100 degrees (clearly illustrated in Figures 2(B) and 2(C)).
Claims 2-4 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Hirata et al.
The applied reference has a common assignee and inventors with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
Claims 2-4 and 8 contain the alternative language “a flexible cable” and is rejected by satisfying the first alternative condition “a board”. Once one alternative condition has been met, the entire claim is rejected. Since the first alternative condition, which is “a board”, is already satisfied, the entire alternative claim limitation is also rejected. As a result, any further claims directed to the second condition, which is “a flexible cable”, similarly stand rejected. Therefore, claims 2-4 and 8 are rejected due to the first alternative limitation, “a board”, being satisfied.
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is 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 6, Hirata et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0375854 A1) teaches the salient features of the present invention as explained above except an air floating video display apparatus wherein the retroreflector is arranged along a front surface of a housing of an air floating video display system in which the air floating video display apparatus is mounted, wherein the video display apparatus is arranged along a vertical direction inside the housing, and wherein the air floating video is arranged so as to be inclined in a state where a frontward protrusion distance with respect to the retroreflector is larger on a lower side than on an upper side of the air floating video.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takahashi et al. (US Pub. No. 2024/0045227 A1) discloses a compact and portable air floating video display apparatus including a housing that can be installed in a bottle holder in a vehicle. A video display apparatus, a beam splitter, a retroreflector, a retardation plate, and a plane mirror are provided in the housing. In the air floating video display apparatus, a video light of a specific polarized wave from the video display apparatus is reflected by the plane mirror, transmitted through the beam splitter, and subjected to polarization conversion by being reflected by the retroreflector and passing through the retardation plate. Then, the video light is reflected by the beam splitter and transmitted through the window, thereby displaying an air floating video outside the apparatus.
Takahashi et al. (US Pub. No. 2024/0005825 A1) discloses an aerial floating image display apparatus includes a display apparatus configured to generate an image, a retroreflector configured to reflect image light from the display apparatus, and an imager, and if a plurality of persons appear in a captured image generated by the imager, the aerial floating image display apparatus displays, as an aerial floating image, information for notifying a user of the aerial floating image display apparatus of being peeked.
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/MAGDA CRUZ/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
07/09/2026
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