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 § 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yaroshchuk et al. (US 2022/0091323).
Regarding claim 1, Yaroshchuk discloses a display device (see figures 1A-2B, for instance, for instance) comprising: an image light generation system (205) that generates image light (230); and a light guide system (210) that guides the image light generated by the image light generation system to an eyeball (265) of a user; wherein the light guide system (210) includes a diffraction unit (245) having polarization selectivity ([0055]), at least light (232) in a corresponding polarization state, the at least light being included in the image light (230), is incident on the diffraction unit (245), and the diffraction unit (245) diffracts the light in the corresponding polarization state, the at least light being incident, toward the eyeball (265).
Regarding claim 2, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide system (210) includes a plurality of the diffraction units (240, 245).
Regarding claim 3, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 2, wherein at least two diffraction units (240, 245) of the plurality of diffraction units correspond to different polarization states ([0050]).
Regarding claim 4, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 2, wherein at least two diffraction units (240, 245) of the plurality of diffraction units correspond to a same polarization state ([0050]).
Regarding claim 5, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of diffraction units includes at least two diffraction units (1422, 1424, see figure 14A) corresponding to different polarization states and at least two diffraction units corresponding to a same polarization state (1412, 1414, figure 14A).
Regarding claim 6, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of diffraction units (240, 245) each causes light in corresponding polarization state to be incident on the eyeball (265) from directions different from each other.
Regarding claim 7, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 2, wherein the light guide system includes a light guide plate (210-1) that faces the eyeball (265) and totally reflects and guides the image light which is generated by the image light generation system and is incident, and the plurality of diffraction units is provided on the light guide plate (see figure 2A).
Regarding claim 8, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of diffraction units includes at least one diffraction unit (245) provided on a surface of the light guide plate on a side of the eyeball (265) and/or at least one diffraction unit (240) provided on a surface of the light guide plate on a side opposite to the side of the eyeball (265).
Regarding claim 9, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 7, wherein the light guide system (210) includes a relay optical system that causes the image light (230) generated by the image light generation system to be incident on the light guide plate (210-1) at an incident angle at which the image light is totally reflected in the light guide plate (210-1).
Regarding claim 10, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein the light in the corresponding polarization state includes circularly polarized light, and the diffraction unit has circular polarization selectivity ([0055]).
Regarding claim 11, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 2, wherein the light in the corresponding polarization state includes circularly polarized light ([0055]), the plurality of diffraction units includes a first diffraction unit (240) on which at least first circularly polarized light included in the image light is incident and a second diffraction unit (245) on which at least second circularly polarized light ([0055]) having a polarization direction different from a polarization direction of the first circularly polarized light, the second circularly polarized light being included in the image light, is incident, the first diffraction unit has polarization selectivity for the first circularly polarized light, and the second diffraction unit (245) has polarization selectivity for the second circularly polarized light ([0055]).
Regarding claim 16, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein the diffraction unit (240) includes a diffraction unit in which a plurality of diffraction patterns corresponding to different polarization states is formed in a multiple manner or a diffraction unit in which a plurality of layers in which diffraction patterns corresponding to different polarization states are formed is stacked ([0060]).
Regarding claim 17, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein the image light generation system includes a light source unit (205) including a light source (220), and an optical deflector (225) that deflects light from the light source unit.
Regarding claim 18, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 17, wherein the image light generation system includes another diffraction unit (235) that is arranged on an optical path of the image light between the light source unit (205) and the optical deflector (225) and corrects chromatic aberration of the diffraction unit.
Regarding claim 19, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 17, wherein the image light generation system includes an optical element (225) that is arranged on an optical path of the image light between the light source unit (205) and the optical deflector, and an optical element control unit (215) that controls the optical element.
Regarding claim 20, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of lights (220, [0062]) having different polarization states, the plurality of lights being included in the image light (230), is incident on the plurality of corresponding diffraction units (240, 245) in different time zones.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yaroshchuk in view of Wheelwright et al. (US 10,969,675).
Regarding claim 12, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 11. However, Yaroshchuk does not expressly disclose wherein each of the first diffraction unit (240) and the second diffraction unit (245) includes a cholesteric liquid crystal element.
Wheelwright discloses a display device (see figures 7A-7D, for instance), wherein each of the first diffraction unit and the second diffraction unit (700) includes a cholesteric liquid crystal element (see column 21, lines 1-50).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the cholesteric liquid crystal as Wheelwright in the diffraction units of Yaroshchuk. The motivation for doing so would have been to enhance the user’s’ overall experience of augmented mixed and/or virtual reality, as taught by Wheelwright (column 1, lines 35-38).
Regarding claim 13, Yaroshchuk in view of Wheelwright discloses the display device according to claim 12, wherein a rotation direction of a liquid crystal molecule in the cholesteric liquid crystal element (Wheelwright figures 7B, 7C) of the first diffraction unit (240) is opposite to a rotation direction of a liquid crystal molecule in the cholesteric liquid crystal element of the second diffraction unit (245).
Regarding claim 14, Yaroshchuk in view of Wheelwright discloses the display device according to claim 12, wherein in the cholesteric liquid crystal element (Wheelwright figures 7B-7C) of each of the first diffraction unit (240) and the second diffraction unit (245), an alignment direction of a liquid crystal molecule is inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the cholesteric liquid crystal element (see Wheelwright figures 7B-7C).
Regarding claim 15, Yaroshchuk discloses the display device according to claim 1. However, Yaroshchuk does not expressly disclose wherein the light guide system includes at least one retardation film arranged on an optical path of the image light.
Wheelwright discloses a display device (see figure 4A, for instance), wherein the light guide system (460) includes at least one retardation film (422) arranged on an optical path of the image light (462).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the retardation film as Wheelwright in the light guide system of Yaroshchuk. The motivation for doing so would have been to enhance the user’s’ overall experience of augmented mixed and/or virtual reality, as taught by Wheelwright (column 1, lines 35-38).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANAEL R BRIGGS whose telephone number is (571)272-8992. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/NATHANAEL R BRIGGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871 7/8/2026
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