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
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(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu (CN202120017033U) in view of Weng et al. (CN114019678A).
Regarding claim 1, Zhu discloses an eyeball tracking optical system, comprising a light source module (500), a fixed lens group module (200), a reflector module (300) and an image collection module (600);
the light source module and the image collection module are both located at an edge of a side (see Fig. 1), close to an eyeball (900) of a user, of the fixed lens group module (200), and the light source module is configured to transmit a light ray of a preset wavelength to the eyeball of the user; the light ray of the preset wavelength form a reflection light ray after being reflected by the eyeball of the user; the reflector module comprises at least one reflector, and at least one reflector is located at a front end of a light-sensitive face (sensor inside camera 600) of the image collection module (600); after being reflected by the fixed lens group module, the reflection light ray enters the image collection module after being reflected by the at least one reflector means, and the image collection module is configured to generate an image of the eyeball of the user. Zhu does not disclose that the reflector means is a prism; however, he teaches that the reflector can be in different forms, such as a flat plane (Fig 4) or a curved surface (Fig. 5).
Weng, from the similar field of endeavor, discloses a prism (211). Weng teaches that a flat plane reflector (Fig. 1 and 2), such as in Zhu, and a prism (Fig. 3 and 4) can be used interchangeably. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the optical machine 201 can be infrared semiconductor light emitting diode, focusing lens group 210 of the light inlet side is set on the light emitting direction of the optical machine 201, focusing lens group 210 can select focal power is positive lens group to focus the detection light, the light path deflecting mirror 211 can be a reflecting mirror or a reflecting prism, and the light path deflecting mirror 211 is set on the light emitting side of the focusing lens group 210, the light path deflecting mirror 211 the detecting light is reflected to the first optical surface 101, detecting light is focused on the first optical surface 101 or near the surface of the first optical surface 101. Page 7, first paragraph of the translated text.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the prism (211) in Weng as the reflector means in Zhu to perform the well-known functions as claimed.
Regarding claim 2, Weng discloses that a reflection face of the reflection prism is a plane (note prism 211).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Zhu and Weng discloses that an included angle between the reflection face of the reflection prism and a plane where a light-sensitive face of the image collection module is located is α, and 0°<α<90° (note Fig. 1 in Zhu).
Regarding claim 4, Zhu further teaches that a reflection face of the reflector means is a concave face (note Fig. 5). Therefore, the combination of Zhu and Weng meets the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 5, Zhu teaches that a reflection face of the reflector comprises a reflection-enhancing film (Fig. 4 and 5); and the reflection-enhancing film is disposed to improve a reflection efficiency of the reflection light ray. Therefore, the combination of Zhu and Weng meets the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 6, Zhu discloses that at least one reflection prism and the image collection module are fixedly disposed (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Weng does not disclose that a size of the reflection prism meets 3mm*3mm*3mm as claimed. However, the size of the prism (211) in Weng can be configured in any size. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the prism in Weng as 3mm*3mm*3mm dimension as claimed. The configuration would have been a matter of obvious design choice since it is not limited to any particular size.
Regarding claim 8, Zhu discloses that the light source module comprises an array infrared-band light source, which is configured to emit an array infrared-band light ray (note infrared light source 500).
Regarding claim 9, combination of Zhu and Weng discloses that the fixed lens group module comprises a first fixed lens close to the eyeball of the user, and the first fixed lens comprises an infrared-cut filter (note 200 in Zhu), which is configured to reflect the reflection light ray to the prism module.
Regarding claim 10, in addition to above rejections, Zhu further discloses a head-mounted device (note Fig. 1).
Regarding claims 11-18, see similar rejections as set forth above.
Regarding claim 19, Zhu discloses a mounting frame (1200, 1300), the light source module, the fixed lens group module, the prism module and the image collection module are fixedly disposed in the mounting frame.
Regarding claim 20, Zhu discloses a display screen (700), the display screen is located on a side, away from the eyeball of the user, of the fixed lens group module, and the display screen is a multi-dimensional display screen, which is disposed to display a multi-dimensional image.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Meng et al. (2026/0252169), applicant’s copending application.
Huang et al. (2026/0063902), applicant’s copending application.
Huang et al. (2026/0064196), applicant’s copending application.
Shang et al. (2026/0063903), applicant’s copending application.
Gruhlke (2022/0171188) discloses an eyeball tracking means.
Mihashi (2006/0215111) discloses a prism 22.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL LEE whose telephone number 571-272-7349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, John Miller, can be reached on 571-272-7353. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL LEE/ Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2422
