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 2/12/2025 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 11-16 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 11, 12 and 15 contain the limitations of “a No. 1 surface”, “a No. 2 surface’, “a No. 3 surface”, and “a No. 4 surface”. It appears that applicant is refereeing to the internal and external surfaces of the transparent surfaces claimed in independent claim 1 as appose to further surfaces. Further more claims are a single sentence with a single period at the end.
Claims 13-14, and 16 are rejected as depending on a rejected base claim.
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.
(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 1-8, 11-15, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a2) as being anticipated by Koran et. al. (US 2024/0027761 A1).
Regarding claim 1 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article comprising:
a first transparent structure (51) comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface (para. 0164);
and a holographic film (56) positioned adjacent to one of the interior surface or the exterior surface (para. 0164 , lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 2 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the holographic film is coupled with the interior surface (see figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 3 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the holographic film is configured to receive light at an average receiving angle and reflect the light at an average projection angle that is offset from the average receiving angle (see fig. 3 and para. 0164).
Regarding claim 4 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the average receiving angle is substantially perpendicular to the holographic film (see figs. 3, 4 and para. 0164).
Regarding claim 5 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the first transparent structure comprises a polymer (para. 0031).
Regarding claim 6 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the first transparent structure comprises glass (para. 0031).
Regarding claim 7 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, further comprising a light source positioned adjacent to the first transparent structure (para. 0164).
Regarding claim 8 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, further comprising a second transparent structure comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface (see figs. 3 and 4),
the interior surface positioned adjacent to the holographic film and opposed from the first transparent structure (see figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 11 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the first transparent structure is a first glass substrate comprising a No. 1 surface and a No. 2 surface opposite the No. 1 surface; the second transparent structure a second glass substrate opposed from the first glass substrate, wherein the second glass substrate comprises a No. 3 surface that faces towards the No. 2 surface, and a No. 4 surface opposite the No. 3 surface; and the holographic film is positioned between the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate (see figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 12 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, further comprising:
a first interlayer positioned between the No. 2 surface and the holographic film; and a second interlayer positioned between the No. 3 surface and the holographic film (52, 54; para.0164).
Regarding claim 13 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the holographic film is configured to transmit light through the article (para. 0164).
Regarding claim 14 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, further comprising a middle interlayer comprising an opening configured to receive the holographic film (33, para. 0163).
Regarding claim 15 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, further comprising a back substrate coupled to the No. 2 surface or the No. 4 surface (see figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 17 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the article is a windshield (para. 0187).
Regarding claim 18 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the article is a rear window (para. 0187).
Regarding claim 19 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) a system for directing light through an article, the system comprising:
a light source (para. 0164);
an article positioned relative to the light source, the article comprising a first transparent structure comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface (para. 0164);
and a holographic film (56) positioned between the light source and the interior surface (para. 0164, lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 20 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article a method for displaying light from a light source on a display portion of an article (para. 0164), the article defining a receiving portion comprising a holographic film (56; para. 0164, lines 1-4), the method comprising:
transmitting light from the light source to the receiving portion of the article (para. 0164);
and directing the light to the display portion of the article (para. 0164).
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.
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koran et. al. (US 2024/0027761 A1) in view of Hermange et. al. (US 12,319,031 B2)
Regarding claim 9 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, except for further comprising a light source positioned between the first transparent structure and the second transparent structure.
Hermange teaches a light source positioned between the first transparent structure and the second transparent structure (3,7, col. 9, lines 14-56).
It would have been obvious to one having skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the electro-optical window as taught by Koran with the embedded led projector as taught by Hermange for the benefit of decreasing the risk of short-circuits.
Regarding claim 10 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, where the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs (para. 0054).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koran et. al. (US 2024/0027761 A1) in view of Kato et. al. (US 5,726,782)
Regarding claim 16 Koran teaches (figs.3 and 4) an article, except where the back substrate comprises black paint.
Xia teaches where the back substrate comprises black paint (col. 6, 32-50).
It would have been obvious to one having skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the electro-optical window as taught by Koran with the black paint as taught by Hermange for the benefit of absorption of stray light.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Further HUD electro-optical systems include Popovich et. al. (US 2018/0232048 A1), Valuet et. al. (US 2018/0370195 A1), Nguyen et. al. (US 10,578,867 B2), .
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT E TALLMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3958. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10 a.m. -6 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at 571-272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Robert E. Tallman/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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