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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 30 is 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 30 recites the limitation "the projector system" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination claim 30 will be interpreted as being dependent upon claim 21 instead of claim 31. Claim 30 is rejected as being indefinite.
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 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Davis et al (US 2019/0121522; hereinafter referred to as Davis) in view of Yeh et al (US 2010/0321640; hereinafter referred to as Yeh).
Regarding Claims 21 and 31, Davis discloses a projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201), comprising:
one or more sensors configured to determine spatial information about an environment of the projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) including one or more locations of one or more surfaces or objects in the environment (see Paragraphs [0021] and [0198]; wherein it is disclosed that a computing device comprises one or more sensors for mapping and/or imaging an environment in proximity to the device to identify a user position and one or more display candidates and that at least one sensor is used to map an environment in proximity to an imaging and display system to identify a user position and a display candidate), wherein the controller is configured to adjust how the LEDs emit the light to form the pixels of the image based on the spatial information (see Paragraphs [0030] and [0198]; wherein it is disclosed that the display surface is an active display surface such as a self-illuminated LED display and wherein the device is further configured to adjust the display content based on one of the characteristics of the display candidate or the motion of the object).
Davis does not expressly disclose that the LED array comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes that are individually addressable; a controller configured to control individual LEDs in the LED array to selectively emit light to form respective pixels or portions respective pixels of an image.
Yeh discloses a projector system (Figure 2), comprising
an LED array (Figures 1 and 2; Display Chip 100) comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (Figure 1; Micro-LED Array 104) that are individually addressable (see Paragraph [0027]; wherein it is disclosed that the projection display chip 100 comprises an embedded active addressing control circuit to control the micro-LEDs individually to display images); a controller (Figure Driving Circuit Device 102) configured to control individual LEDs in the LED array (Figures 1 and 2; Display Chip 100) to selectively emit light to form respective pixels or portions respective pixels of an image (see Paragraph [0027]; wherein it is disclosed that the projection display chip 100 comprises an embedded active addressing control circuit to control the micro-LEDs individually to display images).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the projector system of Davis to incorporate an LED array that comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes that are individually addressable and a controller configured to control individual LEDs in the LED array to selectively emit light to form respective pixels or portions respective pixels of an image, as taught by Yeh, because doing so would produce a projection display chip which exhibits small size and high efficiency such that it can be easily integrated into a mobile device (see Yeh Paragraph [0012]).
Regarding Claims 22 and 32, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 21 and 31 as detailed above.
Yeh further discloses the controller is configured to selectively: (a) turn on or off individual ones of the LEDs (see Paragraph [0027]; wherein it is disclosed that the projection display chip 100 comprises an embedded active addressing control circuit to control the micro-LEDs individually to display images),
Regarding Claims 23 and 33, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 21 and 31 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) is configured use the one or more sensors to identify a surface of a room and determine an orientation of the surface (see Paragraphs [0789] and [0828]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI system maps a non-planar surface by using a ‘time-of-flight’ camera system which determines the location of object points in a plane perpendicular to the line-of-sight of the camera using the captured image and that the AGUI organizes data so that at the surface identification level it is seen as AGUI spatial data including coordinates, orientation, curvature); and the controller is configured to cause the image to be projected onto the surface based on the orientation of the surface (see Paragraph [0793]; wherein it is disclosed that the current information on the 2-dimensional location of object points defines for the AGUI system the available surface to create a display and allows it to best create a display with this available surface).
Regarding Claims 24 and 34, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 23 and 33 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the one or more sensors includes a depth sensor configured to determine a depth information about the surface (see Paragraph [0833]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI system implements a process flow that can project display content onto surfaces and image those same surfaces and that the AGUI system can also be embodied in a device that can sense its orientation and movement in space and its orientation to the direction of its projection system and image capture system using such available technology as motion, location and orientation sensors, cameras, light, optical and acoustic depth mapping and imaging systems); and the controller is configured to adjust a depth of focus of the image based on the depth information (see Paragraph [0833]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI system implements a process flow that can project display content onto surfaces and image those same surfaces and that the AGUI system can also be embodied in a device that can sense its orientation and movement in space and its orientation to the direction of its projection system and image capture system using such available technology as motion, location and orientation sensors, cameras, light, optical and acoustic depth mapping and imaging systems).
Regarding Claims 25 and 35, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 21 and 31 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) comprises a light sensor configured to collect lighting information about a room including a light level of the room or one or more sources of light within the room (see Paragraphs [0082]-[0083]; wherein it is disclosed that the system includes a plurality of light sensors and an external light sensor and wherein it is further disclosed that the processor is coupled to the plurality of light sensors and receives ambient light information from the plurality of light sensors in proximity to the plurality of users and that the processor is coupled to the external light sensor and receives external light information from the external light sensors); and the controller is configured to adjust an intensity of the light emitted by the LEDs based on the light information (see Paragraphs [0082]-[0083] and [0740]; wherein it is disclosed that the processor optimizes the display for each of the plurality of viewers based on the ambient light information and the external light information and that the AGUI system will command the individual pixels of the projected image to increase or decrease intensity until the image is within tolerance of the desired metameric color).
Regarding Claims 26 and 36, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 21 and 31 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the one or more sensors includes a camera or motion sensor configured to detect motion within a room (see Paragraph [0820]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI devices onboard sensors may include a light and/or optical imaging system, or other biometric identification system and may also include a motion, orientation, location or other sensor to identify the location, activity and position of the device and/or the user); and the controller is configured to adjust the light emitted by the LEDs based on the motion (see Paragraph [0820]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI devices onboard sensors may include a light and/or optical imaging system, or other biometric identification system and may also include a motion, orientation, location or other sensor to identify the location, activity and position of the device and/or the user).
Regarding Claims 27 and 37, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 26 and 36 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) is configured to detect a person in the room based on the motion detected within the room (see Paragraph [0820]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI devices onboard sensors may include a light and/or optical imaging system, or other biometric identification system and may also include a motion, orientation, location or other sensor to identify the location, activity and position of the device and/or the user); and the controller is configured to lower an intensity of light projected by the projection system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) toward the person as the person moves within the room (see Paragraph [0740]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI system will command the individual pixels of the projected image to increase or decrease intensity until the image is within tolerance of the desired metameric color).
Regarding Claims 28 and 38, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 21 and 31 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) is configured to detect an object in the room based on the spatial information collected by the one or more sensors (see Paragraph [0198]; wherein it is disclosed that the device determines motion of an object in the environment and displays the content based on the characteristics of the display candidate or the motion of the object); and the controller is configured to increase an intensity of light projected by the projection system toward the object to create a spotlight on the object (see Paragraph [0740]; wherein it is disclosed that the AGUI system will command the individual pixels of the projected image to increase or decrease intensity until the image is within tolerance of the desired metameric color).
Regarding Claims 29 and 39, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 21 and 31 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) is configured to detect an object in the room based on the spatial information collected by the one or more sensors (see Paragraph [0198]; wherein it is disclosed that the device determines motion of an object in the environment and displays the content based on the characteristics of the display candidate or the motion of the object); and the controller is configured to cause the projection system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) to project augmented reality (AR) video content on or near the object (see Paragraphs [0198] and [0600]; wherein it is disclosed that the device determines motion of an object in the environment and displays the content based on the characteristics of the display candidate or the motion of the object and wherein it is further disclosed that the AGUI system can track and project images onto objects being manipulated by a user).
Regarding Claims 30 and 40, Davis as modified by Yeh discloses the limitations of claims 21 and 31 as detailed above.
Davis further discloses the projector system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) is configured to track a movement of an object within the room (see Paragraphs [0198] and [0600]; wherein it is disclosed that the device determines motion of an object in the environment and displays the content based on the characteristics of the display candidate or the motion of the object and wherein it is further disclosed that the AGUI system can track and project images onto objects being manipulated by a user); and the controller is configured to cause the projection system (Figures 1-4B; AGUI Device 201) to project light onto a location in front of the object in a direction of the movement (see Paragraphs [0198] and [0600]; wherein it is disclosed that the device determines motion of an object in the environment and displays the content based on the characteristics of the display candidate or the motion of the object and wherein it is further disclosed that the AGUI system can track and project images onto objects being manipulated by a user).
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER A LAMB II whose telephone number is (571)270-0648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am - 5pm EST.
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/CHRISTOPHER A LAMB II/Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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