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
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.
Claims 1-6, 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Saito (US Publication No.: US 2021/0302740 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Saito discloses a virtual image display device (Figures 1-2), comprising:
A display panel configured to emit an image light beam (Figure 2, display panel 11; Paragraph 0017);
A projection optical system configured to collimate the image light beam from the display panel (Figure 2, projection optical system 12; Paragraph 0016); and
A light-guiding member including a light-guiding plate that guides the image light beam (Figure 2, light-guiding plate 13),
An incidence portion that causes the image light beam to enter the light-guiding plate (Figure 2, incidence portion 131a),
A relay portion that guides the image light beam passing through the incidence portion and enlarges a pupil in a first direction (Figure 2, center of the light-guiding plate 13), and
An emission portion that guides the image light beam passing through the relay portion, enlarges the pupil in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and emits the image light beam from the light-guiding plate (Figure 2, emission portion 131b), wherein An exit pupil of the projection optical system has a shape in which a vertical width is larger than a lateral width (Figure 2, exit pupil 131e has a wider vertical portion (left to right) and a smaller lateral width (up and down)), and
The incidence portion has a shape in which a vertical width is larger than a lateral width, correspondingly to the shape of the exit pupil (Figure 2 discloses the incidence portion 131a and the exit pupil 131e have corresponding shapes where the vertical portion is wider than that of the lateral width).
Regarding Claim 2, Saito discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is a lateral direction, the second direction is a vertical direction, and the vertical width is a size in the second direction, and the lateral width is a size in the first direction (Figure 2, the first upward direction is a lateral direction and the second leftward direction is the vertical direction).
Regarding Claim 3, Saito discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein the incidence portion, the emission portion, and the relay portion are formed by any one of a diffraction element, a volume hologram, a dielectric multilayer mirror, and a metal mirror (Paragraph 0023 discloses a diffraction element; Figure 2, diffraction element 14).
Regarding Claim 4, Saito discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein a visual field angle characteristic of the image light beam emitted from the display panel has an angle characteristic wider in a vertical direction than in a lateral direction, correspondingly to the exit pupil (Figure 2).
Regarding Claim 5, Saito discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein the projection optical system includes a lens having a shape in which a vertical width is larger than a lateral width, correspondingly to the exit pupil (Figure 2, lens 12).
Regarding Claim 6, Saito discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein a sub-pixel for each color in the display panel has a shape in which a vertical width is larger than a lateral width, correspondingly to the exit pupil (Paragraph 0027; Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 9, Saito discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is any one of an organic EL display, a micro LED display, a reflective liquid crystal display, and a digital micromirror device (Paragraph 0016).
Regarding Claim 10, Saito discloses an optical unit (Figures 1-3), comprising:
A display panel configured to emit an image light beam (Figure 2, display panel 11; Paragraph 0017);
A projection optical system configured to collimate the image light beam from the display panel (Figure 2, projection optical system 12; Paragraph 0016); and
A light-guiding member including a light-guiding plate that guides the image light beam (Figure 2, light-guiding plate 13),
An incidence portion that causes the image light beam to enter the light-guiding plate (Figure 2, incidence portion 131a),
A relay portion that guides the image light beam passing through the incidence portion and enlarges a pupil in a first direction (Figure 2, center of the light-guiding plate 13), and
An emission portion that guides the image light beam passing through the relay portion, enlarges the pupil in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and emits the image light beam from the light-guiding plate (Figure 2, emission portion 131b), wherein An exit pupil of the projection optical system has a shape in which a vertical width is larger than a lateral width (Figure 2, exit pupil 131e has a wider vertical portion (left to right) and a smaller lateral width (up and down)), and
The incidence portion has a shape in which a vertical width is larger than a lateral width, correspondingly to the shape of the exit pupil (Figure 2 discloses the incidence portion 131a and the exit pupil 131e have corresponding shapes where the vertical portion is wider than that of the lateral width).
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 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito in view of Trisnadi et al (US Publication No.: US 2022/0075199 A1, “Trisnadi”).
Regarding Claim 7, Saito discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 1.
Saito fails to disclose a first display panel being the display panel configured to emit a first image light beam of the image light beam; a second display panel configured to emit a second image light beam different from the first image light beam in wavelength range; a third display panel configured to emit a third image light beam different from the first image light beam and the second image light beam in wavelength range; and a cross dichroic prism configured to synthesize the first image light beam, the second image light beam, and the third image light beam.
Trisnadi discloses a similar device comprising a first display panel being the display panel configured to emit a first image light beam of the image light beam; a second display panel configured to emit a second image light beam different from the first image light beam in wavelength range; a third display panel configured to emit a third image light beam different from the first image light beam and the second image light beam in wavelength range; and a cross dichroic prism configured to synthesize the first image light beam, the second image light beam, and the third image light beam (Trisnadi, Figure 11A; Paragraph 0206).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device as disclosed by Saito to include three display panels and a dichroic prism as disclosed by Trisnadi. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing convergence and emission of light (Trisnadi, Paragraph 0206).
Regarding Claim 8, Saito in view of Trisnadi discloses the virtual image display device according to claim 7.
Saito fails to disclose that an angle characteristic of a dichroic mirror of the cross dichroic prism is wide corresponding to a long side of the exit pupil, an intersecting axis of the dichroic mirror is along a vertical direction of the light-guiding member, and in the cross dichroic prism, a length in a traveling direction of the image light beam before being bent by the dichroic mirror corresponds to a lateral width of the incidence portion.
However, Trisnadi discloses a similar device where an angle characteristic of a dichroic mirror of the cross dichroic prism is wide corresponding to a long side of the exit pupil, an intersecting axis of the dichroic mirror is along a vertical direction of the light-guiding member, and in the cross dichroic prism, a length in a traveling direction of the image light beam before being bent by the dichroic mirror corresponds to a lateral width of the incidence portion (Trisnadi, Figure 11A; Paragraph 0206).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device as disclosed by Saito to include three display panels and a dichroic prism as disclosed by Trisnadi. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing convergence and emission of light (Trisnadi, Paragraph 0206).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIAM QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-4434. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Caley can be reached at 571-272-2286. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MARIAM QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2871
Prosecution Insights