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 Objections
Claims 1, 4, 11 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 1, line 6, appears to have a typographical error. Please insert a space to correct “ata” for - - at a - -.
Regarding claim 4, line 2, appears to have a typographical error. Please insert a space to correct “deviceand” for - - device and - -.
Regarding claim 11, lines 2 and 3, the symbol “~” should be replaced with a hyphen.
Regarding claim 12, line 2, the word “Speckle” should be written with lowercase.
Regarding claim 12, line 3, the symbol “~” should be replaced with a hyphen.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. in view of Huang.
Lin et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0255441 A1) discloses (see annotated Figure 6):
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Regarding claim 1, a light projection device (Figure 6, element 1’), comprising a first light source module (Figure 6, element 18) and a digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14), the first light source module (Figure 6, element 18) projecting a first beam (Figure 6, element P2) to the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14), the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14) reflecting part of the first beam (Figure 6, element P2) to a first lens set for projecting a first light pattern (i.e. light pattern corresponding with element P2), characterized by comprising: a first light expansion module (Figure 6, elements 10 and 12), receiving part of the first beam (Figure 6, element P2) reflected by the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14).
Regarding claim 2, the first light source module (Figure 6, element 18) is disposed on a side of the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14), a first reflection member (Figure 6, element 16) is disposed on another side of the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14), and the first beam (Figure 6, element P2) projected from the first light source module (Figure 6, element 18) is reflected by the first reflection member (Figure 6, element 16) for projecting to the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14).
Regarding claim 3, the first light source module (Figure 6, element 18) and a first reflection member (Figure 6, element 16) are disposed on a side of the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14), and the first beam (Figure 6, element P2) projected from the first light source module (Figure 6, element 18) is reflected by the first reflection member (Figure 6, element 16) for projecting to the digital micromirror device (Figure 6, element 14).
Regarding claim 6, the first light expansion module (Figure 6, elements 10 and 12) includes a second reflection member (i.e. X-cube prism; Figure 6, element 12) and a second lens set (Figure 6, element 10).
Lin et al. teaches the salient features of the present invention as explained above except (regarding claim 1) the first light expansion module projecting a second light pattern at a side of the first light pattern; and (regarding claim 5) a first overlapping region is formed between the first light pattern and the second light pattern, and the first overlapping region, the first light pattern, and the second pattern form a high-beam light pattern.
Huang (US Pub. No. 2010/0238413 A1) discloses:
Regarding claim 1, the first light expansion module (Figure 6A, element 3’) projecting a second light pattern (Figure 6A, element 332) at a side of the first light pattern (Figure 6A, element 312).
Regarding claim 5, a first overlapping region (Figure 6A, element 35) is formed between the first light pattern (Figure 6A, element 312) and the second light pattern (Figure 6A, element 332), and the first overlapping region (Figure 6A, element 35), the first light pattern (Figure 6A, element 312), and the second pattern form (Figure 6A, element 332) a high-beam light pattern (page 3, paragraph 0038, lines 13-17).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a first light expansion module projecting a second light pattern at a side of the first light pattern; and a first overlapping region is formed between the first light pattern and the second light pattern, and the first overlapping region, the first light pattern, and the second pattern form a high-beam light pattern as shown by Huang in combination with Lin et al.’s invention for the purpose of focusing and projecting a light beam onto a screen to form an image (Huang, page 3, paragraph 0038, lines 16-17).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. in view of Huang.
Lin et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0255441 A1) in combination with Huang (US Pub. No. 2010/0238413 A1) disclose a light source module (see Lin et al., Figure 6, element 18). Lin et al. in combination with Huang do not explicitly state a first light source module is disposed within an angle of 30-50 degrees parallel with an optic axis of the light projection device and within an angle of 15-30 degrees perpendicular to the optic axis. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a first light source module is disposed within an angle of 30-50 degrees parallel with an optic axis of the light projection device and within an angle of 15-30 degrees perpendicular to the optic axis for the purpose of avoiding interference between the reflecting module and the beam projecting path (see Lin et al., page 2, paragraph 0022, lines 15-17), and to avoid over-increasing the structural height of the projector (see Lin et al., paragraph 0022, lines 23-24).
The applicant should note that it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). Furthermore, the applicant should note that it has been held that where the general working conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 and 13 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 7, Huang (US Pub. No. 2010/0238413 A1) discloses a light projection device (Figure 6A, element 3’), comprising at least one second light source module (Figure 6A, element 33’) and a digital micromirror device (Figure 6A, element 37), the at least one second light source module (Figure 6A, element 33’) projecting at least one second beam (Figure 6A, element 332) to the digital micromirror device (Figure 6A, element 37), the digital micromirror device (Figure 6A, element 37) reflecting the at least one second beam (Figure 6A, element 332) to a first lens set (Figure 6A, element 39) for projecting a third light pattern (page 3, paragraph 0039, lines 16-19). However, Huang and the prior art of record neither shows nor suggests a light projection device comprising at least one second light expansion module disposed on a side of the digital micromirror device and receiving part of the at least one second beam from the at least one second light source module, and the at least one second light expansion module projecting a fourth light pattern at a side of the third light pattern.
Regarding claims 8-10 and 13, the claims are allowable based on their dependence from allowable claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mayer et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0356062 A1) discloses a central processing unit comprising a light source control unit and an array control unit is associated with the light source and the micromirror array. The shaped rays of light of the light source are directed at the micromirror array, and the reflected light beam structured thereby is projected by the projection optics system as a light image into a traffic space. At least two light sources are provided, the rays of light of which are directed at a micromirror array common to the light sources, and at least two superimposed regions of a projection optics system having different refractive powers for at least two image regions of the light image are associated with the light beam reflected by the micromirror array.
Albou (US Pub. No. 2018/0313510 A1) teaches a light source having one or more light emitting diodes and/or has a punctiform or virtually punctiform appearance. The reflected radiation arrives on a second part of the imaging system, this part characteristically consisting in an optical projection system, some of whose elements can form a back focusing system. The module remains compact and is clearly suitable for providing adaptive lighting in a homogeneous, efficient manner and with high resolution.
Liu (US Pub. No. 2009/0161080 A1) shows displaying method of a digital light processing (DLP) projector includes the steps of: providing a light modulation device including a driver printed circuit board and a digital micromirror device (DMD), wherein the DMD includes a plurality of micromirrors each having a first stable state and a second stable state, and a predetermined light incident direction, the DMD is installed on the driver printed circuit board; providing an illumination light beam being incident on the DMD along an operating direction different from the predetermined light incident direction, modulating the illumination light beam to an imaging light beam by the DMD and directing the imaging light beam to a projection lens for projecting an image. A DLP projector made thereby has a relatively lower manufacturing cost.
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/MAGDA CRUZ/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
07/18/2026
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