Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/923,700

PROJECTION DEVICE AND LIGHT SOURCE SYSTEM THEREOF

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Oct 23, 2024
Examiner
OSORIO, RICARDO
Art Unit
2625
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Coretronic Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 3m
To Grant
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allow Rate
723 granted / 813 resolved
+26.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
21 currently pending
Career history
834
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.8%
-38.2% vs TC avg
§103
43.1%
+3.1% vs TC avg
§102
26.1%
-13.9% vs TC avg
§112
7.0%
-33.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 813 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 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 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 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chang et al(US 20220022297). As to claims 1 and 11, Chang et al(US 20220022297) teach a light source system of a projection device, the light source system being configured to provide an illumination beam and comprising: a light source module(R-LD, G-LD, B-LD ) comprising a first light source(R-LD), a second light source(G-LD), and a third light source(B-LD)(see Figs. 1-2; [0030, 0036]), wherein the first light source, the second light source, and the third light source are respectively configured to provide a first beam, a second beam, and a third beam, and the first beam, the second beam, and the third beam have wavelength ranges different from each other(see Figs. 1-3; [0032-0033], Claim 2); a driver(120) coupled to the light source module( R-LD, G-LD, B-LD) and configured to drive the light source module(see Figs. 1-3; [0030, 0041]); and a control circuit(101, 110, 130, 140) coupled to the driver(120) and outputting a pulse width modulation signal(PWM) to the driver according to a selection signal(101)(see Figs. 1-3; [0029-0030, 0036, 0041]), wherein the pulse width modulation signal is one of a first pulse width modulation signal(R-I), a second pulse width modulation signal(G-I), and a third pulse width modulation signal(B-I) received by the control circuit(101, 110, 130, 140)(see Figs. 1-3; [028-0029]), , wherein the driver drives one of the first light source(R-LD), the second light source(G-LD), and the third light source(B-LD) that corresponds to the selection signal with the pulse width modulation signal(PWM), and the illumination beam comprises one of the first beam(Red), the second beam(Green), and the third beam(Blue)(see Figs. 1-3; [0028-0029, 0036]). As to claim 11, further, Chang et al teach a projection device comprising a light source system, light value and a projection lens(see Figs. 1-4; [0028, 0043-0044]. Claim(s) 2, 4-5, 9, 12, 14-15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al(US 20220022297) in view of Gao et al(US 20250301107). As to claims 2 and 12, Chang et al teach the control the control circuit(101, 110, 130, 140) for generating a first enable signal(R-EN), a second enable signal(G-EN), and a third enable signal(B-EN) according(see Figs. 1-3; [0027, 0036]); and a multiplexer(111-113) for selecting one of the first pulse width modulation signal(R-I), the second pulse width modulation signal(G-I), and the third pulse width modulation signal(B-I) as the pulse width modulation signal according to the first enable signal(R-EN), the second enable signal(G-EN), and the third enable signal(B-EN), and outputting the pulse width modulation signal(PWM) to the driver(120)(see Figs. 1-3; [0027-0030, 0036]). Chang et al fail to disclose a logic circuit. Gao et al(US 20250301107) teaches a control circuit(10) comprising a logic circuit(IC chip) configured to receive selection signal(light emission information from memory) and generating a first enable signal(DRVM1), a second enable signal (DRVM2), and a third enable signal (DRVM3) according to the selection signal(see Figs. 3-4 and [0057-0060, 0075-0076]). Therefore, it would be obvious for a person skilled in the art at the time of invention was filed to have modified Chang et al with the teaching of Gao et al, so as to provide a clear picture to a user how the enable signal has been produced(see Gao et al’s Fig. 3 and abstract). As to claims 4 and 14, Chang et al as modified teach a drive circuit(140) receiving the pulse width modulation signal(PWM) provided by the control circuit(101, 110, 130, 140)(see Chang et al’s Figs. 1, 3; [0029]); and a switching circuit(40) coupled to the drive circuit(20) and the logic circuit(10) and switching a connection of the drive circuit(20) to one of the first light source(31), the second light source(32), and the third light source(33) according to the first enable signal(DRVM1), the second enable signal(DRVM2), and the third enable signal(DRVM3) from the logic circuit(10) to cause the drive circuit(20) to output the pulse width modulation signal(PWM) to one of the first light source(31), the second light source(32), and the third light source(33) that corresponds to the selection signal to perform driving(see Gao et al’s Figs. 3-4; [0057-0060, 0075]). Therefore, it would be obvious for a person skilled in the art at the time of invention was filed to have modified Chang et al with the teaching of Gao et al, so as to provide a clear picture to a user how to drive LED properly(see Gao et al’s Figs. 3-4; abstract and [0068]). As to claims 5 and 15, Gao et al teach the switching circuit(40) comprises: a first switch coupled between the drive circuit(20) and the first light source(31) and having a conducting state changed under control of the first enable signal(DRVM1); a second switch coupled between the drive circuit(20) and the second light source(32) and having a conducting state changed under control of the second enable signal(DRVM2); and a third switch coupled between the drive circuit(20) and the third light source and having a conducting state changed under control of the third enable signal(DRVM3)(see Figs. 3-4; [0070-0075]). See the same motivation on claims 4 and 14. As to claims 9 and 19, Chang et al teach the control circuit(101, 110, 130, 140) further comprises: a non-inverting amplifier(140) coupled between the multiplexer(111-113) and the driver(120) and configured to amplify the pulse width modulation signal outputted by the multiplexer(see Figs, 3-4; [0030, 0041]). Claim(s) 10 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al(US 20220022297) in view of Wu et al. (US 2018/0259838). As to claim 10, Chang, further, does not specifically disclose the light source module is a plurality of light source modules, the driver comprises a plurality of drive circuits, each of the plurality of drive circuits is coupled to a corresponding light source module among the plurality of light source modules, and the control circuit is coupled to and outputs the pulse width modulation signal to the plurality of drive circuits to simultaneously drive each of the plurality of light source modules. Wu discloses the light source module is a plurality of light source modules (Fig. 8, (821, 822, 823)[0066], the driver comprises a plurality of drive circuits (Fig. 8, (811, 812, 813), each of the plurality of drive circuits (811, 812, 813)is coupled to a corresponding light source module among the plurality of light source modules (821, 822, 823), and the control circuit is coupled to and outputs the pulse width modulation signal to the plurality of drive circuits to simultaneously drive each of the plurality of light source modules (Figs. 6-8, [0060-0062, 0066-0068]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have the switch circuits, as taught by Wu, in the device of Chang, so as to improve the image display performance of the projector [0068]. Claim(s) 6-7 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al(US 20220022297) in view of Gao et al(US 20250301107) and Wibben(US 20100283322). As to claims 6 and 16 Chang et al as modified fail to disclose a smoothing circuit. Wibben teach a light source system comprising a smoothing circuit(24a-24n) coupled to the switching circuit(20a-20n) and configured to smooth a voltage outputted by the switching circuit, wherein the smoothing circuit comprises: a first capacitor(22a) coupled between the first switch(20a) and a ground voltage(26a); a second capacitor(22b) coupled between the second switch(20b) and the ground voltage(26b); and a third capacitor(24c) coupled between the third switch(20c) and the ground voltage(26c)(See Fig. 1 and [0031]). Therefore, it would be obvious for a person skilled in the art at the time of invention was filed to have modified Chang et al as modified with the teaching of Chang et al, so as to hold the voltage for LEDs while the voltage not being supply from terminal 14(see Fig. 1). As to claims 7 and 17, Chang, as anticipated by Gao and Wibben, does not specifically disclose the first light source is a red light source and a capacitance value of the first capacitor is 5μF to 8μF, the second light source is a green light source and a capacitance value of the second capacitor is 3μF to 6μF, and the third light source is a blue light source and a capacitance value of the third capacitor is 8μF to 11μF. Examiner takes Official Notice as to the first light source is a red light source and a capacitance value of the first capacitor is 5μF to 8μF, the second light source is a green light source and a capacitance value of the second capacitor is 3μF to 6μF, and the third light source is a blue light source and a capacitance value of the third capacitor is 8μF to 11μF. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing in a manufacturing or lab environment, to have light sources of specific colors having respective associated capacitors with capacitance values appropriate for the specific desired result. Claim(s) 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al(US 20220022297) in view of Gao et al(US 20250301107), and further in view of Zhang et al. (CN 113934049). As to claims 8 and 18, Chang, as anticipated by Gao, does not specifically disclose, further, an discloses the control circuit further comprises an OR gate coupled between the logic circuit and the multiplexer and receiving the first enable signal, the second enable signal, and the third enable signal to enable the multiplexer and cause the multiplexer to output the pulse width modulation signal. Zhang discloses and OR gate (Fig. 7, (131, 132) coupled between the logic circuit and the multiplexer (Fig. 7, (133-135) (see first paragraph in reference to Fig. 2) and receiving the first enable signal Fig. 7(R_EN), the second enable signal Fig. 7(G_EN), and the third enable signal Fig. 7(B_EN) to enable the multiplexer (Fig. 7, (131, 132) and cause the multiplexer to output the pulse width modulation signal (Fig. 7, (121, 122, 123)(First paragraph in reference to Fig. 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have the OR gates, as taught by Zhang, in the device of Chang and Gao, so that the projection device can solve the problem of low fluorescence conversion rate (see Zhang, Abstract). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICARDO OSORIO whose telephone number is (571)272-7676. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 AM-5:30 PM. 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, LunYi Lao can be reached at 571-272-7671. 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. /RICARDO OSORIO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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Prosecution Timeline

Oct 23, 2024
Application Filed
Dec 12, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
89%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+8.2%)
2y 3m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 813 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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