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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 12, and 13 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 10, 11, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wada (WO2017199640A1, with reference made to provided machine translation).
As per claim 1, Wada teaches (in figure 4-1) an optical display comprising: a housing (housing 40) comprising a first opening (opening 40a); a light source system (display 41) fastened to the housing and is configured to emit an imaging light; a transmissive-reflective optical element (half-mirror 42) fastened to the housing covering the first opening, and is-configured to reflect the imaging light as a first reflected imaging light; and a curved mirror (concave mirror 43) fastened to the housing and is-configured to receive the first reflected imaging light; and reflect the first reflected imaging light as a second reflected imaging light to outside the housing through the transmissive-reflective optical element (paragraph 20).
As per claim 10, Wada teaches (in figure 4-1) that the housing comprises a first part (40b) and a second part (40c, 40d, 40f, and 40e) connected to the first part, wherein the light source system (41) is fastened to the first part (40b), the curved mirror (43) is fastened to the second part (fastened to 40d of the second part comprising 40c, 40d, 40f, and 40e), and the second part (40c, 40d, 40f, and 40e) encloses at least a part of the first opening (40a), and wherein the transmissive-reflective optical element (42) is located on the second part.
As per claim 11, Wada teaches (in figure 4-1) that the light source system comprises a light-emitting surface (41a), wherein the transmissive- reflective optical element (42) comprises a reflective surface (surface of 42), and wherein the light- emitting surface is disposed obliquely relative to the reflective surface (see figure 2).
As per claim 16, Wada teaches (in figure 4-1) a transport vehicle comprising: an optical display comprising: a housing (housing 40) comprising a first opening (opening 40a); a light source system (display 41) fastened to the housing and is configured to emit an imaging light; a transmissive-reflective optical element (half-mirror 42) fastened to the housing covering the first opening, and is-configured to reflect the imaging light as a first reflected imaging light; and a curved mirror (concave mirror 43) fastened to the housing and is-configured to receive the first reflected imaging light; and reflect the first reflected imaging light as a second reflected imaging light to outside the housing through the transmissive-reflective optical element (paragraph 20).
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.
Claim(s) 2-4 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wada (WO2017199640A1, with reference made to provided machine translation) as applied to claims 1 and 16 respectively above and in further view of Degiulio et al. (US Pub. 20210041696, Degiulio).
As per claim 2, Wada teaches (in figure 4-1) that the housing (housing 40) comprises: a main housing (housing 40) comprising the first opening (opening 40a) and an outer side surface (outer surface of 40) wherein the light source system (display 41) and the curved mirror (concave mirror 43) are fastened to the main housing.
Wada does not teach a mounting part protruding from the outer side surface wherein the transmissive-reflective optical element is fixedly connected to the mounting part and is located outside the main housing.
However, Degiulio teaches (in figures 2-3) mounting the outermost optical element of an optical display (cover 34) to a housing (main case 30/window plate 32) by providing a mounting part (ledge 42 and upper surface of window plate 32) protruding from the outer side surface wherein the outermost optical element of the optical display (cover 34) is fixedly connected to the mounting part (by fasteners 42) and is located outside the main housing in order to secure the outermost optical element (cover 34) with fasteners (fasteners 42) which prevents corrosion and enables easier access to underlaying HUD components while also protecting the edge of the outmost optical element from impacts (paragraphs 20 and 23).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wada to include the mounting part as suggested by Degiulio.
The motivation would have been to secure the transmissive-reflective optical element with fasteners in order to prevent corrosion and enable easier access to underlaying HUD components while also protecting the edge of the transmissive-reflective optical element from impacts.
As per claim 3, Wada in view of Degiulio teaches the transmissive-reflective optical element (half-mirror 42 in Wada as modified by Degiulio and corresponding to cover 34 in Degiulio) comprises an edge, wherein the first opening (opening 40a in Wada as modified by Degiulio) comprises a peripheral contour (edge of opening 40a in Wada), and wherein the mounting part comprises: a mounting bottom wall (outer surface of housing 40 surrounding opening 40a in Wada as modified by Degiulio and corresponding to upper surface of window plate 32 in Degiulio) protruding from the outer side surface and disposed along the peripheral contour wherein the transmissive-reflective optical element is fastened to the mounting bottom wall (by fasteners 42 from Degiulio); and a protective flange (ledge 48 from Degiulio) protruding from the mounting bottom wall, wherein the protective flange encloses at least a part of the edge (see paragraph 16 in Degiulio).
As per claim 4, Wada in view of Degiulio teaches a mounting surface (outer surface of housing 40 surrounding opening 40a in Wada as modified by Degiulio which overlaps half-mirror 42 in Wada corresponding to the portion of the upper surface of window plate 32 overlapping cover 34 in Degiulio) disposed on the mounting bottom wall in parallel with the transmissive-reflective optical element (half-mirror 42 in Wada corresponding to cover 34 in Degiulio).
As per claim 17, Wada teaches (in figure 4-1) that the housing (housing 40) comprises: a main housing (housing 40) comprising the first opening (opening 40a) and an outer side surface (outer surface of 40) wherein the light source system (display 41) and the curved mirror (concave mirror 43) are fastened to the main housing.
Wada does not teach a mounting part protruding from the outer side surface wherein the transmissive-reflective optical element is fixedly connected to the mounting part and is located outside the main housing.
However, Degiulio teaches (in figures 2-3) mounting the outermost optical element of an optical display (cover 34) to a housing (main case 30/window plate 32) by providing a mounting part (ledge 42 and upper surface of window plate 32) protruding from the outer side surface wherein the outermost optical element of the optical display (cover 34) is fixedly connected to the mounting part (by fasteners 42) and is located outside the main housing in order to secure the outermost optical element (cover 34) with fasteners (fasteners 42) which prevents corrosion and enables easier access to underlaying HUD components while also protecting the edge of the outmost optical element from impacts (paragraphs 20 and 23).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wada to include the mounting part as suggested by Degiulio.
The motivation would have been to secure the transmissive-reflective optical element with fasteners in order to prevent corrosion and enable easier access to underlaying HUD components while also protecting the edge of the transmissive-reflective optical element from impacts.
As per claim 18, Wada in view of Degiulio teaches the transmissive-reflective optical element (half-mirror 42 in Wada as modified by Degiulio and corresponding to cover 34 in Degiulio) comprises an edge, wherein the first opening (opening 40a in Wada as modified by Degiulio) comprises a peripheral contour (edge of opening 40a in Wada), and wherein the mounting part comprises: a mounting bottom wall (outer surface of housing 40 surrounding opening 40a in Wada as modified by Degiulio and corresponding to upper surface of window plate 32 in Degiulio) protruding from the outer side surface and disposed along the peripheral contour wherein the transmissive-reflective optical element is fastened to the mounting bottom wall (by fasteners 42 from Degiulio); and a protective flange (ledge 48 from Degiulio) protruding from the mounting bottom wall, wherein the protective flange encloses at least a part of the edge (see paragraph 16 in Degiulio).
As per claim 19, Wada in view of Degiulio teaches a mounting surface (outer surface of housing 40 surrounding opening 40a in Wada as modified by Degiulio which overlaps half-mirror 42 in Wada corresponding to the portion of the upper surface of window plate 32 overlapping cover 34 in Degiulio) disposed on the mounting bottom wall in parallel with the transmissive-reflective optical element (half-mirror 42 in Wada corresponding to cover 34 in Degiulio).
Claim(s) 5, 6, 8, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wada (WO2017199640A1, with reference made to provided machine translation) as applied to claims 1 and 16 respectively above and in further view of Misawa et al. (US Pub. 20190129172, Misawa).
As per claim 5, Wada does not teach an installation surface is disposed on the housing, wherein the housing further comprises a fastening post protruding from the installation surface wherein the light source system comprises a light-emitting area and a non-light emitting area connected to the light-emitting area, wherein the light-emitting area is configured to emit the imaging light, and wherein the non-light emitting area is fixedly connected to the fastening post.
However, Misawa teaches (in figure 2 and 7) providing an installation surface (portion of outer case 55 adjacent to image display apparatus 30) is disposed on the housing (outer case 55), wherein the housing comprises a fastening post protruding from the installation surface (shown in figure 2) wherein a light source system (image display apparatus 30) comprises a light-emitting area (display element 33) and a non-light emitting area (outer members 36a and 36b) connected to the light-emitting area, wherein the light-emitting area is configured to emit the imaging light, and wherein the non-light emitting area is fixedly connected to the fastening post (see figure 2 and paragraph 69).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to attach the light source system in the manner suggested by Misawa.
The motivation would have been to ensure proper cooling of the light source system as taught by Misawa (paragraph 69).
As per claim 6, Wada in view of Misawa teaches that the non-light emitting area (outer members 36a and 36b from Misawa) comprises a positioning hole (shown as R1 in the annotated figure 7 from Misawa below), wherein the housing further comprises a light source positioning post (shown as R2 in the annotated figure 2 from Misawa) protruding from the installation surface, and wherein the light source positioning post penetrates through the positioning hole.
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As per claim 8, Wada in view of Misawa teaches that the light source system (display 41 in Wada attached as image display apparatus 30 in Misawa under the modification from Misawa) is disposed in parallel with the installation surface.
As per claim 20, Wada does not teach an installation surface is disposed on the housing, wherein the housing further comprises a fastening post protruding from the installation surface wherein the light source system comprises a light-emitting area and a non-light emitting area connected to the light-emitting area, wherein the light-emitting area is configured to emit the imaging light, and wherein the non-light emitting area is fixedly connected to the fastening post.
However, Misawa teaches (in figure 2 and 7) providing an installation surface (portion of outer case 55 adjacent to image display apparatus 30) is disposed on the housing (outer case 55), wherein the housing comprises a fastening post protruding from the installation surface (shown in figure 2) wherein a light source system (image display apparatus 30) comprises a light-emitting area (display element 33) and a non-light emitting area (outer members 36a and 36b) connected to the light-emitting area, wherein the light-emitting area is configured to emit the imaging light, and wherein the non-light emitting area is fixedly connected to the fastening post (see figure 2 and paragraph 69).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to attach the light source system in the manner suggested by Misawa.
The motivation would have been to ensure proper cooling of the light source system as taught by Misawa (paragraph 69).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wada (WO2017199640A1, with reference made to provided machine translation).
As per claim 9, Wada teaches (in figure 4-1) all the limitations of claims 1 and 5 (see rejection above).
Wada’s cited embodiment does not teach that the housing comprises a positioning surface and wherein the curved mirror is fixedly connected to the positioning surface.
However, Wada teaches in a later embedment (shown in figure 9) providing a positioning surface (U-shaped fixing part 46E) wherein the curved mirror (concave mirror 43E) is fixedly connected to the positioning surface (paragraph 80).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment shown in figure 4-1 of Wada to include the positioning surface taught in the embodiment shown in figure 9 of Wada.
The motivation would have been to better secure the half mirror.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wada (WO2017199640A1, with reference made to provided machine translation) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Cope et al. (US Pub. 20080211652, Cope).
As per claim 14, Wada teaches the optical display of claim 1 (see rejection above).
Wada does not explicitly teach that the optical display is installed on an instrument panel of the transport vehicle.
However, Cope teaches (in figure 16) that it is known to form an optical display (1602) on an instrument panel (1606).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the optical display in Wada on an instrument panel of the transport vehicle.
The motivation would have been to provide information to the driver in a convenient location.
As per claim 15, Wada teaches the optical display of claim 1 (see rejection above).
Wada does not explicitly teach that the optical display is installed on a seat of a transport vehicle.
However, Cope teaches (in figure 16) that it is known to form an optical display (1602) on an on the back of a drivers or passenger seat.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the optical display in Wada on a seat of a transport vehicle.
The motivation would have been to provide display to users sitting in the rear of the vehicle.
Conclusion
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/ALEXANDER P GROSS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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