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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurosu (Pub 20060197921) in view of Wong (Pub 20080110265).
Regarding claims 1 and 13, Kurosu discloses a projection device, (projector 10 fig 1)
suitable for projecting to a target area, wherein the projection device comprises
an optical engine, (projection optical system 300 fig 1), a ranging unit, (optical distance
measurement unit 1 fig 1), and a processor, (see controller Para. [0041]) wherein:
the optical engine is configured to project an image beam for forming a first image, (see
screen 20 for displaying an image projected by projector 10 fig 1 Para. [0040]);
the ranging unit is configured to emit a plurality of testing light beams toward the target
area, detect reflected light beams formed by reflection of the testing light beams, and extract an effective sensing information corresponding to the reflected light beams, (see emitting plurality of beams using optical axis deflector for deflecting a beam to two different distance measuring positions, where the beams are reflected and received, construed as extracting effective sensing information to generate distance measurements, Para. [0041])
and the processor is coupled to the ranging unit and the optical engine the processor is configured to receive the effective sensing information from the ranging unit, (see controller for receiving reflected beams to generate distance information, Para. [0041])
generate first projection distance information according to the effective sensing
information, (see measurement position A, Para. [0041]).
However, control the optical engine to project the image beam to the target area according to the first projection distance information, so that the first image is formed within an effective focal length range of the projection device is not disclosed.
In a similar field of endeavor, Wong discloses control the optical engine to project the image beam to the target area according to the first projection distance information, so that the first image is formed within an effective focal length range of the projection device, (Para. [0031]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kurosu by Wong for the benefit of improving a user’s experience by displaying focused images after projection distance deviation are corrected.
Claim(s) 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurosu in view of Wong in view of Nishimoto (Pub 20260023166).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, the combination discloses claims 1 and 13. However, selecting effective reflected light beams and obtaining first effective sensing points corresponding to the effective beams are not disclosed.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nishimoto discloses wherein the ranging unit selects a plurality of first effective reflected light beams from the reflected light beams according to a set condition, and obtains a plurality of first effective sensing points corresponding to the plurality of first effective reflected light beams, wherein the effective sensing information comprises the plurality of first effective reflected light beams and the plurality of first effective sensing points, (see Fig 7 and Fig 8 for selecting reflected light to generate pixel distance information, construed as effective sensing information. The reflected light, construed as effective reflected beams, are selected according to minimum value, construed as set condition. When the light intensity is below a minimum value, the corresponding pixel distance is not selected, see Fig 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combination by Nishimoto for the benefit of generating accurate distance information so that projection images are improved thereby enhancing a user’s viewing experience.
Regarding claims 3 and 15, the combination discloses claims 1 and 13. However, selecting sensing points and generating distance information according the sensing points where the points are arranged along a first direction and on one plane is not disclosed.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nishimoto discloses wherein the processor selects at least three first selected sensing points from the plurality of first effective sensing points, and generates the first projection distance information according to the at least three first selected sensing points; wherein the at least three first selected sensing points are arranged along a first direction and located on one plane, (see the result of Fig 10 for selecting, as selective distance information, pixel distance information corresponding to maximum light intensity, “Select pixel distance information”, construed as selected sensing points from a plurality of effective sensing points, to generate distance information). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combination by Nishimoto for the benefit of generating accurate distance information so that projection images are improved thereby enhancing a user’s viewing experience.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, the combination discloses claims 2 and 14. However, wherein the set condition is that an energy intensity of the reflected light beam is greater than a threshold value, and the reflected light beam is selected as the first effective reflected light beam, if the reflected light beam satisfies the set condition is not disclosed.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nishimoto discloses wherein the set condition is that an energy intensity of the reflected light beam is greater than a threshold value, and the reflected light beam is selected as the first effective reflected light beam, if the reflected light beam satisfies the set condition, (see reflected light is selected when it is greater than a minimum value Fig 8 and Para. [0094-0096]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combination by Nishimoto for the benefit of generating accurate distance information so that projection images are improved thereby enhancing a user’s viewing experience.
Regarding claims 12 and 24, the combination discloses claims 2 and 14. However, wherein at least two effective reflected light beams among the plurality of first effective reflected light beams are generated by reflection of one testing light beam among the plurality of the testing light beams is not disclosed.
In a similar field of endeavor, Nishimoto discloses wherein at least two effective reflected light beams among the plurality of first effective reflected light beams are generated by reflection of one testing light beam among the plurality of the testing light beams, (see light source 20 generating testing light towards subject 500 fig 1 where light reaches different reflectance areas 500A-500C). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combination by Nishimoto for the benefit of generating accurate distance information so that projection images are improved thereby enhancing a user’s viewing experience.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 -11, 17-23 are 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.
Conclusion
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HUMAM M. SATTI
Examiner
Art Unit 2422
/JOHN W MILLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2422