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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/11/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
a. Claim 1 reads "the controller does not determine whether the position of the eye is outside position of the eye box for control". This phrasing is unclear and incomplete specifically “the position of the eye is outside position of the eye box for control", for control of what? Please consider revising and simplifying.
b. the specification fails to specifically define the phrase “…. the eye box for control”, the claims shall define the matter for which protection is sought and that said claims are supported by the disclosure, since they imply that the invention may depart from the subject-matter recited in the claim(s). Please consider clarifying and simplifying claim language throughout the claims.
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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. WS
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KONDO et al. (US PUB 2021/0039495; herein after “KONDO”) in view of SAJI S (JP 2022036432 A; herein after “SAJI”; machine Translation attached).
KONDO and SAJI disclose a head-up display device has an image generation unit for generating the image, a display unit for displaying the image. Therefore, they are analogous art.
Regarding claim 1, KONDO teaches a vehicle (A) display device (a virtual image display system 100 for vehicle, FIG. 1, para. [0004], [0024] and [0087]), comprising: a display device (a display screen 52) configured to display an image (Pi) (para. [0049]); a mirror (a concave mirror 53) configured to reflect display light of the image toward a reflective surface (the curved shape surface of the windshield WS) disposed in front of a driver (para. [0036]); a motor (a stepping motor) configured to change a projection position of the display light in a vehicle upper and lower direction by rotating the mirror (para. [0039] and [0042]); a reference data (image data PS) defining a correspondence relation between a plurality of reference points (display objects 10) and warping shapes (TbT icon 11a) (para. [0077], FIG. 11), the reference points being located along the vehicle upper and lower direction (the vertical direction, i.e., the y direction) and a vehicle width direction (i.e., the adjustment mechanism may be able to move the projection range PA in the left-right direction (i.e., the x direction), para. [0101]) set for an eye range (a projection range PA), the warping shapes corresponding to the respective reference points (i.e., when a plurality of important areas (e.g., reference points) exist, the attitude setting unit 74 adjusts the angular posture of the concave mirror 53 so that the projection range PA moves to a position that includes the plurality of important areas as much as possible, para. [0073], FIGS. 1 and 7-10, para. [0037] and [0051], FIGS. 1-3); an acquisition unit (DSM 25) configured to acquire a position of an eye of the driver (para. [0029]); and a controller (an adjustment mechanism 54) configured to set an eye box (a corresponding projection position Ale, FIG. 2) for control (para. [0038]), and generate a warping shape for display (11a) on the display device based on coordinates of a representative point of the eye box for control and the reference data (i.e., the movement of the projection range PA to the corresponding projection position ALe corresponding to the eye point EP is performed by rotating the concave mirror 53, para. [0055], also see para. [0048], [0056] and [0079]), wherein the controller updates the eye box for control and the warping shape for display in a case in which the position of the eye becomes a position outside the eye box for control (para. [0060], FIG. 4D), and in a case in which a line of sight of the driver is not directed to a virtual image by the display light (i.e., the DSM 25 may be able to calculate the driver's state information other than the eye point EP, for example, information such as the line-of-sight direction and the degree of eye opening by image analysis, para. [0030]), the controller does not determine whether the position of the eye is outside position of the eye box for control (i.e., the image generation unit 73 calculates the movement amount of the eye point EP. When the movement amount of the eye point EP is large, the corresponding display position IPe may be outside the current projection range PA, para. [0060], FIG. 4D, also see para. [0072] and [0074]).
KONDO teaches all limitations except for explicit teaching of a reference data defining a correspondence relation between a plurality of reference points and warping shapes, the reference points being located along the vehicle upper and lower direction and a vehicle width direction set for an eye range, the warping shapes corresponding to the respective reference points.
However, in a related field of endeavor SAJI teaches the HUD device 100 includes a ROM 210, which includes an image conversion table 212. The image conversion table 212 stores warping parameters WP that determine polynomials, multipliers, constants, etc for image correction (warping image correction) using, for example, a digital filter. The warping parameters WP are provided corresponding to each of the viewing zones (Z1) to (Z9) in the eyebox EB in FIG. 2(A), warping parameters (Z1) to WP (Z9) corresponding to each viewing zone are shown. In the figure, only symbols WP (Z1), WP (Z4), and WP (Z7) are shown as warping shapes (see para. [0061]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of KONDO such that the image conversion table stores warping parameters WP that determine polynomials, multipliers, constants, etc for image correction (warping image correction) using, for example, a digital filter as taught by SAJI, for the purpose of adjusting the sensitivity of the warping process accordingly, thus the visibility of the virtual image can be improved by effectively utilizing the above control.
Regarding claim 2, KONDO according to claim 1 further teaches in a case in which the position of the eye comes out of the eye box for control, the controller does not start to update the eye box for control and the warping shape for display until the position of the eye stops outside the eye box for control (para. [0060]).
Regarding claim 3, KONDO according to claim 1 further teaches the reference data includes the reference points located along the vehicle width direction with respect to the same position in the vehicle upper and lower direction (para. [0077]).
Regarding claim 4, KONDO fails to teach the controller selects the reference points surrounding the representative point of the eye box for control, and generates the warping shape for display by linear interpolation from a plurality of warping shapes corresponding to the selected reference points.
However, in a related field of endeavor SAJI teaches a warping parameter change control unit 184 performs various operations related to:
(1) Warping parameters WP (Z1) to WP (Z9) corresponding to each visual range, and one or more warping parameters interpolating between them are stored in ROM 210 in advance, and these are sequentially read out. So, change the image slowly,
(2) Using linear or non-linear characteristic lines (arithmetic formulas), one or more warping parameters that interpolate between the warping parameters WP (Z1) and WP (Z9) corresponding to each visual range are sequentially generated. By doing so, the image changes slowly,
(3) While referring to various information from the vehicle ECU 140 and the like, various operations related to correcting the processes (1) and (2) above are executed (see para. [0108]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of KONDO such that one or more warping parameters interpolating between them are stored in ROM in advance, and these are sequentially read out, and using linear characteristic lines (arithmetic formulas), one or more warping parameters that interpolate between the warping parameters WP as taught by SAJI by setting the value in advance, the range in which the warping parameter is not updated can be variably controlled, and the degree of freedom in design is improved.
Regarding claim 5, KONDO according to claim 1 further teaches in a case of rotating the motor at the time of updating the eye box for control, the controller gradually changes the warping shape for display in accordance with rotation of the motor (i.e., adjustment mechanism 54 rotates the concave mirror 53 around the rotation axis by rotating the stepping motor based on the drive signal from the projection control circuit 40, para. [0039]).
Regarding claim 6, KONDO according to claim 2 further teaches in a case of rotating the motor at the time of updating the eye box for control, the controller gradually changes the warping shape for display in accordance with rotation of the motor (i.e., the adjustment mechanism 54 rotates the concave mirror 53 around the rotation axis by rotating the stepping motor based on the drive signal from the projection control circuit 40, and changes the posture (gradually) of the concave mirror 53 with respect to the housing 30a, that is, the orientation of the reflecting surface, para. [0039]).
Regarding claims 7, KONDO according to claim 3 further teaches in a case of rotating the motor at the time of updating the eye box for control, the controller gradually changes the warping shape for display in accordance with rotation of the motor (i.e., the adjustment mechanism 54 rotates the concave mirror 53 around the rotation axis by rotating the stepping motor based on the drive signal from the projection control circuit 40, and changes the posture of the concave mirror 53 with respect to the housing 30a, that is, the orientation of the reflecting surface (warping), para. [0039]).
Regarding claim 8, KONDO teaches in a case of rotating the motor at the time of updating the eye box for control, the controller gradually changes the warping shape for display in accordance with rotation of the motor (i.e., the adjustment mechanism 54 rotates the concave mirror 53 around the rotation axis by rotating the stepping motor based on the drive signal from the projection control circuit 40, and changes the posture of the concave mirror 53 with respect to the housing 30a, that is, the orientation of the reflecting surface (warping), para. [0039]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ogisu et al. (US PUB 2021/0072538) teaches “a vehicle display device includes a reflection-type hologram disposed inside a windshield of a vehicle; and a projection device including an image display device outputting a display light and a regulating unit configured to regulate a diffusion angle of the display light, and to project the display light having passed through the regulating unit onto the hologram, wherein the hologram outputs the display light projected from the projection device as diffracted light directed to an eye range of the vehicle, and the regulating unit is configured to regulate the diffusion angle of the display light to an upper limit angle or less such that the display light reflected from the windshield is directed in a direction different from the eye range.”, paragraph 0006
KASAZUMI et al. (US PUB 20200012103) teaches “mirror driving unit 52 changes the display position of virtual image 300 projected on target space 400 in a longitudinal direction by rotating at least second mirror 32, in a direction of arrow A1 in FIG. 1, about rotation axis 321 along a transverse direction of display surface 20.”, see paragraph 0052.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUSTAK CHOUDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-5247. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8AM-5PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached on (571)272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MUSTAK CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
August 18, 2026
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