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 .
DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18960706 filed on 11/26/2026 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Priority
As required by e M.P.E.P. 210, 214.03, acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for priority based on Continuation of application PCT/JP2023/035223, filed 09/27/2023 that claims foreign priority to JP 2022-155992, filed 09/29/2022 (Japan).
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
However, to overcome a prior art rejection, applicant(s) must submit a translation of the foreign priority papers in order to perfect the claimed foreign priority because said papers has not been made of record in accordance with 37 CFR 1.55. See MPEP § 213.04
Drawings
The applicant’s drawings submitted are acceptable for examination purposes.
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 1-2 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura et al. (hereafter Nakamura, of record, see IDS dated 11/26/2026) US 20080049331 A1.
In regard to independent claim 1, Nakamura teaches (see Figs. 1-7) a head-up display device (head-up display and cover 10, see abstract, paragraphs [01, 08-17, 31-43, 55-58]) comprising:
a display unit that is provided in a vehicle (i.e. display 10 with source 12 of 10 in a vehicle 1, e.g. paragraphs [31-43, 55-58], Figs. 1-2,7) and that displays a virtual image by reflecting display light emitted toward a reflection member capable of transmitting light toward a side of an eye point with the reflection member (i.e. as 12 displays virtual image S by reflecting display light L from display area E of the windshield 3 as reflection member transmitting S towards a side of eye point I, e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58], Figs. 1-2,7); and
a housing (case 11, paragraphs [31-40], Figs. 1-2,7) which has an opening facing the reflection member and to which the display unit is assembled (as 11 has opening 11a facing windshield 3 and to which the 10 is assembled, e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58], Figs. 1,7),
wherein the display unit (10) includes: a display instrument that is housed inside the housing and that emits the display light (as display source 12 that emits display light L, e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58], Figs. 1,7);
a reflection mirror that is housed inside the housing and that reflects enlarged display light (i.e. reflecting member 13 in 11, reflects enlarged display light L, e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58], Figs. 1,7) obtained by enlarging the display light emitted from the display instrument (12) toward the reflection member (3) through the opening (11a, as depicted by enlarged beam and image S, and with 13 being magnifying mirror, e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58], Figs. 1,7); and
a transparent cover (cover 20 with cover body 21, e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58], Figs. 1-7) that closes the opening (11a) and that transmits the enlarged display light reflected by the reflection mirror (21,20 transmits L reflected by 13, Figs. 1,7), in the opening (11a), a facing portion that blocks light is erected on a side opposite to the side of the eye point of the opening (i.e. as fixed part 22 with light shield wall 22a with front part of panel 2, on the front side of 1 opposite from I side of 11a, see Figs. 1,7 e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58]), the transparent cover (21) includes a curved portion having a curved shape (i.e. as 21 includes portion with curved shape, see Figs. 1-7 e.g. paragraphs [38-40, 55-58]),
the curved portion (curved portion 21) includes: a first surface portion located on a side of the reflection mirror (i.e. curved incident (rear) surface 23 on side of 13, e.g. paragraphs [38-40, 55-58], Figs. 1-7); and a second surface portion that is located on a side opposite to the side of the reflection mirror and that collects external light onto the facing portion (emitting surface 24 opposite from side 23, and 24 is exposed, collects outside light F, e.g. paragraphs [38-51, 55-58], Figs. 1-7),
a thickness between the first surface portion and the second surface portion in a vertical direction is thickened (as thickness of 21 between 23 and 24 increases, Figs. 1,2,7) from a side of the facing portion (from front side of 22a,22) toward the side of the eye point (side of 11a at the I side, e.g. paragraphs [38-51, 55-58], Figs. 1-7) in a range on the side of the eye point from a lowest point of the transparent cover in the vertical direction (i.e. as thickness increases from the lowest point on 23 of 21 towards the side of eye point I, due to curved wedge like shape of 21, e.g. paragraphs [38-51, 55-58], Figs. 1-7), and the lowest point of the transparent cover enters the lower side of the facing portion (i.e. as the lowest point of 21 on 23 side enters/is under the lower part of 22,22a of 2 in vertical direction, as depicted in Figs. 1,7, e.g. paragraphs [32-51, 55-58], Figs. 1-7).
Regarding claim 2, Nakamura teaches (see Figs. 1-7) that the reflection mirror (13) reflects external light (outside light, paragraphs [16-17,55-58]), which has been reflected between the first surface portion and the second surface portion of the transparent cover, transmitted through the transparent cover (i.e. as outside light can enter 21 reflect between 24, 3 surfaces and transmit through 21, paragraphs [16-17,55-58], Figs. 1,7), and emitted toward the reflection mirror (13), to a position different from a position of the opening (e.g. towards the side wall of 11, different from 11a, due to shape and position of 21, and/or direction of outside light, e.g. paragraphs [38-51, 55-58], Figs. 1-7).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, Nakamura teaches (see Figs. 1-7) that the display instrument directly emits the display light toward the reflection mirror (as 12 directly emits display light L towards 13, e.g. paragraphs [34-51, 55-58], Figs. 1-7), and the reflection mirror (13) reflects the enlarged display light (L) obtained by enlarging the display light directly emitted from the display instrument (12) toward the reflection member (3) via the transparent cover (21,20, as depicted by enlarged beam and image S, e.g. paragraphs [31-40, 55-58], Figs. 1,7).
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.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura et al. (hereafter Nakamura, of record, see IDS dated 11/26/2026) US 20080049331 A1 in view of Takahashi (of record see IDS dated 11/26/2024) US 20190258059 A1.
Regarding claims 3 and 4 , Nakamura teaches (see Figs. 1-7) that the first surface portion has a curved surface used for performing aberration correction on the enlarged display light reflected by the reflection mirror (i.e. as 21 has curved incident surface 23 performing corrections on magnified display light L, paragraphs [34-38, 42-48, 54]), but Nakamura is silent that the first surface portion (23 of 21) has a free curved surface that is used for performing aberration correction on the enlarged display light reflected by the reflection mirror (on display light L from magnifying mirror 13, paragraphs [34-38, 42-48, 54]).
However, Takahashi teaches in in the same field of invention of a vehicular display device (see Figs. 1-5, title, abstract, paragraphs [05-09, 17-25,31-36, 58]) and further teaches that the first surface portion (23 of 21) has a free curved surface that is used for performing aberration correction on the enlarged display light reflected by the reflection mirror (as surface 5a of the cover 5A is free-form surface configured to correct aberrations resulting from the effect of at least one of a curved surface in an optical system such as the reflecting mirror 7A (including a reflecting surface and a transmission surface) and the surface shape of the windshield 101 of the vehicle 100, see paragraphs [22, 32,36,54]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt and modify the first surface of the cover of Nakamura to include free-form surface according to teachings of Takahashi in order to provide a free-form surface that is configured to correct aberrations resulting from the effect of at least one of a curved surface in the optical system such as the reflecting mirror (including a reflecting surface and a transmission surface) and the surface shape of the windshield of the vehicle, (see Takahashi, paragraphs [22, 32,36,54]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ishikawa et al. US 20080238814 A1 also discloses features of instant invention (see Figs. 1-6, 16-18 and their descriptions).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIN PICHLER whose telephone number is (571)272-4015. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am -5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at (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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/MARIN PICHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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