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 .
Foreign Priority
This application claims priority to Japan Patent Application No. 2023-223155 filed on 12/28/2023. On 01/20/2025, an electronic copy of this document was retrieved by the USPTO, and thus on the office action summary sheet examiner has checked off the box “all” certified copies have been received at this time.
Drawing Objection
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because: (i) FIG. 1 includes misspelled word “modulatuin” that should be “modulation”; and (ii) FIGs. 3-4 and 11 include the misspelled word “voltage” that should be “voltage”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification Objection
The specification is objected to because the title is not descriptive. See MPEP 606.01 – “Where the title is not descriptive of the invention claimed, the examiner should require the substitution of a new title that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed”. Correction is needed. Examiner suggests by way of example the following title: “SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATION DEVICE INCLUDING A VOLTAGE CONTROL PORTION FOR SUPPLYING A POTENTIAL IN THREE STAGES TO A LIGHT MODULATION PORTION”.
Claim Objections
Claims 4-5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4 at line 3 includes “the liquid crystal element by,” which is grammatically
incorrect. This objection may be overcome, for example, by amending it to “the liquid crystal element,”. Appropriate correction is required. This objection applies to claim 5 that depends upon claim 4.
Claim 5 at line 4 includes “the data set” that lacks antecedent basis. This
objection may be overcome, for example, by amending it to “the set data”. Compare claim 4 at line 4 includes “set data”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. Claims 1-2 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2017/0365228 A1 to Kwok et al. (“Kwok”) in view of International Patent Pub. No. WO 97/31359 to Verhulst.
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As to claim 1, Kwok discloses a spatial light modulation device (FIG. 2A; ¶0051, especially – “FLC display”), comprising:
a light modulation portion(pixels region)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051, especially – “each
pixel”) including a plurality of pixels(pixels)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051);
a first driver(vertical wiring providing Sn to T1)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) for
supplying a first potential(Sn)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) to the light modulation portion(pixels region)(FIG. 2A: Sn, T1; ¶0051, especially – “each pixel”);
a second driver(T1)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) for supplying a second
potential(output from T1’s right terminal)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) to the light modulation
portion(region including 2s)(FIG. 2A: T1, T2; ¶0051); and
a voltage control portion(VDD/VSS)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) for supplying a third potential(potential applied to T2’s lower terminal)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) controlled in two stages(VSS and VDD stages)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) to the light modulation portion(region including 2s)(FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS, T2; ¶0051),
wherein a pixel(pixel)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) of the plurality of pixels(pixels)(FIG.
2A; ¶0051) includes: a first transistor(T1)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) whose conduction state is connected to be controlled by the first potential(Sn)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) applied to its gate terminal(T1’s gate terminal)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051); a second transistor(T2)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) whose conduction state is connected to be controlled by the second potential(output from T1’s right terminal)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) applied to its gate terminal(T2’s gate terminal)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) when the conduction state of the first transistor(T1)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) is on (FIG. 2A: Sn, T1; ¶0051); and
a liquid crystal element(CFLC)(FIG. 2A; ¶¶0049, 0051) in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FIG. 2A: CFLC; ¶¶0049, 0051) is interposed between a first electrode(CFLC’s top electrode)(FIG. 2A; ¶¶0049, 0051) whose potential is connected to be set according to the conduction state of the second transistor(T2)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051), and a second electrode(CFLC’s bottom electrode)(FIG. 2A; ¶¶0049, 0051) connected to be supplied with the third potential(potential applied to T2’s lower terminal)(FIG. 2A; ¶0051) and facing the first electrode(CFLC’s top electrode)(FIG. 2A; ¶¶0049, 0051).
Kwok does not expressly discloses a voltage control portion for supplying a third potential controlled in three stages.
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Verhulst discloses a voltage control portion(8)(FIGs. 1-2: 14, 16-17; p 6, ln 2-3, 16) for supplying a third potential(Vcom)(FIG. 6c; p 7, ln 22-23) controlled in three stages (Vcom: a negative voltage, 0 voltage, a positive voltage)(FIG. 6c; p 7, ln 22-23).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kwok with Verhulst to provide a spatial light modulation device that: (i) displays clearer and smoother images (i.e., by reducing the pixel response time by setting T2’s bottom terminal to zero after removing a residual signal by applying the negative voltage signal Vss); and (ii) conserves power by grounding T2’s bottom terminal during part of the operation stages instead of continuing to apply negative voltage Vss.
As to claim 2, Kwok and Verhulst teach the spatial light modulation device of claim 1, as applied above.
Kwok and Verhulst further teach wherein the pixel further includes a capacitive element connected between the gate terminal of the second transistor and a ground electrode (Kwok: FIG. 2A: C1, T2’s gate terminal, VDD/VS; S; ¶0051; Verhulst: FIGs. 1-2, 6c: 14, 16-17, Vcom: a negative voltage, 0 voltage, a positive voltage; p 6, ln 2-3, 16; p 7, ln 22-23).
The motivation to combine the additional teachings of Verhulst is for the same reasonings set forth above for claim 1.
As to claim 4, Kwok and Verhulst teach the spatial light modulation device of claim 1, as applied above.
Kwok and Verhulst further teach wherein the voltage control portion (Kwok: FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS; ¶0051; Verhulst: FIGs. 1-2: 14, 16-17: 8; p 6, ln 2-3, 16) is configured to supply the third potential of a first stage to the second electrode to reset a polarization direction of the liquid crystal element (Kwok: FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS, potential applied to T2’s lower terminal, CFLC’s bottom electrode, VSS for initialization of CFLC to a preset state; ¶¶0051-0052; Verhulst: FIG. 6c: Vcom: a negative voltage VSS applied during a first phase; p 7, ln 22-23), and then to supply the third potential of a second stage to the second electrode to set data to the pixel (Kwok: FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS, potential applied to T2’s lower terminal, CFLC’s bottom electrode; ¶¶0051-0052; Verhulst: FIG. 6c: Vcom: a zero/ground voltage; p 7, ln 22-23 – the combined teachings are a zero/ground voltage being applied during a second stage to set/pre-charge T2’s lower terminal to set data to the pixel).
The motivation to combine the additional teachings of Verhulst is for the same reasonings set forth above for claim 1.
As to claim 5, Kwok and Verhulst teach the spatial light modulation device of claim 4, as applied above.
Kwok and Verhulst further teach wherein the voltage control portion (Kwok: FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS; ¶0051; Verhulst: FIGs. 1-2: 14, 16-17: 8; p 6, ln 2-3, 16) is configured to supply the third potential of a third stage (Kwok: FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS, potential applied to T2’s lower terminal, CFLC’s bottom electrode, VDD; ¶¶0051-0052; Verhulst: FIG. 6c: Vcom: a positive voltage VDD; p 7, ln 22-23), which is positively or negatively inverted from the third potential of the first stage (Kwok: FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS, potential applied to T2’s lower terminal, CFLC’s bottom electrode, VSS for initialization of CFLC to a preset state; ¶¶0051-0052; Verhulst: FIG. 6c: Vcom: a negative voltage VSS applied during a first phase; p 7, ln 22-23), to the second electrode to maintain or reverse the polarization direction of the liquid crystal element based on the data set to the pixel (Kwok: FIG. 2A: VDD/VSS, potential applied to T2’s lower terminal, CFLC’s bottom electrode, VDD; ¶¶0051-0052; Verhulst: FIG. 6c: Vcom: a positive voltage VDD; p 7, ln 22-23 – VDD is higher than 0 V/ground which reverses the polarization direction with respect to the application of VSS that is lower than 0 V/ground).
The motivation to combine the additional teachings of Verhulst is for the same reasonings set forth above for claim 1.
As to claim 6, Kwok and Verhulst teach the spatial light modulation device of claim 1, as applied above.
Kwok and Verhulst further teach wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal of the liquid crystal element is interposed between the first electrode of each pixel of the plurality of pixels and the second electrode commonly facing the first electrodes of the plurality of pixels (Kwok: FIG. 2A: CFLC, CFLC’s top and bottom electrodes; ¶¶0049, 0051; Verhulst: FIGs. 2, 4: 12, 14, 16; p 5, ln 24-29; p 6, ln 1-3, 11, 16-18).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kwok and Verhulst with Verhulst’s further teachings to provide a spatial light modulation device that: (i) has a simplified configuration; and (ii) produces images with fast response times resulting in less blur/ghosting.
8. Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2017/0365228 A1 to Kwok et al. (“Kwok”) in view of International Patent Pub. No. WO 97/31359 to Verhulst as applied to claim 1, in view of U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2008/0309840 A1 to Yen et al. (“Yen”).
As to claim 3, Kwok and Verhulst teach the spatial light modulation device of claim 1, as applied above.
Kwok further disclose the liquid crystal element(CFLC)(FIG. 2A; ¶¶0049, 0051).
Kwok and Verhulst do not expressly disclose wherein the pixel further includes a capacitive element connected in parallel with the liquid crystal element.
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Yen discloses wherein the pixel(200)(FIGs. 2-3; ¶¶0021, 0023) further includes a capacitive element(Cs)(FIGs. 2-3; ¶¶0021, 0023) connected in parallel with the liquid crystal element(LC)(FIGs. 2-3; ¶¶0021, 0023).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kwok and Verhulst with Yen to provide a spatial light modulation device that displays smoother images (i.e., the capacitive element temporarily stores part of the voltage applied to liquid crystal element ensuring that a smooth, consistent voltage is applied to the liquid crystal element).
Other Relevant Prior Art
9. Other relevant prior art includes:
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Conclusion
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIRK W HERMANN whose telephone number is (571) 270-3891. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 10am-7pm, EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LunYi Lao can be reached on (571) 272-7671. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIRK W HERMANN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2619