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 .
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on August 04, 2025 & April 21, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and have been considered by the Examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Asai (US 2021/0364795).
In regard to claim 1, Asai discloses a head up display (HUD 14) system (Figs 1-3) for use in a vehicle, the HUD comprising: a picture generation unit (PGU 20), the PGU comprising: a backlight unit (BLU 30A to 30C); an internal fold mirror (40); and a display (32); a freeform mirror (24); and a light pathway defined by the PGU and the freeform mirror; wherein the HUD is configured to transmit light along the light pathway; wherein when light is transmitted along the light pathway, the light emanates and is transmitted from the BLU (30A-C) to the internal fold mirror (40), then from the internal fold mirror to the display(32), and then from the display to the freeform mirror (See Fig 3, [ 0052] and Fig 1, [0038]) .
In regard to claim 2, Asai discloses the HUD system of claim 1, further comprising an image exhibited on the display (Fig 1, display panel 32 for displaying an image, see [0040]).
In regard to claim 3, Asai discloses the HUD system of claim 2, wherein the light pathway is additionally defined by a target surface (windshield 12), and wherein the image reflected on the display is transmitted along the light pathway from the freeform mirror (24) such that it is reflected upon the target surface (See Fig 1).
In regard to claim 4, Asai discloses the HUD system of claim 3, wherein the target surface is a windshield (12).
In regard to claim 5, Asai discloses the HUD system of claim 1, wherein the BLU comprises a light array (30A-C) and a plurality of lenses (cylindrical lenses 34e) (See Fig 3 and [0047]).
In regard to claim 6, Asai discloses the HUD system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of lenses comprises a condenser lens (prisms 34f, see [0052] to the amount of light emitted from emission surface 34b increases) and two lenticular lenses (cylindrical lenses 34e) (See Fig. 4A-B and [0046]).
In regard to claim 7, Asai discloses the HUD system of claim 5, wherein the light array and plurality of lenses are oriented perpendicularly to the display (See Figs 1 and 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-11 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.
Claims 12-20 are allowed.
Regarding independent claim 12, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the combination of all limitations of claim 12 that includes:
“wherein the internal fold mirror is positioned along the light pathway between the BLU and the display; wherein when an antegrade light is transmitted along the light pathway, the antegrade light emanates and is transmitted from the BLU to the internal fold mirror, then from the internal fold mirror to the display, and then from the display to the freeform mirror; wherein the orientation angle of the display permits the antegrade light to travel in the antegrade direction along the light pathway from the internal fold mirror to the freeform mirror, and wherein the orientation angle of the display prohibits a retrograde light from traveling from the display to the freeform mirror.”
Regarding claims 13-20, are allowable because they are dependent on claim 12.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lin Ye whose telephone number is (571)272- 7372. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the TC director, James Kramer can be reached on (571) 272-6783. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about
Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in
DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638
Prosecution Insights