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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 2 and 7 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, lines 9, 14, 16, 17, 19 and 23, the phase “an image light ray” should be “the image light ray”;
Claim 2, sinθout should be sinθ_out; and
Claim 7, lines 2 and 3, the phase “an image light ray” should be “the image light ray”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6 and 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mori WO 2021199574A1 (see document of 18983957_2026-09-10_WO_2021199574_A1_M.pdf and use US 20230018634A1 as an English translation and citation).
Regarding claim 1, Mori discloses an optical system, in at least figs.1-2, 3B, 4 and 7, comprising a light guide (10 or 40) for guiding an image light ray (image light) which is output from a display element (20, or 20 without 28) and forms an image, to a field of view region of a user (driver) as an optical image,
the light guide including:
a body (40) having a plate shape (1-2, 3B, 4 and 7);
an incident region (42 or 42a) formed at the body and allowing the image light ray to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and
an exit extension region (43 or 43a) formed at the body and including a diffraction structure (see figs.2, 3B and 7) dividing the image light ray propagating in a first propagation direction (front to rear direction) intersecting a thickness direction of the body (see figs.2, 3B and 7), into a plurality of image light rays propagating in a second propagation direction (see figs.2, 3B and 7) intersecting the first propagation direction, in the first propagation direction, and allowing them to emerge from the light guide (see figs.2, 3B and 7), and
at least one part of the exit extension region satisfying that
when an exit angle of the image light ray emerging from the exit extension region is adjusted under a condition where a refractive index of a medium on an incident side of the image light ray relative to the exit extension region and a refractive index of a medium on an exit side of the image light ray relative to the exit extension region are equal to each other (see figs.2, 3B and 7),
an exit angle θ_out (Emission angle in figs.2 and 7) of the image light ray emerging from the exit extension region at a highest diffraction efficiency in a predetermined plane including a normal line of the exit extension region is equal to or greater than 15° and is equal to or smaller than 45° (see para.99 and figs.2 and 7 discloses emission angles can be 17° and 20° for last two image light), and
an incident angle θ_in (incident angle in figs.2 and 7) of the image light ray incident on the exit extension region in the predetermined plane is greater than the exit angle θ_out by 14° or more (see figs.2 and 7 discloses incident angle is about 50°, so it’s greater than the exit angle θ_out by 14° or more).
Regarding claim 2, Mori discloses satisfying following formula (1); [FORMULA 1]
sinθ_in>(sinθ_out+1)/2 (1)(when exit angle θ_out be 17° or 20° and incident angle θ_in be 50°).
Regarding claim 3, Mori discloses satisfying following formula (2); [FORMULA 2]
θ_in>0.65×θ_out+29° (2)(when exit angle θ_out be 17° or 20° and incident angle θ_in be 50°).
Regarding claim 6, Mori discloses the diffraction structure of the exit extension region is a volume holographic element positioned inside the body (para.97 and 3).
Regarding claim 8, Mori discloses a diffraction pitch of the exit extension region is equal to or greater than 1.23 × λ/n and equal to or smaller than 10.0 × λ/n; λ is a wavelength of the image light ray; and n is a refractive index of the exit extension region (d=1/(sinθ_in-sinθ_out) × λ/n. d=2.115 λ/n or 2.3585 λ/n, when exit angle θ_out be 17° or 20° and incident angle θ_in be 50°).
Regarding claim 9, Mori discloses a diffraction pitch of the exit extension region is equal to or greater than 1.36 × λ/n and equal to or smaller than 3.82 × λ/n; λ is a wavelength of the image light ray; and n is a refractive index of the exit extension region (d=1/(sinθ_in-sinθ_out) × λ/n. d=2.115 λ/n or 2.3585 λ/n, when exit angle θ_out be 17° or 20° and incident angle θ_in be 50°).
Regarding claim 10, Mori discloses a range of the incident angle θ_in greater than the exit angle θ_out by 14° or more contains a range determined by incident angles of auxiliary light beams defining both outermost edges of the image light ray incident on the exit extension region regarding the predetermined plane (see figs.2 and 7).
Regarding claim 11, Mori discloses the at least one part of the exit extension region is included in an end on a side of the incident region, of the exit extension region in an optical path of the image light ray from the incident region to the exit extension region (see figs.2 and 7).
Regarding claim 12, Mori discloses the light guide is positioned to guide the image light ray emerging from the body to the field of view region as the optical image by reflecting the image light ray by a light-transmissive member (3)(see figs.1A and 1B).
Regarding claim 13, Mori discloses a projection optical system (30, or 28) allowing the image light ray to be incident on the incident region of the light guide as a substantial collimate light ray (see figs.1, 2 and 7).
Regarding claim 14, Mori discloses an image display device (1), in at least figs.1-2, 3B, 4 and 7, comprising: the optical system according to claim 1; and the display element (20, or 20 without 28).
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 (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 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.
Claim(s) 4, 5 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori WO 2021199574A1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Minami WO 2023007862 A1 (see document of 18983957_2026-09-10_WO_2023007862_A1_M.pdf, use Minami US 20240160016 as an English Translation and citation).
Regarding claims 4 and 5, Mori discloses the body includes a first surface and a second surface in the thickness direction (see figs.2 and 7).
Mori does not explicitly disclose the incident region allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface, to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface, and the first inclined direction and the second inclined direction are parallel to each other.
Minami discloses an optical system, in at least figs.3-7, the incident region (21) allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface (see figs.3-5A), to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region (25) allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface (see figs.3-5A), and the first inclined direction and the second inclined direction are parallel to each other (see figs.3-5A) for the purpose of having a light guide for guiding/transmit light (para.49).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the incident region allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface, to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface, and the first inclined direction and the second inclined direction are parallel to each other as taught by Minami in the optical system of Mori for the purpose of having a light guide for guiding/transmit light.
Regarding claim 7, Mori does not explicitly disclose further comprising an auxiliary extension region formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region, into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region.
Minami discloses an optical system, in at least figs.3-7, further comprising an auxiliary extension region (23) formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region (21), into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region (25)(see fig.6) for the purpose of forming a light guide for guiding/transmit light (para.17 and 59).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further comprising an auxiliary extension region formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region, into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region as taught by Minami in the optical system of Mori for the purpose of forming a light guide for guiding/transmit light.
Claim(s) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori WO 2021199574A1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Singer US 2020/0278547.
Regarding claims 4 and 5, Mori discloses the body includes a first surface and a second surface in the thickness direction (see figs.2 and 7).
Mori does not explicitly disclose the incident region allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface, to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface, and the first inclined direction and the second inclined direction are parallel to each other.
Singer discloses an optical system, in at least fig.15, the incident region (53 or 51) allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface (see fig.15), to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region (73 or 71) allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface (see fig.15), and the first inclined direction and the second inclined direction are parallel to each other (see fig.15) for the purpose of having a light guide for guiding/transmit light (abstract and para.45).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the incident region allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface, to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface, and the first inclined direction and the second inclined direction are parallel to each other as taught by Singer in the optical system of Mori for the purpose of having a light guide for guiding/transmit light.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori WO 2021199574A1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jarvenpaa US 20220082824.
Regarding claim 7, Mori does not explicitly disclose further comprising an auxiliary extension region formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region, into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region.
Jarvenpaa discloses an optical system, in at least figs.1-4C, further comprising an auxiliary extension region (101b) formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region (101a), into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region (101c)(see fig.2) for the purpose of forming a flat diffractive exit pupil expander waveguide (para.32).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further comprising an auxiliary extension region formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region, into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region as taught by Jarvenpaa in the optical system of Mori for the purpose of forming a flat diffractive exit pupil expander waveguide.
Claim(s) 4 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori WO 2021199574A1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kern US 20210141224.
Regarding claim 4, Mori discloses the body includes a first surface and a second surface in the thickness direction (see figs.2 and 7).
Mori does not explicitly disclose the incident region allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface, to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface.
Kern discloses an optical system, in at least figs.2 and 4, the incident region (53) allows the image light ray (L1) incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface (see fig.2), to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region (52) allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface (see fig.2) for the purpose of having an optical waveguide guiding/transmit light (para.37).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the incident region allows the image light ray incident on the first surface in a first inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the first surface, to enter the body so that the image light ray propagates inside the body; and the exit extension region allows the plurality of image light rays propagating in the second propagation direction to emerge from the second surface in a second inclined direction inclined relative to a normal line of the second surface as taught by Kern in the optical system of Mori for the purpose of having an optical waveguide guiding/transmit light.
Regarding claim 7, Mori does not explicitly disclose further comprising an auxiliary extension region formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region, into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region.
Kern discloses an optical system, in at least figs.2 and 4, further comprising an auxiliary extension region (51) formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region (53), into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region (52)(see fig.2) for the purpose of forming an optical waveguide guiding/transmit light (para.37).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further comprising an auxiliary extension region formed at the body and including a diffraction structure dividing the image light ray propagating in a predetermined direction inside the body by the incident region, into a plurality of image light rays propagating in the first propagation direction, in the predetermined direction, and allowing them to travel toward the exit extension region as taught by Kern in the optical system of Mori for the purpose of forming an optical waveguide guiding/transmit light (para.37).
Contact Information
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Minami WO 2023/007863A1 (at least figs.3-7, see document of 18983957_2026-09-10_WO_2023007863_A1_M.pdf) and Minami WO 2023007862A1 (at least figs.3-7, see document of 18983957_2026-09-10_WO_2023007862_A1_M.pdf) can be a primary reference and teach at least claims 4-5 and 7 as well can be overcome by filing an English translation of Foreign Priority document and a same assignee statement.
Minami US 20240160015 (at least figs.3-7) and Minami US 20240160016 (at least figs.3-7) can be a primary reference and teach claims at least 4-5 and 7 as well, can be overcome by filing a same assignee statement.
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/JIA X PAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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