Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 26, 2026
Application No. 18/996,626

FIELD OF VIEW AREA SELECTION USING ELECTROCHROMIC FACETS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 17, 2025
Priority
Jul 18, 2022 — provisional 63/390,115 +1 more
Examiner
ADAMS, CARL
Art Unit
2627
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Google LLC
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
72%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
10m
Est. Remaining
88%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 72% — above average
72%
Career Allowance Rate
578 granted / 804 resolved
+9.9% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
19 currently pending
Career history
835
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
62.9%
+22.9% vs TC avg
§102
28.1%
-11.9% vs TC avg
§112
6.5%
-33.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 804 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 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. Claims 1 and 10 – 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang et al. (US Pub. No. 2024/0126104 A1). As to claims 1 and 21, Jang shows a head-worn display (HWD) (i.e. glasses) and associated methodology (Fig. 1 and para. 49), comprising: an optical engine (i.e. control modular 600) configured to emit a display light (i.e. image, Fig. 2 and para. 58); a lightguide (i.e. lens parts 200, Fig. 2 and para. 53); and an electrochromic facet (i.e. electrochromic module 100) configured to direct the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a path of a plurality of paths based on a state of the electrochromic facet (Figs. 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B and paras. 96 – 100). As to claim 10, Jang shows a mirror control circuitry (i.e. reflective electrochromic layer 140), configured to control the state of the electrochromic facet (Fig. 8B and paras. 98 and 99) based on a gaze of a user (para. 60). As to claim 11, Jang shows that the electrochromic facet is disposed within the lightguide (Fig. 8A). As to claim 12, Jang shows a lightguide (i.e. lens parts 200, Fig. 2 and para. 53) for a head-worn display (HWD) (i.e. glasses, Fig. 1 and para. 49), comprising: one or more electrochromic facets (i.e. electrochromic module 100) configured to direct a display light (i.e. image, Fig. 2 and para. 58) such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a path of a plurality of paths based on one or more respective states of the one or more electrochromic facets (Figs. 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B and paras. 96 – 100). As to claims 13 and 22, Jang shows that each path of the plurality of paths corresponds to a respective portion of a field of view (FOV) area of the HWD (Figs. 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B and paras. 96 – 100). As to claims 14 and 23, Jang shows that a first facet of the one or more electrochromic facets is configured to direct the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a first path of the plurality of paths based on a first electrochromic facet being in a first state (Figs. 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B and paras. 96 – 100). As to claim 15, Jang shows that the first state includes a reflective state (Fig. 8B and paras. 98 and 99) and the first electrochromic facet is configured to reflect the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along the first path (Fig. 8B and paras. 98 and 99). As to claim 16, Jang shows that the first electrochromic facet is configured to transmit the display light to a second electrochromic facet of the one or more electrochromic facets based on the first electrochromic facet being in a second state (i.e. in the transmissive state, light passes through each electrochromic area, Figs. 3 and 4 and paras. 91 and 92). As to claim 17, Jang shows that the second electrochromic facet is configured to direct the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a second path of the plurality of paths based on the second electrochromic facet being in the first state (Fig. 8B and paras. 98 and 99). As to claim 18, Jang shows that the second electrochromic facet is configured to direct the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a third path of the plurality of paths based on the second electrochromic facet being in the second state (i.e. in the transmissive state, light passes through each electrochromic area, Figs. 3 and 4 and paras. 91 and 92). As to claim 19, Jang shows that the one or more respective states of the one or more electrochromic facets are determined by a mirror control circuitry (i.e. reflective electrochromic layer 140) configured to control the one or more respective states of the one or more electrochromic facets (Fig. 8B and paras. 98 and 99) based on a gaze of a user (para. 60). As to claim 20, Jang shows that the one or more electrochromic facets are disposed within the lightguide (Fig. 8A). As to claim 24, Jang shows that the display light propagating through the lightguide along the first path of the plurality of paths is configured to illuminate a first portion of the FOV area (Figs. 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B and paras. 96 – 100). As to claim 25, Jang shows directing, by the electrochromic facet, the display light such that the display light propagates through the lightguide along a second path of the plurality of paths based on the electrochromic facet being in a second state (i.e. in the transmissive state, light passes through each electrochromic area, Figs. 3 and 4 and paras. 91 and 92). As to claim 26, Jang shows that the display light propagating through the lightguide along the second path of the plurality of paths is configured to illuminate a second portion of the FOV area (Fig. 4 and para. 92). As to claim 27, Jang shows controlling the state of the electrochromic facet based on a gaze of a user (para. 60). CONCLUSION Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARL ADAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7448. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM EST. 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 examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at 571-272-7776. 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. /CARL ADAMS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2627
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 17, 2025
Application Filed
Aug 21, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12748312
HEAD MOUNTABLE DISPLAY AND LIGHT SEAL MASK
2y 6m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12748516
DISPLAY DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
1y 6m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12737044
INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, CONTROLLER DISPLAY METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM
1y 9m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12738225
DISPLAY DEVICE
1y 4m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12725586
Display System and Method of Operation
2y 3m to grant Granted Sep 01, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
72%
Grant Probability
88%
With Interview (+16.3%)
2y 7m (~10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 804 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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