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 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)(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(s) 1-6, 8-10, 12-14 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lyubarsky ( United States Patent Application Publication 2025/0044675 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Lyubarsky discloses a projection device (see fig.1), comprising a light source device (see 102 in fig.1), wherein the light source device comprises a light source (see the light source of 102), a light splitting element (see the splitting element of 104), a quarter- wave plate (see the quarter waveplate of 108 in fig.1), a filter element (see the filter element of 111A, B, C and wheel 110), and a wavelength conversion element (112 in fig.1), wherein, the light source (see the excitation beam of 102) is configured to emit an excitation beam, and the light splitting element (see 104), the quarter-wave plate (108), the filter element (110 and 111A, B, C), and the wavelength conversion element (see 112 in fig.1) are located on a transmission path of the excitation beam (see the path of the beam 120 and 130 in fig.1); the filter element (see 110 and 111A, B, C) comprises a first filter region (see 111 A or B), a second filter region (111 B or A), and a reflective region (111C), the filter element enables the first filter region (see 111 A or B), the second filter region (111 B or A), and the reflective region (see 111C) to enter the transmission path of the excitation beam sequentially (see 2 A-C), the excitation beam penetrates through the first filter region and the second filter region (see the operation of fig.2 A-C), and the excitation beam is reflected by the reflective region to form a reflected beam (see the operation in fig.2 A-C); the excitation beam passes through the filter element and is incident on the wavelength conversion element to cause the wavelength conversion element to generate a wavelength-converted beam (see the operations in fig.2A and 2B), and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the filter element (see the operations in fig.2A and 2C); the wavelength-converted beam (see 2A and 2B) is incident on the first filter region of the filter element to generate first color light, and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the second filter region of the filter element to generate second color light (see the operation of 111A and 111B), the first color light, the second color light, and the reflected beam form an illumination beam (see the operation of fig.1).
With respect to claim 2, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light splitting element (104 in fig.1) is configured to reflect the excitation beam having a first linear polarization direction (see the operation of 104).
With respect to claim 3, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a uniformizing element (see 103), configured on the transmission path of the excitation beam, and located between the light splitting element (see 104) and the filter element (see the light filter of 111A, B, C), wherein the uniformizing element is configured to uniformize the excitation beam, the first color light, the second color light, and the reflected beam incident on the uniformizing element (see the operation of fig.1).
With respect to claim 4, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a uniformizing element is a fly-eye lens (see 106 in fig.1).
With respect to claim 5, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a uniformizing element (see 302 in fig.3), configured on the transmission path of the excitation beam (see 102 in fig.3), and located between the filter element (see 110) and the wavelength conversion element (see 112), wherein the uniformizing element is configured to uniformize the excitation beam and the wavelength- converted beam incident on the uniformizing element (see the operation of fig.3).
With respect to claim 6, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the uniformizing element is a light guide column (see 302 in fig.3).
With respect to claim 8, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 6, wherein an opening area of the light guide column on a side of the filter element is A1, and an opening area on a side of the wavelength conversion element is A2, then A1 > A2 (see wherein A1 is greater than A2 in fig.3).
With respect to claim 9, Lyubarsky discloses projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the excitation beam is blue light (see 102; [0038] :In one example, the blue light from lasers 102 is first light).
With respect to claim 10, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter element rotates along a central axis (see operation of 110 in fig.3).
With respect to claim 12, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first filter region (111B) allows blue light beam and red light beam to pass through, and the second filter region (111A) allows blue light beam and green light beam to pass through.
With respect to claim 13, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wavelength-converted beam is yellow light (112 in fig.1).
With respect to claim 14, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first color light is red light, and the second color light is green light (see the operation of 111A and 111B).
With respect to claim 16, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter element further comprises a full penetration region allowing the excitation beam and the wavelength-converted beam to pass through (see 111A or 111B).
With respect to claim 17, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a refractive element (see 118), a light valve (see 122), and a projection lens (see 124), wherein the illumination beam passes through the refractive element (118) and is then incident on the light valve (see 122), the light valve (122) converts the illumination beam into an image beam, and the projection lens (see 124) is configured on an optical path of the image beam.
With respect to claim 18, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the refractive element is a lens (see 118: para.[0035]: “In one example, illumination optics 118 uses a single illumination lens.”) or curved mirror with a positive refractive power.
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) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lyubarsky ( United States Patent Application Publication 2025/0044675 A1) in view of McGuire (United States Patent Application Publication 20070019408 A1).
With respect to claim 7, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 6, but does not disclose wherein the light guide column is hollow or solid.
McGuire discloses wherein the light guide column is hollow or solid (see para. [0048]:This light pipe may be hollow or solid. ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Lyubarsky with the teaching of McGuire so that the light guide column is hollow or solid to enhance the uniformity of the light source.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lyubarsky ( United States Patent Application Publication 2025/0044675 A1) in view of Wei (WO 2021259274 A1).
With respect to claim 11, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the first filter region, the second filter region, and the reflective region of the filter element have a same area.
Wei discloses wherein the first filter region, the second filter region, and the reflective region of the filter element have a same area ( see the 20th para. of the detailed description: the rotation speed of the fluorescent wheel can be kept constant, so that the areas of each sub-fluorescent region and the reflection area of the fluorescent wheel are equal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to Lyubarsky in view of Wei so that the first filter region, the second filter region, and the reflective region of the filter element have a same area to reduce noise and power consumption by utilizing a constant rotation speed and the facilitate desired color balance.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lyubarsky ( United States Patent Application Publication 2025/0044675 A1) in view of WANG (TW I632421 B).
With respect to claim 15, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 1, but does not disclose wherein a surface of the reflective region of the filter element has microstructures.
Wang discloses wherein a surface of the reflective region of the element has microstructures (see reflective region containing microstructures M in fig.10 ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Lyubarsky with the teaching of Wang so that a surface of the reflective region of the element has microstructures to enhance the uniformity of the light source.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lyubarsky ( United States Patent Application Publication 2025/0044675 A1) in view of Yoshikawa (United States Patent Publication 7, 535, 648 B2).
With respect to claim 19, Lyubarsky discloses the projection device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a mirror (see 116 in fig.1), wherein the mirror is located on an optical path of the illumination beam (see the location of 116 in fig.1), and the mirror (see 116) is located between the light splitting element (see 104) and the refractive element (see 118) but does not explicitly disclose wherein the mirror is a refracting mirror.
Yoshikawa discloses using a refractive mirror (col.4, lines 35-44: “The first optical system includes a refractive mirror (described later herein) that bends the optical path of the image light and directs the light in a direction of the free-form surface mirror 5. The refractive mirror makes it possible to reduce depth of the image display.”) to reduce the size of the device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the mirror of Lyubarsky with the teaching of Yoshikawa so that the mirror is a refracting mirror to reduce the size of the projector.
Claim(s) 1, 17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Ishikura (United States Patent Application Publication 2007/0019165) over in view of Lyubarsky ( United States Patent Application Publication 2025/0044675 A1).
With respect to claims 1, 17 and 20, Ishikura discloses a projection device (see fig.1), comprising a light source device (see 14 in fig.1), wherein the light source device comprises a light source (see fig.1, 2 and 3), further comprising a refractive element (see 6A and 6B), a light valve (12 in fig.1), and a projection lens (13 in fig.1), wherein the illumination beam passes through the refractive element (see 6a and 6b) and is then incident on the light valve (12 in fig.1), the light valve converts the illumination beam into an image beam (see the operation of 12 in fig.1), and the projection lens (fig.1, 13) is configured on an optical path of the image beam, further comprising a total reflection lens (see 9 and 10 in fig.1), wherein the total reflection lens (see 9 and 10 in fig.1) is located on an optical path of the illumination beam (see the configuration of fig.1), and the total reflection lens is located between the refractive element (see 6a and 6b) and the light valve (see fig.1, 12).
Ishikura does not disclose a light splitting element, a quarter- wave plate, a filter element, and a wavelength conversion element, wherein, the light source is configured to emit an excitation beam, and the light splitting element, the quarter-wave plate, the filter element, and the wavelength conversion element are located on a transmission path of the excitation beam; the filter element comprises a first filter region, a second filter region, and a reflective region, the filter element enables the first filter region, the second filter region, and the reflective region to enter the transmission path of the excitation beam sequentially, the excitation beam penetrates through the first filter region and the second filter region, and the excitation beam is reflected by the reflective region to form a reflected beam; the excitation beam passes through the filter element and is incident on the wavelength conversion element to cause the wavelength conversion element to generate a wavelength- converted beam, and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the filter element; the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the first filter region of the filter element to generate first color light, and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the second filter region of the filter element to generate second color light, the first color light, the second color light, and the reflected beam form an illumination beam.
Lyubarsky discloses a projection device (see fig.1), comprising a light source device (see 102 in fig.1), wherein the light source device comprises a light source (see the light source of 102), a light splitting element (see the splitting element of 104), a quarter- wave plate (see the quarter waveplate of 108 in fig.1), a filter element (see the filter element of 111A, B, C and wheel 110), and a wavelength conversion element (112 in fig.1), wherein, the light source (see the excitation beam of 102) is configured to emit an excitation beam, and the light splitting element (see 104), the quarter-wave plate (108), the filter element (110 and 111A, B, C), and the wavelength conversion element (see 112 in fig.1) are located on a transmission path of the excitation beam (see the path of the beam 120 and 130 in fig.1); the filter element (see 110 and 111A, B, C) comprises a first filter region (see 111 A or B), a second filter region (111 B or A), and a reflective region (111C), the filter element enables the first filter region (see 111 A or B), the second filter region (111 B or A), and the reflective region (see 111C) to enter the transmission path of the excitation beam sequentially (see 2 A-C), the excitation beam penetrates through the first filter region and the second filter region (see the operation of fig.2 A-C), and the excitation beam is reflected by the reflective region to form a reflected beam (see the operation in fig.2 A-C); the excitation beam passes through the filter element and is incident on the wavelength conversion element to cause the wavelength conversion element to generate a wavelength-converted beam (see the operations in fig.2A and 2B), and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the filter element (see the operations in fig.2A and 2C); the wavelength-converted beam (see 2A and 2B) is incident on the first filter region of the filter element to generate first color light, and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the second filter region of the filter element to generate second color light (see the operation of 111A and 111B), the first color light, the second color light, and the reflected beam form an illumination beam (see the operation of fig.1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the light source of Ishikura in view of Lyubarsky so that a light splitting element, a quarter- wave plate, a filter element, and a wavelength conversion element, wherein, the light source is configured to emit an excitation beam, and the light splitting element, the quarter-wave plate, the filter element, and the wavelength conversion element are located on a transmission path of the excitation beam; the filter element comprises a first filter region, a second filter region, and a reflective region, the filter element enables the first filter region, the second filter region, and the reflective region to enter the transmission path of the excitation beam sequentially, the excitation beam penetrates through the first filter region and the second filter region, and the excitation beam is reflected by the reflective region to form a reflected beam; the excitation beam passes through the filter element and is incident on the wavelength conversion element to cause the wavelength conversion element to generate a wavelength-converted beam, and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the filter element; the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the first filter region of the filter element to generate first color light, and the wavelength-converted beam is incident on the second filter region of the filter element to generate second color light, the first color light, the second color light, and the reflected beam form an illumination beam to enhance the image quality by improving the color gamut and brightness of the light source, and to increase life span, energy efficiency while lowering operating temperature by utilizing a phosphor based illumination system instead of an arc lamp.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY L. BROOKS whose telephone number is (571)270-5711. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-4:00 PM.
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/JERRY L BROOKS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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