DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Claims
The response dated 12/15/25 is entered. Claims 1, 6, and 7 are amended. Claims 2-5 and 8-20 are cancelled. Claims 21-23 are new.
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 § 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) 9 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luebke, US-20140168035, in view of Luebke US-20150228226.
In regards claim 1, Luebke ‘8035 discloses an augmented reality device (Par. 0002-0003 augmented reality device) comprising: a display system (Fig. 5, 324 display and 328 micro-lens array) positioned in front of eyes of a user (Fig. 5, 204 eye), the display system including one or more light field sub-displays (Fig. 5, 324 display for each eye; Par. 0075 “the display 324 and microlens array 328 are operable to create a light field using rays of light to simulate the appearance of an object”) with one or more pixels forming a first array of pixels (Fig. 5, 510 pixel group) and at least a first micro-lens (Fig. 5, 516 microlens) associated with the first array of pixels, wherein the first array of pixels (Fig. 5, 510 pixel group) is configured to emit light isotropically to the first micro-lens (Par. 0063 “The display 324 may provide an image, where the image emits rays of light isotropically”); a non-transitory memory (Par. 0034 “non-transitory computer-readable media include all computer-readable media except for a transitory, propagating signal”) configured to store image data (Par. 0063 “The display 324 may provide an image”); and a processor operably coupled to the non-transitory memory and the display system (Fig. 1, 114 processor), the processor comprising executable instructions to operate the pixels of the one or more light field sub-displays to display an image (Par. 0075 displaying an object, i.e. image, using a light field).
Luebke ‘8035 does not disclose expressly the first array of pixels is spaced apart from the first micro-lens at a distance approximately equal to a focal length of the first micro-lens such that the isotropic light from the first array of pixels is redirected by the first micro-lens into an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles.
Luebke ‘8226 discloses the first array of pixels (Fig. 2B-C, group of 9 LEDs 204) is spaced apart from the first micro-lens (Fig. 2B-C, 202 microlens associated with the group of 9 LEDs 204) at a distance approximately equal to a focal length of the first micro-lens (Fig. 2B-C, 202 microlens associated with the group of 9 LEDs 204 is at f the focal length; Par. 0025 202 microlens associated with the group of 9 LEDs 204 is at f the focal length) such that the isotropic light from the first array of pixels (Par. 0025 “each LED 204 of a display typically emits light uniformly (isotropically)”) is redirected by the first micro-lens into an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles (Fig. 2B-C; Par. 0025-0027 anisotropic light output at different outgoing angles).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the display of Luebke ‘8035 can be placed at the focal length as Luebke ‘8226 discloses providing an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0027). The motivation for doing so would have been to provide steerable illumination (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0025-0027).
In regards claim 6, Luebke ‘8226 further discloses the first array of pixels contains at least five pixels (Fig. 2B-C, group of 9 LEDs 204).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the display of Luebke ‘8035 can be placed at the focal length as Luebke ‘8226 discloses providing an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0027). The motivation for doing so would have been to provide steerable illumination (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0025-0027).
In regards claim 7, Luebke ‘8226 further discloses the processor executing the instructions is configured to vary a color, intensity, and direction of at least a portion of the image by driving at least one of the first micro-lens and the first array of pixels (Fig. 2B-C; Par. 0025-0027 anisotropic light output at different outgoing angles which would have a color and intensity to produce an image).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the display of Luebke ‘8035 can be placed at the focal length as Luebke ‘8226 discloses providing an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0027). The motivation for doing so would have been to provide steerable illumination (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0025-0027).
In regards to claim 21, Luebke ‘8035 and Luebke ‘8226, as combined above, disclose the image generated by the one or more light field sub-displays from the collimated beams of light at the different outgoing angles is a light field image (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0075 displaying an object, i.e. image, using a light field created by the micro-lens array).
In regards to claim 22, Luebke ‘8226 further discloses the light field image is configured to simulate a ray of light that originates at a point in space at a focal plate at which an observer is focusing (Par. 0028 “In step 308 of FIG. 3, the illumination of a display device 102 may be angularly varied in response to and directed toward the determined location of the viewer's head or eyes”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the display of Luebke ‘8035 can be placed at the focal length as Luebke ‘8226 discloses providing an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0027). The motivation for doing so would have been to provide steerable illumination (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0025-0027).
In regards to claim 23, Luebke ‘8226 further discloses the light field sub- displays are formed with at least one stacked waveguide assembly (Luebke ‘8035 Par. 0023 using waveguides, i.e. one stacked waveguide, in the assembly).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the display of Luebke ‘8035 can be placed at the focal length as Luebke ‘8226 discloses providing an array of substantially collimated beams of light at different outgoing angles (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0027). The motivation for doing so would have been to provide steerable illumination (Luebke ‘8226 Par. 0025-0027).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CORY A ALMEIDA whose telephone number is (571)270-3143. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9AM-730PM.
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/CORY A ALMEIDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628 12/26/25