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.
Claim(s) 1-14,16, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuo et al (US 20210271055) in view of Wang (US 20220171161) and in view of Syu (US 20230079872)
Regarding Claim 1,
Kuo et al discloses (Fig. 1) an optical lens, adapted to receive an image beam from an imaging element [0031-0032], wherein the optical lens sequentially comprises a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, and a fourth lens element with a diopter [0031-0033] arranged along an optical axis from a light incident-side to a light exit-side, and each of the first lens element, the second lens element, the third lens element and the fourth lens element comprises a light incident surface facing the light incident-side and allowing the image beam to pass through and a light exit surface facing the light exit-side and allowing the image beam to pass through; and the optical lens receives the image beam from the light incident-side, the image beam forms a stop on the light exit-side, and the image beam has the smallest beam cross-sectional area at a position of the stop [0032].
Kuo et al does not disclose the light incident surface of the first lens element is a concave surface; the second lens element has a negative diopter, and the light exit surface of the second lens element is a convex surface; the third lens element has a positive diopter, and the light incident surface of the third lens element is a convex surface; the fourth lens element has a positive diopter, and the light incident surface of the fourth lens element is a concave surface.
Wang discloses the second lens has negative refractive power and its image side surface may be convex; the third lens is a biconvex lens having positive refractive power and a convex object side surface, and the fourth lens is a positive meniscus lens having a concave object side surface and a convex image side surface [008-0011],[0025-0038].
Syu discloses a first lens having a concave object side surface and a fourth lens having positive refractive power with a concave object side surface and convex image side surface (Claim 1)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kuo to include Wang’s second lens has negative refractive power and its image side surface may be convex; the third lens is a biconvex lens having positive refractive power and a convex object side surface, and the fourth lens is a positive meniscus lens having a concave object side surface and a convex image side surface to further include Syu’s first lens having a concave object side surface and a fourth lens having positive refractive power with a concave object side surface and convex image side surface motivated by the desire to provide desired refractive power distribution and aberration correction while maintaining Kuo’s compact optical system and high resolution and good optical performance.
Regarding Claim 2,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Wang discloses wherein the light exit surface of the first lens element is a convex surface (ABSTRACT and Claim 1).
Regarding Claim 3,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Wang discloses wherein the light incident surface of the second lens element is a concave surface (ABSRACT, Claim 1 and Claim 3).
Regarding Claim 4,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Wang discloses wherein the light exit surface of the third lens element is a convex surface (ABSTRACT, Claim 1).
Regarding Claim 5,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Wang discloses wherein the light exit surface of the fourth lens element is a convex surface [0008-0011].
Regarding Claim 6,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Wang discloses Wang discloses wherein materials of the first lens element, the second lens element, the third lens element and the fourth lens element are glass [0025-0038].
Regarding Claim 7,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Kuo discloses wherein the first lens element, the third lens element, and the fourth lens element are aspherical lenses [0034-0036].
Regarding Claim 8,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Kuo discloses wherein there are four lens elements with diopter in the optical lens (Claim 1).
Regarding Claim 9,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Kuo discloses a fifth lens element disposed between the first lens element and the fourth lens element, wherein the fifth lens element has a positive diopter [0033-0036].
Regarding Claim 10,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Kuo discloses wherein the fifth lens element is a spherical lens [0034-0036].
Regarding Claim 11,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Kuo discloses wherein the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: 0.3 < fL3/f< 3, wherein fL3is a focal length of the third lens element, and f is an effective focal length of the optical lens. One would have recognized the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: 0.3 < fL3/f< 3 as a result-effective variable able to be optimized for increased resolution.
Regarding Claim 12,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Kuo discloses wherein the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: VL3 > 30, wherein VL3 is an Abbe number of the third lens element [0034-0036].
Regarding Claim 13,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Kuo discloses wherein the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: IfL/fl>1, where fM is a focal length of the fourth lens element, and f is an effective focal length of the optical lens. One would have recognized the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: IfL/fl>1 as a result-effective variable able to be optimized to correct aberration.
Regarding Claim 14,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Wang discloses wherein an aperture of the optical lens is less than 2 (SUMMARY).
Regarding Claim 16,
In addition to Kuo, Wang, and Syu, Wang discloses wherein a combined aberration of the light exit surface of the second lens element and the light incident surface of the third lens element and an aberration of the light incident surface of the second lens element offset each other [0025-0038].
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuo et al (US 20210271055) and of Wang (US 20220171161) and of view of Syu (US 20230079872)
Regarding Claim 17,
Kuo et al discloses (Fig. 1) A head-mounted display device, comprising: an imaging element, configured to provide an image beam; an optical lens, disposed on a transmission path of the image beam, wherein the optical lens sequentially comprises a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, and a fourth lens element with a diopter arranged along an optical axis from a light incident-side to a light exit-side, and each of the first lens element, the second lens element, the third lens element and the fourth lens element comprises a light incident surface facing the light incident-side and allowing the image beam to pass through, and a light exit surface facing the light exit-side and allowing the image beam to pass through, wherein the light incident surface of the first lens element is a concave surface; the second lens element has a negative diopter, and the light exit surface of the second lens element is a convex surface; the third lens element has a positive diopter, and the light incident surface of the third lens element is a convex surface; the fourth lens element has a positive diopter, and the light incident surface of the fourth lens element is a concave surface; and the optical lens receives the image beam from the light incident side, the image beam forms a stop on the light exit-side, and the image beam has the smallest beam cross-sectional area at a position of a stop [0031-0032]; a waveguide element, disposed on the light exit-side of the optical lens and having an optical coupling entrance and an optical coupling exit [0041-0042], wherein the image beam from the imaging element passes through the optical lens and enters the waveguide element through the optical coupling entrance, and leaves the waveguide element through the optical coupling exit [0041-0042].
Kuo et al does not disclose the light incident surface of the first lens element is a concave surface; the second lens element has a negative diopter, and the light exit surface of the second lens element is a convex surface; the third lens element has a positive diopter, and the light incident surface of the third lens element is a convex surface; the fourth lens element has a positive diopter, and the light incident surface of the fourth lens element is a concave surface.
Wang discloses the second lens has negative refractive power and its image side surface may be convex; the third lens is a biconvex lens having positive refractive power and a convex object side surface, and the fourth lens is a positive meniscus lens having a concave object side surface and a convex image side surface [008-0011],[0025-0038].
Syu discloses a first lens having a concave object side surface and a fourth lens having positive refractive power with a concave object side surface and convex image side surface (Claim 1)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kuo to include Wang’s second lens has negative refractive power and its image side surface may be convex; the third lens is a biconvex lens having positive refractive power and a convex object side surface, and the fourth lens is a positive meniscus lens having a concave object side surface and a convex image side surface to further include Syu’s first lens having a concave object side surface and a fourth lens having positive refractive power with a concave object side surface and convex image side surface motivated by the desire to provide desired refractive power distribution and aberration correction while maintaining Kuo’s compact optical system and high resolution and good optical performance.
Claim(s) 18,20, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuo et al (US 20210271055) and of Wang (US 20220171161) and of view of Syu (US 20230079872) and in view of Chi et al (US 20170236463)
Regarding Claim 18,
Kuo et al, Wang and Syu discloses everything as disclosed above.
Kuo et al, Wang, and Syu do not disclose wherein the imaging element is a self-luminous imaging panel.
Chi et al discloses wherein the imaging element is a self-luminous imaging panel (MicroLEDS, OLEDS) [0037-0039].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kuo et al, Wang, and Syu to include chi et al’s imaging element is a self-luminous imaging panel motivated by the desire to provide low power consuming light source suitable for compact near eye waveguide displays.
Regarding Claim 20,
In addition to Kuo et al, Wang, Syu and Chi et al, Chi et al discloses wherein the imaging element is an imaging panel that provides a monochromatic light source, and a wavelength of the image light beam is a single wavelength [0006][0035][0056].
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuo et al (US 20210271055) and of Wang (US 20220171161) and of Syu (US 20230079872) in view of Mori (US 20170153449)
Regarding Claim 15,
Kuo, Wang, and Syu disclose everything as disclosed above.
Kuo, Wang, and Syu do not disclose wherein at least one of the lens elements with positive diopter in the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: dn/dt < 0, wherein dn/dt is a change in a refractive index of the lens element at unit temperature.
Mori discloses wherein at least one of the lens elements with positive diopter in the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: dn/dt < 0, wherein dn/dt is a change in a refractive index of the lens element at unit temperature [0029-0033].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kuo, Wang, and Syu to include Mori’s at least one of the lens elements with positive diopter in the optical lens satisfies a conditional expression: dn/dt < 0, wherein dn/dt is a change in a refractive index of the lens element at unit temperature motivated by the desire to reduce changes in optical performance caused by changes in temperature.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuo et al (US 20210271055) and of Wang (US 20220171161) and of Syu (US 20230079872) and of Chi et al (US 20170236463) and in view of Tuomisto et al (US 10866422)
Regarding Claim 19,
Kuo et al, Wang, and Syu,discloses everything as disclosed above.
Kuo et al, Wang, and Syu do not disclose wherein the head- mounted display device does not have a light-combining prism.
Tuomisto et al discloses wherein the head- mounted display device does not have a light-combining prism (Column 9 lines 13-column 10, lines 55).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kuo, Wang, and Syu to include Tuomisto et al’s head- mounted display device does not have a light-combining prism motivated by the desire to reduce the size and form factof of the HMD and reduct the number and/or size of optical components.
Conclusion
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/LUCY P CHIEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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