DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Double Patenting
2. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
3. A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
4. The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
5. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
6. Claims 1-8 and 11-18 of the instant application is provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of copending Application No. 19/045007. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they claim the same scope of the invention, but using different variations.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
19/045018
19/045007 (US 2025/0314906)
1. A display system comprising; a liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising a controllable backlight unit that is configured to selectively produce (i) collimated light rays, (ii) diffused light rays, (iii) a combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays; and at least one processor configured to; obtain information indicative of a relative location of a first eye and of a second eye of an individual one of at least one user with respect to an image plane of the LCD device; generate or retrieve a light field image, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; display the light field image via the LCD device for presenting at least one virtual object; repeat the step of obtaining, the step of generating or retrieving, and the step of displaying for a given time period; during the given time period, detect when at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside a current viewing zone of the display system, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside the current viewing zone of the display system, determine a given first region of the controllable backlight unit that is being employed for presenting at least a part of the at least one virtual object to the first eye of the individual one of the at least one user, and a given second region of the controllable backlight unit that is being employed for presenting at least the part of the at least one virtual object to the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user; and selectively control the given first region of the controllable backlight unit to produce and direct towards the first eye any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays, whilst selectively controlling the given second region of the controllable backlight unit to produce and direct towards the second eye any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays.
1. A display system comprising: a liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising a backlight unit that is configured to produce collimated light rays; at least one controllable light diffuser arranged on the optical path of the backlight unit; and at least one processor configured to: obtain information indicative of a relative location of a first eye and of a second eye of an individual one of at least one user with respect to an image plane of the LCD device; generate or retrieve a light field image, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; display the light field image via the LCD device for presenting at least one virtual object; repeat the step of obtaining, the step of generating or retrieving, and the step of displaying for a given time period; during the given time period, detect when at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside a current viewing zone of the display system, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside the current viewing zone of the display system, determine a given first region of the backlight unit that is being employed to emit a first set of collimated light rays for presenting at least a part of the at least one virtual object to the first eye of the individual one of the at least one user, and a given second region of the backlight unit that is being employed to emit a second set of collimated light rays for presenting at least the part of the at least one virtual object to the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user; and selectively activate a corresponding first portion and a corresponding second portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally diffuse the first set of collimated light rays and the second set of collimated light rays, whilst directing towards the first eye and the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user, respectively.
2. The display system of claim 1, further comprising an active optical element arranged on the optical path of the controllable backlight unit, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: control a given first portion of the active optical element that lies on an optical path of the given first region of the controllable backlight unit, based on the relative location of the first eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane, to direct towards the first eye the any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays produced by the given first region of the controllable backlight unit; and control a given second portion of the active optical element that lies on an optical path of the given second region of the controllable backlight unit, based on the relative location of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane, to direct towards the second eye the any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays produced by the given second region of the controllable backlight unit.
2. The display system of claim 1, further comprising an active optical element arranged on the optical path of the backlight unit, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control a corresponding first portion and a corresponding second portion of the active optical element, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane, to direct the first set of collimated light rays and the second set of collimated light rays towards the first eye and the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user, respectively.
3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user is a plurality of users, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: during the given time period, detect when a given region of the controllable backlight unit is being employed to present two-dimensional (2D) virtual content; and when it is detected that the given region of the controllable backlight unit is being employed to present the 2D virtual content, selectively control the given region of the controllable backlight unit to produce and direct towards eyes of each of the plurality of users any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays.
3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the at least one user is a plurality of users, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: during the given time period, detect when a given set of collimated light rays emitted by a given region of the backlight unit is being employed to present two-dimensional (2D) virtual content; and when it is detected that the given set of collimated light rays emitted by the given region of the backlight unit is being employed to present the 2D virtual content, selectively activate a corresponding given portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally diffuse the given set of collimated light rays, whilst directing towards eyes of each of the plurality of users.
4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: during the given time period, detect when the at least one user is a single user, and when eyes of the single user lie within a native viewing zone of the display system, based on respective relative locations of the eyes of the single user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively control at least one horizontally-peripheral region of the controllable backlight unit (308) to produce and direct towards the eyes of the single user any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays.
4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: during the given time period, detect when the at least one user is a single user, and when eyes of the single user lie within a native viewing zone of the display system, based on respective relative locations of the eyes of the single user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively activate at least one horizontally-peripheral portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally concentrate a set of collimated light rays emitted by at least one corresponding horizontally-peripheral region of the backlight unit, whilst directing towards the eyes of the single user.
5. The display system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, detect when the eyes of the single user lie at a central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system; and when it is detected that the eyes of the single user lie at the central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively control a central region of the controllable backlight unit to produce (i) the collimated light rays.
5. The display system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, detect when the eyes of the single user lie at a central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system; and when it is detected that the eyes of the single user lie at the central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively deactivate a central portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to allow a set of collimated light rays emitted by a central region of the backlight unit to pass therethrough towards the eyes of the single user.
6. The display system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively control at least one intermediate region of the controllable backlight unit lying between the at least one horizontally-peripheral region and a central region of the controllable backlight unit, to produce and direct towards the eyes of the single user the any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays, wherein when selectively controlling the at least one intermediate region of the controllable backlight unit, the at least one processor is configured to vary an extent of horizontal diffusion of the diffused light rays and optionally, an extent of bending of the collimated light rays, based on at least one of: (a) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the at least one intermediate region of the controllable backlight unit with respect to an optical axis (Z) of the controllable backlight unit, (b) a viewing distance of the eyes of the single user from the LCD device.
6. The display system of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively activate at least one intermediate portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser lying between the at least one horizontally-peripheral portion and a central portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser, to also horizontally concentrate another set of collimated light rays emitted by at least one corresponding intermediate region of the backlight unit, whilst directing towards the eyes of the single user, wherein when selectively activating the at least one intermediate portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser, the at least one processor is configured to vary an extent of horizontal concentration of subsets of the another set of collimated light rays, based on at least one of: (i) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the at least one corresponding intermediate region of the backlight unit with respect to an optical axis of the backlight unit, (ii) a viewing distance of the eyes of the single user from the LCD device.
7. The display system of claim 1, wherein when selectively controlling the given first region and the given second region of the controllable backlight unit, the at least one processor is configured to: vary an extent of horizontal diffusion of the diffused light rays and optionally, an extent of bending of the collimated light rays, based on at least one of: (a) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the given first region of the controllable backlight unit and relative locations of respective sub-regions of the given second region of the controllable backlight unit with respect to an optical axis (Z) of the controllable backlight unit, respectively, (b) a viewing distance of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user from the LCD device.
7. The display system of claim 1, wherein when selectively activating the corresponding first portion and the corresponding second portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally diffuse the first set of collimated light rays and the second set of collimated light rays, the at least one processor is configured to: vary an extent of horizontal diffusion of subsets of the first set of collimated light rays and subsets of the second set of collimated light rays, based on at least one of: (i) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the given first region of the backlight unit and relative locations of respective sub-regions of the given second region of the backlight unit with respect to an optical axis (Z) of the backlight unit, respectively, (ii) a viewing distance of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user from the LCD device.
8. The display system of claim 1, wherein the controllable backlight unit comprises: an array of light-emitting elements employed to emit light rays; a plurality of reflective elements arranged to reflect the light rays along the optical path of the controllable backlight unit; and an active diffusion layer on individual reflective surfaces of the plurality of reflective elements.
9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the backlight unit comprises a plurality of reflective elements, wherein the at least one controllable light diffuser comprises a second controllable light diffuser that is implemented as a layer on individual surfaces of the plurality of reflective elements.
11. A method comprising: obtaining information indicative of a relative location of a first eye and of a second eye of an individual one of at least one user with respect to an image plane of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, the LCD device comprising a controllable backlight unit that is configured to selectively produce (i) collimated light rays, (ii) diffused light rays, (iii) a combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays; generating or retrieving a light field image, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; displaying the light field image via the LCD device for presenting at least one virtual object; repeating the step of obtaining, the step of generating or retrieving, and the step of displaying for a given time period; during the given time period, detecting when at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside a current viewing zone of the display system, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside the current viewing zone of the display system, determining a given first region of the controllable backlight unit that is being employed for presenting at least a part of the at least one virtual object to the first eye of the individual one of the at least one user, and a given second region of the controllable backlight unit that is being employed for presenting at least the part of the at least one virtual object to the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user; and selectively controlling the given first region of the controllable backlight unit to produce and direct towards the first eye any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays, whilst selectively controlling the given second region of the controllable backlight unit to produce and direct towards the second eye any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays.
11. A method comprising: obtaining information indicative of a relative location of a first eye and of a second eye of an individual one of at least one user with respect to an image plane of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, wherein the LCD device comprises a backlight unit that is configured to produce collimated light rays; generating or retrieving a light field image, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; displaying the light field image via the LCD device for presenting at least one virtual object; repeating the step of obtaining, the step of generating or retrieving, and the step of displaying for a given time period; during the given time period, detecting when at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside a current viewing zone of the display system, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that at least one of: the first eye, the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user lies outside the current viewing zone of the display system, determining a given first region of the backlight unit that is being employed to emit a first set of collimated light rays for presenting at least a part of the at least one virtual object to the first eye of the individual one of the at least one user, and a given second region of the backlight unit that is being employed to emit a second set of collimated light rays for presenting at least the part of the at least one virtual object to the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user; and selectively activating a corresponding first portion and a corresponding second portion of at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally diffuse the first set of collimated light rays and the second set of collimated light rays, whilst directing towards the first eye and the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user, respectively, the at least one controllable light diffuser being arranged on the optical path of the backlight unit.
12. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 11, further comprising: controlling a given first portion of an active optical element that lies on an optical path of the given first region of the controllable backlight unit, based on the relative location of the first eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane, to direct towards the first eye the any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays produced by the given first region of the controllable backlight unit; and controlling a given second portion of the active optical element that lies on an optical path of the given second region of the controllable backlight unit, based on the relative location of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane, to direct towards the second eye the any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays produced by the given second region of the controllable backlight unit, wherein the active optical element is arranged on the optical path of the controllable backlight unit.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling a corresponding first portion and a corresponding second portion of an active optical element, based on the relative location of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user with respect to the image plane, to direct the first set of collimated light rays and the second set of collimated light rays towards the first eye and the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user, respectively, the active optical element being arranged on the optical path of the backlight unit.
13. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one user is a plurality of users, and wherein the method further comprises: during the given time period, detecting when a given region of the controllable backlight unit is being employed to present two-dimensional (2D) virtual content; and when it is detected that the given region of the controllable backlight unit is being employed to present the 2D virtual content, selectively controlling the given region of the controllable backlight unit to produce and direct towards eyes of each of the plurality of users any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one user is a plurality of users, and wherein the method further comprises: during the given time period, detecting when a given set of collimated light rays emitted by a given region of the backlight unit is being employed to present two-dimensional (2D) virtual content; and when it is detected that the given set of collimated light rays emitted by the given region of the backlight unit is being employed to present the 2D virtual content, selectively activating a corresponding given portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally diffuse the given set of collimated light rays, whilst directing towards eyes of each of the plurality of users.
14. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 11, further comprising: during the given time period, detecting when the at least one user is a single user, and when eyes of the single user lie within a native viewing zone of the display system, based on respective relative locations of the eyes of the single user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively controlling at least one horizontally-peripheral region of the controllable backlight unit to produce and direct towards the eyes of the single user any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: during the given time period, detecting when the at least one user is a single user, and when eyes of the single user lie within a native viewing zone of the display system, based on respective relative locations of the eyes of the single user with respect to the image plane; and when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively activating at least one horizontally-peripheral portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally concentrate a set of collimated light rays emitted by at least one corresponding horizontally-peripheral region of the backlight unit, whilst directing towards the eyes of the single user.
15. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 14, further comprising: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, detecting when the eyes of the single user lie at a central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system; and when it is detected that the eyes of the single user lie at the central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively controlling a central region of the controllable backlight unit to produce (i) the collimated light rays.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, detecting when the eyes of the single user lie at a central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system; and when it is detected that the eyes of the single user lie at the central portion of the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively deactivating a central portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to allow a set of collimated light rays emitted by a central region of the backlight unit to pass therethrough towards the eyes of the single user.
16. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 14, further comprising: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively controlling at least one intermediate region of the controllable backlight unit lying between the at least one horizontally-peripheral region and a central region of the controllable backlight unit, to produce and direct towards the eyes of the single user the any one of: (ii) the diffused light rays, (iii) the combination of the collimated light rays and the diffused light rays, wherein the step of selectively controlling the at least one intermediate region of the controllable backlight unit comprises varying an extent of horizontal diffusion of the diffused light rays and optionally, an extent of bending of the collimated light rays, based on at least one of: (a) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the at least one intermediate region of the controllable backlight unit with respect to an optical axis(Z) of the controllable backlight unit, (b) a viewing distance of the eyes of the single user from the LCD device.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: when it is detected that the at least one user is the single user, and that the eyes of the single user lie within the native viewing zone of the display system, selectively activating at least one intermediate portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser lying between the at least one horizontally-peripheral portion and a central portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser, to also horizontally concentrate another set of collimated light rays emitted by at least one corresponding intermediate region of the backlight unit, whilst directing towards the eyes of the single user, wherein the step of selectively activating the at least one intermediate portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser comprises varying an extent of horizontal concentration of subsets of the another set of collimated light rays, based on at least one of: (i) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the at least one corresponding intermediate region of the backlight unit with respect to an optical axis of the backlight unit, (ii) a viewing distance of the eyes of the single user from the LCD device.
17. (Currently Amended)The method of claim 11, wherein the step of selectively controlling the given first region and the given second region of the controllable backlight unit comprises: varying an extent of horizontal diffusion of the diffused light rays and optionally, an extent of bending of the collimated light rays based on at least one of: (a) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the given first region of the controllable backlight unit and relative locations of respective sub- regions of the given second region of the controllable backlight unit with respect to an optical axis(Z) of the controllable backlight unit, respectively, (b) a viewing distance of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user from the LCD device.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of selectively activating the corresponding first portion and the corresponding second portion of the at least one controllable light diffuser to horizontally diffuse the first set of collimated light rays and the second set of collimated light rays comprises: varying an extent of horizontal diffusion of subsets of the first set of collimated light rays and subsets of the second set of collimated light rays, based on at least one of: (i) relative locations of respective sub-regions of the given first region of the backlight unit and relative locations of respective sub-regions of the given second region of the backlight unit with respect to an optical axis of the backlight unit, respectively, (ii) a viewing distance of the first eye and of the second eye of the individual one of the at least one user from the LCD device.
18. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 11, wherein the controllable backlight unit comprises: an array of light-emitting elements employed to emit light rays; a plurality of reflective elements arranged to reflect the light rays along the optical path of the controllable backlight unit; and an active diffusion layer on individual reflective surfaces of the plurality of reflective elements.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the backlight unit comprises a plurality of reflective elements, wherein the at least one controllable light diffuser comprises a second controllable light diffuser that is implemented as a layer on individual surfaces of the plurality of reflective elements.
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 9-10 and 19-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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should be directed to Behrooz Senfi, whose telephone number is (571)272-7339. The examiner can
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/BEHROOZ M SENFI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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