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 § 103
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 byt he manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horiguchi (US 2019/0306452) (Masahiro Shiojiri-shi Horiguchi) in view of Katou (US 2014/0160364) (Atsushi Katou).
Regarding Claim 1, Horiguchi discloses a projector comprising: a visible light source device configured to emit visible light including first light having a first wavelength [See abstract and Paragraphs 4-10 e.g. illumination light containing white light, which is visible light]; an invisible light source device configured to emit invisible light [See Paragraphs 4-10 e.g. infrared light]; a first light combining element configured to combine the first light and the invisible light into first combined light [See Paragraphs 50,71-72]; a first liquid crystal panel configured to modulate the first combined light [See Paragraphs 31-40 and Fig. 3]; a first incident-side polarizing plate configured to transmit the first combined light at a light incident side of the first liquid crystal panel [See Paragraphs 41-48 and Figs. 3-4]; a first emission-side polarizing plate configured to transmit the first combined light at a light emission side of the first liquid crystal panel [See Paragraphs 48-50 and 70-82]; and a projection optical system configured to project the first combined light emitted from the first liquid crystal panel [See abstract and Paragraphs 75-80 and 84-93],
Horiguchi a doesn’t explicitly disclose wherein at least one of the first incident-side polarizing plate and the first emission-side polarizing plate polarizes and transmits the first light and transmits the invisible light without polarizing the invisible light.
However, Katou discloses wherein at least one of the first incident-side polarizing plate and the first emission-side polarizing plate polarizes and transmits the first light and transmits the invisible light without polarizing the invisible light [See Paragraphs 78-90, 110-110 and 140-148].
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at time of invention to modify the system disclosed by Kimura to add the teachings in Katou as above, to provide a system that Controls Lighting so the occurrence of the optical loss in the liquid-crystal projector can be prevented effectively [See Katou Paragraphs 29-30].
Regarding Claim 2, Horiguchi discloses a color separation optical system configured to separate the visible light emitted from the visible light source device into the first light, second light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and third light having a third wavelength different from both the first wavelength and the second wavelength [See Paragraphs 34-45 e.g. WL, RBG RL, GL/BL]; a second liquid crystal panel configured to modulate the second light; a third liquid crystal panel configured to modulate the third light [See Paragraphs xx]; a second incident-side polarizing plate configured to transmit the second light at a light incident side of the second liquid crystal panel [See Paragraphs 30-43]; a second emission-side polarizing plate configured to transmit the second light at a light emission side of the second liquid crystal panel [See Paragraphs 43-53]; a third incident-side polarizing plate configured to transmit the third light at a light incident side of the third liquid crystal panel [See Paragraphs 53-69]; a third emission-side polarizing plate configured to transmit the third light at a light emission side of the third liquid crystal panel [See Paragraphs 53-69 and 73-82]; and a second light combining element configured to combine the first combined light emitted from the first liquid crystal panel, the second light emitted from the second liquid crystal panel, and the third light emitted from the third liquid crystal panel into second combined light [See Paragraphs 41-49 and 70-71], wherein the projection optical system projects the second combined light emitted from the second light combining element [See Paragraphs 48-50 and 70-82].
Regarding Claim 3, Horiguchi discloses wherein the first light is green light [See Paragraphs 37-38 e.g. IRL and transmits the green light GL].
Regarding Claim 4, Horiguchi discloses wherein the first light is red light, and the invisible light is infrared light [See Paragraphs 37-38 the red-light RL].
Regarding Claim 5, Horiguchi discloses wherein the first light is blue light, and the invisible light is infrared light [See Paragraphs 37-38 e.g. infrared light IRL.].
Regarding Claim 6, Horiguchi discloses wherein the first light combining element is a dichroic mirror, and the number of the dichroic mirror that transmits or reflects the invisible light between the invisible light source device and the first liquid crystal panel is one [See Paragraphs 37-38 e.g. a first dichroic mirror 51, a first reflection mirror 52, and a second dichroic mirror 53].
Regarding Claim 7, Horiguchi discloses wherein the invisible light source device includes a light emitting diode light source configured to emit the invisible light [See Paragraph 86 e.g. LEDs (light emitting diodes)].
Regarding Claim 8, Horiguchi discloses wherein the invisible light source device includes a laser light source configured to emit the invisible light [See Paragraphs 55-58 and 66-86].
Regarding Claim 9, Horiguchi discloses wherein the invisible light source device includes a depolarizing plate configured to transmit the invisible light emitted from the laser light source and depolarize the invisible light [See Paragraphs 55-58 and 66-86].
Regarding Claim 10, Horiguchi discloses wherein the depolarizing plate includes a first substrate, a second substrate disposed in a manner of facing the first substrate, a first organic film stacked on the first substrate and having no orientation regulating force that regulates an orientation direction of a liquid crystal molecule, a second organic film stacked on the second substrate and having no orientation regulating force that regulates an orientation direction of a liquid crystal molecule, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first organic film and the second organic film and containing a liquid crystal molecule disposed with a major axis direction oriented disorderly with respect to the first organic film and the second organic film [See Paragraphs 41-44 and 64-65].
Regarding Claim 11, Horiguchi discloses wherein the first light combining element is a dichroic mirror that transmits the invisible light and reflects the first light, the dichroic mirror has a first surface on which the invisible light is incident and a second surface on which the first light is incident, and the dichroic mirror is provided with a film that cancels out polarized light on the first surface and polarized light on the second surface [See Paragraphs 37-38].
Regarding Claim 12, Horiguchi discloses wherein the invisible light source device emits the infrared light having a wavelength of 930 nm or more and 950 nm or less. [See Paragraph 47 e.g. infrared 800 to 1000 nm].
Regarding Claim 13, Horiguchi discloses wherein the invisible light source device emits the infrared light having a wavelength of 840 nm or more and 860 nm or less [See Paragraph 47 e.g. infrared 800 to 1000 nm].
Regarding Claim 14, Horiguchi doesn’t explicitly disclose a light transmitting member disposed between the first incident-side polarizing plate and the first emission-side polarizing plate, wherein the light transmitting member includes a shielding portion configured to shield the invisible light contained in the first combined light and transmit the first light, and a transmission portion configured to transmit both the invisible light and the first light contained in the first combined light, the transmission portion is disposed in a predetermined pattern, and the invisible light projected by the projection optical system includes the predetermined pattern
However, Katou discloses a light transmitting member disposed between the first incident-side polarizing plate and the first emission-side polarizing plate, wherein the light transmitting member includes a shielding portion configured to shield the invisible light contained in the first combined light and transmit the first light, and a transmission portion configured to transmit both the invisible light and the first light contained in the first combined light, the transmission portion is disposed in a predetermined pattern, and the invisible light projected by the projection optical system includes the predetermined pattern [See Paragraphs 112-128].
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at time of invention to modify the system disclosed by Kimura to add the teachings in Katou as above, to provide a system that Controls Lighting so the occurrence of the optical loss in the liquid-crystal projector can be prevented effectively [See Katou Paragraphs 29-30].
Regarding Claim 15, Horiguchi discloses wherein the light transmitting member includes a shielding plate configured to shield the invisible light and transmit the first light, and the shielding plate is provided with a through hole having the predetermined pattern [See Paragraphs 8-10 and 84-91].
Regarding Claim 16, Horiguchi discloses wherein the invisible light source device includes a light source configured to emit the invisible light, and a homogenizing optical element configured to transmit the invisible light emitted from the light source and form a homogenizing irradiation pattern [See Paragraphs 53-54 and 59-62].
Regarding Claim 17, Horiguchi doesn’t explicitly disclose wherein an image forming surface by the first light in the projection optical system overlaps the first liquid crystal panel, and an image forming surface by the invisible light in the projection optical system is deviated from the light transmitting member in an axial direction of an optical path of the first combined light.
However, Katou discloses wherein an image forming surface by the first light in the projection optical system overlaps the first liquid crystal panel, and an image forming surface by the invisible light in the projection optical system is deviated from the light transmitting member in an axial direction of an optical path of the first combined light [See Paragraphs 9-17 and 96-104].
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at time of invention to modify the system disclosed by Kimura to add the teachings in Katou as above, to provide a system that Controls Lighting so the occurrence of the optical loss in the liquid-crystal projector can be prevented effectively [See Katou Paragraphs 29-30].
Regarding Claim 18, Horiguchi discloses wherein the image forming surface by the invisible light in the projection optical system is deviated from the light transmitting member to a side where the first liquid crystal panel is disposed [See Paragraphs 32-35 and 84-91]
Regarding Claim 19, Horiguchi discloses a diffractive optical element that is disposed on an optical path of the invisible light and between the invisible light source device and the first light combining element and is configured to diffract the invisible light to form a predetermined pattern, wherein the invisible light projected by the projection optical system includes the predetermined pattern [See Paragraphs 9-10, 84-88 and 103-104].
Regarding Claim 20, Horiguchi doesn’t explicitly disclose an imaging device configured to image a projection image of the invisible light projected from the projector, wherein the projector includes a movement mechanism configured to move the projection optical system to change a position of the projection image, and a control unit configured to control the movement mechanism based on an image imaged by the imaging device.
However, Katou discloses an imaging device configured to image a projection image of the invisible light projected from the projector, wherein the projector includes a movement mechanism configured to move the projection optical system to change a position of the projection image, and a control unit configured to control the movement mechanism based on an image imaged by the imaging device [See Paragraphs 13-18 and 88-113].
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at time of invention to modify the system disclosed by Kimura to add the teachings in Katou as above, to provide a system that Controls Lighting so the occurrence of the optical loss in the liquid-crystal projector can be prevented effectively [See Katou Paragraphs 29-30].
Regarding Claim 21, Horiguchi doesn’t explicitly disclose an imaging device configured to image a projection image of the invisible light projected from the projector, wherein the projector includes a control unit that changes a region of an image formed in an image display region of the first liquid crystal panel based on an image imaged by the imaging device.
However, Katou discloses an imaging device configured to image a projection image of the invisible light projected from the projector, wherein the projector includes a control unit that changes a region of an image formed in an image display region of the first liquid crystal panel based on an image imaged by the imaging device [See abstract and Paragraphs 94-113].
It would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at time of invention to modify the system disclosed by Kimura to add the teachings in Katou as above, to provide a system that Controls Lighting so the occurrence of the optical loss in the liquid-crystal projector can be prevented effectively [See Katou Paragraphs 29-30].
Regarding Claim 22, Horiguchi discloses a plurality of the projectors, wherein the imaging device simultaneously images the invisible light of the projection images projected respectively from the plurality of projectors, and the control unit of each of the projectors adjusts an overlapping amount of the projection images projected from the projectors [See Paragraphs 24-33].
Conclusion
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/TSION B OWENS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487