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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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) 1-2, 10, and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1,a2) as being anticipated by KR 20200001026 U.
Re claim 1, KR 20200001026 U teaches an optical waveguide comprising: a pair of major surfaces that are parallel (see numeral 45 with parallel surfaces); an aperture configured to receive an input beam, the aperture having a first dimension (see numeral 20 which serves as an aperture); a coupling-in element configured to receive the input beam from the aperture and couple the input beam into the optical waveguide (see prism 730);a first set of facets disposed between the major surfaces along a first axis and configured to receive the input beam from the coupling-in element and at least partially reflect the input beam (see numeral 40); and an iris matched to the aperture and configured to block rays outside of the aperture from entering the optical waveguide, wherein the first dimension of the aperture corresponds to a pitch of the first set of facets (see figure 2 first section serves as iris).
Re claim 2, KR 20200001026 U teaches wherein the aperture has a second dimension that corresponds to aspects of the optical waveguide corresponding to a second axis (see numeral 20).
Re claim 10, KR 20200001026 U teaches wherein the second dimension of the aperture is smaller than the first dimension of the aperture (see numeral 20).
Re claim 12, KR 20200001026 U teaches wherein the aperture and iris are disposed on one of the major surfaces (see figure 2).
Re claim 13, KR 20200001026 U teaches wherein the iris comprises an opening that is aligned with the aperture (see figure 2).
Re claim 14, KR 20200001026 U teaches wherein the coupling-in element comprises a mirror or a prism (see numeral 730).
Re claim 15, KR 20200001026 U teaches a projector configured to produce an input beam; and the optical waveguide of claim 1 (technical field display device projects light).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9, 11, and 16-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art taken singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the independent claims, in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper.
In regard to independent claim 3, the prior art taken either singly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the optical waveguide further comprises a second set of facets disposed between the major surfaces along the second axis; the first set of facets is configured to at least partially reflect the input beam towards the second set of facets; and the second set of facets is configured to at least partially reflect beams from the first set of facets out of the optical waveguide; recited together in combination with the totality of particular features/limitations recited therein
In regard to independent claim 11, the prior art taken either singly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the pitch of the first set of facets corresponds to a distance between adjacent facets of the first set of facets along the first axis; recited together in combination with the totality of particular features/limitations recited therein
Cited Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20100149073 A1 WO 2023209710 A1
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES R GREECE whose telephone number is (571)272-3711. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4.
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/JAMES R GREECE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
