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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-4, 9-10, 12, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1).
Claim 1, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses a head-mounted display system (200; Fig. 2), comprising:
a wearable frame (230; Fig. 2) that includes a first nasal region (Fig. 2; wherein figure shows a nasal region near nose of user) and a first temporal region (Fig. 2; wherein figure shows a temporal region near temples of user);
a first lens (226; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a display lens; Paragraph [0033]) mounted in the wearable frame (230; Fig. 3; Paragraph [0033]; wherein discloses “The display 220 can comprise a display lens 226 that may be mounted to a user's head or a housing or frame 230, which corresponds to the frame 230”), wherein the first lens (226; Fig. 3) defines a first optical axis (520; Fig. 5 and 5A; Paragraph [0069]; wherein discloses “The natural resting pose of the eye 500 can be indicated by a natural resting direction 520, which is a direction orthogonal to the surface of the eye 500 when in the natural resting pose (e.g., directly out of the plane for the eye 500 shown in FIG. 5) and in this example, centered within the pupil 516”; this is similar to defined term as shown in Applicant’s figure 4C element 470 “first optical axis”);
one or more display engines (318; Fig. 3; Paragraph [0038]; wherein discloses “For example, the rendering engine 334, can be coupled to the eye cameras 324 via communication link 274, and be coupled to a projecting subsystem 318 (which can project light into user's eyes 302, 304 via a scanned laser arrangement in a manner similar to a retinal scanning display) via the communication link 272.”) located on the wearable frame (230; Fig. 3); and
an eye-tracking system (Fig. 6; Paragraph [0073]; 324; Fig. 3; Paragraph [0072]) located on the wearable frame (230; Fig. 3) and communicatively coupled (Fig. 6 and 3) to the one or more display engines (318; Fig 3),
wherein the eye-tracking system (Fig. 6) includes:
a first camera (324; Fig. 3 and 6; Fig. 9; Paragraph [0099]) located in the first nasal region (Paragraph [0099]; wherein discloses “a second eye tracking camera can be positioned on the other side of the eye (such as, on the nasal side of the eye)”) of the wearable frame (230; Fig. 3); and
a second camera (324; Fig. 3 and 6; Fig. 9; Paragraph [0099]) located in the first temporal region (Paragraph [0099]; wherein discloses “a first eye tracking camera can be positioned on one side of an eye (such as, on the temporal side)”) of the wearable frame (230; Fig. 3).
Russell does not expressly disclose wherein the eye-tracking system includes:
a first polarization-sensitive camera; and
a second polarization-sensitive camera.
Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein the eye-tracking system (300; Fig. 3) includes:
a first polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”); and
a second polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Claim 2, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses wherein each of the first camera (324; Fig. 3 and 6; Fig. 9; Paragraph [0099]) and the second camera (324; Fig. 3 and 6; Fig. 9; Paragraph [0099]) is positioned to image (Paragraph [0072]) one or more physical features of an eye (500; Fig. 5) of a wearer (210; Fig. 2) of the head-mounted display system (200; Fig. 2).
Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein each of the first polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”) and the second polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system
175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Claim 3, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses wherein the one or more physical features of the eye (Fig. 5) of the wearer (210; fig. 2) of the head-mounted display system (200; Fig. 2) are characterized by at least one unique pattern with birefringence (550; Fig. 5).
Claim 4, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses wherein each of the first camera (324; Fig. 3 and 6; Fig. 9; Paragraph [0099]) and the second camera (324; Fig. 3 and 6; Fig. 9; Paragraph [0099]) is positioned to image (Fig. 3) one or more sclera features (508; Fig. 5) of an eye of a wearer (500; Fig. 5) of the head-mounted display system (200; Fig. 2).
Claim 9, Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses further comprising:
one or more light-emitting-diodes (302; Fig. 3; 176; Fig. 1B; Col. 12, Lines 44-56) positioned on the wearable frame (Fig. 1A) to provide illumination (306-I; Fig. 3) toward a pupil (Col. 4, Line 64-Col. 5, Line 8) of a wearer (320; Fig. 3) of the head-mounted display system (Fig. 1A) at respective angles (Col. 12, Lines 44-56; wherein discloses “the plurality of LEDs 302 may be arranged in a ring formation around an eye 180”) so that at least a portion of the illumination is reflected (306_R; Fig. 3) by a retina of the wearer (324; Fig. 3).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Claim 10, Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses further comprising:
one or more light-emitting-diodes (302; Fig. 3; 176; Fig. 1B; Col. 12, Lines 44-56) positioned on the wearable frame (Fig. 1A) to provide illumination (306-I; Fig. 3) toward a cornea (Col. 4, Line 64-Col. 5, Line 8) of a wearer (320; Fig. 3) of the head-mounted display system (Fig. 1A) at respective angles (Col. 12, Lines 44-56; wherein discloses “the plurality of LEDs 302 may be arranged in a ring formation around an eye 180”) so that at least a portion of the illumination (306_R; Fig. 3) is reflected by a cornea of the wearer (325; Fig. 3).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Claim 12, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses wherein the wearable frame (230; Fig. 2) includes a nose bridge (Fig. 2; wherein figure shows a nose bridge; Paragraph [0081]; wherein discloses a node bridge), the first nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left nasel side) is located adjacent to the nose bridge (Fig. 2; wherein figure shows a nose bridge; Paragraph [0081]; wherein discloses a node bridge), the first temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left temporal side) is located away from the nose bridge (Fig. 2; wherein figure shows a nose bridge), and the first nasal region Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left nasel side) and the first temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left temporal side) are mutually exclusive to each other (Paragraph [0100]).
Claim 16, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses an eye-tracking system (Fig. 6) for tracking gaze directions (Paragraph [0084]) of a user (210; Fig. 2), comprising:
a frame (230; Fig. 2) that includes a first nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left nasal region) and a first temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left temporal region) for a first eye (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left eye) of the user (210; Fig. 2), and a second nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right nasal region) and a second temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right temporal region) for a second eye (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right eye) of the user (210; Fig. 2);
a first camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a first left eye tracking camera) positioned in the first nasal region Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left nasal region);
a second camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a second left eye tracking camera) positioned in the first temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left temporal region);
a third camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a first right eye tracking camera) positioned in the second nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right nasal region); and
a fourth camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a second right eye tracking camera) positioned in the second temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right temporal region).
Russell does not expressly disclose wherein at least one of the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, and the fourth camera is a polarization-sensitive camera.
Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein at least one of the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, and the fourth camera is a polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Claims 5, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wang (US 2024/0174358 A1).
Claim 5, Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein each of the first polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”) and the second polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Russel in view of Hall does not expressly disclose wherein each of the first camera and the second camera is characterized by a respective field-of-view (FOV) angle between 60 and 100 degrees.
Wang (Fig. 1-13) discloses wherein each of the first camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a left eye shown in figure 1) and the second camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a right eye shown in figure 1) is characterized by a respective field-of-view (FOV) angle between 60 and 100 degrees (Paragraph [0065]; wherein discloses “the field of view of the eye tracking camera 300 ranges from 70° to 85°”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying a specific field of view, as taught by Wang, so to use a display system with a specific field of view for providing an eye tracking apparatus and a virtual reality apparatus so as to solve the problem of deteriorated eye tracking accuracy caused by miniaturization of VR glasses in conventional technologies (Paragraph [0006]).
Claim 13, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses wherein:
the wearable frame (230; Fig. 2) includes a second nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right nasal side) that is mutually exclusive to the first nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left nasal side) and a second temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right temporal side) that is distinct and separate from the first temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left temporal side);
the eye-tracking system (Fig. 6) further includes:
a third camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses two eye tracking cameras for both eyes, therefore two additional cameras for the right eye; wherein discloses a camera located near the right nasal side) located in the second nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right nasal side) of the wearable frame (230; Fig. 1); and
a fourth camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses two eye tracking cameras for both eyes, therefore two additional cameras for the right eye; wherein discloses a camera located near the right temporal side) located in the second temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a right temporal side) of the wearable frame (230; Fig. 2).
Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses the eye-tracking system (300; Fig. 3) further includes:
a third polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”); and
a fourth polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Russel in view of Hall does not expressly disclose wherein each of the third camera and the fourth camera is characterized by a respective FOV angle between 60 and 100 degrees.
Wang (Fig. 1-13) discloses wherein each of the third camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a left eye shown in figure 1) and the fourth camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a right eye shown in figure 1) is characterized by a respective field-of-view (FOV) angle between 60 and 100 degrees (Paragraph [0065]; wherein discloses “the field of view of the eye tracking camera 300 ranges from 70° to 85°”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying a specific field of view, as taught by Wang, so to use a display system with a specific field of view for providing an eye tracking apparatus and a virtual reality apparatus so as to solve the problem of deteriorated eye tracking accuracy caused by miniaturization of VR glasses in conventional technologies (Paragraph [0006]).
Claim 14, Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein each of the third polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”) and the fourth polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Wang (Fig. 1-13) discloses wherein each of the third camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a left eye shown in figure 1) and the fourth camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a right eye shown in figure 1) is characterized by a respective FOV angle between 75 and 85 degrees (Paragraph [0065]; wherein discloses “the field of view of the eye tracking camera 300 ranges from 70° to 85°”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying a specific field of view, as taught by Wang, so to use a display system with a specific field of view for providing an eye tracking apparatus and a virtual reality apparatus so as to solve the problem of deteriorated eye tracking accuracy caused by miniaturization of VR glasses in conventional technologies (Paragraph [0006]).
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wang (US 2024/0184358 A1) and Oudenhoven et al (US 2025/0334796 A1).
Claim 6, Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein each of the first polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”) and the second polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Russel in view of Hall does not expressly disclose wherein each of the first camera and the second camera is characterized by a respective field-of-view (FOV) angle between 75 and 85 degrees.
Wang (Fig. 1-13) discloses wherein each of the first camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a left eye shown in figure 1) and the second camera (300; Fig. 2; wherein provided for a right eye shown in figure 1) is characterized by a respective field-of-view (FOV) angle between 75 and 85 degrees (Paragraph [0065]; wherein discloses “the field of view of the eye tracking camera 300 ranges from 70° to 85°”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying a specific field of view, as taught by Wang, so to use a display system with a specific field of view for providing an eye tracking apparatus and a virtual reality apparatus so as to solve the problem of deteriorated eye tracking accuracy caused by miniaturization of VR glasses in conventional technologies (Paragraph [0006]).
Russel in view of Hall and Wang does not expressly disclose wherein the first temporal region is located between 10 degrees above the first optical axis and 30 degrees below the first optical axis from a reference point on the first optical axis.
Oudenhoven (Fig. 1-10B) discloses wherein the first temporal region (Fig. 10B) is located between 10 degrees above the first optical axis and 30 degrees below the first optical axis (Paragraph [0063]; wherein discloses “The angle γ as shown in FIG. 10B can be the side view projected angle and can be between about 0° and about 30° relative to the horizontal plane perpendicular to the lens for proper determination of the gaze point of the eye”) from a reference point on the first optical axis (Fig. 10B; figure shows a reference point on the first optical axis).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall and Wang’s display system by applying a camera arrangement, as taught by Oudenhoven, so to use a display system with a camera arrangement for providing the position of the camera allows a clear and unobstructed view of the eye from an angle that can best capture the gaze of the wearer or user (Paragraph [0024]).
Claim 7, Oudenhoven (Fig. 1-10B) discloses wherein the reference point (Fig. 10B; figure shows a reference point on the first optical axis) is located at a vertex distance (Fig. 10B; wherein near user’s eye) from the first lens (108; Fig. 10B).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall and Wang’s display system by applying a camera arrangement, as taught by Oudenhoven, so to use a display system with a camera arrangement for providing the position of the camera allows a clear and unobstructed view of the eye from an angle that can best capture the gaze of the wearer or user (Paragraph [0024]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Oudenhoven et al (US 2025/0334796 A1).
Claim 8, Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein each of the first polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”) and the second polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Russell in view of Hall does not expressly disclose wherein each of the first camera and the second camera is mounted at a respective angle so that a camera optical axis of a respective camera points between 20 and 30 degrees below the first optical axis of the first lens.
Oudenhoven (Fig. 1-10B) discloses wherein each of the first camera (118a; Fig. 8) and the second camera (188b; Fig. 8) is mounted at a respective angle (angle γ; Fig. 10B) so that a camera optical axis (Fig. 10B) of a respective camera (118; Fig. 10B) points between 20 and 30 degrees below (Paragraph [0063]; wherein discloses “The angle γ as shown in FIG. 10B can be the side view projected angle and can be between about 0° and about 30° relative to the horizontal plane perpendicular to the lens for proper determination of the gaze point of the eye”) the first optical axis of the first lens (108; Fig. 10B).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying a camera arrangement, as taught by Oudenhoven, so to use a display system with a camera arrangement for providing the position of the camera allows a clear and unobstructed view of the eye from an angle that can best capture the gaze of the wearer or user (Paragraph [0024]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sangu et al (US 2020/0285058 A1).
Claim 11, Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses further comprising:
three or more light-emitting-diodes (302; Fig. 3) positioned around (Col. 12, Lines 44-54; wherein discloses “For example, the plurality of LEDs 302 may be arranged in a ring formation around an eye 180”) the wearable frame (Fig. 1A) defining a light-emitting-diode plane (Fig. 1B).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Russel in view of Hall does not expressly disclose wherein a respective light emitting diode of the three or more light-emitting-diodes is oriented to emit light in a respective direction substantially parallel to the light-emitting-diode plane.
Sangu (Fig. 1-18) discloses wherein a respective light emitting diode (1; Fig. 2A and 2B) of the three or more light-emitting-diodes (Paragraph [0041]) is oriented to emit light (11 and 12; Fig. 2A and 2B) in a respective direction substantially parallel to the light-emitting-diode plane (Paragraph [0043]; wherein discloses parallel light).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying an eye tracking arrangement, as taught by Sangu, so to use a display system with an eye tracking arrangement for providing the SN ratio can be improved, which is advantageous in detecting the pupil position in a bright environment. Further, the amount of laser light to be emitted on the eyeball can be reduced (Paragraph [0047]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1) and Wang (US 2024/0174358 A1) as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Oudenhoven et al (US 2025/0334796 A1).
Claim 15, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses further comprising:
a second lens (226; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a display lens; Paragraph [0033]) mounted in the wearable frame (230; Fig. 3; Paragraph [0033]; wherein discloses “The display 220 can comprise a display lens 226 that may be mounted to a user's head or a housing or frame 230, which corresponds to the frame 230”), wherein the second lens (226; Fig. 3) defines a second optical axis (520; Fig. 5 and 5A; Paragraph [0069]; wherein discloses “The natural resting pose of the eye 500 can be indicated by a natural resting direction 520, which is a direction orthogonal to the surface of the eye 500 when in the natural resting pose (e.g., directly out of the plane for the eye 500 shown in FIG. 5) and in this example, centered within the pupil 516”).
Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein each of the third polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”) and the fourth polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Russell in view of Hall and Wang does not expressly disclose wherein each of the third camera and the fourth camera is mounted at a respective angle so that a camera optical axis of a respective camera points between 20 degrees and 30 degrees below the second optical axis of the second lens.
Oudenhoven (Fig. 1-10B) discloses wherein each of the third camera (118a; Fig. 8) and the fourth camera (188b; Fig. 8) is mounted at a respective angle (angle γ; Fig. 10B) so that a camera optical axis (Fig. 10B) of a respective camera (118; Fig. 10B) points between 20 and 30 degrees below (Paragraph [0063]; wherein discloses “The angle γ as shown in FIG. 10B can be the side view projected angle and can be between about 0° and about 30° relative to the horizontal plane perpendicular to the lens for proper determination of the gaze point of the eye”) the second optical axis of the second lens (108; Fig. 10B).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall and Wang’s display system by applying a camera arrangement, as taught by Oudenhoven, so to use a display system with a camera arrangement for providing the position of the camera allows a clear and unobstructed view of the eye from an angle that can best capture the gaze of the wearer or user (Paragraph [0024]).
Claims 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1) and Sangu et al (US 2020/0285058 A1).
Claim 17, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses an eye-tracking system (Fig. 6), comprising:
a frame (230; Fig. 2) that includes a first nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left nasal side) and a first temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left temporal side);
a first camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a first left eye tracking camera) located in the first nasal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left nasal side) of the frame (230; Fig. 2);
a second camera (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a second left eye tracking camera) located in the first temporal region (Paragraph [0100]; wherein discloses a left temporal side) of the frame (230; Fig. 2).
Russell does not expressly disclose a first polarization-sensitive camera;
a second polarization-sensitive camera; and
three or more light-emitting-diodes positioned around the frame defining a light-emitting-diode plane.
Hall (Fig. 1-5) discloses a first polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”);
a second polarization-sensitive camera (175; Fig. 1B; 304; Fig. 3; wherein discloses a polarization sensitive camera; Col. 3, Lines 64-67; wherein discloses “The eye tracking system 175 may include one or more optical detectors”; Col. 7, Lines 36-51; wherein discloses “In various embodiments, the camera 230 is one or more polarization sensitive cameras that are configured to detect the intensity of light at three or more different polarization angles”); and
three or more light-emitting-diodes (302; Fig. 3) positioned around (Col. 12, Lines 44-54; wherein discloses “For example, the plurality of LEDs 302 may be arranged in a ring formation around an eye 180”) the frame (Fig. 1A) defining a light-emitting-diode plane (Fig. 1B).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell’s display system by applying a polarization-sensitive camera, as taught by Hall, so to use a display system with a polarization-sensitive camera for providing the eye tracking system determines eye tracking information based on the updated model in order to improve eye tracking performance (Abstract).
Russel in view of Hall does not expressly disclose wherein a respective light emitting diode of the three or more light-emitting-diodes is oriented to emit light in a respective direction substantially parallel to the light-emitting-diode plane.
Sangu (Fig. 1-18) discloses wherein a respective light emitting diodes (1; Fig. 2A and 2B; Paragraph [0041]) is oriented to emit light (11 and 12; Fig. 2A and 2B) in a respective direction substantially parallel to the light-emitting-diode plane (Paragraph [0043]; wherein discloses parallel light).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying an eye tracking arrangement, as taught by Sangu, so to use a display system with an eye tracking arrangement for providing the SN ratio can be improved, which is advantageous in detecting the pupil position in a bright environment. Further, the amount of laser light to be emitted on the eyeball can be reduced (Paragraph [0047]).
Claim 18, Russell (Fig. 1-10) discloses wherein the respective light emitting diode (326; Fig. 3) has a center wavelength of 940 nm (Paragraph [0034]; wherein discloses infrared light sources 326).
Claim 19, Sangu (Fig. 1-18) discloses wherein a respective optical axis of the respective light emitting diode (11 and 12; Fig. 2A and 2B) is substantially parallel to the light-emitting-diode plane (Paragraph [0043]; wherein discloses parallel light).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russel in view of Hall’s display system by applying an eye tracking arrangement, as taught by Sangu, so to use a display system with an eye tracking arrangement for providing the SN ratio can be improved, which is advantageous in detecting the pupil position in a bright environment. Further, the amount of laser light to be emitted on the eyeball can be reduced (Paragraph [0047]).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Russell (US 2023/0185369 A1) in view of Hall et al (US 10,108,261 B1) and Sangu et al (US 2020/028058 A1) as applied to claim 17 above, and further in view of Wei et al (US 2021/0103087 A1).
Claim 20, Russell in view of Hall and Sangu discloses the eye-tracking system of claim 17.
Russell in view of Hall and Sangu does not expressly disclose wherein the respective light emitting diode of the three or more light-emitting-diodes is configured to emit light within a predefined cone pattern so that at least a portion of the light emitted within the predefined cone pattern impinges on an eye of a user of the eye-tracking system.
Wei (Fig. 1-5) discloses wherein the respective light emitting diode of the three or more light-emitting-diodes (Paragraph [0020]) is configured to emit light within a predefined cone pattern (381A; Fig. 3A; Paragraph [0034]) so that at least a portion of the light emitted within the predefined cone pattern (213; Fig. 2) impinges on an eye of a user (230; Fig. 2) of the eye-tracking system (Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Russell in view of Hall and Sangu’s display system by applying a cone pattern, as taught by Wei, so to use a display system with a cone pattern for providing to illuminate an eye region without introducing significant occlusions into an optical system (Paragraph [0002]).
Conclusion
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/Adam J Snyder/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623 07/20/2026
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