Detailed Action
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
2. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WU (US 20220252899 A1).
Regarding claim 1, WU discloses a mirrorless head-up display device (e.g., Fig. 20 and Figs. 1 and 3; head-up display device) comprising: a visible light generating device configured to convert electrical energy into visible light ([0028], [0079]-[0080], [0100]-[0101]; an image generating device including light sources 10 excited by an electric field to generate red, green, and blue light) and to output the visible light toward a windshield without reflection by a mirror (Figs. 1 and 50 and [0089]; light emitted from light sources 10 is directed toward a windshield 30 using micro-lens array 20, no mirror is used to reflect light toward the windshield 30), and a driver device electrically connected to the visible light generating device (Fig. 20 and [0113]; light emitting control unit 50 connected to light sources 10) and configured to provide a signal to the visible light generating device (Fig. 20 and [0113]).
Regarding claim 2, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the visible light generating device is implemented as a display panel including a plurality of light emitting elements (e.g., Fig. 16; image display panel 1 including a plurality of light sources 10) corresponding to a size of a screen displayed on the windshield (e.g., Fig. 16; display screen on the windshield 30).
Regarding claim 3, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 2, wherein the visible light generating device is divided into a plurality of blocks each including a plurality of the light emitting elements (e.g., Figs. 3 and 10-16; blocks of light sources), and an optical output of the visible light generating device is controlled on a block basis ([0080] and [0113]; independent control of light sources).
Regarding claim 4, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 3, wherein the visible light generating device comprises: a first light emitting element block configured to generate light that implements an image displayed in a first area of the screen, and a second light emitting element block configured to generate light that implements an image displayed in a second area of the screen (e.g., Figs. 3 and 10-16; a plurality of light source blocks comprising at least a first light emitting element block to generate an image displayed in a first area of the screen and a second light emitting element block to generate an image displayed in a second area of the screen).
Regarding claim 5, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 4, wherein the first area is located more inward on the screen than the second area, and the first light emitting element block is disposed more inward than the second light emitting element block (e.g., Figs. 3 and 10-16; a plurality of light source blocks comprising at least a first light emitting element block to generate an image displayed in a first area or inner area of the screen and a second light emitting element block to generate an image displayed in a second area or outer area of the screen).
Regarding claim 6, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device (e.g., Figs. 20 and 1, 3, 10-16) of claim 4, further comprising a processor configured to control an optical output of the visible light generating device by providing a control signal to the driver device ([0113]; processor, control signal).
Regarding claim 7, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device (e.g., Figs. 20 and 1, 3, 10-16) of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to provide the control signal so that the second light emitting element block maintains an off state while the first light emitting element block is in an on state ([0113]; independent control of light source blocks).
5. 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)(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.
6. Claims 1-2, 10-13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by SHIGEKUNI (WO 2024143543 A1).
Regarding claim 1, SHIGEKUNI discloses a mirrorless head-up display device (e.g., Figs. 1-6, 12, and 20-22; head-up display device) comprising: a visible light generating device configured to convert electrical energy into visible light (Figs. 1-3 and Page 4, Paragraph 4, Page 6, Paragraph. 3-4, and Page 7, Paragraphs 8-9; an image generating device 1 including light emitting elements 10 excited by an electric field to generate red, green, and blue light) and to output the visible light toward a windshield without reflection by a mirror (Figs. 1 and 20 and Page 4, Paragraphs 2 and 5; light from light sources 10 is emitted directly toward a windshield 121, no mirror is used to reflect the light toward the windshield 121), and a driver device electrically connected to the visible light generating device and configured to provide a signal to the visible light generating device (Fig. 3 and P. 6, Paragraphs. 3-4; driver IC 40 is connected to light emitting elements 10 and supplies a driving signal to the light emitting elements 10).
Regarding claim 2, SHIGEKUNI discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the visible light generating device is implemented as a display panel including a plurality of light emitting elements (Figs. 1-3 and Page 4, Paragraph 4, Page 6, Paragraph. 3-4, and Page 7, Paragraphs 8-9; an image generating device 1 includes a plurality of light emitting elements 10 and generate colored image light) corresponding to a size of a screen displayed on the windshield (e.g., Figs. 1-7; the image generating device 1 includes a plurality of light emitting elements 10 corresponds to a display screen on the windshield 121).
Regarding claim 10, SHIGEKUNI discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 2, wherein the driver device comprises a plurality of display driver integrated circuits (e.g., Fig. 3; driver ICs 40) electrically connected to at least some of the plurality of light emitting elements (e.g., Fig. 3; light emitting elements 10).
Regarding claim 11, SHIGEKUNI discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of light emitting elements are divided into a plurality of light emitting element groups based on arranged columns (e.g., Fig. 3; light emitting element groups), and the plurality of display driver integrated circuits (e.g., Fig. 3; driver ICs 40) are electrically connected to at least some of the plurality of light emitting element groups (e.g., Fig. 3; light emitting element groups).
Regarding claim 12, SHIGEKUNI discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of display driver integrated circuits is electrically connected to at least two of the light emitting element groups (e.g., Fig. 3; each driver IC 40 connected to at least two light emitting element groups).
Regarding claim 13, SHIGEKUNI discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 12, wherein the driver device comprises a first display driver integrated circuit electrically connected to a first light emitting element group among the plurality of light emitting elements and to a second light emitting element group that is not adjacent to the first light emitting element group (e.g., Fig. 3; a first driver IC 40 connected to three light emitting element groups including two emitting element groups that are not adjacent to each other).
Regarding claim 15, SHIGEKUNI discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 13, wherein the driver device further comprises a third display driver integrated circuit electrically connected to an a-th light emitting element group configured to generate visible light implementing at least a portion of an image displayed in a first area of the screen and to a b-th light emitting element group configured to generate visible light implementing at least a portion of an image displayed in a second area of the screen (e.g., Figs. 1-6; each driver IC 40 connected to at least a first light emitting element group and a second light-emitting group, each light-emitting group generate image light to be displayed in a corresponding area of the screen in the windshield 121 and to be viewed by the user).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 of this title, 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.
6. Claims 2-5 and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over WU (US 20220252899 A1) in view of KWEON (US 20190051233 A1).
Regarding claim 2, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 1 as described above. As another reference, KWEON discloses a head-up display device, wherein the visible light generating device is implemented as a display panel including a plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to a size of a screen displayed on the windshield (e.g., Figs. 11, 15, and 20 and [0229]; image generation unit 1050 includes a backlight unit 1051 and generates an image light, which is project to be displayed on a screen of a windshield WS). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KWEON with the head-up display device as taught by WU to obtain an improved optical performance and power consumption.
Regarding claim 3, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 2 as described above. As another reference, KWEON discloses wherein the visible light generating device is divided into a plurality of blocks each including a plurality of the light emitting elements, and an optical output of the visible light generating device is controlled on a block basis (e.g., Figs. 11, 15, and 20 and [0272]; image forming panel 1055 is divided into a plurality of blocks and independent control of each block). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KWEON with the head-up display device as taught by WU. The combination/motivation would be to provide a head-up display device with an improved optical performance and power consumption.
Regarding claim 4, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 3 as described above. As another reference, KWEON discloses wherein the visible light generating device comprises: a first light emitting element block configured to generate light that implements an image displayed in a first area of the screen, and a second light emitting element block configured to generate light that implements an image displayed in a second area of the screen (e.g., Figs. 11 and 15; first light emitting element block corresponding to first area RG1 and second light emitting element block corresponding to second area RG2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KWEON with the head-up display device as taught by WU for the same reason above.
Regarding claim 5, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 4 as described above. As another reference, KWEON discloses wherein the first area is located more inward on the screen than the second area (e.g., Figs. 11 and 15; first area or inner area RG1 and second area or outer area RG2), and the first light emitting element block is disposed more inward than the second light emitting element block (e.g., Figs. 11 and 15; first light emitting element block corresponding to first area RG1 and second light emitting element block corresponding to second area RG2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KWEON with the head-up display device as taught by WU for the same reason above.
Regarding claim 8, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 7, but does not disclose wherein the first area is configured to display basic information provided from a vehicle based on light generated by the first light emitting element block. However, KWEON discloses wherein the first area is configured to display basic information provided from a vehicle based on light generated by the first light emitting element block (e.g., Fig. 15; inner area is configured to display vehicle information, e.g., driving speed). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KWEON with the head-up display device as taught by WU for the same reason above.
Regarding claim 9, WU discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to provide the control signal so that the second light emitting element block maintains an on state while the first light emitting element block is in an on state ([0113]). As another reference, KWEON discloses wherein the processor is configured to provide the control signal so that the second light emitting element block maintains an on state while the first light emitting element block is in an on state (e.g., Fig. 15C and [0398]-[0406]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KWEON with the head-up display device as taught by WU for the same reason above.
8. Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over SHIGEKUNI (WO 2024143543 A1) in view of YOO (US 20160078826 A1).
Regarding claim 14, SHIGEKUNI discloses the mirrorless head-up display device of claim 12, but does not disclose wherein the driver device further comprises a second display driver integrated circuit electrically connected to a third light emitting element group disposed between the first light emitting element group and the second light emitting element group and to a fourth light emitting element group that is not adjacent to the third light emitting element group. However, YOO discloses a display device, wherein the driver device further comprises a second display driver integrated circuit electrically connected to a third light emitting element group disposed between the first light emitting element group and the second light emitting element group and to a fourth light emitting element group that is not adjacent to the third light emitting element group (e.g., Fig. 2; a first driver circuit OUT2 connected to the first and the third light emitting element groups, and a second driver circuit OUT2 connected to the second and the fourth light emitting element groups). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from YOO with the head-up display device as taught by SHIGEKUNI, which would provide an alternative arrangement of light emitting elements of an image generation panel.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUZHEN SHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1407. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00-18:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YUZHEN SHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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