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
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 8-11, 13, 15, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vlaskamp (US 20210373327).
Regarding claim 1 Vlaskamp teaches a user-mountable display system (Abstract: Wearable and optical display systems and methods for operation thereof incorporating monovision display techniques) comprising:
-a display device for displaying imagery at a first fixed depth (fig. 4A, 401-1) and a second fixed depth (fig. 4A, 401-2), the display device having a display field of view (FOV) (fig. 4A, user looking at the field of view);
-a range device for generating ambient image data over a range field of view (fig. 5, ambient image data 534A, 534B);
a processing unit (fig. 5, 550) configured to: configured to receive ambient image data (fig. 5, ambient image data 534A, 534B),
generate range data using the ambient image data (534A, 534B), use the range data to determine a first zone of the ambient scene for display of imagery at the first depth, and a second zone of the ambient scene for display of imagery at the second depth (fig. 4B, [0053] [0055] [0060]- [0062]);
depth, receive virtual image data (VID) representative of at least two images for display as virtual images, and process the virtual image data (fig. 4B) (VID) to:
to determine from the virtual image data (VID), a virtual image associated with the first zone or associated with the first depth, and distribute such first depth imagery to the display device for display at the first depth (fig. 4B, 410-1, 302-1), and
determine from the virtual image data (VID), a virtual image associated with the second zone or associated with the second depth, and distribute such second depth imagery to the display device for display at the second depth (fig. 4B, 410-2, 302-2).
Regarding claim 2 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the range device comprises: a first imaging device arranged to image a first portion of an ambient scene (fig. 5, [0061]);
a second imaging device arranged to image a second portion of the ambient scene (fig. 5, [0061]);
wherein a common region of the ambient scene is imaged by both the first and the second imaging devices (fig. 8, triangular dotted lines as a common region of the ambient scene).
Regarding claim 6 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the processing unit is configured to perform object recognition on the ambient image data, to identify predetermined zones or objects as the first or second zone ([0062] fig. 4B, fig. 5).
Regarding claim 8 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the display device comprises: a first image source configured to generate imagery-bearing optical signals for display at a first depth; a second image source configured to generate imagery-bearing optical signals for display at a second depth; and wherein processing the virtual image data (VID) at the processing unit comprises: includes distributing to the first image source virtual images associated with the first zone of the ambient scene, or associated with the first depth; and distributing to the second image source virtual images associated with the second zone of the ambient scene, or associated with the second depth (fig. 4B, fig. 5, [0053] [0055] [0060]- [0062]).
Regarding claim 9 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the first zone corresponds to a closer depth than the second zone (fig. 4A-4B).
Regarding claim 10 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the first zone corresponds to a focal length ([0053] FIG. 4A illustrates an AR device 400A having a single fixed focal plane).
Vlaskamp does not expressly teach a focal length of 50cm to 200cm.
However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to make a focal length of 50cm to 200cm, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 11 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the second zone corresponds with a focal length of infinity ([0064] FIG. 6 illustrates the relationship between VAC and the distance of the virtual depth plane for each of AR devices 400A, 400B described in reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively. For AR device 400B, the two-focal plane system provides switchable focal planes at 1.95 diopters (0.51 meters) and 0.65 diopters (1.54 meters), with a switch point at 1.3 diopters (0.77 meters), a near content limit (clipping plane) at 2.7 diopters (0.37 meters), and an ability to provide imagery never exceeding 1.0 diopter VAC between that plane and infinity).
Regarding claim 13 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the user-mountable display system is for use in a vehicle or platform, having a user workstation/cockpit and associated control/instrument console, and the first zone (fig. 4B, 410-1) generally corresponds to the console (fig. 4B, 330) and the first depth generally corresponds to the distance between the user and the console (fig. 4B, 330).
Regarding claim 15 Vlaskamp teaches a processor-implemented method of providing virtual images to a user of a user-mountable display system (fig. 5).
The other limitations are significantly similar to the limitations of claim 1 so rejected same way.
Regarding claim 17 Vlaskamp teaches wherein the display device includes a first image source and a second image source, the first image source configured to generate imagery-bearing optical signals for display at a first depth, the second image source configured to generate imagery-bearing optical signals for display at a second depth, and wherein processing the virtual image data at the processing unit includes: distributing to the first image source virtual images associated with the first zone of the ambient scene, or associated with the first depth; and distributing to the second image source virtual images associated with the second zone of the ambient scene, or associated with the second depth (fig. 4B, fig. 5, [0053] [0055] [0060]- [0062]).
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.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vlaskamp (US 20210373327) in view of Yamamoto (US 20230103912).
Regarding claim 14 Vlaskamp is silent on wherein the user-mounted display system is for use in a vehicle or platform, having a workstation/cockpit and a canopy/windscreen, and the second zone generally corresponds to the canopy/windscreen.
However, Yamamoto teaches wherein the user-mounted display system is for use in a vehicle or platform, having a workstation/cockpit and a canopy/windscreen, and the second zone generally corresponds to the canopy/windscreen (fig. 2, [0033] Consequently, the driver 6 visually recognizes the projected image, which has been projected on the display region 5, as a virtual image ahead of the transparent windshield 3 in a form of being superimposed on landscapes (roads, buildings, people, etc.) outside the vehicle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to combine Vlaskamp in light of Yamamoto teaching so that it may include on wherein the user-mounted display system is for use in a vehicle or platform, having a workstation/cockpit and a canopy/windscreen, and the second zone generally corresponds to the canopy/windscreen.
The motivation is to provide head-up display apparatus to ensure user convenience.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 18-20 allowed.
None of the prior art teach “the display field of view being narrower than the range field of view” as recited in claim 18. The closest prior art is US 20230281897 that discuss an example of display of the visual field image in a case where a visual field of a user is narrower than a visual field of another user.
Claims 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 16 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20200379214
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOWFIQ ELAHI whose telephone number is (571)270-1687. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 10AM-3PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Boddie can be reached at (571)272-0666. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TOWFIQ ELAHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
Prosecution Insights