CONTEST
Competed
$4,000
This contest is closed.
Problem
Patexia is looking for descriptions of a display device that can shape the light beam that travels from a light source to an electronic element where the image is formed (such as an LCD pixel panel).
Submitted documents describing this system must be:
- filed or published before 04/04/1994
- not on the known references list
The entire submission must describe a display system with a light source and an electronic element with pixels to form an image where:
- a tunnel with an inner light-reflecting surface carries the light from the light source to the electronic element
- the tunnel’s output aperture has the same aspect ratio as the electronic element
- the light beam is magnified or de-magnified as it leaves the tunnel’s output aperture
or
- getting the light from the source to the element allows for focusing different parts of the beam into the pixels of the element at proper angles in order to shape the beam to match the image formed and enhance brightness
or
- where the light beam is passed through a lens or specifically a Fresnel polarizer
This contest is for a prior art search for US Patent 7,688,347, with a focus on claims 17 and 61; 29, 30, 32, and 33; and 48 and 69.
Contest icon by Aaron K. Kim from the Noun Project.
Questions
| # | Question | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is the reference either a US patent filed, a foreign patent published, or a non-patent document published before April 4th, 1994? | T/F |
| 2 | Does the reference describe a display system with a light source and an electronic element with pixels that form an image the same size as the entire element? | T/F |
| 3 | Does the reference show a tunnel with an inner light-reflecting surface to carry the light from the light source to the electronic element? | 10 |
| 4 | (3a) Does the reference further show that the tunnel’s aperture where the light exits has the same aspect ratio as the electronic element? 30 | 30 |
| 5 | (3b) Does the reference further show that the tunnel can magnify or de-magnify the light beam as it leaves the tunnel’s aperture? | 5 |
| 6 | Does the reference show that the light beam is shaped to match the image formed on the electronic element by focusing different parts of the light beam into the element’s pixels at proper angles? | 20 |
| 7 | (6a) Does the reference further show that the light beam passes through a lens array or field lens? | 5 |
| 8 | (6b) Does the reference further show that the light beam passes through a Fresnel polarizer? | 30 |
Additional Notes
This is a Prior Art Search contest aimed at determining if a patent idea was known and publicly available before a patent was filed.
+5 bonus points will be awarded for non-patent literature and for foreign language references.
This contest will close on Sunday, August 9th, 2015 at 11:59 PM PST.
Please review the Contest Rules. For more information on how to submit to this Contest type, please read the Intro to Prior Art Search page.
