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 .
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to the amendment filed on May 04, 2026. Claims 1, 6, 9, and 12 are amended. Claims 1, 3-9, and 12-14 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1, 3-9, and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tokunaga (JP 2007-065334), and further in view of Itoi et al. (U.S. Publication No.: 2018/0302563) and Kondo et al. (JP 2013-080209).
Regarding claim 1:
Tokunaga discloses a camera accessory (FIGS. 1, 2, (11), [0026]) that is attachable to and detachable from a camera body ((1), [0031]), the accessory comprising: a correction optical system that is movable in a direction intersecting an optical axis thereof ((13), [0032]); a vibration detection unit that detects a vibration of the camera accessory and outputs a detected signal ((18), (19), [0034, 0053]); a microcomputer ((120), [0050-0054]) programmed to calculate a moving amount of the correction optical system based on the detected signal (lens microcomputer (120) utilizes output from lens shake sensors (18)/(19) and ratio (r) received from camera microcomputer (100) to calculate target position (D) for comparing with detected current position C, [0097-0109]; correction lens (13) is driven for shake correction, [0110]); and a first communication unit ((10)/(L4), [0051]) that transmits accessory side information for calculating the moving amount with the microcomputer (reliability level of lens shake sensor is transmitted to camera microcomputer (100) for determining ratio (r), [0077-0083]; ratio (r) is transmitted to lens microcomputer (120), [0084], for shake correction calculation, [0099-0110]),
Tokunaga does not specifically disclose selecting accessory side information from the detected signal; the first communication unit transmits in a cycle shorter than a live view frame rate of the camera body; and wherein the accessory side information indicates at least one of (i) whether or not a shooting composition is being changed, (ii) whether or not the shooting composition is stable, and (iii) whether or not the camera body is fixed to a tripod.
Itoi teaches an image pickup apparatus (FIG. 1), comprising: a microcomputer ((203), [0143]) programmed to select accessory side information from the detected signal (“lens controller” (203) obtains/determines “reliability information” from the result of detection by “lens shake detection section” (205), [0143]); and wherein the accessory side information indicates at least one of (i) whether or not a shooting composition is being changed, (ii) whether or not the shooting composition is stable, and (iii) whether or not the camera body is fixed to a tripod (FIG. 13, “reliability information” of (205) is utilized in judgement in step S1301, [0149]; in step S902, it is judged whether the device is attached to a tripod (S904) or not attached to a tripod (S903), [0126]).
Kondo teaches an interchangeable lens, wherein a first communication unit that transmits, in a cycle shorter than a live view frame rate of the camera body (hotline communication cycle is shorter than the command data communication cycle, [0074]; [0072-0080]), the accessory side information (various detected lens position data such as focusing lens, image stabilization lens, aperture, zoom lens, [0072-0080, 0109]). Note: according to the cited paragraphs, [0149-0151], on page 5 of the arguments filed on May 04, 2026, the limitation “a live view frame rate of the camera body” appears to mean “the command data communication” which occurs at t43, t44, t47, t50, and t52 in Figure 6 of the original disclosure.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the feature of Itoi’s with the camera accessory taught by Tokunaga for the purpose of preventing an unnatural image from being photographed when both of an image pickup apparatus body and an interchangeable lens are each equipped with an image blur correction function (Itoi: [0012]).
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the feature of Kondo’s with the camera accessory taught by Tokunaga and Itoi for the purpose of enabling the hotline communication to be performed simultaneously or partially in parallel with the command data communication for faster communications between the lens and the body (Kondo: [0080]).
Regarding claim 3:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein together Tokunaga and Kondo further disclose: a position detection unit that detects a position of the correction optical system (Tokunaga: FIGS. 1, 2, (21), [0032, 0052, 0105]), wherein: the first communication unit repeatedly transmits to the camera body (Kondo: the hotline communication is repeatedly performed, [0074], [0072-0080]) position information, which represents the position of the correction optical system detected by the position detection unit, and the accessory side information (Tokunaga: see claim 1 above; Kondo: various detected lens position data such as focusing lens, image stabilization lens, aperture, zoom lens, [0072-0080, 0109]).
Regarding claim 4:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein Tokunaga further discloses: the first communication unit ((10)/(L4), contact for data transmission from lens to camera body, [0051]) transmits a reliability of the accessory side information to the camera body (reliability level of lens shake sensor is transmitted to camera microcomputer (100) for determining ratio (r), [0077-0083]).
Regarding claim 5:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein Tokunaga further discloses: the first communication unit transmits to the camera body a moving state of the correction optical system in the direction intersecting the optical axis (reliability/level of lens shake sensor (18)/(19) detects correction lens (13) moving in pitch/yaw direction, [0034]).
Regarding claim 6:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein Tokunaga and Kondo further disclose: the vibration detection unit periodically outputs the detected signal in a cycle (Tokunaga: shake sensors (18)/(19) are vibration gyros that constantly output shakes detected in pitch/yaw directions, [0034]) shorter than the cycle in which the first communication unit transmits the accessory side information (Tokunaga: level of lens shake sensor transmitted from lens microcomputer (120) to camera body in step #304, [0096]; Kondo: see the hotline communication cycle in claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 7:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein together Tokunaga and Kondo further disclose: the first communication unit periodically transmits data of a fixed length (Kondo: hotline communication is repeatedly performed outputting lens position data signal (503) having the length shown in FIG. 7(b), [0074, 0077], [0072-0080]) including at least the accessory side information to the camera body (Tokunaga: see claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 8:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein Tokunaga further discloses: a second communication unit that receives an instruction from the camera body (FIG. 2, contact for data transmission from camera body to lens, (L3), [0051]), wherein: the second communication unit receives from the camera body a start instruction to start correction of the vibration (SW1 serves as a switch for starting image stabilization, [0048]; camera microcomputer (100) communicates with lens microcomputer (120) and performs image stabilization operation, [0050]).
Regarding claim 9:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 8, wherein together Tokunaga and Kondo further disclose: the cycle in which the first communication unit periodically transmits (Kondo: hotline communication is repeatedly performed, [0074]) the accessory side information (Tokunaga: see claim 1 above) is shorter than a cycle in which the second communication unit receives the instruction from the camera body (Kondo: hotline communication cycle is shorter than the command data communication cycle, [0074]; [0072-0080]).
Regarding claim 12:
Claim 12 is similarly rejected as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 13:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein Tokunaga further discloses: the first communication unit transmits the detected signal to the camera body ([0096]).
Regarding claim 14:
Tokunaga, Itoi, and Kondo disclose and teach of the camera accessory according to claim 1, wherein together Tokunaga and Kondo further disclose: the first communication unit transmits the detected signal (Tokunaga: [0096]) and a position of the correction optical system to the camera body (Kondo: various detected lens position data such as focusing lens, image stabilization lens, aperture, zoom lens can be transmitted to the body, [0072-0080, 0109]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-9, and 12-14 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FANG-CHI CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5299. The examiner can normally be reached MRF 9am-5pm.
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, STEPHANIE BLOSS can be reached at 5712723555. 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.
/FANG-CHI CHANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/STEPHANIE E BLOSS/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
Prosecution Insights