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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 5-10, filed 10/31/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 3-13 have been fully considered.
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the previous Office action is persuasive and, therefore, the finality of that Office action is hereby withdrawn in view of the new ground of rejection set forth below.
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, 3-8, 10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sue et al., (hereafter Sue) (US 11,409,124 B2).
With respect to Claim 1, Sue discloses a camera device, comprising: a lens (13, Figure 3) having an optical axis (L, Figure 1); and an automatic focusing mechanism (6, Figure 2) configured to drive the lens (13, Figure 3) to move along a direction of an optical axis (L, Figure 1), wherein the automatic focusing mechanism (shake correction 6, Figure 2) comprises: a fixed part (5, Figure 1) comprising a magnetic case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing (shake correction magnetic drive mechanism, column 7, lines 23-25), drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing (shake correction magnetic drive mechanism, column 7, lines 23-25) fixed to the case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing, and a base (12, Figure 3) for auto-focusing (shake correction, column 7, lines 23-25); a movable part (3, Figure 1) comprising a lens holder (8, Figure 4), and a drive coil (61 and 62, Figure 6) for auto-focusing fixed to the lens holder (8, Figure 4); the lens holder (8, Figure 4) is provided with four through-holes (21a-24a, Figure 4) penetrating along a direction parallel (21a-24a are parallel to L, Figure 4) to the optical axis (L, Figure 1), and the four drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing are received in the four through-holes (21a-24a, Figure 4); and an elastic assembly (76, Figure 8) that connects the fixed part (5, Figure 1) and the movable part (3, Figure 1), wherein a receiving space (space for displacement, column 16, lines 53-58) is formed by the case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing and the base (12, Figure 3) for auto-focusing, and the movable part (3, Figure 1) is received in the receiving space (space for displacement, column 16, lines 53-58), wherein in a plane perpendicular (31 and 32 are located perpendicular to L, Figure 2) to the optical axis (L, Figure 1), each of the drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing is arranged at a side (see Figure 6) of the drive coil (61 and 62, Figure 6) for auto-focusing close to the optical axis (L, Figure 1), and the drive coil (61 and 62, Figure 6) for auto-focusing is arranged in a closed magnetic circuit (59, Figure 6) formed by the drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing and the case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing.
With respect to Claim 3, Sue further discloses further comprising a magnet holding frame (21-24, Figure 2) for auto-focusing which is fixed to a side of the case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing close to the base (12, Figure 3) for auto-focusing, wherein the at least one drive magnet four drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing are fixed to the magnet holding frame (21-24, Figure 2) for auto-focusing.
With respect to Claim 4, Sue further discloses further comprising a yoke (16 and 17, Figure 5) for auto-focusing provided at the base (12, Figure 3) for auto-focusing, wherein in a direction parallel to the optical axis (L, Figure 1), upper and lower ends of the at least one drive magnet four drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing respectively abut against the magnet holding frame (21-24, Figure 2) for auto-focusing and the yoke (16 and 17, Figure 5) for auto-focusing.
With respect to Claim 5, Sue further discloses wherein the case (8, Figure 4) for automatic focusing is made of a magnetic material (43, Figure 3).
With respect to Claim 6, Sue further discloses wherein the case (8, Figure 3) for auto-focusing comprises a case body (43, Figure 3) and a case yoke (16 and 17, Figure 5) attached to an inner side of the case body (43, Figure 3), and the case body (43, Figure 3) is made of a non-magnetic material (43, Figure 3; see also column 10, lines 47-49).
With respect to Claim 7, Sue further discloses further comprising an enhancement yoke (16 and 17, Figure 5) provided at a surface of the drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing close to the optical axis (L, Figure 1).
With respect to Claim 8, Sue further discloses wherein one of the movable part (3, Figure 1) and the fixed part (5, Figure 1) is provided with a magnet for position detection (9, Figure 3) for auto-focusing, and the other one of the movable part (3, Figure 1) and the fixed part (5, Figure 1) is provided with a Hall element (85, Figure 6) for auto-focusing.
With respect to Claim 10, Sue further discloses wherein a distance between a side of the case (8, Figure 4) for auto-focusing and a side of the lens holder (8, Figure 4) is a first distance L1, and a distance between a side of the drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing and a side of the drive coil (61 and 62, Figure 6) for the auto-focusing is a second distance L2 larger than the first distance L1 (see Figure 6).
With respect to Claim 13, Sue discloses a portable electronic device, comprising a camera device, wherein the camera device comprises: a lens (13, Figure 3) having an optical axis (L, Figure 1); and an automatic focusing mechanism (6, Figure 2) configured to drive the lens (13, Figure 3) to move along a direction of an optical axis (L, Figure 1), wherein the automatic focusing mechanism (6, Figure 2) comprises: a fixed part (5, Figure 1) comprising a magnetic case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing (shake correction magnetic drive mechanism, column 7, lines 23-25), drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing fixed to the case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing (shake correction magnetic drive mechanism, column 7, lines 23-25), and a base (12, Figure 3) for auto-focusing; a movable part (3, Figure 1) comprising a lens holder (8, Figure 4), and a drive coil (61 and 62, Figure 6) for auto-focusing fixed to the lens holder (8, Figure 4); and an elastic assembly (76, Figure 8) that connects the fixed part (5, Figure 1) and the movable part (3, Figure 1), wherein a receiving space (space for displacement, column 16, lines 53-58)is formed by the case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing and the base for auto-focusing, and the movable part (3, Figure 1) is received in the receiving space (space for displacement, column 16, lines 53-58), wherein in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (L, Figure 1), the drive magnets (31 and 32, Figure 2) for auto-focusing is arranged at a side of the drive coil (61 and 62, Figure 6) for auto-focusing close to the optical axis (L, Figure 1), and the drive coil (61 and 62, Figure 6) for auto-focusing is arranged in a closed magnetic circuit (59, Figure 6) formed by the for auto-focusing and the case (43, Figure 3) for auto-focusing.
Claim(s) 9, 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sue (US 11,409,124 B2) in further in view of Shin (US 2019/0033554 A1), of record.
With respect to Claim 9, Sue teaches the camera device as described in claim 1 and the movable part (3, Figure 1).
Sue fails to teach a driver IC, wherein the driver IC controls a position of the movable part.
Sue is an optical module and Shin is a lens-driving device comprising an optical module.
Shin teaches a driver IC (231, Figure 7), wherein the driver IC (231, Figure 7) controls a position of the movable part (400, Figure 24A).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Sue having the optical module with the teachings of Shin having the driver IC control a position of the movable part for the purpose of electronic movement control of elements for focusing.
With respect to Claim 11, Sue teaches the camera device as described in claim 1.
Sue fails to teach a stabilization mechanism.
Sue is an optical module and Shin is a lens-driving device comprising an optical module.
Shin teaches a stabilization mechanism (170, Figure 1).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Sue having the optical module with the teachings of Shin having the stabilization mechanism for the purpose of image focus.
With respect to Claim 12, Sue teaches the camera device as described in claim 11 and the automatic focusing mechanism (6, Figure 2).
Sue fails to teach wherein the stabilization mechanism is arranged at an imaging side of the automatic focusing mechanism.
Sue is an optical module and Shin is a lens-driving device comprising an optical module.
Shin teaches wherein the stabilization mechanism (170, Figure 1) is arranged at an imaging side (see 170, Figure 1) of the automatic focusing mechanism (autoFocus (AF) moveable unit, ¶[0077]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Sue having the optical module with the teachings of Shin having the stabilization mechanism is arranged at an imaging side of the automatic focusing mechanism for the purpose of image focus.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAMARA Y WASHINGTON whose telephone number is (571)270-3887. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur 730-530 EST.
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, Stephone Allen can be reached on 571-272-2434. 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.
/TYW/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/STEPHONE B ALLEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872