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 .
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/29/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed on 12/29/2025 are acknowledged and accepted. Claims 1, 6, and 17 are amended, no Claims are canceled/withdrawn, no Claims have been added, and Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/29/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 9 on the Remarks, applicant asserts that Condron does not teach to the claimed barrel structure as amended in the arguments filed 12/29/2025. The Office agrees with this assertion. Condron cannot teach to the barrel structure or the bearing structure that has been amended in the independent claims.
On page 9 on the Remarks, applicant asserts that Dreiocker does not remedy the differences of Condron. The Office agrees with this assertion. Dreiocker cannot teach to the barrel structure or the bearing structure that has been amended in the independent claims.
Although Condron and Dreiocker cannot teach to the amendments in the independent claims, applicant failed to consider the previously cited reference Trebouet (US 20200101945 A1), which can teach to the amended structure in the independent claims.
The independent claims were amended to include the limitation of “one or more bearings disposed around the substantially cylindrical opening, wherein the one or more bearings extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening” which is anticipated by the Trebouet reference in combination with Condron. See the U.S.C. 103 rejection below.
On page 10 of the remarks, Applicant asserts that the claims are in condition for allowance based on the deficiencies of Condron and Dreiocker. The Office disagrees with this assertion based on the reasons set forth in the rejection below.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-12, 14-17, and 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Condron (US 20200275004 A1), previously cited, and further in view of Trebouet (US 20200101945 A1), previously cited.
Regarding claim 1, Condron teaches, in Fig. 10: an apparatus (camera module 122, [0033]), comprising:
a housing (housing 124a, 124b, Fig. 10, [0033]), including:
a base surface (rear housing portion 124a, Fig. 10, [0033]) configured to be attached to a vehicle (vehicle 10, Fig. 1, [0039] lines 1-3); and
a perimeter surface (front or outer housing portion 124b, Fig. 10, [0033]) that couples to the base surface (124a) to form an interior between the base surface (124a) and the perimeter surface (“The housing includes a rear housing portion 124a and a front or outer housing portion 124b that house the camera 114 therein”; [0033]), the perimeter surface (124b) having a substantially cylindrical opening (see Fig. 10);
an imaging element (camera 114, Fig. 10, [0033] lines 1-4) affixed within the interior of the housing (housing 124a, 124b) and oriented such that a field of view of the imaging element is through the substantially cylindrical opening (“camera module 122 (shown in FIGS. 9-31) includes a housing 124 and a clear lens or cover 126 (such as a transparent glass disk) that is disposed in front of the lens of the camera 114”; [0033]);
a motor (motor 128) having a shaft (shaft of output gear 130a, Fig. 10) that is rotatable by the motor (“motor 128 rotatably drives an output gear 130a”; [0033]), the motor affixed within the interior of the housing (see Fig. 10);
a first rotating member (output gear 130a) attached to the shaft (see fig 10 for shaft connected to 130a) and rotated by the shaft when the shaft is rotated by the motor ( “motor 128 rotatably drives an output gear 130a”; [0033]);
a spinning lens assembly (cover 126, bearing 132) rotatably coupled to, and positioned within, the substantially cylindrical opening (“rotatably drives a bearing gear 130b to rotate the cover 126 at a bearing 132”; [0033]) …
a second rotating member (bearing gear 130b) attached to the spinning lens assembly (cover 126, bearing 132) and operable to rotate the spinning lens assembly (“motor 128 rotatably drives an output gear 130a, which in turn rotatably drives a bearing gear 130b to rotate the cover 126 at a bearing 132”; [0033]), wherein the second rotating member (130b) is rotated by the first rotating member (130a) when the first rotating member is rotated by the shaft (see Fig. 10 in which 130a and 130b are driven by the shaft connected to motor 128); and
wherein:
when the motor (128) is engaged by a motor controller (“The wiping element and motor control may be responsive to detection of dirt or debris or the like at the cover element”; [0047]), the motor (128) causes the shaft to rotate, which causes the first rotating member (130a), the second rotating member (130b), and the spinning lens assembly to rotate (cover 126, bearing 132) (“A motor 128 and gear assembly are disposed at and in the housing, whereby operation of the motor 128 rotatably drives an output gear 130a, which in turn rotatably drives a bearing gear 130b to rotate the cover 126”; [0033]), and
the spinning lens assembly (cover 126, bearing 132 rotates at a rotational frequency that causes water to be displaced off of a surface of a lens of the spinning lens assembly (“when the clear cover is rotated or spun relative to the fixedly mounted or non-moving camera, water or debris present at the cover is spun off of the cover to clear the field of view of the camera through the cover”; [0037]).
However, Condron fails to explicitly teach: the spinning lens assembly including a lens element and a barrel having one or more recesses, wherein the lens element is attached to the barrel;
one or more bearings disposed around the substantially cylindrical opening, wherein the one or more bearings extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening.
In a related invention in the field of camera modules, Trebouet teaches in Fig. 3: the spinning lens assembly (“protective device 4”; [0037], see abstract) including a lens element (“optical element 12”; [0037]) and a barrel (“protective casing 8 comprises a wall 10 defining a cavity 11, in which the optical sensor is housed”; [0035]) having one or more recesses (see Fig. 3 in which the casting has a plurality of recessed areas), wherein the lens element is attached to the barrel (“The optical element 12 can be produced as a single piece with the protective casing 8”; [0036]);
one or more bearings (“two roller bearings 50, 51”; [0050]) disposed around the substantially cylindrical opening (see Fig. 3), wherein the one or more bearings (50, 51) extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening (“comprises two roller bearings 50, 51 for providing suitable pivoting of a movable part 52 of the protective device, particularly formed by the rotor 22 of the motor, the protective casing 8 and the optical element 12”; [0050]).
Furthermore, Trebouet teaches this configuration such that “the number and the position of the roller bearings could vary as long as this allows the movable part 52 to rotate relative to the fixed part 54 of the protective device” (Trebouet, [0051]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron to incorporate the teachings of Trebouet to provide a device in which the one or more bearings extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening for the purpose of pivoting or rotating the lens assembly (Trebouet, [0051]).
Regarding claim 2, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 1. Condron further teaches:
a flexible belt ([0043] lines 1-6) connected with the first rotating member (output gear 130a) and the second rotating member (bearing gear 130b); and wherein:
the first rotating member (output gear 130a) is a first pully; and the second rotating member is a second pully ([0043]).
Although not explicitly disclosed, when a flexible belt is used, the first and second rotating members are considered to be pullies, given the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term. Furthermore, Condron teaches the gear system such that “the module may use gears or any other suitable drive means, such as a belt or the like to be able to offset the packaging of the motor” ([0043] lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 3, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 1 . Condron further teaches:
the first rotating member is a first gear (output gear 130a, [0033] lines 6-12);
the second rotating member is a second gear (bearing gear 130b, [0033] lines 6-12);
and the first gear engages and rotates the second gear when the first gear is rotated by the shaft of the motor (motor 128, [0033] lines 6-12).
Regarding claim 4, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 1. Condron further teaches:
a compression bearing (bearing 132) disposed between the housing (124a, 124b) and the spinning lens assembly (cover 126), wherein the compression bearing (bearing 132):
holds the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) within the substantially cylindrical opening ([0033] lines 6-12);
allows the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) to rotate within the substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 3, Fig. 10);
and substantially prevents the water from entering the housing between the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) and the substantially cylindrical opening ([0045] all lines).
Regarding claim 6, Condron teaches, in Fig. 10: an apparatus (camera module 122, [0033]), comprising:
a housing (housing 124, [0033]), including:
a base surface (rear housing portion 124a) configured to be attached to a vehicle (vehicle 10);
and a perimeter surface (font or outer housing portion 124b) that couples to the base surface (rear housing portion 124a) to form an interior between the base surface and the perimeter surface ([0033] lines 4-6), the perimeter surface having a substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 10);
an imaging element (camera 114) positioned within the interior of the housing (housing 124) and oriented such that a field of view of the imaging element is through the substantially cylindrical opening ([0033] lines 4-6);
a motor (motor 128) affixed within the interior of the housing (housing 124) and having a rotating member (output gear 130a) that rotates when the motor is engaged ([0033] lines 6-7);
and a spinning lens assembly (cover 126) rotatably coupled to, and positioned within the substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 3, Fig. 10) …
the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) is rotated by the rotating member (output gear 130a) of the motor (motor 128) at a rotational frequency that is at least sufficient to remove a substance from a surface of a lens of the spinning lens assembly when the spinning lens assembly is rotated so that the field of view of the imaging element is not obstructed or obscured by the substance ([0042], [0046]).
However, Condron fails to explicitly teach: the spinning lens assembly including a lens element and a barrel having one or more recesses, wherein the lens element is attached to the barrels one or more bearings disposed around the substantially cylindrical opening, wherein the one or more bearings extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening.
In a related invention in the field of camera modules, Trebouet teaches in Fig. 3: the spinning lens assembly (“protective device 4”; [0037], see abstract) including a lens element (“optical element 12”; [0037]) and a barrel (“protective casing 8 comprises a wall 10 defining a cavity 11, in which the optical sensor is housed”; [0035]) having one or more recesses (see Fig. 3 in which the casting has a plurality of recessed areas), wherein the lens element is attached to the barrel (“The optical element 12 can be produced as a single piece with the protective casing 8”; [0036]);
one or more bearings (“two roller bearings 50, 51”; [0050]) disposed around the substantially cylindrical opening (see Fig. 3), wherein the one or more bearings (50, 51) extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening (“comprises two roller bearings 50, 51 for providing suitable pivoting of a movable part 52 of the protective device, particularly formed by the rotor 22 of the motor, the protective casing 8 and the optical element 12”; [0050]).
Furthermore, Trebouet teaches this configuration such that “the number and the position of the roller bearings could vary as long as this allows the movable part 52 to rotate relative to the fixed part 54 of the protective device” (Trebouet, [0051]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron to incorporate the teachings of Trebouet to provide a device in which the one or more bearings extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening for the purpose of pivoting or rotating the lens assembly (Trebouet, [0051]).
Regarding claim 7, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 6. Condron further teaches:
at least one sensor (camera 114), wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, or a temperature sensor (“The motor may be actuated responsive to a user input or when rain or snow or precipitation is sensed (such as by a rain sensor of the vehicle) or responsive to image processing of image data captured by the camera (when such image processing determines contaminants present in front of and in the field of view of the camera)”; [0038], [0042]).
Regarding claim 8, Condron and Trebouet teach a spinning lens assembly as described in claim 7. Condron does teach the apparatus wherein the motor is a brushless motor that includes a stator and a rotor that rotates about the stator; the rotating member is the rotor; and the imaging element is positioned within, and at least partially encompassed by the stator of the motor.
However, Trebouet teaches, in Fig. 3: an apparatus (“protective device 4”, [0037]) wherein the motor (“motor 14”, [0040]) ) is a brushless motor (“the motor is an internal rotor motor”; [0041]) that includes a stator (“stator 24”, [0044]) and a rotor (“rotor 22”, [0044]) that rotates about the stator (“the rotor 22 rotating inside the stator 24”; [0041]); the rotating member is the rotor (rotor 22); and the imaging element is positioned within, and at least partially encompassed by the stator (“protective casing 8 and the associated optical element 12 are rigidly connected to the rotor 22 of the motor 14”; [0042], “Rotating the rotor 22 by means of the electrical power supply of the stator 24 allows the intermediate connection part to be rotated, which rotates the protective casing 8 and the optical element 12 to be cleaned by centrifugal force”; [0042]).
Trebouet teaches this motor such that “the motor is configured to rotate the protective casing at a speed that is sufficient for removing dirt or water that can be present on the optical element by a centrifugal effect ([0007] lines 10-13).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron to incorporate the teachings of Trebouet to provide an apparatus containing a brushless motor system including a stator and a rotor. Doing so would allow the protective casing and the associated optical element to be rotated by the motor and would allow the motor to be configured to rotate the protective casing at a speed that is sufficient for removing dirt or water on the optical element by a centrifugal effect (Trebouet, [0007]).
Regarding claim 9, Condron and Trebouet teach a spinning lens assembly as described in claim 8. Condron does not teach the apparatus containing a compression bearing disposed between the housing and the spinning lens assembly wherein; the spinning lens assembly is coupled to the rotor; and the compression bearing holds the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening such that the spinning lens assembly is rotatable within the substantially cylindrical housing and the rotor is rotatable about the stator.
However, Trebouet teaches, in Fig. 3: a compression bearing (“roller bearing 50”, [0050]) disposed between the housing (“comprises two roller bearings 50, 51 for providing suitable pivoting of a movable part 52 of the protective device, particularly formed by the rotor 22 of the motor, the protective casing 8 and the optical element 12”; [0050]) and the spinning lens assembly (“optical element 12”, [0042]) wherein; the spinning lens assembly (optical element 12) is coupled to the rotor (rotor 22); and the compression bearing (roller bearing 50) holds the spinning lens assembly (optical element 12) within the substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 2, Fig. 3) such that the spinning lens assembly (optical element 12) is rotatable within the substantially cylindrical housing (Fig. 2) and the rotor (rotor 22) is rotatable about the stator (stator 24).
Trebouet teaches this apparatus such that the device “comprises two roller bearings 50, 51 for providing suitable pivoting of a movable part 52 of the protective device, particularly formed by the rotor 22 of the motor, the protective casing 8 and the optical element 12 ([0050] lines 2-6).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron to incorporate the teachings of Trebouet to provide an apparatus containing a compression bearing disposed between the housing and the spinning lens assembly; wherein the compression bearing holds the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening such that the spinning lens assembly is rotatable within the substantially cylindrical housing. Doing so would allow the protective casing and the associated optical element to be rotated by the motor and would allow the motor to be configured to rotate the protective casing at a speed that is sufficient for removing dirt or water on the optical element by a centrifugal effect (Trebouet, [0007]).
Regarding claim 10, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 6. Condron further teaches:
a second rotating member (bearing gear 130b) coupled to the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) that is rotated by the rotating member (output gear 130a) when the motor (motor 128) is engaged (“motor 128 and gear assembly are disposed at and in the housing, whereby operation of the motor 128 rotatably drives an output gear 130a, which in turn rotatably drives a bearing gear 130b to rotate the cover 126”; [0033]).
Regarding claim 11, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 10. Condron further teaches:
the rotating member is a first pully (output gear 130a);
the second rotating member is a second pully (bearing gear 130b);
and the first pully and the second pully are connected by a flexible belt such that the flexible belt causes the second pully to rotate in response to a rotation of the first pully ([0043] lines 1-6).
Although not explicitly disclosed, when a flexible belt is used, the first and second rotating members are considered to be pullies, given the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term. Furthermore, Condron teaches the gear system such that “the module may use gears or any other suitable drive means, such as a belt or the like to be able to offset the packaging of the motor” ([0043] lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 12, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 6. Condon further teaches:
at least one fan (“centrifugal fan”, [0045]) positioned within the interior of the housing (124a, 124b) to cause airflow within the interior of the housing (“To prevent icing, an electrical heater may be included to heat the lens or cover. A washer fluid jet may be added to the system to help remove any dried on debris. To help prevent internal fog, the spinning disk may incorporate fins similar to a centrifugal fan to generate airflow over the inner side of the lens”; [0045]).
Regarding claim 14, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 6. Condron further teaches:
a motor controller (“controller”, [0047] lines 3-10) operable to selectively engage and disengage the motor (“the wiping element and motor control may be responsive to detection of dirt or debris or the like at the cover element”; [0047]).
Regarding claim 15, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 14. Condron further teaches:
the motor controller (“controller”, [0047] lines 3-10) engages the motor (motor 128) in response to receiving a signal indicative of the substance being present and potentially in contact with the surface of a lens of the spinning lens assembly ([0045] lines 10-11, “the wiping element and motor control may be responsive to detection of dirt or debris or the like at the cover element”; [0047]).
Regarding claim 16, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 6. Condron further teaches:
a compression bearing (bearing 132) disposed between the housing (124a, 124b) and the spinning lens assembly (cover 126), wherein the compression bearing (bearing 132):
holds the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) within the substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 10);
allows the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) to rotate within the substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 10); and substantially prevents the substance from entering the housing (housing 124) between the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) and the substantially cylindrical opening (“To prevent icing, an electrical heater may be included to heat the lens or cover. A washer fluid jet may be added to the system to help remove any dried on debris. To help prevent internal fog, the spinning disk may incorporate fins similar to a centrifugal fan to generate airflow over the inner side of the lens. The module may be sealed to prevent water ingress, and possibly filled with an inert gas to reduce or prevent fogging. A hydrophobic material or coating may be utilized to decrease the rotation rate required to remove water. Use of obstruction detection may allow the system to only run when the camera view is obstructed”; [0045]).
Regarding claim 17, Condron teaches, in Fig. 10: an apparatus (camera module 122, [0033]), comprising:
a housing (housing 124, [0033]), including:
a base surface (rear housing portion 124a) configured to be attached to a vehicle (vehicle 10, [0039] lines 1-3); and
a perimeter surface (front or outer housing portion 124b) that couples to the base surface (rear housing portion 124a) to form an interior between the base surface (rear housing portion 124a) and the perimeter surface ([0033] lines 4-6), the perimeter surface having a substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 3, Fig. 10);
an imaging element (camera 114, [0033] lines 1-4) affixed within an interior of the housing (housing 124) and oriented such that a field of view of the imaging element is through the substantially cylindrical opening ([0033] lines 4-6);
a motor (motor 128, [0033] lines 6-19) affixed within the interior of the housing (housing 124, [0033] lines 6-12);
a spinning lens assembly (cover 126) positioned within the substantially cylindrical opening (Fig. 10), the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) rotatable by the motor (motor 128, [0033] lines 6-12).
However, Condron fails to explicitly teach: the spinning lens assembly including a lens element and a barrel having one or more recesses, wherein the lens element is attached to the barrel, and wherein the spinning lens assembly is rotatable by the motor; and one or more bearings disposed around the substantially cylindrical opening, wherein the one or more bearings extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening.
In a related invention in the field of camera modules, Trebouet teaches in Fig. 3: the spinning lens assembly (“protective device 4”; [0037], see abstract) including a lens element (“optical element 12”; [0037]) and a barrel (“protective casing 8 comprises a wall 10 defining a cavity 11, in which the optical sensor is housed”; [0035]) having one or more recesses (see Fig. 3 in which the casting has a plurality of recessed areas), wherein the lens element is attached to the barrel (“The optical element 12 can be produced as a single piece with the protective casing 8”; [0036]), and wherein the spinning lens assembly is rotatable by the motor (“the motor is configured to rotate the protective casing at a speed that is sufficient for removing dirt or water”; [0007]);
one or more bearings (“two roller bearings 50, 51”; [0050]) disposed around the substantially cylindrical opening (see Fig. 3), wherein the one or more bearings (50, 51) extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening (“comprises two roller bearings 50, 51 for providing suitable pivoting of a movable part 52 of the protective device, particularly formed by the rotor 22 of the motor, the protective casing 8 and the optical element 12”; [0050]).
Furthermore, Trebouet teaches this configuration such that “the number and the position of the roller bearings could vary as long as this allows the movable part 52 to rotate relative to the fixed part 54 of the protective device” (Trebouet, [0051]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron to incorporate the teachings of Trebouet to provide a device in which the one or more bearings extend into the one or more recesses of the barrel to rotatably support the spinning lens assembly within the substantially cylindrical opening for the purpose of pivoting or rotating the lens assembly (Trebouet, [0051]).
Regarding claim 19, Condron and Trebouet teach the apparatus as claimed in claim 17. Condron further teaches:
the motor (motor 128, [0033] lines 6-12) is operable to be activated to rotate the spinning lens assembly (cover 126) in response to at least one of:
a first signal from a moisture sensor (“responsive to detection of rain by a rain sensor”, [0042]) coupled to the vehicle ([0038], [0042]), or a second signal from a switch (“The motor may be actuated responsive to a user input”; [0038]).
Claims 13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Condron (US 20200275004 A1) and Trebouet (US 20200101945 A1) as in claims 6 and 17, and further in view of Dreiocker (US 20160272163 A1), previously cited.
Regarding claim 13, Condron and Trebouet teach the spinning lens assembly as described in claim 6. Condron and Trebouet do not teach the apparatus further comprising at least one heat sink positioned to evacuate heat generated by at least one of the motor or the imaging element from the interior of the housing.
However, in a related invention in the field of spinning lenses, Dreiocker teaches in Figs. 2-3: an apparatus (vision system 12, [0026]) comprising at least one heat sink (fluid channel 30b, [0032], [0042] lines 11-16) positioned to evacuate heat generated by at least one of the motor or the imaging element (camera 14, [0028]) from the interior of the housing ([0044] lines 6-13).
Dreiocker teaches this heat sink such that “passing fluid through the fluid channels and around the camera, the fluid would draw heat from the camera to reduce the camera temperature ([0044] lines 6-13).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron and Trebouet to incorporate the teachings of Dreiocker to provide an apparatus comprising at least one heat sink positioned to evacuate heat generated by at least one of the motor or the imaging element from the interior of the housing. Doing so would allow the operating temperature of the electrical components on the circuit boards inside the camera to be lowered via heat transfer (Dreiocker, [0044] lines 10-12, [0042] lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 18, Condron and Trebouet teach the spinning lens assembly as described in claim 17. Condron and Trebouet do not teach except the apparatus further comprising a heat sink coupled to the housing and operable to evacuate heat from the interior of the housing.
However, in a related invention in the field of spinning lenses, Dreiocker teaches in Figs. 2-3: an apparatus (vision system 12, [0026]) comprising a heat sink (fluid channel 30b, [0032]) coupled to the housing (housing portions 22, 14, [0028]) and operable to evacuate heat from the interior of the housing ([0044] lines 6-13).
Dreiocker teaches this heat sink such that “passing fluid through the fluid channels and around the camera, the fluid would draw heat from the camera to reduce the camera temperature ([0044] lines 6-13).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron and Trebouet to incorporate the teachings of Dreiocker to provide an apparatus comprising a heat sink coupled to the housing and operable to evacuate heat from the interior of the housing. Doing so would allow the operating temperature of the electrical components on the circuit boards inside the camera to be lowered via heat transfer (Dreiocker, [0044] lines 10-12).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Condron (US 20200275004 A1) and Trebouet (US 20200101945 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hartranft (US 20140060582 A1), previously cited.
Regarding claim 5, Condron and Trebouet teach a spinning lens assembly as described in claim 1. Condron and Trebouet do not teach the apparatus wherein the surface of a lens of the spinning lens assembly is convex.
However, in a related invention in the field of lens washing systems, Hartranft teaches in Figs. 1C-1D and 2: an apparatus (“camera module 10”, [0049]) wherein the surface of a lens (“objective lens surface 122”, [0063]) of the lens assembly (“washing system nozzle assembly 110”, [0063]) is convex (“Some external camera systems include convex or dome-shaped lens surfaces”; [0075]).
Hartranft teaches this convex lens such that the washing nozzle “can be packaged in really close to keep the overall width of the package from growing larger; e.g., a dome-shaped or convex ("bug-eye") lens” (Hartranft, [0107])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron and Trebouet to incorporate the teachings of Hartranft to provide an apparatus wherein the surface of a lens of the spinning lens assembly is convex. Doing so would allow the apparatus to effectively clean different image sensor housing configurations and different external lens surface shapes and keep the overall width of the package from growing larger (Hartranft, [0075] lines 5-6, [0107] lines 1-3).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Condron (US 20200275004 A1) and Trebouet (US 20200101945 A1) as applied to claim 19 above, and further in view of Zhang (US 20170297540 A1), previously cited.
Regarding claim 20, Condron and Trebouet teach a spinning lens assembly as described in claim 19. Condron and Trebouet do not explicitly teach the apparatus wherein the switch is remote from the vehicle and operable by a teledriver that is remote from the vehicle and interacts with the vehicle.
However, in related invention in the field of camera cleaning devices for use on vehicles, Zhang teaches in Figs. 2A-2B: the apparatus (“camera cleaning system 70”, [0037]) wherein the switch is remote from the vehicle and operable by a teledriver that is remote from the vehicle and interacts with the vehicle (“In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces that are connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules that are connected via interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In a further example, a server (also known as remote, or cloud) module may accomplish some functionality on behalf of a client module”; [0068]).
Zhang teaches this remote switch such that “the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces that are connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof ([0068] lines 2-5).” Additionally, Zhang discloses that “a server (also known as remote, or cloud) module may accomplish some functionality on behalf of a client module ([0068] lines 9-11).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Condron and Trebouet to incorporate the teachings of Zhang to provide an apparatus wherein the switch is remote from the vehicle and operable by a teledriver that is remote from the vehicle and interacts with the vehicle. Doing so would allow remote access to the functions of the device (Zheng, [0068]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20170297535 A1: A cleaning assembly includes a motor and an arm that is attached to the motor and that includes a cleaning material. The motor selectively moves the cleaning material across the lens cover to clean the lens cover.
US 20140036132 A1: The lens cleaning device (80) has a cylindrical lens (90) that is positioned inside housing (82) to define an inner cavity (104). An imager (88) is placed in the cavity. A gear assembly (107) is provided to operably couple the cylindrical lens with a motor (112). The motor is operational to rotate the gear assembly and consequently the cylindrical lens.
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/RUBY L KAUFFMAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/THOMAS K PHAM/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872