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.
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed on 12/04/2025 are acknowledged and accepted. Claims 11, 13, 15, 20-23, and 28-30 are amended, no Claims are canceled/withdrawn, no Claims have been added, and Claims 11-30 remain pending in the application.
Based on the amendments of 12/04/2025 the claim objections to claims 13 and 20 have been withdrawn.
Based on the amendments of 12/04/2025 the 112b rejection of claim 30 has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/04/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 10-11 of the Remarks, Applicant reproduces the amendment made to Claim 1.
In paragraphs 1-4 of page 12 in the Remarks, Applicant summarizes the schematics of Figure 20a of the instant application. Applicant asserts that the position of the driver IC allows the distances between each position sensor to be minimized. The Office reminds applicant that the details of the specification cannot be read into the claim language.
In paragraph 2 of page 13, Applicant asserts that the 102 rejection using the Kwon reference does not disclose the newly added amendments of claim 11. In specific, Applicant asserts that the new limitation of the driver IC is not taught by Kwon. The Office, agrees with this assertion. Based on the newly amened claims, Kwon can not anticipate claim 11 with a 102 rejection. However, the previously cited reference Weng (US 20200225442 A1) can be utilized in a 103 rejection of claim 11 and 28 to further reject the amended claim set. See the rejection below.
The remaining content of the Remarks describes why Kwon fails to anticipate the position of the driver IC. However, the rejection of the amendments are remedied through use of the Weng reference as seen 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 11-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon (US 20200348479 A1), previously cited, and further in view of Weng (US 20200225442 A1), previously cited.
Regarding claim 11, Kwon teaches, in Fig. 4: a camera actuator (“camera module 1000”; [0087]) comprising:
a moving part including a lens (“The AF and zoom functions may be implemented according to the movements of the at least three lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230 in the optical axis (the Z-axis) direction”; [0090]); and
a driving part for moving the moving part in an optical axis direction (“an actuator moving a plurality of lens groups in the optical axis”; [0084], “a first driving portion 1140 and a second driving portion 1240 provided for respectively driving the reflection module 1100 and the lens module 1200”; [0109]),
wherein the driving part includes:
a circuit board (“main board 1070”; [0111]);
a sensing part (“position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c”; [0159]) disposed on the circuit board (1070) and sensing a position of the moving part (“a plurality of position sensors 1241c and 1243c may be provided for accurate position sensing”; see [0160] and Fig. 4 in which the sensors corelate to lens barrels 1210 and 1220); and
a driver IC disposed on the circuit board and connected to the sensing part (“main board 1070 … may be provided with a driver integrated circuit (IC) (not illustrated) providing a driving signal to the plurality of coils 1141b, 1143b, and 1145b”; [0139]),
wherein the circuit board (1070) includes a first substrate region (1071) disposed on one side of the moving part (“main board 1070 may include first and second side boards 1071 and 1072”; [0262], Fig. 21) and overlapping the moving part in a first direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction (“position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c of the second driving portion 1240 for driving the lens module 1200, may be mounted on an internal surface of a main board 1070”; [0261], Fig. 21), a second substrate region (1072) disposed on another side of the moving part (“main board 1070 may include first and second side boards 1071 and 1072”; [0262], Fig. 21) and facing the first substrate region in the first direction (see Fig. 21), and a third substrate region (1073) connecting between the first substrate region and the second substrate region (see Fig. 21 in which 1073 connects 1071 and 1072) and overlapping the moving part in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction and the first direction (see Fig. 4),
wherein the sensing part (1241c, 1243c, and 1245c) includes a first sensing part disposed on the first substrate region (1241c disposed on 1071) and a second sensing part disposed on the second substrate region (1243c disposed on 1072) … and
wherein a signal distance between the first sensing part and the driver IC corresponds to a signal distance between the second sensing part and the driver IC (“main board 1070 … may be provided with a driver integrated circuit (IC) (not illustrated) providing a driving signal to the plurality of coils 1141b, 1143b, and 1145b”; [0139], “position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c may be provided for the closed loop control”; [0158]).
However, Kwon fails to teach: wherein the driver IC is disposed on the third substrate region.
However, in a related invention in the field of optical driving mechanisms, Weng teaches in Fig. 97-98: the circuit board (“circuit board 9-130”; [0521]) includes:
wherein the driver IC (“the controller 9-340 are disposed on the circuit board 9-130”; [0521], “the controller 9-340 can be a driver IC”; [0526]) is disposed on the third substrate region (see Fig. 98 in which 9-130 is shown to correspond to a lower part of the device).
Furthermore, Weng teaches this configuration such that “The controller 9-340 can determine the strength of the current providing to the coil 9-320 according to the detection result of the position sensor 9-330” (Weng, [0525]) and “The position sensor 9-330 is electrically connected to the controller 9-340, and the controller 9-340 is electrically connected to the coil 9-320” (Weng, [0525]).
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 Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Weng to provide a device in which the driver IC is disposed on a lower portion of the circuit, for the purpose of providing an electrical connection to the position sensors and coils in order to provide feedback to the controls (Weng, [0525]).
Regarding claim 12, Kwon teaches the camera actuator of claim 11. Kwon further teaches in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5: a base (“housing 1010”; [0166); and
a rail guide part coupled to the base (“plurality of guide grooves 1214 and 1013 accommodating the third ball bearings 1215 therein may be formed in a lower surface of the first lens barrel 1210 and the bottom surface of the housing 1010, respectively”; [0165]),
wherein the moving part includes second (1210) and third (1220) lens assemblies disposed in the base (1010) and moving along the rail guide part (“guide grooves 1013, 1014, and 1015 as the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230 move in the optical axis direction”; [0192]),
wherein the first sensing part (1241c) senses a position of the second lens assembly (1210), and wherein the second sensing part (1243c) senses a position of the third lens assembly (1220) (“position sensors 1241c and 1243c may be provided inside each of the coils 1241b and 1243b driving the first lens barrel 1210 and the second lens barrel 1220”; [0160]).
Regarding claim 13, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 12. Kwon further teaches in Figs. 4-5, 7, and 21: the base (1010) includes a first sidewall facing the first substrate region, a second sidewall facing the first sidewall and the second substrate region, and a lower part between the first sidewall and the second sidewall and facing the third substrate region (see Fig. 5 in which the housing 1010 contains two parallel sidewalls and a lower part between the first sidewall and the second sidewall).
Regarding claim 14, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 13. Kwon further teaches in Fig. 21: the first sensing part (1241c) and the second sensing part (1243c) are disposed facing each other on the first (1071) and second substrate regions (1072) (see Fig. 21 in which the sensing parts are disposed on opposite sides of board 1070).
Regarding claim 15, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 13. Kwon further teaches in Fig. 21: the driving part includes:
a first coil disposed (1241b) on the first substrate region (1071) and surrounding the first sensing part (1241c) (“coils 1241b and 1245b and the position sensors 1241c and 1245c of the second driving portion 1240 for driving the lens module 1200, may be mounted on the first side board 1071”; [0263]); and
a second coil disposed (1243b) on the second substrate region (1072) and surrounding the second sensing part (1243c) (“coil 1243b and the position sensor 1243c of the second driving portion 1240 for driving the lens module 1200, may be mounted on the second side board 1072”; [0264]),
wherein the first sensing part (1241c) is disposed inside the first coil (1241b) (see Fig. 7 in which the sensing part is disposed inside the coil), and
wherein the second sensing part (1243c) is disposed inside the second coil (1243b) (see Fig. 7 in which the sensing part is disposed inside the coil).
Regarding claim 16, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 13. Kwon further teaches: the circuit board (1070).
Kwon and wang fail to explicitly teach: the circuit board includes: a first signal line connecting between the first sensing part and the driver IC; a second signal line connecting between the second sensing part and the driver IC; and wherein a length of the first signal line corresponds to a length of the second signal line.
However, Kwon teaches in paragraph [0158]: “A closed loop control method involving sensing positions of the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230 and providing feedback may be used when moving the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230. Therefore, position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c may be provided for the closed loop control.”
Additionally, Weng teaches a configuration such that “the controller 9-340 are disposed on the circuit board 9-13” (Weng, [0521]) and that “the controller 9-340 can be a driver IC” (Weng, [0526]).
With the provision that the position sensors are directed to a closed loop control method providing feedback as disclosed in Kwon, an ordinary skilled artisan could determine that a signal must be present for the closed loop method to occur. One of ordinally skill would be drawn to either (a) a physical wired connection or (b) an unwired connection. Thus, because this is a genus with only two species all of them would be at once envisaged 1 by an ordinary skilled artisan. Therefore, Kwon anticipates “the circuit board includes: a first signal line connecting between the first sensing part and the driver IC; a second signal line connecting between the second sensing part and the driver IC” because an ordinary skilled artisan would at once envisage such physical wired connections being present in the circuit board.
Therefore, the configuration of Weng in which the driver IC is disposed on the base circuit board would teach to the limitation of “a length of the first signal line corresponds to a length of the second signal line.” A wired connection between the position sensors and a the driver IC, as envisaged by Kwon, and a driver IC disposed on the base as taught in Weng, would result in a configuration where the wired lines are essentially equal due to the position sensors being disposed on opposite sides as shown in Fig. 21 of Kwon.
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 Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Weng to provide a device in which there is wired connection between the driver IC and the position sensors, for the purpose of a closed loop connection (Kwon, [0158]).
Regarding claim 17, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 16. Kwon further teaches in Fig. 21: a length of one of the first and second signal lines satisfies a range of 95% to 105% of a length of the other signal line (“A closed loop control method involving sensing positions of the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230 and providing feedback may be used when moving the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230. Therefore, position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c may be provided for the closed loop control”; [0158]).
Kwon and Weng fail to explicitly teach numerical values such that: a length of one of the first and second signal lines satisfies a range of 95% to 105% of a length of the other signal line.
However, it is a well-established proposition that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device” In Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), see MPEP 2114.04(IV).
The instant claims and the prior art differ by the recitation of a relative dimension, “a length of one of the first and second signal lines satisfies a range of 95% to 105% of a length of the other signal line.” The prior art and the instant claim do not perform differently from one another.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to choose the relative lengths such that they are within 95% to 105% of one another as suggested by the positions of 1241c and 1243c in Kwon since it has been held that “where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device” In Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), see MPEP 2114.04(IV).
Regarding claim 19, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 15. Kwon further teaches in Fig. 5: the base (1010) includes:
a first opening (1010d, Fig. 6B) formed in the first sidewall and corresponding to the first coil (1241b); a second opening formed (1010e, Fig. 5) in the second sidewall and corresponding to the second coil (1243b) (“plurality of through-holes 1010a, 1010b, 1010c, 1010d, 1010e, 1010f, and 1010g so that the plurality of coils 1141b, 1143b, 1145b, 1241b, 1243b, and 1245b may be exposed to the internal space of the housing 1010”; [0110]); and
a third opening (1010a) formed in the lower part.
Kwon fails to exility teach: the base includes: a third opening formed in the lower part and corresponding to the driver IC.
However, Weng teaches in Figs. 97-98: a third opening formed in the lower part and corresponding to the driver IC (“the controller 9-340 are disposed on the circuit board 9-130 and accommodated in the through hole 9-113”; [0521].
Furthermore, Weng teaches this configuration such that “The position sensor 9-330 is electrically connected to the controller 9-340, and the controller 9-340 is electrically connected to the coil 9-320. The position sensor 9-330 is configured to detect the position of the magnet 9-310, so as to obtain the rotation angle of the first movable portion 9-200 relative to the base 9-110” (Weng, [0525]).
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 Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Weng to provide a device in which the opening formed in the lower part base corresponds to the driver IC, for the purpose of providing an electrical connection to the position sensors and coils in order to provide feedback to the controls (Weng, [0525]).
Claims 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon (US 20200348479 A1) and further in view of Weng (US 20200225442 A1), as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Jang (KR-20200139581-A), previously cited. All citations to Jang will be made in reference to English language equivalent Jang (US 20220239808 A1).
Regarding claim 18, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 13. Kwon further teaches in Fig. 5: the rail guide part (1013, 1014).
Kwon fails to explicitly teach: the rail guide part includes: a first guide part disposed adjacent to the first sidewall of the base and including a first rail; and a second guide part disposed adjacent to the second sidewall of the base and including a second rail; wherein the second lens assembly moves along the first rail of the first guide part, and wherein the third lens assembly moves along the second rail of the second guide part.
However, in a related invention in the field of camera modals, Jang teaches in Figs. 3-4:
the rail guide part (“guide portion 150”; [0121]) includes:
a first guide part (“first guide portion 151”; [0121]) disposed adjacent to the first sidewall of the base (“base 110”; [0121]) and including a first rail (“first rails 151a”; [0142]); and
a second guide part (“second guide portion 152”; [0140]) disposed adjacent to the second sidewall of the base (“base 110”; [0121]) and including a second rail (“second rails 152a”; [0142]);
wherein the second lens assembly (“first lens assembly 120”; see [0149]) moves along the first rail (151a) of the first guide part (151), and
wherein the third lens assembly (“second lens assembly 130”; see [0161]) moves along the second rail (152a) of the second guide part (152).
Furthermore, Jang teaches this assembly such that “according to the embodiment, the first guide portion 151 includes a first-first rail 151b and a first-second rail 151c, since the first-first rail 151b and the first-second rail 151c guide the first lens assembly 120, there is a technical effect of increasing alignment accuracy” (Jang, [0149]).
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 Kwon and Weng to incorporate the teachings of Jang to provide a device in which there are separate guide parts for each lens barrel, for the purpose of increasing alignment accuracy (Jang, [0149]).
Regarding claim 20, Kwon and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 18. Kwon and Weng fail to explicitly teach: the base includes a coupling protrusion and a base recess provided along a circumference of the coupling protrusion, and wherein the rail guide part includes a coupling hole corresponding to the coupling protrusion of the base.
However, Jang teaches in Fig. 9: the base (“third housing 142”; [0226], Fig. 9) includes a coupling protrusion (“housing protrusion 142p”; [0228]) and a base recess (see Fig. 9) provided along a circumference of the coupling protrusion (“The housing protrusion 142p may be plural, for example, four, but is not limited thereto. At this time, although not shown in the drawing, the housing protrusion 142p may be coupled to a side recess (not shown) disposed to protrude from the side surface of the base 110”; [0228], Fig. 9), and wherein
the rail guide part (“guide portion 150”; [0121]) includes a coupling hole corresponding to the coupling protrusion of the base (“reverse insertion can be prevented by providing the housing protrusion 142p on an inner side the third housing 142, and it can be prevented from being reversed left and right from being coupled to the base 110”; [0227]).
Furthermore, Jang teaches this protrusion such that “the third housing 142 of the third lens assembly 140 may include a single or a plurality of housing protrusions 142p. In the embodiment, reverse insertion can be prevented by providing the housing protrusion 142p on an inner side the third housing 142, and it can be prevented from being reversed left and right from being coupled to the base 110” (Jang, [0227]).
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 Kwon and Wang to incorporate the teachings of Jang to provide a device in which there are protrusions, for the purpose of preventing misalignment (Jang, [0227]).
Claims 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (KR-20200139581-A) and Kwon (US 20200348479 A1) and further in view of Weng (US 20200225442 A1).
All citations to Jang will be made in reference to English language equivalent Jang (US 20220239808 A1).
Regarding claim 28, Jang teaches, in Fig. 2-6: a camera actuator (Fig. 3) comprising:
a base (“base 110”; [0121], Fig. 3) including a first sidewall (“first sidewall 111”; [0131], Fig. 10A), a second sidewall facing (“second sidewall 112”: [0132[, Fig. 10A) the first sidewall (110), and a lower part (“base lower surface 115”; [0253], Fig. 10A) between the first sidewall (111) and the second sidewall (112);
a first guide part (“first guide portion 151”; [0121], Fig. 3) disposed adjacent to the first sidewall (111) of the base (110) and including a first rail (“first rails 151a”; [0142]);
a second guide part (“second guide portion 152”; [0140]) disposed adjacent to the second sidewall (112) of the base (110) and including a second rail (“second rails 152a”; [0142]);
a first lens assembly coupled to the base and fixed (“third lens assembly 140 may be disposed on one side of the base”; [0231]);
a second lens assembly (“first lens assembly 120”; see [0149]) disposed in the base (110) and moving along the first rail (151a) of the first guide part (151);
a third lens assembly (“second lens assembly 130”; see [0161]) disposed in the base (110) and moving along the second rail (152a) of the second guide part (152); and
a driving part driving the second lens assembly (120) and the third lens assembly (130) (“first driving portion 173 may correspond to the two first rails 151a, and the second driving portion may correspond to the two second rails 152a”; [0181]),
wherein the driving part (173) includes:
a circuit board (“first substrate 161 may include a circuit board”; [0277], Fig. 12A);
a first driving part (“the first coil portion 171b constituting the third driving portion 171”; [0296], Fig. 12B) disposed on the circuit board (161), including a first position sensor for sensing a position of the second lens assembly (120) (“161a may be a first position sensor for detecting the position of the first lens assembly 120”; [0292], Fig. 12B), and driving the second lens assembly (120);
a second driving part (“the second coil portion 172b constituting the fourth driving portion 172 may be disposed on the third rigid region RO3”; [0297], Fig. 12B) disposed on the circuit board (161), including a second position sensor for sensing a position of the third lens assembly (“The second resonator 161b may be a second position sensor for detecting the position of the second lens assembly 130”; [0293], Fig. 12B), and driving the third lens assembly (130) …
wherein the circuit board (“first substrate 161 may include a circuit board”; [0277], Fig. 12A) includes a first substrate region (R02) disposed on one side of the second lens assembly and overlapping the second lens assembly in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction (see R02 of Fig. 12A), a second substrate region (R03) disposed on another side of the third lens assembly and facing the first substrate region in the first direction (see R03 of Fig. 12A), and a third substrate region (R01) connecting between the first substrate region (R02) and the second substrate region (R03) and overlapping the second lens assembly and the third lens assembly in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction and the first direction (see Fig. 12A in which R01 is the connector between R02 and R03).
Jang fails to explicitly teach: a driver IC disposed on the circuit board and connected to the first driving part and the second driving part; wherein a signal distance between the driver IC and the first position sensor corresponds to a signal distance between the driver IC and the second position sensor … wherein the first position sensor is disposed on the first substrate region, wherein the second position sensor is disposed on the second substrate region, and wherein the driver IC is disposed on the third substrate region.
However, in a related invention in the field of lens drivers, Kwon teaches in Fig. 4: a driver IC disposed on the circuit board and connected to the sensing part (“main board 1070 … may be provided with a driver integrated circuit (IC) (not illustrated) providing a driving signal to the plurality of coils 1141b, 1143b, and 1145b”; [0139]); wherein
the sensing part includes first and second sensing parts (“position sensors 1241c, 1243c”; [0159]), and wherein a signal distance between the first sensing part and the driver IC corresponds to a signal distance between the second sensing part and the driver IC (“position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c may be provided for the closed loop control”; [0158]) … wherein the first position sensor is disposed on the first substrate region (1241c disposed on 1071), wherein the second position sensor is disposed on the second substrate region (1243c disposed on 1072).
Furthermore, Kwon teaches this configuration such that “A closed loop control method involving sensing positions of the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230 and providing feedback may be used when moving the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230” (Kwon, [0158]).
Furthermore, Weng teaches this configuration such that “The controller 9-340 can determine the strength of the current providing to the coil 9-320 according to the detection result of the position sensor 9-330” (Weng, [0525]) and “The position sensor 9-330 is electrically connected to the controller 9-340, and the controller 9-340 is electrically connected to the coil 9-320” (Weng, [0525]).
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 Jang to incorporate the teachings of Kwon to provide a device in which a diver IC is utilized in order to provide feedback from the position sensors, for the purpose of providing a sensing positions of the lens barrels (Kwon, [0158]).
However, Kwon fails to teach a configuration such that: wherein the driver IC is disposed on the third substrate region.
In a related invention in the field of optical driving mechanisms, Weng teaches in Fig. 97-98: the circuit board (“circuit board 9-130”; [0521]) includes:
wherein the driver IC (“the controller 9-340 are disposed on the circuit board 9-130”; [0521], “the controller 9-340 can be a driver IC”; [0526]) is disposed on the third substrate region (see Fig. 98 in which 9-130 is shown to correspond to a lower part of the device).
Furthermore, Weng teaches this configuration such that “The controller 9-340 can determine the strength of the current providing to the coil 9-320 according to the detection result of the position sensor 9-330” (Weng, [0525]) and “The position sensor 9-330 is electrically connected to the controller 9-340, and the controller 9-340 is electrically connected to the coil 9-320” (Weng, [0525]).
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 Jang and Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Weng to provide a device in which the driver IC is disposed on a lower portion of the circuit, for the purpose of providing an electrical connection to the position sensors and coils in order to provide feedback to the controls (Weng, [0525]).
Regarding claim 29, Jang and Kwon teach the camera actuator of claim 28. Jang fails to explicitly teach: wherein a first signal line connecting between the driver IC and the first position sensor and a second signal line connecting between the driver IC and the second position sensor are disposed on the first to third substrate regions.
However, in a related invention in the field of optical driving mechanisms, Weng teaches in Figs. 97-98: the circuit board (“circuit board 9-130”; [0521]) includes:
a third substrate region corresponding to the lower part (see Fig. 98 in which 9-130 is shown to correspond to a lower part of the device) and on which the driver IC is disposed (“the controller 9-340 are disposed on the circuit board 9-130”; [0521], “the controller 9-340 can be a driver IC”; [0526]).
Weng fails to explicitly teach that: a first signal line connecting between the driver IC and the first position sensor and a second signal line connecting between the driver IC and the second position sensor are disposed on the first to third substrate regions.
However, Kwon teaches in paragraph [0158]: “A closed loop control method involving sensing positions of the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230 and providing feedback may be used when moving the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230. Therefore, position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c may be provided for the closed loop control.”
With the provision that the position sensors are directed to a closed loop control method providing feedback as disclosed in Kwon, an ordinary skilled artisan could determine that a signal must be present for the closed loop method to occur. One of ordinally skill would be drawn to either (a) a physical wired connection or (b) an unwired connection. Thus, because this is a genus with only two species all of them would be at once envisaged1 by an ordinary skilled artisan.
Therefore, the configuration of Weng in which the driver IC is disposed on the base circuit board would teach to the limitation of “a first signal line connecting between the driver IC and the first position sensor and a second signal line connecting between the driver IC and the second position sensor are disposed on the first to third substrate regions.” A wired connection between the position sensors and a the driver IC, as envisaged by Kwon, and a driver IC disposed on the base as taught in Weng, would result in a configuration in which the signal lines connected between the driver IC and the sensors would be disposed in the first to third substrates.
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 Jang to incorporate the teachings of Kwon and Weng to provide a device in which there is wired connection between the driver IC and the position sensors, for the purpose of a closed loop connection (Kwon, [0158]).
Regarding claim 30, Jang, Kwon, and Weng teach the camera actuator of claim 29. Jang further teaches in Fig. 12A-12B: a distance of the first signal line (161c) satisfies a range of 95% to 105% of a distance of the second signal line (161c2) (Fig. 12B shows that the distances of the signal lines have a physical relationship in that the positioning of 172b and 171b directly correlate to the distance of the lines).
Kwon further teaches in Fig. 21: “A closed loop control method involving sensing positions of the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230 and providing feedback may be used when moving the first to third lens barrels 1210, 1220, and 1230. Therefore, position sensors 1241c, 1243c, and 1245c may be provided for the closed loop control”; [0158].
However, Jang and Kwon fail to explicitly teach numerical values such that: a length of one of the first and second signal lines satisfies a range of 95% to 105% of a length of the other signal line.
However, it is a well-established proposition that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device” In Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), see MPEP 2114.04(IV).
The instant claims and the prior art differ by the recitation of a relative dimension, “a length of one of the first and second signal lines satisfies a range of 95% to 105% of a length of the other signal line.” The prior art and the instant claim do not perform differently from one another.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to choose the relative lengths such that they are within 95% to 105% of one another as suggested by the positions of 1241c and 1243c in Kwon since it has been held that “where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device” In Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), see MPEP 2114.04(IV).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-27 are 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.
Regarding claim 21, Kwon, Weng, and Jang teach the camera actuator of claim 20. Kwon, Weng, and Jang fail to teach: the base includes a stepped region, wherein the stepped region includes a first region in which the coupling protrusion is formed; and a second region protruding from the first region, wherein the base recess includes: a first recess part provided along a circumference of the coupling protrusion on the first region; and a second recess part extending from the first recess part toward the second region of the base and connected to the second region of the base.
However, in the closest prior art in a related invention in the field of lens driving devices, Lee (US 20180321460 A1) teaches in Figs. 6, 9 and 11: the base (“housing (310)”; [0102], Fig. 6) includes a stepped region (“partition portion (810)”; [0198], Fig. 9), wherein
the stepped region (6101, 6102) includes a first region (“upper elastic units .. 6101, 6102”; [0153], Fig. 9) in which the coupling protrusion is formed (“coupling lug (316) may be inserted into a coupling hole (615) of the upper elastic member (610)”; [0186], Fig. 9); and
a second region (810) protruding from the first region (6101,6102)(“ a partition portion (810) interposed between the first upper elastic unit (6101) and the second upper elastic unit (6102)”; [0198], Fig. 9),
wherein the base recess includes:
a first recess part (“(coupling hole (615)”; [0186]) provided along a circumference of the coupling protrusion (316) on the first region (6102); and a second recess part (“cut-off portion (617)”; [0205], Fig. 11) extending from the first recess part (615).
However, Lee fails to teach a second recess part extends from the first recess part toward the second region of the base and connected to the second region of the base.
Thus, the prior art taken either singly or in combination fails to teach or reasonably suggest the following limitation when taken in context of the claim as a whole: “a second recess part extends from the first recess part toward the second region of the base and connected to the second region of the base.” Therefore, the combination of features is considered to be allowable.
Claims 22-27 would be allowable for its dependence on claim 21.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/RUBY L KAUFFMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/THOMAS K PHAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
1 See MPEP § 2131.02(III). A reference disclosure can anticipate a claim when the reference describes the limitations but "'d[oes] not expressly spell out' the limitations as arranged or combined as in the claim, if a person of skill in the art, reading the reference, would ‘at once envisage’ the claimed arrangement or combination." Kennametal, Inc. v. Ingersoll Cutting Tool Co., 780 F.3d 1376, 1381, 114 USPQ2d 1250, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (quoting In re Petering, 301 F.2d 676, 681(CCPA 1962)).