Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 18, 2026
Application No. 18/116,651

OPTICAL LENS ASSEMBLY AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§DP
Filed
Mar 02, 2023
Examiner
HUANG, WEN
Art Unit
2872
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Ningbo Sunny Automotive Optech Co. Ltd.
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
448 granted / 550 resolved
+13.5% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+24.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
32 currently pending
Career history
582
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
42.4%
+2.4% vs TC avg
§102
32.9%
-7.1% vs TC avg
§112
13.3%
-26.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 550 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §DP
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 The Amendment filed 11/10/25 has been entered. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amended claims filed 11/10/25 have been considered as follows. Improper Markush Grouping and Double Patenting Rejections of the claims: The rejections are withdrawn in view of the amended claims. 35 USC 102/103 Rejections of the claims: Applicant’s arguments are moot in view of the new ground rejections. 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1,7,12-15,20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (CN 110262015, of record, as evidenced by the translation). PNG media_image1.png 526 854 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 1, Li teaches (Fig. 3, Table 3) An optical lens assembly, comprising, sequentially along an optical axis from an object side to an image side: a first lens, having a negative refractive power, an object-side surface of the first lens being a convex surface (near the edge), and an image-side surface of the first lens being a concave surface; a second lens, having a positive refractive power, an object-side surface of the second lens being a convex surface, and an image-side surface of the second lens being a convex surface; a third lens, having a refractive power; a fourth lens, having a refractive power; and a fifth lens, having a refractive power, wherein a radius of curvature R6 of an object-side surface of the third lens and a radius of curvature R7 of an image-side surface of the third lens satisfy: 0.5≤|R6/R7|≤1.986 (1.3); and a radius of curvature R1 of the object-side surface of the first lens and a radius of curvature R2 of the image-side surface of the first lens satisfy: |R1/R2|≤5 (3). Regarding claim 7, Li further teaches The optical lens assembly according to claim 1, wherein a distance BFL from an image-side surface of the fifth lens to an imaging plane of the optical lens assembly on the optical axis and a distance TTL from a center of the object-side surface of the first lens to the imaging plane of the optical lens assembly on the optical axis satisfy: 0.07≤BFL/TTL≤0.35 (0.9725/3.94). Regarding claim 12, Li further teaches The optical lens assembly according to claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature R6 of the object-side surface of the third lens and a radius of curvature R7 of the image-side surface of the third lens satisfy: 0.8≤|R6/R7|≤1.986 (see claim 1). Regarding claim 13, Li further teaches The optical lens assembly according to claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature R3 of the object-side surface of the second lens and a radius of curvature R4 of the image-side surface of the second lens satisfy: 0.5≤|R3/R4|≤5 (0.6). Regarding claim 14, Li further teaches The optical lens assembly according to claim 1, wherein a spacing distance T12 from a center of the image-side surface of the first lens to a center of the object-side surface of the second lens on the optical axis and a distance TTL from a center of the object-side surface of the first lens to an imaging plane of the optical lens assembly on the optical axis satisfy: 0.1≤T12/TTL≤0.4 (0.4/3.94). Regarding claim 15, Li further teaches The optical lens assembly according to claim 1, wherein a spacing distance T23 from a center of the image-side surface of the second lens to a center of the object-side surface of the third lens on the optical axis and a distance TTL from a center of the object-side surface of the first lens to an imaging plane of the optical lens assembly on the optical axis satisfy: T23/TTL≤0.18 (0.0972/3.94). Regarding claim 20, mutatis mutandis, Li teaches all the limitations as stated in claim 1 rejection above ([161], “CCD”). Claim(s) 1,6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (CN 111679402, as evidenced by the translation). PNG media_image2.png 412 418 media_image2.png Greyscale Regarding claim 1, Jiang teaches (Fig. 16, Tables 9-10) An optical lens assembly, comprising, sequentially along an optical axis from an object side to an image side: a first lens, having a negative refractive power, an object-side surface of the first lens being a convex surface (near the edge), and an image-side surface of the first lens being a concave surface; a second lens, having a positive refractive power, an object-side surface of the second lens being a convex surface, and an image-side surface of the second lens being a convex surface; a third lens, having a refractive power; a fourth lens, having a refractive power; and a fifth lens, having a refractive power, wherein a radius of curvature R6 of an object-side surface of the third lens and a radius of curvature R7 of an image-side surface of the third lens satisfy: 0.5≤|R6/R7|≤1.986 (1.8); and a radius of curvature R1 of the object-side surface of the first lens and a radius of curvature R2 of the image-side surface of the first lens satisfy: |R1/R2|≤5 (2.3). Regarding claim 6, Jiang further teaches The optical lens assembly according to claim 1, wherein a distance TTL from a center of the object-side surface of the first lens to an imaging plane of the optical lens assembly on the optical axis and a total effective focal length F of the optical lens assembly satisfy: 3.768≤TTL/F≤8 (5.36/1.32). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEN HUANG whose telephone number is (571)270-0234. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 9:00AM-4:00PM. 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, Pinping Sun can be reached on (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /WEN HUANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 wen.huang2@uspto.gov (571)270-0234
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Prosecution Timeline

Mar 02, 2023
Application Filed
Aug 12, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §DP
Nov 10, 2025
Response Filed
Nov 23, 2025
Final Rejection — §102, §DP
Jan 14, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Feb 25, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Mar 05, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Apr 12, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §DP (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12601896
OPTICAL CAMERA LENS ASSEMBLY
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12591117
IMAGING LENS SYSTEM INCLUDING EIGHT LENSES OF +--++-+-, +--+--+- OR +---+-+- REFRACTIVE POWERS
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12587728
COMPACT DOUBLE FOLDED TELE CAMERAS INCLUDING FOUR LENSES OF +-+-, +-++ OR +--+; OR SIX LENSES OF +-+-+- OR +-+--- REFRACTIVE POWERS
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12585085
OPTICAL CAMERA LENS ASSEMBLY
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12585090
LOW TOTAL TRACK LENGTH LENS ASSEMBLY INCLUDING SEVEN LENSES OF +-+-++- REFRACTIVE POWERS FOR LARGE SENSOR FORMAT
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
82%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+24.4%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 550 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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