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 .
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.
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.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (US 2020/0041811 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Zhang et al. discloses an optical element driving apparatus 1a,b (denoted “first, second lens driving device”, see e.g. paragraph [0042]), comprising (see e.g. Figures 4-6):
a fixing part 20 (denoted “OIS fixing part”, see e.g. paragraph [0043]);
a movable part 10 (denoted “OIS moving part”) that allows an optical element 2a,b (denoted “first, second lens device”) to be held therein (see e.g. paragraphs [0042], [0047]);
a plurality of support members 31+32 that supports the movable part 10 with respect to the fixing part 20 (see e.g. paragraph [0057]-[0058]); and
a driving part 112 (denoted “AF coil part”) that moves the movable part 10 in a direction of an optical axis (see e.g. paragraph [0066]),
wherein the plurality of support members 31+32 is formed of an elastic resin material (see e.g. paragraph [0048] for elastomer), each of the plurality of support members 31+32 including a movable-side connection part and a fixed-side connection part (see e.g. paragraphs [0057]-[0058] where element 32 is connect to fixing part 20 and element 31 is fixed to the movable part), the movable-side connection part being connected to the movable part 10 (see e.g. paragraphs [0057]-[0058] where element 32 is connect to fixing part 20 and element 31 is fixed to the movable part 10), the fixed-side connection part being connected to the fixing part 20 (see e.g. paragraphs [0057]-[0058] where element 32 is connect to fixing part 20 and element 31 is fixed to the movable part), and
a plurality of the movable-side connection parts and a plurality of the fixed-side connection parts are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction around the optical axis (see e.g. Figure 6 and note that 31+32 are spaced at corners of the device).
In regard to claim 2, Zhang et al. discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and
wherein the plurality of support members 31+32 is arranged so as to be rotationally symmetric (see e.g. Figure 6 and note that 31+32 are spaced symmetrically at corners of the device).
In regard to claim 3, Zhang et al. discloses the limitations as applied to claim 2 above, and
wherein the plurality of support members 31+32 is arranged so as to be 90° rotationally symmetric (see e.g. Figure 6 and note that 31+32 are spaced symmetrically at corners of the device).
In regard to claim 4, Zhang et al. discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and
wherein: each of the plurality of support members 31+32 includes an arm part (see e.g. annotated Figure 6, attached below, where the arm is the portion that connects 31 and 32) that couples the movable-side connection part and the fixed-side connection part together (see e.g. annotated Figure 6, where the arm is the portion that connects 31 and 32), and the arm part has a two-axis hinge structure (see e.g. paragraphs [0053]-[0055] for hinge structure).
In regard to claim 5, Zhang et al. discloses the limitations as applied to claim 5 above, and
wherein the arm part (see e.g. annotated Figure 6, where the arm is the portion that connects 31 and 32) is separated from the movable part 10 and the fixing part 20 (see e.g. Figure 6 and note that the arm is considered to be the portion of 31+32 not in contact with elements 10 and 20).
In regard to claim 6, Zhang et al. discloses a camera module, comprising (see e.g. Figure 6):
the optical element driving apparatus according to claim 1 (see e.g. rejection of claim 1 above);
a lens part 2 that is attached to the movable part 10 (see e.g. Figures 4-6); and
an image-capturing part that captures a subject image formed by the lens part 2 (see e.g. paragraph [0042] and note that the image-capturing, denoted “imaging section” is not illustrated).
In regard to claim 7, Zhang et al. discloses a camera-mounted apparatus that is an information device or a transport device, the camera-mounted apparatus comprising (see e.g. Figures 16a-16b and paragraph [0129] for camera-mounted apparatus, denoted “camera-equipped device):
the camera module according to claim 6 (see e.g. rejection of claim 6); and
a control part (not illustrated, denoted “control section”, see e.g. paragraph [0129]) that controls an operation of the camera module (see e.g. paragraph [0129]).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following reference is cited for disclosing related limitations of the applicant’s claimed and disclosed invention: Bai (US 2017/0254979 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA M MERLIN whose telephone number is (571)270-3207. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:00AM-5:00PM.
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, Jennifer Carruth can be reached at (571) 272-9791. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JESSICA M MERLIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871