DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This office action is in response to a filing of 1/29/2026.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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 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.
Continued Examination
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/29/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 6-8 and 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN114236774) in view of Dai et al. (US US20210109323).
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches an optical imaging system (Li, figs.1-16, abstract, a pick-up lens), comprising:
a first lens having positive refractive power (Li, fig.1, page 15, paragraph [0081], The first lens E1 has positive refractive power), a second lens having negative refractive power (Li, fig.1, page 15, paragraph [0081], The second lens E2 has negative refractive power), a third lens (Li, fig.1, The third lens E3), a fourth lens (Li, fig.1, The fourth lens E4), a fifth lens (Li, fig.1, The fifth lens E5), a sixth lens (Li, fig.1, The sixth lens E6), a seventh lens (Li, fig.1, The seventh lens E7), and an eighth lens (Li, fig.1, The eighth lens E8) disposed in order from an object side (LI, page 14, paragraph [0080], as shown in FIG.1 , the camera lens includes, in order from the object side to the image side),
wherein the sixth lens has negative refractive power (paragraph [0081], the sixth lens E6 has negative refractive power),
wherein a refractive index of the second lens (see Li, page 40, paragraph [0083-85], data of table 1, refractive index of the second lens = 1.67) is greater than a refractive index of each of the first lens and the third lens (see Li, page 40, paragraph [0083-85], data of table 1, refractive index of each of the first lens =1.5 and the third lens = 1.55), and
wherein
TTL/(2×IMG HT)<0.6 (0.59; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17,TTL = TTL=10.18, IMG HT = ImgH = 8.52); and
0<f1/f<1.4 (1.1; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f1 = 9.47, f = 8.58),
1.5<f34/f<5.5 (f34/f = 7.09 > 1.5 see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17),
0<|f2/f3|<1 (0.47; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f2 = -47.01, f3=100.37).
3<|f4/f| (17.9; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f4 =153.8, f =8.58),
where f2 is a focal length of the second lens (Li, fig.1, page 4, paragraph [0005], the effective focal length f2 of the second lens), f3 is a focal length of the third lens (Li, paragraph [0006] , the effective focal length f3 of the third lens), and f4 is a focal length of the fourth lens (Li, paragraph [0006] , the effective focal length f4 of the fourth lens), f34 is a combined focal length of the third lens and the fourth lens, TTL is a distance on an optical axis from an object-side surface of the first lens to an imaging plane (Li, abstract, the distance TTL from the object side surface of the first lens to the imaging surface), IMG HT is half a diagonal length of the imaging plane (Li, page 4, paragraph [0003], Half of the diagonal length ImgH of the effective pixel area on the imaging surface of the camera lens), f is a total focal length of the optical imaging system (Li, page 4, paragraph [0003], the effective focal length f of the camera lens), and f1 is a focal length of the first lens (Li, page 4, paragraph [0005], the effective focal length f1 of the first lens).
Li does not explicitly teach wherein the sixth lens has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, and f34/f<5.5 (as Li has value of 7.09, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17).
However, Dai teaches the analogous optical imaging system (Dai, Dai, fig.9, paragraph [0108], the optical imaging lens assembly sequentially includes, along the optical axis from the object side to the image side, a diaphragm STO, a first lens E1, a second lens E2, a third lens E3, a fourth lens E4, a fifth lens E5, a sixth lens E6, a seventh lens E7, an eighth lens E8, an optical filter E9 and an image plane E19. ; paragraph [0109], the first lens E1 has a positive refractive power, the second lens E2 has a negative refractive power), and further teaches
wherein the sixth lens has negative refractive power (Dai, fig.9, the lens E6, paragraph [0109], the sixth lens E6 has a negative refractive power), a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface (paragraph [0109], the object-side surface S11 thereof is a convex surface, and the image-side surface S12 thereof is a concave surface);
1.5<f34/f<5.5 (2.43; See Dai, paragraph [0111], data of table 9, f3 = 52.64, f4=22.57, so f34 is approximately 2.43; paragraph [0110], the total effective focal length f of the optical imaging lens assembly is 6.53 mm), where f34 is a combined focal length of the third lens (Dai, fig.9, lens E3) and the fourth lens (Dai, fig.9, lens E4).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify focal length of third or fourth lens of Li to satisfy that f34/f<5.5 as disclosed in similar lens system of Dai for the purpose of considering miniaturization, great focal length and large aperture (Dai, paragraph [0003]).
Regarding claim 6, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Li further teaches wherein at least one of
−10<f2/f<−1 (-5.5; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f2 = -47.01, f =8.58); and 1<|f3/f| (11.7; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f3=100.37, f =8.58) is satisfied,
Regarding claim 7, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 6 and Li further teaches wherein −0.6<f1/f2<0 (-0.2; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f1=9.47, f2=-47.01).
Regarding claim 8, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 7 and Li further teaches wherein −0.1<f1/f3<1 (0.094; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f1=9.47, f3=100.37).
Regarding claim 11, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Li further teaches wherein at least one of 3<|f5/f| (6.22; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f5 = -53.41, f =8.58); 1<|f6/f|; 0<f7/f<2; and −1<f8/f<0is satisfied, where f5 is a focal length of the fifth lens (Li, page 4, paragraph [0005], the effective focal length f5 of the fifth lens).
Regarding claim 12, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Li further teaches wherein TTL/f<1.3 (1.19; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, TTL =10.18, f =8.58) and BFL/f<0.3 (0.10; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, f = 8.58; page 40, paragraph [0083-84], data of table 1, BFL ‘s value is approximately 0.9), where BFL is a distance on the optical axis from an image-side surface (Li, fig.1, surface S16) of the eighth lens (Li, fig.1, lens E8) to the imaging surface (Li, fig.1, surface S19).
Regarding claim 13, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Li further teaches wherein 0<D1/f<0.1 (0.02; see Li, page 40, paragraph [0083-84], data of table 1, D1 = 0.143, D1/f = 0.143/8.58), where D1 is a distance on the optical axis from an image-side surface (Li, fig.1, surface S2) of the first lens (Li, fig.1, lens E1) to an object-side surface (Li, fig.1, surface S3) of the second lens (Li, fig.1, lens E2).
Regarding claim 14, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 13 and Li further teaches wherein 0<D3/f<0.2 (0.0064; see Li, page 40, paragraph [0083-84], data of table 1, D3 = 0.5559, D3/f = 0.5559/8.58), where D3 is a distance on the optical axis from the image-side surface (Li, fig.1, surface S6) of the third lens (Li, fig.1, lens E3) to an object-side surface (Li, fig.1, surface S7) of the fourth lens (Li, fig.1, lens E4).
Regarding claim 15, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Li further teaches wherein 70°<FOV×(IMG HT/f) (87.2; see Li, page 55, paragraph [0187], data of table 17, IMG HT = ImgH = 8.52, FOV = semi-FOVX2 = 43.9*2=87.8), where FOV is a field of view of the optical imaging system (Li, page 28, paragraph [0186], half of the maximum field of view angle Semi-FOV of the camera lens).
Regarding claim 16, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Li further teaches wherein the fourth lens has positive refractive power (Li, fig.1, page 15, paragraph [0081], The fourth lens E4 has positive refractive power), the fifth lens has negative refractive power (Li, fig.1, page 15, paragraph [0081], The fifth lens E5 has negative refractive power), the seventh lens has positive refractive power (Li, fig.1, page 15, paragraph [0081], The seventh lens E7 has positive refractive power), and the eighth lens has negative refractive power(Li, fig.1, page 15, paragraph [0081], The eighth lens E8 has negative refractive power).
Claims 2-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN114236774) in view of Dai et al. (US US20210109323), and further in view of Ji et al. (US20210103129).
Regarding claim 2, combination Li-Dai discloses the invention as described in Claim 1, Li does not explicitly teach wherein, among the first to eighth lenses, at least three lenses including the second lens have a refractive index greater than 1.61, and
wherein, among the at least three lenses having a refractive index greater than 1.61, an absolute value of a focal length of the second lens is the smallest.
However, Ji teaches the analogous optical imaging system (Ji, fig.1, paragraph [0059], As shown in FIG. 1, the optical imaging lens group according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a stop STO, a first lens E1, a second lens E2, a third lens E3, a fourth lens E4, a fifth lens E5, a sixth lens E6, a seventh lens E7, an eighth lens E8, an optical filter E9 and an imaging plane S19, which are sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side along an optical axis; paragraph [0060], he first lens E1 has positive refractive power; The second lens E2 has negative refractive power; The sixth lens E6 has negative refractive power, an object-side surface S11 thereof is convex, and an image-side surface S12 thereof is concave), and further teaches wherein
wherein, among the first to eighth lenses (Ji, fig.1, lens E1 to lens E8), at least three lenses including the second lens have a refractive index greater than 1.61 (Ji, paragraph [0061], data of table 1, refractive index of lens E2 = 1.67, refractive index of lens E5 = 1.67, refractive index of lens E6 = 1.66), and
wherein, among the at least three lenses (Ji, fig.1, lenses E2, E5, and E6) having a refractive index greater than 1.61, an absolute value of a focal length of the second lens is the smallest (see Ji, paragraph [0064], data of table 3, absolute value of a focal length of the second lens E2 = 8.51 is the smallest).
Further, it has been held that where the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use is disclosed in the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness exists. See MPEP § 2144.07, citing In re Leshin, 277 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) and Ryco, Inc. v. Ag-Bag Corp., 857 F.2d 1418, 8 USPQ2d 1323 (Fed. Cir. 1988). See also Sinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp., 325 U.S. 327, 65 USPQ 297 (1945), as cited in MPEP § 2144.07; and a skilled person in the art may ascertain claimed lens material without any difficulty; it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of design choice.
Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the material of Li to have at least three lenses including the second lens have a refractive index greater than 1.61 as taught by Ji for the purpose of providing an optical imaging lens with miniaturization, a large aperture and high imaging quality (Ji, paragraph [0004]).
Regarding claim 3, combination Li-Dai-Ji discloses the invention as described in Claim 2 and Li further teaches wherein at least one of 25<v1−v2<45, v1−v4 <45 (25.5; Li, fig.1, see Li, page 40, paragraph [0081-83], data of table 1, V1 = 81.6, V4 = 56.1) and 10<v1−(v6+v7)/2<30 is satisfied (v1−v4 =25.5 < 45, described above), where v1 is an Abbe number of the first lens (Li, fig.1, lens E1, the Abbe number V1 of the first lens E1, described above), v4 is an Abbe number of the fourth lens (Li, fig.1, the Abbe number V4 of the fourth lens E4, described above).
Regarding claim 4, combination Li-Dai-Ji discloses the invention as described in Claim 2 and Ji further teaches wherein the second lens (Ji, fig.1, lens E2), the fifth lens (JI, fig.1, lens E5), and the sixth lens (Ji, fig.1, lens E6) have a refractive index greater than 1.61 (see Ji, paragraph [0061], data of table 1, refractive index of the lens E2 = 1.67, refractive index of the lens E5 = 1.67, refractive index of the lens E6 = 1.66), and
wherein 60<v2+v5+v6<80 (62.3; Ji, fig.1, paragraph [0061], data of table 1, v2=20.4, v5=20.4, v6=21.5), where v2 is an Abbe number of the second lens (see Ji, paragraph [0061], data of table 1, the Abbe number of the second lens = 20.4), v5 is an Abbe number of the fifth lens (the Abbe number of the fifth lens E5 = 20.4), and v6 is an Abbe number of the sixth lens (the Abbe number of the sixth lens E6 = 21.5).
The motivation to combine Li, Dai and Ji as provided in claim 2 is incorporated herein.
Regarding claim 5, combination Li-Dai-Ji discloses the invention as described in Claim 4 and Li further teaches wherein the fifth lens has negative refractive power (Li, fig.1, page 15, paragraph [0081, The fifth lens E5 has negative refractive power), and
wherein each of the second lens (Li, fig.1, lens E2) and the fifth lens (Li, fig.1, lens E5) has a refractive index greater than 1.66 (see Li, page 40, paragraph [0083], data of table 1, the refractive index of lens E2 = 1.67, the refractive index of lens E5 = 1.67).
Response to Argument
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references or portions of the reference being used in the current rejections.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KUEI-JEN LEE EDENFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-3005. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. -Thurs 8:00 am - 5:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham can be reached on 571-272-3689. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273- 8300.
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/KUEI-JEN L EDENFIELD/
Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/THOMAS K PHAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872