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 .
Preliminary amendment
The preliminary amendment to the claims filed on 02/19/2024 has been acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) [43-44, 52 and 62] is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Seita (US. 2006/0045515).
Reclaim [43], Seita discloses a camera module (see fig. 3A), comprising: a first lens assembly (see 2 fig. 3A ); a light redirecting assembly (see 23 fig. 3A); an image sensor (see 6 fig. 3), wherein a light incidence side of the light redirecting assembly is opposite to the first lens assembly (23, and 2, the light incident side of the prism 23 is opposite to the lens group 2 as depicted in fig. 3(a)), a light emergence side of the light redirecting assembly is opposite to the image sensor (23 and6 fig. 3(a), the light exit side of the prism 23 is opposite to the image sensor 6 as depicted in fig. 3a), and the light redirecting assembly is configured to redirect (see 23 fig. 3(a)), to illuminate the image sensor, a light ray that enters the camera module through the first lens assembly (see 2, 23 and 6 fi. 3(a)); at least one second lens assembly (see 4 fig. 3a); and a first driving assembly (see ¶¶009 and 0033, e second lens group 4 is caused to withdraw, [ the mechanism casing the movement as disclosed in the text of ¶0009]) , wherein the second lens assembly is configured to move to an optical path between the first lens assembly and the image sensor or move outside the optical path when driven by the first driving assembly (see figs. 3a and 3b, and ¶¶ 0009, 0033-0034, a second lens group arranged on a side of the image sensing device with respect to the optical member, wherein the optical member moves to a position where the optical path of the optical image of the subject, which is incident via the first lens group, is changed to the direction of the second lens group when a picture is to be taken, and moves to a position where it is withdrawn from an area in which the first lens group is accommodated when a picture is not to be taken. [the second lens group aligns with the optical axis of first optical group and withdrawn off of the original optical axis when picture is not taken]).
Reclaim [44], Seita further discloses, wherein: the light redirecting assembly (23 fig. 3(a)) and the first lens assembly (2 fig. 3(a)) are distributed in a first direction parallel to an optical axis of the first lens assembly (see 2, 23 arranged in parallel when viewed from above); and the image sensor (6 fig. 3(a)) and the light redirecting assembly (23) are distributed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (see 6, 23 when viewed in the horizontal or x direction).
Reclaim [52], Seita further discloses, wherein when the second lens assembly moves to the optical path between the first lens assembly and the image sensor (see ¶0009, a second lens group arranged on a side of the image sensing device with respect to the optical member, wherein the optical member moves to a position where the optical path of the optical image of the subject, which is incident via the first lens group, is changed to the direction of the second lens group when a picture is to be taken, and moves to a position where it is withdrawn from an area in which the first lens group is accommodated when a picture is not to be taken) , an optical axis of the second lens assembly overlaps the optical axis of the first lens assembly (see fig. 3(a), [optical axis of first lens group and second lens group are aligned in the capturing mode as depicted in fig. 3(a)]).
Reclaim [62] Seita discloses an electronic device (see fig. 3(a)), comprising: a housing (see fig. 3(a), the enclosure holding the optical components as depicted); and a camera module disposed on the housing (see 2, 23, 4 and 6 fig. 3(a)), wherein the camera module comprises: a first lens assembly ( fig. 3(a)); a light redirecting assembly (see 23 fig. 3(a)); an image sensor (6 fig. 3(a)), wherein a light incidence side of the light redirecting assembly is opposite to the first lens assembly (see 2 and 23 fig 3(a), from the incoming light as depicted), a light emergence side of the light redirecting assembly is opposite to the image sensor (see 23, light exit direction and 6, the image sensor are in opposite direction)’, and the light redirecting assembly (23 fig. 3a) is configured to redirect, to illuminate the image sensor (6, 23 fig. 3a in the image capturing mode), a light ray that enters the camera module through the first lens assembly (2 fig. 3a); at least one second lens assembly (4 fig. 3a); and a first driving assembly (see ¶¶009 and 0033, e second lens group 4 is caused to withdraw, [ the mechanism casing the movement as disclosed in the text of ¶0009]), wherein the second lens assembly (4, fig. 3a)) is configured to move to an optical path between the first lens assembly and the image sensor or is configured to move outside the optical path when driven by the first driving assembly (see figs. 3a and 3b, and ¶¶ 0009, 0033-0034, a second lens group arranged on a side of the image sensing device with respect to the optical member, wherein the optical member moves to a position where the optical path of the optical image of the subject, which is incident via the first lens group, is changed to the direction of the second lens group when a picture is to be taken, and moves to a position where it is withdrawn from an area in which the first lens group is accommodated when a picture is not to be taken. [the second lens group aligns with the optical axis of first optical group and withdrawn off of the original optical axis when picture is not taken]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims [58-61] are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Reclaim [58] none of the prior art on the record either singularly or in combination teaches or reasonably suggests: A camera module, comprising: wherein the light redirecting assembly comprises a first light redirecting part and a second light redirecting part, wherein curvature of the first light redirecting part is different from curvature of the second light redirecting part, the first light redirecting part and the second light redirecting part are reflectors, and an included angle between the reflector and an optical axis of the first lens assembly is 45°; and a second driving assembly, wherein the first light redirecting part is configured to move, when driven by the second driving assembly, to a position opposite to the first lens assembly and the image sensor; or the second light redirecting part is configured to move, when driven by the second driving assembly, to a position opposite to the first lens assembly and the image sensor; in conjunction with the other limitation of the claim.
Claim [59-61] are allowed due to their direct or indirect dependency on claim [58].
Claims [45-51, 53-57] 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. .
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Reclaim [45] none of the prior arts on the record either singularly or in combination teaches or reasonably suggests: wherein the first lens assembly , the second lens assembly, and the light redirecting assembly are distributed in the first direction, the first driving assembly and the second lens assembly are distributed in the second direction, and the second lens assembly is configured to move to a position between the first lens assembly and the light redirecting assembly when driven by the first driving assembly.
Claims [46-47 and 51] are allowed due to their dependency on claim [45].
Reclaim [48] none of the prior arts on the record either singularly or in combination teaches or reasonably suggests: The camera module according to claim 44, wherein the second lens assembly, the light redirecting assembly, and the image sensor are distributed in the second direction, the first driving assembly and the second lens assembly are distributed in a third direction, the third direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and the second lens assembly is configured to move to a position between the light redirecting assembly and the image sensor when driven by the first driving assembly.
Claims [49-50] are allowed due to their dependency on claim [48].
Reclaim [53] none of the prior arts on the record either singularly or in combination teaches or reasonably suggests: The camera module according to claim 52, wherein: the light redirecting assembly comprises a first light redirecting part and a second light redirecting part, wherein curvature of the first light redirecting part is different from curvature of the second light redirecting part, the first light redirecting part and the second light redirecting part are reflectors, and an included angle between the reflector and the optical axis of the first lens assembly is 45°; and the camera module further comprises a second driving assembly, wherein: the first light redirecting part is configured to move, when driven by the second driving assembly, to a position opposite to the first lens assembly and the image sensor; or the second light redirecting part is configured to move, when driven by the second driving assembly, to a position opposite to the first lens assembly and the image sensor.
Claims [54-56] are allowed due to their direct or indirect dependency on claim [53].
Reclaim [57] none of the prior arts on the record either singularly or in combination teaches or reasonably suggests: The camera module according to claim 43, further comprising a third driving assembly, wherein the third driving assembly is connected to the first lens assembly, and the first lens assembly is configured to move towards or away from the light redirecting assembly when driven by the third driving assembly.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Gutierrez (US. Pat. No. .7, 495, 852) discloses: More particularly, a plurality of lenses wherein each lens has approximately the same power can be configured to move in and out of the optical path. Alternatively, a plurality of lenses wherein each lens has a different power can be configured to move in and out of the optical path. In col. 2 lines 12-16.
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/AHMED A BERHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639