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 .
Election/Restrictions
After further consideration, the restriction requirement as set forth in the Office action mailed on 11/20/2025 is hereby withdrawn. In view of the withdrawal of the restriction requirement as to the rejoined inventions, applicant(s) are advised that if any claim presented in a continuation or divisional application is anticipated by, or includes all the limitations of, a claim that is allowable in the present application, such claim may be subject to provisional statutory and/or nonstatutory double patenting rejections over the claims of the instant application. Once the restriction requirement is withdrawn, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 121 are no longer applicable. See In re Ziegler, 443 F.2d 1211, 1215, 170 USPQ 129, 131-32 (CCPA 1971). See also MPEP § 804.01.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it uses legalese - i.e. it is an almost verbatim copy of claim 1. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, "The disclosure concerns," "The disclosure defined by this invention," "The disclosure describes," etc.
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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) 1, 7-11, 13, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miller (20190212632).
Regarding claim 1, Miller discloses a lens device ([0035], camera 100), comprising: a lens module (Fig 1, 102) comprising one or plural lenses ([0035], lens group 102 may include one or more lens elements); an image forming unit (Fig 1, 108); and a light path turning module (Fig 1, 106) disposed between the lens module and the image forming unit (Fig 1 shows 106 between 102 and 108); wherein light exiting from the lens module (102) is reflected at least twice by the light path turning module (Fig 1, [0037], second prism 106 may include a pair of opposing lateral sides that each extend along X-Z plane, a lens group facing side that extends along Y-Z plane, and a reflecting surface side that is angled relative to one or more of other sides of second prism 106).
Regarding claim 7, Miller discloses wherein: the light path turning module (106) comprises a light incident surface (Fig 1), a first light reflective surface and a light emitting surface (Fig 1, [0035], light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108); the light emitted from the lens module (102) enters the light path turning module through the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], light is directed towards the lens group 102, passes through the lens group 102, and is folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed towards the image sensor package 108), is reflected on the first light reflective surface back to the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed), is reflected on the light incident surface to the light emitting surface, passes through the light emitting surface, and reaches the image forming unit (Fig 1, [0035], second prism 106 may redirect the light to propagate along the Z-axis (which may be orthogonal to a plane defined by the image sensor package 108), e.g., such that the light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108).
Regarding claim 8, Miller discloses wherein: the light path turning module (106) comprises a light incident surface (Fig 1), a first light reflective surface, a second light reflective surface and a light emitting surface (Fig 1, [0035], light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108); the light emitted from the lens module (102) enters the light path turning module through the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], light is directed towards the lens group 102, passes through the lens group 102, and is folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed towards the image sensor package 108), is reflected on the first light reflective surface back to the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed), is reflected on the light incident surface to the second light reflective surface (Fig 1), is reflected on the second light reflective surface to the light emitting surface (Fig 1, [0037], 106 may include a reflecting surface side that is angled relative to one or more of the other sides of the second prism 106), passes through the light emitting surface (Fig 1), and reaches the image forming unit (Fig 1, [0035], second prism 106 may redirect the light to propagate along the Z-axis (which may be orthogonal to a plane defined by the image sensor package 108), e.g., such that the light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108).
Regarding claim 9, Miller discloses wherein: the light path turning module (106) comprises a light incident surface (Fig 1), a first light reflective surface and a second light reflective surface (Fig 1, [0035], light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108); the light emitted from the lens module (102) enters the light path turning module (106) through the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], light is directed towards the lens group 102, passes through the lens group 102, and is folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed towards the image sensor package 108), is reflected on the first light reflective surface back to the light incident surface ([0037], 106 may include a reflecting surface side that is angled relative to one or more of the other sides of the second prism 106), is reflected on the light incident surface to the second light reflective surface (Fig 1), is reflected on the second light reflective surface to the light incident surface, and exits from the light incident surface Fig 1, [0035], second prism 106 may redirect the light to propagate along the Z-axis (which may be orthogonal to a plane defined by the image sensor package 108), e.g., such that the light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108).
Regarding claim 10, Miller discloses wherein: the light path turning module (106) comprises a light incident surface, a first light reflective surface, a second light reflective surface, a third reflective surface and a light emitting surface (Fig 1, [0037], second prism 106 may include a pair of opposing lateral sides that each extend along the X-Z plane, a lens group facing side that extends along the Y-Z plane, and a reflecting surface side that is angled relative to one or more of the other sides of the second prism 106); the light emitted from the lens module (102) enters the light path turning module through the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], light is directed towards the lens group 102, passes through the lens group 102, and is folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed towards the image sensor package 108), is reflected on the first light reflective surface back to the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed), is reflected on the light incident surface to the second light reflective surface, is reflected on the second light reflective surface to the third reflective surface, is reflected on the third reflective surface to the light emitting surface (Fig 1, [0037]), passes through the light emitting surface, and reaches the image forming unit (Fig 1, [0035], second prism 106 may redirect the light to propagate along the Z-axis (which may be orthogonal to a plane defined by the image sensor package 108), e.g., such that the light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108).
Regarding claim 11, Miller discloses wherein: the light path turning module (106) comprises a light incident surface, a first light reflective surface, a second light reflective surface, and a light emitting surface (Fig 1, [0037], second prism 106 may include a pair of opposing lateral sides that each extend along the X-Z plane, a lens group facing side that extends along the Y-Z plane, and a reflecting surface side that is angled relative to one or more of the other sides of the second prism 106); the light emitted from the lens module (102) enters the light path turning module through the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0035], light is directed towards the lens group 102, passes through the lens group 102, and is folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed towards the image sensor package 108), is reflected on the first light reflective surface (Fig 1, [0035], folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed), to the second light reflective surface, and is reflected on the second light reflective surface (Fig 1, [0037]), passes through the light emitting surface, and reaches the image forming unit (Fig 1, [0035], second prism 106 may redirect the light to propagate along the Z-axis (which may be orthogonal to a plane defined by the image sensor package 108), e.g., such that the light exits an image side of the second prism 106 towards the image sensor package 108).
Regarding claim 13, Miller discloses wherein the light path turning module (106) comprises a light incident surface and a light reflective surface, the lens module is disposed above the light incident surface, at a side of the light incident surface and aside from a center of the light incident surface (Fig 1, [0037], second prism 106 may include a pair of opposing lateral sides that each extend along the X-Z plane, a lens group facing side that extends along the Y-Z plane, and a reflecting surface side that is angled relative to one or more of the other sides of the second prism 106).
Regarding claim 14, Miller discloses wherein the light path turning module (106) comprises at least two light path turning elements (Fig 1, [0037], second prism 106 may include a pair of opposing lateral sides that each extend along the X-Z plane), and the light path turning elements have an air gap therebetween (Fig 1 shows a gap between each lens and prism) and/or a light blocking stop therebetween.
Regarding claim 16, Miller discloses wherein: the lens module (102), the light path turning module (106) and the image forming unit (108) are arranged in order from an object side to an image side (Fig 1); a light incident surface of the light path turning module is perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens module for changing a light path from the lens module to the image forming unit by plural reflections (Fig 1, [0035], light may follow an optical path 110 that is folded by the first prism 104 such that the light is directed towards the lens group 102, passes through the lens group 102, and is folded by the second prism 106 such that the light is directed towards the image sensor package 108); the lens module and the image forming unit are disposed at the same side of the light path turning module (Fig 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 12, 15, and 17-20 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: with respect to the allowable subject matter, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Specifically, with respect to dependent claim 2, the prior art of Miller taken either singly or in combination with any other prior art fails to suggest such a lens device including the specific arrangement: “wherein the plural lenses comprise a first lens, a second lens and a third lens arranged in order along an optical axis from an object side to an image side; the lens device satisfies at least one following condition: 0.25
≤
Dm1/EFL
≤
0.65, 0.2
≤
Dm2/EFL
≤
0.7, -10 < M1T – (L1Ø + L2Ø + L30Ø) < 10, 1 < M1T/GPIT < 10, 0 < (f1+f2+f3)/TTL < 28, -1 < (R1+R2)/(R3+R4) < 3, wherein Dm1 is a maximum diameter of the object side surface of the first lens for incidence of the light; Dm2 is a maximum diameter of an image side surface of the first lens for incidence of the light; L1Ø is an effective diameter of the object side surface of the first lens; L2Ø is an effective diameter of the object side surface of the second lens; L3Ø is an effective diameter of the object side of the third lens; M1T is a central thickness of the light path turning module, namely a total length of a path along which the light travels from a light incident surface of the light path turning module to a light emitting surface of the light path turning module; GP1T is a central distance from an intersection between the object side surface of the first lens and the optical axis to the light path turning module, namely a distance measured along the optical axis from the object side surface of the first lens to the light incident surface of the light path turning module; f1 is a focal length of the first lens; f2 is a focal length of the second lens; f3 is a focal length of the third lens; TTL is an optical total length along the optical axis from the object side surface of the first lens to an image forming plane; R1 is a radius of curvature of the object side surface of the first lens; R2 is a radius of curvature of the image side surface of the first lens; R3 is a radius of curvature of the object side surface of the second lens; and R4 is a radius of curvature of an image side surface of the second lens”. Claims 3-6, 12, 15, 18, and 19 are allowable due to pendency on dependent claim 2.
Specifically, with respect to dependent claim 17, the prior art of Miller taken either singly or in combination with any other prior art fails to suggest such a lens device including the specific arrangement: “wherein: the light path turning module comprises a first light reflective surface, a second light reflective surface and a third reflective surface; the first light reflective surface meet the light incident surface; the second light reflective surface and the light incident surface lie on the same plane; the light coming from the lens module experiences three reflections in the light path turning module; the lens module is movable in a direction perpendicular to and/or parallel to the optical axis; or the third reflective surface respectively intersects a plane on which the first light reflective surface lies and another plane on which the second light reflective surface lies; a light emitting surface of the light path turning module and the light incident surface lie on the same plane; a concave structure is formed between the first light reflective surface and the third reflective surface; the image forming unit is moved perpendicular to the light emitting surface”. Claims 20 is allowable due to pendency on dependent claim 17.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Shih (20220099950), Wang (20210044729), Chang (20200096745), and Yokota (20040109076) are examples of a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sharrief I Broome whose telephone number is (571)272-3454. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, EST.
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Sharrief I. Broome
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2872
/SHARRIEF I BROOME/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872