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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgement is made of receipt of Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO-1449) filed 12/22/2026 (2), 04/08/2024, 11/14/2024, and 09/18/2025. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mizoguchi (US 2016/0004071 A1), of record.
With respect to Claim 1, Mizoguchi discloses an optical actuator (200, Figure 3), comprising: a base (240, Figure 3) having a mounting surface (204, Figure 3); a light-transmitting plate (202, Figure 3) located above the mounting surface (204, Figure 3); a frame (208, Figure 3) framing an outer edge of the light-transmitting plate (202, Figure 3), wherein the frame (208, Figure 3) retreats inwardly relative to the mounting surface (204, Figure 3), so that the mounting surface (204, Figure 3) has a plurality of disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) relative to the frame (208, Figure 3); a plurality of suspension members (210a and 210b, Figure 4) respectively located on the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) and connected between the base (240, Figure 3) and the frame (208, Figure 3); and a plurality of actuation members (220, Figure 4) respectively located on the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) and configured to drive the frame (208, Figure 3; see also ¶[0110]) to reciprocate relative to the mounting surface (204, Figure 3).
With respect to Claim 2, Mizoguchi further discloses wherein one of the suspension members (210a and 210b, Figure 4) and one of the actuation members (220, Figure 4) on one of the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) are arranged in a normal direction (see annotated Figure 3) of the mounting surface (204, Figure 3).
PNG
media_image1.png
633
797
media_image1.png
Greyscale
With respect to Claim 3, Mizoguchi further discloses wherein the actuation members (220, Figure 4) are configured to drive (¶[0110]) the frame (208, Figure 3) to reciprocate relative to the mounting surface (204, Figure 3) along the normal direction (see annotated Figure 3).
With respect to Claim 4, Mizoguchi further discloses wherein the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) are respectively located at four corners (204 is across 240 and near the four corners, Figure 3) of the base (240, Figure 3).
With respect to Claim 6, Mizoguchi discloses an imaging device, comprising: a light valve module (108R, 108G, and 108B, Figure 1); an optical actuator comprising: a base (240, Figure 3) having a mounting surface (204, Figure 3); a light-transmitting plate (202, Figure 3) located above the mounting surface (204, Figure 3); a frame (208, Figure 3) framing an outer edge of the light-transmitting plate (202, Figure 3), wherein the frame (208, Figure 3) retreats inwardly relative to the mounting surface (204, Figure 3), so that the mounting surface (204, Figure 3) has a plurality of disposing areas (241, Figure 4) relative to the frame (208, Figure 3); a plurality of suspension members (210a and 210b, Figure 4) respectively located on the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) and connected between the base (240, Figure 3) and the frame (208, Figure 3); and a plurality of actuation members (220, Figure 4) respectively located on the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) and configured to drive the frame (208, Figure 3) to reciprocate relative to the mounting surface (204, Figure 3); and a plurality of prisms (110, Figure 1) optically coupled between the light valve module (108R, 108G, and 108B, Figure 1) and the light-transmitting plate (202, Figure 3).
With respect to Claim 7, the imaging device of claim 6, wherein one of the suspension members (210a and 210b, Figure 4) and one of the actuation members (220, Figure 4) on one of the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) are arranged in a normal direction (see annotated Figure 3) of the mounting surface (204, Figure 3).
With respect to Claim 8, Mizoguchi further discloses wherein the actuation members (220, Figure 4) are configured to drive (¶[0110]) the frame (208, Figure 3) to reciprocate relative to the mounting surface (204, Figure 3) along the normal direction (see annotated Figure 3).
With respect to Claim 9, Mizoguchi further discloses wherein the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4) are respectively located at four corners (204 is across 240 and near the four corners, Figure 3) of the base (240, Figure 3).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 5, 10-12, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizoguchi (US 2016/0004071 A1), of record, in view of Que et al., (hereafter Que) (US 2021/0294068 A1).
With respect to Claim 5, Mizoguchi teaches the optical actuator of claim 1, and two of the actuation members (220, Figure 4) are arranged along a first diagonal axis (x-axis, Figure 4).
Mizoguchi fails to teach other two of the actuation members are arranged along a second diagonal axis, and the first diagonal axis and the second diagonal axis are perpendicular to each other.
Mizoguchi teaches an optical device and an image display apparatus and Que teaches a camera apparatus.
Que teaches wherein two of the actuation members (221, Figure 4; see also ¶[0267]) are arranged along a first diagonal axis (0, Figure 1B), other two of the actuation members (231, Figure 4; see also ¶[0267]) are arranged along a second diagonal axis (see annotated Figure 4), and the first diagonal axis (see annotated Figure 4) and the second diagonal axis (see annotated Figure 4) are perpendicular to each other (see annotated Figure 4).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Mizoguchi having the imaging device with the teachings of Que having other two of the actuation members are arranged along a second diagonal axis, and the first diagonal axis and the second diagonal axis are perpendicular to each other for the purpose of providing additional driving forces in all directions.
PNG
media_image2.png
1010
831
media_image2.png
Greyscale
With respect to Claim 10, Mizoguchi teaches the optical actuator of claim 6, and two of the actuation members (220, Figure 4) are arranged along a first diagonal axis (x-axis, Figure 4).
Mizoguchi fails to teach other two of the actuation members are arranged along a second diagonal axis, and the first diagonal axis and the second diagonal axis are perpendicular to each other.
Mizoguchi teaches an optical device and an image display apparatus and Que teaches a camera apparatus.
Que teaches wherein two of the actuation members (221, Figure 4; see also ¶[0267]) are arranged along a first diagonal axis (0, Figure 1B), other two of the actuation members (231, Figure 4; see also ¶[0267]) are arranged along a second diagonal axis (see annotated Figure 4), and the first diagonal axis (see annotated Figure 4) and the second diagonal axis (see annotated Figure 4) are perpendicular to each other (see annotated Figure 4).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Mizoguchi having the imaging device with the teachings of Que having other two of the actuation members are arranged along a second diagonal axis, and the first diagonal axis and the second diagonal axis are perpendicular to each other for the purpose of providing additional driving forces in all directions.
With respect to Claim 11, Mizoguchi teaches the imaging device of claim 10, wherein the first diagonal axis (x-axis, Figure 4) extends through two of the disposing areas (see the end areas of the x-axis, Figure 4).
Mizoguchi fails to teach the second diagonal axis extends through other two of the disposing areas.
Mizoguchi teaches an optical device and an image display apparatus and Que teaches a camera apparatus.
Que teaches the second diagonal (see annotated Figure 4), extends through other two of the disposing areas (see the end areas of the marked axis in annotated Figure 4).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Mizoguchi having the first diagonal axis extend through two of the disposing areas with the teachings of Que having the second diagonal axis extends through other two of the disposing areas for the purpose of providing additional support in all directions.
With respect to Claim 12, Mizoguchi teaches wherein the light valve module (108R, 108G, and 108B, Figure 1) has a length axis and a width axis (see annotated Figure 1, below) respectively parallel to the first diagonal axis.
PNG
media_image3.png
917
1175
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Mizoguchi fails to teach the second diagonal axis.
Mizoguchi teaches an optical device and an image display apparatus and Que teaches a camera apparatus.
Que teaches the second diagonal (see annotated Figure 4).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Mizoguchi the light valve module have a length axis and a width axis respectively parallel to the first diagonal axis with the teachings of Que having the second diagonal axis extends through other two of the disposing areas for the purpose of providing additional support in all directions.
With respect to Claim 14, Mizoguchi further teaches wherein one of the suspension members (210a and 210b, Figure 4) has a first fixing end (first end of 210a, Figure 3) and a second fixing end (second end of 210a, Figure 3), and is fixed (see 210a in Figure 3) to the base (240, Figure 3) and the frame (208, Figure 3) respectively through (see 208 in Figure 3) the first fixing end (first end of 210a, Figure 3) and the second fixing end (second end of 210a, Figure 3).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizoguchi (US 2016/0004071 A1), of record as applied to Claim 12 above, in further view of Takezawa et al., (hereafter Takezawa) (US 2002/0131027 A1).
With respect to Claim 13, Mizoguchi teaches imaging device of claim 12, wherein the base (240, Figure 3) further has a side surface connected to the mounting surface (204, Figure 3), the side surface is connected to two of the disposing areas (top of 240, Figure 4), the prisms (110, Figure 1) comprise a first prism (first prism within 110, Figure 1), the first prism (110, Figure 1) is located between the light valve module (108R, 108G, and 108B, Figure 1) and the light-transmitting plate (202, Figure 3).
Mizoguchi fails to explicitly teach a second prism.
Mizoguchi teaches an optical device and an image display apparatus and Takezawa teaches a projector (both display images).
Takezawa teaches a dichroic prism (550, Figure 10; dichroic prism includes two optical components (color selection prisms) 560 and 570); see also ¶[0113]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Mizoguchi having the imaging device with the teachings of Takezawa having the second prism, and the second prism partially located between the light valve module (108R, 108G, and 108B, Figure 1, of Mizoguchi) and the first prism (110, Figure 1, of Mizoguchi) and extends to a side of the side surface to form a gap (206, Figure 3, of of Mizoguchi) with the side surface for the purpose of light management and color separation and recombination.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizoguchi (US 2016/0004071 A1), of record, in view of Que (US 2021/0294068 A1) as applied to Claim 14 above, and in further view of Mizukami et al., (hereafter Mizukami) (US 2019/0115860 A1).
With respect to Claim 15, Mizoguchi in view of Que teach the imaging device of claim 14, the suspension members (210a and 210b, Figure 4), the first fixing end (first end of 210a, Figure 3) and the second fixing end (second end of 210a, Figure 3).
Mizoguchi in view of Que fail to teach two ribs.
Mizoguchi in view of Que teaches an optical device and an image display apparatus and Mizukami teaches a lens module which can be used in the optical device and image display.
Mizukami teaches two ribs (corresponding rib 5111 of the side wing 511, one on opposite side from the other, Figure 7).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the invention to modify the teachings of Mizoguchi in view of Que having the imaging device with the teachings of Mizukami teaches two ribs and modifying Mizoguchi in view of Que wherein the one of the suspension members comprises two ribs, two ends of each of the ribs are respectively connected to the first fixing end and the second fixing end, and the ribs protrude away from each other in opposite directions between the first fixing end and the second fixing end.
PNG
media_image4.png
577
276
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAMARA Y WASHINGTON whose telephone number is (571)270-3887. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur 730-530 EST.
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, Stephone Allen can be reached at 571-272-2434. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TYW/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/STEPHONE B ALLEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872