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. Election/Restrictions Claims 12-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on January 20, 2026. Applicant's election with traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on January 20, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that applicant has amended previous independent claims 12 and 17 of Invention II to depend from claim 1 of Invention 1. This is not found persuasive because inventions I and II, as set forth in the Requirement for Restriction, mailed November 28, 2025, are related as product and process of use. In the instant case, the heater of the lens assembly in the apparatus may be operated independently of the scene captured by the camera , as noted in the Requirement for Restriction of November 28, 2025 . However, it is noted that claims 12-20 of Invention II are now linked to Invention I via claim 1 and will be considered for rejoinder in the event that the linking claim becomes allowable. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. 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 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura (WO 2019/181122). In regard to claim 1 , Nakamura discloses a n apparatus comprising a lens assembly (i.e. for an imaging apparatus, see e.g. Figures 1-4 and 6 th paragraph of English translation) comprising (see e.g. Figures 1-4) : a front region (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 below) comprising an entrance window 1d (i.e. denoted “large diameter portion”, see e.g. page 3, first paragraph of the English translation) of the lens assembly, and a window structure (i.e. including first lens 11a , see e.g. page 2, 6 th paragraph of English translation and Figures 2-3 ) at the entrance window 1d ; a back region (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 for back region) ; a lens 11 b ( denoted “second lens”, see e.g. page 2, 6 th paragraph of English translation and Figures 2-3 ) between the window structure (i.e. including first lens 11a , see e.g. page 2, 6 th paragraph of English translation and Figures 2-3 ) and the back region (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 for back region) ; and a heater 12d (see e.g. Figures 2-4, first full paragraph of page 4 of English translation) coupled to heat the window structure (i.e. including first lens 11a , see e.g. page 2, 6 th paragraph of English translation and Figures 2-3 ) ; wherein the lens assembly (i.e. for an imaging apparatus, see e.g. Figures 1-4 and 6 th paragraph of English translation) comprises a reflective surface 12 b (denoted “ plate-like portion ” of heat conduction aperture plate 12 , see e.g. page 3, last paragraph-page 4 , first full paragraph and fourth full paragraph of page 4 for plate like portion 12b made of aluminum that is subject to a black painting surface treatment, which will reflect some small amount of thermal radiation ) , wherein the front region is on a first side of the reflective surface 12 b (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 where the front region is forward of all portion of element 12 , including reflective surface 12b ) , the back region is on a second side of the reflective surface 12 b (see e.g. annotated Figure 3, where the back region is rearward of reflective surface 12b ) , and the reflective surface 12b is configured to reflect thermal radiation generated by the heater 12d (see e.g. page 4, first full paragraph and fourth full paragraph where it is noted plate-like portion 12b is made of aluminum that is subject to a black painting surface treatment, which will reflect some small amount of thermal radiation) , the reflected thermal radiation being reflected towards the first side (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 and page 4, first paragraph where it is noted plate-like portion 12b is made of aluminum that is subject to a black painting surface treatmen t , which will reflect a small amount of thermal radiation in at least a forward direction toward the first side ) . In regard to claim 2 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the reflective surface 12b is configured to direct at least some of the reflected thermal radiation towards the window structure (i.e. including first lens 11a , see e.g. page 2, 6 th paragraph of English translation and Figures 2-3 and note that the reflective surface 12b will direct some heat forward to lens 11a ) . In regard to claim 3 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the lens 11b is disposed on the second side of the reflective surface 12b (see e.g. Figure 3 and note that lens 11b is on a rearward side of reflective surface 12b ). In regard to claim 4 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the reflective surface 12b is a surface of an integral member (see e.g. Figures 2-4 and note that 12b is an integral part of heat conduction aperture plate 12 ). In regard to claim 5 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the reflective surface 12b is integrated with the lens 11b (see e.g. Figure 3 where the components including 11b and 12b are integrated as part of the imaging system). In regard to claim 6 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the lens assembly comprises a housing barrel 1b (denoted “lens barrel”, see e.g. Figure 3 and page 2, sixth full paragraph) comprising a flange (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 above for flange) between the window structure and the lens 11b , the flange comprising the reflective surface 12 b (see e.g. Figure 3 for reflective surface 12b seated on annotated flange portion). In regard to claim 7 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the reflective surface 12b comprises an aperture stop defining an entrance pupil of the lens assembly (see e.g. last paragraph of page 3-first paragraph page 4 where it is noted that the heat conduction plate 12 , which comprises 12b , determines the outmost position of light passing through, thus acting as an aperture stop) . In regard to claim 9 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the heater 12d comprises a resistive heater (see e.g. page 4, third full paragraph for nickel-chrome wire heater ) . In regard to claim 10 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 9 above, and a barrel housing 1a (denoted “front case”, see e.g. page 2, 6 th paragraph and Figures 1-3) that houses the lens 11b and the heater 12d ; and a cable 12c (denoted “extending portion”, see e.g. page 4, first full paragraph and Figure 3) inside the barrel housing 1a , the cable 12c extending from the heater 12d towards the back region (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 above) , for providing electric power to the heater (see e.g. page 4, fourth full paragraph for electrical connection to substrate 41 , and providing a voltage from the substrate to the heater). In regard to claim 11 , Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and an imaging sensor 42 (denoted “imaging element”, see e.g. page 4, first full paragraph) at the back region (see e.g. annotated Figure 3 above). 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. Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura (WO 2019/181122) in view of Tonar et al. (US 2012/0243093 A1) . In regard to claim 8 ¸ Nakamura discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, but fails to disclose wherein the window structure comprises a wavelength filter for thermal imaging. However, Tonar et al. discloses (see e.g. Figure 8a-b) wherein the window structure comprises a wavelength filter for thermal imaging (see e.g. paragraph [0084] for lens cover 20a paragraph [0089] where it is noted that lens cover may comprise filters for visible light) . Given the teachings of Tonar et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Nakamura with wherein the window structure comprises a wavelength filter for thermal imaging. Providing a visible light filter forward of the image sensor would prevent unwanted degradation of the thermal imaging. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references are cited for disclosing related limitations of the applicant’s claimed and disclosed invention such as lens assemblies with heaters : Okada et al. (US 2021/0302722 A1), Nagamizu (US 2010/0309553 A1), Ha et al. (US 2019/0137850 A1), Bulgajewski et al. (US 2018/0017785 A1), Kim et al. (US 2018/0176431 A1 ), and Hiura (CN 214256407, of which an English translation is attached) . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT JESSICA M MERLIN whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-3207 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT 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. 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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. /JESSICA M MERLIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871