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 .
DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/430,420 filed on February 1, 2024 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Priority
As required by the M.P.E.P. 214.03, acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for priority based on applications filed on February 6, 2023 (Japan 2023-015971).
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 37 CFR 1.55, which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Drawings
The applicant’s drawings submitted on 2/1/2024 are acceptable for examination purposes.
Information Disclosure Statement
As required by M.P.E.P. 609, the applicant’s submissions of the Information Disclosure Statements dated 2/1/2024 and 3/3/2025 are acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: the parameter fw is present in the inequality but is not defined in the claim. There is no indefiniteness issue because one of ordinary skill in the art would know the meaning of fw. However, appropriate correction is required.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The parameter βrt has two conflicting definitions (claim 10, paragraphs [0052],[0063]) “a combined lateral magnification of all lens units on the image side of the image stabilizing lens unit at the telephoto end” and (claim 11, paragraph [0052],[0064]) “a combined lateral magnification of all lens units on the image side of the focus lens unit at the telephoto end”.
Based on the prosecution history of the co-pending Japanese application JP 2023015971, the examiner assumes that the second instance in paragraph [0052] and the appearance in paragraph [0063] should have referred to βfrt.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 10 and 11, both claims refer to the parameter βrt, but they provide different, distinct definitions of this parameter as (claim 10) “a combined lateral magnification of all lens units on the image side of the image stabilizing lens unit at the telephoto end” or (claim 11) “a combined lateral magnification of all lens units on the image side of the focus lens unit at the telephoto end”. Since the image stabilizing lens unit and the focus lens unit are not the same lens unit, these two definitions contradict one another. Based on the prosecution history of the co-pending Japanese application JP 2023015971, the examiner assumes that claim 11 should have referred to βfrt. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-2, 4-11, 13 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitada et al. US 2022/0260814 A1 (hereafter Kitada) in view of Suzuki US 2005/0068637 A1 (hereafter Suzuki) and Gross et al. "Handbook of Optical Systems Volume 3: Aberration Theory and Correction of Optical Systems" Weinheim Germany, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, pp. 377-379 (Year: 2007) (hereafter Gross, cited in an IDS, where a legible copy thereof is provided with the current office action).
Regarding claim 1, Kitada teaches (first example, Fig. 1 tables 1-3D) “A zoom lens (paragraph [0267]: “zoom lens system corresponding to the first embodiment”) comprising a plurality of lens units (Fig. 1, paragraph [0040] lens groups G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0040]):
a first lens unit (G1) having positive refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 1 is 137.03189 and thus G1 has positive refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]);
a second lens unit having negative refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 2 is -50.90785 and thus G2 has negative refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]); and
a rear group (paragraph [0042]: “The third through seventh lens groups G3-G7 form an exemplary rear group GR”) consisting of one or more lens units (five lens units G3, G4, G5, G6, and G7),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d6, d12, d19, d23, d27 and d31 between each lens group in Table 1 and 3A), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “the second lens group G2 is fixed while the zoom lens system is zooming from the wide-angle end toward the telephoto end”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (e.g. paragraph [0061]: “every lens (image blur compensation lens) belonging to the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur.”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (paragraph [0045]: “The second lens group G2 is made up of… a sixth lens L6 having positive power.”), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=6.5825/287.9970=0.0229 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (the sum of the d values of surfaces 7 to 11 in Table 1 is 6.5825 as confirmed by the lens configuration length of group 2 in Table 3C), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (Table 3A the Focal length at Telephoto is 287.9970).”
However, Kitada fails to teach “wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power”, instead teaching in paragraph [0045]: the second lens group G2 is made up of: a fourth lens L4 having negative power; a fifth lens L5 having negative power; and a sixth lens L6 having positive power.
Suzuki teaches “A zoom lens (example 1 zoom lens system ZL1) comprising a plurality of lens units (G1, G2 and G3), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side:
a first lens unit (G1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0080]: “first lens group G1 having positive refractive power”);
a second lens unit (G2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0080]: “second lens group G2 having negative refractive power”); and
a rear group (G3) consisting of one or more lens units (one lens unit G3),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d3 and d8 in Table 2), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (paragraph [0068]: “the second lens group may be fixed upon zooming”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (paragraph [0082]: “the second lens group G2 that is a vibration reduction lens group Gv is moved in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis upon vibration reduction.”),
wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (paragraph [0080]: “second lens group G2 having negative refractive power is composed of, in order from the object, a cemented lens constructed by a positive meniscus lens L3”).”
Furthermore, note that Suzuki example 1 discloses that G2 is composed of a positive meniscus lens L3 cemented with a double concave lens L4 and a double concave lens L5 (see paragraph [0080], Fig. 1 and Table 1). This is the reverse order from Kitada whose second group is composed of a negative lens followed by a cemented pair of a negative and a positive lens (see paragraph [0045].
Gross teaches (pages 378) that reversing the order of a lens group is amongst the typical operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see operation 3). Gross teaches that flipping a lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the order of the second lens group of Kitada such that it is arranged positive, negative, negative with the first two lenses cemented as taught by Suzuki, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a lens group is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing the order of a lens group does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Regarding claim 2, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kitada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
-1.00 < f2/fw < -0.2 (Table 3A fw=72.8 and Table 3C f2=-50.90785 thus f2/fw=-0.699 which is in the claimed range)
where f2 is a focal length of the second lens unit (Table 3C f2=-50.90785).”
Regarding claim 4, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kitada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
3.0 < TD12t/TG12 < 15 (given the values that follow TD12t/TG12=82.729/18.08=4.58 which is in the claimed range)
where TD12t is a distance from a lens surface closest to the object of the first lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit at the telephoto end (TD12t is the sum of the distances, d, of surfaces 1 to 11 in table 1 plus d6 at telephoto. This adds up to TD12t=82.729), and TG12 is a sum of lens thicknesses on the optical axis of the first lens unit and the second lens unit (TG12 is the sum of the distances d of surfaces 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 which adds up to 18.08. If one does not consider surface 10, which is clearly an adhesive layer, to be part of the lens thicknesses, then TG12=18.07, which does not change the claimed ratio.).”
Regarding claim 5, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kitada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
1.00 < ft/TTDw < 3.5 (given ft=287.9970 from Table 3A and TTDw=188.46894 below, then ft/TTDw=1.528 which is in the claimed range)
where TTDw is an overall optical length from a lens surface closest to the object of the zoom lens to an image plane at a wide-angle end (Table 3A TTDw is the sum of the total lens length and the back focal length BF thus TTDw=188.46804).”
Regarding claim 6, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kitada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
8.0 < ft/skw < 35.0 (given ft=287.9970 and BF at wide angle is 22.63464 from Table 3A then ft/skw=12.72 which is in the claimed range)
where skw is a back focus of the zoom lens at a wide-angle end (BF at wide angle is 22.63464 from Table 3A).”
Regarding claim 7, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kirada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
5 < TTDw/skw < 20 (given the values that follow TTDw/skw=188.46804/22.63464=8.33 which is in the claimed range)
where TTDw is an optical overall length from a lens surface closest to the object of the zoom lens at a wide-angle end to an image plane (Table 3A TTDw is the sum of the total lens length and the back focal length BF thus TTDw=188.46804), and skw is a back focus of the zoom lens at the wide-angle end (BF at wide angle is 22.63464 from Table 3A).”
Regarding claim 8, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kirada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.10 < m1/f1 < 0.5 (given the values that follow m1/f1=59.5/137.03189=0.434 which is in the claimed range)
where m1 is a moving amount of the first lens unit during zooming from a wide-angle end to the telephoto end (since the second lens group is fixed, the movement amount of the first lens is the difference between d6 at telephoto and d6 at wide angle thus m1=59.5 from Table 3A), and f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit (Table 3C the focal length of group 1 is 137.03189).”
Regarding claim 9, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kirada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
1.00 < f1/fw < 3.00 (given the values that follow f1/fw=137.03189/72.8=1.88 which is in the claimed range)
where fw is a focal length at a wide-angle end (Table 3A fw=72.8), and f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit (Table 3C the focal length of group 1 is 137.03189).”
Regarding claim 10, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kirada further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
-6.0 < (1-βist)βrt < -2.0 (paragraph [0187]: “Inequality (6): −3.5<(1−βTG2)×βTGR<−1.5 (6)” and Table 16 the value of conditional expression 6 for the 1st example is -2.73639 which is in the claimed range)
where βist is a lateral magnification of an image stabilizing lens unit that performs the image stabilization among the second lens unit at the telephoto end (paragraph [0187]: “βTG2 is the lateral magnification at the telephoto end of the second lens group” where paragraph [0061] discloses “the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur.” thus βTG2 = βist), and βrt is a combined lateral magnification of all lens units on the image side of the image stabilizing lens unit at the telephoto end (paragraph [0187]: “βTGR is the lateral magnification at the telephoto end of the rear group GR.” where paragraph [0042] discloses “The third through seventh lens groups G3-G7 form an exemplary rear group GR” thus βTGR = βrt).”
Regarding claim 11, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1, wherein the rear group includes a focus lens unit that moves during focusing, and wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
4.0 < |(1-βft2)βrt2| < 20.0 (paragraph [0186]: “Inequalities (5c) and (5d) is/are satisfied:
−8<(1−βTGf×βTGf)×(βTGRR×βTGRR) (5c)
(1−βTGf×βTGf)×(βTGRR×βTGRR)<−6.0 (5d)” Table 16 the value of inequality 5 of the 1st example is -7.27964 and thus the absolute value thereof is 7.27964 which is in the claimed range)
where βft is a lateral magnification of the focus lens unit at the telephoto end (paragraph [0182]: “βTGf is the lateral magnification at the telephoto end of the (N−2)th lens group” and paragraph [0160] discloses “While the zoom lens system is focusing to make a transition from an infinity in-focus state to a close-object in-focus state, at least the (N−2)th lens group moves along an optical axis.” thus βTGf = βft), and βrt is a combined lateral magnification of all lens units on the image side of the focus lens unit at the telephoto end (paragraph [0182]: “βTGRR is the lateral magnification at the telephoto end of an optical system, which is located closer to the image plane than the (N−2)th lens group.” Thus βTGRR = βrt).”
Regarding claim 13, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1, wherein the second lens unit consists of, in order from the object side to the image side, a set of lenses having positive, negative, and negative refractive powers (the modification of Kitada in view of Suzuki and Gross for claim 1 reversed the order of the lenses in the second lens group of Kitada from negative, negative, positive to positive, negative, negative as taught by Suzuki)., and
wherein the second lens unit wholly serves as an image stabilizing lens unit that performs the image stabilization (paragraph [0061]: “every lens (image blur compensation lens) belonging to the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur.”).”
Regarding claim 15, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kitada further teaches “further comprising an aperture stop (Table 1 surface 19 “aperture”) disposed in or on the image side of a third lens unit included in the rear group (see Table 1 the aperture is disposed in the image side of the third lens unit of the rear group in that it is the last element of the third group and moves with the third lens group).”
Regarding claim 16, the Kitada – Suzuki – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Kitada further teaches “wherein all lenses in the zoom lens are spherical lenses (paragraph [0269]: “No aspheric surface was existent”).”
Regarding claim 17, Kitada teaches (first example, Fig. 1 tables 1-3D) “An image pickup apparatus (paragraph [0006]: “An image capture device”) comprising:
a zoom lens (paragraph [0006]: “The image capture device includes: a zoom lens system” and paragraph [0267]: “zoom lens system corresponding to the first embodiment”); and
an image sensor (paragraph [0006]: “image sensor”) configured to receive an image formed by the zoom lens (paragraph [0006]: “an image sensor to transform the optical image formed by the zoom lens system into the electrical image signal.”),
wherein the zoom lens includes a plurality of lens units (Fig. 1, paragraph [0040] lens groups G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0040]):
a first lens unit (G1) having positive refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 1 is 137.03189 and thus G1 has positive refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]);
a second lens unit having negative refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 2 is -50.90785 and thus G2 has negative refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]); and
a rear group (paragraph [0042]: “The third through seventh lens groups G3-G7 form an exemplary rear group GR”) consisting of one or more lens units (five lens units G3, G4, G5, G6, and G7),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d6, d12, d19, d23, d27 and d31 between each lens group in Table 1 and 3A), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “the second lens group G2 is fixed while the zoom lens system is zooming from the wide-angle end toward the telephoto end”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (e.g. paragraph [0061]: “every lens (image blur compensation lens) belonging to the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur.”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (paragraph [0045]: “The second lens group G2 is made up of… a sixth lens L6 having positive power.”), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=6.5825/287.9970=0.0229 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (the sum of the d values of surfaces 7 to 11 in Table 1 is 6.5825 as confirmed by the lens configuration length of group 2 in Table 3C), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (Table 3A the Focal length at Telephoto is 287.9970).”
However, Kitada fails to teach “wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power”, instead teaching in paragraph [0045]: the second lens group G2 is made up of: a fourth lens L4 having negative power; a fifth lens L5 having negative power; and a sixth lens L6 having positive power.
Suzuki teaches “A zoom lens (example 1 zoom lens system ZL1) comprising a plurality of lens units (G1, G2 and G3), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side:
a first lens unit (G1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0080]: “first lens group G1 having positive refractive power”);
a second lens unit (G2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0080]: “second lens group G2 having negative refractive power”); and
a rear group (G3) consisting of one or more lens units (one lens unit G3),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d3 and d8 in Table 2), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (paragraph [0068]: “the second lens group may be fixed upon zooming”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (paragraph [0082]: “the second lens group G2 that is a vibration reduction lens group Gv is moved in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis upon vibration reduction.”),
wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (paragraph [0080]: “second lens group G2 having negative refractive power is composed of, in order from the object, a cemented lens constructed by a positive meniscus lens L3”).”
Furthermore, note that Suzuki example 1 discloses that G2 is composed of a positive meniscus lens L3 cemented with a double concave lens L4 and a double concave lens L5 (see paragraph [0080], Fig. 1 and Table 1). This is the reverse order from Kitada whose second group is composed of a negative lens followed by a cemented pair of a negative and a positive lens (see paragraph [0045].
Gross teaches (pages 378) that reversing the order of a lens group is amongst the typical operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see operation 3). Gross teaches that flipping a lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the order of the second lens group of Kitada such that it is arranged positive, negative, negative with the first two lenses cemented as taught by Suzuki, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a lens group is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing the order of a lens group does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Claims 1-2, 4, 8-9, 12 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogawa et al. US 5,042,927 A (hereafter Ogawa) in view of Kitada et al. US 2022/0260814 A1 (hereafter Kitada), Yamanaka US 2013/0201565 A1 (hereafter Yamanaka) and Gross et al. "Handbook of Optical Systems Volume 3: Aberration Theory and Correction of Optical Systems" Weinheim Germany, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, pp. 377-379 (Year: 2007) (hereafter Gross, cited in an IDS, where a legible copy thereof is provided with the current office action).
Regarding claim 1, Ogawa teaches (Fig. 7, numerical example 7, col. 9) “A zoom lens (Fig. 7, numerical example 7, col. 9, col. 1 lines 6-7 “compact zoom lenses of the telephoto type”) comprising a plurality of lens units (lens groups I, II, III, IV and V, see Fig. 7, col. 2 lines 61-68 and data in col. 9), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 7):
a first lens unit (first lens group I) having positive refractive power (e.g. col. 2 lines 61-68: “a first lens group I of positive refractive power”);
a second lens unit (second lens group II) having negative refractive power (e.g. col. 2 lines 61-68: “a second lens group II of negative refractive power”); and
a rear group (lens groups III, IV and V) consisting of one or more lens units (e.g. col. 2 lines 61-68 three lens groups III, IV and V),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (col. 2 lines 55-57: “the arrows indicate the loci of motion of the lens groups when zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.” see variable distances D4, D7, D10 and D13 in col. 9), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (see Fig. 7 and col. 3 lines 42-47: “when zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end… in the numerical example 7 of FIG. 7, the second lens group and the fourth lens group are fixed,”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (see Fig. 7 and e.g. col. 5 line 66 to col. 6 line 1: “the second lens group is constructed from a cemented doublet consisting of … a positive lens,”), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=4.1/192.94=0.021 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (col. 9 the sum of D5 and D6 D2=4.1), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (col. 9 the largest and thus most telephoto focal length of example 7 is 192.94).”
However, Ogawa fails to teach “wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization.”
Kitada teaches (first example, Fig. 1 tables 1-3D) “A zoom lens (paragraph [0267]: “zoom lens system corresponding to the first embodiment”) comprising a plurality of lens units (Fig. 1, paragraph [0040] lens groups G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0040]):
a first lens unit (G1) having positive refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 1 is 137.03189 and thus G1 has positive refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]);
a second lens unit having negative refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 2 is -50.90785 and thus G2 has negative refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]); and
a rear group (paragraph [0042]: “The third through seventh lens groups G3-G7 form an exemplary rear group GR”) consisting of one or more lens units (five lens units G3, G4, G5, G6, and G7),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d6, d12, d19, d23, d27 and d31 between each lens group in Table 1 and 3A), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “the second lens group G2 is fixed while the zoom lens system is zooming from the wide-angle end toward the telephoto end”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (e.g. paragraph [0061]: “every lens (image blur compensation lens) belonging to the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur.”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (paragraph [0045]: “The second lens group G2 is made up of… a sixth lens L6 having positive power.”), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=6.5825/287.9970=0.0229 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (the sum of the d values of surfaces 7 to 11 in Table 1 is 6.5825 as confirmed by the lens configuration length of group 2 in Table 3C), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (Table 3A the Focal length at Telephoto is 287.9970).”
Kitada further teaches [0061]: “Note that every lens (image blur compensation lens) belonging to the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur. This image blur compensation lens allows the zoom lens system to make compensation for the movement of an image point due to the vibration of the entire system. That is to say, this allows the zoom lens system to make optical compensation for an image blur caused by a camera shake or vibrations, for example.”
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the negative second lens group that is fixed during zooming to move perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur as taught by Kitada in the zoom lens system of Ogawa for the purpose of making optical compensation for an image blur caused by a camera shake or vibrations as taught by Kitada (paragraph [0061]). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because both Ogawa and Kitada are zoom lenses arranged with a positive first lens group that moves during zooming and negative second lens group that is fixed during zooming, where the thickness of the second lens unit is very small compared to the focal length at the telephoto end. Thus, the second lens group of Ogawa is appropriate for the purpose of blur compensation.
However, Ogawa fails to teach “wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power” instead teaching a second lens unit consisting of a cemented lens arranged negative-positive (see Fig. 7 and e.g. col. 5 line 66 to col. 6 line 1.
Yamanaka teaches (first embodiment, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0079]-[0080]) “A zoom lens (paragraph [0079]: “telephotographing zoom lens”) comprising a plurality of lens units (LG1, LG2, LG3, LG4, LG5), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 1):
a first lens unit (LG1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “first lens group LG1 of positive refractivity”);
a second lens unit (LG2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “second lens group LG2 of negative refractivity”); and
a rear group (LG3, LG4 and LG5) consisting of one or more lens units (three lens groups LG3, LG4 and LG5),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d7, d10, d17 and d22 in paragraph [0080]), …
wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm).”
Yamanaka further teaches that the second lens group is composed of a cemented lens arranged positive-negative (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm, and the lens of surfaces 9 and 10 is biconcave and thus has negative refractive power).
Gross teaches (pages 377) that reversing the order of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see suggestion 5). As noted on page 378, Gross teaches that flipping a lens or lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the order of the cemented lens comprising the second lens unit of Ogawa to be arranged positive-negative as taught by Yamanaka, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing a cemented doublet does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Regarding claim 2, the Ogawa – Kitada – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Ogawa further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
-1.00 < f2/fw < -0.2 (f2/fw=-56.696/83.20=-0.68 which is in the claimed range, where fw=83.20 is the smallest focal length of numerical example 7 in col. 9)
where f2 is a focal length of the second lens unit (the focal length of the second lens unit can be calculated from the data of surfaces 5-7 in col. 9 using a matrix calculator to be about -56.696).”
Regarding claim 4, the Ogawa – Kitada – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Ogawa further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
3.0 < TD12t/TG12 < 15 (given the values that follow TD12t/TG12=51.95/11.2=4.64)
where TD12t is a distance from a lens surface closest to the object of the first lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit at the telephoto end (in col. 9 numerical example 7 TD12t is the sum of D1to D6 with D4=40.32 at telephoto, thus TD12t=51.95), and TG12 is a sum of lens thicknesses on the optical axis of the first lens unit and the second lens unit (in col. 9 numerical example 7 TG12 is the sum of D1, D3, D5 and D6, TG12=11.2).”
Regarding claim 8, the Ogawa – Kitada – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Ogawa further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.10 < m1/f1 < 0.5 (given the values that follow m1/f1=38.33/97.31=0.394 which is in the claimed range)
where m1 is a moving amount of the first lens unit during zooming from a wide-angle end to the telephoto end (since the second lens unit is fixed the moving amount of the first lens unit is the difference between D4 at wide angle and D4 at telephoto thus m1=38.33), and f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit (the focal length of the first lens unit can be calculated from the data of surfaces 1 to 4 in col. 9 example 7 using a matrix calculator to be about 97.31).”
Regarding claim 9, the Ogawa – Kitada – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1, wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
1.00 < f1/fw < 3.00 (given the values that follow f1/fw=97.31/83.20=1.17 which is in the claimed range)
where fw is a focal length at a wide-angle end (col. 9 example 7 the shortest focal length is 83.20), and f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit (the focal length of the first lens unit can be calculated from the data of surfaces 1 to 4 in col. 9 example 7 using a matrix calculator to be about 97.31).”
Regarding claim 12, the Ogawa – Kitada – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” however, Ogawa example 7 fails to teach “wherein the first lens unit consists of, in order from the object side to the image side, a set of lenses having positive, positive, and negative refractive powers.”
However, Ogawa example 5 teaches a zoom lens having a positive first lens unit, group I, a negative second lens unit, group II, and a rear group comprising at least one lens unit (groups III, IV and V). Ogawa example 5 teaches “wherein the first lens unit consists of, in order from the object side to the image side, a set of lenses having positive, positive, and negative refractive powers (col. 8 numerical example 5 the first lens with surfaces 1 and 2 is biconvex and thus positive, the second lens with surfaces 3 and 4 is biconvex and thus positive and the third lens with surfaces 4 and 5 is biconcave and thus negative).”
It is a well-established proposition that the substation of one known element for another which obtains predictable results is within ordinary skill. See MPEP §2143(I)(B). To reject a claim based on this rationale, Office personnel must articulate the following:
(1) a finding that the prior art contained a device (method, product, etc.) which differed from the claimed device by the substitution of some components (step, element, etc.) with other components;
(2) a finding that the substituted components and their functions were known in the art;
(3) a finding that one of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one known element for another, and the results of the substitution would have been predictable; and
(4) whatever additional findings based on the Graham factual inquiries may be necessary, in view of the facts of the case under consideration, to explain a conclusion of obviousness.
In the instant case:
(1) the prior art, Ogawa example 7, teaches a zoom lens which differs from the claimed zoom lens by the substitution of a first lens group comprising two lenses with a first lens group having three lenses arranged positive, positive, negative.
(2) the first lens group having three lenses arranged positive, positive, negative and its function were known in the art in view of the fifth example of Ogawa;
(3) one of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted a first lens group like example 5 for a first lens group like example 7, and the results of the substitution would have been predictable given the known principles of optics and lens design.
(4) the Graham factual inquiries have been discussed above.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute a first lens group having three lenses arranged positive, positive, negative as taught by Ogawa example 5 for a first lens group having two lenses of the zoom lens of example 7 of Ogawa and the results thereof would have been predictable.
Regarding claim 16, the Ogawa – Kitada – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Ogawa further teaches “wherein all lenses in the zoom lens are spherical lenses (Ogawa never discloses any of the lenses as being aspheric or presenting any aspheric parameters for any lens, thus one of ordinary skill in the art would at once envisage that the lenses of Ogawa are all spherical lenses.1).”
Regarding claim 17, Ogawa teaches (Fig. 7, numerical example 7, col. 9) “An image pickup apparatus (col. 1 lines 6-10: “compact zoom lenses of the telephoto type including long focal lengths suited to 35 m/m cameras, video cameras and electronic still cameras”) comprising:
a zoom lens Fig. 7, numerical example 7, col. 9, col. 1 lines 6-7 “compact zoom lenses of the telephoto type”); and
an image sensor (col. 1 lines 6-10 both the film of a 35 mm camera and the image sensor of an electronic still camera are image sensors in that they sense and record an image. Note that the claim does not specify that the image sensor be electronic or digitize the image) configured to receive an image formed by the zoom lens (that is where the film or sensor is positioned in a camera),
wherein the zoom lens includes a plurality of lens units (lens groups I, II, III, IV and V, see Fig. 7, col. 2 lines 61-68 and data in col. 9), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 7):
a first lens unit (first lens group I) having positive refractive power (e.g. col. 2 lines 61-68: “a first lens group I of positive refractive power”);
a second lens unit (second lens group II) having negative refractive power (e.g. col. 2 lines 61-68: “a second lens group II of negative refractive power”); and
a rear group (lens groups III, IV and V) consisting of one or more lens units (e.g. col. 2 lines 61-68 three lens groups III, IV and V),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (col. 2 lines 55-57: “the arrows indicate the loci of motion of the lens groups when zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.” see variable distances D4, D7, D10 and D13 in col. 9), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (see Fig. 7 and col. 3 lines 42-47: “when zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end… in the numerical example 7 of FIG. 7, the second lens group and the fourth lens group are fixed,”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (see Fig. 7 and e.g. col. 5 line 66 to col. 6 line 1: “the second lens group is constructed from a cemented doublet consisting of … a positive lens,”), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=4.1/192.94=0.021 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (col. 9 the sum of D5 and D6 D2=4.1), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (col. 9 the largest and thus most telephoto focal length of example 7 is 192.94).”
However, Ogawa fails to teach “wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization.”
Kitada teaches (first example, Fig. 1 tables 1-3D) “A zoom lens (paragraph [0267]: “zoom lens system corresponding to the first embodiment”) comprising a plurality of lens units (Fig. 1, paragraph [0040] lens groups G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (see Fig. 1 and paragraph [0040]):
a first lens unit (G1) having positive refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 1 is 137.03189 and thus G1 has positive refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]);
a second lens unit having negative refractive power (Table 3C the focal length of group 2 is -50.90785 and thus G2 has negative refractive power, see also paragraph [0040]); and
a rear group (paragraph [0042]: “The third through seventh lens groups G3-G7 form an exemplary rear group GR”) consisting of one or more lens units (five lens units G3, G4, G5, G6, and G7),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d6, d12, d19, d23, d27 and d31 between each lens group in Table 1 and 3A), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “the second lens group G2 is fixed while the zoom lens system is zooming from the wide-angle end toward the telephoto end”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (e.g. paragraph [0061]: “every lens (image blur compensation lens) belonging to the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur.”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (paragraph [0045]: “The second lens group G2 is made up of… a sixth lens L6 having positive power.”), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=6.5825/287.9970=0.0229 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (the sum of the d values of surfaces 7 to 11 in Table 1 is 6.5825 as confirmed by the lens configuration length of group 2 in Table 3C), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (Table 3A the Focal length at Telephoto is 287.9970).”
Kitada further teaches [0061]: “Note that every lens (image blur compensation lens) belonging to the second lens group G2 moves perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur. This image blur compensation lens allows the zoom lens system to make compensation for the movement of an image point due to the vibration of the entire system. That is to say, this allows the zoom lens system to make optical compensation for an image blur caused by a camera shake or vibrations, for example.”
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the negative second lens group that is fixed during zooming to move perpendicularly to the optical axis to make optical compensation for image blur as taught by Kitada in the zoom lens system of Ogawa for the purpose of making optical compensation for an image blur caused by a camera shake or vibrations as taught by Kitada (paragraph [0061]). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because both Ogawa and Kitada are zoom lenses arranged with a positive first lens group that moves during zooming and negative second lens group that is fixed during zooming, where the thickness of the second lens unit is very small compared to the focal length at the telephoto end. Thus, the second lens group of Ogawa is appropriate for the purpose of blur compensation.
However, Ogawa fails to teach “wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power” instead teaching a second lens unit consisting of a cemented lens arranged negative-positive (see Fig. 7 and e.g. col. 5 line 66 to col. 6 line 1.
Yamanaka teaches (first embodiment, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0079]-[0080]) “A zoom lens (paragraph [0079]: “telephotographing zoom lens”) comprising a plurality of lens units (LG1, LG2, LG3, LG4, LG5), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 1):
a first lens unit (LG1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “first lens group LG1 of positive refractivity”);
a second lens unit (LG2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “second lens group LG2 of negative refractivity”); and
a rear group (LG3, LG4 and LG5) consisting of one or more lens units (three lens groups LG3, LG4 and LG5),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d7, d10, d17 and d22 in paragraph [0080]), …
wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm).”
Yamanaka further teaches that the second lens group is composed of a cemented lens arranged positive-negative (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm, and the lens of surfaces 9 and 10 is biconcave and thus has negative refractive power).
Gross teaches (pages 377) that reversing the order of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see suggestion 5). As noted on page 378, Gross teaches that flipping a lens or lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the order of the cemented lens comprising the second lens unit of Ogawa to be arranged positive-negative as taught by Yamanaka, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing a cemented doublet does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Claims 1-8, 14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakahara et al. US 2022/0214530 A1 (hereafter Nakahara) in view of Yamanaka US 2013/0201565 A1 (hereafter Yamanaka) and Gross et al. "Handbook of Optical Systems Volume 3: Aberration Theory and Correction of Optical Systems" Weinheim Germany, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, pp. 377-379 (hereafter Gross, cited in an IDS, where a legible copy thereof is provided with the current office action).
Regarding claim 1, Nakahara teaches (example 5, Fig. 9) “A zoom lens (zoom lens 1e according to Example 5) comprising a plurality of lens units (lens units L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and L6, see Fig. 9, paragraph [0054] and [0080]-[0084]), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 9 and from surface 1 to the image plane in paragraph [0080]):
a first lens unit (L1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L1 having a positive refractive power”);
a second lens unit (L2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L2 having a negative refractive power”); and
a rear group (L3, L4, L5 and L6) consisting of one or more lens units (four lens units L3, L4, L5 and L6),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d5, d8, d13, d15, d18 and d20 in paragraph [0083]), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (see vertical upside-down T-shaped line under L2 in Fig. 7 indicating a fixed lens unit, see also paragraph [0027]: “the negative second lens unit L2 does not move during zooming”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (paragraph [0027]: “In each example, the second lens unit L2 may be an image stabilization lens unit that can move in a direction intersecting the optical axis OA”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (L22, surfaces 7 and 8 in paragraph [0080] is a positive meniscus lens), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=3.85/600.00=0.0064 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (paragraph [0080] D2 is the sum of the d values of surfaces 6 and 7 thus D2=3.85), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (paragraph [0083] the Focal Length at telephoto is 600.00).”
However, Nakahara fails to teach “wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power” instead teaching a second lens unit consisting of a cemented lens arranged negative-positive (see Fig. 7 and e.g. col. 5 line 66 to col. 6 line 1.
Yamanaka teaches (first embodiment, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0079]-[0080]) “A zoom lens (paragraph [0079]: “telephotographing zoom lens”) comprising a plurality of lens units (LG1, LG2, LG3, LG4, LG5), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 1):
a first lens unit (LG1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “first lens group LG1 of positive refractivity”);
a second lens unit (LG2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “second lens group LG2 of negative refractivity”); and
a rear group (LG3, LG4 and LG5) consisting of one or more lens units (three lens groups LG3, LG4 and LG5),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d7, d10, d17 and d22 in paragraph [0080]), …
wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm).”
Yamanaka further teaches that the second lens group is composed of a cemented lens arranged positive-negative (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm, and the lens of surfaces 9 and 10 is biconcave and thus has negative refractive power).
Gross teaches (pages 377) that reversing the order of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see suggestion 5). As noted on page 378, Gross teaches that flipping a lens or lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the order of the cemented lens comprising the second lens unit of Nakahara to be arranged positive-negative as taught by Yamanaka, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing a cemented doublet does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Regarding claim 2, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Nakahara further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
-1.00 < f2/fw < -0.2 (f2/fw=-108.94/250.0=-0.436 which is in the claimed range)
where f2 is a focal length of the second lens unit (paragraph [0084] the Focal Length of Lens Unit 2 is -108.94).”
Regarding claim 3, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Nakahara further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
3.0 < D1/D2 < 30.0 (D1/D2=17.3/3.85=4.49 which is in the claimed range)
where D1 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the first lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the first lens unit (paragraph [0080] D1 is the sum of the d values of surfaces 1-4 thus D1=17.3).”
Regarding claim 4, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Nakahara further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
3.0 < TD12t/TG12 < 15 (TD12t/TG12=123.75/21.0=5.89 which is in the claimed range)
where TD12t is a distance from a lens surface closest to the object of the first lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit at the telephoto end (paragraphs [0080]-[0083] TD12t is the sum of the d values of surfaces 1 to 7 with d5=102.60, thus TD12t=123.75), and TG12 is a sum of lens thicknesses on the optical axis of the first lens unit and the second lens unit (paragraph [0080] TG12 is the sum of the d values of surfaces 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 thus TG12=21.0).”
Regarding claim 5, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Nakahara further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
1.00 < ft/TTDw < 3.5 (ft/TTDw=600.0/362.7=1.65 which is in the claimed range)
where TTDw is an overall optical length from a lens surface closest to the object of the zoom lens to an image plane at a wide-angle end (TTDw is the sum of the overall lens length and BF in paragraph [0083] at wide-angle thus TTDw=362.7).”
Regarding claim 6, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Nakahara further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
8.0 < ft/skw < 35.0 (ft/skw=600.0/70.11=8.56 which is in the claimed range)
where skw is a back focus of the zoom lens at a wide-angle end (paragraph [0083] BF at wide-angle is 70.11).”
Regarding claim 7, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Nakahara further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
5 < TTDw/skw < 20 (TTDw/skw=362.7/70.11=5.17 which is in the claimed range)
where TTDw is an optical overall length from a lens surface closest to the object of the zoom lens at a wide-angle end to an image plane (TTDw is the sum of the overall lens length and BF in paragraph [0083] at wide-angle thus TTDw=362.7), and skw is a back focus of the zoom lens at the wide-angle end (paragraph [0083] BF at wide-angle is 70.11).”
Regarding claim 8, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1,” and Nakahara further teaches “wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.10 < m1/f1 < 0.5 (m1/f1=36.79/206.90=0.18 which is in the claimed range)
where m1 is a moving amount of the first lens unit during zooming from a wide-angle end to the telephoto end (paragraph [0083] since the second lens unit is fixed the moving amount of the first lens unit is the difference between d5 at telephoto and d5 at wide-angle thus m1=36.79), and f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit (paragraph [0084] the Focal Length of the first lens unit is 206.90).”
Regarding claim 14, the Nakahara – Yamanaka – Gross combination teaches “The zoom lens according to claim 1, wherein the rear group consists of a third lens unit (L3) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L3 having a positive refractive power”), a fourth lens unit (L4) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L4 having a positive refractive power”), a fifth lens unit (L5) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L5 having a negative refractive power”), and a sixth lens unit (L6) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L6 having a negative refractive power”).”
Regarding claim 17, Nakahara teaches (example 5, Fig. 9) “An image pickup apparatus (paragraph [0001]: “a zoom lens and an image pickup apparatus having the same”) comprising:
a zoom lens (zoom lens 1e according to Example 5); and
an image sensor (paragraph [0001]: “a solid-state image sensor”) configured to receive an image formed by the zoom lens (that is where image sensors are positioned in cameras),
wherein the zoom lens includes a plurality of lens units (lens units L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and L6, see Fig. 9, paragraph [0054] and [0080]-[0084]), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 9 and from surface 1 to the image plane in paragraph [0080]):
a first lens unit (L1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L1 having a positive refractive power”);
a second lens unit (L2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0054]: “L2 having a negative refractive power”); and
a rear group (L3, L4, L5 and L6) consisting of one or more lens units (four lens units L3, L4, L5 and L6),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d5, d8, d13, d15, d18 and d20 in paragraph [0083]), and the second lens unit does not move for zooming (see vertical upside-down T-shaped line under L2 in Fig. 7 indicating a fixed lens unit, see also paragraph [0027]: “the negative second lens unit L2 does not move during zooming”),
wherein at least a part of the second lens unit moves in a direction including a component orthogonal to an optical axis during image stabilization (paragraph [0027]: “In each example, the second lens unit L2 may be an image stabilization lens unit that can move in a direction intersecting the optical axis OA”),
wherein a lens … in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (L22, surfaces 7 and 8 in paragraph [0080] is a positive meniscus lens), and
wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.003 < D2/ft < 0.026 (given the values that follow D2/ft=3.85/600.00=0.0064 which is in the claimed range)
where D2 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the second lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the second lens unit (paragraph [0080] D2 is the sum of the d values of surfaces 6 and 7 thus D2=3.85), and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end (paragraph [0083] the Focal Length at telephoto is 600.00).”
However, Nakahara fails to teach “wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power” instead teaching a second lens unit consisting of a cemented lens arranged negative-positive (see Fig. 7 and e.g. col. 5 line 66 to col. 6 line 1.
Yamanaka teaches (first embodiment, Fig. 1, paragraphs [0079]-[0080]) “A zoom lens (paragraph [0079]: “telephotographing zoom lens”) comprising a plurality of lens units (LG1, LG2, LG3, LG4, LG5), the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side (from left to right in Fig. 1):
a first lens unit (LG1) having positive refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “first lens group LG1 of positive refractivity”);
a second lens unit (LG2) having negative refractive power (paragraph [0079]: “second lens group LG2 of negative refractivity”); and
a rear group (LG3, LG4 and LG5) consisting of one or more lens units (three lens groups LG3, LG4 and LG5),
wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming (see variable distances d7, d10, d17 and d22 in paragraph [0080]), …
wherein a lens disposed closest to an object in the second lens unit has positive refractive power (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm).”
Yamanaka further teaches that the second lens group is composed of a cemented lens arranged positive-negative (see paragraph [0080] the lens of surfaces 8 and 9 is positive meniscus, where the focal length thereof can be calculated from the data of surfaces 8-9 using a matrix calculator to be about 124.4 mm, and the lens of surfaces 9 and 10 is biconcave and thus has negative refractive power).
Gross teaches (pages 377) that reversing the order of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (see suggestion 5). As noted on page 378, Gross teaches that flipping a lens or lens group into reverse orientation is a zero power operation that keeps the focal power of the lens the same (“zero power operations”, “do not introduce any refractive power”). Gross teaches that such zero power operations can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the order of the cemented lens comprising the second lens unit of Nakahara to be arranged positive-negative as taught by Yamanaka, because Gross teaches that flipping the orientation of a cemented doublet is amongst the operations that an ordinary skilled artisan would typically employ in order to find a lens design with better performance (Gross pages 377-378). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success when making this modification because Gross teaches that reversing a cemented doublet does not introduce any refractive power changes and can be done without any great perturbation of the existing setup (Gross page 378, section 33.1.4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Okumura US 2014/0211029 A1 “Zoom Lens and Image Pickup Apparatus Including the Same” pertinent to at least claim 1.
Iwasawa et al. US 2018/0284407 A1 “Zoom Lens and Imaging Apparatus” pertinent to at least claim 1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARA E RAKOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-4206. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-4PM ET M-F.
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, Thomas Pham can be reached at 571-272-3689. 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.
/CARA E RAKOWSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
1 See MPEP § 2131.02(III). A reference disclosure can anticipate a claim when the reference describes the limitations but "'d[oes] not expressly spell out' the limitations as arranged or combined as in the claim, if a person of skill in the art, reading the reference, would ‘at once envisage’ the claimed arrangement or combination." Kennametal, Inc. v. Ingersoll Cutting Tool Co., 780 F.3d 1376, 1381, 114 USPQ2d 1250, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (quoting In re Petering, 301 F.2d 676, 681(CCPA 1962)).