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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/18/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant, in his remarks, alleges that the substitution of Nakamura’s vertically-oriented magnets into an arrangement with substrate-mounted coils would result in a purely horizontal in-plane force, thus the proposed combination would render the primary reference inoperative for its intended purposed, however said allegation was found unpersuasive. The Examiner respectfully notes that each of the Nakamura’s drive magnets comprises not only vertically-oriented polarities but also horizontal-oriented polarities (see Fig. 9), similar to having two identical Le’s driving magnets stacking on top of one another, therefore the substitution of Nakamura’s drive magnets for Le’s each drive magnet would result in an enhancement of the driving power for the actuator instead of destroying Le’s invention as alleged by the applicant.
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(s) 1, 3-5, 8-9, 11-14, 17-18 and 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0409600) in view of Nakamura (US Pub. No. 2024/0036437)
Regarding claims 1, 3-5, 8 and 21, Le teaches a camera comprising:
a lens group (304);
an image sensor (310);
one or more voice coil motor (VCM) actuators, comprising:
fixed drive magnets (302); and
drive coils (320); and
a substrate (360) coupled with the image sensor and with the drive coils, wherein the drive coils are fixedly attached to the substrate, wherein each respective drive coil is positioned proximate a respective fixed drive magnet such that, when driven with electric current, one or more of the drive coils are capable of electromagnetically interacting with one or more of the fixed drive magnets to tilt the image sensor together with the substrate relative to the lens group , and wherein the one or more VCM actuators are capable of tilting the image sensor about multiple axes orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera (para. 40 & 45);
wherein the drive coils (524a-d) comprise: a first drive coil capable of being driven with a first respective drive current; a second drive coil capable of being driven with a second respective drive current; a third drive coil capable of being driven with a third respective drive current; and a fourth drive coil capable of being driven with a fourth respective drive current (para. 61) [claim 3];
when using the one or more VCM actuators to tilt the image sensor, the first respective drive current is different than at least one of: the second respective drive current; the third respective drive current; or the fourth respective drive current (para. 61) [claim 4];
wherein the fixed drive magnets are corner drive magnets (Fig. 5, 520a-d), wherein each corner drive magnet is positioned proximate a respective corner of the camera; the drive coils are corner drive coils (524a-d), wherein each corner drive coil is positioned proximate a respective corner of the camera; and each respective corner drive coil is positioned, in a respective axis parallel to the optical axis, between a respective corner drive magnet and the substrate [claim 5];
wherein, when driven with electric current, the drive coils (the drive coils also include the AF coils 522a-d) are further capable of electromagnetically interacting with the fixed drive magnets to move the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis (para. 61) [claim 8]; and
wherein each respective drive coil is wound about a respective winding axis that is parallel to the optical axis (each of the plurality of drive coils 622a-622d is wound an about an axis that is parallel to the Z-axis, i.e. optical axis, Fig. 6) [claim 21].
Le does not specifically teach the fixed drive magnets having respective polarities parallel to the optical axis orthogonal to an image plane at the image sensor.
Nakamura teaches a camera comprising: fixed drive magnets (140A) having respective polarities parallel to the optical axis orthogonal to an image plane at the image sensor (Figs. 6-7).
It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute a plurality of Nakamura’s fixed magnets for said fixed magnets in order to facilitate the driving of the image sensor in multiple directions.
Regarding claims 9, 11-12, 14 and 22, Le teaches a device, comprising:
one or more processors (controller);
memory storing program instructions executable by the one or more processors to control operations of a camera (para. 27); and
the camera, comprising:
a lens group (304)
an image sensor (310);
one or more voice coil motor (VCM) actuators, comprising:
fixed drive magnets (302); and
drive coils (320); and
a substrate (360) coupled with the image sensor and with the drive coils, wherein the drive coils are fixedly attached to the substrate, wherein each respective drive coil is positioned proximate a respective fixed drive magnet such that, when driven with electric current, one or more of the drive coils are capable of electromagnetically interacting with one or more of the fixed drive magnets to tilt the image sensor together with the substrate relative to the lens group, and wherein the one or more VCM actuators are capable of tilting the image sensor about multiple axes orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera (para. 40 & 45);
wherein each of the drive coils is capable of being independently driven (para. 61) [claim 11];
wherein the drive coils are oriented such that, when driven with an electric current, the electrical current flows along multiple direction orthogonal to the optical axis (Fig. 4A, the current enters and exits the OIS coil 404 in different directions orthogonal to the optical axis) [claim 12];
wherein, when driven with electric current, the drive coils are further capable of electromagnetically interacting with the fixed drive magnets to move the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis (the drive coils also include AF coils 522a-d, para. 61) [claim 14];
wherein each respective drive coil is wound about a respective winding axis that is parallel to the optical axis (each of the plurality of drive coils 622a-622d is wound an about an axis that is parallel to the Z-axis, i.e. optical axis, Fig. 6) [claim 22].
Le does not specifically teach the fixed drive magnets having respective polarities parallel to the optical axis orthogonal to an image plane at the image sensor.
Nakamura teaches a camera comprising: fixed drive magnets (140A) having respective polarities parallel to the optical axis orthogonal to an image plane at the image sensor (Figs. 6-7).
It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute a plurality of Nakamura’s fixed magnets for said fixed magnets in order to facilitate the driving of the image sensor in multiple directions.
Regarding claim 13, Le, as modified by Nakamura, teaches all the claimed limitations except for position sensors, wherein each respective position sensor is encircled by a respective drive coil. Nakamura further teaches position sensors (Fig. 4, items 180Am 180B), wherein each respective position sensor is encircled by a respective drive coil. It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate position sensors as taught by Nakamura within said device in order to facilitate an accurate driving of the OIS system.
Regarding claims 17-18, Le teaches a system, comprising:
an image sensor (310);
a substrate (360) coupled with the image sensor; and
drive coils (320), of one or more voice coil motor (VCM) actuators of a camera, fixedly attached to the substrate, wherein each respective drive coil is positioned proximate a respective fixed drive magnet of the one or more VCM actuators such that, when driven with electric current, one or more of the drive coils are capable of electromagnetically interacting with one or more of the fixed drive magnets to tilt the image sensor together with the substrate, and wherein the one or more VCM actuators are capable of tilting the image sensor about multiple axes orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera (para. 40 & 45);
wherein, when drive with electric current, the drive coils are further capable of electromagnetically interacting with the fixed drive magnets to move the image sensor in at least one direction parallel to the optical axis (the drive coils also include AF coils 522a-d, para. 61) [claim 18].
Le does not specifically teach the fixed drive magnets having respective polarities parallel to the optical axis orthogonal to an image plane at the image sensor.
Nakamura teaches a camera comprising: fixed drive magnets (140A) having respective polarities parallel to the optical axis orthogonal to an image plane at the image sensor (Figs. 6-7).
It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute a plurality of Nakamura’s fixed magnets for said fixed magnets in order to facilitate the driving of the image sensor in multiple directions.
Claim(s) 6-7 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le in view of Nakamura, and further in view of Hirata et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0294066).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Le, as modified by Nakamura, teaches all the claimed limitations except for the lens group comprises one or more glass lens elements, and the lens group is fixedly coupled with a stationary component of the camera, wherein the stationary component is a shield can of the camera. Hirata teaches a camera comprises a lens group comprises one or more glass lens elements (1), and the lens group is fixedly coupled with a stationary component (201) of the camera, wherein the stationary component is a shield can of the camera. It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a glass lens and a stationary component of the camera as taught by Hirata within said camera device in order to protect and shield a camera’s internal components from dirt and debris.
Regarding claim 16, Le, as modified by Nakamura, teaches all the claimed limitations except for an encasing that provides a sealed environment for an interior portion of the camera, wherein the sealed environment protects the interior portion from particle ingression, and wherein the encasing comprises: a shield can; and a sealed interface between the lens group and the shield can, wherein the lens group is fixedly attached to the shield can. Hirata teaches a camera comprises an encasing (201) that provides a sealed environment for an interior portion of the camera, wherein the sealed environment protects the interior portion from particle ingression, and wherein the encasing comprises: a shield can (201); and a sealed interface (202) between the lens group and the shield can, wherein the lens group is fixedly attached to the shield can (Fig. 1). It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate an encasing as taught by Hirata within said camera device in order to protect and shield a camera’s internal components from dirt and debris.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le in view of Nakamura, and further in view Mahmoudzadeh et al. (US Pub. No. 2022/0247931).
Regarding claim 20, Le, as modified by Nakamura, teaches all the claimed limitations except for a flexure that suspends the substrate and that allows motion of the substrate enabled by the one or more VCM actuators, wherein the flexure comprises: an inner frame coupled with the substrate; an outer frame coupled with one or more stationary components of the camera; and one or more flexure arms that extend from the inner frame to the outer frame. Mahmoudzadeh teaches a system comprises: a flexure (700) that suspends the substrate and that allows motion of the substrate enabled by the one or more VCM actuators, wherein the flexure comprises: an inner frame (704) coupled with the substrate; an outer frame (706) coupled with one or more stationary components of the camera; and one or more flexure arms (708) that extend from the inner frame to the outer frame (Fig. 7A). It would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a flexure as taught by Mahmoudzadeh within said system in order to support and/or provide dampen effect for the substrate during movement.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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MINH Q. PHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2852
/MINH Q PHAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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