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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 09 February 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Han does not teach “that the buffer member 500 is coupled to a coupling portion of the frame 221, as Han clearly discloses that the buffer members 510 and 520 are disposed on the carrier 310)”.
While the examiner agrees that buffer members 510 and 520 (or 512/522 as mapped in the updated rejections below) are disposed on the carrier 310, the claim as written merely requires that the buffer members be “coupled to” the frame, not that they be disposed on the frame.
Furthermore, as noted in the rejection, the specification defines “coupled to” as encompassing embodiments where one or more other elements are provided therebetween:
[0044] Throughout the specification, when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate is described as being "on, “connected to," or "coupled to" another element, it may be directly "on, “connected to," or "coupled to" the other element, or there may be one or more other elements intervening therebetween. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly on, “directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element, there can be no other elements intervening therebetween.
Since the buffer members of Han are “coupled to” the frame 221 via elements intervening therebetween, the elements meet the limitations of the claim when read in light of the specification.
Should Applicants wish to require that the buffer member and the frame be directly connected, it is suggested that the claims be amended to recite “directly coupled to” which as defined requires that no other intervening elements be present.
Applicant further argues that the buffer members are not “spaced apart” from the carrier.
However, as noted in the updated rejections below, buffer members 512/522 are spaced apart from carrier via 511/521 as shown in Figure 6A and 6B (note that 511/521 include support portions at a top part thereof which serve to space the buffer member apart from the carrier 310, see also Figure 5 and note the spaced apart arrangement).
For these reasons, Applicant’s arguments are not considered persuasive and the rejections based on Han are maintained below.
With respect to the 35 USC 112(b) rejection of claim 7, Applicant’s arguments are considered and found persuasive. The 35 USC 112(b) rejection of claim 7 is hereby withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8, 13 and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Han et al. (US 2023/0209165 A1).[claim 1]
Regarding claim 1, Han discloses a camera module, comprising:
a carrier configured to move in an optical axis direction (Figure 2, 310);
a frame at least partially disposed inside the carrier (Figure 2, 221);
a housing which accommodates the carrier (Figure 2, 100); and
a buffer member (Figure 6A/6B, 512 and 522),
wherein the frame comprises a coupling portion that is exposed to an external area of the carrier (Figure 2, out edges of carrier 221 are exposed to an external space of the carrier since the carrier lacks full walls on three sides; note that the claim as written does not define any particular structure for the “coupling portion” of the frame, thus the outer portions of the frame may be considered “coupling portion[s]” since they are coupled to other elements of the system and are exposed to an external arear of the carrier thus meeting the requirements defined in the claim), and
wherein the buffer member is configured to be coupled to the coupling portion such that the buffer member is spaced apart from the carrier (Figures 6A/6B, 512/522 coupled via 511/521 such that the buffer member is spaced apart from carrier 310, which is in turn coupled to the coupling portions of the frame via the connection of the carrier and the frame via ball members 430a; Paragraph 0090), and a side of the buffer member is disposed to be closer to an internal surface of the housing than a side of the carrier (Paragraph 0152; side of buffer member may be in contact with housing 100 and is spaced apart from carrier 310; thus the contact side of the buffer member is disposed closer to an internal surface of the housing than a side of the carrier when in the contact state).
Note that as defined in the specification “coupled to” encompasses embodiments where one or more other elements are provided therebetween:
[0044] Throughout the specification, when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate is described as being "on, “connected to," or "coupled to" another element, it may be directly "on, “connected to," or "coupled to" the other element, or there may be one or more other elements intervening therebetween. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly on, “directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element, there can be no other elements intervening therebetween.
Therefore, the arrangement of Han anticipates a camera module wherein the includes a frame having a coupling portion indirectly coupled to a buffer member via one or more elements intervening therebetween.[claim 2]
Regarding claim 2, Han discloses wherein the carrier is configured to hold a lens barrel (Figure 2, 210; Paragraphs 0052-0057; note that the claim as written does not define the particular manner in which the lens barrel is held by the carrier).[claim 3]
Regarding claim 3, Han discloses further comprising: a driving unit configured to move the carrier in the optical axis direction (Figure 2, 300 or 400), wherein the driving unit is disposed on a first side of the carrier, and the buffer member is disposed opposite to the first side with respect to an optical axis (Figure 2; note buffer member locations relative to driving unit 421/422).[claim 4]
Regarding claim 4, Han discloses wherein each of the coupling portion and the buffer member is arranged in plural (Figure 2; note plurality of buffer members 510/520 and associated coupling portions).[claim 5]
Regarding claim 5, Han discloses herein a first subset of the plurality of buffer members and a second subset of the plurality of buffer members are arranged on opposite sides of the frame with respect to an axis, perpendicular to the optical axis (Figure 2; note buffer members 510 arranged at opposite sides of the frame with respect to the optical axis).[claim 6]
Regarding claim 6, see the rejection of claim 5 above and note that first, second, third and fourth sides are present in Han which meet the requirements of the claim, and additionally wherein the buffer members are arranged on third and fourth sides (see Figure 2, sides opposite each other to which buffer members 510 are disposed).[claim 8]
Regarding claim 8, Han discloses further comprising: a shield can configured to cover the housing (Figure 2, 120), wherein an upper surface of the buffer member is disposed to be closer to the shield can than to an upper surface of the carrier.[claim 13]
Regarding claim 13, Han discloses wherein the buffer member comprises a first buffer portion (Figure 2, 510), a second buffer portion (Figure 2, 520 or other 510), and a connection portion disposed between the first buffer portion and the second buffer portion (Figure 2; structure linking the two buffer portions).[claim 16]
Regarding claim 16, see the rejection of claim 1 above and note that the carrier of Han is disposed within the housing as claimed (Figure 2).[claim 17]
Regarding claim 17, Han discloses wherein the carrier is configured to move a lens barrel in the optical axis direction (Paragraphs 0052-0058, 0062-0065).[claim 18]
Regarding claim 18, Han discloses wherein a side of the buffer member faces an internal surface of the housing (Figure 2; note that at least one side of buffer 510/520 faces an internal surface of housing 100).[claim 19]
Regarding claim 19, Han discloses wherein a coupling portion of the frame to which the buffer member is coupled is disposed in the portion of the frame that is exposed to the external area of the carrier (see the rejection of claim 1 above).[claim 20]
Regarding claim 20, Han discloses a camera module, comprising:
a carrier configured to move in an optical axis direction (Figure 2, 310);
a frame at least partially disposed inside the carrier (Figure 2, 221);
a housing which accommodates the carrier (Figure 2, 100); and
a buffer member (Figure 6A/6B, 512 and 522),
wherein the frame comprises a coupling portion that is exposed to an external area of the carrier (Figure 2, out edges of carrier 221 are exposed to an external space of the carrier since the carrier lacks full walls on three sides; note that the claim as written does not define any particular structure for the “coupling portion” of the frame, thus the outer portions of the frame may be considered “coupling portion[s]” since they are coupled to other elements of the system and are exposed to an external arear of the carrier thus meeting the requirements defined in the claim),
wherein the buffer member is configured to be coupled to the coupling portion (Figures 6A/6B, 512/522 coupled via 511/521 such that the buffer member is spaced apart from carrier 310, which is in turn coupled to the coupling portions of the frame via the connection of the carrier and the frame via ball members 430a; Paragraph 0090), and a side of the buffer member is disposed to be closer to an internal surface of the housing than a side of the carrier (Paragraph 0152; side of buffer member may be in contact with housing 100 and is spaced apart from carrier 310; thus the contact side of the buffer member is disposed closer to an internal surface of the housing than a side of the carrier when in the contact state);
wherein the coupling portion comprises a coupling recess and a support portion (Figure 6A/6B, coupling recess 311/312 and support portion on top sections of 511/521), and wherein the support portion is disposed outside of the coupling recess with respect to the optical axis (Figure 6A/6B, note portion of 511/521 is disposed outside of the coupling recess).
Note that as defined in the specification “coupled to” encompasses embodiments where one or more other elements are provided therebetween:
[0044] Throughout the specification, when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate is described as being "on, “connected to," or "coupled to" another element, it may be directly "on, “connected to," or "coupled to" the other element, or there may be one or more other elements intervening therebetween. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly on, “directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element, there can be no other elements intervening therebetween.
Therefore, the arrangement of Han anticipates a camera module wherein the includes a frame having a coupling portion indirectly coupled to a buffer member via one or more elements intervening therebetween.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7, 9-12, 14 and 15 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.
[claim 7]
Regarding claim 7, while the prior art teaches similar arrangements (see rejections above), the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest the camera module of wherein: the coupling portion includes a first coupling portion disposed on a first side of the frame and a second coupling portion disposed on a second side of the frame, the buffer member includes a first buffer member coupled to the first coupling portion and a second buffer member coupled to the second coupling portion, and the first side of the frame and the second side of the frame correspond to sides of the housing having an edge of the housing and a virtual straight line extending the optical axis therebetween.
Specifically, while Han discloses a plurality of buffers (Figure 6), Han does not disclose that the buffers are arranged on sides of the housing, which correspond to an edge of the housing and a virtual straight line extending the optical axis therebetween as required in claim 7.[claim 9]
Regarding claim 9, while the prior art teaches similar arrangements (see rejections above), the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest the camera module of claim 1, wherein: the housing comprises a step portion that protrudes from the internal surface of the housing toward an internal area of the housing, and a lower surface of the buffer member is disposed to face the step portion in the optical axis direction.
Specifically, while Han discloses a housing (see rejections above), the housing of Han does not include an arrangement including a step portion and lower surface of the buffer member which meet the requirements of the claim.[claims 10-12]
Regarding claims 10-12, the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest the camera module of claim 1, wherein: the coupling portion comprises a coupling recess and a support portion, and the support portion is disposed outside of the coupling recess with respect to the optical axis.
While Han discloses a carrier which includes coupling portions (e.g. claim 2), the “coupling portion” of the frame of Han does not comprise a coupling recess and a support portion, and the support portion is disposed outside of the coupling recess with respect to the optical axis as required by the claims.[claims 14 and 15]
Regarding claims 14 and 15, the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest camera module of claim 13, wherein the coupling portion comprises a coupling recess and a support portion, and the connection portion is fitted into the coupling recess.
While Han discloses a carrier which includes coupling portions (e.g. claim 2), the “coupling portion” of the frame of Han does not comprise a coupling recess and a support portion, where the connection portion is fitted into the coupling recess as required by the claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY J HENN whose telephone number is (571)272-7310. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday ~10-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Twyler Haskins can be reached at (571) 272-7406. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Timothy J Henn/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639
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