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 .
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) 1-3 and 7-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HU (US 20200336629) herein after referred to as D1.
With regard to claim 1, D1 teaches an optical module, in at least (figs. 1 and 4); comprising: an immovable part (20-601); a movable part (20-V) movable relative to the immovable part (20-601), wherein the movable part (20-V) is connected to an optical assembly (20-OM1 and 20-OM2); and a connecting unit (20-MC and 20-ES), wherein the movable part (20-V) is movably connected to the immovable part (20-601) via the connecting unit (20-MC and 20-ES).
With regard to claim 2, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein the connecting unit (20-MC and 20-ES) comprises: a first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4); and a second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4) movably connected to the first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4); wherein an arrangement direction along which a center (20-O, 20-O1, 20-O2; and [0038]; axis) of the first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4) and a center (20-O, 20-O1, 20-O2; and [0038]; axis) of the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4) are arranged is parallel with a main axis (20-Q).
With regard to claim 3, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein the first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4) comprises: a first connecting element (20-ES, OM1) movably connected to the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4); a second connecting element (20-ES, OM2) movably connected to the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4); and a third connecting element ([0052]; plurality of optical modules; one or more optical modules) movably connected to the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4); wherein the first connecting element (20-ES) comprises: a first intermediate connecting portion (20-MC , OM1) movably connected to the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4); a first immovable-part connecting-portion (20-6011) connected to the immovable part (20-601); and a first bent portion (20-6011, top is bent) having a bent structure and located between the first intermediate connecting portion (20-MC , OM1) and the first immovable-part connecting-portion (20-6011).
With regard to claim 7, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); further comprising a circuit unit and a driving unit ([0006]), wherein the driving unit generates an electromagnetic driving force ([0030]) for driving the movable part (20-V) to move relative to the immovable part (20-601), and the driving unit ([0006]) comprises: a plurality of coils ([0030]) embedded in the circuit unit ([0037]); and a magnetic element ([0030]) disposed between the movable part (20-V) and the immovable part (20-601), wherein the magnetic element ([0030]) corresponds to the plurality of coils ([0030]).
With regard to claim 8, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 7, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein the magnetic element ([0030]) is ring-shaped with a hollow, the magnetic element ([0030]) comprises a N-pole and a S-pole, and an arrangement direction along which the N-pole and the S-pole are arranged is parallel ([0033]; parallel to the z axis) with a main axis (20-Q).
With regard to claim 9, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 7, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); further comprising a magnetically-permeable element ([0032]) disposed between the movable part (20-V) and the immovable part (20-601), wherein the magnetically-permeable element ([0032]) increases the electromagnetic driving force ([0030]).
With regard to claim 10, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 9, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein the magnetically-permeable element ([0032]) comprises a plurality of holes ([0032]; permeability).
With regard to claim 11, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein the immovable part (20-601) comprises: a base (20-6012); and a plurality of stopper posts (20-AS) protruding from the base (20-6012) and surrounding a center (20-O, 20-O1, 20-O2; and [0038]; axis) of the base (20-6012), wherein the connecting unit (20-MC and 20-ES) comprises a first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4), the first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4) comprises a plurality of connecting elements (20-ES, 20-MC), and each of the plurality of connecting elements (20-ES, 20-MC) is located between adjacent two of the plurality of stopper posts (20-AS).
With regard to claim 12, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 11, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); further comprising a plurality of extending elements (20-6011), wherein the base (20-6012) comprises a plurality of holes ([0036]), the plurality of extending elements (20-6011) are disposed in the plurality of holes ([0036]), and the plurality of extending elements (20-6011) surround the plurality of stopper posts (20-AS).
With regard to claim 13, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 12, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein some of the plurality of extending elements (20-6011) are disposed on an inner side of the plurality of stopper posts (20-AS), and the rest of the plurality of extending elements (20-6011) are disposed on an outer side of the plurality of stopper posts (20-AS).
With regard to claim 14, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 13, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein the number of the plurality of extending elements (20-6011) that are disposed on the inner side of the plurality of stopper posts (20-AS) is equal to the number of the plurality of extending elements (20-6011) that are disposed on the outer side of the plurality of stopper posts (20-AS).
With regard to claim 15, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); further comprising a driving unit (20-MC), a circuit unit ([0037]), and a sensing assembly ([0038]), wherein the driving unit comprises a magnetic element ([0030]) disposed between the movable part (20-V) and the immovable part (20-601), the sensing assembly ([0038]) is disposed on the circuit unit, and the sensing assembly ([0038]) comprises: a first sensing element sensing the magnetic element ([0030]) and outputting a first sensing signal ([0030]); a second sensing element sensing the magnetic element ([0030]) and outputting a second sensing signal ([0030]); and a third sensing element ([0052]; plurality of optical modules (20-OM1 and 20-OM2; [0052]); one or more optical modules) sensing the magnetic element ([0030]) and outputting a first sensing signal ([0030]); wherein the movement of the movable part (20-V) is obtained by the first sensing signal ([0030]), the second sensing signal ([0030]), and the third sensing signal ([0052]; plurality of optical modules (20-OM1 and 20-OM2; [0052]); one or more optical modules).
With regard to claim 16, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein the movable part (20-V) comprises a movable part (20-V) body and a movable part (20-V) opening formed in the movable part (20-V) body.
With regard to claim 17, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 16, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein a size of the movable part (20-V) opening is less than a size of the optical assembly (20-OM1 and 20-OM2).
With regard to claim 18, D1 teaches an optical module, comprising: an immovable part (20-601); a movable part (20-V) movable relative to the immovable part (20-601); and a connecting unit (20-MC and 20-ES) disposed between the movable part (20-V) and the immovable part (20-601), comprising: a first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4) connected to the immovable part (20-601); and a second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4)connected to the movable part (20-V), wherein the first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4) is movably connected to the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4), so the movable part (20-V) is movably connected to the immovable part (20-601) via the connecting unit (20-MC and 20-ES).
With regard to claim 19, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 18, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein both the first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4) and the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4)comprise a plurality of connecting elements (20-ES, 20-MC), and the number of the plurality of connecting elements (20-ES, 20-MC) included in the first connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM1 of figure 4) is equal to the number of the plurality of connecting elements (20-ES, 20-MC) included in the second connecting assembly (20-MC and 20-ES for 20-OM2 of figure 4).
With regard to claim 20, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 19, wherein D1 further teaches an optical module, in at least (Figs. 1 and 4); wherein each of the plurality of connecting elements (20-6011, connects modules to base) comprises a bent portion (20-6011, has portions bent inward).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With regard to claim 4, the invention is drawn to an optical module, wherein the closest art of record is Hu (US 2020336629).
However, the instant invention is distinguished from the prior art by the limitation(s): “wherein the second connecting assembly comprises: a fourth connecting element movably connected to the first connecting element; a fifth connecting element movably connected to the second connecting element; and a sixth connecting element movably connected to the third connecting element; wherein the fourth connecting element comprises: a fourth intermediate connecting portion movably connected to the first connecting element; a fourth movable-part connecting-portion connected to the movable part; and a fourth bent portion having a bent structure and located between the fourth intermediate connecting portion and the fourth movable-part connecting-portion.”
Therefore, due to those limitations stated above, if the objection to dependent claim 4 were to be overcome by including its limitations in the independent claim the claim would be in condition for allowance.
With regard to claims 5 and 6, given that the claims depend from claim 4 the claims would also be allowable if the objection were overcome
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GRANT A GAGNON whose telephone number is (571)270-0642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GRANT A GAGNON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/WYATT A STOFFA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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