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 § 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20210096325) in view of Takasugi et al. (US 20100076268).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) an imaging lens system, comprising: a first lens group (L51, L52, L53), an optical path conversion element (P5), and a second lens group (L54, L55) arranged in order from an object side, wherein an optical axis of the second lens group (L54, L55) is disposed in a direction with respect to a geometric optical axis of the optical path conversion element (P5).
Wu does not necessarily disclose an optical axis of the second lens group is disposed eccentrically in a direction with respect to a geometric optical axis of the optical path conversion element.
Takasugi discloses (Figs. 1, 4, 19-20, 26, 35-36, 50, 55-59, 68-70) an optical axis of the second lens group (G2) is disposed eccentrically in a direction with respect to a geometric optical axis of the optical path conversion element (P, PA1, PA2) (sections 0124-0125, 0182). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Takasugi to enable the optical adjustment to be easily performed and to prevent degradation in some optical performance such as the occurrence of an image cut-off and a variation in the visual field direction.
Regarding claim 2, Wu does not necessarily disclose an optical axis of the first lens group is disposed eccentrically in a direction with respect to the geometric optical axis of the optical path conversion element.
Takasugi discloses (Figs. 1, 4, 19-20, 26, 35-36, 50, 55-59, 68-70) an optical axis of the first lens group (G1) is disposed eccentrically in a direction with respect to the geometric optical axis of the optical path conversion element (P, PA1, PA2) (sections 0124-0125, 0182). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Takasugi to enable the optical adjustment to be easily performed and to prevent degradation in some optical performance such as the occurrence of an image cut-off and a variation in the visual field direction.
Regarding claim 3, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) the first lens group comprises a plurality of lenses (L51, L52, L53).
Regarding claim 4, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the first lens group, a front lens (L53) disposed closest to the optical path conversion element has positive refractive power (section 0085).
Regarding claim 5, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the first lens group, a forwardmost lens (L51) disposed closest to an object has a convex object-side surface (S52).
Regarding claim 6, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) the second lens group comprises a plurality of lenses (L54, L55).
Regarding claim 7, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the second lens group, a rear lens (L55) disposed closest to the optical path conversion element has positive refractive power (section 0132).
Regarding claim 8, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the second lens group, a rearmost lens (L54) disposed closest to an imaging plane has positive refractive power or has a convex image-side surface (S514).
Regarding claim 9, Wu does not necessarily disclose 1.0<DPF/DPR, where DPF is a distance of an optical path extending along a first optical axis of the first lens group from an object-side surface of the optical path conversion element to a reflective surface of the optical path conversion element, and DPR is a distance of an optical path extending along a second optical axis of the second lens group from the reflective surface of the optical path conversion element to an image-side surface of the optical path conversion element.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the particular distances, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 10, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) an imaging lens system, comprising a first lens group (L51, L52, L53), an optical path conversion element (P5), and a second lens group (L54, L55) arranged in order from an object side.
Wu does not necessarily disclose 0.060<(PB2−PB1)/LB1<0.20, where PB1 is a shortest distance from a point in which an optical axis of the second lens group meets an exit surface of the optical path conversion element to one side of the exit surface, PB2 is a shortest distance from the point in which the optical axis of the second lens group meets the exit surface of the optical path conversion element to the other side of the exit surface, and LB1 is an effective radius of an object-side surface of a rear lens disposed closest to the exit surface in the second lens group.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the particular distances and radius, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 11, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the first lens group, a front lens (L53) disposed closest to the optical path conversion element has positive refractive power (section 0085).
Regarding claim 12, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the first lens group, a forwardmost lens (L51) disposed closest to an object has a convex object-side surface (S52).
Regarding claim 13, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) the second lens group comprises a plurality of lenses (L54, L55).
Regarding claim 14, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the second lens group, a rear lens (L55) disposed closest to the optical path conversion element has positive refractive power (section 0132).
Regarding claim 15, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) in the second lens group, a rearmost lens (L54) disposed closest to an imaging plane has positive refractive power or has a convex image-side surface (S514).
Regarding claim 16, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) 2.0<f/ImgH<3.60, where f is a focal length of the imaging lens system, and ImgH is a height of an imaging plane (Tables 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19).
Regarding claim 17, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) an imaging lens system, comprising: a first lens group (L51, L52, L53), an optical path conversion element (P5), and a second lens group (L54, L55) arranged in order from an object side, wherein an optical axis (OA5) of the second lens group intersects an optical axis of the first lens group on a reflective surface (S59) of the optical path conversion element spaced apart from a center of the reflective surface.
Regarding claim 18, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) the center is a geometric optical axis (OA5) of the optical path conversion element (P5).
Regarding claim 19, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) the optical axis of the second lens group (L54, L55) intersects the optical axis of the first lens group (L51, L52, L53) closer to the first lens group than the center is to the first lens group (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 20, Wu discloses (Figs. 1-26C; in particular Fig. 9) the optical axis of the second lens group (L54, L55) intersects the optical axis of the first lens group (L51, L52, L53) further away from the first lens group than the center is from the first lens group (Fig. 9).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Mercado (US 20150253543) and Mercado (US 20150253647).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES S CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5024. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Michael Caley can be reached at (571) 272-2286. 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.
/CHARLES S CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871