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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al (KR 20230104785 A).
In regard to claim 28, Lee et al discloses an image pickup apparatus (page 7, paragraph 7 – page 8, paragraph 2, Figure 9, “40,” re: camera unit) comprising: an optical element constituting a portion of an exterior or exposed from the exterior (page 7, paragraph 9, Figure 9, “40,” re: lens of the camera unit); a battery (Figure 9, “50”); and a heat transfer member configured to transfer heat of the battery to a vicinity of the optical element (page 7, paragraphs 8-9, re: heat generation of the battery unit (Figure 9, “50”) causes moisture in the lens of the camera unit “40”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-21 and 23-27 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the claimed features as presented in claims 1, 3, and 5-24: an image pickup apparatus comprising: an actuator of which a a heat generation amount can be controlled; a holding member configured to hold the optical element; and a heat transfer member having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the holding member, and configured to transfer heat of the actuator to the optical element.
The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the claimed features as presented in claims 2, 4, and 25-27: an image pickup apparatus comprising: a heat generation source; and a heat transfer member, wherein the heat transfer member includes a first heat transfer element configured to transfer heat from the heat generation source to the first optical element, and a second heat transfer element configured to transfer heat from the heat generation source to the second optical element.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 28 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 WILLIAM C CHOI whose telephone number is (571)272-2324. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM CHOI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 August 2, 2026
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