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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on April 24, 2024, and January 13, 2025, are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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, 4-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US 20230336856 A1) in view of Kuo et al. (US 20210112200 A1) and in further view of Hwang et al. (US 9832383 B2)
Regarding Claim 1 – Park teaches a transducer circuit board (Figs 8-14; first circuit board 250, second circuit board 800; Park [0185] states “the image sensor unit 350 may include… a moving unit, which includes a first circuit board 250 spaced apart from the fixed unit” and [0197] states “The fixed unit may include a second circuit board 800 disposed so as to be spaced apart from the first circuit board 250”), comprising: a fixed circuit board unit, disposed outside the movable circuit board unit (Figs 8-14; 250, 800; Park [0200] states “moving unit, which includes a first circuit board 250 disposed so as to be spaced apart from the fixed unit” and [0214] states “The second circuit board 800 may alternatively be referred to as a fixed circuit board, a sub-circuit board, a sub-board, or a fixed board”) and having a first side, a second side opposite to the first side, a third side between the first side and the second side, and a fourth side opposite to the third side (Figs 9-10; 800; Park [0225] states “When viewed from above, the second circuit board 800 may have a polygonal shape (e.g. a quadrangular shape, a square shape, or a rectangular shape)” i.e., the four sides correspond to the claimed first, second, third, and fourth side); a plurality of suspensions, disposed between the movable circuit board unit and the fixed circuit board unit (Figs 8-14; elastic support members 220, 280; Park [0196] states “The image sensor unit 350 may include elastic support members 220 and 280” and that they “may elastically support the moving unit with respect to the fixed unit”), wherein each of the suspensions connects to the movable circuit board unit and the fixed circuit board unit (Figs 8-14; 220, 280; Park [0202] states “One end of each of the support members 220 and 280 may be coupled to the second circuit board 800, and the other end of each of the support members 220 and 280 may be coupled to the first circuit board 250. That is, the support members 220 and 280 may connect the first circuit board 250 to the second circuit board 800”).
Park does not explicitly disclose the movable circuit board unit, comprising a main body and a plurality of cantilevers extending from the main body; and an actuator circuit board unit, electrically connected to the fixed circuit board unit, and comprises: a first X-axis coil, disposed at the first side; a Y-axis coil, disposed at the third side; and a first Z-axis coil, disposed at the fourth side.
Kuo teaches the movable circuit board unit, comprising a main body and a plurality of cantilevers extending from the main body (Fig 5-6; circuit main body 211, movable suspension arms 212; Kuo [0052-0054] states “The first movable assembly 20 includes a circuit component 21… the circuit component 21 is a trimmed and bended flexible printed circuit” and “The circuit component 21 includes a circuit main body 211 and a plurality of movable suspension arms 212” and “each of the movable suspension arms 212 is connected to the circuit main body 211… The movable suspension arms 212 are radially disposed on the circuit main body 211”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Park with the movable circuit board unit, comprising a main body and a plurality of cantilevers extending from the main body as taught by Kuo to get the benefit of a flexible printed circuit support structure that elastically connects the movable image sensor unit to the fixed while permitting relative movement because Kuo teaches “flexible printed circuit” including “a circuit main body 211 and a plurality of movable suspension arms 212”.
Hwang teaches an actuator circuit board unit, electrically connected to the fixed circuit board unit (Figs 1-4; printed circuit board 300, fixed frame 100; Hwang states “The fixed frame 100 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 300”), and comprises: a first X-axis coil, disposed at the first side (Fig 4; second driving coil 120, third sidewall 103; Hwang states “the second driving coil 120 for moving the second moving frame 220 in the first direction (x-axis direction) is included in a hole 103a of the third sidewall 103”); a Y-axis coil, disposed at the third side (Fig 4; third driving coils 130a and 130b, second and fourth sidewalls 102 and 104; Hwang states “the third driving coils 130a and 130b for moving the second moving frame 220 in the second direction (y-axis direction) are included in holes 102a and 104a of the second and fourth sidewalls 102 and 104”); and a first Z-axis coil, disposed at the fourth side (Fig 4; first driving coil 110, first sidewall 101; Hwang states “first driving coil 110 for moving the first moving frame 210 in the optical axis direction (z-axis direction) is included in a hole 101a of the first sidewall 101”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Park with an actuator circuit board unit, electrically connected to the fixed circuit board unit, and comprises: a first X-axis coil, disposed at the first side; a Y-axis coil, disposed at the third side; and a first Z-axis coil, disposed at the fourth side as taught by Hwang to get the benefit of providing current to the fixed side for three axis driving while prevent the PCB tension variation from hindering accurate movement.
Regarding Claim 4 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, wherein the fixed circuit board unit further comprises a connection part extending from the second side (Park; Figs 8-14; second circuit board 800, terminal unit 80a; Park [0214] states “The second circuit board 800 may alternatively be referred to as a fixed circuit board, a sub-circuit board, a sub-board, or a fixed board” and [0237] states “the terminal unit 80A may protrude from one side of the second circuit board 800”).
Regarding Claim 5 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, wherein each of the suspensions comprises a suspension wire (Park; Figs 8-18; support member 220; Park [0202] states “the support members 220 and 280 may connect the first circuit board 250 to the second circuit board 800” and [0633] states “The support member 220 may be implemented as a conductive and elastically supportable member, e.g. a suspension wire, a leaf spring, or a coil spring”).
Regarding Claim 6 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, wherein the movable circuit board unit further comprises a plurality of electronic components disposed on the main body (Park; Figs 12A-14; first circuit board 250, capacitor, controller 830; Park [0288]).
Regarding Claim 7 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 6, wherein the electronic components comprise a resistor, an inductor, a capacitor, or a combination thereof (Park; Figs 12A-14; first circuit board 250, capacitor; Park [0197, 0288]).
Regarding Claim 8 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, wherein the actuator circuit board unit further comprises a second X-axis coil disposed at the fourth side (Hwang; Figs 3-4; third driving coils 130a and 130b, second and fourth sidewalls 102 and 104; Hwang teaches “third driving coils 130a and 130b” are disposed in sidewalls of the fixed frame, and further teaches that the embodiment is “not limited thereto”, because “the first sub-moving frame 230 may be moved in the second direction (y-axis direction), and the second sub-moving frame 240 may be moved in the first direction (x-axis direction)”). It would have been obvious to configure one of the Hwang’s sidewall coils as a second x-axis coil to provide additional x-axis driving, because Hwang teaches the x/y driving directions are “not limited thereto”.
Regarding Claim 9 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, wherein the actuator circuit board unit further comprises a second Z-axis coil disposed at the first side (Hwang; Figs 2, 4; first driving coil 110, first sidewall, 101; Hwang states “he first driving coil 110 for moving the first moving frame 210 in the optical axis direction (z-axis direction) is included in a hole 101a of the first sidewall 101”). It would have been obvious to provide a second z-axis coil at the first side to provide additional optical-axis driving.
Regarding Claim 10 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 9, wherein the actuator circuit board unit further comprises a third Z-axis coil disposed at the third side (Figs 2-4; fixed frame 100, sidewalls 101-104; first driving coil 110; Hwang quoted above). It would have been obvious to provide a third z-axis coil at the third side to provide balanced z-axis driving.
Regarding Claim 11 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, wherein the suspensions are respectively disposed at a corner between the first side and the third side, a corner between the third side and the second side, a corner between the second side and the fourth side, and a corner between the fourth side and the first side (Park; Figs 12A-18; 220, 250, 800; Park [0320]).
Regarding Claim 12 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, wherein the cantilevers are respectively disposed at a side of the movable circuit board unit parallel to the first side, a side of the movable circuit board unit parallel to the second side, a side of the movable circuit board unit parallel to the third side, and a side of the movable circuit board unit parallel to the fourth side (Kuo; Figs 5-6; 211, 212; Kuo [0054-0055]).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US 20230336856 A1) in view of Kuo et al. (US 20210112200 A1) and Hwang et al. (US 9832383 B2) and in further view of Pan (US 7414814 B1)
Regarding Claim 2 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the movable circuit board unit further comprises a plurality of transducer connection pads disposed on the cantilevers respectively.
Pan teaches the movable circuit board unit further comprises a plurality of transducer connection pads disposed on the cantilevers respectively (Figs 3A-3D; flexure 306, tail 308, peninsula-shaped regions 313, connection pads 318; Pan states “The tail 308 may include a support layer 310 that has a free end that defines a plurality of cutouts 311 that collectively form a plurality of peninsula-shaped regions 313” and “a plurality of connection pads, each being disposed… within a corresponding one of the plurality of peninsula-shaped regions”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Park in view of Kuo and Hwang with the movable circuit board unit further comprises a plurality of transducer connection pads disposed on the cantilevers respectively as taught by Pan to get the benefit of obtaining compliant pad bearing cantilever for electrical connection, because Pan teaches that the pad bearing regions may “may bend away from the plane of the tail… to thereby exert a preload force against the corresponding connection pads”.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US 20230336856 A1) in view of Kuo et al. (US 20210112200 A1), Hwang et al. (US 9832383 B2) and Pan (US 7414814 B1) in further view of Azuma et al. (US 20140043519 A1)
Regarding Claim 3 – Park in view of Kuo, Hwang, and Pan teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 2, but does not explicitly disclose wherein each of the transducer connection pads comprises a copper pillar.
Azuma teaches each of the transducer connection pads comprises a copper pillar (Fig 5A; Azuma [0013] states “FIG. 5A schematically illustrates a section view of another camera module with copper pillar interconnects in accordance with certain embodiments”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Park in view of Kuo, Hwang, and Pan with each of the transducer connection pads comprises a copper pillar to obtain a known camera module pad interconnect structure.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US 20230336856 A1) in view of Kuo et al. (US 20210112200 A1) and Hwang et al. (US 9832383 B2) and in further view of Huang et al. (US 7848058 B2)
Regarding Claim 13 – Park in view of Kuo and Hwang teaches the transducer circuit board of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein materials of the suspensions and the cantilevers comprise titanium-copper alloy, copper-nickel alloy, carbon steel or a combination thereof.
Huang teaches materials of the suspensions and the cantilevers comprise titanium-copper alloy, copper-nickel alloy, carbon steel or a combination thereof (Figs 3-4; constraining layers 432, 436; Huang teaches that the material is chosen for “specific stiffness”, “compatibility”, and “manufacturability” and further teaches “high strength copper alloys such as Cu--Ni--Si--Mg, Be--Cu--Ni, and Cu--Ti”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Park in view of Kuo and Hwang with materials of the suspensions and the cantilevers comprise titanium-copper alloy, copper-nickel alloy, carbon steel or a combination thereof as taught by Huang to obtain a metal material selected for “specific stiffness”, “compatibility”, and “manufacturability”.
Conclusion
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/ADITYA SHARMA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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