DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to a request for continued examination (RCE) filed 2/16/2026, wherein claims 1-18 are pending and being examined. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/16/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 11 have been considered but are directed to newly amended language, which is addressed below.
Applicant argues that prior art Brouwer fails to disclose the newly amended language, but the examiner respectfully disagrees. Brouwer specifically discloses the claimed “fixing part fixed to an inner side of the panel” because as disclosed in ¶0043: “devices 12 are placed at the location of, at least, in, the front fenders 8 or side panels 9A”. Furthermore, Fig.2B, Fig.2C, and Fig.8A through Fig.8C show various elements that may be considered “fixing parts” attached to an inner side of a side panel. For example, Fig.8A shows cavity (80) which is fixed to an inner front side of the side panel and forms a cavity for the outer surface of the panel. As another example, Fig.2B shows a housing (19) fixed to both the inner surface and outer surface of the side panel. As also shown in Fig.2B, Fig.2C, and Fig.8A through Fig.8C, camera components are connected to the various elements fixed to the side panel, wherein the camera components are located on/attached to the housings such that the camera may selectively protrude from an outer surface of the side panel. As such, Brouwer discloses “ wherein the camera assembly is located on the fixing part and is configured to protrude from an outer surface of the panel.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brouwer et al. (US 2018/0272958) (hereinafter Brouwer) in view of Barthel (US 2020/0180520).
In regard to claim 1, Brouwer discloses a camera monitor system [¶0013; at least one image recording device included in a body part of the vehicle… images can be simply displayed in the vehicle on a display] comprising:
a panel disposed outside a vehicle [¶0042-¶0043; vehicle… bodywork such as the above-mentioned hood, fenders, side panels. Fig.1; vehicle with exterior panels];
a fixing part fixed to an inner side of the panel [¶0051; portion 21 of a housing 19 of the device 12 is shown, included in a recess 20 in the respective body part Q. ¶0042-¶0045; devices 12 are placed at the location of, at least, in, the front fenders 8 or side panels 9A. Fig.8A through Fig.8C, Fig. 2B, Fig. 2C];
a camera assembly disposed at the fixing part [¶0044; image recording device 12 is described, for use in a vehicle 1. In embodiments, such a device 12 comprises a housing which can be included in a body part of the vehicle 1… camera and/or an optical sensor] and selectively accommodated in an opening of the panel [¶0051; housing 19 of the device 12 is shown, included in a recess 20 in the respective body part Q. ¶0063; housing 19 of the device 12 is at least partly included in a cavity 80. ¶0078; device... cavity 80 defined by that surface. Fig.8A through Fig.8C]; and
a link unit coupled to the fixing part to transmit driving force of a driving unit to the camera assembly [¶0047; drive is provided for drive of a carrier for a camera house… drive may be so configured that a motor between the first and the second position drives the carrier. ¶0060-¶0062; movement of the carrier 16 between the first and the second position. ¶0077] so that the camera assembly selectively protrudes to an outside of the panel [¶0045; a second position in which it extends at least partly outside the housing and/or the respective body part, in order to present a desired view angle and vision angles. ¶0052; camera house 24 has been pivoted into the second position, in which an optical element 17 has been brought outside the body. Fig.8A through Fig.10C],
wherein the camera assembly is located on the fixing part and is configured to protrude from an outer surface of the panel [¶0056; camera house 24, and the camera house 24, the carrier 16 or the combination thereof has a substantially closed outer surface 23, 27, at least insofar as, in the second position, it extends outside the body, or outside the housing 19. ¶0042-¶0045. Fig.8A through Fig.8C, Fig. 2B, Fig. 2C].
Brouwer does not explicitly disclose wherein the link unit is coupled to a front end of the camera assembly and a distal end of the camera assembly with different rotation axes. However Barthel discloses,
wherein the link unit is coupled to a front end of the camera assembly and a distal end of the camera assembly with different rotation axes [Fig.7, Fig.9; levers/arms coupled to front and distal end of camera (7), wherein a lever/arm arrangement has a first rotation axis (25) and a lever/arm arrangement has a second rotation axis (19). ¶0038-¶0041].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system disclosed by Brouwer with the different rotation axes of Barthel in order to provide a deployable camera that requires little installation space and at the same time provides a short movement path when deploying [Barthel ¶0005-¶0011]
In regard to claim 11, Brouwer discloses a camera monitor system [¶0013; at least one image recording device included in a body part of the vehicle… images can be simply displayed in the vehicle on a display] comprising:
a fixing part fixed to an inner side of a panel of a vehicle [¶0051; portion 21 of a housing 19 of the device 12 is shown, included in a recess 20 in the respective body part Q. ¶0042-¶0045; devices 12 are placed at the location of, at least, in, the front fenders 8 or side panels 9A. Fig.8A through Fig.8C, Fig. 2B, Fig. 2C];
a camera assembly disposed at the fixing part [¶0044; image recording device 12 is described, for use in a vehicle 1. In embodiments, such a device 12 comprises a housing which can be included in a body part of the vehicle 1… camera and/or an optical sensor] to selectively protrude [¶0045; a second position in which it extends at least partly outside the housing and/or the respective body part, in order to present a desired view angle and vision angles. ¶0052; camera house 24 has been pivoted into the second position, in which an optical element 17 has been brought outside the body. Fig.8A through Fig.10C]; and
a link unit coupled to the fixing part to transmit driving force of a driving unit to the camera assembly [¶0047; drive is provided for drive of a carrier for a camera house… drive may be so configured that a motor between the first and the second position drives the carrier. ¶0060-¶0062; movement of the carrier 16 between the first and the second position. ¶0077] such that a protrusion amount of a front end of the camera assembly to an outside of the panel is less than a protrusion amount of a rear end of the camera assembly [Fig.4A, Fig.8A through Fig.8C, Fig.10A, Fig.10B; a front of the device protrudes out from the surface of the vehicle (18) less than a rear of the device],
wherein the camera assembly is located on the fixing part and is configured to protrude from an outer surface of the panel [¶0056; camera house 24, and the camera house 24, the carrier 16 or the combination thereof has a substantially closed outer surface 23, 27, at least insofar as, in the second position, it extends outside the body, or outside the housing 19. ¶0042-¶0045. Fig.8A through Fig.8C, Fig. 2B, Fig. 2C].
Brouwer does not explicitly disclose wherein the link unit is coupled to the front end of the camera assembly and the rear end of the camera assembly with different rotation axes. However Barthel discloses,
wherein the link unit is coupled to the front end of the camera assembly and the rear end of the camera assembly with different rotation axes [Fig.7, Fig.9; levers/arms coupled to front and distal end of camera (7), wherein a lever/arm arrangement has a first rotation axis (25) and a lever/arm arrangement has a second rotation axis (19). ¶0038-¶0041].
As can be seen in the various Figures of Brouwer, when the camera housing is extended, a portion of the camera housing (that is closer to the front of the vehicle) will extend away from the surface of the vehicle by a first amount and a portion of the camera housing (that is closer to the rear of the vehicle) will extend away from the surface of the vehicle by a second amount, wherein depending on the desired capture configuration, the first amount may be less than the second amount.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system disclosed by Brouwer with the different rotation axes of Barthel in order to provide a deployable camera that requires little installation space and at the same time provides a short movement path when deploying [Barthel ¶0005-¶0011].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10 and 12-18 are allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REBECCA A VOLENTINE whose telephone number is (571)270-7261. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm.
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/REBECCA A VOLENTINE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483 June 23, 2026
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