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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1-8, 10-11, and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Publication 2013/0016273 to Mueller.
Claim 1
Mueller (FIG. 5) discloses a circuit board reinforcing structure, wherein:
the circuit board reinforcing structure is used in a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly comprises a circuit board (4, paragraph 26) and a photosensitive chip (6, paragraph 15, 26), the circuit board (4) comprises a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other, and the photosensitive chip (6) is disposed on the first surface of the circuit board (4) and is electrically connected to the circuit board (4); and
the circuit board reinforcing structure comprises a reinforcing plate (5, paragraph 26), the reinforcing plate (5) comprises a third surface and a fourth surface that are opposite to each other, the reinforcing plate (5) and the circuit board (4) are fastened to each other, the third surface and the first surface are in surface contact, and both the reinforcing plate (5) and the photosensitive chip (6) are located on a side of the circuit board (4) on which the first surface of the circuit board (4) is located (FIG. 5).
Claim 2
Mueller discloses the circuit board reinforcing structure according to claim 1, wherein a slot (9, paragraph 32) is provided on the reinforcing plate (5), and the photosensitive chip (6) is located in the slot (9).
Claim 3
Mueller discloses the circuit board reinforcing structure according to claim 2, wherein a shape of the slot (9) is geometrically similar to a shape of an outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6)(FIG. 5, paragraph 20).
Claim 4
Mueller discloses the circuit board reinforcing structure according to claim 3, wherein both the shape of the slot (9, paragraph 20) and the shape of the outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6; see FIG. 3) are rectangular, a size of the slot (9) is greater than a size of the outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6; FIG. 5, paragraph 20), and a gap exists between a periphery of the slot (9) and the outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6; FIG. 5, paragraph 20)
Claim 5
Mueller discloses the circuit board reinforcing structure according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing plate (5) and the circuit board (4) are fastened to each other in at least one of the following manners: bonded to each other by using an adhesive, fastened by using a threaded connection member, fastened to each other by soldering, or fastened to each other in an integrally formed manner (paragraph 17).
Claim 6
Mueller discloses the circuit board reinforcing structure according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive chip (6) is electrically connected to the circuit board (4) through a solder joint (paragraph 21)
Claim 7
Mueller (FIG. 5) discloses a photosensitive apparatus, wherein the photosensitive apparatus comprises a circuit board reinforcing structure, and wherein:
the circuit board reinforcing structure is used in a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly comprises a circuit board (4, paragraph 26) and a photosensitive chip (6, paragraph 15, 26), the circuit board (4) comprises a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other, and the photosensitive chip (6) is disposed on the first surface of the circuit board (4) and is electrically connected to the circuit board (4); and
the circuit board reinforcing structure comprises a reinforcing plate (5, paragraph 26), the reinforcing plate (5) comprises a third surface and a fourth surface that are opposite to each other, the reinforcing plate (5) and the circuit board (4) are fastened to each other, the third surface and the first surface are in surface contact, and both the reinforcing plate (5) and the photosensitive chip (6) are located on a side of the circuit board (4) on which the first surface of the circuit board (4) is located (FIG. 5).
Claim 8
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the photosensitive apparatus further comprises the circuit board assembly, a holder (2, paragraph 29), and an optical system (2.1, paragraph 29) configured to collect light, the optical system (2.1) and the reinforcing plate (5) are fastened to the holder (2), an optical axis of the optical system (2.1) is perpendicular to a photosensitive surface of a photosensitive chip (6) of the circuit board assembly, a path is formed in the holder (2), and light passing through the optical system (2.1) is capable of reaching the photosensitive surface through the path (FIG. 5, paragraph 28-29).
Claim 10
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the optical system (2.1) comprises a housing (2; see also claim 11 below: housing and holder integrally formed) and a lens element (2.1), and the lens element (2.1) is accommodated and disposed in the housing (2).
Claim 11
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the housing (2) and the holder (2) are integrally formed (FIG. 5).
Claim 14
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the reinforcing plate (5) and the holder (2) are separately manufactured, and the reinforcing plate (5) and a peripheral part of a second opening of the path are fastened to each other (FIG. 5, paragraph 10).
Claim 15
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the reinforcing plate (5) and the holder (2) are fastened to each other by using an adhesive (3, paragraph 10, 26) and the adhesive (3) is fully cured after active assembly (FIG. 5, paragraph 10, 26)
Claim 16
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the photosensitive apparatus is a lens module or a lidar apparatus (Abstract).
Claim 17
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a slot (9, paragraph 32) is provided on the reinforcing plate (5), and the photosensitive chip (6) is located in the slot (9).
Claim 18
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a shape of the slot (9) is geometrically similar to a shape of an outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6)(FIG. 5, paragraph 20).
Claim 19
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 18, wherein both the shape of the slot (9, paragraph 20) and the shape of the outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6; see FIG. 3) are rectangular, a size of the slot (9) is greater than a size of the outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6; FIG. 5, paragraph 20), and a gap exists between a periphery of the slot (9) and the outer contour of the photosensitive chip (6; FIG. 5, paragraph 20)
Claim 20
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reinforcing plate (5) and the circuit board (4) are fastened to each other in at least one of the following manners: bonded to each other by using an adhesive, fastened by using a threaded connection member, fastened to each other by soldering, or fastened to each other in an integrally formed manner (paragraph 17).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 9 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mueller.
Claim 9
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 8, as shown above.
Mueller does not expressly disclose wherein the reinforcing plate and the holder are integrally formed, as recited in claim 9.
Such an arrangement, however, the integral forming of two assemblies, is a mere engineering choice, obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See MPEP 2144.V.B. Making Integral quoting In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965): “that the use of a one piece construction instead of the structure disclosed in [the prior art] would be merely a matter of obvious engineering choice”.
Claim 12
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the housing (2) and the holder (2) are integrally formed (FIG. 5).
Mueller does not expressly disclose wherein the housing, the reinforcing plate, and the holder are integrally formed, as recited in claim 12.
Such an arrangement, however, the integral forming of three assemblies, is a mere engineering choice, obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See MPEP 2144.V.B. Making Integral quoting In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965): “that the use of a one piece construction instead of the structure disclosed in [the prior art] would be merely a matter of obvious engineering choice”.
Claim 13
Mueller discloses the photosensitive apparatus according to claim 10, as shown above.
Mueller (FIG. 1-2) teaches wherein the housing (2) and the holder (12) are separately manufactured, a flange part is disposed on the housing (2), and the flange part and a peripheral part of a first opening of the path are fastened to each other (FIG. 1-2).
Note the separate housing 2 and holder 3 arrangement of Mueller is disclosed as prior art (FIG. 1-2). While a separate housing and holder arrangement is described by Mueller as “complicated”, this does not preclude the use of a separate housing and holder combined with the rest of the disclosure of Mueller.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a separate housing and holder as disclosed as known in the art by Mueller, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification allows for adjusting parameters such as focal length, lens arrangement and thickness within the lens assembly without having to change the holder, and allows for utilizing pre-packaged lens assemblies, allowing for sourcing from vendors rather than assembling the lenses, holder, and housing in one process step.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN MILAKOVICH whose telephone number is (571) 270-3087. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST.
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, Timothy Dole can be reached at (571) 272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATHAN MILAKOVICH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2848