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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/24/2026 has been entered.
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.
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang et al. (USPG Pub No. 2015/0338613), hereinafter “Tang”, in view of Tang et al. (USPG Pub No. 2015/0260952), hereinafter “Tang ‘952”.
Regarding claim 1, Tang discloses an optical imaging system (see Fig. 8A) comprising: a first lens (810) having a negative refractive power (Paragraph 211, Table 15); a second lens (820) having a refractive power; a third lens (830) having a refractive power; a fourth lens (840) having a refractive power and a convex image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (Paragraph 214, Table 15); a fifth lens (850) having a refractive power; and a sixth lens (860) having a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (Paragraph 216, Table 15), wherein the first to sixth lenses are sequentially disposed in ascending numerical order from an object side of the optical imaging system toward an imaging plane of the optical imaging system (see Fig. 8A, Table 15), wherein a radius of curvature of the image-side surface of the sixth lens is greater than a radius of curvature of an object-side surface of the first lens (Table 15), wherein f3 is within a range of 1.8 mm to 4.20 mm, where f3 is a focal length of the third lens (Table 15). Tang discloses the claimed invention except for and wherein 90° ≤ FOV, where FOV is a maximum field of view of the optical imaging system. In the same field of endeavor, Tang ‘952 discloses and wherein 90° ≤ FOV, where FOV is a maximum field of view of the optical imaging system (Figs. 24, 38). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the optical imaging system of Tang with and wherein 90° ≤ FOV, where FOV is a maximum field of view of the optical imaging system of Tang ‘952 for the purpose of providing an optical imaging system that is lightweight, has low production cost, increase in shooting view, has high resolution and image quality (Paragraphs 7, 117).
Regarding claim 8, Tang discloses an optical imaging system (see Fig. 8A) comprising: a first lens (810) having a negative refractive power (Paragraph 211, Table 15); a second lens (820) having a refractive power; a third lens (830) having a refractive power; a fourth lens (840) having a refractive power and a convex image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (Paragraph 214, Table 15); a fifth lens (850) having a convex image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (Paragraph 215, Table 15); and a sixth lens (860) having a refractive power, wherein the first to sixth lenses are sequentially disposed in ascending numerical order from an object side of the optical imaging system toward an imaging plane of the optical imaging system (see Fig. 8A, Table 15), wherein a radius of curvature of the image-side surface of the sixth lens is greater than a radius of curvature of an object-side surface of the first lens (Table 15), wherein f3 is within a range of 1.8 mm to 4.20 mm, where f3 is a focal length of the third lens (Table 15). Tang discloses the claimed invention except for and wherein 90° ≤ FOV, where FOV is a maximum field of view of the optical imaging system. In the same field of endeavor, Tang ‘952 discloses and wherein 90° ≤ FOV, where FOV is a maximum field of view of the optical imaging system (Figs. 24, 38). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the optical imaging system of Tang with and wherein 90° ≤ FOV, where FOV is a maximum field of view of the optical imaging system of Tang ‘952 for the purpose of providing an optical imaging system that is lightweight, has low production cost, increase in shooting view, has high resolution and image quality (Paragraphs 7, 117).
Regarding claims 2 and 9, Tang further discloses wherein the first lens (810) has a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (see Fig. 8A, Table 15).
Regarding claims 3 and 10, Tang further discloses wherein the second lens (820) has a convex object-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (see Fig. 8A, Table 15).
Regarding claims 4 and 11, Tang further discloses wherein the second lens (820) has a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (see Fig. 8A, Table 15).
Regarding claims 5 and 12, Tang further discloses wherein the third lens (830) has a convex object-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (see Fig. 8A, Table 15).
Regarding claims 6 and 13, Tang and Tang ‘952 teach the optical imaging system set forth above for claims 1 and 8, Tang ‘952 further discloses wherein the third lens has a convex image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (Figs. 24, 38). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to provide the optical imaging system of Tang with the teachings of Tang ‘952 for at least the same reasons as those set forth above with respect to claim 1 and 8.
Regarding claims 7 and 14, Tang further discloses wherein the fifth lens (850) has a convex object-side surface in a paraxial region thereof (see Fig. 8A, Table 15).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-14 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. Tang ‘952 cures the deficiencies of Tang and addresses the subject matter challenged by Applicant.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHIDERE S SAHLE whose telephone number is (571)270-3329. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
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/MAHIDERE S SAHLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 4/2/2026
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