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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2023-088152, filed on 5/29/23.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/17/24. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is 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) 1-7 and 9-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai (US 20210096196, hereinafter Cai), and further in view of YAMADA et al. (US 20160091575, hereinafter YAMADA).
Regarding to claim 1, Cai discloses a magnetic sensor (fig. 9-10[10]) comprising:
a magnetic field detector (fig. 9-10[12]) that includes a magnetic detection element (paragraph 0074 discloses 12 include at least one magnetoresistive effect element 120);
a first magnetic shield (fig. 9[131]) and a second magnetic shield (fig. 9[132]) that are disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic field detector therebetween in a first direction (fig. 9 and 10 show 12 is between bottom shield 131 and top shield 132 in a horizontal direction).
However, Cai does not disclose a third magnetic shield that is disposed on a side of the magnetic field detector in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.
YAMADA shows a magnetic sensor with magnetic field detector (fig. 5[14]) that includes a magnetic detection element (paragraph 0021 discloses 14 as GMR). Fig. 5 and 7A show 14 is between bottom shield 11 and top shield 12 in a horizontal direction, and a third magnetic shield 21 deposed on the side of 14 and orthogonal to 11 and 12.
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date, it would be obvious to a POSITA to incorporate the third shield as taught by YAMADA in order to enhance protection from external magnetic field (paragraph 0043 of YAMADA).
Regarding to claim 2, Cai discloses a magnetic sensor (fig. 9-10[10]) comprising:
a magnetic field detector (fig. 9-10[12]) that includes a magnetic detection element (paragraph 0074 discloses 12 include at least one magnetoresistive effect element 120);
a first magnetic shield (fig. 9[131]) and a second magnetic shield (fig. 9[132]) that are disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic field detector therebetween in a first direction (fig. 9 and 10 show 12 is between bottom shield 131 and top shield 132 in a horizontal direction).
However, Cai does not disclose a third magnetic shield configured to converge a magnetic flux oriented in the first direction and reduce a magnetic flux applied to the magnetic field detector.
YAMADA shows a magnetic sensor with magnetic field detector (fig. 5[14]) that includes a magnetic detection element (paragraph 0021 discloses 14 as GMR). Fig. 5 and 7A show 14 is between bottom shield 11 and top shield 12 in a horizontal direction, and a third magnetic shield 21 deposed on the side of 14 and orthogonal to 11 and 12 which is necessitated to converge a magnetic flux oriented in the first direction and reduce a magnetic flux applied to the magnetic field detector 14.
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date, it would be obvious to a POSITA to incorporate the third shield as taught by YAMADA in order to enhance protection from external magnetic field (paragraph 0043 of YAMADA).
Regarding to claim 3, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein part or all of the third magnetic shield is disposed between the first magnetic shield and the second magnetic shield (fig. 5 shows 21 deposed between 11 and 12).
Regarding to claim 4, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the third magnetic shield has a flat shape in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction (fig. 5 of YAMADA shows 21 shows having a flat shape).
Regarding to claim 5, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field detector is provided as a plurality of magnetic field detectors (fig. 9 of Cai shows show a plurality of magnetic detector 12), and the third magnetic shield is formed for each of the plurality of magnetic field detectors (the third shield of YAMADA to shield magnetic element 14 from external field. Therefore, by incorporate the third shield of YAMADA, the third shield would form to protect external field to the plurality of magnetic field detectors 12).
Regarding to claim 6, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, further comprising: a magnetic field convertor (fig. 9 of Cai shows converter [11]) configured to convert a magnetic field component oriented in the first direction into a magnetic field component oriented in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, and apply the converted magnetic field component to the magnetic field detector (abstract and paragraph 72-73).
Regarding to claim 7, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 6, wherein a position of the magnetic field convertor overlaps a position of the third magnetic shield as viewed from the second direction (by incorporate the third shield of YAMADA into Cai, the third shield would overlap the field converter).
Regarding to claim 9, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field detector is provided as a plurality of magnetic field detectors, and the plurality of magnetic field detectors are connected in a form of a bridge circuit (fig. 17-19 of Cai).
Regarding to claim 10, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein a position of the magnetic field detector overlaps a position of the third magnetic shield as viewed from the second direction (fig .5-6 of YAMADA).
Regarding to claim 11, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 10, wherein a position of the magnetic field detector overlaps a center position of the third magnetic shield in the first direction as viewed from the second direction (fig .5-6 of YAMADA).
Regarding to claim 12, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the third magnetic shield is in contact with one or both of the first magnetic shield and the second magnetic shield (Yamada shows the third magnetic shield 21 contacted with the first magnetic shield 11).
Regarding to claim 13, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the third magnetic shield is separated from one or both of the first magnetic shield and the second magnetic shield (Yamada shows the third magnetic shield 21 separated from the second magnetic shield 12).
Regarding to claim 14, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the third magnetic shield surrounds the magnetic field detector in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction (Yamada shows the third magnetic shield 21 surround detector 14).
Regarding to claim 14, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses a camera module comprising: an autofocus mechanism and/or an optical image stabilization mechanism including the magnetic sensor according to claim 1 (fig. 1-2 and paragraph 0041 of Cai discloses the optical image stabilization mechanism and an auto-focus mechanism).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai in view of YAMADA as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ohta et al. (US 20200292638, hereinafter Ohta).
Regarding to claim 8, Cai in view of YAMADA discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, except wherein the magnetic detection element is disposed obliquely with respect to the second direction orthogonal to the first direction.
Paragraph 0068 of the instant application discloses “magnetic field detector 120 may be disposed parallel to the XY plane direction as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, or obliquely with respect to the XY plane direction” which indicates the arrangement of the detection element is a matter of design choice. Fig. 9 of Cai show the detection elements 12 parallel instead of obliquely with the y-direction (second direction).
Fig. 11 of Ohta shows the detection element arranged obliquely with respect to the horizontal directions.
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date, it would be obvious to a POSITA to incorporate Ohta into Cai in view of YAMADA in order to detect the deformation (bend) direction and deformation (bend) amount with the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the first direction (the X-axis direction).
Claim 1 and 2 can be rejected as:
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by YAMADA.
Regarding to claim 1, YAMADA discloses a magnetic sensor comprising:
a magnetic field detector (fig. 5[14]) that includes a magnetic detection element (paragraph 0021 discloses 14 as GMR);
a first magnetic shield (fig. 5[11]) and a second magnetic shield (fig. 5[12]) that are disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic field detector therebetween in a first direction (fig. 5 and 7A show 14 is between bottom shield 11 and top shield 12 in a horizontal direction); and
a third magnetic shield (fig. 5[21]) that is disposed on a side of the magnetic field detector in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction (fig. 5 and 6 show 21 deposed on the side of 14 orthogonal to 11 and 12).
Regarding to claim 2, YAMADA discloses a magnetic sensor comprising:
a magnetic field detector (fig. 5[14]) that includes a magnetic detection element (paragraph 0021 discloses 14 as GMR);
a first magnetic shield (fig. 5[11]) and a second magnetic shield (fig. 5[12]) that are disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic field detector therebetween in a first direction (fig. 5 and 7A show 14 is between bottom shield 11 and top shield 12 in a horizontal direction); and
a third magnetic shield (fig. 5[21]) configured to converge a magnetic flux oriented in the first direction and reduce a magnetic flux applied to the magnetic field detector (fig. 5 and 6 show 21 deposed on the side of 14 orthogonal to 11 and 12 which is necessitated to converge a magnetic flux oriented in the first direction and reduce a magnetic flux applied to the magnetic field detector 14).
Conclusion
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/SON T LE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2863