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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant's Amendment and Response filed 04/24/2026 has been entered and made of record. This application contains xx pending claims.
Claims 1 and 2have been amended.
This necessitated a new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action as stated below:
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-2 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.
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 9-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoyama et al. (US 20150248904 hereinafter Aoyama), and further in view of Cai (cited in previously action).
Regarding to claim 1, Aoyama discloses a magnetic sensor (fig. 6 shows a read head 600) comprising:
a magnetic field detector (fig. 6[600]) that includes a magnetic detection element (fig. 6[602]);
a first magnetic shield (fig. 6[604]) and a second magnetic shield (fig. 6[606]) that are disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic field detector therebetween in a first direction (fig. 6 shows 602 is between bottom shield 606 and top shield 604 in a vertical z-direction); and
a third magnetic shield (fig. 6[608]) that is disposed on a side of the magnetic field detector (fig. 6[602]) in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction (Horizontal x-direction),
wherein when viewed from a third direction orthogonal (y-direction) to both the first direction (vertical z-direction) and the second direction (Horizontal x-direction), at least a portion of the third magnetic shield overlaps (fig. 6[608]), in the second direction (Horizontal x-direction), with end portions of both the first magnetic shield (fig. 6[604]) and the second magnetic shield (fig. 6[606]).
See fig. 6 below:
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Even if Aoyama does not disclose a magnetic sensor comprising:
a magnetic field detector that includes a magnetic detection element.
Cai discloses 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 vertical direction).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date, it would be obvious to a POSITA to incorporate a magnetic field detector that includes a magnetic detection element as taught by Cai in order to provide a magnetic sensor included the magnetic field detection range of which is less likely to decrease even when a strong Z magnetic field is applied.
Regarding to claim 2, Aoyama discloses a magnetic sensor (fig. 6 shows a read head 600) comprising:
a magnetic field detector (fig. 6[600]) that includes a magnetic detection element (fig. 6[602]);
a first magnetic shield (fig. 6[604]) and a second magnetic shield (fig. 6[606]) that are disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic field detector therebetween in a first direction (fig. 6 shows 602 is between bottom shield 606 and top shield 604 in a vertical z-direction); a third magnetic shield (fig. 6[608]) that is disposed on a side of the magnetic field detector (fig. 6[602]) in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction (Horizontal x-direction); and
a third magnetic shield (fig. 6[608]) configured to converge a magnetic flux oriented in the first direction and reduce a magnetic flux applied to the magnetic field detector,
wherein when viewed from a third direction (y-direction) orthogonal to both the first of the third magnetic shield overlaps (fig. 6 shows first shield [604] overlapping with third shield [608]), in the second direction (Horizontal x-direction), with end portions of both the first magnetic shield (fig. 6[604]) and the second magnetic shield (fig. 6[606]).
Even if Aoyama does not disclose a magnetic sensor comprising:
a magnetic field detector that includes a magnetic detection element.
Cai discloses 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 vertical direction).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date, it would be obvious to a POSITA to incorporate a magnetic field detector that includes a magnetic detection element as taught by Cai in order to provide a magnetic sensor included the magnetic field detection range of which is less likely to decrease even when a strong Z magnetic field is applied.
Regarding to claim 3, Aoyama in view of Cai 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. 6 of Aoyama shows third shield 608 deposed between 604 and 606).
Regarding to claim 4, Aoyama in view of Cai 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. 6 of Aoyama shows 608 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, Aoyama in view of Cai 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, Aoyama in view of Cai 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 Cai into Aoyama, the third shield would overlap the field converter).
Regarding to claim 9, Aoyama in view of Cai 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, Aoyama in view of Cai 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 .6 of Aoyama).
Regarding to claim 11, Aoyama in view of Cai discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 10, wherein a position of the magnetic field detector (fig. 6[602]) overlaps a center position of the third magnetic shield (fig. 6[608]) in the first direction as viewed from the second direction (fig .6 of Aoyama).
Regarding to claim 12, Aoyama in view of Cai discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the third magnetic shield (fig. 6[608]) except is in contact with one or both of the first magnetic shield and the second magnetic shield (fig. 6 of Aoyama shows third magnetic shield.
fig. 6 of Aoyama shows [608]) separated from first and second shield 604 and 606 instead of is in contact with one or both 604 and 606. However, claim 12 is an obvious variation of claim 13.
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date, it would be obvious to a POSITA to have the third magnetic shield (fig. 6[608]) is separated from or in contact with one or both of the first magnetic shield (fig. 6[604]) and the second magnetic shield (fig. 6[606]) as a matter of design choice without any significant unexpected result.
Regarding to claim 13, Aoyama in view of Cai discloses the magnetic sensor according to claim 1, wherein the third magnetic shield (fig. 6[608]) is separated from one or both of the first magnetic shield (fig. 6[604]) and the second magnetic shield ((fig. 6[606])).
Regarding to claim 14, Aoyama in view of Cai 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 (fig. 6 of Aoyama shows 608 surround the magnetic field detector).
Regarding to claim 15, Aoyama in view of Cai 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 Aoyama in view of Cai as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ohta.
Regarding to claim 8, Aoyama in view of Cai 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).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SON T LE whose telephone number is (571)270-5818. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 7AM - 4PM.
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/SON T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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