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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/22/2024 being considered by the examiner. A copy of initialed form is attached for Applicant’s record.
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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al.(US 20180335609 A1) in view of Huang (US 20160033742 A1 of record).
Regarding claim 1, Change discloses an optical imaging system, in figure 2A, comprising: a first lens (210) comprising a refractive power; a second lens (220) comprising a refractive power; a third lens (230) comprising a refractive power; a fourth lens (240) comprising a refractive power; a fifth lens (250) comprising a refractive power; a sixth lens (260) comprising negative refractive power (par.[0167]); and a seventh lens (180) comprising a refractive power, wherein the first to seventh lenses are sequentially disposed from an object side, and wherein 1.1 < |f/f1|+|f/f2| < 2.1 (Table 3, |f/f1| = 0.888 and |f/f2|= 0.983) where f is a focal length of the optical imaging system, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, and f2 is a focal length of the second lens. Chang does not disclose wherein an ƒ-number of the optical imaging system is 1.8 or less. However, Huang is in same field of endeavor and teaches wherein an ƒ-number of the optical imaging system is 1.8 or less (Fig.1, Table 1, 1.60; Fig.3, Table 3, 1.8; Fig.5, Table 5, 1.9). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply teaching of Huang et al. to device of Chang et al. for purpose of forming an imaging device.
Regarding claim 2, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 1, Chang further discloses wherein the first lens (210)(Figure 2A) has a convex object-side surface (212).
Regarding claim 3, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 1, Chang further discloses wherein the second lens (220) has a convex object-side surface (222)(Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 4, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 1, Chang further discloses wherein the third lens (230) has a convex object-side surface (232)(Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 5, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 1, Chang further discloses wherein the fifth lens (250) has a concave object-side surface (252)(Figure 2A).
Regarding claim 6, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 1, Chang further discloses wherein the sixth lens (260) has a concave image-side surface (264)(a concave aspheric surface; par.[0167]).
Regarding claim 7, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 1, Chang further discloses wherein the seventh lens (270) has a convex object-side surface (274)(figure 2A).
Regarding claim 8, Chang discloses an optical imaging system, in figure 3A or 4A, comprising: a first lens (310) comprising a refractive power; a second lens (320) comprising a refractive power; a third lens (330) comprising a refractive power; a fourth lens (340) comprising a refractive power; a fifth lens (350) comprising a refractive power; a sixth lens (360) comprising a refractive power; and a seventh lens (370) comprising negative refractive power, wherein the first to seventh lenses are sequentially disposed from an object side, wherein a radius of curvature (R324=26.87)(Table 5)(figure 3A) of an image-side surface of the second lens (320) is greater than a radius of curvature (R372=6.01)(Table 5)(figure 3A) of an object-side surface of the seventh lens (370), and wherein 1.1 < |f/f1|+|f/f2| < 2.1 (Table 5, |f/f1|=1.44, |f/f2|=0.46), where f is a focal length of the optical imaging system, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, and f2 is a focal length of the second lens. Chang does not disclose wherein an ƒ-number of the optical imaging system is 1.8 or less. However, Huang is in same field of endeavor and teaches wherein an ƒ-number of the optical imaging system is 1.8 or less (Fig.1, Table 1, 1.60; Fig.3, Table 3, 1.8; Fig.5, Table 5, 1.9). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply teaching of Huang et al. to device of Chang et al. for purpose of forming an imaging device.
Regarding claim 9, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 8, Chang further discloses wherein the first lens (310) has a convex object-side surface (312).
Regarding claim 10, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 8, Chang further discloses wherein the second lens (320) has a convex object-side surface (322).
Regarding claim 11, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 8, Chang further discloses wherein the third lens (330) has a convex object-side surface (332).
Regarding claim 12, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 8, Chang further discloses wherein the sixth lens (360) has a concave image-side surface.
Regarding claim 13, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 8, Chang further discloses wherein the seventh lens (470)(figure 4A) has a concave image-side surface (a concave surface 474, par.[0196]).
Regarding claim 14, Chang and Huang disclose the optical imaging system of claim 8, Chang further discloses wherein the seventh lens (370) has an inflection point formed on an image-side surface (374) thereof.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUYEN TRA whose telephone number is (571)272-2343. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6.
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, Bumsuk Won can be reached at 571-272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TUYEN TRA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872