Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/896,060

CAMERA MODULE

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Sep 25, 2024
Priority
Dec 18, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0184775
Examiner
BERHAN, AHMED A
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
6m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
958 granted / 1094 resolved
+27.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
1114
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.8%
-38.2% vs TC avg
§103
69.6%
+29.6% vs TC avg
§102
18.2%
-21.8% vs TC avg
§112
3.7%
-36.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1094 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Drawings Figure [5] 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. Specification The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. 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. Claim(s) [1-13 and 15-17] is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a1) as being anticipated by Park (2022/0163751). Reclaim [1] Park discloses A camera module (see 1020 fig. 23 and ¶0141, a camera device 102) , comprising: a lens barrel which accommodates a lens (see 1100 fig. 23, the barrel holding the lens in the lens module 1100 as disclosed in ¶0141), and which has a first surface disposed along a circumference of the lens barrel and faces a direction parallel to an optical axis (see the circular surface of 110 as depicted in fig. 23 which also faces parallel to the optical axis, an imaginary line passing through the center of curvature of the les in the barrel,); a housing in which the lens barrel is disposed (see 1200 fig. 23); an insulating member which has a second surface that faces the direction parallel to the optical axis (see 1820 figs 23 and fig. 26, as depicted in fig. 23the upper surface of the heat insulator is parallel to the optical axis), and disposed along the circumference of the lens barrel (see 1820 and 110 fig. 23); and a heating member which has a third surface and a fourth surface that oppose each other (see figs. 23 and 25-26, 1700, 1710, the top and bottom surface as for example depicted in fig. 26, by the virtue of bring 2D surface)), and each of the third surface and the fourth surface face the direction parallel to the optical axis (see 1710 as depicted in fig. 25 each surface parallel to the optical axis), and the heating member is disposed on the insulating member along the circumference of the lens barrel (see 1710, 1820 fig. 26,), wherein the third surface of the heating member faces the first surface of the lens barrel (see the top surface of 1710 a depicted in fig. 26, see 1700 fig. 23), and the fourth surface of the heating member faces the second surface of the insulating member (the bottom surface of 1710 which is on 1820 as depicted in fig. 26). Reclaim [2], Park further discloses wherein the heating member is in a form of a film (see ¶0145, , The heating element 1700 may be a transparent heating film, the heater 1710 is part of the heating element as depicted in figs, 25-26) . Reclaim [3], Park further discloses, wherein the heating member comprises a single layer (see 1710 fig. 26, is a single layer [the claim language requires including but not to limited to a single layer]). Reclaim [4], Park further discloses, wherein the lens barrel is inserted into the heating member (see fig. 23, when assembled as depicted for example in fig. 22). Reclaim [5], Park further discloses, wherein the heating member is disposed to surround the lens barrel (see fig. 23, when assembled as depicted for example in fig. 22). Reclaim [6], Park further discloses, wherein the lens barrel is inserted into the insulating member ( see fig. 23, when assembled as depicted for example in fig. 22). Reclaim [7], Park further discloses, wherein the insulating member is disposed to surround the lens barrel (see 1820 fig. 23, see fig. 23, when assembled as depicted for example in fig. 22). Reclaim [8], Park further discloses, further comprising: a board disposed in the housing (see 1300 fig. 23); and a connecting member configured to electrically connect the heating member and the board to each other (see ¶0146, The connection terminal 1720 may be electrically connected to the substrate 1300 through the connection member 1320) . Reclaim [9], Park further discloses, wherein the lens barrel (1100), the heating member (1710), the insulating member (1820), and the housing are sequentially disposed in the optical axis direction (see figs. 23 and 26 [as depicted in fig. 26 1710 is disposed on the top of the insulating element 1820]). Reclaim [10], Park further discloses, wherein the first surface extends in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (see the surface of 110 extended along the x axis as depicted in fig. 23 is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis). Reclaim [11], Park further discloses, wherein the second surface extends in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. (see the surface of 1820 extended along the x axis as depicted in fig. 26 is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis). Reclaim [12], Park further discloses, wherein the first surface of the lens barrel is in contact with the heating member (see figs 22 and 23, when assemble as depicted in fig. 22). Reclaim [13], Park further discloses, wherein the second surface of the insulating member is in contact with the heating member (see 1820, 1710 as depicted in fig. 26). Reclaim [15], Park further discloses, wherein the insulating member has a shape corresponding to a shape of the heating member (see 1710 and 1820 fig. 26, both substantially oval). Reclaim [16], Park further discloses, wherein the heating member extends in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (see the surface of 1710 extended along the x axis as depicted in fig. 26 is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis). Reclaim [17], Park further discloses, wherein the first surface of the lens barrel is a stepped surface (see the elevated portion of 1100, as depicted in figs 22 and 23). Allowable Subject Matter Claim [14] is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hong (US. PAT. No. 11, 927, 747) discloses: In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure provides an camera module, including a lens barrel, a first lens and a heating element, the lens barrel has a light entrance adjacent to an object side, the first lens is disposed at the light entrance and has an image side surface, the heating element acts on the image side surface to heat the first lens. Col. 1 lines 49-55. Park (US. Pat. No. 10,215,951) discloses: In order to solve the abovementioned problems/disadvantages, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are to provide a camera module configured to heat a lens by wirelessly supplying a power to a heating element. In col. 1 lines 45-48. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED A BERHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5094. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00Am-5:00pm (MAX- Flex). 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, Twyler Haskins can be reached at 571-272-7406. 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. /AHMED A BERHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 25, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 11, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12684246
IMAGING APPARATUS
2y 5m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12683856
OPTIC POWER MONITORING SYSTEM
2y 3m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12684228
Image Shooting and Sharing Method and Electronic Device
2y 1m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12671896
IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
2y 1m to grant Granted Jun 30, 2026
Patent 12666134
CONTROL APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND STORAGE MEDIUM
1y 11m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+11.3%)
2y 3m (~6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1094 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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