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 .
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al., US 2020/0003988.
In regard to claim 1, Li et al., US 2020/0003988, discloses a camera device with a quick-release function, the camera device comprising:
a camera lens (see figure 2, element 50) having an optical axis (see para 13 and 19);
a circuit board (see figure 2, element 10) comprising an optical sensor (see figure 2, element 20) aligning with the optical axis of the camera lens (see para 14-16); and
a bridging module (see figure 2, element 30) adapted to assemble the camera lens with the circuit board (see para 17-19), the bridging module comprising:
a lens holder (see figure 2, element 30, top side) adapted to hold the camera lens (see para 21); and
a glue holder (see figure 2, element 30, bottom side) detachably disposed on the circuit board, and adhered to the lens holder via glue (see figure 2, element 31), so as to constrain a relative movement between the camera lens and the circuit board (see para 17).
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) 5, 6, 8, 15, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al., US 2020/0003988, in view of Baltz et al., US 2022/0014687.
In regard to claim 5, Li et al., US 2020/0003988, discloses the camera device of claim 1, comprises a covering portion (see figure 1, element 60) and a connecting portion (not numbered) (see para 13 and 22). The Li reference does not specifically disclose wherein the connecting portion is extended from the covering portion outwardly, and is connected with the camera lens via a thread structure of the connecting portion.
Baltz et al., US 2022/0014687, discloses a camera with a lens holder 12 that has a second shutter 38 that serves as a lens cap to the holder with a connecting portion with threading and the second shutter 38 is connected to the camera with a cable 40 for controlling the shutter (see para 34).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention (AIA ) to have been motivated to modify the cover of Li et al., US 2020/0003988, in view of Baltz et al., US 2022/0014687, to have a second shutter with cable, wherein the connecting portion is extended from the covering portion outwardly, and is connected with the camera lens via a thread structure of the connecting portion, in order to securely attach the cover and provide added option of blurring effects.
In regard to claim 6, Li et al., US 2020/0003988, in view of Baltz et al., US 2022/0014687, discloses the camera device of claim 5. The Baltz reference discloses wherein the lens holder further comprises a cable management portion see figure 4, element 40) disposed on an outer side of the covering portion, and adapted to arrange cables of the camera lens (see para 34).
In regard to claim 8, Li et al., US 2020/0003988, in view of Baltz et al., US 2022/0014687, discloses the camera device of claim 5. The Baltz reference discloses wherein the lens holder further comprises a positioning portion (threaded portion of cap) disposed on a side of the covering portion, and adapted to connect with a case of the camera device (see para 34).
In regard to claim 15, Li et al., US 2020/0003988, in view of Baltz et al., US 2022/0014687, discloses the camera device of claim 5. The Baltz reference discloses wherein the lens holder further comprises a positioning portion (threaded portion of cap) disposed on an outer wall of the connecting portion (see para 34).
In regard to claim 17, Li et al., US 2020/0003988, in view of Baltz et al., US 2022/0014687, discloses the camera device of claim 5. The Baltz reference discloses wherein the lens holder further comprises a positioning portion disposed on a side of the covering portion opposite to the connecting portion (see figure 4, back side of shutter 38).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 7, 9-14, 16, and 18 are 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. US 2024/0072504, discloses a camera with a lens holder and mounting structure. US 2015/0021730, discloses and imaging device with a lens holder with glueing layers. US 2023/0092048, discloses an imaging device with a bridging portion.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEVELL V SELBY whose telephone number is (571)272-7369. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6 AM - 3:30 PM; Friday 6-10 AM.
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, Lin Ye can be reached at 571-272-7372. 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.
/GEVELL V SELBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638
gvs
Prosecution Insights