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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-19 in the reply filed on January 20, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 20 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected claim, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on January 20, 2026.
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.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US Patent No. 10,432,927 B2) in view of Mahito N. et al. (JP 6974638 B1).
In considering claim 1, Wang et al. discloses all the claimed subject matter, note 1) the claimed receiving, from a camera module, image data generated by imaging a test chart using the camera module is met by the image sensor 12 of the photographic arrangement 21 which captures the image of the 3D test chart 100 (Fig. 1, col. 16, lines 7-40), and 2) the claimed measuring, for multiple depths, a resolution of the camera module from the image data, wherein the test chart comprises a three-dimensional (3D) chart is met by when the test patterns 21 of different depths of the 3D test chart 10 are shot by the photographic arrangement 11, the corresponding resolution values are obtained (Figs. 31-34, col. 32, line 12 to col. 33, line 51).
However, Wang et al. explicitly do not disclose the claimed wherein the test chart comprises a three-dimensional (3D) chart including a first test pattern radiating from a vertex of the test chart, and wherein the first test pattern is arranged on an outer surface of the test chart, the first test pattern comprising alternating first and second surfaces.
Mahito N et al. teaches that as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A, the test chart 10 of the present embodiment includes, for example, a three-dimensional structure (three-dimensional structure), the test chart 10 has, for example, a pattern 160 on the slope 140 used for adjusting the positions of the optical system 220 and the image pickup device 240 in the camera 20…, the 3D block 110 of the present embodiment has, for example, a bottom surface (not shown), a vertex 120, and a slope 140 (Figs. 1 and 2A, page 3, line 7 to page 4, line 48).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the test chart as taught by Mahito N et al. into Wang et al.’s system in order to adjust the camera with high accuracy.
In considering claim 2, the claimed measuring the resolution for the multiple depths comprises: calculating a resolution indicator for each depth of the multiple depths, and identifying whether the resolution indicator for each depth satisfies a threshold condition is met by when the test patterns 21 of different depths of the 3D test chart 10 are shot by the photographic arrangement 11, the corresponding resolution values are obtained,… and after finishing the adjusting process of the photographic arrangement 10, it is required to evaluate the adjusting result to the photographic arrangement 10, so that the above steps are repeated to testing and calculating the imaging resolution, if the imaging resolution of the photographic arrangement 10 meets the requirements, then it is assumed that the adjusting process by the adjusting arrangement is effective, and then a solidifying process is carried out the fix up the photographic module 11 and the image sensor 12 (Figs. 31-34, col. 32, line 12 to col. 34, line 20 of Wang et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 3, the claimed wherein measuring the resolution for the multiple depths comprises at least one of: in response to a first resolution indicator of the resolution indicators for the multiple depths satisfying the threshold condition, determining a depth corresponding to the first resolution indicator as an effective area; and in response to a second resolution indicator of the resolution indicators for the multiple depths not satisfying the threshold condition, determining a depth corresponding to the second resolution indicator as a non-effective area is met by if the imaging resolution of the photographic arrangement 10 meets the requirements, then it is assumed that the adjusting process by the adjusting arrangement is effective, and then a solidifying process is carried out the fix up the photographic module 11 and the image sensor 12 (Figs. 31-34, col. 32, line 12 to col. 34, line 20 of Wang et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 4, the claimed wherein the test chart includes a focusing marker and a cross pattern, and wherein the method comprises: using the focusing marker, (i) adjusting a focus of the camera module, (ii) identifying whether a lens of the camera module is distorted, or both (i) and (ii); and performing a horizontal adjustment of the camera module using the cross pattern is met by in the camera position adjusting step S540 of the present embodiment, in addition to the adjustment performed in the above-described embodiment, the adjusted focal position is in the X direction and Y based on the detection result of the center mark 122 of the 2D block 170 or the central block 110a (Figs. 17-18, page 18, line 12 to page 19, line 46 of Mahito N et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 5, the claimed wherein the test chart includes a 3D chart in a relief form or a 3D chart in a hollow relief form, wherein the 3D chart in the relief form includes a conical 3D chart or a pyramid-shaped 3D chart, and wherein the 3D chart in the hollow relief form has a cone shape or a polygonal pyramid shape, the cone shape or the polygonal pyramid shape engraved inside a polyhedral box is met by the 3D block 110 (test chart) of the present embodiment is configured as, for examples of the pyramid formed by the 3D block 110 include a polygonal pyramid (triangular pyramid, quadrangular pyramid, etc.), a cone, and the like, in the present embodiment, the 3D block 110 is configured as, for example, a quadrangular pyramid (regular quadrangular pyramid) (Figs. 1 and 2A, page 3, line 7 to page 4, line 48 of Mahito N et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 6, the claimed wherein the test chart includes a support in the form of a polyhedron and a second test pattern comprising at least two surfaces spaced apart from each other using the support, wherein the at least two surfaces have an empty space in an interior of each of the least two surfaces is met by the support plate 190 is configured as, for example, a plate-shaped member and is configured to support the 3D block 110, the support plate 190 is made of, for example, a black-painted aluminum alloy to prevent light from the outside, for example, room illumination light from entering… (Figs. 1 and 2A, page 3, line 7 to page 4, line 48 of Mahito N et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 7, the claimed wherein the outer surface of the first test pattern is configured as a light emitting body is met by the test chart 10 of this modification, for example, each of the four slopes 140 has one boundary line 162, specifically, each slope 140 has, for example, a light-impermeable region and a light-transmitting region as a pattern 160 (Figs. 12A and 2B, page 15, line 42 to page 16, line 11 of Mahito N et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 8, the claimed wherein a bottom surface of the test chart is configured as a backlight is met by the support plate 190 is made of, for example, a black-painted aluminum alloy to prevent light from the outside, for example, room illumination light from entering… (Figs. 1 and 2A, page 3, line 7 to page 4, line 48 of Mahito N et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 9, the claimed wherein the test chart includes an index for a plurality of depths marked on the outer surface of the test chart is met by the information of each test pattern 21 of each test chart layer 20 can be captured by the photographic module 11, so as to provide an image with depth information (Figs. 4-6, col. 19, line 59 to col. 20, line 55 of Wang et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
In considering claim 10, the claimed wherein the test chart includes a reference index based on a subject is met by the 3D test chart 100C by means of the focus zooming lens set 52C includes at least one test object 511C (Fig. 15, col. 23, lines 39-67 of Wang et al.).
The motivation to combine the references has been discussed in claim 1 above.
Claims 11-19 are rejected for the same reason as discussed in claims 1-9, respectively.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Apel et al. (US Patent No. 9,213,228 B2) disclose device and method for measuring a camera.
Hill et al. (US Patent No. 8,675,077 B2) disclose alignment metrology and resolution measurement system for imaging arrays.
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March 5, 2026
/TRANG U TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2422