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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims [1+2, 3-7 and 15-16] are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims [1+12, 4, 7, 11, 13, 15, 6 and 8] of U.S. Patent No. [12,149, 811]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because Claims [1+2, 3-7 and 15-16] of the current application are an obvious variant and encompassed by claims [1+12, 4, 7, 11, 13, 15, 6 and 8] of U.S. Patent No. [12,149, 811].
Claims [8 and 20] is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims [13 and 1 ] of U.S. Patent No. [11, 303,787]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because Claims [8 and 20] of the current application are an obvious variant and encompassed by claims[13 and 1] of U.S. Patent No. [11, 303,787].
Below are the tables showing the conflicting claims.
18/918973
US. PAT. No. 12,149, 811
1. A camera module, comprising: an image sensor; a first circuit board electrically connected to the image sensor; a second circuit board electrically connected to the first circuit board; and a first reinforcement portion connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board, wherein the first circuit board comprises a rigid material member, wherein the second circuit board comprises a flexible material member, wherein the flexible material member comprises one surface, wherein the rigid material member comprises a side surface perpendicular to the one surface of the flexible material member, and wherein the first reinforcement portion covers the one surface of the flexible material member and the side surface of the rigid material member.
2. The camera module of claim 1, comprising a lens facing the image sensor in a first direction parallel to an optical axis, and wherein the second circuit board comprises: a first portion overlapped with the first circuit board in the first direction and coupled to the first circuit board; and a second portion not overlapped with the first circuit board in the first direction.
1. A camera module, comprising: a first circuit board; an image sensor disposed on the first circuit board; a lens barrel disposed opposite to the image sensor via a filter in a first direction in parallel to an optical axis; a second circuit board comprising a first part overlapped with the first circuit board in the first direction and coupled to the first circuit board and a second part not overlapped with the first circuit board in the first direction; and a first reinforcement portion comprising a first portion disposed on the first part of the second circuit board and a second portion disposed on the second part of the second circuit board.
12. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first circuit board is formed as a rigid board, and the second circuit board is formed as a flexible board. (the rigid board and the flexible board implies a two dimensional surfaces having different regions or surfaces])
3. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first circuit board comprises a first terminal overlapped with the second circuit board in a first direction parallel to an optical axis, and wherein the second circuit board comprises a second terminal facing the first terminal in the first direction and coupled to the first terminal.
4. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first circuit board comprises a first terminal overlapped with the first part of the second circuit board in the first direction, and wherein the second circuit board comprises a second terminal facing the first terminal in the first direction and coupled to the first terminal.
4. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first reinforcement portion is coupled to the second portion of the flexible material member.
7. The camera module of claim 1, comprising a second reinforcement portion coupled to a side surface of the first circuit board and a lower surface of the second part of the second circuit board.
5. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first reinforcement portion is made of an ultraviolet setting material or a thermosetting material.
11. The camera module of claim 6, wherein the second reinforcement portion is made of an ultraviolet setting material or a thermosetting material.
6. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first reinforcement portion comprises a portion, and a width of the portion of the first reinforcement portion decreases in a direction toward a lower surface of the first circuit board from an upper surface of the first circuit board.
13. The camera module of claim 6, wherein the second reinforcement portion comprises a portion, and a width of the portion of the second reinforcement portion decreases in a direction toward a lower surface of the first circuit board from an upper surface of the first circuit board, and wherein the width is defined as a length of the second reinforcement portion in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and toward the second portion from the first portion.
7. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is not overlapped with the second circuit board in a first direction parallel to an optical axis.
15. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is not overlapped with the second circuit board in the first direction.
.15 The camera module of claim 2, comprising a second reinforcement portion, wherein the second reinforcement portion comprises: a first region disposed on the first portion of the second circuit board; and a second region disposed on the second portion of the second circuit board.
6. The camera module of claim 1, comprising a second reinforcement portion coupled to the first circuit board and the second part of the second circuit board.
16. The camera module of claim 15, wherein the first reinforcement portion is overlapped with the second reinforcement portion in the first direction.
8. The camera module of claim 6, wherein the second reinforcement portion is overlapped with the first reinforcement portion in the first direction.
18/918,973
11, 303, 787
8. . The camera module of claim 3, wherein the first terminal is formed in an upper surface of the first circuit board, and the second terminal is formed in a lower surface of the second circuit board.
13. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is formed in an upper surface of the first circuit board, and the second terminal is formed in a lower surface of the second circuit board.
20. A camera module comprising: an image sensor; a first circuit board electrically connected to the image sensor; a second circuit board electrically connected to the first circuit board; and a reinforcement portion connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board.
1. A camera module, comprising: a first circuit board comprising a first terminal; an image sensor disposed on the first circuit board; a second circuit board comprising a second terminal coupled to the first terminal of the first circuit board; a first reinforcement portion coupled to the first circuit board and the second circuit board, wherein the second terminal comprises a first portion coupled to the first terminal and a second portion excluding the first portion, wherein the first reinforcement portion is coupled to the second portion of the second terminal and a side surface of the first circuit board.
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) [20] is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a1) as being anticipated by Yu (US. 2014/0036218).
Reclaim [20] YU discloses a camera module (See fig. 2) comprising: an image sensor (30 fig. 2); a first circuit board electrically connected to the image sensor; (see 22 fig. 2) a second circuit board electrically connected to the first circuit board (see 24 fig. 2); and a reinforcement portion connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board. (see ¶0016, The print circuit board 20 includes a rigid print circuit board 22 and a flexible print circuit board 24 connecting to a side of the rigid print circuit board 22. T, [the claimed reinforcement part is equated to the prior art, connecting part which bonds the rigid and flexible circuit board]).
Claim(s) [20] is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a1) as being anticipated by Shinomiya (US. 2007/0126923).
Reclaim [20], Shinomiya discloses A camera module (see fig, 13 )comprising: an image sensor (see 109 fig. 13); a first circuit board electrically connected to the image sensor (see 101 fig. 13); a second circuit board electrically connected to the first circuit board (see 201 fig. 13); and a reinforcement portion connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board (see ¶0006, As shown in FIG. 13, the printed circuit flexible board 201 is joined to the printed circuit rigid board 101 separately by soldering or the like [the claimed reinforcement is equated the prior art soldering or the like by the virtue of assisting to strongly couple both rigid and flexible circuit board]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims [17-19] are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Reclaim [17] none of the prior arts on the record either singularly or in combination teaches or reasonably suggests: A camera module, comprising: a cover layer coupled to a lower surface of the second circuit board; wherein the flexible material member comprises one surface exposed from the cover layer, wherein the rigid material member comprises a side surface perpendicular to the one surface of the flexible material member, and wherein the first reinforcement portion covers the one surface of the flexible material member and the side surface of the rigid material member; in conjunction with the other limitation of the claim.
Claims [18-19] are allowed due to their direct or indirect dependency on claim [17].
Claims [9-14] 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
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).
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/AHMED A BERHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639