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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of invention I in the reply filed on 9/27/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the inventions do in fact overlap in scope. This is found persuasive because the claims overlap. Accordingly, examiner withdraws the election requirement as outlined in the restriction dated 7/30/2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/30/2024 and 1/6/2026 were considered by the examiner.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6, 22-23, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yedid et al. (US 2022/0397808).
Regarding Claim 1, Yedid discloses an optical module (Paragraphs 0047-0061) comprising:
a housing (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), outer portion of yaw sub-assembly 210, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) below);
a guide member disposed in the housing and configured to be rotatable about a first rotational axis (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner portion of the two curved rails 212 and the inner portion of the one flat surface curved rail 205, is rotatable around the yaw rotation axis 206, Paragraph 0047, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) below);
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an optical member configured to be rotatable about the first rotational axis together with the guide member (Fig. 2B(a), OPFE 204, the optical path folding element can be a mirror or a prism, Paragraph 0043);
a first ball member disposed between the housing and the guide member and comprising a plurality of balls (Fig. 2B(a), balls 218); and
a protrusion disposed on the housing or the guide member and protruding in a direction of the first rotational axis (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner surface portion of the two curved rails 212 and the inner surface portion of the one flat surface curved rail 205),
wherein the plurality of balls of the first ball member are configured to roll while being in contact with an outer surface of the protrusion (Paragraphs 0049 and 0054, yaw sub-assembly 210 and be rotated in the yaw direction (parallel to the x-axis, Paragraph 0047).
Regarding Claim 2, Yedid discloses as set forth above and further discloses wherein the plurality of balls of the first ball member are in contact with both the housing and the guide member, and either one or both of a surface of the housing in contact with the plurality of balls and a surface of the guide member in contact with the plurality of balls is inclined (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner portion of the two curved rails 212 is inclined to the rotational axis since it’s part of a V-groove, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) above) with respect to the first rotational axis .
Regarding Claim 3, Yedid discloses as set forth above and further discloses wherein the protrusion has a truncated cone shape having a cross-sectional area that changes in a direction of the first rotational axis (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner portion of the two curved rails 212 meets the claim language since it’s part of a V-groove, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) above).
Regarding Claim 4, Yedid discloses as set forth above and further discloses wherein the plurality of balls of the first ball member are in two-point contact with the housing, and in two-point contact with the guide member (Fig. 2B(a), since there is a separate ball for each of the two curved rails 212, there would be two points of contact for the inner and outer portions of 212 (guide member), the outer portion of 212 being in contact with the housing).
Regarding Claim 5, Yedid discloses as set forth above and further discloses wherein a length of the protrusion in the direction of the first rotational axis is smaller than a diameter of each of the plurality of balls of the first ball member (Fig. 2B(a), since the separate balls for each of the two curved rails 212 (V-grooves 212) are seated, the claim limitation is met).
Regarding Claim 6, Yedid discloses as set forth above and further discloses wherein further comprising a retainer disposed to be rotatable with respect to the protrusion (Fig. 2B(b), V-grooves 216, Paragraphs 0047-0048), wherein the retainer comprises a body (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(b), bottom of stationary sub-assembly 230, Paragraphs 0047-0048) and a support extending from the body, and the support is disposed between the plurality of balls of the first ball member (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(b), the portion of the stationary sub-assembly 230 between the V-grooves 216, Paragraphs 0047-0048).
Regarding Claim 22, Yedid discloses an optical module (Paragraphs 0047-0061) comprising:
a housing (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), outer portion of yaw sub-assembly 210, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) below);
a reflective module (Fig. 2B(a), OPFE 204, the optical path folding element can be a mirror or a prism, Paragraph 0043) disposed in the housing and configured to be rotatable about a first rotational axis with respect to the housing (Paragraph 0048, groove-ball mechanism for yaw rotation),
wherein a first guide groove (Fig. 2B(a) bottom image, inner portions of left and right V-groove 212, as well as the inner portion of the rail 205, Paragraph 0048) having a circular planar shape centered on the first rotational axis is formed in a surface of the reflective module facing the housing,
a second guide groove (Fig. 2B(a) bottom image, outer portions of left and right V-groove 212, as well as the outer portion of the rail 205, Paragraph 0048) having a circular planar shape centered on the first rotational axis is formed in a surface of the housing facing the surface of the reflective module in which the first guide groove is formed,
the optical module further comprises a first ball member comprising a plurality of balls (Fig. 2B(a) bottom image, balls 218 are disposed in the left side and right side of V-groove 212 as well as the rail 205) disposed between the first guide groove and the second guide groove, and
the plurality of balls of the first ball member are equidistantly spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction around the first rotational axis (Fig. 2B(a) bottom image, balls 218 are disposed in the left side and right side V-groove 212 as well as the rail 205, the balls 218 are separated by 90 degrees and are therefore equidistantly spaced apart) and are configured to roll in the circumferential direction while the reflective module rotates with respect to the housing (Paragraph 0048, groove-ball mechanism for yaw rotation).
Regarding Claim 23, Yedid discloses as set forth above and further discloses wherein further comprising a protrusion (Fig. 2B(a), the inner portions of V-grooves 212 comprise a protrusion) having a circular planar shape centered on the first rotational axis and disposed in either one or both of the first guide groove and the second guide groove (Fig. 2B(a), as shown), wherein the plurality of balls of the first ball member are disposed between an outer surface of the protrusion and an inner wall surface of the first guide groove or an inner wall surface of the second guide groove (Fig. 2B(a), the separate balls for each of the two curved guide grooves 212 (V-grooves 212) are seated), and are further configured to roll in the circumferential direction while being in contact with the outer surface of the protrusion as the reflective module rotates with respect to the housing (Paragraph 0048, groove-ball mechanism for yaw rotation).
Regarding Claim 27, Yedid discloses as set forth above and further discloses wherein further comprising a barrier wall disposed in either one or both of the first guide groove and the second guide groove and between the plurality of balls of the first ball member (Fig. 2B(a) bottom image, the two 212 v-grooves and “rail” 205 are separated by the bottom portion 214 of the sub-assembly 210, acting as barriers, as shown).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yedid et al. (US 2022/0397808, Fig. 2A … Fig. 8, hereinafter Yedid) in view of Yedid et al. (US 2022/0397808, Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, hereinafter Yedid-2).
Regarding Claim 15, Yedid discloses a camera module (Paragraph 0049, smartphone camera, line 4) comprising:
a holder (Fig. 2B(a), pitch sub-assembly 220, Paragraph 0047);
a reflective member (Fig. 2B(a), OPFE 204, the optical path folding element can be a mirror or a prism, Paragraph 0043) disposed on the holder and configured to reflect light;
a guide member (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner portion of the two curved rails 212 and the inner portion of the one flat surface curved rail 205, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) above) on which the holder is disposed;
a housing (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), outer portion of yaw sub-assembly 210, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) above) in which the holder and the guide member are disposed;
a first ball member (Fig. 2B(a), balls 218) disposed between the guide member and the housing and comprising a plurality of balls; and
wherein the guide member is configured to be rotatable together with the holder about a first rotational axis (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner portion of the two curved rails 212 and the inner portion of the one flat surface curved rail 205, is rotatable around the yaw rotation axis 206, Paragraph 0047, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) above),
the holder is configured to be rotatable relative to the guide member about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first rotational axis (Fig. 2B(a), holder is rotatable around a pitch rotational axis, 208, Paragraph 0047),
one of the housing and the guide member comprises a protrusion protruding in a direction of the first rotational axis (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner surface portion of the two curved rails 212 and the inner surface portion of the one flat surface curved rail 205), and another one of the housing and the guide member comprises a guide groove (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), outer surface portion of the two curved rails 212 and the inner surface portion of the one flat surface curved rail 205),
the plurality of balls of the first ball member are in contact with a surface of the protrusion and a surface of the guide groove (Fig. 2B(a), the separate balls for each of the two curved guide grooves 212 (V-grooves 212) are seated), and
either one or both of the surface of the protrusion in contact with the plurality of balls of the first ball member and the surface of the guide groove in contact with the plurality of balls of the first ball member is an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the first rotational axis (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), inner portion of the two curved rails 212 is inclined to the rotational axis since it’s part of a V-groove, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) above).
Yedid does not specifically disclose a first lens module having a first optical axis and on which light reflected from the reflective member is incident.
However, Yedid-2, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a first lens module having a first optical axis and on which light reflected from the reflective member is incident (Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, lens 102, Paragraphs 0043-0044), for the purpose of providing a camera with a folded optical path.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the camera module of Yedid with a first lens module having a first optical axis and on which light reflected from the reflective member is incident, of Yedid-2, for the purpose of providing a camera with a folded optical path.
Regarding Claim 17, Yedid in view of Yedid-2 discloses as is set forth above and Yedid further discloses wherein the plurality of balls of the first ball member are in contact with an outer surface of the protrusion, and a diameter of each of the plurality of balls of the first ball member is greater than a length of the protrusion in the direction of the first rotational axis (Fig. 2B(a), since the separate balls for each of the two curved rails (V-grooves 212) are seated, the claim limitation is met).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8-10, 11, 12-14, 16, 18, 19-21, 24-25, 26, and 28 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: with respect to the allowable subject matter, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Specifically, with respect to claim 7, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of an optical module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a sub-ball member comprising a plurality of sub-balls each having a diameter smaller than a diameter of each of the plurality of balls, wherein the plurality of sub-balls of the sub-ball member are disposed between the plurality of balls of the first ball member.
Specifically, with respect to claim 8, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of an optical module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a first magnet disposed on the guide member and comprising a 1-1 magnet and a 1-2 magnet, wherein the 1-1 magnet and the 1-2 magnet are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the first rotational axis, and the first ball member is disposed between the 1-1 magnet and the 1-2 magnet.
Specifically, with respect to claim 11, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of an optical module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a lens module having an optical axis, wherein the optical member is a reflective member comprising a reflective surface configured to reflect light, the lens module is disposed so that light reflected from the reflective member is incident on the lens module in an optical axis direction of the lens module, and the optical module further comprises: a sensing magnet disposed on the guide member and spaced apart from the protrusion in the optical axis direction of the lens module, and a first position sensor disposed on the housing and facing the sensing magnet.
Specifically, with respect to claim 12, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of an optical module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising: a holder on which the optical member is mounted, the holder being configured to be rotatable with respect to the guide member about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first rotational axis; a second magnet disposed on the holder; and a second coil facing the second magnet.
Specifically, with respect to claim 16, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of a camera module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a first magnet comprising two magnets disposed on the guide member, wherein the two magnets of the first magnet are spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the first rotational axis, and the camera module further comprises a first pulling yoke disposed on the housing and spaced apart from the first magnet in the direction of the first rotational axis.
Specifically, with respect to claim 18, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of a camera module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein a lubrication groove is formed in either one or both of a surface of the housing in contact with the plurality of balls of the first ball member and a surface of the guide member in contact with the plurality of balls of the first ball member, and the camera module further comprises a lubricant disposed in the lubrication groove.
Specifically, with respect to claim 19, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of a camera module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a second lens module having a second optical axis and disposed on the holder so that the second lens module is disposed in front of the reflective member, wherein the first optical axis and the second optical axis are perpendicular to each other.
Specifically, with respect to claim 24, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of an optical module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a retainer comprising a body and a plurality of supports extending from the body in a direction of the first rotational axis, wherein the retainer is disposed between the first groove and the second groove so that the plurality of supports are disposed between the plurality of balls of the first ball member.
Specifically, with respect to claim 26, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of an optical module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein further comprising a sub-ball member comprising a plurality of sub-balls disposed between the plurality of balls of the first ball member.
Specifically, with respect to claim 28, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of an optical module including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations, wherein the reflective module comprises: a guide member disposed in the housing and configured to be rotatable about the first rotational axis with respect to the housing; a holder disposed in the guide member and configured to be rotatable together with the guide member about the first rotational axis with respect to the housing, and to be rotatable about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first rotational axis with respect to the guide member; and a reflective member disposed in the holder and configured to be rotatable together with the holder and the guide member about the first rotational axis with respect to the housing, and to be rotatable together with the holder about the second rotational axis with respect to the guide member, wherein the first guide groove is formed in a surface of the guide member facing the surface of the housing in which the second guide groove is formed.
Examiner’s Statement/Reasons for Allowance
Regarding Claim 29, Yedid et al. (US 2022/0397808) discloses an optical module comprising:
a housing (Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B(a), outer portion of yaw sub-assembly 210, see annotated Fig. 2B(a) below);
a reflective module (Fig. 2B(a), OPFE 204, the optical path folding element can be a mirror or a prism, Paragraph 0043) disposed in the housing and configured to be rotatable about a first rotational axis with respect to the housing (Paragraph 0048, groove-ball mechanism for yaw rotation);
a first coil (Fig. 2B(a), yaw coil 222) disposed on a surface of the housing facing the reflective module;
a first magnet (Paragraph 0057, Fig. 3, driving magnet 228); and
a first ball member (Fig. 2B(a) bottom image, balls 218 are disposed in the left side and right side V-groove 212 as well as the rail 205) comprising a plurality of balls disposed between the surface of the housing on which the first coil is disposed and the surface of the reflective module,
wherein the first coil and the first magnet are configured to rotate the reflective module about the first rotational axis with respect to the housing (Paragraphs 0050 and 0057, yaw rotation by the yaw driving coil 222 and the yaw driving magnet 228), and
the plurality of balls of the first ball member are equidistantly spaced apart from one another other in a circumferential direction around the first rotational axis and are configured to roll in the circumferential direction while the reflective module rotates with respect to the housing (Fig. 2B(a) bottom image, balls 218 are disposed in the left side and right side V-groove 212 as well as the rail 205, the balls 218 are separated by 90 degrees and are therefore equidistantly spaced apart).
Yedid et al. (US 2022/0397808) does not specifically disclose “… (a first magnet) disposed on a surface of the reflective module facing the surface of the housing on which the first coil is disposed so that the first magnet faces the first coil; … (first coil is disposed and the surface of the reflective module) on which the first magnet is disposed …”.
Additionally, neither Chang et al. (US 2022/0394159), Li et al. (US 2025/0138285), Lee (US 2025/0164735), Goulinski et al. (US 2025/0155671), Sekiguchi et al. (US 2023/0228969), Minamisawa et al. (US 2018/0129065), Zhao et al. (US 2025/0147271), Jang et al. (US 2024/0345452), nor the prior art of record, meet the deficiencies of Yedid et al. (US 2022/0397808).
Claims 29-32 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: with respect to the allowable subject matter, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Specifically, regarding the allowability of independent claim 29: The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest an optical module comprising “… (a first magnet) disposed on a surface of the reflective module facing the surface of the housing on which the first coil is disposed so that the first magnet faces the first coil; … (first coil is disposed and the surface of the reflective module) on which the first magnet is disposed …”, along with other claim limitations. Claims 30-32 are allowable due to their pendency on allowable claim 29.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM R ALEXANDER whose telephone number is (571)270-7656. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 AM- 4:00 PM.
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/WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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