DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-14 are pending.
Specification
3. The specification is objected to due to the following informality.
On page 35, lines 2-4 state “the imaging lens module 5 has an image surface (not shown), and the image surface IS is disposed on the image surface of the imaging lens module 5 so as to convert light passing through the imaging lens module 5 into an optical image signal.” It appears that the underlined portions should be revised to “image sensor” which is later described in lines 8-9 on page 35.
Claim Rejections - Nonstatutory Double Patenting
4. 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.
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5. Claim 1 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,197,035. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
The following table summarizes the correspondence between limitations of claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,197,035 and limitations of claim 1 of the present application.
Claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,197,035
Claim 1 of the Present Application
An imaging lens module, comprising:
at least one imaging lens unit, comprising at least one plastic lens barrel and at least one plastic lens element group and having an optical axis, wherein the at least one plastic lens element group is accommodated in the at least one plastic lens barrel, and the optical axis passes through the at least one plastic lens element group;
an optical folding component, configured to fold an incident optical path into the at least one imaging lens unit to coincide with the optical axis; and
a sensing magnet group, located at an image side of the optical folding component, wherein the sensing magnet group comprises at least two sensing magnets that are sequentially disposed on the at least one plastic lens barrel along a direction in parallel with the optical axis;
wherein the at least two sensing magnets are located at a same side with respect to a reference plane that passes through the optical axis, and the reference plane has a normal direction perpendicular to the optical axis;
wherein when the at least two sensing magnets are observed from the direction in parallel with the optical axis, images of the at least two sensing magnets are at least partially overlapped;
wherein two adjacent magnetic poles of the at least two sensing magnets are like poles;
wherein a shortest distance along the direction in parallel with the optical axis between two magnetic like poles among the at least two sensing magnets located at the image side of the optical folding component is Dp,
a longest distance along the direction in parallel with the optical axis between two magnetic poles among the at least two sensing magnets located at the image side of the optical folding component is Dm,
a total quantity of the at least two sensing magnets is Nt, and the following condition is satisfied:
0.1<Nt×Dp/(Dm−(Nt−1)×Dp)<3.2.
An imaging lens module, comprising:
at least one imaging lens unit, comprising at least one lens barrel and at least one lens element group and having an optical axis, wherein the at least one lens element group is accommodated in the at least one lens barrel, and the optical axis passes through the at least one lens element group;
an optical folding component, configured to fold an incident optical path into the at least one imaging lens unit to coincide with the optical axis; and
a sensing magnet group, comprising at least two sensing magnets that are sequentially disposed on the at least one lens barrel along a direction in parallel with the optical axis;
wherein the at least two sensing magnets are located at a same side with respect to a reference plane that passes through the optical axis, and the reference plane has a normal direction perpendicular to the optical axis;
wherein when the at least two sensing magnets are observed from the direction in parallel with the optical axis, images of the at least two sensing magnets are at least partially overlapped;
wherein two adjacent magnetic poles of the at least two sensing magnets are like poles between which there is a repulsive force;
wherein a shortest distance along the direction in parallel with the optical axis between two magnetic like poles among the at least two sensing magnets is Dp,
a longest distance along the direction in parallel with the optical axis between two magnetic poles among the at least two sensing magnets is Dm,
a total quantity of the at least two sensing magnets is Nt, and the following condition is satisfied:
0.1<Nt×Dp/(Dm-(Nt-1)×Dp)<3.2.
Therefore, the imaging lens module of claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,197,035 teaches the imaging lens module of claim 1 of the present application.
6. Claims 2-10 and 12-14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 2-10 and 12-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,197,035, respectively. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
Dependent claims 2-10 and 12-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,197,035 correspond to dependent claims 2-10 and 12-14 of the present application, respectively. Therefore, claims 2-10 and 12-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,197,035 teach claims 2-10 and 12-14 of the present application, respectively.
Claim Objections
7. Claim 11 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.
Per claim 11, the prior art of record is silent on the imaging lens module according to claim 10, further comprising an auxiliary sensing magnet group, comprising at least two auxiliary sensing magnets, wherein two adjacent magnetic poles of the at least two auxiliary sensing magnets are like poles; an auxiliary driving coil group; and an auxiliary hall sensing component group that are disposed on the optical image stabilizer.
Pertinent Prior Art
8. Shin et al. – US 2021/0072495
This document discloses a camera actuator comprising an optical unit 33 movable in an optical axis direction having a magnet 334 coupled thereto that is positioned to correspond to coils 340 of a driving unit 34 (Figs. 3 and 5B; ¶47-49). However, this document is silent on the magnet 334 satisfying the condition recited in claim 1 of the present application.
Conclusion
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAS A. SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-4787. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, alt. Fri, 8-5 EST.
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/JAS A SANGHERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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