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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgement is made of receipt of Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO-1449) filed 12/03/2024. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 2, 7, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al., (Chen hereafter) (US 2019/0086646 A1).
With respect to Claim 1, Chen discloses a wide-angle lens assembly comprising: a first lens (L31, Figure 5) which is with negative refractive power (¶[0076]); a second lens (L32, Figure 5) which is with refractive power (¶[0076]) and comprises a concave surface (biconcave lens, ¶[0076]) facing an object side; a third lens (L33, Figure 5) which is with positive refractive power (¶[0076]); a fourth lens (L34, Figure 5) which is with refractive power (¶[0076]); a fifth lens (L35, Figure 5) which is with refractive power (¶[0076]); and a sixth lens (L36, Figure 5) which is with refractive power (¶[0076]); wherein the first lens (L31, Figure 5), the second lens (L32, Figure 5), the third lens (L33, Figure 5), the fourth lens (L34, Figure 5), the fifth lens (L35, Figure 5), and the sixth lens (L36, Figure 5) are arranged in order from the object side to an image side (Figure 5; see also ¶[0076]) along an optical axis (OA3, Figure 5); wherein the wide-angle lens assembly satisfies at least one of following conditions:
-70 ≤ R21/d45 ≤ -18; (-70 ≤ -6.087/.0805 ≤ -18)
5 mm2 ≤ (Ra-R21) × d45 ≤ 11 mm2;
-2.95 ≤ R62/T6 ≤ -2.01;
0.35 ≤ (R11-R12)/TTL ≤ 0.61;
1.86 ≤ BFL/f ≤ 1.99;
0.47 ≤ f/AAG ≤ 0.76;
4.5 < L/f < 6.9;
3.4 < R11/f < 5.5;
wherein f is an effective focal length of the wide-angle lens assembly, R11 is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the first lens, R12 is a radius of curvature of an image side surface of the first lens, R21 is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the second lens, R62 is a radius of curvature of an image side surface of the sixth lens, d45 is an interval from an image side surface of the lens second closest to a stop and between the stop and the object side to an object side surface of the lens closest to the stop and between the stop and the object side along the optical axis, Ra is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the lens closest to the stop and between the stop and an image plane, T6 is an interval from an object side surface of the sixth lens to an image side surface of the sixth lens along the optical axis, TTL is an interval from the object side surface of the first lens to the image plane along the optical axis, BFL is an interval from an image side surface of the lens closest to the image plane to the image plane along the optical axis, AAG is a sum of air intervals between the first lens and the lens closest to the image plane along the optical axis, and L is an interval from the object side surface of the first lens to the image side surface of the lens closest to the image plane along the optical axis.
With respect to Claim 2, Chen further discloses wherein the wide-angle lens assembly satisfies at least one of following conditions:
2.5 mm ≤ Ra/Nd4 ≤ 15 mm; (2.5 mm ≤ Ra/Nd4 ≤ 15 mm, Table 7);
5 ≤ Ra/d67 ≤ 62;
2 mm ≤ Ra+Rd ≤ 19 mm;
-1 mm ≤ fb+Rc ≤ 2 mm;
0.14 < Ra/fc < 6.62;
3 mm-1 < Vdb/Rc < 7 mm-1;
0.14 mm < Ra/Vdb < 1.34 mm;
-2.3 < f1/f < -1.5;
-38.3 < Vdd/(fc/fb) < -15.2;
0.14 < f/TTL < 0.18;
3.1 < TTL/BFL < 8.1;
wherein Ra is the radius of curvature of the object side surface of the lens closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, Rd is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the lens second closest to the image plane, Nd4 is a refractive index of the lens closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, d67 is an interval from an image side surface of the lens closest to the stop and between the object side and the stop to the stop along the optical axis, f is the effective focal length of the wide-angle lens assembly, f1 is an effective focal length of the first lens, fb is an effective focal length of the lens second closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, fc is an effective focal length of the lens closest to the image plane, TTL is the interval from the object side surface of the first lens to the image plane along the optical axis, BFL is the interval from the image side surface of the lens closest to the image plane to the image plane along the optical axis, L is the interval from the object side surface of the first lens to the image side surface of the lens closest to the image plane along the optical axis, Rc is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the lens closest to the image plane, Vdb is an Abbe number of the lens second closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, Vdd is an Abbe number of the lens second closest to the image plane, and R11 is the radius of curvature of the object side surface of the first lens.
With respect to Claim 7, Chen further discloses wherein: the fourth lens (L34, Figure 5) is with positive refractive power (¶[0076]); the fifth lens (L35, Figure 5) is with negative refractive power (¶[0076]) ; and the sixth lens (L36, Figure 5) is with positive refractive power (¶[0076]).
With respect to Claim 8, Chen further discloses wherein the wide-angle lens assembly satisfies at least one of following conditions:
2.5 mm ≤ Ra/Nd4 ≤ 15 mm; (2.5 mm ≤ 18.799/1.531 ≤ 15 mm, Table 7);
5 ≤ Ra/d67 ≤ 62;
2 mm ≤ Ra+Rd ≤ 19 mm;
-1 mm ≤ fb+Rc ≤ 2 mm;
0.14 < Ra/fc < 6.62;
3 mm-1 < Vdb/Rc < 7 mm-1;
0.14 mm < Ra/Vdb < 1.34 mm;
-2.3 < f1/f < -1.5;
-38.3 < Vdd/(fc/fb) < -15.2;
0.14 < f/TTL < 0.18;
3.1 < TTL/BFL < 8.1;
wherein Ra is the radius of curvature of the object side surface of the lens closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, Rd is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the lens second closest to the image plane, Nd4 is a refractive index of the lens closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, d67 is an interval from an image side surface of the lens closest to the stop and between the object side and the stop to the stop along the optical axis, f is the effective focal length of the wide-angle lens assembly, f1 is an effective focal length of the first lens, fb is an effective focal length of the lens second closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, fc is an effective focal length of the lens closest to the image plane, TTL is the interval from the object side surface of the first lens to the image plane along the optical axis, BFL is the interval from the image side surface of the lens closest to the image plane to the image plane along the optical axis, L is the interval from the object side surface of the first lens to the image side surface of the lens closest to the image plane along the optical axis, Rc is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the lens closest to the image plane, Vdb is an Abbe number of the lens second closest to the stop and between the stop and the image plane, Vdd is an Abbe number of the lens second closest to the image plane, and R11 is the radius of curvature of the object side surface of the first lens.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6 and 9-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all 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 Claim 3, though Chen (US 2019/0086646 A1), of record, teaches “the wide-angle lens assembly as claimed in claim 2,” Chen fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned combination further comprising “further comprising a seventh lens disposed between the sixth lens and the image side, wherein: the first lens is a meniscus lens and comprises a convex surface facing the object side and a concave surface facing the image side; the second lens is a meniscus lens with positive refractive power and further comprises a convex surface facing the image side; the third lens comprises a convex surface facing the object side; the fourth lens is a biconvex lens with positive refractive power and comprises a convex surface facing the object side and another convex surface facing the image side; the fifth lens is a biconcave lens with negative refractive power and comprises a concave surface facing the object side and another concave surface facing the image side; the sixth lens is a meniscus lens with positive refractive power and comprises a convex surface facing the object side and a concave surface facing the image side; and the seventh lens is a plano-convex lens with positive refractive power and comprises a convex surface facing the object side and a plane surface facing the image side.”
With respect to claim 4, this claim depends on claim 3 and is allowable at least for the reasons stated supra.
With respect to Claim 5, though Chen (US 2019/0086646 A1), of record, teaches “the wide-angle lens assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the first lens (L31, Figure 5) is a meniscus lens and comprises a convex surface facing the object side (L31 is convex on the object side, Figure 5; see also ¶[0076]) and a concave surface facing the image side (L31 is concave on the image side, Figure 5; see also ¶[0076]); the third lens (L33, Figure 5) is a biconvex lens (L33 is a biconvex lens, Figure 5; see also ¶[0076]) and comprises a convex surface facing the object side (L33 is convex on the object side, Figure 5; see also ¶[0076]) and another convex surface facing the image side (L33 is convex on the image side, Figure 5; see also ¶[0076]);” Chen fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned combination further comprising “the fourth lens is a biconvex lens with positive refractive power and comprises a convex surface facing the object side and another convex surface facing the image side; the fifth lens is a biconcave lens with negative refractive power and comprises a concave surface facing the object side and another concave surface facing the image side; and the sixth lens is a meniscus lens with positive refractive power and comprises a convex surface facing the object side.”
With respect to claim 6, this claim depends on claim 5 and is allowable at least for the reasons stated supra.
With respect to Claim 9, though Chen (US 2019/0086646 A1), of record, teaches “the wide-angle lens assembly as claimed in claim 8,” Chen fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned combination further comprising “further comprising a seventh lens disposed between the sixth lens and the image side, wherein the seventh lens is a plano-convex lens with positive refractive power and comprises a convex surface facing the object side and a plane surface facing the image side.”
With respect to Claim 10, though Chen (US 2019/0086646 A1), of record, teaches “the wide-angle lens assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the first lens is a meniscus lens (L31, Figure 5) is a meniscus lens (¶[0076]) and comprises a convex surface facing the object side (L31 is convex surface facing the object side, Figure 5) and a concave surface facing the image side (L31 is concave surface facing the image side, Figure 5); the third lens (L33, Figure 5) comprises a convex surface facing the object side (L33 is convex surface facing the object side, Figure 5);” Chen fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned combination further comprising “the fourth lens is a biconvex lens and comprises a convex surface facing the object side and another convex surface facing the image side; the fifth lens is a biconcave lens and comprises a concave surface facing the object side and another concave surface facing the image side; and the sixth lens is a meniscus lens and comprises a convex surface facing the object side.”
With respect to claims 11-18, these claims depend on claim 10 and are allowable at least for the reasons stated supra.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAMARA Y WASHINGTON whose telephone number is (571)270-3887. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur 730-530 EST.
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, Stephone Allen can be reached at 571-272-2434. 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.
/TYW/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BRANDI N THOMAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
Prosecution Insights