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 Statements
The Information Disclosure Statements filed on 5/23/2025 and 5/27/2025 have been considered.
DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/986,669 filed on 12/18/2024 is presented for examination by the Examiner.
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the Applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: reference number “3130” is not shown in any of the drawings.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "configured to rotate about the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis " in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim (i.e., re “first rotation axis” and “second rotation axis’). For examination purposes it will be taken that the above means “configured to rotate about a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis ".
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.
Claims 12, 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shin et al. (US 2022/0350108, hereinafter, “Shin”).
Regarding claim 12, Shin discloses a camera module 10 (Fig. 1) comprising:
a housing 20 (Fig. 13, [0157]);
a reflection module 300, disposed in the housing 20, comprising a reflection member 320 (Fig. 13, [0157]);
a lens module 30, disposed in the housing, comprising at least one lens (Fig. 13, [0159]); and
a first auxiliary member 340, disposed on at least one side of the reflection module 300, comprising a plurality of buffer members 342 and a frame 341 in which the plurality of buffer members are disposed (Fig. 14, [0159]),
wherein the frame 341 has an inclined portion to which at least one of the plurality of buffer members 342 is coupled (Fig. 15).
Regarding claim 14, Shin discloses the camera module of claim 12, wherein
the plurality of buffer members comprises: a first buffer member 342 disposed on the inclined portion; and a second buffer member 342 spaced apart from the first buffer member (Fig. 14, 15).
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.
Claims 1-7, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin in view of Lee (US 2023/0176451, hereinafter, “Lee”).
Regarding claim 1, Shin discloses a reflection module 300 comprising:
a reflection member 320 configured to convert an incident light path (Fig. 14, [0158]);
a holder 310, with the reflection member disposed thereon, configured to rotate about a first rotation axis X (Fig. 14, [0154], [0159], [0162]);
a housing 20 accommodating the holder (Fig. 13, [0149]); and
a first auxiliary member 340 coupled to the holder 310, the first auxiliary member 340 comprising a plurality of buffer members 342 and a frame 341 on which the plurality of buffer members are disposed (Fig. 14, [0159]),
wherein the frame 341 comprises an inclined portion having at least a portion extending obliquely with respect to the first rotation axis or the second rotation axis (Fig. 15).
Shin does not disclose the holder rotates about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis.
Lee discloses a camera module (Abstract). In one embodiment, the camera module, including AF and OIS operation functions, includes folded module 110 that rotates the reflective member 111 relative to the housing 101 around two axes perpendicular to each other and to the optical axis (Fig. 2, [0067]).
Both Shin and Lee disclose camera modules.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the present application to modify Shin so that the holder rotates about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis, as taught by Lee, for performing the OIS function (to compensate for shaking along different directions).
Regarding claim 2, Shin/Lee discloses the reflection module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of buffer members comprises: a first buffer member 342 disposed on the inclined portion; and a second buffer member 342 spaced apart from the first buffer member (Fig. 14, 15 in Shin).
Regarding claim 3, Shin/Lee discloses the reflection module of claim 2, wherein the second buffer member 342 is spaced apart from the first buffer member 342 in a second rotation axis direction Y (Fig. 14 in Shin ).
Regarding claim 4, Shin/Lee discloses the reflection module of claim 2, wherein each of the first buffer member 342 and the second buffer member 342 comprises a portion facing the housing (Fig. 14).
Shin/Lee does not disclose at least a part of the portion facing the housing has a curved contour. In Shin/Lee, it appears that at least a part of the portion facing the housing has a flat contour (Fig. 14 in Shin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the present application to modify Shin/Lee so that a part of the portion facing the housing has a curved contour, since it has been held that a mere change in shape of an element is generally recognized as being with in the level of ordinary skill in the art when the change in shape is not significant to the function of the combination. In re Dailey 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). Here, a curved shaped damper 342 provides less friction with the housing while still maintaining its damping role to absorb energy ([0159] in Shin).
Regarding claim 5, Shin/Lee discloses the reflection module of claim 2.
Shin/Lee does not disclose wherein each of the first buffer member 342 and the second buffer member 342 comprises one or more damping holes passing therethrough in a thickness direction. In Shin/Lee, the first auxiliary member 340 is fastened to the reflection module 300 via damping holes 341a, 341b in the frame 341 passing therethrough in a thickness direction (Fig. 14, [0161] in Shin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the present application to modify Shin/Lee so that the first auxiliary member 340 is fastened to the reflective module 300 via damping holes in the first and second buffer member 342, since it has been held that a mere rearrangement of elements (i.e., the holes) without modification of the operation of the device only involves routine skill in the art. In re Japikse 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). Here, the formation of the damping holes in the first and second buffer member 342 does not modify the operation of the device.
Regarding claim 6, Shin/Lee discloses the reflection module of claim 2, wherein the first buffer member 342 protrudes toward a side surface of the housing 20 for a distance between the housing 20 and the first buffer member 342 to be closer than a distance between the housing 20 and the holder 310 (Fig. 14, 15 in Shin).
Regarding claim 7, Shin/Lee discloses the reflection module of claim 2, wherein the second buffer member 342 protrudes toward a bottom surface of the housing 20 for a distance between the housing 20 and the second buffer member 342 to be closer than a distance between the housing 20 and the holder 310 (Fig. 14, 15 in Shin).
Regarding claim 13, Shin discloses the camera module of claim 12, wherein the reflection module comprises a holder 310, mounted with the reflection member 320, configured to rotate about a first rotation axis X (Fig. 14, [0154], [0159], [0162]) and
wherein the first auxiliary member 340 is coupled to the holder 310 (Fig. 14).
Shin does not disclose the holder rotates about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis.
Lee discloses a camera module (Abstract). In one embodiment, the camera module, including AF and OIS operation functions, includes folded module 110 that rotates the reflective member 111 relative to the housing 101 around two axes perpendicular to each other and to the optical axis (Fig. 2, [0067]).
Both Shin and Lee disclose camera modules.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the present application to modify Shin so that the holder rotates about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis, as taught by Lee, for performing the OIS function (to compensate for shaking along different directions).
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin.
Regarding claim 16, Shin discloses the camera module of claim 12.
Shin does not disclose at least a part of the portion of the plurality of buffer members has a curved contour. In Shin, it appears that at least a part of the portion of buffer member 342 has a flat contour (Fig. 14 in Shin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the present application to modify Shin so that a part of the portion of the plurality of buffer members 342 has a curved contour, since it has been held that a mere change in shape of an element is generally recognized as being with in the level of ordinary skill in the art when the change in shape is not significant to the function of the combination. In re Dailey 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). Here, a curved shaped damper 342 provides less friction with the housing while still maintaining its damping role to absorb energy ([0159] in Shin).
Regarding claim 16, Shin discloses the camera module of claim 12.
Shin does not disclose wherein each of the first buffer member 342 and the second buffer member 342 comprises one or more damping holes passing therethrough in a thickness direction. In Shin, the first auxiliary member 340 is fastened to the reflective module 300 via damping holes 341a, 341b in the frame 341 passing therethrough in a thickness direction (Fig. 14, [0161] in Shin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the present application to modify Shin so that the first auxiliary member 340 is fastened to the reflective module 300 via damping holes in the first and second buffer member 342, since it has been held that a mere rearrangement of elements (i.e., the holes) without modification of the operation of the device only involves routine skill in the art. In re Japikse 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). Here, the formation of the damping holes in the first and second buffer member 342 does not modify the operation of the device.
Claims 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin, Lee in view of Kim et al. (KR 20230089539A, hereinafter, “Kim”).
Regarding claim 8, Shin/Lee discloses the reflection module of claim 1.
Shin/Lee does not disclose wherein the holder comprises:
a reflection holder, mounted with the reflection member, configured to rotate about the first rotation axis, and a rotation holder, supporting the reflection holder, configured to rotate about the second rotation axis, and wherein the first auxiliary member is coupled to the rotation holder to surround a portion of the reflection holder.
Kim discloses (reference paragraph numbers herein refer to the English translation and figure numbers refer to the original) a lens module 100 including a reflection module 3000 a first lens module 2000 and a second lens module 4000 (Fig. 1, 3, [0049]). In one embodiment, the reflection module 3000 includes a reflective member 3100, a reflection holder 3200 supporting the reflective member 3100 and a rotation holder 3300 supporting the reflection holder (Fig. 8, [0101]).
Both Shin and Kim disclose camera modules.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the present application to modify Shin/Lee so that the reflection member 320 of Shin/Lee is held by a reflection holder rotating about a first rotation axis Y, the reflection holder being supported by a rotation holder rotating about a second rotation axis X, as taught by Kim, for providing support to the reflection member while providing movement/rotation along two different directions orthogonal to the optical axis, for OIS purposes.
It is noted that in the above Shin/Lee/Kim reflection module, the first auxiliary member 342 of Shin is coupled to the rotation holder 3300 and surrounds a portion of the reflection holder 3200 of Kim (Fig. 8 in Kim).
Regarding claim 9, Shin/Lee/Kim discloses the reflection module of claim 8, wherein the reflection holder 3200 further comprises a protrusion 3510 extending in a first rotation axis direction Z, and the first auxiliary member surrounds the protrusion (Fig. 8, [0100] in Kim).
Regarding claim 10, Shin/Lee/Kim discloses the reflection module of claim 9, wherein the first auxiliary member 340 is configured to have at least a portion of the inclined portion face the protrusion 3510, and a portion of the protrusion that faces the first auxiliary member extends to be parallel to the inclined portion (see Fig. 14 in Shin and Fig. 8 in Kim).
Regarding claim 11, Shin/Lee/Kim discloses the reflection module of claim 8, wherein the first auxiliary member 340 is coupled to the rotation holder 3300 to be spaced apart from the housing 20 and the reflection holder 3200 (see Fig. 14 in Shin and Fig. 8 in Kim).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEONIDAS BOUTSIKARIS whose telephone number is (703)756-4529. The Examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Fr. 9.00-5.00.
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If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s
supervisor, Stephone Allen, can be reached on 571-272-2434. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/L.B./
Patent Examiner, AU 2872
/STEPHONE B ALLEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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