CTNF 19/012,284 CTNF 88140 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 4-5, 8, 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) and/or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sharma et al. (US 20210132327 A1, hereinafter Sharma) . Regarding claim 1, Sharma discloses an optical-element drive apparatus (actuator for lens and sensor shifting, title, abstract, ¶0002, ¶0030-0031, VCM actuator 110, fig. 1) comprising: a fixed member (430, fig. 4a) fixed to a body (case 428, fig. 4a) of an optical apparatus (400, fig. 4a); a movable unit (414+420+426+418, fig. 4b) holding an optical element (lens 402 and/or image sensor 404, fig. 4a) and movable in a first direction relative to the fixed member (either of optical axis or perpendicular thereof based on forces F1-F4 for AF and/or OIS activity, fig. 4b, ¶0100-0103); and an actuator (either of AF or OIS coil 422 and/or 424, fig. 4a) configured to drive the movable unit in the first direction relative to the fixed member (either of optical axis or perpendicular thereof based on forces F1-F4 for AF and/or OIS activity, fig. 4b, ¶0100-0103), wherein the movable unit includes: a first movable member (414, fig. 4a) holding the optical element (image sensor 404, fig. 4a, ¶0099-0100), a second movable member (426, fig. 4a) coupled to the first movable member (414, fig. 4a) and configured to receive a driving force from the actuator (¶0100-0103), and an adjusting mechanism (420+418, fig. 4a) configured to perform position adjustment for the first movable member (414, fig. 4a-b) relative to the second movable member (426, fig. 4a-b) in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction ( The bottom flexure 420 may be configured to mechanically connect the sensor shift platform 414 to a base 426 of the VCM actuator module(s) 406 and/or of the camera module 400 . The bottom flexure 420 may also be configured to provide compliance for movement of the sensor shift platform 414 in directions orthogonal to the optical axis 408 . Furthermore, the bottom flexure 420 may be configured to support, at least in part, the sensor shift platform 414 . – ¶0100 As indicated in FIG. 4B, interaction between the AF coil 422 and the single pole magnet 410 may produce forces that cause the lens holder 412 to move along the optical axis 408 and/or to tilt relative to the optical axis 408 . Interaction between the single pole magnet 410 and the bottom OIS coil 424 may produce forces that cause the sensor shift platform 414 to move in directions orthogonal to the optical axis 408 . – ¶0103, fig. 4b). Regarding claim 4, Sharma discloses the optical-element drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first movable member and the second movable member are disposed on sides opposite to each other with respect to the fixed member in the second direction (evident from figs. 4a-b). Regarding claim 5, Sharma discloses the optical-element drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a magnet and a coil (¶0097-0099, figs. 4a-b), and wherein one of the magnet and the coil is held by the fixed member (magnet 410 is held by case 428, fig. 4a) and the other of the magnet and the coil is held by the second movable member (¶0105-0106, figs. 4a-b). Regarding claim 8, Sharma discloses the optical-element drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a magnet (410), a coil (422, 424), and a yoke (434), and wherein the yoke (434) fixed to the fixed member (430) is disposed on a side opposite to the fixed member (430) with respect to the second movable member (426) in the second direction (z-axis direction. Evident from figs. 4a-b). Regarding claim 10, Sharma discloses the optical-element drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is an image sensor (404, see claim 1 ejection). Regarding claim 11, Sharma an optical apparatus (camera module 400, fig. 4a) comprising: an optical-element drive apparatus (actuator for lens and sensor shifting, title, abstract, ¶0002, ¶0030-0031, VCM actuator 110, fig. 1); and an optical element (lens 402 and/or image sensor 404, fig. 4a), wherein the optical-element drive apparatus includes: a fixed member (430, fig. 4a) fixed to a body (case 428, fig. 4a) of the optical apparatus (400, fig. 4a); a movable unit (414+420+426+418, fig. 4b) holding the optical element (lens 402 and/or image sensor 404, fig. 4a) and movable in a first direction relative to the fixed member (either of optical axis or perpendicular thereof based on forces F1-F4 for AF and/or OIS activity, fig. 4b, ¶0100-0103); and an actuator (either of AF or OIS coil 422 and/or 424, fig. 4a) configured to drive the movable unit in the first direction relative to the fixed member (either of optical axis or perpendicular thereof based on forces F1-F4 for AF and/or OIS activity, fig. 4b, ¶0100-0103), wherein the movable unit includes: a first movable member (414, fig. 4a) holding the optical element (image sensor 404, fig. 4a, ¶0099-0100), a second movable member (426, fig. 4a) coupled to the first movable member and configured to receive a driving force from the actuator (¶0100-0103), and an adjusting mechanism (420+418, fig. 4a) configured to perform position adjustment for the first movable member (414, fig. 4a-b) relative to the second movable member (426, fig. 4a-b) in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction ( The bottom flexure 420 may be configured to mechanically connect the sensor shift platform 414 to a base 426 of the VCM actuator module(s) 406 and/or of the camera module 400 . The bottom flexure 420 may also be configured to provide compliance for movement of the sensor shift platform 414 in directions orthogonal to the optical axis 408 . Furthermore, the bottom flexure 420 may be configured to support, at least in part, the sensor shift platform 414 . – ¶0100 As indicated in FIG. 4B, interaction between the AF coil 422 and the single pole magnet 410 may produce forces that cause the lens holder 412 to move along the optical axis 408 and/or to tilt relative to the optical axis 408 . Interaction between the single pole magnet 410 and the bottom OIS coil 424 may produce forces that cause the sensor shift platform 414 to move in directions orthogonal to the optical axis 408 . – ¶0103, fig. 4b) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-3, 6-7, 9 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Prior arts of record taken alone or in combination fails to reasonably disclose or suggest, Regarding claim 2, wherein the adjusting mechanism is held by one of the first movable member and the second movable member, includes an adjustment screw threaded into the other of the first movable member and the second movable member, and performs the position adjustment by rotating the adjustment screw. Claim 3 is allowable for its dependence on allowable claim 2. Regarding claim 6, further comprising a rolling member configured to roll along with movement of the movable unit in the first direction and disposed between the fixed member and the first movable member or the second movable member. Regarding claim 7, Sharma discloses the optical-element drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable unit includes a movement preventing portion that prevents movement relative to the fixed member in a surface orthogonal to the second direction in the position adjustment. Regarding claim 9, Sharma discloses the optical-element drive apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting mechanism (420+418, figs. 4a-b) performs the position adjustment of the first movable member (414) at a plurality of adjustment spots (evident from fig. 4b that 420 is connected to either side of image sensor 404, along x-axis near forces F3 and F4), and wherein the number of places where the fixed member (430) is fixed to the body (428) is more than the number of adjustment spots . Conclusion The prior and/or pertinent art(s) made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, are – Sharma (US 11831986 B2), Sharma et al. (US 20190020822 A1), Topliss et al. (US 9560247 B2) – who disclose different OIS structures of interest. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAHBAZ NAZRUL whose telephone number is (571)270-1467. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 9.30 am-3 pm, 6.30 pm-9 pm, F: 9.30 am-1.30 pm, 4 pm-8 pm. 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, Lin Ye can be reached on 571-272-7372. 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. /SHAHBAZ NAZRUL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638 Application/Control Number: 19/012,284 Page 2 Art Unit: 2638 Application/Control Number: 19/012,284 Page 3 Art Unit: 2638 Application/Control Number: 19/012,284 Page 4 Art Unit: 2638
Prosecution Insights