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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/6/2025 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being 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)(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.
(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.
1: Claim(s) 1, 2, 7-10, 13, 14, 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by USPN 11,570,363 B2 Wang et al.
2: As for Claim 1, Wang et al depicts in Figures 4 and 5 and teaches on Column 2, Lines 10-20, Column 4, Lines 13-35, Column 9, Lines 16-36 and Column 12, Lines 61-64 A microelectromechanical device, comprising: a substrate (image sensor 401); a platform (base 403) that is suspended and movable with respect to the substrate (401); actuators (4061-4064) arranged on the substrate around the platform (403), each actuator coupled to a coupling portion of the platform (see Figure 4), wherein the actuators have respective actuation axes parallel to the substrate and perpendicular to each other (see Figures 6(a) and 6(b)); and connection structures (element 405 depicted in Figure 4), wherein each connection structure (405) couples one of the actuators with the platform (base 403) and comprises a motion conversion elastic element (flexible member) interposed between that actuator and the platform (see Figure 4); wherein each motion conversion elastic element is configured to convert movements of its associated actuator along its respective actuation axis into movements of the corresponding coupling portion of the platform along directions transverse to the substrate (see motion direction depicted in Figures 6(a) and 6(b)).
3: As for Claim 2, Wang et al depicts in Figures 4 and 5 wherein: the platform (base 403) has a planar shape parallel to the substrate (401) and comprises pairs of two-by-two parallel sides; and each coupling portion protrudes from one of the sides of the platform, in a substantially central position, toward its associated actuator (see Figure 4).
4: As for Claim 7, Wang et al teaches on Column 2, Lines 10-20 and depicts in Figure 5 wherein the actuators are organized in: a first pair of actuators having a first actuation axis parallel to the substrate; and a second pair of actuators having a second actuation axis parallel to the substrate and perpendicular to the first actuation axis.
5: As for Claim 8, Wang et al teaches on Column 4, Lines 13-26 and Column 9, Lines 16-36 comprising a control unit (1250) coupled to the actuators (4061-4064) and configured to drive the actuators so that the platform performs at least one of the following movements or combination of movements: rotation around the first actuation axis; rotation around the second actuation axis; and translation parallel to a third actuation axis perpendicular to the substrate.
6: As for Claim 9, Wang et al teaches on Column 4, Lines 27-35 and Column 12, Lines 61-64 comprising a control unit (1250) coupled to the actuators and configured to drive the actuators so that the platform performs at least one of the following movements or combination of movements: roll; pitch; and out-of- plane translation.
7: As for Claim 10, Wang et al teaches on Column 4, Lines 13-26 wherein the control unit is configured to drive the actuators of each of the first and second pairs of actuators in either a concordant manner or a discordant manner.
8: As for Claim 13, Wang et al teaches in Figure 5 and teaches on Column 10, Lines 40-67) wherein the platform (403) comprises a pair of sides parallel to the first actuation axis (X axis) and a pair of sides parallel to the second actuation axis (Y axis); and wherein the motion conversion elastic elements (flexible connections) associated with the first pair of actuators are arranged parallel to the second actuation axis; and the motion conversion elastic elements associated with the second pair of actuators are arranged parallel to the first actuation axis.
9: As for Claim 14, Wang et al teaches on Column 10, Lines 40-59 wherein each connection structure further comprises first elastic elements (flexible connection member), first anchors (carrier 404) fixed to the substrate (401), second elastic elements (flexible connection member), and second anchors (carrier 404) fixed to the substrate (401); wherein the first elastic elements and first anchors of each connection structure maintain the platform suspended with respect to the substrate (401); and wherein the second elastic elements and second anchors of each connection structure allow movement of the associated actuator (See Figures 6(a) and 6(b)).
10: As for Claim 16, Wang et al teaches on Column 8, Lines 44-58 wherein the actuators are electrostatic linear actuators.
11: As for Claim 17, Wang et al depicts in Figures 4 and 5 and teaches on Column 2, Lines 10-20, Column 4, Lines 13-35, Column 9, Lines 16-36 and Column 12, Lines 61-64 A method of operating a microelectromechanical device comprising a platform (base 403) suspended over a substrate (image sensor 401) and coupled to four actuators (4061-4064) arranged around the platform (base 403), the method comprising: providing control signals to drive the actuators (controller 1250 controls the actuators) (Column 12, Lines 61-64),wherein the actuators (4061-4064) are arranged in: a first pair having a first actuation axis parallel to the substrate, and a second pair having a second actuation axis parallel to the substrate and perpendicular to the first actuation axis (see Figures 6(a) and 6(b)); converting in-plane movements of the actuators (4061-4064) into out-of-plane movements of the platform using motion conversion elastic elements (405), wherein each motion conversion elastic element (405) is coupled between one of the actuators (4061-4064) and the platform (base 403); and stabilizing an image sensor (401) mounted on the platform (403) by selectively driving the actuators (4061-4064) to perform at least one of: roll movements of the platform by concordantly driving the first pair of actuators (Column 9, Lines 16-55), pitch movements of the platform by concordantly driving the second pair of actuators, or out-of-plane translation movements of the platform by discordantly driving both pairs of actuators.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 11, 12, 15, and 18-21 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES M HANNETT whose telephone number is (571)272-7309. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Monday thru Thursday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Twyler Haskins can be reached at 571-272-7406 The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES M HANNETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639
JMH
July 31, 2026
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