DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Added claim 10 refers to a fourth frame. This fourth frame is not referenced anywhere in the specification and nor is it labeled in the figures.
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) 7-9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee KR 10-2021-0102124.
Regarding claim 7, Lee teaches camera module, comprising: a lens (fig. 2 lens barrel 160); a first frame (first frame 210) in which the lens is accommodated; a supporter (fig. 3 reinforcing member 810) disposed inside the first frame (see page 5 4th last paragraph) and configured to have a first portion exposed to the outside of the first frame (ig. 4 where the 810 is pointing to); and a stopper (fig. 2 cover member 700) coupled to the first frame to form a space for accommodating the lens, wherein the stopper further comprises a second portion (tab shown in fig. 2, 12 part of cover member 700) directly coupled to the first portion.
Regarding claim 8, Lee teaches the camera module of claim 7, wherein the first frame includes a second frame (fig. 2 second frame 220) in which the lens is mounted to drive forward and backward along an optical axis direction (page 6 6th last paragraph).
Regarding claim 9, Lee teaches the camera module of claim 8, wherein the first frame further includes a third frame (fig. 2 housing 100) disposed between the lens and the second frame or in which the second frame is mounted to drive forward and backward in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (page 6 6th last paragraph).
Regarding claim 11, Lee teaches the camera module of claim 7, wherein the supporter is integrated with the first frame such that the first portion is exposed to the outside of the first frame (page 9 2nd last paragraph).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee KR 10-2021-0102124.
Regarding claim 12, Lee teaches the camera module of claim 7, but does not teach wherein the stopper and the supporter are made of the same metal material. Lee teaches a supporter made of metal material (see page 9 2nd last paragraph) but is silent with respect to the stopper. However forming the stopper of metal would enhance rigidity (see page 9 2nd last paragraph) as it does for the reinforcing member. Therefore, it would have been obvious to an ordinarily skilled artisan before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee to form a stopper of the same metal material enhanced rigidity.
Conclusion
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/PHU VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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