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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR10-2022-0120341, filed on 09/22/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/20/2025 was 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 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.
Claim(s) 11-24 and 26-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lim et al. (US 2020/0012068 A1) hereinafter Lim.
Regarding Claim 11, Lim teaches a camera module comprising: a lens holder in which a lens is disposed (fig.1; lens holder 120 and 150); a bracket disposed under the lens holder (fig.2; inner enclosure 151); a printed circuit board disposed at a lower portion of the bracket (fig.2; PCB 180); and a stiffener disposed at a lower portion of the printed circuit board (fig.3; fixing plate 181 and 183), wherein a leg portion protruded more downward than other regions and coupled to an upper surface of the stiffener is formed (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 12, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 11, wherein a metal pad is disposed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board, and wherein a portion of a lower surface of the bracket can be soldered onto the metal pad (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; PCB 180).
Regarding Claim 13, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 11, wherein a lower surface of the leg portion is soldered to an upper surface of the stiffener (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042).
Regarding Claim 14, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board includes a cavity, and wherein an image sensor facing the lens is disposed in the cavity (fig.2-3; center of the lens barrel).
Regarding Claim 16, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 12, wherein the metal pad is provided in multiple numbers and disposed to face one another (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 17, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 11, wherein a side surface of the leg portion is spaced apart from a side surface of the printed circuit board (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 18, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 11, wherein the stiffener includes a first region facing the printed circuit board in an up and down direction, and a second region disposed outside the first region and coupled with the leg portion (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 19, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 18, wherein the width of the second region is 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042).
Regarding Claim 20, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board includes a first side, a second side arranged opposite the first side, a third side adjacent to the first side and the second side, and a fourth side arranged opposite the third side, wherein the leg portion is arranged on an outer side of the first side, the third side, and the fourth side, and wherein the metal pad is arranged adjacent to the second sids (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 21, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 12, wherein the printed circuit board includes a first side, a second side arranged opposite the first side, a third side adjacent to the first side and the second side, and a fourth side arranged opposite the third side, wherein the leg portion is arranged on an outer side of the third side and the fourth side, and wherein the metal pad is provided in multiple numbers and arranged adjacent to the first side and the second side (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 22, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 11, wherein a side of the leg portion is in contact with a side of the printed circuit board (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042).
Regarding Claim 23, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 21, comprising a sub-board electrically connected to the printed circuit board through an FPCB (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 24, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 23, wherein the FPCB is coupled to the second side (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 25, Lim teaches the camera module according to claim 11, wherein a cross-sectional area of the stiffener is larger than across-sectional area of the printed circuit board (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; portion of 151 is connected to 181).
Regarding Claim 26, Lim teaches same as Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 27, Lim teaches the optical device according to claim 26, wherein a metal pad is disposed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board, and wherein a portion of a lower surface of the bracket can be soldered onto the metal pad (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042).
Regarding Claim 28, Lim teaches the optical device according to claim 26, wherein a lower surface of the leg portion is soldered to an upper surface of the stiffener (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042).
Regarding Claim 29, Lim teaches the optical device according to claim 26, wherein the printed circuit board includes a cavity, and wherein an image sensor facing the lens is disposed in the cavity (fig.2-3; Para.0040-0042; center of lens barrel).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25 and 30 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 FAYEZ A BHUIYAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1562. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 - 6:00 M-F.
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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.
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/FAYEZ BHUIYAN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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