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 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 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 17 sets forth the limitation “wherein the outer diameter of the head portion of the lens barrel may be smaller than an outer diameter including a rib of the second nearest lens from the object-side.” (emphasis added by examiner) The limitation does not set forth any requirements for the diameter of the head portion of the lens barrel or of the rib of the second nearest lens . The relationship “may be smaller”. However, it could also be larger or equal. Thus, the limitation is indefinite.
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) 1, 15-17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu, et al. (US 111402722).
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Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses “a front plate (Fig. 1, ref.# 100); a display panel (Fig. 1, ref.# 200) on a rear surface of the front plate, the display panel having at least one camera hole (Fig. 1, ref.# 210) therein; and a camera module comprising: a lens barrel (Fig. 1, ref.# 310) comprising a head portion (Fig. 1, ref.# 312) protruding toward the front plate and a protruding barrel space adjacent to the head portion (See Fig. 1), wherein the head portion (Fig. 1, ref.# 312) has an optical opening therein, and a plurality of lenses (Fig. 1, ref.# 320; Fig. 2, ref.# 330) aligned along an optical axis within the lens barrel, wherein the plurality of lenses comprises a first nearest lens (Fig. 1, ref.# 320) from an object-side and is in the protruding barrel space, and wherein an outer diameter (Fig. 1: ref.# D1) of a rib of the first nearest lens from the object-side is smaller than an outer diameter (Fig. 1, ref.# D2) of the head portion.”
Regarding claims 15 and 20, Wu discloses “wherein the FOV of the camera module is 90 degrees or greater.” (Fig. 1, ref.# 312: the angled edges of the lens barrel next to the plate would provide a FOV greater than 90 degrees)
Regarding claim 16, Wu discloses “a front plate (Fig. 1, ref.# 100); a display panel (Fig. 1, ref.# 200) on a rear surface of the front plate, the display panel having at least one camera hole (Fig. 1, ref.# 210) therein; and a camera module comprising: a lens barrel (Fig. 1, ref.# 310) comprising a head portion (Fig. 1, ref.# 312) protruding toward the front plate and a protruding barrel space adjacent to the head portion, wherein the head portion has an optical opening therein (See Fig. 1), and a plurality of lenses (Fig. 1, ref.# 320, Fig. 2, ref.# 330) aligned along an optical axis within the lens barrel, wherein the plurality of lenses comprises a first nearest lens (Fig. 1, ref.# 320) from an object-side, a second nearest lens (Fig. 2, ref.# 330) from the object-side, and a third nearest lens (Fig. 1, third lens down from top) from the object-side wherein the first nearest lens contacts an inner surface of the lens barrel through a first contact point (Fig. 1, ref.# 320 contact to ref.# 312) and a second contact point, and contacts the second nearest lens through a third contact point (Fig. 1, ref.# 312 contact to 2nd lens), wherein the second nearest lens contacts the first nearest lens through a fourth contact point (See Fig. 1), the inner surface of the lens barrel through a fifth contact point (See Fig. 1), and the third nearest lens through a sixth contact point (See Fig. 1), wherein each of a distance from the optical axis to the first contact point and a distance from the optical axis to the third contact point is smaller than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, wherein a distance from the optical axis to the fourth contact point is smaller than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, and wherein a distance from the optical axis to the sixth contact point is greater than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point (See Fig. 1).”
Regarding claim 17, Wu discloses “wherein the outer diameter of the head (Fig. 1, ref.# D2) portion of the lens barrel may be smaller than an outer diameter including a rib of the second nearest lens (Fig. 1, ref.# D3) from the object-side.” (Note: the limitation does not require a size requirement with the limitation “may be smaller”.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jia (CN 110166593).
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Regarding claim 1, Jia discloses “a front plate (Fig. 7, ref.# 400); a display panel (Fig. 7, ref.# 300) on a rear surface of the front plate, the display panel having at least one camera hole therein (Fig. 7, ref.# 380); and a camera module comprising: a lens barrel (Fig. 1, ref.# 17) comprising a head portion (Fig. 1, head portion) protruding toward the front plate and a protruding barrel space adjacent to the head portion, wherein the head portion has an optical opening therein (See Fig. 1), and a plurality of lenses (Fig. 1, ref.# 11, lens 2, lens 3) aligned along an optical axis within the lens barrel, wherein the plurality of lenses comprises a first nearest lens (Fig. 1, ref.# 11) from an object-side and is in the protruding barrel space, and wherein an outer diameter of a rib of the first nearest lens (Fig. 1, ref.# 11) from the object-side is smaller than an outer diameter of the head portion (Fig. 1, ref.# head portion).”
Regarding claim 2, Jia discloses “wherein the plurality of lenses further comprises a second nearest lens (Fig. 1, lens 2) from the object-side that is adjacent to the first nearest lens, and wherein the outer diameter of the head portion (Fig. 1, ref.# head portion) is smaller than an outer diameter of a rib of the second nearest lens )Fog/ 1, lens 2).”
Regarding claim 3, Jia discloses “wherein the at least one camera hole (Fig. 7, ref.# 380) has a diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the head portion (Fig. 1, head portion) and smaller than the outer diameter including the rib of the second nearest lens (Fig. 1, ref.# lens 2).”
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) 4-14 and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia (CN 110166593) in view of Huang, et al. (US 2020/0057234).
Regarding claim 4, Jia discloses “wherein the lens number of the lens group 15 can be 1, 2, 3 or more” (See page 4 of translation, 3rd paragraph). However, Jia does not teach specifically the placement of the multiple lenses. Thus, all the structure set forth in the claims except: (Claim 4) “wherein the first nearest lens contacts an inner surface of the lens barrel at a first contact point and a second contact point, and contacts the second nearest lens at a third contact point”, (Claim 5) “wherein the second contact point is at a largest outer diameter of the first nearest lens”, (Claim 6) “wherein the first contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an object-side surface of the first nearest lens, and wherein the third contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an image-side surface of the first nearest lens”, (Claim 7) “wherein each of a distance from the optical axis to the first contact point and a distance from the optical axis to the third contact point is smaller than a distance from the optical axis to the second contact point”, (Claim 8) “wherein a contact length between the inner surface of the lens barrel and the first contact point of the first nearest lens is about 0.1 mm or less, a contact length between the inner surface of the lens barrel and the second contact point is about 0.1 mm or less, and a contact length between the second nearest lens from the object-side and the third contact point is about 0.1 mm or less”, (Claim 9) “wherein the plurality of lenses further comprises a third nearest lens from the object-side that is adjacent to the second nearest lens, and wherein the second nearest lens contacts the first nearest lens, contacts the inner surface of the lens barrel, and contacts the third nearest lens”, (Claim 10) “wherein the second nearest lens contacts the first nearest lens at a fourth contact point at a position adjacent to the protruding barrel space in the lens barrel, contacts the inner surface of the lens barrel at a fifth contact point, and contacts the third nearest lens at a sixth contact point”, (Claim 11) “wherein the fifth contact point is at a largest outer diameter of the second nearest lens”, (Claim 12) “wherein the fourth contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an object-side surface of the second nearest lens, and wherein the sixth contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an image-side surface of the second nearest lens”, (Claim 13) “wherein each of a distance from the optical axis to the fourth contact point and a distance from the optical axis to the sixth contact point is each smaller than a distance from the optical axis to the fifth contact point”, (Claim 14) “wherein a distance from the optical axis to the fourth contact point is smaller than a distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, and a distance from the optical axis to the sixth contact point is greater than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point” and (Claim 16) “wherein the first nearest lens contacts an inner surface of the lens barrel through a first contact point and a second contact point, and contacts the second nearest lens through a third contact point, wherein the second nearest lens contacts the first nearest lens through a fourth contact point, the inner surface of the lens barrel through a fifth contact point, and the third nearest lens through a sixth contact point, wherein each of a distance from the optical axis to the first contact point and a distance from the optical axis to the third contact point is smaller than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, wherein a distance from the optical axis to the fourth contact point is smaller than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, and wherein a distance from the optical axis to the sixth contact point is greater than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point”
However, a lens assembly for a camera with multiple lenses that contact a lens barrel and subsequent lenses at contact points was well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention as taught by Huang (See Fig. 3A). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include multiple lenses in the lens barrel such that “wherein the first nearest lens contacts an inner surface of the lens barrel at a first contact point and a second contact point, and contacts the second nearest lens at a third contact point”, “wherein the second contact point is at a largest outer diameter of the first nearest lens”, “wherein the first contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an object-side surface of the first nearest lens, and wherein the third contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an image-side surface of the first nearest lens”, “wherein each of a distance from the optical axis to the first contact point and a distance from the optical axis to the third contact point is smaller than a distance from the optical axis to the second contact point”, “wherein a contact length between the inner surface of the lens barrel and the first contact point of the first nearest lens is about 0.1 mm or less, a contact length between the inner surface of the lens barrel and the second contact point is about 0.1 mm or less, and a contact length between the second nearest lens from the object-side and the third contact point is about 0.1 mm or less”, “wherein the plurality of lenses further comprises a third nearest lens from the object-side that is adjacent to the second nearest lens, and wherein the second nearest lens contacts the first nearest lens, contacts the inner surface of the lens barrel, and contacts the third nearest lens”, “wherein the second nearest lens contacts the first nearest lens at a fourth contact point at a position adjacent to the protruding barrel space in the lens barrel, contacts the inner surface of the lens barrel at a fifth contact point, and contacts the third nearest lens at a sixth contact point”, “wherein the fifth contact point is at a largest outer diameter of the second nearest lens”, “wherein the fourth contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an object-side surface of the second nearest lens, and wherein the sixth contact point is in a non-effective diameter portion of an image-side surface of the second nearest lens”, “wherein each of a distance from the optical axis to the fourth contact point and a distance from the optical axis to the sixth contact point is each smaller than a distance from the optical axis to the fifth contact point”, “wherein a distance from the optical axis to the fourth contact point is smaller than a distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, and a distance from the optical axis to the sixth contact point is greater than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point” and “wherein the first nearest lens contacts an inner surface of the lens barrel through a first contact point and a second contact point, and contacts the second nearest lens through a third contact point, wherein the second nearest lens contacts the first nearest lens through a fourth contact point, the inner surface of the lens barrel through a fifth contact point, and the third nearest lens through a sixth contact point, wherein each of a distance from the optical axis to the first contact point and a distance from the optical axis to the third contact point is smaller than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, wherein a distance from the optical axis to the fourth contact point is smaller than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point, and wherein a distance from the optical axis to the sixth contact point is greater than the distance from the optical axis to the second contact point” in order to make the lens system compact and held firmly such that lenses don’t shift position relative to one another.
Regarding claim 17, Jia discloses “wherein the outer diameter of the head portion of the lens barrel may be smaller than an outer diameter including a rib of the second nearest lens from the object-side.” (Note: the limitation does not require a size requirement with the limitation “may be smaller”.
Regarding claim 18, Jia discloses “wherein the outer diameter of the head portion of the lens barrel (Fig. 1, head portion( is smaller than an outer diameter including a rib of the second nearest lens (Fig. 1, lens 2) from the object-side.”
Regarding claim 19, Jia discloses “wherein the diameter of the at least one camera hole (Fig. 7, ref.# 380) is greater than the outer diameter of the head portion of the lens barrel (Fig. 1, head portion) and smaller than the outer diameter including the rib of the second nearest lens (Fig. 1, lens 2) from the object-side.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Watanabe (US 2020/0285029) teaches a camera module with a plate, display panel and a lens barrel with multiple lenses.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY FULLER whose telephone number is (571)272-2118. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday.
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/RODNEY E FULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
August 20, 2026
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