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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-2, 7-11, 13 and 15-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 5-9, 11 and 14-16 of U.S. Patent No. 12,335,586.
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims of the instant application are anticipated by patent claims as shown infra.
Instant Application
Patent US 12,335,586
1. A camera device, comprising:
a frame body comprising an accommodating space;
a circuit component comprising a circuit board and a coil, wherein the coil is disposed on the circuit board and at one side of the frame body, the circuit board is disposed at the frame body;
a carrying component comprising a main body and a driving magnet, wherein the main body is movably disposed in the accommodating space, the driving magnet is disposed at one side of the main body, the driving magnet corresponds to the coil, and the driving magnet is configured to interact with the coil;
a magnetic sensing element and a sensing magnet, wherein one of the magnetic sensing element and the sensing magnet is disposed on the circuit board, and another one of the magnetic sensing element and the sensing magnet is disposed at one side of the main body; wherein the sensing magnet corresponds to the magnetic sensing element; and
a magnetic conductive sheet disposed at the frame body, wherein the magnetic conductive sheet is disposed at one side of the driving magnet or/and the sensing magnet, the magnetic sensing element is configured to magnetically sense the sensing magnet to generate a specific signal, the specific signal comprises an angle between the sensing magnet and the magnetic sensing element or/and a position of the main body relative to the frame body.
18. A long tuning range camera assembly, comprising:
a first camera device comprising:
a frame body comprising an accommodating space;
a circuit component comprising a circuit board and a coil, wherein the coil is disposed on the circuit board and at one side of the frame body, the circuit board is disposed at the frame body;
a carrying component comprising a main body and a driving magnet, wherein the main body is movably disposed in the accommodating space, the driving magnet is disposed at one side of the main body, the driving magnet corresponds to the coil, and the driving magnet is configured to interact with the coil;
a magnetic sensing element and a sensing magnet, wherein one of the magnetic sensing element and the sensing magnet is disposed on the circuit board, and another one of the magnetic sensing element and the sensing magnet is disposed at one side of the main body; wherein the sensing magnet corresponds to the magnetic sensing element;
a magnetic conductive sheet disposed at the frame body, wherein the magnetic conductive sheet is disposed at one side of the driving magnet or/and the sensing magnet, the magnetic sensing element is configured to magnetically sense the sensing magnet to generate a specific signal, the specific signal comprises an angle between the sensing magnet and the magnetic sensing element or/and a position of the main body relative to the frame body;
a first lens component disposed at the main body of the first camera device; and
a second camera device comprising a second lens component, the first lens component corresponding to the second lens component, the first lens component being aligned with the second lens component along an axis, and the first lens component being movable relative to the second lens component along the axis.
1. A camera device, comprising:
a frame body comprising an accommodating space, a bottom plate and a side plate perpendicular to the bottom plate, wherein the accommodating space is formed between the bottom plate and the side plate;
a circuit component comprising a circuit board, a magnetic sensing element, and a coil, wherein the magnetic sensing element and the coil are disposed on the circuit board and at one side of the frame body, the circuit board is disposed at the frame body;
a carrying component comprising a main body, a driving magnet, and a sensing magnet, wherein the main body is movably disposed in the accommodating space, the sensing magnet and the driving magnet are disposed at one side of the main body, the sensing magnet corresponds to the magnetic sensing element, the driving magnet corresponds to the coil, wherein the driving magnet is disposed on a side surface of the main body close to the side plate: the sensing magnet is disposed on a side surface of the main body close to the bottom plate; and
a magnetic conductive sheet disposed at the frame body, wherein the magnetic conductive sheet is disposed at one side of the driving magnet or/and the sensing magnet, the magnetic sensing element is configured to magnetically sense the sensing magnet to generate a specific signal, the specific signal comprises an angle between the sensing magnet and the magnetic sensing element or/and a position of the main body relative to the frame body, wherein the magnetic conductive sheet is disposed on the bottom plate.
9. Along tuning range camera assembly, comprising:
a first camera device comprising a camera device according to claim 1 (see claim 1 above) and
a first lens component disposed at the main body of the first camera device; and
a second camera device comprising another camera device according to claim 1 and a second lens component disposed at the main body of the second camera device, the first lens component corresponding to the second lens component, the first lens component being aligned with the second lens component.
Claim 2 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 1.
Claim 7 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 1.
Claim 8 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 5.
Claim 9 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 6.
Claim 10 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 7.
Claim 11 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 8.
Claim 13 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 11.
Claim 15 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 14.
Claim 16 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 15.
Claim 17 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 16.
Claim 19 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 15.
Claim 20 of the instant application is encompassed by patent claim 16.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2018/0329170 to Huang et al. discloses a moving-coil closed-loop auto-focusing module with low magnetic interference includes an upper cover, a base frame, a lens module, an elastic module, at least one coil, at least one pair of two opposing driving magnets, an external circuit and at least one sensor magnet. The coil surrounds the lens module. The two driving magnets are located individually at respective lateral sides of the base frame in correspondence with the coil. The external circuit located under the base frame includes an image-sensing element and at least one sensor. The sensor magnet is mounted peripherally to the lens module, and has magnetic lines parallel to the optical image-capturing axis, such that a magnetizing surface of the sensor magnet can face downward to align the sensor on the external circuit. Thereupon, the lens module can be controlled to displace along an optical image-capturing axis in a closed-loop manner.
US 2022/0247298 to JING discloses a damping spring, a voice coil motor equipped with damping springs, and a camera device. The damping spring includes a movable end connected to a rotor in a voice coil motor and a fixed end connected to a fixed part in the voice coil motor. A linear spring portion is disposed between the movable end and the fixed end, and the spring portion is provided with a plurality of damping structures bent in a serpentine shape. A further configuration of the present invention is: magnetic conductive sheets respectively corresponding to the coils are disposed on the outer wall of the base.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2, 7-11, 13 and 15-20 contain subject matter not taught by the prior art, but cannot be considered allowable until the double patenting rejections above are overcome.
Claims 3-6, 12 and 14 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 ANGEL L GARCES-RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)270-7268. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM ET.
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, Sinh Tran can be reached at 571-727-7564. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANGEL L GARCES-RIVERA/ Examiner, Art Unit 2637
/Timothy J Henn/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639
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