UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
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`15/520,090
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`04/19/2017
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`Tetsuya IDA
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`57477
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`1655
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`08/27/2018 —PEARNE & GORDON LLP m
`7590
`52054
`1801 EAST 9TH STREET
`VU’ NGOC YEN T
`S UITE 1 200
`CLEVELAND, OH 441 14-3 108
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`2663
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`08/27/2018
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
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`patdocket @ pearne.c0m
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`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 15/520,090 IDA, TETSUYA
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`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Office Action Summary
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`Ngoc-Yen Vu $22” 2663
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`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136( a).
`after SIX () MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
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`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).
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`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
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`Status
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`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 04/19/17.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|Z| This action is non-final.
`2a)|:I This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)IZI CIaim(s)1;8is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`is/are allowed.
`6)I:I Claim(s)
`7)|Z| CIaim(s)_1-8is/are rejected.
`8)|:I Claim(s)_ is/are objected to.
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)I:I Claim((s)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`hit
`:/'/\W¢W.LISI>I‘.0. ovI’ atentS/init events/
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`
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`iindex.‘s or send an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
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`Application Papers
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`10)IZI The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Xl The drawing(s) filed on 04/19/17is/are: a)lX| accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
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`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
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`12)IXI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a)IZl All
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`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
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`1.IXI Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`
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`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`4) I:I Other'
`2) E InformatIon DIsclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
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`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20180729
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/520,090
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2663
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`1.
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`Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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`Priority
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`Information Disclosure Statement
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`2.
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`The information disclosure statements (IDS), submitted on 04/19/17, 02/13/18 and
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`05/09/18, have been entered and made of record. The submission is in compliance with the
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`provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being
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`considered by the examiner.
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`Specification
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`3.
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`The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly
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`indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`4.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 USC.
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`102 and 103 (or as subject to pre—AIA 35 USC. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the
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`statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art
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`relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/520,090
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2663
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness
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`rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`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.
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`5.
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`Claims 1—7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishikura et al.
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`(US 7,150,633) in View of Bae (US 2013/0321696).
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`Re Claim 1, Ishikura discloses a photographing device (Fig. 1—2), comprising:
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`a circuit board (120) (col. 6:32—36, 41—44);
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`a connector (136) (col. 6:63—col. 7:12);
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`a solid—state image sensing device (122) disposed on an upper surface of the circuit board
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`(120) (col. 6:32-44);
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`a lens (133a) disposed above and spaced from the solid—state image sensing device (col.
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`6:55—59. Ishikura teaches an image pickup window 133a. Official Notice is hereby taken that it is
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`well known in the art to include a lens at an image pickup window in order to direct lights onto
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`the image sensor 122. See Fig. 4 in Bae. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of
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`ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to include a lens in the
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`image pickup window 133a in order to direct lights onto the image sensor);
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`an electric wire (142) for transmitting, from the circuit board (120) to the connector
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`(136), an electric signal output from the solid—state image sensing device (col. 7: 13—41);
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`a holding member (132) to enclose a region including and surrounding the circuit board
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`(120), and a region including and surrounding the electric wire (142) and the connector (136)
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`(col. 6:45—61); wherein the electric wire is an elastic conductor (col. 7:13—41).
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`Application/Control Number: 15/520,090
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2663
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`Ishikura fails to teach a lens barrel disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board and
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`that holds the lens therein. Ishikura also fails to teach the holding member is a holding member
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`injection molded to enclose a region including and surrounding the lens barrel. The limitations
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`are well known in the art as taught in Bae. In the same field of endeavor, Bae teaches a camera
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`integrated with a connector for a vehicle (Figs. 4—6) comprising an image pickup lens unit
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`(122a), a lens barrel (122) disposed on an upper surface of a sensor substrate (124) and a power
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`substrate (126) (‘][32). Bae also teaches a holding member injection molded (110) to enclose a
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`region including and surrounding the lens barrel (‘][26—28, 40—42). In light of the teaching in Bae,
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`it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed
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`invention to modify Ishikura by having a holding member injection molded to enclose a region
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`including and surrounding the lens barrel which is disposed on the upper surface of the image
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`sensor and that holds the lens. The modification would provide a one—piece holding member that
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`is formed through injection molding in order to prevent moisture or foreign materials from
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`entering into the camera module while providing a water—proof integrated camera module.
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`Re Claim 2, Ishikura in view of Bae teaches the photographing device according to claim
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`1, wherein the circuit board has a first electrode terminal on a side surface thereof, and wherein a
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`first end of the electric wire is connected to the first electrode terminal (Ishikura teaches the
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`circuit board 120 has the image pickup element 122 and the interior connector 124 mounted
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`thereon. Ishikura further teaches the interior connector 124 has a connector terminal which
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`supplies power to the circuit board or transmits/receives signals to and from the circuit board.
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`Ishikura teaches the connector 124 includes a plurality of terminals where a first end of the wires
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`142 are connected (col. 6:36—38). Ishikura teaches the interior connector 124 can be connected
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`Application/Control Number: 15/520,090
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2663
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`the housing portion 136 Via the interior connector 141, wherein the housing portion 136 have a
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`plurality of terminals 144 — col. 6:32—col. 7:41).
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`Re Claim 3, lshikura in View of Bae teaches the photographing device according to claim
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`1, wherein the connector has a second electrode terminal on a side surface thereof; and wherein a
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`second end of the electric wire is connected to the second electrode terminal (lshikura teaches
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`the circuit board 120 has the image pickup element 122 and the interior connector 124 mounted
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`thereon. lshikura further teaches the interior connector 124 has a connector terminal which
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`supplies power to the circuit board or transmits/receives signals to and from the circuit board.
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`Ishikura teaches the connector 124 includes a plurality of terminals where a first end of the wires
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`142 are connected (col. 6:36—38). Ishikura teaches the interior connector 124 can be connected
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`the housing portion 136 Via the interior connector 141, wherein the housing portion 136 have a
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`plurality of terminals 144 — col. 6:32—col. 7:41).
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`Re Claim 4, lshikura in View of Bae teaches the photographing deVice according to claim
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`1, wherein the electric wire (142) is in a non—linear shape (lshikura, Fig. 1).
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`Re Claim 5, lshikura in View of Bae teaches the photographing deVice according to claim
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`4, wherein the non—linear shape is a bent shape (lshikura, Fig. 1).
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`Re Claim 6, lshikura in View of Bae teaches the photographing deVice according to claim
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`4, wherein the non—linear shape is a curved shape (lshikura, Fig. 1).
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`Re Claim 7, lshikura in View of Bae teaches the photographing deVice according to claim
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`1, wherein the electric wire (142) is in a linear shape (wiring 142 has a diameter of 0.15 mmZ;
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`col. 8:4—5).
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`Application/Control Number: 15/520,090
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2663
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`7.
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`Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishikura et al. (US
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`7,150,633) in view of Bae (US 2013/0321696), and further in view of Kobayakawa (US
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`6,794,736).
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`Re Claim 8, Ishikura in view of Bae fails to teach wherein the electric wire has a non—
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`uniform line width. The limitation is well known in the art as taught in Kobayakawa. In the same
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`field of endeavor, Kobayakawa teaches a semiconductor device (1) (Figs. lA—lC) having
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`conductors (2A, 2B/2B’) with non—uniform width (thicker portions 21a/21b, thinner portions
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`22a/22b) (col. 3:46—col. 4:58). In light of the teaching in Bae, it would have been obvious to one
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`of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ishikura in
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`view of Bae by having the non—uniform line width electric wires. The modification would
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`provide large resistance which prevents the connector (136) from being pulled out (Kobayakawa,
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`col. 4:52—55).
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`Contact Information
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to Ngoc—Yen Vu whose telephone number is (571) 272—7320. The
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`examiner can normally be reached on Mon. — Fri. from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in—person, and video conferencing using
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`a USPTO supplied web—based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is
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`encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at
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`http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/520,090
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2663
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Twyler Haskins can be reached on 571—272—7406. The faX phone number for the
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`organization Where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571—273—8300.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
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`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications
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`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR
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`system, see http://pair—direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR
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`system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866—217—9197 (toll—free). If you would
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`WMym Vu/
`Prmy 1,"an Art'llmfi'2663
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`