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 § 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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomura et al. (United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/0298846 A1, hereinafter “Nomura”) in view of Nam et al. (United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2015/0364521 A1, hereinafter “Nam”) and further in view of Inuiya (United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2007/0202696 A1, hereinafter “Inuiya”).
In reference to claim 1, Nomura discloses a similar device. Figures 1A and 1B in conjunction with figure 2 of Nomura disclose a solid-state image sensor (p. 17, paragraph 130) which comprises a first photoelectric conversion module that includes a first upper electrode (15), a first lower electrode (11), a first photoelectric conversion unit (12) between the first upper electrode (15) and the first lower electrode (11). The first photoelectric conversion unit (12) is configured to execute photoelectric conversion on light in a first wavelength range of incident light incident on the solid-state image sensor. A first spectral correction unit (16A) is between the first photoelectric conversion unit (12) and the first lower electrode (11). The first spectral correction unit (16A) is configured to block carrier injection (p. 16, paragraph 113) from the first lower electrode (11) to the first photoelectric conversion unit (12). The first spectral correction unit (16A) has a light absorption peak in a specific wavelength range (p. 8-9, paragraph 81). Nomura does not disclose implementing a second photoelectric conversion unit configured to execute second photoelectric conversion on the light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through the first photoelectric conversion module such that the second wavelength range is different from the first wavelength range. However fig. 1 and 3-12 of Nam disclose using a second photoelectric conversion unit (110) configured to execute second photoelectric conversion on the light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through a first photoelectric conversion module (140) with the second wavelength range being different from the first wavelength range (p. 4, paragraph 54). Nam discloses that stacking photoelectric conversion/light sensing layers improves the resolution and sensitivity of the device (p. 4, paragraph 54). Inuiya discloses that an imaging device with a high resolution and high sensitivity are known goals in the art (p. 1, paragraph 7). In view of Nam and Inuiya, it would therefore be obvious to implement a second photoelectric conversion unit configured to execute second photoelectric conversion on the light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through the first photoelectric conversion module disclosed by Nomura such that the second wavelength range is different from the first wavelength range.
With regard to claim 2, Nomura discloses that the first spectral correction unit (16A) comprises an organic material (p. 9-11, paragraphs 85-105, p. 11-15, Tables 3-5).
In reference to claim 4, Nomura discloses that the first spectral correction unit (16A) is made of a hole transporting material (p. 9, paragraph 85) and is thus is configured to extract a hole from the first photoelectric conversion unit (12).
With regard to claim 5, Nomura discloses that the first spectral correction unit (16A) is configured to block electron injection (p. 16, paragraph 113) from the first lower electrode (11) to the first photoelectric conversion unit (12).
In reference to claim 11, Nomura discloses a similar device. Figures 1A and 1B in conjunction with figure 2 of Nomura disclose an electronic apparatus with a solid-state image sensor (p. 17, paragraph 130) that includes a photoelectric conversion module that includes an upper electrode (15), a lower electrode (11), a first photoelectric conversion unit (12) between the upper electrode (15) and the lower electrode (11). The first photoelectric conversion unit (12) is configured to execute photoelectric conversion on light in a first wavelength range of incident light incident on the solid-state image sensor. A spectral correction unit (16A) is between the first photoelectric conversion unit (12) and the lower electrode (11). The spectral correction unit (16A) is configured to block carrier injection (p. 16, paragraph 113) from the lower electrode (11) to the first photoelectric conversion unit (12). Nomura discloses that image sensors detect visible light (p. 1, paragraph 5). Furthermore Nomura discloses that the spectral correction unit (16A) blocks wavelengths shorter than visible light (p. 8-9, paragraph 81) and thus the spectral correction unit (16A) has a light absorption peak in a specific wavelength range (p. 8-9, paragraph 81). Nomura does not disclose implementing a second photoelectric conversion unit configured to execute second photoelectric conversion on the light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through the first photoelectric conversion module such that the second wavelength range is different from the first wavelength range. However fig. 1 and 3-12 of Nam disclose using a second photoelectric conversion unit (110) configured to execute second photoelectric conversion on the light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through a first photoelectric conversion module (140) with the second wavelength range being different from the first wavelength range (p. 4, paragraph 54). Nam discloses that stacking photoelectric conversion/light sensing layers improves the resolution and sensitivity of the device (p. 4, paragraph 54). Inuiya discloses that an imaging device with a high resolution and high sensitivity are known goals in the art (p. 1, paragraph 7). In view of Nam and Inuiya, it would therefore be obvious to implement a second photoelectric conversion unit configured to execute second photoelectric conversion on the light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through the first photoelectric conversion module disclosed by Nomura such that the second wavelength range is different from the first wavelength range.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: in the examiner’s opinion, it would not be obvious to implement a solid-state image sensor which comprises a first photoelectric conversion module that includes a first photoelectric conversion unit between a first upper electrode and a first lower electrode, such that the first photoelectric conversion unit is configured to execute photoelectric conversion on light in a first wavelength range of incident light incident on the solid-state image sensor, a first spectral correction unit between the first photoelectric conversion unit and the first lower electrode, such that the first spectral correction unit is configured to at least extract a carrier from the first photoelectric conversion unit or block electron injection from the first lower electrode to the first photoelectric conversion unit, with the first spectral correction unit having a light absorption peak in a specific wavelength range, and the first spectral correction unit has a light absorption peak in a specific wavelength range, a second photoelectric conversion unit configured to execute photoelectric conversion on light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through the first photoelectric conversion module, such that the second wavelength range is different from the first wavelength range in combination with the specific third photoelectric conversion unit structure as explicitly described by the applicant in claims 6 and 10.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 17, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant has amended claims 1 and 11 to include a limitation which states that, ”a second photoelectric conversion unit configured to execute second photoelectric conversion on the light in a second wavelength range of the incident light that has passed through the first photoelectric conversion module, wherein the second wavelength range is different from the first wavelength range.” However as noted in the above Office action, this new limitation has been found to be obvious in view of Nomura and the newly cited Nam and Inuiya references. Fig. 1 and 3-12 of Nam specifically discloses stacking photoelectric conversion devices with different wavelength sensitivity for improved resolution and sensitivity (p. 4, paragraph 54) while Inuiya discloses that high resolution and high sensitivity are known goals in the art (p. 1, paragraph 7). Therefore claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 11 stand rejected in the above Office action.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/KEVIN QUINTO/Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/Britt Hanley/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893