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 § 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) 1-3, 5-9, 11-13 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawahito (WO 2022/019307).
Regarding claim 1, Kawahito shows in Fig. 1 the following elements of applicant’s claim: an element region (30) including a first semiconductor region (34) of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region (33) of a second conductivity type; a light concentrator (10) separated from the element region in a first direction, the light concentrator being configured to concentrate light incident on the light concentrator (Fig.1); a structure part (52) arranged with the element region in a direction crossing the first direction, the structure part having a different refractive index from the element region (paragraph 43); and a light-shielding part (50, 50B) located between the element region and the light concentrator (Fig.1), the light-shielding part including an opening (50B1), at least a portion of the light incident on the element region by passing through the opening (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 2, the limitations therein are shown in Fig.1 of Kawahito.
Regarding claim 3, the limitations therein are shown in Figs.1 and 7 of Kawahito.
Regarding claim 5, Kawahito discloses the recited outer perimeter region (Fig.1; a portion 32 arranged the outside of a structure part 52).
Regarding claim 6, the limitation therein is shown in Fig.1 of Kawahito (a portion of a reflective layer having a boundary opening 50B2).
Regarding claim 7, the limitation therein is shown in Fig.1 of Kawahito (a portion of a reflective layer having an incident opening 50B1).
Regarding claim 8, the limitations therein are shown in Fig.1 of Kawahito (50B, 50B1, 50B2).
Regarding claim 9, the limitations therein are shown in Fig.1 of Kawahito (50B, 51B, 33).
Regarding claim 11, the limitations therein are shown in Figs.1 and 28 of Kawahito.
Regarding claim 12, the limitations therein are shown in Fig.15 of Kawahito (40A, 34, 43p, 50B, 50, 52A).
Regarding claim 13, the limitations therein are shown in Fig.1 of Kawahito (40, 34, 50B, 50).
Regarding claim 17, Kawahito et al discloses that its device measures the distance by calculating the flight time (paragraph 61).
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, 10, 14-16 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawahito (WO 2022/019307).
Regarding claim 4, Kawahito disclose (Fig.1) that a focal point in the peripheral portion of the lens (10) is on the incident opening portion (50B) and feature of adjusting a focus on the opening of the light shielding portion by the lens. The specific scheme utilized to determine a thickness of the spacer (20) would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of setting a distance from the lens to the light shielding portion within the range of the depth of focus.
Regarding 10 and 14-16, the specific size of an opening and the specific photoelectric conversion elements utilized would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of meeting different design requirements and achieving the particular desired performance.
Regarding claims 18-20, the specific application of the Kawahito’s device would have been an obvious design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art merely depending on the needs of particular applications.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Roy et al (US 10,192,917) is cited for disclosing a photosensor comprising a semiconductor substrate, an isolation structure and a lens. Egawa (US 2013/0182155) is cited for disclosing a solid state imaging device.
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/KEVIN K PYO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878