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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 2 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 2 requires that “each of the second pixels comprises: a sensor; and a switch electrically connected to an associated one of the data lines and electrically disconnected from the sensor. However, parent claim 1 expressly requires that each of the second pixels does not include a sensor. The requirements of claim 2 are not compatible with those of claim 1 and the claim is indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (US 2014/0014818 A1) in view of Oka (US 2021/0409680 A1).
Claim 1, Cho teaches a detector (image sensor 30; Fig. 4A), comprising:
a plurality of first pixels, each first pixel configured to convert radiation into an electrical signal (active pixels; paragraph 0035);
a plurality of second pixels (dark pixels; paragraph 0035);
a plurality of data lines coupled to the first pixels and the second pixels (column line COL for each column of pixel blocks; paragraph 0094 and Fig. 7); and
control logic configured to combine a signal from one of the second pixels with an electrical signal from one of the first pixels (data from dark pixels are used in combination with data from active pixels to generate compensated data; paragraph 0067 and Fig. 4C);
but is silent regarding
wherein electrical connections of each of the second pixels are different from electrical connections of the first pixels such that for each of the second pixels a number of switches and a number of electrical connections to the second pixel are the same as each of the first pixels and the second pixel does not include a sensor.
Oka teaches wherein electrical connections of each of the second pixels are different from electrical connections of the first pixels (see normal pixel P1 of Fig. 2 and dummy pixel P3A; Figs. 2 and 3A, respectively) such that for each of the second pixels a number of switches and a number of electrical connections to the second pixel are the same as each of the first pixels (see normal pixel P1 of Fig. 2 and dummy pixel P3A; Figs. 2 and 3A, respectively) and the second pixel does not include a sensor (dummy pixel P3A does not include a photodiode; see paragraph 0082 and Fig. 3A).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Oka with that of Cho in order to reduce a noise component of a pixel (see paragraph 0152 of Oka).
Claim 2, Cho further teaches the detector of claim 1, wherein:
each of the first pixels (active pixel 70A) comprises:
a sensor (photodiode PD; Fig. 7A); and
a switch electrically connected between the sensor and an associated one of the data lines (select transistor SX between photodiode PD and column line COL; paragraph 0090 and Fig. 7A); and
each of the second pixels (see embodiment of Fig. 6B) comprises:
a sensor (photodiode PD60B; Fig. 6B); and
a switch electrically connected to an associated one of the data lines and electrically disconnected from the sensor (drive transistor DX60B inherently connected to a column line to be readable, not shown, and disconnected from the sensor; see Fig. 6B).
Claim 3, Cho further teaches the detector of claim 1, wherein:
each of the first pixels (active pixel 70A) comprises:
a sensor (photodiode PD; Fig. 7A); and
a switch electrically connected between the sensor and an associated one of the data lines (select transistor SX between photodiode PD and column line COL; paragraph 0090 and Fig. 7A); and
each of the second pixels does not include a sensor (see embodiment of Fig. 6C and paragraph 0085).
Oka teaches wherein each of the second pixels does not include a sensor (dummy pixel P3A does not include a photodiode; see paragraph 0082 and Fig. 3A).
Claim 5, Cho further teaches wherein:
the first pixels and the second pixels are disposed in rows and columns of an array (see Fig. 1); and
each row of the array includes at least one of the first pixels and at least one of the second pixels (see column OB pixel blocks 12a, 12b; Fig. 1 and paragraph 0036).
Claim 6, Cho further teaches wherein:
at least one group of the second pixels form one of the columns of the array (see column OB pixel blocks 12a, 12b; Fig. 1 and paragraph 0036).
Claim 7, Cho further teaches wherein:
the second pixels are disposed in multiple groups (see groups of column OB pixel blocks 12a, 12b; Fig. 1 and paragraph 0036); and
each group of the second pixels forms a corresponding one of the columns of the array (see column OB pixel blocks 12a, 12b; Fig. 1 and paragraph 0036).
Claim 8, Cho further teaches wherein:
each second pixel of a row of the array is offset along the row of the array from at least one second pixel in another row of the array (see embodiment of Fig. 2B wherein dark pixels are offset between rows).
Claim 9, Cho further teaches wherein:
the second pixels have a substantially uniform density across the array (see embodiment of Fig. 2A wherein one dark pixel is distributed for each unit pixel block throughout the entire pixel array).
Claim 10, Cho further teaches wherein:
the data lines comprise first data lines and a second data line (see COL lines; Figs. 7 and 10);
the first data lines are coupled to the first pixels (see Fig. 7);
the second data line is coupled to the second pixels
the second data line is disposed in parallel with and along a corresponding one of the first data lines (see arrangement of the array of active and dark pixels in Fig. 2A); and
the control logic is configured to adjust electrical signals from the first pixels based on electrical signals received through the second data line (compensation circuit 36 estimates dark current from dark pixels and performs compensation of dark current on each active pixel; paragraph 0101).
Claim 11, Cho further teaches wherein:
the control logic is configured to combine the electrical signal from one of the first pixels with a signal based on interpolating signals from at least two of the second pixels (multiple dark pixels are used to interpolate the dark current estimation used to produce compensated image data; see paragraph 0097-0101 and Figs. 4C and 9).
Claim 12, Cho further teaches wherein:
the first pixels and the second pixels are disposed in rows and columns of an array (see Fig. 1);
each row of the array includes more than one of the first pixels and more than one of the second pixels (see active pixels 11b and column OB pixel blocks 12a, 12b; Fig. 1 and paragraph 0036); and
for each first pixel of a row, the control logic is configured to combine the electrical signal from the first pixel with a combination of electrical signals from at least two of the second pixels of the row (dark current compensation is calculated for each active pixel; paragraph 0067. Dark current compensation is performed by interpolating multiple dark pixels; paragraph 0096-0099).
Claim 13, Cho further teaches wherein:
each of the second pixels has electrical connections to reduce the electrical signal due to radiation conversion relative to a neighboring one of the first pixels on one of the data lines coupled to the respective second pixel (see Fig. 6A wherein each dark pixel comprises a transfer transistor TX60A connected to ground, such that the photocharge cannot be transferred to sensing node SN1; paragraph 0083, 0087).
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (US 2014/0014818 A1) in view of Oka (US 2021/0409680 A1), and further in view of Mori (US 2014/0252241 A1).
Claim 14, Cho in view of Oka teaches the detector of claim 1, but does not expressly teach wherein:
data lines coupled to the second pixels are not coupled to the first pixels.
Mori teaches first pixels (pixels of photodetecting section 10; Fig. 2 and paragraph 0052) and second pixels (pixels of dummy photodetecting section 11; Fig. 2 and paragraph 0053), wherein data lines coupled to the second pixels are not coupled to the first pixels (column wiring Lbias is coupled to dummy photodiodes but are not coupled to the sensing pixels P of the photodetecting section, see Figs. 2 and 3).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Mori with that of Cho and Oka in order to suppress noise charges entering into the photodetection section to reduce overall noise of the generated image (see paragraph 0010 of Mori).
Claim 15, Mori further teaches wherein:
for each of the data lines coupled to the second pixels, a number of second pixels coupled to that data line is less than a number of first pixels coupled to an associated data line that is coupled to first pixels (see embodiment of Fig. 7, wherein only one dummy pixel portion is provided for a row, and the array of photosensitive regions is M x N, wherein M and N are integers not less than 2; paragraph 0059, 0105).
Claim(s) 16, 17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi (US 2022/0247950 A1) in view of Goto (US 2013/0015328 A1).
Claim 16, Takahashi teaches a method comprising:
receiving a plurality of first signals from first pixels (signals from imaging pixels 201-1; paragraph 0096) configured to convert radiation into electrical signals through a first set of data lines (image signals are output to column line 701-1, 701-2; paragraph 0100 and Fig. 8);
receiving a second signal through a data line of a second set of data lines (column lines 701-3, 701-4 for outputting optical black pixels; see Fig. 8) other than the first set of data lines (column line 701-4 receives an output from optical black pixels 201-3; paragraph 0102 and Fig. 8), and
combining the at least one second signal with the first signals to generate modified first signals (signals from black pixels 201-3 are used to correct black level of the imaging pixels; see paragraph 0103 and correction table of Fig. 14).
Takahashi is silent regarding wherein the data line of the second set of data lines is:
not coupled to any pixels; or
is coupled to a second pixel with electrical connections that are different from electrical connections of the first pixels such that for the second pixel:
a switch of the second pixel is not connected to a sensor of the second pixel; or
a number of electrical connections to the second pixel is different from a number of electrical connections to each of the first pixels.
Goto teaches wherein a data line of a second set of data lines is:
not coupled to any pixels; or
is coupled to a second pixel with electrical connections that are different from electrical connections of the first pixels (circuit 11 having different electrical connections of circuit 11’ of Figs. 7 and 8, respectively) such that for the second pixel:
a switch of the second pixel is not connected to a sensor of the second pixel (transistor 11e of readout circuit 11’ of OB pixel of Fig. 8 is not connected to the sensor of dummy photoelectric conversion element P’ of OB pixel; see Fig. 2); or
a number of electrical connections to the second pixel is different from a number of electrical connections to each of the first pixels.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Goto with that of Takahashi in order to improve image quality (see paragraph 0108 of Goto).
Claim 17, Takahashi further teaches wherein:
the data line of the second set of data lines is a first data line (column line 701-3); and
for at least one row of an array including the first pixels, the first data line of the second set of data lines is different from a second data line of the second set of data lines 3of another row (see rows and corresponding column lines 701-1 to 701-4 of Fig. 8).
Claim 19, Takahashi teaches a detector, comprising:
control logic for receiving first signals from first pixels (signals from imaging pixels 201-1; paragraph 0096) configured to convert radiation into electrical signals through a first set of data lines (image signals are output to column line 701-1, 701-2; paragraph 0100 and Fig. 8);
the control logic further for receiving a second signal through a data line of a second set of the plurality of data lines other than the first set of the data lines (column lines 701-3, 701-4 for outputting optical black pixels; see Fig. 8),
the control logic further for combining the second signal with the first signals to generate modified first signals (signals from black pixels 201-3 are used to correct black level of the imaging pixels; paragraph 0103 and correction table of Fig. 14).
Takahashi is silent regarding wherein the at least one data line of the second set is:
not coupled to any pixels; or
coupled to a second pixel with electrical connections that are different from electrical connections of the first pixels such that for the second pixel:
a number of switches of and a number of electrical connections to the second pixel are the same as each of the first pixels and a switch of the second pixel is disconnected from a sensor of the second pixel; or
a plurality of gate lines is associated with the first pixels such that a transistor of each of the first pixels is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the gate lines and a corresponding transistor of the second pixel is disconnected from any gate line.
Goto teaches wherein a data line of a second set of data lines is:
not coupled to any pixels; or
coupled to a second pixel with electrical connections that are different from electrical connections of the first pixels (circuit 11 having different electrical connections of circuit 11’ of Figs. 7 and 8, respectively) such that for the second pixel:
a number of switches of and a number of electrical connections to the second pixel are the same as each of the first pixels (see Figs. 7 and 8) and a switch of the second pixel is disconnected from a sensor of the second pixel (transistor 11e of readout circuit 11’ of OB pixel of Fig. 8 is not connected to the sensor of dummy photoelectric conversion element P’ of OB pixel; see Fig. 2); or
a plurality of gate lines is associated with the first pixels such that a transistor of each of the first pixels is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the gate lines and a corresponding transistor of the second pixel is disconnected from any gate line.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Goto with that of Takahashi in order to improve image quality (see paragraph 0108 of Goto).
Claim(s) 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi (US 2022/0247950 A1) in view of Goto (US 2013/0015328 A1), and further in view of Cho (US 2014/0014818 A1).
Claim 18, Takahashi in view of Goto teaches the method of claim 16, but is silent regarding wherein combining the second signal with the first signals to generate the modified first signals comprises:
interpolating multiple second signals to generate an interpolated second signal for each of the first signals; and
combining each of the first signals with a corresponding interpolated second signal.
Cho teaches wherein combining the second signal with the first signals to generate the modified first signals comprises:
interpolating multiple second signals to generate an interpolated second signal for each of the first signals; and
combining each of the first signals with a corresponding interpolated second signal (multiple dark pixels are used to interpolate the dark current estimation used to produce compensated image data; see paragraph 0097-0101 and Figs. 4C and 9).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Cho with that of Takahashi and Goto in order to perform compensation of both global dark current and local dark current, thereby increasing the picture quality of an image (see paragraph 0127 of Cho).
Claim 20, Takahashi in view of Goto teaches the detector of claim 19, but is silent regarding wherein the control logic is further configured for:
interpolating multiple second signals to generate an interpolated second signal for each of the first signals; and
combining each first signal with a corresponding interpolated second signal.
Cho teaches wherein the means for combining the at least one second signal with the first signals to generate the modified first signals comprises:
interpolating multiple second signals to generate an interpolated second signal for each of the first signals; and
combining each first signal with a corresponding interpolated second signal (multiple dark pixels are used to interpolate the dark current estimation used to produce compensated image data; see paragraph 0097-0101 and Figs. 4C and 9).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Cho with that of Takahashi and Goto in order to perform compensation of both global dark current and local dark current, thereby increasing the picture quality of an image (see paragraph 0127 of Cho).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 attached.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHIAWEI A CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1707. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 12:00pm - 9:00pm EST.
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/CHIAWEI CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2637