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 .
Election/Restrictions & Claims’ Status
Applicant's election with traverse of Species 2 (Claims 1-9 and 11-20) in the reply filed on 3/11/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal arguments are found persuasive, and therefore the restriction requirement filed 2/2/2026 has been withdrawn, Species 1 is hereby rejoined with Species 2, and Claim 10 will be examined on the merits.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and being examined. Claims 1, 3-12, and 14-20 have been amended. No claims have been added or cancelled.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 7/11/2023 and 2/26/2026. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3-4, 6, 14, and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re Claims 1, 14, and 20, all of said clams make reference to “an outside” in their line 2, which would read more clearly as just “outside” or “outside of the image sensor module”.
Re Claims 3-4 and 6, all of said claims make reference to a “circumference of the opening” as a structural element, which is unclear due to circumference being a type of measurement. These claims would read clearly if “circumference of the opening” was instead “edge of the opening”.
Re Claim 4, reference is made to “the circumference of the opening of the cover” in line 2, where it is unclear if said line is referring to the previously established “a circumference of the opening” in line 6 of Claim 3 or a separate “circumference of the opening”, specifically within “the cover”. For clarity, “the circumference of the opening of the cover” in line 2 of Claim 4 should be simply “the circumference of the opening” or “a circumference of the opening of the cover”.
Similarly, in Claim 6 lines 2-3, reference is made to “the circumference opening of the cover”, which should read “the circumference of the opening” or “the circumference of the opening of the cover” for clarity (following whatever syntax was chosen for Claim 4).
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Webster et al (US 2008/0203512 A1, hereafter Webster) in view of Jan (US 2014/0035078 A1).
Re Claim 1, Webster discloses an image sensor module (FIG. 1; [0023]-[0026]), comprising:
an image sensor chip (34; [0023]) configured to convert light collected from an outside into an electrical signal ([0023]);
a substrate (32; [0023]) on which the image sensor chip (34) is installed ([0023]);
a bonding wire (36; [0023]) electrically connecting the image sensor chip (34) and the substrate (32; [0023]);
an encapsulant (3262; [0032]) for encapsulating the bonding wire (36) by surrounding a side part of the image sensor chip (34; [0032]); and
a housing (20; [0023]) having a lower part (204; [0025]) spaced apart from the encapsulant (3262; [0025]), and an upper part (202; [0025]) having an opening (“hollow cylinder”; [0025]) through which an external light is incident to the image sensor chip (34; [0025]) and supported by the encapsulant (3262; [0025]).
Webster does not explicitly disclose a housing (20) bonded on the substrate (32).
However, Jan discloses an image sensor module (FIG. 4; [0034]) comprising a housing (203b; [0024]) bonded on the substrate (212, via 204b; [0032]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the limitations taught by Webster with the limitations taught by Jan to utilize an adhesion layer (Jan: 204b) in order to bond the housing (Webster: 20) to the substrate (Webster: 32) as taught by Jan ([0032]).
Re Claim 2, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 1, while Webster further teaches wherein a separation space (321, specifically between housing and encapsulant; [0026]) is defined between the housing (20) and the encapsulant (3262; [0026]).
Re Claim 3, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 1, while Webster further teaches wherein the housing (20) includes:
an exterior wall (204, portion left and right of 38; [0025]) bonded on the substrate (32, bonding taught by Jan, see Claim 1; [0025]), spaced apart from the encapsulant (3262) and surrounding the encapsulant (3262; [0025], top portion of encapsulant), and
a cover (204c, 202, see FIG. Z1 below; [0025]) that extends inward from the exterior wall (204, portion left and right of 38) to form the opening (“hollow cylinder”; [0025]),
wherein a circumference of the opening (204f and inner edge of 202, see FIG. Z1 below; [0025]) is supported by the encapsulant (3262; [0025]).
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FIG. Z1: Annotated version of FIG. 1 of Webster
Re Claim 4, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 3, while Webster further teaches wherein a lower surface of the circumference of the opening (204f and inner edge of 202) of the cover (204c, 202) is supported by an upper surface of the encapsulant (3262; [0025]).
Re Claim 5, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 3, while Webster further teaches the module comprises a lens holder (10; [0023]) having a plurality of lenses (12; [0024]) inside the lens holder (10; [0024]), the lens holder (10) coupled to the cover (204c, 202; [0025]).
Re Claim 6, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 5, while Webster further teaches wherein:
the lens holder (10) is attached to an upper surface of the circumference opening (204f and inner edge of 202) of the cover (204c, 202; [0025]), and
the cover (204c, 202) has a region (202, triangular sidewall portions; [0025]) which overlaps the lens holder (10) and the encapsulant (3262) in a vertical direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate (32; [0025]).
Re Claim 7, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 3, while Webster further teaches wherein:
the encapsulant (3262) includes a protruding portion (3262, portion above plane parallel with upper surface of 34; [0032]) protruded upward in a vertical direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate (32; [0032]);
and the cover (204c, 202) is attached over the protruding portion (3262, portion above plane parallel with upper surface of 34; [0032]).
Re Claim 10, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 1, while Webster further teaches wherein:
the image sensor chip (34) is attached to an upper surface of the substrate (32; [0023]), and
the encapsulant (3262) covers a portion of the upper surface of the substrate (32; [0032]), the portion being a peripheral region surrounding the image sensor chip (34; [0032]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Webster and Jan, as applied to Claim 1, further in view of Gu et al (US 2021/0074750 A1, hereafter Gu).
Re Claim 8, Webster and Jan teach the image sensor module according to Claim 1, while Webster further teaches wherein the module comprises an optical element (38; [0023]) positioned over the image sensor chip (34; [0023]) and attached to the encapsulant (3262; [0032]).
Webster and Jan do not explicitly disclose wherein the optical element (Webster: 38) is a filter.
However, Gu teaches an image sensor module (FIG. 1; [0039]-[0047]) wherein the optical element (370; [0047]) is a filter ([0047]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify module as discussed for Claim 1 with the limitations taught by Gu to have the optical element (Webster: 38) be a filter to specifically block infrared light from impacting the image sensor as taught by Gu ([0068]).
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Webster and Jan, as applied to Claim 1, further in view of Wu et al (US 2008/0105819 A1, hereafter Wu).
Re Claim 11, Webster and Jan do not explicitly disclose wherein the module further comprises:
a stiffener attached to a lower surface of the substrate (Webster: 32),
wherein the substrate (Webster: 32) includes a through-hole, and
wherein the image sensor chip (Webster: 34) is attached to an upper surface of the stiffener and is positioned within the through-hole.
However, Wu teaches an image sensor module (FIG. 2; [0025]-[0027]) comprising:
a stiffener (211; [0025]) attached to a lower surface of the substrate (213; [0025]),
wherein the substrate (213) includes a through-hole (space between 213 portions; [0025]), and
wherein the image sensor chip (212, see FIG. Z2 below; [0025]) is attached to an upper surface of the stiffener (210; [0025]) and is positioned within the through-hole (space between 213 portions; [0025]).
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Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify module as discussed for Claim 1 with the limitations taught by Wu to use a stiffener (Wu: 211) along with a through-hole (Wu: space between 213 portions) to create an alternative functionally equivalent substrate configuration (Webster: 32) for housing the image sensor chip (Webster: 34), such that it is still capable of converting external light into an electrical signal as taught by Wu ([0023]).
FIG. Z2: Annotated version of FIG. 2 of Wu
Re Claim 12, Webster, Jan, and Wu teach the image sensor module according to Claim 11, while Wu further teaches wherein the encapsulant (215, see FIG. Z2; [0022]) fills a gap in the through-hole (space between 213 portions) between the image sensor chip (212) and the substrate (213; [0026]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the module as discussed for Claim 11 with the limitations taught by Wu to fill the remaining gap in the through-hole (Wu: space between 213 portions) to support adhesion of contacted surfaces and to in-part package the image sensor chip (Webster: 34) as taught by Wu ([0022]).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Webster, Jan, and Wu, as applied to Claim 11, further in view of Song et al (US 2020/0366853 A1, hereafter Song).
Re Claim 12, Webster, Jan, and Wu teach the image sensor module according to Claim 11, but they do not explicitly disclose wherein the stiffener (Wu: 211) includes a ceramic or a metallic material.
However, Song teaches a image sensor module (FIG. 3F; [0059]-[0062]) comprising wherein the stiffener (15) includes a ceramic or a metallic material ([0061] for 15, and [0035] for pads/terminals).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the module as discussed for Claim 11 with the limitations taught by Song to use a ceramic or metallic material for the stiffener (Wu: 211) as a functionally equivalent material component to allow for both structural support and pass-through of electrical signals from the image sensor as taught by Song ([0035]).
Claims 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gu in view of Wu.
Re Claim 14, Gu discloses an image sensor module (FIG. 1; [0039]-[0047]), comprising:
an image sensor chip (310; [0047]) configured to convert light collected from an outside into an electrical signal ([0047]);
a substrate (330; [0044]) on which the image sensor chip (310) is installed ([0047]);
a bonding wire (W; [0053]) connecting a chip pad (311; [0053]) on an upper surface edge of the image sensor chip (310; [0053]) and a substrate pad (331; [0053]) on an upper surface of the substrate (330; [0053]);
a housing (110, 350, 390; [0040], [0044], [0058]) coupled to the substrate (330; [0040]-[0044]), surrounding the image sensor chip (310; [0058]), and having an opening (either between 110 portions or 350 portions; [0040]-[0044]) through which external light is incident to the image sensor chip (310; [0040]-[0044]);
an optical filter (370; [0047]) positioned over and spaced apart from the image sensor chip (310) in a vertical direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate (330; [0047]); and
an encapsulant (400; [0072]) to encapsulate the bonding wire (W, at least in part; [0072]), supporting an upper portion of the housing (110, everything at and vertically above overhang portion bonded to 350; [0072], supporting structurally) and being spaced apart from another portion of the housing (110, below overhang portion; [0072]) to define a separation space (space between 350 and 110; [0072]) with the housing (110, 350, 390; [0072]), the encapsulant (400) supporting the optical filter (370; [0072]).
Gu does not explicitly disclose an encapsulant (400) enclosing a side part of the image sensor chip (310).
However, Wu discloses an image sensor module (FIG. 2; [0025]-[0027]) comprising an encapsulant (215, see FIG. Z2; [0022]) enclosing a side part of the image sensor chip (212, see FIG. Z2; [0025]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the limitations taught by Gu with the limitations taught by Wu to expand the encapsulant (Gu: 400), such that it can provide effective packaging for the image sensor (Gu: 310) as taught by Wu ([0022]).
Re Claim 15, Gu and Wu teach the image sensor module according to Claim 14, while Gu further teaches the module further comprises a lens holder (210, 230; [0041]) having a plurality of lenses inside the lens holder (210, 230; [0041]), the lens holder (210, 230) coupled to the upper portion of the housing (110, everything at and vertically above overhang portion bonded to 350; [0043]).
Re Claim 16, Gu and Wu teach the image sensor module according to Claim 15, while Gu further teaches wherein:
a width of the housing (390 portion) is greater than a width of the lens holder (210 and 230 combined width; [0041]), and
a width of the encapsulant (400) is less than or equal to the width of the lens holder (210 and 230 combined width; [0041]),
the widths of the housing (390 portion), the lens holder (210 and 230 combined width), and the encapsulant (400) being measured in a horizontal direction parallel to the upper surface of the substrate (330; [0042], see FIG. 1).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Webster and Jan in view of Gu.
Re Claim 20, Webster discloses an image sensor module (FIG. 1; [0023]-[0026]), comprising:
an image sensor chip (34; [0023]) configured to convert light collected from an outside into an electrical signal ([0023]);
a substrate (32; [0023]) on which the image sensor chip (34) is installed ([0023]);
a bonding wire (36; [0023]) electrically connecting the image sensor chip (34) and the substrate (32; [0023]);
an encapsulant (3262; [0032]) enclosing a side part of the image sensor chip (34; [0032]) and encapsulating the bonding wire (36) while covering one or more regions of an upper surface of the substrate (32; [0032]);
an optical element (38; [0023]) positioned on the encapsulant (3262; [0032]) and spaced apart over the image sensor chip (34; [0032]) in a vertical direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate (32; [0032]);
a housing (20; [0023]) including:
an exterior wall (204, portion left and right of 38; [0025]) on the substrate (32; [0025]), the exterior wall (204, portion left and right of 38) spaced apart from and surrounding the encapsulant (3262; [0025], top portion of encapsulant), and
a cover (204c, 202, see FIG. Z1; [0025]) spaced apart over the substrate (32) in the vertical direction ([0025]), the cover (204c, 202) extending inward from the exterior wall (204, portion left and right of 38) in a horizontal direction parallel to the upper surface of the substrate (32; [0025]), the cover (204c, 202) having an opening (“hollow cylinder”; [0025]) through which an external light is incident to the image sensor chip (34; [0025]), and being supported by an upper surface of the encapsulant (3262; [0032]); and
a lens holder (10; [0023]) having a plurality of lenses (12; [0024]) and coupled to the cover (204c, 202; [0025]), the lens holder (10) having a width (any width) in the horizontal direction greater than or equal to a width of the encapsulant (3262, specifically the topmost width) in the horizontal direction ([0025]).
Webster does not explicitly disclose:
the optical element (38) is a filter;
a housing (20) including an exterior wall (204, portion left and right of 38) bonded to the substrate (32).
However, Gu teaches an image sensor module (FIG. 1; [0039]-[0047]) wherein the optical element (370; [0047]) is a filter ([0047]).
Additionally, Jan discloses an image sensor module (FIG. 4; [0034]) comprising a housing (203b; [0024]) bonded on the substrate (212, via 204b; [0032]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the limitations taught by Webster with the limitations taught by Gu to have the optical element (Webster: 38) be a filter to specifically block infrared light from impacting the image sensor as taught by Gu ([0068]).
It would also have been obvious to modify the limitations taught by Webster and Gu with the limitations taught by Jan to utilize an adhesion layer (Jan: 204b) in order to bond the housing (Webster: 20) to the substrate (Webster: 32) as taught by Jan ([0032]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 17-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable (assuming outstanding objection issue for Claim 1 was addressed) 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:
Re Claim 9, the prior art cannot anticipate, or render obvious, the limitations of: wherein the encapsulant includes a concave step part on an upper part of the encapsulant, in combination with the additionally claimed features of Claim 9.
Re Claim 17, the prior art cannot anticipate, or render obvious, the limitations of: the image sensor chip is attached to an upper surface of the stiffener, in combination with the additionally claimed features of Claim 17.
Re Claim 19, the prior art cannot anticipate, or render obvious, the limitations of: a protruding portion protruded upward in the vertical direction to support the upper part of the housing, in combination with the additionally claimed features of Claim 19.
In Re Claim 18, it is objected to due to its dependence from Claim 17.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COLIN RUSSELL MCCUTCHEON whose telephone number is (703)756-1897. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 12:30-9:30 EST.
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/COLIN RUSSELL MCCUTCHEON/Examiner, Art Unit 2892
/NORMAN D RICHARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2892
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