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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Should applicant desire to obtain the benefit of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) prior to declaration of an interference, a certified English translation of the foreign application must be submitted in reply to this action. 37 CFR 41.154(b) and 41.202(e).
Failure to provide a certified translation may result in no benefit being accorded for the non-English application.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I directed to claims 1-10 and 12-20 in the reply filed on 01/27/2026 is acknowledged. No claims are cancelled. No claims were amended. No claims were added. Claim 11 directed to non-elected species there by withdrawn. As a result, claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/19/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner and made of record.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by MURASE, TAKURO (US 20180047775 A1) “MURASE et al.”.
Regarding Claim 1, MURASE et al. Figs. 1-21 discloses an image sensor (“solid-state imaging element” ¶ [0066]) comprising:
a shared pixel (“pixels sharing” ¶ [0064]) including a plurality of subpixels (“the pixel on the left side”; “the pixel in the center”; “the pixel on the right side” ¶ [0073]);
a plurality of micro-lenses (“lens layer 71” ¶ [0070]) respectively disposed at upper portions of the plurality of subpixels (Fig. 3 shows the lens 71 are disposed on the plurality of subpixels); and
a color filter (“a color filter layer 72” ¶ [0070]) disposed between the shared pixel and the plurality of micro-lenses (Fig. 3 shows the lens 71 are disposed between the shared pixel and the plurality of micro-lenses),
wherein the color filter is configured to pass light of a single color to the shared pixel (“The color filter 32 extracts and transmits light of a predetermined wavelength.” ¶ [0056]),
each of the plurality of subpixels comprises two or more photodiodes (“the photodiodes PD31 and PD32 corresponding to the pixel on the left side”; “the photodiodes PD21 and PD22 corresponding to the pixel in the center”; “the photodiodes PD11 and PD12, since the pixel in the center” ¶ [0073]), and
highest points of each of the plurality of micro-lenses from an upper surface of the color filter are respectively disposed over one of the two or more photodiodes of the plurality of subpixels that are closer to a center of the shared pixel (“Fig. 3 shows the highest point of the left lens 71 is towards PD32 and PD21; highest point of the center lens 71 is towards PD22 and PD11” ¶ [0073]).
Regarding Claim 2, MURASE et al. discloses the limitations of claim 1. MURASE et al. Fig. 3 further discloses, wherein a number of the plurality of subpixels and a number of the plurality of micro-lenses are the same (Fig. 3 right portion shows 3 lenses for 3 subpixels).
Regarding Claim 3, MURASE et al. discloses the limitations of claim 1. MURASE et al. Fig. 3 further discloses, wherein heights of the highest points of the plurality of micro-lenses 71 (“on-chip lens layer 71” ¶ [0070]) from the upper surface of the color filter 72 (“color filter layer 72” ¶ [0070]) are equal to each other (Fig. 3 right portion shows heights of the highest points of the plurality of micro-lenses 71 from the upper surface of the color filter 72 are equal to each other).
Regarding Claim 4, MURASE et al. discloses the limitations of claim 1. MURASE et al. Fig. 3 further discloses, wherein shapes of the plurality of micro-lenses 71 are symmetric with one another with respect to the center of the shared pixel (Fig. 3 shows shapes of the plurality of micro-lenses 71 are symmetric with one another with respect to the center of the shared pixel).
Claims 6-7, 9-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by TODA, ATSUSHI (US 20200013819 A1) “TODA et al.”.
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Annotated Fig. 9
Regarding Claim 6. TODA et al. Figs. 7-11 an image sensor (“image sensor 50” ¶ [0078]) comprising:
a shared pixel (“plurality of pixels” ¶ [0077]) including first to nth subpixels arranged in an N*N form (Figs. 7-10 show NXN subpixels);
N*N number of first to nth micro-lenses respectively disposed at upper portions of the first to nth subpixels arranged in the N*N form (Figs. 7-10 show NXN subpixels); and
a color filter (“an OCCF layer 76 in which an R-OCCF (On Chip Color Filter), a G-OCCF, and a B-OCCF are disposed” ¶ [0086]) disposed between the shared pixel and the first to nth micro-lenses (“in a predetermined array is formed between the flattened film 72 and the OCL layer 74.” ¶ [0086]),
wherein a distance (d1 in Annotated fig. 9) between a highest point (HP in Annotated fig. 9) of an mth micro-lens from among the first to n* micro-lenses as from an upper surface of the color filter and a center of the shared pixel (C1 in Annotated fig. 9) is shorter than a distance (d2 in Annotated fig. 9) between the center of the shared pixel C1 and a center of an mth subpixel (C2 in Annotated fig. 9)from among the first to n* subpixels that is disposed at a lower portion of the mm micro-lens, and
m is a natural number of 1 or more and n or less, n is a natural number of 4 or more, and N is a natural number of 2 or more (Figs. 9-10 show m=1, n is more than 4 and N is more than 2).
Regarding Claim 7. TODA et al. discloses the limitations of claim 6. TODA et al. Figs. 7-11 further discloses, wherein each of the first to nth subpixels 61 comprises a plurality of photodiodes (“two PDs 62-1 and 62-2” ¶ [0093]).
Regarding Claim 9. TODA et al. discloses the limitations of claim 7. TODA et al. Figs. 7-11 further discloses, wherein heights of highest points of the first to nth micro-lenses 74A are equal to each other, and the heights are from the upper surface of the color filter 76 (Fig. 9 shows wherein heights of highest points of the first to nth micro-lenses are equal to each other, and the heights are from the upper surface of the color filter).
Regarding Claim 10. TODA et al. discloses the limitations of claim 7. TODA et al. Figs. 7-11 further discloses, wherein distances between the center of the shared pixel and micro-lenses from among the first to nth micro-lenses which are adjacent to the center of the shared pixel in a diagonal direction are equal to each other (Figs. 7 & 10 show wherein distances between the center of the shared pixel and micro-lenses from among the first to nth micro-lenses which are adjacent to the center of the shared pixel in a diagonal direction are equal to each other).
Regarding Claim 12. TODA et al. discloses the limitations of claim 6. TODA et al. Figs. 7-11 further discloses, wherein the color filter is configured to pass light of a single color (“The R-OCCF is an on chip color filter that transmits red light therethrough. The G-OCCF is an on chip color filter that transmits green light therethrough. The B-OCCF is an on chip color filter that transmits blue light therethrough.” ¶ [0086]).
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MURASE, TAKURO (US 20180047775 A1) “MURASE et al.” in view of MUN, Sangeun (US 20230139533 A1) “MUN et al.”.
Regarding Claim 5, MURASE et al. discloses the limitations of claim 1. However, MURASE et al. does not disclose, wherein heights of lowest points of the plurality of micro-lenses near the center of the shared pixel are greater than heights of lowest points of the plurality of micro-lenses at an edge of the shared pixel, wherein the heights are from the upper surface of the color filter.
In the similar field of endeavor of imaging devices, MUN et al. Figs. 1-17 discloses wherein heights of lowest points (lowest points of lens 131 and 132 along the line d1 in Fig. 10) of the plurality of micro-lenses 131 and 132 near the center of the shared pixel are greater (Fig. 10 shows lowest point at the center is higher than the lowest point at the left and right edge) than heights of lowest points (lowest point of 131 and 132 at the left and right end in fig. 10) of the plurality of micro-lenses 131 and 132 at an edge of the shared pixel, wherein the heights are from the upper surface of the color filter 121 and 122.
It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to modify the lenses of MURASE et al. with the lenses of MUN et al. in order to change a traveling direction of incident light, which is incident on an edge of the optical sensor at a high CRA to improve the sensitivity of a sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels, and an electronic device including the optical sensor (MUN et al. ¶ [0274]).
Claims 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TODA, ATSUSHI (US 20200013819 A1) “TODA et al.” in view of MUN, Sangeun (US 20230139533 A1) “MUN et al.”.
Regarding Claim 8. TODA et al. discloses the limitations of claim 7. However, TODA et al. does not disclose, wherein a height of one end portion of the mth micro-lens differs from a height of another end portion of the mth micro-lens, and the heights are from the upper surface of the color filter.
In the similar field of endeavor of imaging devices, MUN et al. Figs. 1-17 discloses, wherein a height of one end portion of the mth micro-lens 141 & 142 differs from a height of another end portion of the mth micro-lens 141 & 142, and the heights are from the upper surface of the color filter 121 & 122(Fig. 17 shows, wherein a height of one end portion of the mth micro-lens differs from a height of another end portion of the mth micro-lens, and the heights are from the upper surface of the color filter
It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to modify the lenses of TODA et al. with the lenses of MUN et al. in order to change a traveling direction of incident light, which is incident on an edge of the optical sensor at a high CRA to improve the sensitivity of a sensor substrate including a plurality of pixels, and an electronic device including the optical sensor (MUN et al. ¶ [0274]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-20 are allowed.
REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding Claim 13. MURASE et al. Figs. 1-20 an electronic device (“imaging device 201” ¶ [0175]) comprising:
an image sensor (“solid-state imaging element” ¶ [0066]; “a solid-state imaging element 204” ¶ [0175]); and
a processor (“a signal processing circuit 206” ¶ [0175]) connected to the image sensor and configured to process data of the image sensor (“The signal processing circuit 206 applies various kinds of signal processing to the signal charge outputted from the solid-state imaging element 204. An image (image data) obtained by the signal processing applied by the signal processing circuit 206” ¶ [0180]),
the image sensor comprising:
a first subpixel (“the pixel on the left side” ¶ [0073]) including a first photodiode and a second photodiode (“PD31 and PD32” ¶ [0073]),
a second subpixel (“the pixel in the center” ¶ [0073]) including a third photodiode and a fourth photodiode, the second subpixel disposed adjacent to the first subpixel (“PD21, PD22” ¶ [0073]),
a first micro-lens (lens 71 on the left pixel in Fig. 3) disposed at an upper portion of the first subpixel (Left pixel in Fig. 3),
a second micro-lens (lens 71 on the center pixel in Fig. 3) disposed at an upper portion of the second subpixel (center pixel in Fig. 3), and
a color filter (“a color filter layer 72” ¶ [0070]) disposed between the first and second subpixels and the first and second micro-lenses (Fig. 3 shows the lens 71 are disposed between the shared pixel and the plurality of micro-lenses).
However, MURASE et al. does not disclose, wherein a highest point of the first micro-lens from an upper surface of the color filter is disposed in a region over the second photodiode,
a highest point of the second micro-lens from the upper surface of the color filter is disposed in a region over the third photodiode, and
the first and second subpixels configure a shared pixel, the second photodiode is disposed closer to a center of the shared pixel than the first photodiode, and the third photodiode is disposed closer to the center of the shared pixel than the fourth photodiode.
In the similar field of endeavor of image sensor TODA et al. Fig. 9 discloses wherein a highest point (Highest point of the lens 74A on the left in Fig. 9) of the first micro-lens from an upper surface of the color filter 76 is disposed in a region over the second photodiode (PD 62-2 on left most pixel in Fig. 9),
a highest point of the second micro-lens (Highest point of second lens 74A from the left in Fig. 9) from the upper surface of the color filter 76 is disposed in a region over the third photodiode (PD 62-2 on second pixel from the left in Fig. 9), and
the first and second subpixels configure a shared pixel, the second photodiode is disposed closer to a center of the shared pixel than the first photodiode, and the third photodiode is disposed closer to the center of the shared pixel than the fourth photodiode.
However, closest prior arts of record MURASE, TAKURO (US 20180047775 A1) “MURASE et al.”, TODA, ATSUSHI (US 20200013819 A1) “TODA et al.” and MUN, Sangeun (US 20230139533 A1) “MUN et al.”, alone or in combination, does not teach or fairly suggest, the first and second subpixels configure a shared pixel, the second photodiode is disposed closer to a center of the shared pixel than the first photodiode, and the third photodiode is disposed closer to the center of the shared pixel than the fourth photodiode in combination with other limitations of claim 12.
Claims 14-20, are indicated allowable based on its dependency on claim 13.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKHEE SARKER-NAG whose telephone number is (703)756-4655. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday 7:15 AM to 5:30 PM.
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/AKHEE SARKER-NAG/Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/YARA B GREEN/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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