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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-7 are 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 1 recites “…connected to the first imaging microlens,”. It is not clear how the phase difference detecting microlens is connected to the first imaging microlens. For the purpose of this examination, claim 1 will be interpreted as “…in touch with the first imaging microlens”.
Claim 3 recites “…a curvature of an incidence plane of the phase difference detecting microlens…”. The term “incident plane” is inconsistent with “curvature”. For the purpose of this examination, claim 3 will be interpreted as “…a curvature of an incidence surface of the phase difference detecting microlens…”.
Claim 4 recites “…wherein a height, of the phase difference detecting microlens and the second imaging microlens…”. This is unclear as height needs a datum. For the purpose of this examination, claim 4 will be interpreted as “…wherein a height measured from the color filter top surface, of the phase difference detecting microlens and the second imaging microlens…”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20150062390 A1) in view of Onuki (US 20110025904 A1).
Re: Independent Claim 1, Kim discloses A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a first imaging pixel configured to receive a first light flux (Fig.3, photodiode 120 under general color filter 161 configures to receive light);
a phase difference detecting pixel adjacent to the first imaging pixel, and configured to receive a pupil-divided light flux (Fig 3, ¶ [0012], photodiode 120 under pair of color filters 162 and 163, and light incident in a specific direction is collected in the photodiodes 120 corresponding to the color filters 162 and 163.
Kim is silent regarding phase difference detecting pixel configured to receive a pupil-divided light flux. However, Onuki teaches, in ¶¶ [0044] - [0045] and ¶¶ [0048] - [0049], focus-detecting pixels S_HA/S_HB arranged in the sensor array, where each pixel in the pair receives light from a different region of the exit pupil (e.g., EP_HA vs. EP_HB) via on-chip microlens and slit, and autofocus is computed from the phase difference between their outputs. Accordingly, in Onuki the “focus-detecting pixels (S_HA/S_HB)” are phase-difference detecting pixels, because each receives light from a different pupil region and the Autofocus calculation uses the phase difference between their signals. Applying Onuki’s explicit pupil division to the adjacent phase difference detecting pixel of Kim yields a phase difference detecting pixel configured to receive a pupil-divided light flux.
a first imaging microlens disposed above the first imaging pixel (Fig. 5, imaging region portion of integrated microlens 175 over the imaging pixel), and protruding above the phase difference detecting pixel (because 175 is one continuous lens spanning the boundary, its surface protrudes over the adjacent phase difference detecting pixel region), the first imaging microlens being configured to collect the first light flux onto the first imaging pixel (Kim teaches in ¶ [0066], that general microlens collect light incident from an exterior in all direction, hence the general microlens portion of 175 collects the light flux onto photodiode 120 under 161);
and a phase difference detecting microlens disposed above the phase difference detecting pixel (Fig. 5, portion of microlens 175 above phase difference detecting pixels 120 under 162 and 163), occupying an area smaller than an area occupied by the first imaging microlens (Fig. 5, area occupied by microlens 175 over phase difference detecting pixel is smaller than the portion of 175 over 120 under 161), and connected to the first imaging microlens (connected by construction, i.e., one piece),
the phase difference detecting microlens being configured to collect the pupil-divided light flux onto the phase difference detecting pixel (Kim teaches, in ¶ [0015], the phase difference detecting microlens 175 portions direct light only in specific direction to the phase difference detecting photodiode 120. Kim is silent on labeling that collected directional flux as pupil-divided. However, Onuki teaches that the phase difference detection pixels pair S_HA/S_HB receive pupil-divided light from EP_HA/EP_HB via microlens 162, satisfying the “pupil-divided light” characterization for the Phase difference detecting microlens function).
Kim and Onuki teach image capturing devices using microlens, hence analogous art. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Onuki’s explicit pupil-division (paired pupil areas EP_HA/EP_HB formed via on-chip microlenses) in Kim’s microlens-based phase difference detection pixel architecture- particularly the integral/connected microlens (one microlens 175) that removes dead zones. Using Onuki’s pupil-division inside Kim’s PD-pixel structure is a straightforward substitution of known techniques in the same field, in order to improve focus-detection accuracy by directing flux from distinct exit-pupil regions to respective pixels and using the phase difference between their signals (Onuki, ¶ [0150]).
Re: Claim 3, Kim and Onuki disclose all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends.
Kim further discloses wherein, in a cross-section including an optical axis of the phase difference detecting microlens, a curvature of an incidence plane of the phase difference detecting microlens is constant regardless of a direction of the cross-section (Kim teaches, in ¶ [0012], that the microlenses are formed from a portion of a convex lens (i.e., shaped obtained by quartering a convex lens), with radius of curvature specified (¶ [0039], phase difference detecting microlens ROC 0.5-1.5mm). A spherical cap (quarter of a convex lens) has direction-independent curvature in any cross-section through the axis, satisfying the claimed limitation).
Re: Claim 4, Kim and Onuki disclose all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends.
Kim further discloses,
further comprising:
a second imaging pixel adjacent to the phase difference detecting pixel in an opposite angle direction of the phase difference detecting pixel, the second imaging pixel being configured to receive a second light flux; a second imaging microlens configured to collect the second light flux onto the second imaging pixel (Kim, Fig 7A/7B, ¶ [0066], Kim teaches an array containing phase-difference pixels adjacent to imaging pixels. In the array embodiment (Fig 7A), the Phase Difference (PD) site uses PD microlens 177, and adjacent sites on the opposite sides are ordinary imaging pixels implemented as photodiodes 120, each with general (imaging) microlenses 176 formed above it (see also Fig. 1 stack with 120/160/170). Thus, the second imaging pixel=photodiode 120 adjacent to the PD pixel on the opposite-angle side, and its second imaging microlens = general microlens 176 that collects incident light onto that photodiode);
two imaging pixels adjacent to each other in the opposite angle direction, and each configured to receive one of a third light flux or a fourth light flux; and two imaging micro lenses each disposed above a respective one of the two imaging pixels, and each configured to collect one of the third light flux or the fourth light flux onto a respective one of the two imaging pixels (Kim, Fig 7A/7B, Kim teaches, in that same opposite-angle side region, there are at least two neighboring imaging pixels (two photodiodes 120), each having its own imaging microlens 176 (per-pixel general microlenses in the array). Each of these imaging microlenses is configured to collect the scene light (third/fourth flux) onto the corresponding photodiode 120),
wherein a height, of the phase difference detecting microlens and the second imaging microlens, at a boundary between the phase difference detecting microlens and the second imaging microlens is lower than a height, of the two imaging microlenses, at a boundary between the two imaging microlenses (Kim teaches in Fig 5, ¶ [0059], an integrally formed microlens in which the phase difference (PD) microlens portion is connected to the imaging microlens portion, so that one microlens 175 may be obtained, with no dead zone at the boundary. In this integrated profile, the local lens surface at the junction between the PD portion (over the PD pixel site) and the imaging portion (over the adjacent imaging pixel site) forms a saddle/valley-i.e., a lower local height at the PD-imaging boundary of 175. By contrast, where two full imaging microlenses 176 on the adjacent imaging pixels (photodiode 120) meet (Figs. 7A/7B), the interface forms the usual ridge/crest between two domes- i.e., a higher boundary at the imaging-imaging boundary. Thus, comparing the two boundaries expressly required by the claim, the height at the boundary between the PD microlens of 175 and the second imaging microlens portion of 175 (Fig 5) is lower than the height at the boundary between two imaging microlenses 176 (Fig 7A-7B)).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to shape the microlens by combining these teaching of two embodiments as shown in Fig 5 and Fig 7 to achieve the height profile as claimed in order to improve the size of a signal and to block light collected in an adjacent pixel by adjusting the radius of curvature of a lens (Kim ¶ [0059]).
Claims 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20150062390 A1) in view of Onuki (US 20110025904 A1) further in view of Chou (US 20170077163 A1).
Re: Claim 2, Kim and Onuki disclose all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends.
Kim and Onuki are silent regarding,
wherein the phase difference detecting microlens has a focal length shorter than a focal length of the first imaging microlens.
However, Chou teaches wherein the phase difference detecting microlens has a focal length shorter than a focal length of the first imaging microlens (Chou Fig 3A, ¶ 0032], teaches phase detection autofocus (PDAF) microlens 316a is designed with greater optical power than the image capture microlens 304, due to the larger optical power, the PDAF distance D.sub.AF is less than the image capture distance D.sub.IC, hence phase difference detecting microlens has a focal length shorter than a focal length of the first imaging microlens).
Kim, Onuki and Chou teach image capturing devices using phase difference detection microlens, hence analogous art. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adopt Chou's focal length ordering (higher optical power/shorter focal length than the imaging lens) in Kim's phase difference detection microlens design in view of Onuki in order to achieve good angular response discrimination for PDAF (Chou, ¶ [0032]).
Re: Claim 7, Kim and Onuki disclose all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends.
Kim further teaches,
wherein the first imaging pixel has a light receiving surface that receives the first light flux (Kim, Fig. 5, photodiode 120 under 161 is the light receiving surface of the first imaging pixel).
Kim and Onuki are silent regarding, the first imaging micro lens has a focal point behind the light receiving surface that receives the first light flux.
However, Chou teaches the first imaging micro lens has a focal point behind the light receiving surface that receives the first light flux (Chou teaches, in Fig 3A and ¶ [0030], that an image capturing microlens 304 focuses onto an image capture focal plane 310 that is spaced below the pixel sensors (114/116) i.e., the focal point is behind the light receiving surface).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adopt Chou's image capture focusing (focal plane behind the sensor surface) in Kim's phase difference auto focus architecture to promote good angular response discrimination for PDAF (Chou, ¶ [0025]).
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20150062390 A1) in view of Onuki (US 20110025904 A1) further in view of Uenishi (US 20080258250 A1).
Re: Claim 5, Kim and Onuki disclose all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends.
Onuki further teaches,
wherein the phase difference detecting pixel has a light receiving surface that receives the pupil-divided light flux (Onuki teaches that the focus-detecting pixels S_HA/S_HB are pupil-division pixels that receive light from different exit-pupil regions EP_HA/EP_HB via on-chip microlenses (see Figs. 2, 9A/9B and ¶ [0045] and ¶ [0080], “some pixels…are given the pupil division function for phase difference focus detection). Thus, the phase difference detecting pixel’s photoelectric conversion unit 152 presents a light receiving surface that receives the pupil-divided light flux).
Kim and Onuki are silent regarding, the phase difference detecting microlens has a focal point on the light receiving surface.
However, Uenishi teaches the phase difference detecting microlens has a focal point on the light receiving surface (Uenishi teches, in ¶ [0039], setting the microlens focal point on the surface of the light receiving section of the pixel).
Kim, Onuki and Uenishi teach image capturing devices using microlens, hence analogous art. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adopt Uenishi’s teaching of focal point setup in Kim’s phase difference detecting micorlens in view of Onuki’s pupil-division pixel optics so that incident light is efficiently taken in as a signal charge by a photo diode as a light receiving section (Uenishi, ¶ [0006]).
Re: Claim 6, Kim, Onuki and Uenishi disclose all the limitations of claim 5 on which this claim depends.
Uenishi further teaches, wherein the phase difference detecting microlens has the focal point on the light receiving surface (Uenishi teaches, in ¶ [0039], to set the microlens focal point on the surface of the light-receiving section) on both of: a cross-section including an optical axis of the phase difference detecting microlens and laid in parallel with an opposite side direction of the phase difference detecting pixel; and a cross-section including the optical axis and laid in parallel with an opposite angle direction of the phase difference detecting pixel (placing the focal point on the photodiode surface yields the same focal point (a single point on the sensor surface) in any plane that includes the optical axis of the PD microlens. Accordingly, in both cross-sections recited- one parallel to the opposite side direction and one parallel to the opposite angle direction-the focal point remains on the light-receiving surface of the PD pixel because it is a point on that surface independent of the particular axial cross-section chosen. Thus, applying Uenishi's focusing condition to the PD microlens 172/173 of Kim in view of Onuki satisfies the claimed "on both sections" requirement).
Prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to current application disclosure.
Seki (US 20150171126 A1) and Lim (US 20210258499 A1) disclose image sensing and photographing devices with phase difference detection pixels and microlenses.
Conclusion
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/BIPANA ADHIKARI DAWADI/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/AJAY OJHA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898 11/14/2025
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