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). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2020-219350, filed on 12/06/2020.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/21/2023 and 06/20/2023 were compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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, 4-5, 8-9, 16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujii et al. (US 20180188422 A1) hereinafter Fujii.
Regarding Claim 1, Fujii teaches an imaging apparatus (fig.9) comprising: a sensor substrate having a photoelectric conversion element on which image-capturing light is incident (fig.2; Para.0034; image sensor 20); a cover substrate that covers the photoelectric conversion element and transmits the image-capturing light (fig.7; Para.0082-0083; light blocking layer 73 and photoelectric conversion layer); and an α-ray transmission preventive film that transmits the image-capturing light (fig.7; Para.0082-0083; α-ray blocking layer 73 transmit light onto photoelectric conversion layer 21).
Regarding Claim 4, Fujii teaches the imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the α-ray transmission preventive film is arranged between the sensor substrate and the cover substrate (fig.7; Para.0082-0083; α-ray blocking layer 73 are sperate from photoelectric conversion layer 21).
Regarding Claim 5, Fujii teaches the imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the α-ray transmission preventive film is attached to the cover substrate (fig.7; Para.0082-0083; α-ray blocking layer 73 attach to cover substate 27).
Regarding Claim 8, Fujii teaches the imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an on-chip lens that covers the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the α-ray transmission preventive film is located between the on-chip lens and the sensor substrate (fig.7; Para.0082-0083; α-ray blocking layer 73 and lens portion 32).
Regarding Claim 9, Fujii teaches the imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an on-chip lens that covers the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the α-ray transmission preventive film is located on a side opposite to the sensor substrate via the on-chip lens (fig.7; Para.0082-0083; α-ray blocking layer 73 located opposite side of lens portion 32).
Regarding Claim 16, Fujii teaches same reason as Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 19, Fujii teaches in view of Claim 1 and Para.0127 a manufacturing method for an imaging apparatus.
Regarding Claim 20, Fujii teaches in view of Claim 1 and Para.0127 a manufacturing method for an imaging apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 6-7, 10-15 and 17-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FAYEZ A BHUIYAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1562. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 - 6:00 M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached on 571-272-73727372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FAYEZ BHUIYAN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638