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 .
The instant application having Application No. 18/264,123 filed on 08/03/2023 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Priority
As required by e M.P.E.P. 210, 200, 214, acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for priority based on application JP2021-021614 (Japan).
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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, 2, 4, 5, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawai (KR 20200097243 A)(see attached machine translation), in view of Iiyama (JP 2006128513 A)(see attached machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Kawai discloses an optical detection device, in at least Figures 1, 4, and 5b, comprising:
a plurality of color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter", Figures 1, 5b) arranged in a two-dimensional array (page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states "when the pixels P1, P2, P3, and P4 are arranged in a two-row and two-column shape, the optical filters 51B and 51R are arranged diagonally to each other, as shown in Fig. 5A", Figures 1, 5b), each of the color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter") transmitting light of a predetermined wavelength (page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states "The optical filters 51B and 51R selectively transmit light in a predetermined wavelength band, respectively. Specifically, the optical filter 51B selectively transmits a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm (blue light; the first wavelength band), for example. The optical filter 51R selectively transmits a wavelength of 620 nm to 750 nm or less (red light; the second wavelength band)"); and
a substrate (30 “semiconductor substrate”, Figure 1) including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units (32B, 32R "inorganic photoelectric conversion unit", page 3, paragraph 12 of translation states “The inorganic photoelectric conversion unit 32 is formed by being embedded in the semiconductor substrate 30, and in the semiconductor substrate 30, for example, two types of inorganic photoelectric conversion units 32B and 32R are arranged in a planar direction”) on which light passing through the color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter") is incident (first paragraph of page 4 of translation states "the inorganic photoelectric conversion units 32B and 32R perform photoelectric conversion by selectively detecting light in different wavelength bands … In the inorganic photoelectric conversion units 32B and 32R, color signals of blue (B) and red (R) are obtained, respectively", page 9, paragraph 5 of translation states “The inorganic photoelectric conversion unit 32B detects blue light selectively transmitted by the optical filter 51B and accumulates it as a signal charge corresponding to blue color. The inorganic photoelectric conversion unit 32R detects red light selectively transmitted by the optical filter 51R, and accumulates signal charges corresponding to red”, Figures 1, 5b).
However, Kawai does not disclose an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters that are the color filters located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter that is the color filter located at the central portion such that the outer color filters are inclined toward the central portion relative to the central portion color filter.
Iiyama teaches an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate (16 “light receiving surface”) and outer color filters (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) that are the color filters (13 "color filter layer") located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate (16 “light receiving surface”) and a central portion color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) that is the color filter (13 "color filter layer") located at the central portion (see examiner's first markup of Figure 7 which shows that shows that an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters that are the color filters located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter that is the color filter located at the central portion) such that the outer color filters (13 "color filter layer") are inclined toward the central portion relative to the central portion color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7).
Below is an examiner’s first markup of Figure 7 of Iiyama pointing out outer color filters, central portion color filters, an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters, and an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter.
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Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the optical detection device of Kawai modified by an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters that are the color filters located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter that is the color filter located at the central portion such that the outer color filters are inclined toward the central portion relative to the central portion color filter, as taught by Iiyama, in order to correct the residual field curvature aberration (last paragraph of page 4 – first paragraph of page 5 of translation).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 1, however Kawai does not disclose wherein a relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located remote from the central portion among the outer color filters relative to the central portion color filter is larger than the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located adjacent to the central portion.
Iiyama teaches wherein the outer color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) is located remote from the central portion (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the optical detection device of Kawai modified by the outer color filter is located remote from the central portion, as taught by Iiyama, in order to correct the residual field curvature aberration (last paragraph of page 4 – first paragraph of page 5 of translation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to duplicate the outer color filter of Iiyama such that a relative inclination angle of the outer color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) located remote from the central portion among the outer color filters (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) relative to the central portion color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) is larger than the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) located adjacent to the central portion, since it has been held that a mere duplication of working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Harza 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). Additionally, examiner’s first markup of Figure 7 shows that 13 “color filter layer” is curved in a cross-sectional view and the last paragraph of page translation states “In the configuration of FIG. 7, the color filter layer 13 has a curved shape”. Therefore, if the outer color filter was duplicated such that one portion is the outer color filter located remote from the central portion among the outer color filters relative to the central portion color filter and another portion is the outer color filter located adjacent to the central portion, the curved shape of 13 “color filter layer” would cause a relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located remote from the central portion among the outer color filters relative to the central portion color filter is larger than the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located adjacent to the central portion.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 1 and Kawai further discloses wherein each of the color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter") includes a multilayer film having a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer alternately stacked (page 7, paragraph 6 of translation states "the optical filters 51 (51B, 51R) may be any as long as they selectively transmit light in a predetermined wavelength band, but as an example, organic pigment dispersion type, nano hole type, metal ion implantation type, And optical filters of quantum dot type and multilayer interference type", page 8, paragraph 3 of translation states "The multilayer interference type optical filter is constituted by a multilayer film (multilayer interference film) formed by alternately stacking two or more films having different refractive indices. Examples of films having different refractive indexes include a combination of a silicon oxide (SiO .sub.2 ) film and a silicon nitride (SiN) film, a silicon oxide (SiO .sub.2 ) film and a titanium oxide (TiO .sub.2 ) film").
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 1 and Kawai further discloses wherein each of the color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter") includes a plurality of nanostructures smaller than a wavelength of light the color filter transmits (page 7, paragraph 6 of translation states "the optical filters 51 (51B, 51R) may be any as long as they selectively transmit light in a predetermined wavelength band, but as an example, organic pigment dispersion type, nano hole type, metal ion implantation type, And optical filters of quantum dot type and multilayer interference type", last paragraph of page 7 states "In the nano-hole type optical filter, for example, a plurality of openings are periodically arranged in a metal thin film, and by periodically arranging by controlling the distance between the openings, only light of a predetermined wavelength is transmitted through the metal thin film. do. For example, an optical filter 51B that transmits blue light having a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm is configured by periodically disposing pores having a diameter of 150 nm at a pitch of 260 nm. For example, an optical filter 51R that transmits red light having a wavelength of 620 nm to 750 nm is configured by periodically disposing pores having a diameter of 150 nm at a pitch of 420 nm").
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 1 and Kawai further discloses a plurality of lenses (52 "on-chip lens", Figure 1) arranged in a two- dimensional array (Figure 1 shows a plurality of 52 "on-chip lens", one per pixel P1 and P2, Figure 5b shows a two-dimensional array of pixels P1, P2, P3, and P4, page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states "The pixels P1, P2, P3, and P4 are arranged in a two-row, two-column shape in the XY plane direction to constitute one pixel unit Pu", therefore the plurality of 52 "on-chip lens" can be arranged in a two-dimensional array), the lenses (52 "on-chip lens") being configured to concentrate incident light (page 12, paragraph 3 of translation states "when light enters the organic photoelectric conversion unit 20 through the on-chip lens 52, the light is converted to the organic photoelectric conversion unit 20 or the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit … It passes through the photoelectric conversion unit 32R in order, and photoelectric conversion is performed for each color light of green, blue, and red in the passing process"), wherein each of the color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter") transmits light of a predetermined wavelength (page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states "The optical filters 51B and 51R selectively transmit light in a predetermined wavelength band, respectively. Specifically, the optical filter 51B selectively transmits a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm (blue light; the first wavelength band), for example. The optical filter 51R selectively transmits a wavelength of 620 nm to 750 nm or less (red light; the second wavelength band)") included in the incident light concentrated by a corresponding one of the lenses (52 "on-chip lens", page 12, paragraph 3 of translation states "when light enters the organic photoelectric conversion unit 20 through the on-chip lens 52, the light is converted to the organic photoelectric conversion unit 20 or the inorganic photoelectric conversion unit … It passes through the photoelectric conversion unit 32R in order, and photoelectric conversion is performed for each color light of green, blue, and red in the passing process").
However, Kawai does not disclose a plurality of microlenses.
Iiyama teaches a plurality of microlenses (10 “microlens”, Figure 7).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the optical detection device of Kawai modified by a plurality of microlenses, as taught by Iiyama, in order to obtain a color signal reaching the light receiving surface (page 3, paragraph 3 of translation).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 2, however Kawai does not disclose wherein the substrate has a central portion curved toward a side remote from the color filters.
Iiyama teaches wherein the color filters (13 "color filter layer") have a central portion curved toward a side remote from the substrate (16 "light receiving surface", see Figure 7 which shows the color filters have a central portion curved toward a side remote from the substrate).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the optical detection device of Kawai modified by wherein the color filters have a central portion curved toward a side remote from the substrate, as taught by Iiyama, in order to correct the residual field curvature aberration (last paragraph of page 4 – first paragraph of page 5 of translation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the optical detection device such that the substrate has a central portion curved toward a side remote from the color filters, since it has been held that a mere change in shape of an element is generally recognized as being with in the level of ordinary skill in the art when the change in shape is not significant to the function of the combination. In re Dailey 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). Additionally, Figure 7 of Iiyama shows that the substrate (16 "light receiving surface") and the color filters (13 "color filter layer") curve away from each other. Therefore, modifying the invention such that the substrate (16 "light receiving surface") curves away from the color filters (13 "color filter layer") instead of the color filters (13 "color filter layer") curving away from the substrate (16 "light receiving surface") would be an obvious modification that would not significantly change the function of the device.
Regarding claim 10, Kawai discloses an electronic apparatus, in at least Figures 1, 4, and 5b, comprising an optical detection device including a plurality of color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter", Figures 1, 5b) arranged in a two-dimensional array (page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states "when the pixels P1, P2, P3, and P4 are arranged in a two-row and two-column shape, the optical filters 51B and 51R are arranged diagonally to each other, as shown in Fig. 5A", Figures 1, 5b), each of the color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter") transmitting light of a predetermined wavelength (page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states "The optical filters 51B and 51R selectively transmit light in a predetermined wavelength band, respectively. Specifically, the optical filter 51B selectively transmits a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm (blue light; the first wavelength band), for example. The optical filter 51R selectively transmits a wavelength of 620 nm to 750 nm or less (red light; the second wavelength band)"), and a substrate (30 “semiconductor substrate”, Figure 1) including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units (32B, 32R "inorganic photoelectric conversion unit", page 3, paragraph 12 of translation states “The inorganic photoelectric conversion unit 32 is formed by being embedded in the semiconductor substrate 30, and in the semiconductor substrate 30, for example, two types of inorganic photoelectric conversion units 32B and 32R are arranged in a planar direction”) on which light passing through the color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter") is incident (first paragraph of page 4 of translation states "the inorganic photoelectric conversion units 32B and 32R perform photoelectric conversion by selectively detecting light in different wavelength bands … In the inorganic photoelectric conversion units 32B and 32R, color signals of blue (B) and red (R) are obtained, respectively", page 9, paragraph 5 of translation states “The inorganic photoelectric conversion unit 32B detects blue light selectively transmitted by the optical filter 51B and accumulates it as a signal charge corresponding to blue color. The inorganic photoelectric conversion unit 32R detects red light selectively transmitted by the optical filter 51R, and accumulates signal charges corresponding to red”, Figures 1, 5b).
However, Kawai does not disclose an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters that are the color filters located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter that is the color filter located at the central portion such that the outer color filters are inclined toward the central portion relative to the central portion color filter.
Iiyama teaches an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate (16 “light receiving surface”) and outer color filters (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) that are the color filters (13 "color filter layer") located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate (16 “light receiving surface”) and a central portion color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) that is the color filter (13 "color filter layer") located at the central portion (see examiner's first markup of Figure 7 which shows that shows that an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters that are the color filters located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter that is the color filter located at the central portion) such that the outer color filters (13 "color filter layer") are inclined toward the central portion relative to the central portion color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7).
Below is an examiner’s first markup of Figure 7 of Iiyama pointing out outer color filters, central portion color filters, an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters, and an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter.
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Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the electronic apparatus device of Kawai modified by an angle formed by a light receiving surface of the substrate and outer color filters that are the color filters located outside a central portion of the two-dimensional array is different from an angle formed by the light receiving surface of the substrate and a central portion color filter that is the color filter located at the central portion such that the outer color filters are inclined toward the central portion relative to the central portion color filter, as taught by Iiyama, in order to correct the residual field curvature aberration (last paragraph of page 4 – first paragraph of page 5 of translation).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawai (KR 20200097243 A)(see attached machine translation), in view of Iiyama (JP 2006128513 A)(see attached machine translation), and further in view of Kawai (KR 20200097243 A)(Figure 6b)(see attached machine translation)
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 2, however Kawai does not disclose wherein for each of the outer color filters identical in spectral characteristics to each other, the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located remote from the central portion is larger than the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located adjacent to the central portion.
Kawai (Figure 6b) teaches each of the outer color filters (51B, 51R "optical filter", Figure 6b) is identical in spectral characteristics to each other (Figure 6b shows that the outer color filters on the left side are all 51R, wherein page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states “optical filter 51R selectively transmits a wavelength of 620 nm to 750 nm or less (red light; the second wavelength band)”. Figure 6b shows that the outer color filters on the right side are all 51B, wherein page 7, paragraph 5 of translation states “the optical filter 51B selectively transmits a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm (blue light; the first wavelength band)”).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the electronic apparatus device of Kawai modified by each of the outer color filters is identical in spectral characteristics to each other, as taught by Kawai (Figure 6b), in order to simplify the manufacturing of the color filter.
Iiyama teaches the outer color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) located remote from the central portion (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the optical detection device of Kawai modified by each of the outer color filters is identical in spectral characteristics to each other, the outer color filter located remote from the central portion, as taught by Iiyama, in order to correct the residual field curvature aberration (last paragraph of page 4 – first paragraph of page 5 of translation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to duplicate the outer color filter of Iiyama such that the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) located remote from the central portion is larger than the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter (see examiner’s first markup of Figure 7) located adjacent to the central portion, since it has been held that a mere duplication of working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Harza 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). Additionally, examiner’s first markup of Figure 7 shows that 13 “color filter layer” is curved in a cross-sectional view and last paragraph of page 4 of translation states “In the configuration of FIG. 7, the color filter layer 13 has a curved shape”. Therefore, if the outer color filter was duplicated such that one portion is the outer color filter located remote from the central portion and another portion is the outer color filter located adjacent to the central portion, the curved shape of 13 “color filter layer” would cause the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located remote from the central portion is larger than the relative inclination angle of the outer color filter located adjacent to the central portion.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawai (KR 20200097243 A)(see attached machine translation), in view of Iiyama (JP 2006128513 A)(see attached machine translation), and further in view of Machiguchi (EP 1168047 A1)(see attached copy).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 2, however Kawai does not disclose wherein each of the color filter includes a resin material having a colorant dispersed therein.
Machiguchi teaches wherein each of the color filter includes a resin material having a colorant dispersed therein (paragraph 0006 states "Colorants comprised in photosensitive resin compositions used for producing color filter arrays, such as those described above, are required to have the following two properties … Good spectroscopic characteristics, that is, showing sufficient absorption within the predetermined visible ray region and no unnecessary absorption in the other region ... Good light fastness, that is, no burn-in due to the decolorization of dyes under normal operating conditions").
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the optical detection device of Kawai modified by wherein each of the color filter includes a resin material having a colorant dispersed therein, as taught by Machiguchi, in order to improve spectroscopic characteristics and light fastness (paragraph 0006).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawai (KR 20200097243 A)(see attached machine translation), in view of Iiyama (JP 2006128513 A)(see attached machine translation), and further in view of Yoshiba (WO 2016114154 A)(see attached machine translation).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kawai and Iiyama disclose all the limitations of claim 2, however Kawai does not disclose wherein the outer color filters are arranged at positions subjected to pupil correction.
Yoshiba teaches wherein the outer color filters (71 “color filter”, Figure 2) are arranged at positions subjected to pupil correction (page 6, paragraph 3 of translation states "the first light shielding wall 61A, the second light shielding wall 61B, the color filter 71, and the on-chip lens 72 formed above the inter-pixel light shielding film 50 are formed so as to perform pupil correction", page 6, paragraph 5 of translation states "in the peripheral part (outer peripheral part) of the pixel array part 3, the incident angle of the principal ray of the incident light from the optical lens becomes a predetermined angle according to the design of the lens, and thus pupil correction is performed").
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the optical detection device of Kawai modified by wherein the outer color filters are arranged at positions subjected to pupil correction, as taught by Yoshiba, in order to minimize loss of light and avoid color mixing (page 6, paragraph 3 – paragraph 10 of translation)
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALAINA M SWANSON whose telephone number is (703)756-5809. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 7:30am-4:00pm.
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/ALAINA MARIE SWANSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872