CTNF 18/292,717 CTNF 81556 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/26/2024 is in 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 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-8, 10-11, 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by JIN et al. (US Patent Appl. Pub. No. 2021/0134867 A1) . [Re claim 1] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus comprising: a photoelectric conversion region having a photoelectric conversion portion (PD) for each pixel (PXA); and a light controlling region laminated on the photoelectric conversion region and configured to convert an optical characteristic of light incident thereon, wherein the light controlling region has a plurality of unit structural bodies, each of the plurality of unit structural bodies has a plurality of meta structural bodies (160), and the plurality of meta structural bodies include two or more meta structural bodies whose optical characteristics are different from each other (see figure 2, 3, 27-31 and paragraphs [0031]-[0062], [0107]-[0129]). Jin discloses that the upper patterns include a plurality of types of microstructures having different widths, sizes, and/or shapes (see figure 27-31), that the orientations of the microstructures of adjacent upper patterns are different and differ by 90° each, and that the orientations of the microstructures of the upper patterns arranged in the diagonal direction of the pixel arrays PXA are the same. [Re claim 2] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein the light controlling region increases an optical path length of IR (Infrared Ray) light incident thereon (see paragraph [0060]). [Re claim 3] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein each of the plurality of meta structural bodies (160) is provided in a corresponding relation with a pixel (see figure 3 and 27-30). [Re claim 4] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein the plurality of unit structural bodies have a same structure, and each of the plurality of unit structural bodies has the meta structural bodies arranged in plural number in each of two- dimensional directions (see figure 3 and 27-30 and paragraph [0041], [0045]-[0048], [0108]-[0120]). [Re claim 5] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein each of the plurality of meta structural bodies (160) in the unit structural body includes a plurality of types of microstructural bodies that are different from each other in at least one of width, size, and shape, and each of the plurality of meta structural bodies converts an optical characteristic of light incident on a corresponding one of the microstructural bodies according to at least one of the width, size, and shape of the plurality of types of microstructural bodies (see figure 27-30 and paragraph [0041], [0045]-[0048], [0108]-[0120]). [Re claim 6] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein the unit structural body has two or more of the meta structural bodies (160) arranged in a first direction and two or more of the meta structural bodies arranged in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, two of the meta structural bodies that are adjacent to each other in the first direction are different from each other in orientation of the microstructural bodies, and two of the meta structural bodies that are adjacent to each other in the second direction are different from each other in orientation of the microstructural bodies (see figure 27-30 and paragraph [0041], [0045]-[0048], [0108]-[0120]). [Re claim 7] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein the plurality of meta structural bodies in the unit structural body have the microstructural bodies that are different from each other in orientation (see figure 27-30 and paragraph [0041], [0045]-[0048], [0108]-[0120]). [Re claim 8] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein the plurality of meta structural bodies in the unit structural body have the microstructural bodies that are different in orientation by 90 degrees from each other, and the plurality of unit structural bodies have two of the meta structural bodies arranged adjacent to each other in the first direction and two of the meta structural bodies arranged adjacent to each other in the second direction (see figure 27-30 and paragraph [0041], [0045]-[0048], [0108]-[0120]). [Re claim 10] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein two of the meta structural bodies that are arranged in a diagonal direction among the plurality of meta structural bodies (160) in the unit structural body have the microstructural bodies of a same orientation, and the plurality of unit structural bodies have two of the meta structural bodies that are arranged adjacent to each other in the first direction but are different in orientation from each other, and two of the meta structural bodies that are arranged adjacent to each other in the second direction but are different in orientation from each other (see figure 27-30 and paragraph [0041], [0045]-[0048], [0108]-[0120]). [Re claim 11] JIN discloses the image capturing apparatus wherein each of the plurality of unit structural bodies includes n x n (n is any integer equal to or greater than 2) of the meta structural bodies arranged n by n in two-dimensional directions, and the light controlling region has a periodic structure having a size equal to a size of the n meta structural bodies (see figure 27-30 and paragraph [0041], [0045]-[0048], [0108]-[0120]). [Claim 18] The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light controlling region is arranged on a light incidence face side of the photoelectric conversion region and configured to increase an optical path length of the incident light by the plurality of unit structural bodies in the light controlling region and thereby allow the incident light to propagate along the optical path in the photoelectric conversion region (see paragraph [0035], [0050], [0060], [0062] and [0111]). [Claim 20] Electronic equipment comprising: an image capturing apparatus that outputs a pixel signal that is imaged; and a signal processing section that performs signal processing for the pixel signal, wherein the image capturing apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion region (PD) having a photoelectric conversion portion for each pixel, and a light controlling region laminated on the photoelectric conversion region and configured to convert an optical characteristic of light incident thereon, the light controlling region is arranged along a light incidence face and has a plurality of unit structural bodies, and each of the plurality of unit structural bodies has a plurality of meta structural bodies (160) whose optical characteristics are different from each other (see figure 2, 3, 27-31 and paragraphs [0031]-[0062], [0107]-[0129]). Jin discloses that the upper patterns include a plurality of types of microstructures having different widths, sizes, and/or shapes (see figure 27-31), that the orientations of the microstructures of adjacent upper patterns are different and differ by 90° each, and that the orientations of the microstructures of the upper patterns arranged in the diagonal direction of the pixel arrays PXA are the same . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim 9, 12-17 and 19 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 KYOUNG LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1982. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 10am to 6pm. 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, Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano can be reached at (571)272-7925. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KYOUNG LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817 Application/Control Number: 18/292,717 Page 2 Art Unit: 2817 Application/Control Number: 18/292,717 Page 3 Art Unit: 2817 Application/Control Number: 18/292,717 Page 4 Art Unit: 2817 Application/Control Number: 18/292,717 Page 5 Art Unit: 2817 Application/Control Number: 18/292,717 Page 6 Art Unit: 2817 Application/Control Number: 18/292,717 Page 7 Art Unit: 2817
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