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 .
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.
Status of the application
This office Action is in response to Applicant's Application filled on 04/06/2026. Claims 1, 3-5 and 8-20 are pending for this examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 04/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive for at least the following reasons:
Regarding claim 1:
Applicant arguments: Applicant’s respectfully submit that YUN fails to disclose the features of "the pillars are divided into a first pillar that corresponds to the central region, second pillars that correspond to the peripheral region, and third pillars that correspond to the corner region, and the first pillar, the second pillars, and the third pillars have different diameters”. The Examiner disagrees.
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In response: YUN discloses pixel regions [151,152 153] includes plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], Para [ 0097-0099], has different diameter as shown in Fig [1,6]. Examiner interpreted, Pixel regions [152,153] can be central region, pixel region 151 can be corner region and pixel region 154 can be peripheral region, which includes nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9] with variable diameter.
Thus, the well-made rejection included in the 01/08/2026 Non-Final Office Action is proper and hereby made FINAL.
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)(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, 3-4, 8, 10 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by YUN et al (US 2025/0022899 A1; hereafter YUN).
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Regarding claim 1. YUN discloses a solid-state image sensor (Fig. [3-6]), comprising:
photoelectric conversion elements (Fig. [3], sensor substrate 110, Para [ 0069] discloses “the sensor substrate 110 may include a plurality of first pixels 111, a plurality of second pixels 112, a plurality of third pixels 113, and a plurality of fourth pixels 114 that convert incident light into electrical signals and generate an image signal”);
a color filter layer (Fig. [3], color filer layer 120, Para [ 0078-0079]) disposed above the photoelectric conversion elements (Fig. [3], sensor substrate 110, Para [ 0069]) and comprising a first color filter layer ( element [ 121,122,123,124], para [ 0079]), wherein the first color filter layer has a central region ( Fig.[ 5], center element [ 121,122,123,124], para [ 0079]), a peripheral region ( Fig.[ 5], outside of center element [ 121,122,123,124], para [ 0079]) adjacent to the central region, and a corner region diagonally arranged from the central region ( Fig.[ 5], diagonal side of element [ 121,122,123,124], para [ 0079]);
a meta structure (Fig. [3-6], nano-photonic lens array 150, Para [0068]) disposed on the color filter layer (Fig. [3], color filer layer 120, Para [ 0078-0079]) and comprising pillars (plurality of nano-structures NP may have a pillar shape, Para [ 0087]), wherein the pillars (plurality of nano-structures NP, Para [0094]) that correspond to the central region ( center region of plurality of nano-structures NP, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094]), the peripheral region (peripheral regions of plurality of nano-structures NP, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094]), and the corner region have different arrangements (corner regions of plurality of nano-structures NP, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094]) , wherein the pillars are divided into a first pillar that corresponds to the central region, second pillars that correspond to the peripheral region, and third pillars that correspond to the corner region (Fig 6, pixel region [151,152 153] includes plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], Para [ 0097-0099), and the first pillar, the second pillars, and the third pillars have different diameters (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]), and the first pillar, the second pillars, and the third pillars have different diameters (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]).
Regarding claim 3. YUN discloses the solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 2, YUN further discloses wherein the pillars form an array (plurality of nano-structures NP, have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]).
Regarding claim 4. YUN discloses the solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 3, YUN further discloses wherein the second pillars are arranged adjacent to the first pillar (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]), and the third pillars are diagonally arranged from the first pillar, and a diameter of the first pillar is smaller than a diameter of each of the second pillars (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]), and the diameter of each of the second pillars is smaller than a diameter of each of the third pillars (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]).
Regarding claim 8. YUN discloses the solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 1, YUN further discloses wherein a diameter of the first pillar is smaller than a diameter of each of the third pillars (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]), and the diameter of each of the third pillars is smaller than a diameter of each of the second pillars (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], have different diameters, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]).
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Regarding claim 10. YUN discloses the solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 1, YUN further discloses wherein the first color filter layer has first color filter segments, the first color filter segments in the central region form an n×n array, and the number of first color filter segments in the peripheral region is 4n, and n is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (Fig. [4], Para [ 0070]).
Regarding claim 13. YUN discloses the solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 10, YUN further discloses wherein n is 2 (plurality of nano-structures NP [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9], as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094-0096]).
Regarding claim 14. YUN discloses the solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 13, YUN further discloses wherein a diameter of each of the first pillars is equal to a diameter of each of the third pillars, and is smaller than a diameter of each of the second pillars (rows/column of plurality of nano-structures NP, as shown in figure. [6], Para [0094]).
Claim Rejection- 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 of this title, 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.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YUN et al (US 2025/0022899 A1; hereafter YUN) in view of ROH et al (US 2021/0167110 A1; hereafter ROH).
Regarding claim 19. YUN discloses the solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 1, YUN further discloses wherein the color filter layer further comprises a second color filter layer that is adjacent to the first color filter layer and corresponds to different colors than the first color filter layer (element [ 121,122,123,124], para [ 0079-0082]), and the pillars (plurality of nano-structures NP, Para [0094]) have different heights on the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer (element [ 121,122,123,124], para [ 0079-0082]).
But YUN does not disclose explicitly the pillars have different heights.
In a similar field of endeavor, ROH discloses the pillars have different heights (Fig. [8], nano-posts NP, Para [ 0084-0088]).
Since YUN and ROH are both from the similar field of endeavor, and using nano-posts NP with different height to induce light in the photosensitive cell. Therefore, the purpose disclosed by ROH would have been recognized in the pertinent art of YUN. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine YUN in light of ROH teaching “the pillars have different heights (Fig. [8], nano-posts NP, Para [ 0084-0088])” for further advantage such as improves light utilization efficiency, and increases image quality.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is 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.
The following is the Examiner's Reasons for Allowance:
The prior art fails to disclose and would not have rendered obvious:
Regarding claim 9. The solid-state image sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the meta structure comprises additional caps disposed on the first pillar and the third pillars.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOIN M RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5002. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00pm.
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, Julio Maldonado can be reached at 571-272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOIN M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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