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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/03/2025 has been entered.
Priority
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 Amendments
Acknowledgment of receiving amendments to the claims, which were received by the Office on 12/03/2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/03/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In that remarks, applicant argues in substance:
Applicant argues: “According to a non-limiting example of this application, the relative width/distance relationship is based on the size shrinkage of the auto focus filter regions, while maintaining the size of the normal filter regions. By contrast, Jung does not disclose this feature, and instead, Jung discloses changing the size of some of the normal filter regions. Therefore, Jung does not disclose, among other things, "on a level of the grid, normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size" of claim 1 and the corresponding limitations of claims 13 and 19.”
Examiner’s Response: Examiner respectfully disagrees. The term "substantially" in claims 1, 13 and 19 is a relative term. Further, the term “substantially " is not defined by the claim. Therefore, Jung is seen to teach the limitation "on a level of the grid, normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size". For example, in Figure 20 of Jung, the normal filter regions of pixels 121-126 on the grid level may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Additionally, normal filter regions of pixels 123 and 125 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, normal filter regions of pixels 124 and 126 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, or normal filter regions of pixels 121 and 122 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Further, the four corner pixels immediately surrounding the auto focus filter regions 111 and 112 have substantially the same size since the grid of these corner pixels are not affected by the focus pixels. Therefore, the claim language is met.
Further, it is well known for a pixel pitch to be 2 μm or less (see conclusion). Therefore, on the grid level, differences in sizes of the normal filter regions using pixels with pitches 2 μm or less would be less than 2 μm and may be interpreted as having “substantially the same size”.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10 and 12-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (US 2019/0052823 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2021/0120198 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jung et al. (hereafter referred as Jung) teaches an image sensor (Jung, Figs. 20-23) comprising:
a chip structure including normal pixel regions and auto focus pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, photoelectric transformation layer 300, Paragraph 0026);
a grid disposed on the chip structure (Jung, Figs. 20-23; light shields 150, 0081-0082) and
color filter regions defined by the grid over the chip structure, the color filter regions including normal filter regions and auto focus filter regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, color filters 140, Paragraphs 0027-0028),
wherein the normal filter regions correspond to the normal pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, color filters 140, Paragraphs 0027-0028),
one auto focus filter region among the auto focus filter regions corresponds to at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other among the auto focus pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, Paragraph 0022),
the chip structure includes a first region spaced from a central region of a pixel array region of the chip structure by a first distance, and a second region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a second distance greater than the first distance (Jung, Fig. 20, A center region is a first region. A region farther from the center is a second region.),
the auto focus filter region extends continuously to cover portions of at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other among the auto focus pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 20 and 21, auto focus filter region extends continuously over AF1 and AF2.),
a first width (Jung, Fig. 20, Width between AF2 and G pixel 126, Fig. 23, Width L1+L19, Paragraph 0084) of a first grid portion disposed adjacent to the an auto focus filter region among the grid is narrower than a second width (Jung, Fig. 20, Width between AF1 and R pixel 124, Fig. 23, Width L1+L17, Paragraph 0083) of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to the auto focus filter region among the grid (Jung, Figs. 20-23, Paragraphs 0083-0084),
one or more of the normal filter regions are disposed around the auto focus filter region (Jung, Fig. 20),
a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other among the grid has a fourth width (Jung, Figs. 20-23, The fourth grid portion is the grid portion between normal pixels with width L1+L1.),
the fourth width is narrower than the second width (Jung, Fig. 22, the fourth width (L1+L1) is narrower than the second width (L1+L17).), and
on a level of the grid, normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding the first auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size (Jung, Fig. 20, the normal filter regions of pixels 121-126 on the grid level may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Additionally, normal filter regions of pixels 123 and 125 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, normal filter regions of pixels 124 and 126 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, or normal filter regions of pixels 121 and 122 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Further, the four corner pixels immediately surrounding the auto focus filter regions 111 and 112 have substantially the same size since the grid of these corner pixels are not affected by the focus pixels.).
However, Jung does not explicitly state the auto focus filter regions include a first auto focus filter region disposed on the first region and a second auto focus filter region disposed on the second region, each of the first auto focus filter region and the second auto focus filter region extends continuously to cover portions of at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other among the auto focus pixel regions, a first width of a first grid portion disposed adjacent to the first auto focus filter region among the grid is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to the second auto focus filter region among the grid, and one or more of the normal filter regions are disposed between the first auto focus filter region and the second auto focus filter region to separate the first auto focus filter region and the second auto focus filter region from each other; normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size.
In reference to Kim, Kim teaches a chip structure includes a first region spaced from a central region of a pixel array region of the chip structure by a first distance, and a second region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a second distance greater than the first distance (Kim, Figs. 3 or 14, A first region is a region closer to the center than a second region.),
the auto focus filter regions include a first auto focus filter region disposed on the first region and a second auto focus filter region disposed on the second region (Kim, Figs. 3 or 14, A first auto focus filter region is a phase pixel closer to the center. A second auto focus filter region is a phase pixel farther from the center.),
each of the first auto focus filter region and the second auto focus filter region extends continuously to cover portions of at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other among the auto focus pixel regions (Kim, Fig. 5, Paragraph 0064-0065, The G color filter extends continuously over the phase pixels.),
one or more of the normal filter regions are disposed between the first auto focus filter region and the second auto focus filter region to separate the first auto focus filter region and the second auto focus filter region from each other (Kim, Figs. 3 or 14, normal pixels are disposed between the first auto focus filter region and the second auto focus filter regions.),
a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other in the second region among the grid (Kim, Figs. 3-4, color filter fence 160S1, A color filter fence between the normal pixels in the second region.).
These arts are analogous since they are both related to imaging devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the Jung with the explicit teaching of multiple auto focus filter regions at different distances from the center of the image sensor as seen in Kim since it is well known to have multiple phase difference detection pixels on an image sensor and would allow the device to determine focus/distance at different parts of the image. Further, the limitations “normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size” and “a first width of a first grid portion disposed adjacent to the first auto focus filter region among the grid is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to the second auto focus filter region among the grid” is met since the first grid portion may be considered to be the width L1+L19 of an auto focus filter region near the center of the image sensor and the second grid portion may be considered to be the width L1+L17 of an auto focus filter region farther from the center of the image sensor. Said differently, the first grid portion is the width L1+L19 of one auto focus filter region and second grid portion is the width L1+L17 of a different auto focus filter region.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), wherein the first grid portion is disposed between the first auto focus filter region among the grid and a first normal filter region disposed adjacent to the first auto focus filter region in a first horizontal direction among the normal filter regions (Jung, Fig. 20, The first grid portion is between AF2 and G pixel 126 of a first auto focus filter., Fig. 23, Width L1+L19, Paragraph 0084, The horizontal direction is the direction along the line II-II.), and
the second grid portion is disposed between the second auto focus filter region among the grid and a second normal filter region disposed adjacent to the second auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction among the normal filter regions (Jung, Fig. 20, The second grid portion is between AF1 and R pixel 124 of a second auto focus filter, Fig. 23, Width L1+L17, Paragraph 0083).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 2 (see claim 2 analysis), wherein among the auto focus pixel regions, at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other include a first phase difference detection region and a second phase difference detection region disposed adjacent to each other in the first horizontal direction (Kim, Figs. 5 and 14, Auto focus pixel regions may include two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other in the first horizontal direction (Y direction).), and
wherein each of the auto focus filter regions includes a first portion corresponding to the first phase difference detection region and a second portion corresponding to the second phase difference detection region (Kim, Figs. 4-5, PPXa and PPXb, Paragraph 0052).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 3 (see claim 3 analysis), wherein the first width is a distance between the first portion of the first auto focus filter region and a normal filter region arranged side by side in the first horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20, Width between AF2 and G pixel 126, Fig. 23, Width L1+L19, Paragraph 0084, The horizontal direction is the direction along the line II-II.) or a distance between the second portion of the first auto focus filter region and the normal filter region arranged side by side in the first horizontal direction.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 3 (see claim 3 analysis), wherein the first portion and the second portion include a same color filter (Jung, Paragraph 0028).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 3 (see claim 3 analysis), wherein the grid surrounds external sides of the first portion and the second portion without being disposed between the first portion and the second portion (Jung, Fig. 20-23).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 2 (see claim 2 analysis), wherein a third grid portion between the first auto focus filter region among the grid and a third normal filter region disposed adjacent to the first auto focus filter region in a second horizontal direction among the normal filter region has a third width (Jung, Fig. 20 and 21, Width between AF2 and G pixel 122 of the first auto focus filter region, Fig. 21, Width L1+L15),
a fifth grid portion between the second auto focus filter region among the grid and a fourth normal filter region disposed adjacent to the second auto focus filter region in the second horizontal direction among the normal filter region has a fifth width (Jung, Fig. 20 and 21, Width between AF2 and G pixel 122 of the second auto focus filter region, Fig. 21, Width L1+L15 ),
the third width is substantially identical to the fifth width (Jung, Fig. 20, both widths are L1+L15), and
the second horizontal direction is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20, the second horizontal direction is along line I-I.).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), wherein the chip structure further includes a third region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a third distance greater than the second distance (Kim, Fig. 3, A third region is a region farther from the center than both the first and second regions.),
the auto focus filter regions further include a third auto focus filter region disposed on the third region (Kim, Fig. 3, A third auto focus filter region is a phase pixel farthest from the center in the third region.), and
a third width of a third grid portion disposed adjacent to the third auto focus filter region among the grid is wider than the second width (Jung, Figs. 20-23, Width between AF1 and R pixel 123 (L1+L16) or Width between AF2 and G pixel 125 (L1+L18), Paragraphs 0083-0084).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), further comprising: micro lens regions disposed on the color filter regions and corresponding to each of the color filter regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, microlenses 202 and 203, Paragraph 0031),
wherein the micro lens regions include normal lens regions corresponding to the normal filter regions and auto focus lens regions corresponding to the auto focus filter regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, microlenses 202 and 203, Paragraph 0031), and
a size of each of the normal lens regions is smaller than a size of each of the auto focus lens regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, microlenses 202 and 203, Paragraph 0031).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), wherein each of the color filter regions extends onto an upper surface of the grid (Jung, Figs. 21-23).
Regarding claim 13, Jung et al. (hereafter referred as Jung) teaches an image sensor (Jung, Figs. 20-23) comprising:
a chip structure including normal pixel regions and auto focus pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, photoelectric transformation layer 300, Paragraph 0026);
a grid disposed on the chip structure (Jung, Figs. 20-23; light shields 150, 0081-0082) and
color filter regions defined by the grid over the chip structure, the color filter regions including normal filter regions and auto focus filter regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, color filters 140, Paragraphs 0027-0028, The filter regions are considered include the color filter and their respective surrounding grid portions.),
wherein the normal filter regions correspond to the normal pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, color filters 140, Paragraphs 0027-0028),
one auto focus filter region among the auto focus filter regions corresponds to at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other among the auto focus pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, Paragraph 0022),
the chip structure includes a first region spaced from a central region of a pixel array region of the chip structure by a first distance, and a second region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a second distance greater than the first distance (Jung, Fig. 20, A center region is a first region. A region farther from the center is a second region.),
a first length of the an auto focus filter region (Jung, Fig. 20, Width between AF2 and G pixel 122, Fig. 21, The first length is the width L1+L15, Paragraph 0083, The auto focus filter region is considered include the color filter and its respective surrounding grid portions.) in a first horizontal direction is longer than a second length of the auto focus filter region (Jung, Fig. 20, The second length is the width between AF1 and B pixel 121, Fig. 21, Width L1+L14, Paragraph 0084) in the first horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20, The first horizontal direction is the direction along line I-I.)
a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other among the grid has a fourth width (Jung, Figs. 20-23, The fourth grid portion is the grid portion between normal pixels with width L1+L1.),
the fourth width is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to the auto focus filter region among the grid (Jung, Fig. 22, Width between AF1 and R pixel 201, The second width is L1+L16. The fourth width (L1+L1) is narrower than the second width (L1+L16).), and
on a level of the grid, normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding the first auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size (Jung, Fig. 20, the normal filter regions of pixels 121-126 on the grid level may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Additionally, normal filter regions of pixels 123 and 125 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, normal filter regions of pixels 124 and 126 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, or normal filter regions of pixels 121 and 122 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Further, the four corner pixels immediately surrounding the auto focus filter regions 111 and 112 have substantially the same size since the grid of these corner pixels are not affected by the focus pixels.).
However, Jung does not explicitly state the auto focus filter regions include a first auto focus filter region disposed on the first region and a second auto focus filter region disposed on the second region, a first length of the first auto focus filter region in a first horizontal direction is longer than a second length of the second auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction, and the fourth grid portion and the second grid portion are disposed in the second auto focus filter region; normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size.
In reference to Kim, Kim teaches a chip structure includes a first region spaced from a central region of a pixel array region of the chip structure by a first distance, and a second region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a second distance greater than the first distance (Kim, Figs. 3 or 14, A first region is a region closer to the center than a second region.),
the auto focus filter regions include a first auto focus filter region disposed on the first region and a second auto focus filter region disposed on the second region (Kim, Figs. 3 or 14, A first auto focus filter region is a phase pixel closer to the center. A second auto focus filter region is a phase pixel farther from the center.),
a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other in the second region among the grid (Kim, Figs. 3-4, color filter fence 160S1, A color filter fence between the normal pixels in the second region.).
These arts are analogous since they are both related to imaging devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the Jung with the explicit teaching of multiple auto focus filter regions at different distances from the center of the image sensor as seen in Kim since it is well known to have multiple phase difference detection pixels on an image sensor and would allow the device to determine focus/distance at different parts of the image. Further, the limitations “normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size” and “a first length of the first auto focus filter region in a first horizontal direction is longer than a second length of the second auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction” is met since the first length may be considered to be the width L1+L15 of an auto focus filter region near the center of the image sensor and the second length may be considered to be the width L1+L11 of an auto focus filter region farther from the center of the image sensor. Said differently, the first length is the width L1+L15 of one auto focus filter region and second length is the width L1+L14 of a different auto focus filter region.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 13 (see claim 13 analysis), wherein among the auto focus pixel regions, at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other include a first phase difference detection region and a second phase difference detection region disposed adjacent to each other in the first horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20, The first horizontal direction is the direction along line I-I, Kim, Fig. 3, The first horizontal direction is the X axis direction.), and
each of the auto focus filter regions includes a first portion corresponding to the first phase difference detection region and a second portion corresponding to the second phase difference detection region (Jung, Fig. 20, Kim, Figs. 4-5, PPXa and PPXb, Paragraph 0052).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 14 (see claim 14 analysis), further comprising:
micro lens regions disposed on the color filter regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, microlenses 202 and 203, Paragraph 0031),
wherein the micro lens regions include a normal lens region corresponding to each of the normal filter regions and an auto focus lens region corresponding to the first and second phase difference detection regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, microlenses 202 and 203, Paragraph 0031), and
a width of the auto focus lens region in the first horizontal direction is wider than a width of the normal lens region in the first horizontal direction (Jung, Figs. 20-23, microlenses 202 and 203, Paragraph 0031).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 13 (see claim 13 analysis), wherein a length of the first auto focus filter region in a second horizontal direction is substantially identical to a length of the second auto focus filter region in the second horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20, 22 and 23, The length of the first auto focus filter region in a second horizontal direction is the length of the color filter AF1 or AF2 in the direction of line II-II. The length of the second auto focus filter region in a second horizontal direction is the length of the color filter AF1 or AF2 in the direction of line II-II.), and
the second horizontal direction is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20, The second horizontal direction (II-II) is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction (I-I).).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 13 (see claim 13 analysis), wherein a first width of a first grid portion defining a side surface of the first auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction among the grid (Jung, Fig. 20, The first width is the width between AF1 and B pixel 121, Fig. 21, Width L1+L14, Paragraph 0084) is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion defining a side surface of the second auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction among the grid (Jung, Fig. 20, The second width is the width between AF2 and G pixel 122, Fig. 21, width L1+L15, Paragraph 0083).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Jung et al. (US 2019/0052823 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2021/0120198 A1) in view of Nakamura (US 2017/0053956 A1).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Jung and Kim teaches the image sensor of claim 10 (see claim 10 analysis), wherein the auto focus lens regions include a first auto focus lens region corresponding to the first auto focus filter region and a second auto focus lens region corresponding to the second auto focus filter region (Jung, Figs. 20-23, Kim, Figs. 3 and 4)
However, the combination of Jung and Kim does not teach, on a plane, a first distance misaligned between a central region of the first auto focus filter region and a central region of the first auto focus lens region is shorter than a second distance misaligned between a central region of the second auto focus filter region and a central region of the second auto focus lens region.
In reference to Nakamura, Nakamura teaches wherein the auto focus lens regions include a first auto focus lens region corresponding to the first auto focus filter region and a second auto focus lens region corresponding to the second auto focus filter region (Nakamura, Fig. 5-6, PD(A) and PD(B) at positions of F!-F4, Paragraph 0079-0081 and 0085-0089), and
on a plane, a first distance misaligned between a central region of the first auto focus filter region and a central region of the first auto focus lens region is shorter than a second distance misaligned between a central region of the second auto focus filter region and a central region of the second auto focus lens region (Nakamura, Fig. 5-6, PD(A) and PD(B) at positions of F!-F4, Paragraph 0089).
These arts are analogous since they are all related to imaging devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the combination of Jung and Kim with the teaching of shifting the center of the micro-lens as seen in Nakamura to focus light at the center of the phase difference pixels and compensate for image height.
Claim(s) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Jung et al. (US 2019/0052823 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2021/0120198 A1) in view of Takahashi et al. (US 2020/0177829 A1).
Regarding claim 19, Jung et al. (hereafter referred as Jung) teaches an image sensor (Jung, Figs. 20-23) comprising:
a chip structure including normal pixel regions and auto focus pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, photoelectric transformation layer 300, Paragraph 0026);
a grid disposed on the chip structure (Jung, Figs. 20-23; light shields 150, 0081-0082) and
color filter regions defined by the grid over the chip structure; and
micro lens regions disposed on the color filter regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, microlenses 202 and 203, Paragraph 0031),
wherein the color filter regions including normal filter regions and auto focus filter regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, color filters 140, Paragraphs 0027-0028),
wherein the normal filter regions correspond to the normal pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 21-23, color filters 140, Paragraphs 0027-0028),
one auto focus filter region among the auto focus filter regions corresponds to at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other among the auto focus pixel regions (Jung, Figs. 20-23, Paragraph 0022),
the chip structure includes a first region spaced from a central region of a pixel array region of the chip structure by a first distance, and a second region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a second distance greater than the first distance (Jung, Fig. 20, A center region is a first region. A region farther from the center is a second region.),
a first width (Jung, Fig. 20, Width between AF2 and G pixel 126, Fig. 23, Width L1+L19, Paragraph 0084) of a first grid portion defining a side surface of the auto focus filter region in a first horizontal direction among the grid is narrower than a second width (Jung, Fig. 20, Width between AF1 and R pixel 124, Fig. 23, Width L1+L17, Paragraph 0083) of a second grid portion defining a side surface of the auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction among the grid (Jung, Figs. 20-23, Paragraphs 0083-0084),
a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other among the grid has a fourth width (Jung, Figs. 20-23, The fourth grid portion is the grid portion between normal pixels with width L1+L1.),
the fourth width is narrower than the second width (Jung, Fig. 22, the fourth width (L1+L1) is narrower than the second width (L1+L17).), and
on a level of the grid, normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding the first auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size (Jung, Fig. 20, the normal filter regions of pixels 121-126 on the grid level may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Additionally, normal filter regions of pixels 123 and 125 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, normal filter regions of pixels 124 and 126 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size, or normal filter regions of pixels 121 and 122 may be interpreted to have substantially the same size. Further, the four corner pixels immediately surrounding the auto focus filter regions 111 and 112 have substantially the same size since the grid of these corner pixels are not affected by the focus pixels.).
However, Jung does not teach a first chip structure including a first substrate and a first circuit element on the first substrate; a second chip structure disposed on the first chip structure, and including a second substrate including normal pixel regions and auto focus pixel regions and a second circuit device between the second substrate and the first chip structure; the auto focus filter regions include a first auto focus filter region disposed on the first region and a second auto focus filter region disposed on the second region, a first width of a first grid portion disposed adjacent to the first auto focus filter region among the grid is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to the second auto focus filter region among the grid; normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size.
In reference to Kim, Kim teaches a chip structure includes a first region spaced from a central region of a pixel array region of the chip structure by a first distance, and a second region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a second distance greater than the first distance (Kim, Figs. 3 or 14, A first region is a region closer to the center than a second region.),
the auto focus filter regions include a first auto focus filter region disposed on the first region and a second auto focus filter region disposed on the second region (Kim, Figs. 3 or 14, A first auto focus filter region is a phase pixel closer to the center. A second auto focus filter region is a phase pixel farther from the center.),
a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other in the second region among the grid (Kim, Figs. 3-4, color filter fence 160S1, A color filter fence between the normal pixels in the second region.).
These arts are analogous since they are both related to imaging devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the Jung with the explicit teaching of multiple auto focus filter regions at different distances from the center of the image sensor as seen in Kim since it is well known to have multiple phase difference detection pixels on an image sensor and would allow the device to determine focus/distance at different parts of the image. Further, the limitations “normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size” and “a first width of a first grid portion disposed adjacent to the first auto focus filter region among the grid is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to the second auto focus filter region among the grid” is met since the first grid portion may be considered to be the width L1+L19 of an auto focus filter region near the center of the image sensor and the second grid portion may be considered to be the width L1+L17 of an auto focus filter region farther from the center of the image sensor. Said differently, the first grid portion is the width L1+L19 of one auto focus filter region and second grid portion is the width L1+L17 of a different auto focus filter region.
However, the combination of Jung and Kim does not teach a first chip structure including a first substrate and a first circuit element on the first substrate; a second chip structure disposed on the first chip structure, and including a second substrate including normal pixel regions and auto focus pixel regions and a second circuit device between the second substrate and the first chip structure.
In reference to Takahashi et al. (hereafter referred as Takahashi) Takahashi teaches a first chip structure including a first substrate and a first circuit element on the first substrate (Takahashi, Fig. 7E, second substrate 20, wiring 221 and electrodes 223, Paragraph 0163 and 0165);
a second chip structure (Takahashi, Fig. 7E, first substrate 10) disposed on the first chip structure, and including a second substrate including normal pixel regions (Takahashi, Fig. 7E, photodiode 11) and a second circuit device (Takahashi, Fig. 7E, wiring 121 and an electrode 123) between the second substrate and the first chip structure (Takahashi, Fig. 7E, Paragraphs 0163-0165); and
a micro lens regions disposed on color filter regions (Takahashi, Fig. 7E, color filter layer 12, micro lens array 13, Paragraph 0132).
These arts are analogous since they are all related to imaging devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the combination of Jung and Kim with the substrate construction and microlenses as seen in Takahashi to a higher degree of freedom of the size and layout of chips to be laminated (Takahashi, Paragraph 0010).
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Kim, Jung and Takahashi teaches image sensor of claim 19 (see claim 19 analysis), wherein a third width of a third grid portion defining a side surface of the first auto focus filter region in a second horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20 and 21, Width between AF2 and G pixel 122 of the first auto focus filter region, Fig. 21, Width L1+L15) among the grid is substantially identical to a fifth width of a fifth grid portion in contact with a side surface of the second auto focus filter region in the second horizontal direction among the grid (Jung, Fig. 20 and 21, Width between AF2 and G pixel 122 of the second auto focus filter region, Fig. 21, Width L1+L15, Both the third and the fifth widths are L1+L15.), and
the second horizontal direction is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 20, the second horizontal direction is along line I-I.).
Claim(s) 13, 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Tanaka et al. (US 2022/0408042 A1) in view of Jung et al. (US 2019/0052823 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Tanaka et al. (hereafter referred as Tanaka) teaches an image sensor (Tanaka, Figs. 9-12) comprising:
a chip structure (Tanaka, Fig. 6, image sensor 20) including normal pixel regions (Tanaka, Figs. 9 and 20, imaging pixels N) and auto focus pixel regions (Tanaka, Figs. 9 and 20, phase difference pixel group F1-F4, Paragraphs 0091 and 0094);
color filter regions defined by the grid over the chip structure, the color filter regions including normal filter regions (Tanaka, Fig. 10, Paragraph 0098),
auto focus filter regions (Tanaka, Figs. 11-12, Paragraph 0101),
wherein the normal filter regions correspond to the normal pixel regions (Tanaka, Figs. 9 and 12),
one auto focus filter region among the auto focus filter regions corresponds to at least two auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other among the auto focus pixel regions (Tanaka, Fig. 12, Paragraph 0107, An auto focus filter region may be considered to be first phase difference pixel group F1 or second phase difference pixel group F2. Each auto focus filter region corresponds to three auto focus pixel regions disposed adjacent to each other.),
the chip structure includes a first region spaced from a central region of a pixel array region of the chip structure by a first distance (Tanaka, Fig. 12, Central Region), and a second region spaced from the central region of the pixel array region of the chip structure by a second distance greater than the first distance (Tanaka, Fig. 12, First or Second Side Region, Paragraphs 0107-0108),
the auto focus filter regions include a first auto focus filter region disposed on the first region (Tanaka, Fig. 12, A first auto focus filter region may be the first phase difference pixel group F1 in the central region.) and a second auto focus filter region disposed on the second region (Tanaka, Fig. 12, A second auto focus filter region may be the first phase difference pixel group F1 in the second side region.), and
a first length of the first auto focus filter region in a first horizontal direction (Tanaka, Fig. 12, A first length of the first auto focus filter region may be the length of pixel 1CC not covered by the light shield in the X direction.) is longer than a second length of the second auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction (Tanaka, Fig. 12, A second length of the second auto focus filter region may be the length of pixel 1CR not covered by the light shield in the X direction.), and
normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions
However, Tanaka does not teach a grid disposed on the chip structure; the color filter regions including auto focus filter regions, a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other in the second region among the grid has a fourth width, and the fourth width is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to the second auto focus filter region among the grid, and on a level of the grid, normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding a respectively one of the first and second auto focus filter regions have substantially the same size.
In reference to Jung, Jung teaches a grid disposed on the chip structure (Jung, Figs. 37-41, light shields 150, Paragraph 0099);
the color filter regions including auto focus filter regions (Jung, Fig. 37, Paragraph 0101, First and second phase-difference detection pixels 111 and 112 may have the same color filter.);
a fourth grid portion between the normal filter regions disposed adjacent to each other among the grid has a fourth width (Jung, Figs. 37-41, Paragraph 0105, Light shield 150 between adjacent normal pixels has the width L1+L1.),
the fourth width is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion disposed adjacent to an auto focus filter region among the grid (Jung, Figs. 37-41, Paragraph 0105, A second grid portion may have width L1+L26 or LS+L27.), and
on a level of the grid, normal filter regions among the normal filter regions immediately surrounding the auto focus filter region have substantially the same size (Jung, Fig. 37, On the grid level, normal filter regions immediately surrounding the auto focus filter region are seen to have substantially the same size. Additionally, at least two blue pixels immediately surrounding the auto focus filter region have the same size.).
These arts are analogous since they are both related to imaging devices with focus pixels. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the invention of Tanaka with the method of having color filters on the AF pixels, using a light shield grid, and forming the light shield for phase pixels in the light shield grid as seen in Jung to prevent crosstalk between adjacent normal pixels and allow for the formation of the AF pixel light shield and normal pixel light shield in the same step. Further, the fourth grid portion and second grid portion would be provided in the second region since the grid would be applied on the whole image sensor.
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Tanaka and Jung teaches the image sensor of claim 13 (see claim 13 analysis), wherein a length of the first auto focus filter region in a second horizontal direction is substantially identical to a length of the second auto focus filter region in the second horizontal direction, and the second horizontal direction is perpendicular to the first horizontal direction (Jung, Fig. 12, The length of the first and second auto focus filters in the Y direction are substantially equal.).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Tanaka and Jung teaches the image sensor of claim 13 (see claim 13 analysis), wherein a first width of a first grid portion defining a side surface of the first auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction among the grid structure is narrower than a second width of a second grid portion defining a side surface of the second auto focus filter region in the first horizontal direction among the grid (Tanaka, Fig. 12, The width of the light shield of pixel 1CC is narrower than the width of the light shield of pixel 1CR.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mabuchi (US 2009/0251556 A1): Mabuchi recites on Paragraph 0010: “Recently, it has become common to use a small pixel pitch of 2 μm or less in a pixel array. The pixel pitch of 2 μm or less is less than the resolution of a lens (an optical system) of a camera…”
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/WESLEY J CHIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/TWYLER L HASKINS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2639