Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/486,047

PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND EQUIPMENT

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Oct 12, 2023
Priority
Oct 17, 2022 — JP 2022-166156 +1 more
Examiner
JEFFERSON, QUOVAUNDA
Art Unit
2899
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2m
Est. Remaining
88%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
702 granted / 889 resolved
+11.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+8.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
929
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
81.9%
+41.9% vs TC avg
§102
10.5%
-29.5% vs TC avg
§112
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 889 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claims 1 and 19 recite the limitation that “in the plan view relative to the main surface, an end portion of the second output line intersecting with respect to a longer-side direction of the second output line is positioned to overlap with at least a portion of the second region” (or the third region in claim 19) in the last lines of these claims. From how these claims have been recited, it is unclear as to what the end portion of the second output line intersects. The claim recites that the end portion of the second output line intersecting with respect to a longer side direction of the second output line, which infers that the end portion intersects itself, thereby making these claims indefinite. Claims 2-18 and 20-27 are dependent upon either claims 1 and 19 and are therefore allowable. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent 7,875,839, issued to Sato et al, discloses a solid state imaging device that generates color pixel signals. US Patent 10,504,954, issued to Toyoguchi et al, discloses imaging body device. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUOVAUNDA JEFFERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5051. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7AM-4PM. 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, Dale E Page can be reached at 571-270-7877. 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. QVJ /DALE E PAGE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 12, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 02, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12642104
PACKAGE SUBSTRATE WITH EMBEDDED DEVICE, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR
2y 9m to grant Granted May 26, 2026
Patent 12622186
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DIAMOND SUBSTRATE
3y 10m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Patent 12622242
SELECTIVE SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYER (SAM) REMOVAL
2y 10m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Patent 12622194
SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE INCLUDING DEVICES WITH DIFFERENT CHANNEL LENGTHS, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
2y 10m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Patent 12606579
HALOGEN-FREE MOLYBDENUM-CONTAINING PRECURSORS FOR DEPOSITION OF MOLYBDENUM
2y 10m to grant Granted Apr 21, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
79%
Grant Probability
88%
With Interview (+8.7%)
2y 9m (~2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 889 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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