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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/23/2025 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 12/12/2025.
Examiner notes: Claim 11 shows the amendment of:
an signal holding circuit that outputs the signals held in the plurality of signal holding circuits in units of one row,
However, the previous version of claim 11, filed 09/09/2025, recited “an output unit that outputs the signals held in the plurality of holding units in units of one row,”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/12/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In that remarks, applicant argues in substance:
Applicant argues: “Moreover, FIG. 15 of Shim shows four photodiodes PD1ito PD 14 arranged in both vertical and horizontal directions that form a first sub-pixel SPX1, receiving light signals through the same microlens (also see paragraphs [0225] and [0226]). Similarly, Shim teaches four photodiodes PD21 to PD24, arranged in both vertical and horizontal directions that form a second sub-pixel SPX2, receiving light signals through the same microlens, four photodiodes PD31toPD34, arranged in both vertical and horizontal directions that form a third sub-pixel SPX3,receiving light signals through the same microlens, and four photodiodes PD41 to PD44, arranged in both vertical and horizontal directions that form a fourth sub-pixel SPX4, receiving light signals through the same microlens. In other words, Shim only teaches that each sub-pixel SPX1-SPX4 includes four photodiodes arranged in a 2x2 configuration and that these four photodiodes share the same microlens. Shim does not disclose or suggest forming multiple photoelectric conversion units corresponding to each pixel on the substrate SUB1 and multiple signal holding circuits corresponding to each pixel on the substrate SUB2. That is, Shim does not teach an arrangement in which for each pixel (including both the first pixels and the second pixels), the photoelectric conversion units are formed on one substrate, and the pixel's corresponding holding circuits are formed on a different substrate. Further, Shim also does not teach or suggest a single connecting point for a predetermined number of first and second pixels. Accordingly, Shim does not disclose, teach, or suggest that the plurality of photoelectric conversion units corresponding to a predetermined number of the first and second pixels formed on the first semiconductor substrate and the plurality of signal holding circuits corresponding to the predetermined number of the first and second pixels formed on the second semiconductor substrate are connected via a single connecting point.”
Examiner’s Response: Examiner respectfully disagrees. With reference to Shim, Figure 14, a first pixel may be considered to include photodiodes PD11-PD14, PD31-PD34, readout circuitry RX1, DCG1, DX11 and SX31, Capacitors C1 to C3, and Second driving transistor DX2 and First selection transistor SX1. A second pixel may be considered to include photodiodes PD21-PD24, PD41-PD44, readout circuitry RX2, DCG2, DX12 and SX32, Capacitors C1 to C3, and Second driving transistor DX2 and First selection transistor SX1. That is, the first and second pixel share Capacitors C1 to C3, and Second driving transistor DX2 and First selection transistor SX1.
Additionally, “a plurality of photoelectric conversion units” of each pixel may be considered to be the top four photodiodes (PD11-PD14 for a first pixel and PD21-PD24 for a second pixel). Therefore, Shim teaches “wherein the plurality of pixels include a plurality of first pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens and are arranged in a first direction and a plurality of second pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens and are arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction” since the plurality of photoelectric conversion units share one microlens (Shim, Paragraph 0226) and since the plurality of photoelectric conversion units are arranged in both a first direction and a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.
Shim teaches a plurality of signal holding circuits that hold signals corresponding to the charge accumulated in the plurality of photoelectric conversion units (Shim, Figs. 14, transistors SMP1 to SMP3 and Capacitors C1 to C3, Paragraphs 0145 and 0223). That is, transistors SMP1 to SMP3 and Capacitors C1 to C3 correspond to photodiodes PD11-PD14 for a first pixel and photodiodes PD21-PD24 for a second pixel.
In Figure 14, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units of each pixel are formed on a first semiconductor substrate (Shim, Fig. 14, SUB1), and the plurality of signal holding circuits of each pixel are formed on a second semiconductor substrate (Shim, Fig. 14, SUB2).
The plurality of photoelectric conversion units corresponding to a predetermined number of the first and second pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14, A predetermined number of the first and second pixels is the number of first and second pixels of the image sensor) and the plurality of signal holding circuits corresponding to the predetermined number of the first and second pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14, Each of the first and second pixels has a corresponding the plurality of signal holding circuits.) formed on the second semiconductor substrate are connected via single connecting point (Shim, Fig. 14, node N1).
Therefore, Shim discloses the limitations “each pixel comprises: a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that convert incident light into charge and accumulate the charge and a plurality of signal holding circuits that hold signals corresponding to the charge accumulated in the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, and the plurality of pixels include a plurality of first pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens and are arranged in a first direction and a plurality of second pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens and are arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units of each pixel are formed on a first semiconductor substrate, and the plurality of signal holding circuits of each pixel are formed on a second semiconductor substrate, and that the plurality of photoelectric conversion units corresponding to a predetermined number of the first and second pixels formed on the first semiconductor substrate and the plurality of signal holding circuits corresponding to the predetermined number of the first and second pixels formed on the second semiconductor substrate are connected via single connecting point”, as recited in applicant's amended independent claims 1 and 11.
Claim Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 11, lines 8-9, change “an signal holding circuit that outputs the signals held in the plurality of signal holding circuits in units of one row,” to “a signal output circuit that outputs the signals held in the plurality of signal holding circuits in units of one row,”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 11 is 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.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the image sensor" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 8-9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Shim et al. (US 2024/0107195 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Shim et al. (hereafter referred as Shim) teaches an image sensor including a plurality of pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14-15, A first pixel may be considered to include PD11-PD14, PD31-PD34, RX1, DCG1, DX11 and SX31, Capacitors C1 to C3, and transistors DX2 and SX1. A second pixel may be considered to include PD21-PD24, PD41-PD44, RX2, DCG2, DX12 and SX32, Capacitors C1 to C3, and transistor DX2 and SX1.), wherein each pixel comprises:
a microlens (Shim, Fig. 15, Paragraph 0226);
a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that convert incident light into charge and accumulate the charge (Shim, Figs. 14-15, photodiodes PD11-14 or PD21-24, Paragraph 0223);
a plurality of signal holding circuits that hold signals corresponding to the charge accumulated in the plurality of photoelectric conversion units (Shim, Figs. 14, transistors SMP1 to SMP3 and Capacitors C1 to C3, Paragraphs 0145 and 0223; and
a signal output circuit that outputs the signals held in the plurality of signal holding circuits in units of one row (Shim, Fig. 14, Second driving transistor DX2 and First selection transistor SX1, Paragraph 0061 and 0223),
wherein the plurality of pixels include a plurality of first pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens (Shim, Paragraph 0226) and are arranged in a first direction and a plurality of second pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens and are arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction (Shim, Figs. 14-15, The plurality of photoelectric conversion units (PD11-14 for a first pixel and PD21-24 for a second pixel) are arranged in both a first direction and a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.),
wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion units of each pixel are formed on a first semiconductor substrate (Shim, Fig. 14, substrate SUB1), and the plurality of signal holding circuits of each pixel are formed on a second semiconductor substrate (Shim, Fig. 14, substrate SUB2), and
wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion units corresponding to a predetermined number of the first and second pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14, A predetermined number of the first and second pixels is the number of first and second pixels of the image sensor.) formed on the first semiconductor substrate and the plurality of signal holding circuits correspond to the predetermined number of the first and second pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14, Each of the first and second pixels has a corresponding the plurality of signal holding circuits.) formed on the second semiconductor substrate are connected via single connecting point (Shim, Fig. 14, node N1).
Regarding claim 2, Shim teaches the image sensor according to claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), wherein timings of accumulating the charge in the plurality of second pixels and timings at which the signals corresponding to the charge accumulated in the plurality of photoelectric conversion units of each of the plurality of second pixels are controlled to be the same for the plurality of the second pixels (Shim, Fig. 13, Paragraph 0230, Integration times for the pixels is the same for the second pixels. That is, each second pixel operates in the same manner of timing.).
Regarding claim 8, Shim teaches the image sensor according to claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), wherein the each pixel is covered with a color filter of one of a plurality of colors formed between the microlens and the plurality of photoelectric conversion units (Shim, Fig. 8A, Color filter CF, Paragraph 0153, 0202 and 0226), and
the second pixels are covered with the color filters of a predetermined color (Shim, Paragraph 0034, The predetermined color may be red, green or blue.).
Regarding claim 9, Shim teaches the image sensor according to claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), wherein the each pixel is covered with a color filter formed between the microlens and the plurality of photoelectric conversion units (Shim, Fig. 8A, Color filter CF, Paragraph 0153, 0202 and 0226), and
the color filters are of Bayer arrangement, and a set of color filters of the Bayer arrangement are provided for a predetermined number of pixels including the second pixel (Shim, Paragraph 0034).
Regarding claim 11, Shim teaches an image capturing apparatus (Shim, Fig. 18, Paragraph 0257) comprising:
the image sensor including a plurality of pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14-15, A first pixel may be considered to include PD11-PD14, PD31-PD34, RX1, DCG1, DX11 and SX31, Capacitors C1 to C3, and transistors DX2 and SX1. A second pixel may be considered to include PD21-PD24, PD41-PD44, RX2, DCG2, DX12 and SX32, Capacitors C1 to C3, and transistor DX2 and SX1.), wherein each pixel comprises:
a microlens (Shim, Fig. 15, Paragraph 0226);
a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that convert incident light into charge and accumulate the charge (Shim, Figs. 14-15, photodiodes PD11-14 or PD21-24, Paragraph 0223);
a plurality of signal holding circuits that hold signals corresponding to the charge accumulated in the plurality of photoelectric conversion units (Shim, Figs. 14, transistors SMP1 to SMP3 and Capacitors C1 to C3, Paragraphs 0145 and 0223; and
an signal holding circuit that outputs the signals held in the plurality of signal holding circuits in units of one row (Shim, Fig. 14, Second driving transistor DX2 and First selection transistor SX1, Paragraph 0061 and 0223),
wherein the plurality of pixels include a plurality of first pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens (Shim, Paragraph 0226) and are arranged in a first direction and a plurality of second pixels each having the plurality of photoelectric conversion units that share one microlens and are arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction (Shim, Figs. 14-15, The plurality of photoelectric conversion units (PD11-14 for a first pixel and PD21-24 for a second pixel) are arranged in both a first direction and a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.),
wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion units of each pixel are formed on a first semiconductor substrate (Shim, Fig. 14, substrate SUB1), and the plurality of signal holding circuits of each pixel are formed on a second semiconductor substrate (Shim, Fig. 14, substrate SUB2), and
wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion units corresponding to a predetermined number of the first and second pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14, A predetermined number of the first and second pixels is the number of first and second pixels of the image sensor.) formed on the first semiconductor substrate and the plurality of signal holding circuits correspond to the predetermined number of the first and second pixels (Shim, Figs. 1 and 14, Each of the first and second pixels has a corresponding the plurality of signal holding circuits.) formed on the second semiconductor substrate are connected via single connecting point (Shim, Fig. 14, node N1); and
a focus detection unit that performs phase difference focus detection based on the signals output from the plurality of signal holding circuits (Shim, Paragraphs 0191 and 0250).
Claim Rejections - 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, 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) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim et al. (US 2024/0107195 A1) in view of Inui et al. (US 2020/0273894 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Shim teaches the image sensor according to claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis). However, Shim does not teach wherein, as the plurality of the photoelectric conversion units, the each pixel has: a plurality of first regions formed at a first depth from a light incident surface; a plurality of second regions formed at a second depth deeper than the first depth, for accumulating the charge generated according to the incident light; and a plurality of connection regions that connect the plurality of first regions and the second regions.
In reference to Inui et al. (hereafter referred as Inui), Inui teaches wherein, as the plurality of the photoelectric conversion units, the each pixel has:
a plurality of first regions formed at a first depth from a light incident surface (Inui, Figs. 15 and 19-20, regions 601, Paragraph 0133-0134 and 0141);
a plurality of second regions formed at a second depth deeper than the first depth, for accumulating the charge generated according to the incident light (Inui, Figs. 15 and 20, regions 602, Paragraph 0133-0134 and 0141); and
a plurality of connection regions that connect the plurality of first regions and the second regions (Inui, Figs. 15 and 19-20, regions 603, Paragraph 0133-0134 and 0141).
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 invention of Shim with the photodiode construction as seen in Inui to provide a photoelectric conversion device that may optimize the structure of photodiodes that output signals used for image plane phase difference autofocusing taking positions in the thickness direction of a substrate into consideration (Inui, Paragraph 0158).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Shim and Inui teaches the image sensor according to claim 3 (see claim 3 analysis). However, the combination of Shim and Inui does not teach wherein, among the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, the plurality of first regions of the first pixels are arranged in the first direction, and the plurality of first regions of the second pixels are arranged in the second direction.
In further reference to Inui, Inui teaches wherein, among the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, the plurality of first regions of the first pixels are arranged in the first direction, and the plurality of first regions of the second pixels are arranged in the second direction (Inui, Fig. 22, Paragraph 0162-0163).
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 Shim and Inui with the teaching of placing the first regions in different directions as seen in Inui to detect phase difference in vertical or horizontal directions (Inui, Paragraph 0163).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim et al. (US 2024/0107195 A1) in view of Mizuta (US 2019/0122918 A1)
Regarding claim 10, Shim teaches the image sensor according to claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis). However, Shim does not teach wherein the plurality of signal holding circuits are trench MOS type.
In reference to Mizuta, Mizuta teaches a signal holding circuit is a trench MOS type (Mizuta, Fig. 2, capacitance element 107, Paragraph 0213.).
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 invention of Shim with the use of trench MOS type capacitors as seem in Mizuta since it is a known type of holding unit used in imagine devices and would perform similar and expected results as a holding unit.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WESLEY JASON CHIU whose telephone number is (571)270-1312. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8am-4pm.
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/WESLEY J CHIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/TWYLER L HASKINS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2639