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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-8 in the reply filed on 05/14/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 9-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected method of fabrication, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 05/14/2026.
Newly submitted claims 21-24 directed to an invention that is independent or distinct from the invention originally claimed for the following reasons: The method of claims 21-24 is independent from the method of claims 1-8. Independent claim 21 does not mention an event vision sensor (EVS) photosensor.
Since applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention, this invention has been constructively elected by original presentation for prosecution on the merits. Accordingly, claims 21-24 are withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP § 821.03.
To preserve a right to petition, the reply to this action must distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement. Otherwise, the election shall be treated as a final election without traverse. Traversal must be timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are subsequently added, applicant must indicate which of the subsequently added claims are readable upon the elected invention.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the inventions are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the inventions to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the inventions unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other invention.
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Nakata et al. ( US 2018/0227490 A1; hereinafter Nakata )
Regarding claim 1, Nakata teaches a method of fabricating an image sensor ( Fig. 1 image sensor 100 ), the method comprising: forming a photosensor wafer comprising an array of photosensors ( [0046] The pixel electrode 11 is made of a conductive material that is highly opaque and can exist stably, for example, TiN or TaN. Further, the pixel electrode 11 is separated for each pixel. [0047] The term “transparent” as used in the embodiments means transmitting at least a portion of light in the wavelength range to be detected, and does not necessarily mean transmitting light over the entire wavelength range of visible light. Light detected by a photosensor according to the embodiments is not limited to light within the wavelength range of visible light (e.g., from 380 nm or more to 780 nm or less). In the embodiments, the entire spectrum of electromagnetic radiation including infrared and ultraviolet radiation will be expressed as “light” for the convenience of discussion ); forming a signal processing wafer comprising signal processing circuitry configured to receive and process photocharge collected by the photosensors of the photosensor wafer ( [0032] Each unit pixel cell 10 has a photoelectric converter 13 and a signal detection circuit 14. As will be described later with reference to the drawings, the photoelectric converter 13 has a photoelectric conversion layer sandwiched between two opposing electrodes, and generates a signal charge in response to light incident on the photoelectric converter 13 ); forming a storage wafer ( Fig. 2 charge storage region 41 ) comprising metal-insulator-metal (MIM) storage elements ( [0053] The charge storage region 41 stores a signal charge obtained by photoelectric conversion, and converts the signal charge into voltage. As the charge storage region 41, for example, a junction capacitance (FD) formed on a substrate, or a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) with an insulating material such as SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiN, HfO.sub.2, or ZrO.sub.2 used for its insulating layer may be used ) ; securing the photosensor wafer ( Fig. 2 photoelectric converter 13 ) to a first side of the storage wafer ( Fig. 2 charge storage region 41 ) wherein the securing electrically connects the photosensors of the photosensor wafer and MIM storage elements of the storage wafer ( as discussed above ); and securing the signal processing wafer to a second side of the storage wafer wherein the securing electrically connects the MIM storage elements of the storage wafer with the signal processing circuitry of the signal processing wafer ( [0043] The image sensor 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 has the photoelectric converter 13, voltage supply circuits 32A and 32B connected to the photoelectric converter 13, a charge storage region 41, and the signal detection circuit 14 (not illustrated in FIG. 2); #14 is electrically connected to #41 so it would be on the bottom side of #41 ) .
Regarding claim 2, Nakata teaches the method of claim 1 ( as discussed above ), wherein after securing the photosensor wafer to the first side of the storage wafer ( as shown in Fig. 2 ) and securing the signal processing wafer to the second side of the storage wafer ( as discussed above), each photosensor is electrically connected in series with a MIM storage element of the storage wafer ( as shown in Fig. 1 the specific storage cell #41 is selected )
Regarding claim 5, Nakata teaches the method of claim 1 ( as discussed above), wherein: the photosensors include red photosensors having red color filters, green photosensors having green color filters, and blue photosensors having blue color filters ( [0072] As illustrated in (a) and (b) in FIG. 4, each pixel has, for example, a so-called Bayer pattern including one R pixel, two G pixels, and one B pixel ), and after securing the photosensor wafer to the first side of the storage wafer, each red photosensor of the photosensor wafer is electrically connected with a MIM storage element of the storage wafer, and each green photosensor of the photosensor wafer is electrically connected with a MIM storage element of the storage wafer, and each blue photosensor of the photosensor wafer is electrically connected with a MIM storage element of the storage wafer ( as shown in Fig. 1 each region is connected to the respective storage node 41 ).
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 3 is rejected under U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakata et al.; US 2018/0227490 A1; 01/2018 in view of Berner et al.; US 2022/0224853 A1; 07/2022
Claim 3: Nakata discloses the method of claim 1 ( as discussed above).
Nakata discloses is electrically connected with a MIM storage element of the storage wafer ( [0053] The charge storage region 41 stores a signal charge obtained by photoelectric conversion, and converts the signal charge into voltage. As the charge storage region 41, for example, a junction capacitance (FD) formed on a substrate, or a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) with an insulating material such as SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiN, HfO.sub.2, or ZrO.sub.2 used for its insulating layer may be used ).
Nakata does not appear to disclose the photosensors include event vision sensor (EVS) photosensors, and after securing the photosensor wafer to the first side of the storage wafer, each EVS photosensor of the photosensor wafer.
However, Berner discloses the photosensors include event vision sensor (EVS) photosensors ( [0047] FIG. 1B shows details of a pixel architecture for an event-based vision sensor extending across CMOS dies also according to the principles of the present invention ), and after securing the photosensor wafer ( [0042] In an upper wafer, a photoreceptor (PR) converts photons into a sensor voltage Vs ) to the first side of the storage wafer ( [0046] In the lower wafer, control logic (CL) ensures the conversion and storage of the PR value in the digital or analog memory (MEM) ), each EVS photosensor of the photosensor wafer ( as discussed above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to utilize the teachings of Berner with Nakata to implement the photosensors include event vision sensor (EVS) photosensors, and after securing the photosensor wafer to the first side of the storage wafer, each EVS photosensor of the photosensor wafer because this approach allows for improved performance and scalable wafer level integration.
Claim 4 is rejected under U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakata et al.; US 2018/0227490 A1; 01/2018 in view of Berner et al.; US 2022/0224853 A1; 07/2022 as it relates to claim 3 above and further in view of Ha; US 2022/0329745 A1; 03/2022
Claim 4: Nakata and Berner disclose the method of claim 3 ( as discussed above).
Nakata does not appear to disclose each EVS photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected.
Berner discloses each EVS photosensor has a photocharge storage ( [0052] The pixel circuit is preferably implemented in stacked dies, in which the photoreceptor PR and the operational transconductance amplifier comparator OTA are in an upper die that is optimized for sensitivity to the incoming photons ).
Berner does not appear to disclose that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected.
However, Ha teaches that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected ( [0106] Therefore, assuming that the amount of photocharges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element (PD) is within the linear well capacity (LWC) ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to utilize the teachings of Ha with Nakata and Berner to implement each EVS photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected because the MIM element is optimized for high-capacity storage while the photosensor is optimized for detection and event generation.
Claim 6 is rejected under U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakata et al.; US 2018/0227490 A1; 01/2018 in view of Innocent et al.; US 2022/0264042 A1; 02/2022
Claim 6: Nakata discloses the method of claim 5 ( as discussed above ).
Nakata does not appear to disclose each red photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected; each green photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected; and each blue photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected.
However, Innocent teaches each red photosensor ( [0026] image sensor pixels 22 in array 20 may be provided with a color filter array having red, green, and blue filter elements, which allows a single image sensor to sample red, green, and blue (RGB) light using corresponding red, green, and blue image sensor pixels arranged in a Bayer mosaic pattern ) has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected ( [0051] In an illustrative configuration, capacitor 68 may be formed using a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor, and capacitors 78 and 88 may each be formed using a (3-D) metal-insulator-metal (MiM) capacitor. If desired, capacitor 48 may also be a MOS capacitor. If desired, the storage capacities of capacitors 78 and 88 may be similar to each other (e.g., within 10%, within 20%, etc.), the storage capacity of capacitor 78 or 88 may be greater than (e.g., greater than 5 times, greater than 10 times, greater than 100 times, etc.) the storage capacity of the floating diffusion region, and/or the storage capacity of capacitor 68 may be greater than, similar to, or less than the storage capacity of capacitor 48 ); each green photosensor ( as discussed in [0026] ) has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected ( as discussed above ); and each blue photosensor ( as discussed in [0026] ) has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected (as discussed above ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to utilize the teachings of Innocent with Nakata to implement each red photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected; each green photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected; and each blue photosensor has a photocharge storage capacity that is less than a photocharge storage capacity of the MIM storage element with which it is electrically connected because in modern CMOS or CCD imaging sensors each pixel has a photocharge storage capacity and is influenced by the pixel physical size, structure, and wavelength-dependent sensitivity.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 are 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 KIMBERLY N FREY whose telephone number is (571)272-5068. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5 pm.
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, Marlon Fletcher can be reached at (571)272-2063. 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.
/K.N.F./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/MARLON T FLETCHER/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
Prosecution Insights