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 § 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Palanchoke et al (US 20140049812).
Regarding claim 1, Palanchoke et al teach (Figs. 1-12) A spectral function-equipped imaging element, wherein a plurality of spectral pixelated optical filters (110, 112, 114, 116) are incorporated, continuously in one direction (the interpretation is based upon applicant’s specification [0012] view from a side) of an imaging element without substantially influencing an imaging function of the imaging element (viewed from 45 degrees of the X-Y plane), to enable acquisition of a spectrum of a target wavelength range (see [0072] – transmission characteristic of filters).
Regarding claim 2, Palanchoke et al teach wherein the plurality of spectral pixelated optical filters are incorporated, continuously in the one direction of the imaging element by replacing a part of pixelated color filters of the imaging element with the spectral pixelated optical filters, to enable the acquisition of the spectrum of the target wavelength range. Since replacing a part of pixelated color filters of the imaging elements with the spectral pixelated optical filters does NOT appear to provide structural distinction from claim 1, claim 2 is rejected base on the same explanation as claim 1.
Regarding claim 3, Palanchoke et al teach ([0061]) the target wavelength range at least includes a wavelength range of 400 nm to 700 nm.
Regarding claim 4, Palanchoke et al teach wherein each transmitted light wavelength of the plurality of spectral pixelated optical filters continuously disposed in the one direction is continuously shifted from one end to the other end in the one direction from a short wavelength side to a long wavelength side. That is, applicant’s disclosure teaches the continuously disposed in the one direction can be viewed from a side of the pixel array. Since Palachoke et al teach (fig. 1 and [0072]) elements 110 and 114 can be viewed as continuous (the right most element of 110 and left most element of 11), it is understood Palanchoke et al teach claim 4.
Regarding claim 7, Palanchoke et al teach (Fig. 1) the spectral pixelated optical filters are not adjacent to each other in a plan view of the spectral function-equipped imaging element from a side where the plurality of spectral pixelated optical filters are disposed.
Regarding claim 17, Palanchoke et al teach ([0105]) a product comprising: the spectral function-equipped imaging element according to claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-16 are allowed.
Claims 5 and 6 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 8, prior art of record does not teach A manufacturing method for a spectral pixelated optical filter array, the method comprising: forming a reflective layer A on a transparent substrate, then disposing a mask above the reflective layer A at an interval from a surface of the reflective layer A and sputtering an optical waveguide layer forming material toward the surface of the reflective layer A, thereby forming, on the reflective layer A, an optical waveguide layer having an inclined portion whose thickness continuously increases toward one direction, and then forming a reflective layer B on the optical waveguide layer, thereby obtaining a film thickness gradient optical filter; forming a photoresist film on the reflective layer B, then masking the photoresist film on the inclined portion corresponding to portions where a plurality of pixelated optical filters are to be formed, then exposing the photoresist film, and then removing the photoresist film of a portion not masked during the masking; scraping off the film thickness gradient optical filter corresponding to the portion where the photoresist film is removed; and removing the remaining photoresist film to obtain a spectral pixelated optical filter array in which a transmitted light wavelength is shifted from one end toward the other end in the one direction stepwise from a short wavelength side to a long wavelength side.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 5, prior art of record does not teach the spectral function-equipped imaging element according to wherein each of the plurality of spectral pixelated optical filters continuously disposed in the one direction has a reflective layer A, an optical waveguide layer on the reflective layer A, and a reflective layer B on the optical waveguide layer, the plurality of spectral pixelated optical filters are continuously disposed in the one direction of an imaging surface, and a thickness of the optical waveguide layer continuously increases from the one end to the other end in the one direction..
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TONY KO whose telephone number is (571)272-1926. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5pm.
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/TONY KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
TK