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 .
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/17/2024 is in compliance with the provisions on 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusaka (JP 2007/317851 A, Translation provided) in view of Kimura (US 2013/0182165 A1) in view of Cho et al. (US 2014/0014818 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kusaka teaches an imaging element (Kusaka, Fig. 29) comprising:
a first microlens in which light is incident (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, A first microlens may be the microlens of pixel 325.);
a second microlens in which light is incident, the second microlens being arranged next to the first microlens in a column direction (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, A second microlens may be the microlens of a pixel below pixel 325.);
a first photoelectric converting section that converts light from the first microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A first photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.);
a second photoelectric converting section that converts light from the first microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A second photoelectric converting section may be the lower left G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.);
a third photoelectric converting section that converts light from the second microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A third photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325.);
a fourth photoelectric converting section that converts light from the second microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A fourth photoelectric converting section may be the upper left G photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325.).
However, Kusaka does not teach a light blocking section that blocks light from the second microlens; a first transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the first photoelectric converting section; a second transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the second photoelectric converting section; a third transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section; and a fourth transferring section that transfers charge for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section.
In reference to Kimura, Kimura teaches a first photoelectric converting section, a second photoelectric converting section, a third photoelectric converting section, and a photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, photodiodes (PDs) pd0 to pd3, Paragraph 0041);
a first transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the first photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs0, Paragraphs 0041-0043);
a second transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the second photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs1, Paragraphs 0041-0043);
a third transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs2, Paragraphs 0041-0043); and
a fourth transferring section that transfers charge converted by the fourth photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs3, Paragraphs 0041-0043).
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 Kusaka with the pixel circuitry are seen in Kimura since it is a known construction of a pixel with four photoelectric converting sections and would provide similar and expected results for transferring charge from the photoelectric converting sections.
However, the combination of Kusaka and Kimura does not teach a light blocking section that blocks light from the second microlens; and a fourth transferring section that transfers charge for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section.
In reference to Cho et al. (hereafter referred as Cho), Cho teaches a light blocking section (Cho, Fig. 5F, light blocking layer 56f, Paragraph 0079-0080) that blocks light (Cho, Fig. 2B; Dark pixels (22a-22e), Paragraph 0044, 0065 and 0080) from a microlens (Cho, Fig. 5F, micro lens 55b), and
a transferring section that transfers charge (Cho, Fig. 7A, transistor TX, Paragraph 0088-0089) for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by a third photoelectric converting section (Cho, Fig. 9, Paragraphs 0053, 0066 and 0100-0101).
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 Kusaka and Kimura with the teaching of placing a light shield over randomly selected photodiodes as seen in Cho to allow the image sensor to detect dark current throughout the pixel array and allow for dark current compensation. Further, if the fourth photoelectric conversion section is selected as a shield pixel, the limitation “a light blocking section that blocks light from the second microlens; and a fourth transferring section that transfers charge for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section” would be met.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), further comprising:
a first filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the first filter having a first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, The first filter is Blue.);
a second filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the second filter having a second spectral characteristic that is different from the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The second filter is Green.); and
a third filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the third filter having the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The third filter is Blue.), wherein
the first photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the first filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The first photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.),
the second photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the second filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The second photoelectric converting section may be the lower left G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.), and
the third photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the third filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The third photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325.).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 2 (see claim 2 analysis), further comprising:
a fourth filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the fourth filter having the second spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The fourth filter is Green., Cho, Fig. 5F, color filter 54b, Paragraph 0074), wherein
light transparently passing through the fourth filter is incident to the light blocking section (Cho, Fig. 5F, Paragraph 0079).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 3 (see claim 3 analysis), wherein the third photoelectric converting section is arranged next to the first photoelectric converting section in the column direction (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The first photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325) and the third photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325) are next to each other in the column direction.).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis), further comprising:
a fourth photoelectric converting section that converts light into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A fourth photoelectric converting section may be the upper left G photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325.), wherein
the fourth transferring section transfers the charge converted by the fourth photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor of the fourth photoelectric converting section.), as the charge for eliminating the noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section (Cho, Fig. 9, Paragraphs 0053, 0066 and 0100-0101).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 5 (see claim 5 analysis), further comprising:
a first filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the first filter having a first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, The first filter is Blue.);
a second filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the second filter having a second spectral characteristic that is different from the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The second filter is Green.); and
a third filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the third filter having the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The third filter is Blue.), wherein
the first photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the first filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The first photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.),
the second photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the second filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The second photoelectric converting section may be the lower left G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.), and
the third photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the third filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The third photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325.).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 6 (see claim 6 analysis), further comprising:
a fourth filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the fourth filter having the second spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The fourth filter is Green., Cho, Fig. 5F, color filter 54b, Paragraph 0074), wherein
light transparently passing through the fourth filter is incident to the light blocking section (Cho, Fig. 5F, Paragraph 0079).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 7 (see claim 7 analysis), wherein the third photoelectric converting section is arranged next to the first photoelectric converting section in the column direction (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The first photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325) and the third photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325) are next to each other in the column direction.).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 8 (see claim 8 analysis), wherein the fourth photoelectric converting section is arranged next to the second photoelectric converting section in the column direction (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The second photoelectric converting section (lower left G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325) and the fourth photoelectric converting section (upper left G photoelectric converting unit of the pixel below pixel 325) are next to each other in the column direction.).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches an imaging apparatus (Kusaka, Fig. 1) comprising: the imaging element according to Claim 1 (see claim 1 analysis).
Regarding claim 11, Kusaka teaches an imaging element (Kusaka, Fig. 29) comprising:
a first microlens in which light is incident (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, A first microlens may be the microlens of pixel 325.);
a second microlens in which light is incident, the second microlens being arranged next to the first microlens in a row direction (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, A second microlens may be the microlens of pixel 326.);
a first photoelectric converting section that converts light from the first microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A first photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.);
a second photoelectric converting section that converts light from the first microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A second photoelectric converting section may be the upper right G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.);
a third photoelectric converting section that converts light from the second microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A third photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 326.);
a fourth photoelectric converting section that converts light from the second microlens into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A fourth photoelectric converting section may be the upper left G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 326.).
However, Kusaka does not teach a light blocking section that blocks light from the second microlens; a first transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the first photoelectric converting section; a second transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the second photoelectric converting section; a third transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section; and a fourth transferring section that transfers charge for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section.
In reference to Kimura, Kimura teaches a first photoelectric converting section, a second photoelectric converting section, a third photoelectric converting section, and a photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, photodiodes (PDs) pd0 to pd3, Paragraph 0041);
a first transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the first photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs0, Paragraphs 0041-0043);
a second transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the second photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs1, Paragraphs 0041-0043);
a third transferring section that transfers the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs2, Paragraphs 0041-0043); and
a fourth transferring section that transfers charge converted by the fourth photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor trs3, Paragraphs 0041-0043).
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 Kusaka with the pixel circuitry are seen in Kimura since it is a known construction of a pixel with four photoelectric converting sections and would provide similar and expected results for transferring charge from the photoelectric converting sections.
However, the combination of Kusaka and Kimura does not teach a light blocking section that blocks light from the second microlens; and a fourth transferring section that transfers charge for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section.
In reference to Cho et al. (hereafter referred as Cho), Cho teaches a light blocking section (Cho, Fig. 5F, light blocking layer 56f, Paragraph 0079-0080) that blocks light (Cho, Fig. 2B; Dark pixels (22a-22e), Paragraph 0044, 0065 and 0080) from a microlens (Cho, Fig. 5F, micro lens 55b), and
a transferring section that transfers charge (Cho, Fig. 7A, transistor TX, Paragraph 0088-0089) for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by a third photoelectric converting section (Cho, Fig. 9, Paragraphs 0053, 0066 and 0100-0101).
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 Kusaka and Kimura with the teaching of placing a light shield over randomly selected photodiodes as seen in Cho to allow the image sensor to detect dark current throughout the pixel array and allow for dark current compensation. Further, if the fourth photoelectric conversion section is selected as a shield pixel, the limitation “a light blocking section that blocks light from the second microlens; and a fourth transferring section that transfers charge for eliminating a noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section” would be met.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 11 (see claim 11 analysis), further comprising:
a first filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the first filter having a first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, The first filter is Blue.);
a second filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the second filter having a second spectral characteristic that is different from the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The second filter is Green.); and
a third filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the third filter having the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The third filter is Blue.), wherein
the first photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the first filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A first photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.),
the second photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the second filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A second photoelectric converting section may be the upper right G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.), and
the third photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the third filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A third photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of the pixel 326.).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 12 (see claim 12 analysis), further comprising:
a fourth filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the fourth filter having the second spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The fourth filter is Green., Cho, Fig. 5F, color filter 54b, Paragraph 0074), wherein
light transparently passing through the fourth filter is incident to the light blocking section (Cho, Fig. 5F, Paragraph 0079).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 13 (see claim 13 analysis), wherein the third photoelectric converting section is arranged next to the first photoelectric converting section in the row direction (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The first photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325) and the third photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 326) are next to each other in the row direction.).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 11 (see claim 11 analysis), further comprising:
a fourth photoelectric converting section that converts light into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A fourth photoelectric converting section may be the upper left G photoelectric converting unit of the pixel 326.), wherein
the fourth transferring section transfers the charge converted by the fourth photoelectric converting section (Kimura, Figs. 1-2, Transfer transistor of the fourth photoelectric converting section.), as the charge for eliminating the noise component included in the charge converted by the third photoelectric converting section (Cho, Fig. 9, Paragraphs 0053, 0066 and 0100-0101).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 15 (see claim 15 analysis), further comprising:
a first filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the first filter having a first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, Page 6, Lines 4-12 and 35-37, The first filter is Blue.);
a second filter in which light from the first microlens is incident, the second filter having a second spectral characteristic that is different from the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The second filter is Green.); and
a third filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the third filter having the first spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The third filter is Blue.), wherein
the first photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the first filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A first photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.),
the second photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the second filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A second photoelectric converting section may be the upper right G photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325.), and
the third photoelectric converting section converts light transparently passing through the third filter into charge (Kusaka, Fig. 29, A third photoelectric converting section may be the B photoelectric converting unit of the pixel 326.).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 16 (see claim 16 analysis), further comprising:
a fourth filter in which light from the second microlens is incident, the fourth filter having the second spectral characteristic (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The fourth filter is Green., Cho, Fig. 5F, color filter 54b, Paragraph 0074), wherein
light transparently passing through the fourth filter is incident to the light blocking section (Cho, Fig. 5F, Paragraph 0079).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches the imaging element according to Claim 17 (see claim 17 analysis), wherein the third photoelectric converting section is arranged next to the first photoelectric converting section in the row direction (Kusaka, Fig. 29, The first photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 325) and the third photoelectric converting section (B photoelectric converting unit of pixel 326) are next to each other in the row direction.).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Kusaka, Kimura and Cho teaches an imaging apparatus (Kusaka, Fig. 1) comprising: the imaging element according to Claim 11 (see claim 1 analysis).
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