CTNF 18/691,999 CTNF 77441 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim 1, 3 – 5, 8, 11 – 13, 16 and 18 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Ikeda et al. (US 2009/0189235) . PNG media_image1.png 637 452 media_image1.png Greyscale (Claim 1) Ikeda et al. teach a light-receiving device, comprising: a metal oxide film (22, paragraph 104) having a maximum value of an extinction coefficient of not less than 0.1 in a wavelength range from 200 nm to 380 nm (paragraph 375); and a light receiving unit (12) that receives ultraviolet light (L) that passes through the metal oxide film (22, paragraph 375, 385). (Claim 2) wherein the metal oxide film has a minimum value of the extinction coefficient of not less than 0.4 in a wavelength range from 200 nm to 250 nm, and the metal oxide film has an average value of the extinction coefficient of not less than 0.09 in a wavelength range from 250 nm to 380 nm (paragraphs 375, 385). (Claim 3) Ikeda et al. teach wherein a wavelength range of the ultraviolet light includes the wavelength range from 200 nm to 380 nm (paragraph 385); and the light receiving unit photoelectrically converts the ultraviolet light that passes through the metal oxide film (paragraph 97). (Claim 4) Ikeda et al. teach wherein the metal oxide film includes one or more of tantalum oxide, niobium oxide, and tungsten oxide (paragraph 104). (Claim 5) Ikeda et al. teach wherein the metal oxide film has a film thickness of not less than 1 nm and not more than 20 nm (paragraph 251). (Claim 6) Ikeda et al. teach wherein the metal oxide film includes tantalum oxide, and the metal oxide film has a film thickness of not less than 1 nm and not more than 20 nm. (Claim 7) wherein standard free energy of formation of the metal oxide film is equal to or more than standard free energy of formation of silicon oxide. (Claim 8) Ikeda et al. teach a light-receiving devices comprising: a lens (45) that allows ultraviolet light to pass through; a metal oxide film (22, paragraph 104) where light that passes through the lens enters; and a light receiving unit (12) that receives the light that passes through the lens and the metal oxide film, wherein the metal oxide film has a maximum value of an extinction coefficient of not less than 0.1 in a wavelength range from 200 nm to 380 nm (paragraph 375, 385). (Claim 11) Ikeda et al. teach wherein a wavelength range of the ultraviolet light includes the wavelength range from 200 nm to 380 nm (paragraph 385). (Claim 12) Ikeda et al. teach wherein the metal oxide film includes one or more of tantalum oxide, niobium oxide, and tungsten oxide (paragraph 104). (Claim 13) Ikeda et al. teach wherein the metal oxide film has a film thickness of not less than 1 nm and not more than 20 nm (paragraph 251). (Claim 16) Ikeda et al. teach the light-receiving device further comprising a fixed charge film (fig. 7 #25) provided between the metal oxide film (22) and the light receiving unit (12, paragraph 142). (Claim 18) The light-receiving device, further comprising: a substrate including a plurality of the light receiving units (fig. 49 #12), a plurality of holding sections (23), and a plurality of transfer units (65), the light receiving unit receiving light to generate a charge, the holding sections holding the charge, the transfer units transferring the charge generated by the light receiving units to the holding sections; a wiring line layer (fig. 49 #63) provided on a side opposite to a side where the light enters; and a controller that controls the plurality of the transfer units in a global shutter manner (paragraph 452). (Claim 19) Ikeda et al. teach an electronic apparatus, comprising: a light-receiving device (12) including a metal oxide film (22, paragraph 104) and a light receiving unit that receives ultraviolet light that passes through the metal oxide film, wherein the metal oxide film has a maximum value of an extinction coefficient of not less than 0.1 in a wavelength range from 200 nm to 380 nm (paragraph 375, 385). (Claim 20) Ikeda et al. teach an electronic apparatus, comprising a light-receiving device including: a lens (45) that allows ultraviolet light to pass through; a metal oxide film (22, paragraph 104) where light that passes through the lens enters; and a light receiving unit (12) that receives the light that passes through the lens and the metal oxide film, wherein the metal oxide film has a maximum value of an extinction coefficient of not less than 0.1 in a wavelength range from 200 nm to 380 nm (paragraph 375, 385) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ikeda et al. (US 2009/0189235) in view of Harada et al. (US 2008/0315340) . (Claim 9) Ikeda et al. lack wherein the lens is configured using silicon oxide. However, Harada et al. teach wherein the lens (fig, 1 #21) is configured using silicon oxide (paragraph 20) for the benefit of transmitting ultraviolet light (paragraph19). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the references for the benefit of transmitting ultraviolet light . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2, 6 – 7, 10, 14 – 15 and 17 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. (Claims 2, 10) wherein the metal oxide film has a minimum value of the extinction coefficient of not less than 0.4 in a wavelength range from 200 nm to 250 nm, and the metal oxide film has an average value of the extinction coefficient of not less than 0.09 in a wavelength range from 250 nm to 380 nm. (Claims 7, 15) wherein standard free energy of formation of the metal oxide film is equal to or more than standard free energy of formation of silicon oxide. Conclusion Prior art made of record and not relied upon, considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure are listed in PTO – 892 Form. Contact Information Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IGWE U ANYA whose telephone number is (571)272-1887. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM - 6:00 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, Matthew Landau can be reached at (571) 272- 1731. 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. /IGWE U ANYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891 April 30, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/691,999 Page 2 Art Unit: 2891 Application/Control Number: 18/691,999 Page 3 Art Unit: 2891 Application/Control Number: 18/691,999 Page 4 Art Unit: 2891 Application/Control Number: 18/691,999 Page 5 Art Unit: 2891 Application/Control Number: 18/691,999 Page 6 Art Unit: 2891 Application/Control Number: 18/691,999 Page 7 Art Unit: 2891 Application/Control Number: 18/691,999 Page 8 Art Unit: 2891
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