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 .
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 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.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy of German patent application number 10 2021 214 017.3, filed on December9, 2021, has been received and made of record.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (lDS) submitted on June7, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and has been considered by the Examiner.
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.
Claims 9, 12, 13, and 15 are 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 9 recites the limitation “the third photodiode” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The Examiner believes that claim 9 should be amended to depend from claim 8 in order to provide proper antecedent support. For purposes of examination, the claim will be examined as best understood by the Examiner.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “the at least one fourth pixel” in line 2, and “the current supply line” in lines 4-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The Examiner believes that claim 10 should be amended to depend from claim 3, and claim 12 should be amended to depend from claim 11, in order to provide proper antecedent support. For purposes of examination, the claim will be examined as best understood by the Examiner.
Claim 13 recites the limitation “the at least one fourth pixel” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The Examiner believes that claim 13 should be amended to depend from claim 12 in order to provide proper antecedent support. For purposes of examination, the claim will be examined as best understood by the Examiner.
Claim 15 recites the limitations “the at least one second pixel”, “the at least one second pixel”, and “the at least one second pixel” in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(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 1-3, 5, 10-11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Huang (US Pub. 2019/0124286).
In regard to claim 1, note Huang discloses an image sensor with temperature sensing, comprising a pixel array having a plurality of pixels (paragraph 0033, figure 1: 120, 122), wherein at least one of the pixels comprises a photodiode (paragraphs 0033-0034, and figures 1-5: 122, 210) and is configured to be operated in a light sensing mode for sensing light radiation incident on the photodiode, and in a temperature sensing mode for sensing a temperature of the at least one pixel (paragraphs 0033, 0036-0037, and figures 1-5: 122, 210), wherein the image sensor is configured so that, in the light sensing mode of the at least one pixel, a voltage across the photodiode caused by the light radiation incident on the photodiode is evaluated (paragraph 0036, and figures 3A: 210; the photodiode voltage is output as an image signal), and in the temperature sensing mode of the at least one pixel, a current is forced through the photodiode and the voltage across the photodiode, caused by the current forced through the photodiode, is evaluated (paragraphs 0037-0040, and figures 3B-3C: 210; the currents I1 and I2 are forced onto the photodiode, then the photodiode voltages VD1 and VD2 are output for evaluation of the temperature level).
In regard to claim 2, note Huang discloses that the photodiode comprises a first terminal and a second terminal (paragraphs 0033-0034, and figures 1-5: 210; the photodiode comprises an anode and a cathode), wherein the at least one pixel comprises a first controllable switching circuit for applying a supply current to the first terminal of the photodiode (paragraphs 0036, and figures 1-5: 210, 230; the switch 230 is connected to the cathode of the photodiode in order to apply a supply current), and a second controllable switching circuit for applying a ground potential to the second terminal of the photodiode, when the at least one pixel is operated in the light sensing mode (paragraph 0036, and figure 3A: SW1, VL/GND; the switch SW1 is connected to the anode of the photodiode, and supplies ground when performing light sensing operation).
In regard to claim 3, note Huang discloses a current supply line to provide the current to be forced through the photodiode (paragraphs 0037-0040, and figure 3B-3C: VH; the input VH is considered to provide the current forced through the photodiode, as illustrated as a dashed light passing through photodiode 210), wherein the at least one pixel comprises a third controllable switching circuit for forcing the current through the photodiode (paragraphs 0037-070, and figures 3A-3B: SW1: the currents I1 and I2 are considered to be supplied to the photodiode when SW1 enables VH as the input), wherein the third controllable switching circuit is arranged between the current supply line and the second terminal of the photodiode (paragraph , and figure 3A-3B: SW1, VH, 210; the switch SW1 is arranged between the input VH and the anode of the photodiode 210).
In regard to claim 5, note Huang discloses a voltage line for reading out the voltage across the photodiode (paragraphs 0035-0036, and figures 2-5: OUT), a source follower transistor being connected to the voltage line (paragraph 0035, and figures 1-5: 242), wherein the source follower transistor has a control terminal being connected to the first terminal of the photodiode (paragraph 0035, and figures 1-5: IN).
In regard to claim 10, note Huang discloses that the pixel array comprises at least one fourth pixel (paragraph 0033, figure 1: 120, 122; the array includes a plurality of pixels 122), wherein the at least one fourth pixel comprises a fourth photodiode (paragraphs 0033-0034, and figures 1-5: 122, 210), wherein the at least one fourth pixel is configured to be operated in a light sensing mode for sensing light radiation incident on the fourth photodiode and in a temperature sensing mode for sensing a temperature of the at least one fourth pixel (paragraphs 0033, 0036-0037, and figures 1-5: 122, 210), wherein the image sensor is configured so that, in the light sensing mode, a voltage across the fourth photodiode caused by the light radiation incident on the fourth photodiode is evaluated (paragraph 0036, and figures 3A: 210; the photodiode voltage is output as an image signal), and in the temperature sensing mode, the current is forced through the fourth photodiode and the voltage across the fourth photodiode, caused by the current forced through the fourth photodiode, is evaluated (paragraphs 0037-0040, and figures 3B-3C: 210; the currents I1 and I2 are forced onto the photodiode, then the photodiode voltages VD1 and VD2 are output for evaluation of the temperature level).
In regard to claim 11, note Huang discloses that the fourth photodiode comprises a first terminal and a second terminal (paragraph 0033, and figures 1-5: 210; the photodiode comprises an anode and a cathode), wherein the at least one fourth pixel comprises a seventh controllable switching circuit for applying a supply current to the first terminal of the fourth photodiode (paragraphs 0036, and figures 1-5: 210, 230; the switch 230 is connected to the cathode of the photodiode in order to apply a supply current), and an eighth controllable switching circuit for applying a ground potential to the second terminal of the fourth photodiode, when the at least one fourth pixel is operated in the light sensing mode (paragraph 0036, and figures 1-5: SW1, VL/GND; the switch SW1 is connected to the anode of the photodiode, and supplies ground when performing light sensing operation).
In regard to claim 14, note Huang discloses a fourth voltage line for reading out the voltage across the fourth photodiode (paragraphs 0035-0036, and figures 2-5: OUT).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 6-8 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 9, 12, 13, and 15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2013/0049777: note the measurement of diode voltages in order to determine temperature.
US 10,609,243: note the use of an image sensor that performs temperature detection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISS S YODER III whose telephone number is (571)272-7323. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at (571) 272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISS S YODER III/Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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