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.
Claims 1-4, 13-17, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KIM et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0066375, hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose an image sensor comprising:
a first sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of first unit pixels (¶ 34);
a first color filter (160);
a first micro lens (150) at least partially overlapping the plurality of first unit pixels;
a second sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of second unit pixels;
a second color filter;
a second micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of second unit pixels;
a third sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of third unit pixels;
a third color filter; a third micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of third unit pixels,
a first dead zone in which the first micro lens does not overlap the first sub-pixel group;
a second dead zone in which the second micro lens does not overlap the second sub-pixel group; and
a third dead zone in which the third micro lens does not overlap the third sub-pixel group (¶ 84),
wherein a height of the first micro lens, a height of the second micro lens, and a height of the third micro lens are substantially the same, (see figure 2A) and
wherein at least one of a size of the first dead zone, a size of the second dead zone, and a size of the third dead zone is different from at least one of the other of the size of the first dead zone, the size of the second dead zone, and the size of the third dead zone.
Note: The claims do not define the boundaries of the claimed dead zones so arbitrary portions of the dead zones disclose in the prior art can be read on them such that the claimed limitations are met. This interpretation will be maintained for the remainder of the rejections.
Regarding claim 2, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose the first color filter comprises a red (R) filter, wherein the second color filter comprises a green (G) filter, and wherein the third color filter comprises a blue (B) filter (¶ 83).
Regarding claim 3, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose the size of the second dead zone is smaller than the size of the first dead zone and larger than the size of the third dead zone.
Regarding claim 4, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose each of the size of the first dead zone and the size of the second dead zone is at least 100% and less than 800% of the size of the third dead zone.
Regarding claim 13, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose an image sensor comprising:
a substrate (¶ 36);
a plurality of photodiodes (¶ 23) in the substrate, the plurality of photodiodes comprising a first photodiode, a second photodiode and a third photodiode;
a first sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of first unit pixels (¶ 34);
a first color filter (160) on the first photodiode;
a first micro lens (150) at least partially overlapping the plurality of first unit pixels;
a second sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of second unit pixels;
a second color filter on the second photodiode;
a second micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of second unit pixels;
a third sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of third unit pixels;
a third color filter on the third photodiode;
a third micro lens overlapping the plurality of third unit pixels;
a first dead zone in which the first micro lens does not overlap the first sub-pixel group;
a second dead zone in which the second micro lens does not overlap the second sub-pixel group; and
a third dead zone in which the third micro lens does not overlap the third sub-pixel group (¶ 84),
wherein a height of the first micro lens, a height of the second micro lens, and a height of the third micro lens are substantially the same (see figure 2A), and
wherein at least one of a size of the first dead zone, a size of the second dead zone, and a size of the third dead zone is different from at least one of the other of the size of the first dead zone, the size of the second dead zone, and the size of the third dead zone.
Regarding claim 14, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose the first color filter comprises a red (R) filter, wherein the second color filter comprises a green (G) filter, and wherein the third color filter comprises a blue (B) filter (¶ 83).
Regarding claim 15, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose the size of the second dead zone is smaller than the size of the first dead zone and larger than the size of the third dead zone.
Regarding claim 16, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose each of the size of the first dead zone and the size of the second dead zone is at least 100% or more and less than 800% of the size of the third dead zone.
Regarding claim 17, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose an image sensor comprising:
a substrate (¶ 36);
a plurality of photodiodes (¶ 23) in the substrate, the plurality of photodiodes comprising a first photodiode, a second photodiode, a third photodiode, and a fourth photodiode;
a first sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of first unit pixels (¶ 34);
a first color filter (160) on the first photodiode;
a first micro lens (150) at least partially overlapping the plurality of first unit pixels;
a second sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of second unit pixels;
a second color filter on the second photodiode;
a second micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of second unit pixels;
a third sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of third unit pixels;
a third color filter on the third photodiode;
a third micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of third unit pixels;
a fourth sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of fourth unit pixels;
a fourth color filter on the fourth photodiode; a fourth micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of fourth unit pixels;
a first dead zone in which the first micro lens does not overlap the first sub-pixel group;
a second dead zone in which the second micro lens does not overlap the second sub-pixel group;
a third dead zone in which the third micro lens does not overlap the third sub-pixel group; and
a fourth dead zone in which the fourth micro lens does not overlap the fourth sub-pixel group (¶ 84),
wherein a height of the first micro lens, a height of the second micro lens, a height of the third micro lens, and a height of the fourth micro lens are substantially the same (see figure 2A), and
wherein at least one of a size of the first dead zone, a size of the second dead zone, a size of the third dead zone, and a size of the fourth dead zone is different from at least one of the other of the size of the first dead zone, the size of the second dead zone, the size of the third dead zone, and the size of the fourth dead zone.
Regarding claim 19, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose the size of the second dead zone is smaller than the size of the first dead zone and larger than the size of the third dead zone, and
wherein the size of the fourth dead zone is larger than the size of the first dead zone.
Regarding claim 20, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose a pixel isolation pattern between the plurality of first unit pixels, the plurality of second unit pixels, the plurality of third unit pixels, and the plurality of fourth unit pixels, wherein the pixel isolation pattern is vertically recessed from a first surface of the substrate to a second surface of the substrate such that the pixel isolation pattern penetrates the substrate (¶ 30).
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.
Claims 5-12 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim.
Regarding claims 5 and 18, figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose a fourth sub-pixel group comprising a plurality of fourth unit pixels;
a fourth color filter and a fourth micro lens at least partially overlapping the plurality of fourth unit pixels; and
a fourth dead zone in which the fourth micro lens does not overlap the fourth sub-pixel group,
wherein at least one of the size of the first dead zone, the size of the second dead zone, the size of the third dead zone, and a size of the fourth dead zone is different.
Km does not explicitly disclose the fourth color filter is white.
However, white color filters are well known in the art and it would have been obvious to include white as a fourth color depending on the design constraints and color requirements of the image sensor device.
Regarding claim 6 figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose the fourth dead zone is larger than the third dead zone.
Regarding claim 7 figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose each of the plurality of first unit pixels, the plurality of second unit pixels, the plurality of third unit pixels, and the plurality of fourth unit pixels is in a 2ⅹ2 arrangement in a first direction parallel to a first surface of a substrate and a second direction parallel to the first surface and perpendicular to the first direction (¶ 34 and 38).
Regarding claim 8 figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose each of the plurality of first unit pixels, the plurality of second unit pixels, the plurality of third unit pixels, and the plurality of fourth unit pixels is in a 3 ⅹ3 arrangement in a third direction parallel to a first surface of a substrate and in a fourth direction perpendicular to the third direction (¶ 34 and 38).
Regarding claim 9 figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose each of the plurality of first unit pixels, the plurality of second unit pixels, the plurality of third unit pixels, and the plurality of fourth unit pixels is in a 4 ⅹ4 arrangement in a fifth direction parallel to a first surface of a substrate and in a sixth direction perpendicular to the fifth direction (¶ 34 and 38).
Regarding claim 10 figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose a pixel isolation pattern in a seventh direction perpendicular a first surface of a substrate between the plurality of first unit pixels, the plurality of second unit pixels, the plurality of third unit pixels, and the plurality of fourth unit pixels, respectively (¶ 30).
Regarding claim 11 figures 2A-3 and 11 of Kim disclose the pixel isolation pattern is vertically recessed from the first surface of the substrate to a second surface of the substrate such that the pixel isolation pattern penetrates the substrate (¶ 30).
Regarding claim 12 figures 2A-3 and 13 of Kim disclose the pixel isolation pattern is recessed vertically in an eighth direction from a second surface of the substrate to the first surface of the substrate and is spaced apart from the first surface of the substrate by a predetermined interval (¶ 30).
Conclusion
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/YU-HSI D SUN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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