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
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 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, 2, 11, 12, 14, 16, 19-21, 29, 30, and 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314.
In regard to claim 1, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses a pixel arrangement, comprising:
a pixel (see figure 13, element 314) including—
a first photosensor (see figure 15, element 333a) configured to photogenerate first charge based at least in part on first light incident on the first photosensor (see para 143);
a second photosensor (see figure 15, element 333b) different from the first photosensor and configured to photogenerate second charge based at least in part on second light incident on the second photosensor (see para 143);
a floating diffusion (see figure 5B and 12B, element 324 and para 94 and 140);
a first event vision sensor (EVS) connection coupling (see figure 15, element 411) the pixel to first EVS readout circuitry and configured to receive the first charge from the first photosensor (see para 102-105 and 143);
a second EVS connection coupling (see figure 15, element 414) the pixel to second EVS readout circuitry and configured to receive the second charge from the second photosensor (see para 102-105 and 143);
a first transfer transistor (see figure 15, element 331a) selectively coupling the first photosensor to the floating diffusion based at least in part on a first transfer control signal (see para 94);
a second transfer transistor (see figure 15, element 332a) selectively coupling the first photosensor to the first EVS connection based at least in part on a second transfer control signal different from the first transfer control signal (see para 91 and 143); and
a third transfer transistor (see figure 15, element 331b) selectively coupling the second photosensor to the floating diffusion based at least in part on a third transfer control signal different from the first and second transfer control signals (see para 94 and 143).
In regard to claim 2, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel arrangement of claim 1, wherein the pixel further includes a fourth transfer transistor (see figure 15, element 332b) selectively coupling the second photosensor to the second EVS connection based at least in part on a fourth transfer control signal different from the first, second, and third transfer control signals (see para 91 and 143).
In regard to claim 11, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel arrangement of claim 1, wherein the second EVS readout circuitry is the first EVS readout circuitry (see figure 15 and para 102-105).
In regard to claim 12, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel arrangement of claim 1, wherein the floating diffusion and the first EVS connection are diagonally offset from one another, and wherein the first photosensor is positioned between the floating diffusion and the first EVS connection (see figure 15).
In regard to claim 14, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel arrangement of claim 12, wherein (a) the first photosensor is positioned between the floating diffusion and the first EVS connection, and (b) the second photosensor is positioned between the floating diffusion and the second EVS connection (see figure 15).
In regard to claim 16, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses a pixel arrangement disposed in a semiconductor material, the pixel arrangement comprising:
a pixel (see figures 12B and 13, element 314) including— a floating diffusion (see figure 5B and 12B, element 324; para 86-94 and 140) disposed in the semiconductor material at a central region of the semiconductor material (see para 143);
a plurality of photosensors (see figures 5B, 12B, and 15, element 333a-d) disposed in the semiconductor material at locations distributed about the floating diffusion (see para 94-95 and 143);
a plurality of first transfer transistors (see figures 5B, 12B, and 15, element 331a-d), wherein each first transfer transistor of the plurality of first transfer transistors (a) is disposed in the semiconductor material at a location between the floating diffusion and a respective photosensor of the plurality of photosensors, and (b) is configured to selectively couple the respective photosensor to the floating diffusion (see para 94 and 143);
a plurality of event vision sensor (EVS) connections (see figures 5B, 12B, and 15, elements 411 and 414) disposed at least partially in the semiconductor material and usable to couple a respective one of the plurality of photosensors to EVS readout circuitry (see para 102-105 and 143); and
a plurality of second transfer transistors (see figures 5B, 12B, and 15, element 332a-d), wherein each second transfer transistor of the plurality of second transfer transistors (a) is disposed in the semiconductor material at a location between a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensors and a corresponding one of the plurality of EVS connections, and (b) is configured to selectively couple the corresponding one of the plurality of photosensors to the corresponding one of the plurality of EVS connections (see para 91 and 143).
In regard to claim 19, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel arrangement of claim 16, further comprising a microlens (see figure 12B, element 502) disposed over the plurality of photosensors (see para 140).
In regard to claim 20, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel arrangement of claim 16, further comprising:
a first microlens (see figure 12B, element 502) disposed over a first subset of the plurality of photosensors (see para 140); and
a second microlens (see figure 12B, element 502) different from the first microlens and disposed over a second subset of the plurality of photosensors (see para 140).
In regard to claim 21, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses a pixel, comprising:
a first photosensor (see figure 15, element 333a) configured to photogenerate first charge based at least in part on first light incident on the first photosensor (see para 143);
a second photosensor (see figure 15, element 333b) different from the first photosensor and configured to photogenerate second charge based at least in part on second light incident on the second photosensor (see para 143);
a floating diffusion (see figure 5B and 12B, element 324) configured to receive the first charge from the first photosensor and the second charge from the second photosensor (para 94 and 140);
a first event vision sensor (EVS) connection (see figure 15, element 411) usable to couple the pixel to first EVS readout circuitry and configured to receive the first charge from the first photosensor (see para 102-105 and 143);
a second EVS connection (see figure 15, element 414) usable to couple the pixel to second EVS readout circuitry and configured to receive the second charge from the second photosensor (see para 102-105 and 143); and
a mode switch including— a first switch (see figure 15, element 331a) selectively coupling the first photosensor to the floating diffusion (see para 94), a second switch (see figure 15, element 332a) selectively coupling the first photosensor to the first EVS connection (see para 91 and 143), a third switch (see figure 15, element 331b) selectively coupling the second photosensor to the floating diffusion (see para 94 and 143), and a fourth switch selectively coupling the second photosensor to the second EVS connection (see figure 15, element 331b), wherein the mode switch is controllable to transition the pixel between (i) a first mode in which the pixel is usable to generate a first output corresponding to intensity information of the first light, the second light, or both the first light and the second light (see para 133: first mode is event detection); and (ii) a second mode in which the pixel is usable to generate a second output corresponding to contrast information of the first light, the second light, or both the first light and the second light (see para 133: second mode is image capturing).
a first transfer transistor (see figure 15, element 331a) selectively coupling the first photosensor to the floating diffusion based at least in part on a first transfer control signal (see para 94);
a second transfer transistor (see figure 15, element 332a) selectively coupling the first photosensor to the first EVS connection based at least in part on a second transfer control signal different from the first transfer control signal (see para 91 and 143); and
a third transfer transistor (see figure 15, element 331b) selectively coupling the second photosensor to the floating diffusion based at least in part on a third transfer control signal different from the first and second transfer control signals (see para 94 and 143).
In regard to claim 29, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel of claim 21, wherein: the first switch includes a first transfer transistor configured to selectively couple the first photosensor to the floating diffusion based at least in part on a first transfer control signal; and the second switch includes a second transfer transistor configured to selectively couple the first photosensor to the first EVS connection based at least in part on a second transfer control signal different from the first transfer control signal (see para 143).
In regard to claim 30, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel of claim 21, further comprising: a third photosensor (see figure 15, element 333c) configured to photogenerate third charge based at least in part on third light incident on the third photosensor (see para 143); and a fifth switch (see figure 15, element 331c) selectively coupling the third photosensor to the floating diffusion (see para 143).
In regard to claim 33, Mehta et al., US 2021/0168314, discloses the pixel of claim 21, further comprising: a fourth photosensor (see figure 15, element 333d) configured to photogenerate fourth charge based at least in part on fourth light incident on the fourth photosensor (see para 143); and a sixth switch (see figure 15, element 331d) selectively coupling the fourth photosensor to the floating diffusion (see para 143).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10, 13, 15, 17, 18, 22-28, 31, 32, and 34 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2024/0267644, discloses and imaging device with a frame camera mode and dynamic vision sensor mode. US 2021/0400223, discloses an imaging sensor with a first and second readout circuit and a dynamic vision sensor. US 2023/0362518, discloses an imaging device with a image sensor and event vision sensor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEVELL V SELBY whose telephone number is (571)272-7369. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6 AM - 3:30 PM; Friday 6-10 AM.
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/GEVELL V SELBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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