CTNF 18/928,177 CTNF 82849 DETAILED ACTION This is the First Action on the Merits for U.S. Patent Application No. 18/928,177, filed 28 October 2024, which is a divisional of U.S. Patent Application No. 17/535,927, now U.S. Patent No. 12,166,949, filed 21 November 2021, which claims foreign priority to Korean Application No. KR10-2021-0047962, filed 13 April 2021. Claims 1–6 are pending. 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. Inventorship 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 absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 C.F.R. § 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. Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 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 s 1–6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0195603 A1 (“Kawazu”) . Kawazu, directed to image pickup, teaches with respect to claim 1 an image sensing device comprising: a first sampling circuit suitable for sampling a reference ramp signal as a ramp signal (¶ 0115, ramp signal supplied to A/D converter); a switching circuit suitable for sequentially outputting first and second pixel signals to a common node (Fig. 5B, ¶ 0113, selection unit 122B that selects one out of every two vertical signal lines to a common output line) based on first and second control signals (¶¶ 0018–19, control unit controls selection unit for sequential signal line switching); a second sampling circuit suitable for sampling the first and second pixel signals, which are sequentially outputted through the common node, as a measurement signal (¶¶ 0140, 143, selected vertical signal line input into A/D converter); and a comparison circuit suitable for comparing the ramp signal with the measurement signal and generating a comparison signal corresponding to a comparison result (Fig. 6, ¶¶ 0145, 0148; comparator 182-n compares pixel signal with ramp signal). Regarding claim 2, Kawazu teaches the image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the measurement signal has a voltage level corresponding to a voltage level difference between the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal (¶¶ 0305–307, comparison is offset difference between ramp signal and pixel signal). Regarding claim 3, Kawazu teaches the image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the switching circuit comprises: a first switching element suitable for outputting any one of the first and second pixel signals to the common node (Fig. 5B, selection unit 122B that selects one out of every two vertical signal lines to a common output line) during a first period of a single rolling readout period, based on the control signal (¶ 0019, control unit sequentially switches the signal line in time series); and a second switching element suitable for outputting the other one of the first and second pixels to the common node during a second period of the single rolling readout period, based on the second control signal (Fig. 5B, ¶ 0019, control unit switches back and forth between vertical lines for output). Regarding claim 4, Kawazu teaches the image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the comparison circuit comprises: a non-inverting input terminal suitable for receiving the ramp signal (¶ 0305, ramp signal is not inverted); an inverting input terminal suitable for receiving the measurement signal ( id. , comparison between ramp signal and pixel signal is inverted); and an output terminal suitable for outputting the comparison signal ( id. , comparison result, Fig. 6, output of comparators 182-n). Regarding claim 6, Kawazu teaches the image sensing device of claim 1, further comprising a count circuit suitable for generating a count signal, which corresponds to a voltage level of the measurement signal) (Fig. 6, ¶ 0143; counters 183-n), based on the comparison signal and a clock signal (¶ 0146, count time) . Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Kawazu in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0213205 A1 (“Oh”). Claim 5 recites that the two pixels indicate a subject depth. Kawazu does not teach this use of the image sensing device. However, Oh, directed to an image sensor for three-dimensional images, teaches with respect to claim 5 the image sensing device of claim 1, further comprising a pair of pixels suitable for generating the first and second pixel signals indicating a depth from a subject (¶¶ 0036, 0039, output of pixel pair PD1 and PD2 used to produce a phase difference signal to determine if an object is closer than or further from a focus distance). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to use the Kawazu sensor to determine object depth, to enable autofocus. Oh ¶ 0039 . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : US 2021/0029310 A1 US 2020/0329206 A1 US 2020/0236309 A1 US 2020/0068147 A1 US 2018/0152653 A1 US 2018/0084213 A1 US 2016/0344920 A1 US 2014/0263953 A1 US 2014/0313385 A1 US 2012/0113286 A1 US 2018/0376081 A1 US 2021/0005652 A1 The following prior art was found using an Artificial Intelligence assisted search using an internal AI tool that uses the classification of the application under the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system, as well as from the specification, including the claims and abstract, of the application as contextual information. The documents are ranked from most to least relevant. Where possible, English-language equivalents are given, and redundant results within the same patent families are eliminated. See “New Artificial Intelligence Functionality in PE2E Search”, 1504 OG 359 (15 November 2022), “Automated Search Pilot Program”, 90 F.R. 48,161 (8 October 2025). US 2014/0104391 A1 US 2021/0120198 A1 US 2015/0181103 A1 US 2016/0277658 A1 US 2020/0036919 A1 US 2006/0033822 A1 US 2017/0111600 A1 US 2012/0262553 A1 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David N Werner whose telephone number is (571)272-9662. The examiner can normally be reached M--F 7:30--4:00 Central. 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, Dave Czekaj can be reached at 571.272.7327. 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. /David N Werner/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487 Application/Control Number: 18/928,177 Page 2 Art Unit: 2487 Application/Control Number: 18/928,177 Page 3 Art Unit: 2487 Application/Control Number: 18/928,177 Page 4 Art Unit: 2487 Application/Control Number: 18/928,177 Page 5 Art Unit: 2487 Application/Control Number: 18/928,177 Page 6 Art Unit: 2487 Application/Control Number: 18/928,177 Page 7 Art Unit: 2487
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