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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. This is the initial Office Action based on the application filed on March 27, 2025. The Examiner acknowledges the following:
3. Claims 1 – 19 were filed by Applicant.
4. The drawings filed on 03/27/2025 are accepted by the Examiner.
5. Current claims 1 – 19 are pending and they are being considered for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
6. The IDS documents filed on filed on 03/27/2025, 07/18/2025 and 04/02/2026 are acknowledged by the Examiner.
Priority
7. Priority data is based on a Japanese patent application JP- 2024-069318, filed 04/22/2024 Certified copies were filed to the office on 05/02/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
8. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Regarding Claim 1:
Claims 1 recites “ in the first photoelectric conversion units, the first charge holding unit, and the second charge holding unit are arranged to satisfy L1 < L2, where L1 denotes a distance from the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit to a centroid of the first charge holding unit, and L2 denotes a distance from the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit to a centroid of the second charge holding unit…” –
The specification does not discuss in the detail how that happens. These distances are always such that L2 > L1? What about the first or second or third directions that they might be arranged? What about a row of adjacent pixels or a column of pixels? What about pixels disposed in the first or second diagonal? This always works?
Claim 2 and claim 7 present a similar problem wherein the photodiode conversion unit include in each of the plurality of pixels a first photoelectric conversion and a second photoelectric conversion unit arranged in the first direction. Is that the same for a row direction and a column direction?
Claims 3, 6 and 8 recite “…the first charge holding unit and the third charge holding unit are arranged to be line-symmetric with respect to a line passing through the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit and orthogonal to the first direction, or are arranged to be point-symmetric with respect to the optical center, and in each of the plurality of pixels, the second charge holding unit and the fourth charge holding unit are arranged to be line-symmetric with respect to the line, or are arranged to be point-symmetric with respect to the optical center” – Such limitation is not present in the specification
Claim 5 recites “…a third pixel disposed adjacent to the first pixel and opposite to the second pixel in the first direction.”- Note that this can happen for a row of pixel and for a column of pixels. That might happen for pixels disposed along a first or a second diagonal. It is not clear what Applicant wants to pursue as his/her invention. Claim 5 has similar problems as shown above for claim 1.
Claims 4, 7 and 9 – 18 are rejected based on its direct or indirect dependency to a rejected claim.
Therefore, claim 1 – 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 112(a) as for failing to comply with enablement requirement, since claims include subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable the one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or which it is the most connected, to make and/or use of the invention.
Claim Rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b)
9. 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.
Regarding Claims 1 – 18:
Claims 1 recites “ in the first photoelectric conversion units, the first charge holding unit, and the second charge holding unit are arranged to satisfy L1 < L2, where L1 denotes a distance from the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit to a centroid of the first charge holding unit, and L2 denotes a distance from the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit to a centroid of the second charge holding unit…” – How that happens? They always are such that L2 > L1? What about the first or second or third directions that they might be arranged? What about a row of adjacent pixels or a column of pixels? What about pixels disposed in the first or second diagonal?
The same happens for the “ second pixel and wherein L3 < L3.”
The language is confusing and misleading and it does not point out clearly to what applicant he/she wants to pursue as his/her invention
Claim 2 and claim 7 present a similar problem wherein the photodiode conversion unit include in each of the plurality of pixels a first photoelectric conversion and a second photoelectric conversion unit arranged in the first direction. Is that the same for a row direction and a column direction?
Claims 3, 6 and 8 recite “…the first charge holding unit and the third charge holding unit are arranged to be line-symmetric with respect to a line passing through the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit and orthogonal to the first direction, or are arranged to be point-symmetric with respect to the optical center, and in each of the plurality of pixels, the second charge holding unit and the fourth charge holding unit are arranged to be line-symmetric with respect to the line, or are arranged to be point-symmetric with respect to the optical center” – Such limitations is not present in the specification and besides the language is confusing and it is not clear what Applicant intend to pursue as his/her invention.
Claim 5 recites “…a third pixel disposed adjacent to the first pixel and opposite to the second pixel in the first direction.”- Note that this can happen for a row of pixel and for a column of pixels. That might happen for pixels disposed along a first or a second diagonal. It is not clear what Applicant wants to pursue as his/her invention. Claim 5 has similar problems as shown above for claim 1.
Claims 4, 7 and 9 – 18 are rejected because tis direct or indirect dependency to a rejected claim.
Claims 1 – 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as for failing to clearly disclose what Applicant is trying to pursue as his invention. The claim language is confusing, and it does not help the one with the ordinary skill in the art to be able to get anywhere based on the claim disclosure.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
10. 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.
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, 14, 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2013/0214126A1, hereinafter Kobayashi,2013 ”.
Note: The rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and 35 U.S.C. 112(b) are being taken into consideration in the rejections below.
Regarding Claims 1 and 19:
Kobayashi teaches an image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit; an amplification element configured to amplify a signal based on a signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit; a first signal holding unit and a second signal holding unit located at a stage following the first signal holding unit and arranged on an electric path between the photoelectric conversion unit and an input node of the amplification element; a first charge transfer unit arranged on an electrical path between the photoelectric conversion unit and the first signal holding unit and configured to connect the photoelectric conversion unit and the first signal holding unit; a second charge transfer unit arranged on an electrical path between the first signal holding unit and the second signal holding unit and configured to connect the first signal holding unit and the second signal holding unit; and a third charge transfer unit arranged on an electrical path between the second signal holding unit and the input node of the amplification element and configured to connect the second signal holding unit and the input node of the amplification element, wherein the first signal holding unit includes a first semiconductor region configured to hold a charge transferred by the first charge transfer unit, wherein the second signal holding unit includes a second semiconductor region configured to hold a charge transferred by the second charge transfer unit, and wherein a coverage by a light-shielding member of the first semiconductor region is lower than a coverage by a light-shielding member of the second semiconductor region, wherein the first signal holding unit holds a signal in one exposure period in the photoelectric conversion unit.
Regarding Claim 1:
As for claim 1, Kobayashi’2013 teaches
A photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig 2, image pickup 1 of Fig 1, with image pickup area 2. See [0026; 0030]) of a global shutter type (Kobayashi teaches that the image sensor of his system can use global electronic shutter, which improves the sensitivity of the pixels (See [0022]). Fig 5 shows a drive pulse diagram of the image pickup apparatus in a case where global electronic shutter operation where the exposure time is identical over the image pickup surface is conducted. See [0070]) comprising a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally on a semiconductor substrate and configured to perform photoelectric conversion operations in a same period (Fig 1, image pickup area 2 with a plurality of pixels as seen in Fig 2 structure. See [0026; 0030; 0031]),
wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a photoelectric conversion unit (Fig 2, photodiode 8 which converts light into an electric charge. See [0031 – 0033]). Fig 3 PD 101. See [0048])), a first transfer unit (Fig 2, first transfer 9. (See [0032]). Fig 3, 102. See [0048]), a first charge holding unit (Fig 2, first signal holding 10. See [0033]). Fig 3, first signal holding unit 103. See [0048]), a second transfer unit (Fig 2, second transfer 11. (See [0033]). Fig 3, second transfer unit 104. See [0048]), a second charge holding unit (Fig 2, second signal holding unit 12. (See [0034]). Fig 3, second signal holding unit 105. See [0048]), a third transfer unit (Fig 2, third transfer unit 13. See [0035]). Fig 3, third charge transfer unit 106. See [0048]), and a signal output unit (Fig 1, output unit 6. See [[0026; 0029]),
in each of the plurality of pixels, charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to the first charge holding unit by the first transfer unit, the charges held in the first charge holding unit are transferred to the second charge holding unit by the second transfer unit, and the charges held in the second charge holding unit are transferred to the signal output unit by the third transfer unit (Fig 2, the third charge transfer unit 13 which transfers electrons held by the second signal holding unit 12 to an input node 14 of an amplification element 15 may hold the electrons transferred from the second holding unit 12 via the third charge transfer unit 13 which includes a floating diffusion (FD region) arranged on a semiconductor substrate. See [0036]),
the plurality of pixels includes a first pixel and a second pixel adjacent to each other in a first direction (Fig 2, the plurality of first and second pixels are adjacent to each other arranged in the vertical or horizontal direction(s),
in the first pixel, the first charge holding unit is disposed in the first direction with respect to the photoelectric conversion unit (Fig 2, first charge holding unit 10 is configured to be dispose in the first direction in relation to the photodiode 8. Note that any direction can a first direction),
in the first pixel, the photoelectric conversion unit, the first charge holding unit, and the second charge holding unit are arranged to satisfy L1<L2, where Li denotes a distance from an optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit to a centroid of the first charge holding unit, and L2 denotes a distance from the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit to a centroid of the second charge holding unit (Fig 3,it is understood that, as seen in the drawing, the distance between the photodiode 101 and the first charge holding 103 is shorter than the distance between the photodiode 101 and the second charge holding 105.), and
the photoelectric conversion unit of the second pixel, the first charge holding unit of the first pixel, and the second charge holding unit of the first pixel are arranged to satisfy L3<L4, where L3 denotes a distance from an optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit of the second pixel to the centroid of the first charge holding unit of the first pixel, and L4 denotes a distance from the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit of the second pixel to the centroid of the second charge holding unit of the first pixel (As discussed above for Fig 3, similarly the same can be done for a second pixel).
Regarding Claim 19:
The rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. As for claim 19 limitations, Kobayashi’2013 teaches,
Equipment comprising (Fig 9 image pickup system. See [0105]): the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and at least one of six apparatuses including: an optical apparatus corresponding to the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig 9, lens 1101. See [0106]); a control apparatus configured to control the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig 9, control circuit 1109. See [0106]); a processing apparatus configured to process information obtained from the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig 9, image pickup signal processing circuit 1106. See [0106]); a display apparatus configured to display information obtained from the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig 9, display unit 1112. See [0106]); a storage apparatus configured to store information obtained from the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig 9, memory 1108. See [0106]); and a mechanical apparatus configured to operate based on information obtained from the photoelectric conversion apparatus (Fig 9, mechanical shutter 1103. See [0106]).
Regarding Claim 14:
The rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. As for light shielding portion Kobayashi’2013 teaches a coverage by a light-shielding member of the first signal holding unit is lower than a coverage by a light-shielding member of the second signal holding unit. ([0021; 0023; 0024; 0025]). Fig 3, light-shielding area 113. See [0050; 0051]).
Regarding Claim 16:
The rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. As for claim 16 limitations, Fig 2, Fig 4, 4th charge transfer transistor 7 transfer electrons from the photodiode 8 to the overflow drain region OVF. The electrons of the photoconversion unit 101 may be discharged to an N-type semiconductor region 310 constituting the OFD region via the 4th transfer gate 314. See [0037; 0057].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
11. 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.
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 of this title, 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.
Claim 2, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2013/0214126 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2013” in view of “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2020/0194482 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2020 ”.
Note: The rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) is considered in the rejection below.
Regarding Claim 2:
The rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. As for claim 2 limitations, Kobayashi’2013 teaches Fig 3, first charge transfer(or first transfer 102, second charge transfer 104, third charge transfer 106 and fourth charge transfer 111. See []). First charge holding 103, second charge holding 105 and third charge holding 106. Kobayashi’2013 also teaches
Plurality of pixels including a third pixel disposed adjacent to the first pixel and opposite to the second pixel in the first direction (Fig 2, wherein the middle pixel on the top portion of the drawing corresponds to the 1st pixel; the one on the right of it corresponds to the 2nd pixel and the one the left corresponds to the 3rd pixel).
However, Kobayashi’2013 fails to teach all the limitations of claim 2, which in the same field of endeavor is taught by Kobayashi’2020. Kobayasgi’2020 teaches similar limitations as Kobayashi’2013 and for the additional limitations of claim 2, Kobayashi’2020 teaches
Pixel with a plurality of photodiodes including a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second one and charge holding unit (Kobayashi’2020 – Fig 10, Fig 11 show photodiodes PDA and PDB and charge holding units MEMA and MEMB, wherein the charge holding units share with the circuit elements including the floating diffusion element FD. See [0070]).
By modifying Kobayashi’2013 pixel with the two photodiodes PDA and PDB and the charge holding unit MEMA and MEMB as taught by Kobayasi’2020, which is done to improve the resolution of the photoelectric conversion apparatus 100, in the case of providing a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions PD, the size of each pixel 10 may be reduced. In such a case, a method in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions PD shares transistors including the floating diffusion FD and subsequent elements to reduce the arrangement area of the readout circuit 30 of each pixel. See Kobayashi’ 2020, paragraph [0070]).
Regarding Claims 10 and 11:
The rejection of claims 1 and 2 is incorporated herein. As for claims 10 and 11 limitations, Kobayashi’2020 teaches
wherein in a case where an image of one frame is captured, signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit in a current frame are transferred to the first charge holding unit via the first transfer unit, signal charges of a one-previous frame held in the second charge holding unit are transferred to the signal output unit via the third transfer unit, and then the signal charges of the current frame held in the first charge holding unit are transferred to the second charge holding unit via the second transfer unit (Fig 3 shows the control of the second transfer transistor TX for each pixel 10 is turned on before the time t2 and the charge is transferred from the charge holding portion MEM to the floating diffusion FD. At time t2 resetting of the charge holding MEM is completed. At time t3, the gate of the first transfer transistor GS of each of the pixels 10 in the pixel area 1 is turned on and the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion portion PD is transferred to the charge holding portion MEM. After that, at time t4, the gate of the first transfer transistor GS is turned off. Light incident during a period from time t1 to time t4 is photoelectrically converted into electrons in the photoelectric conversion portion PD and the electrons are accumulated and then transferred to the charge holding portion MEM., wherein this operation implements a global shutter. See [0030 – 0032]).
By modifying Kobayashi’2013 pixel with the two photodiodes PDA and PDB and the charge holding unit MEMA and MEMB as taught by Kobayasi’2020, which is done to improve the resolution of the photoelectric conversion apparatus 100 (See Kobayshi’2020, paragraph [0070])
Claim 3, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2013/0214126 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2013 ” in view of “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2020/0194482 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2020 ” and in further view of “T. Yoshimura, JP 2024054607A, hereinafter Yoshimura”. Note: Yoshimura is art from the IDS – the translation is provided by the Examiner)
Regarding Claim 3:
The rejection of claims 1 and 2 is incorporated herein. The combination of Kobayashi’2013 and Kobayashi’2020 does not teach the limitations of claim 3, which, in the same field of endeavor is taught by Yoshimura. As for claim 3 limitations Yoshimura teaches in Fig 4, the pixel is arranged to be line-symmetric with respect to a line passing through the optical center of the photoelectric conversion unit. See page 5 of the translation, 6th paragraph and page 6, 3rd paragraph.
By modifying the combination of Kobayashi’2013 with Kobayashi’2020 as taught by Yoshimura Fig 4 and by making the surface areas of the first memory 104 and the second memory 114 the same, it is possible to generate approximately the same amount of charge in the second memory 114 as the charge generated in the first memory 104 by light that penetrates the light shielding screen on the first memory 104. By subtracting the signal corresponding to the charge stored in the second memory 114 from the signal corresponding to the charge stored in the first memory 104, it is possible to remove the spurious signal with high accuracy. (See Yoshimura page 6 of the translation, 3rd paragraph).
Regarding Claims 5 and 6:
The rejection of claims 1 and 2 is incorporated herein. Claim 5 has a very similar disclosure as claim 2 (See claim 2 rejections for more details). As for the other limitations of claim 5 and claim 6 limitations, Yoshimura teaches that in Fig 4, in the first transfer transistor 102 and the second transfer transistor 112, the first readout transistor 103 and the second readout transistor 113, and the first memory 104 and the second memory 114 are formed in positions that are line-symmetric with respect to the central axis P of the PD 101, so as to have the same surface area.
By arranging the pixel structure with Yoshimura configuration in Kobayashi’2013, one can arrange the first signal holding 103, the first charge transfer unit 102 and the second signal holding unit 105, the second charge transfer unit 104 of Fig 3 and the charge transfer unit 13 of Fig 2 to be line-symmetric with respect to the central axis of another set of photelectric conversion units.
Claim 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2013/0214126 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2013 ” in view of “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2020/0194482 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2020 ” and in further view of “Masahiro Kobayashi et al., US 2014/0225213 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2014”.
Regarding Claims 4 and 9:
The rejection of claims 1 and 2 is incorporated herein. As for to have each of the pixels includes a microlens shared with the first and the second photoelectric conversion unit. This is a well-known feature in the art. As for that matter see Kobayashi et al., US 2014/0225213 A1, Fig 2, shows a photoelectric conversion unit 201 arranged in two rows and two columns, which include four photoconversion unit 201 ,wherein each includes two photodiodes PD1 and PD1 placed under a microlens 202. See [0050 – 0052]).
Claim 15, 17, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2013/0214126 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2013 ” in view of “Fumito Nakayama et al., JP 2019134145 A, hereinafter Nakayama” – (Note: Nakayama is art from the IDS – the translation is provided by the Examiner)
Regarding Claims 15, 17 and 18:
The rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Kobayashi’2013 fails to teach the additional limitations of the aforementioned claims. As for that matter, Nakayama teaches,
Back-illuminated image sensor: Fig 17 and page 15 of the translation, 2nd paragraph.
Stacked image sensor: Fig 5, imaging element 22 includes a substrate 111 and a wiring layer 112 provided by being stacked on the substrate 111. See page 6 of the translation, 3rd paragraph.
Configuration with a microlens and a waveguide: Fig 15 and Fig 17, image pixel 12, imaging element 22, wiring layer 112,microlens 44, waveguide 49. See pages 14 of the translation, 3rd paragraph; page 15 of the translation, 1st and 2nd paragraphs.
By modifying Kobayasi’2013 with the image sensor as taught by Nakayama with a microlens and a waveguide, the amount of light incident on the photoelectric conversion unit via the imaging optical system 30 can be increased; therefore, the image quality of the image by the image signal can be improved (See Nakayama, page 14 of the translation 3rd paragraph).
Claim 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Masahiro Kobayashi al., US 2013/0214126 A1, hereinafter Kobayashi’2013 ” in view of “Kazuyuki Shigeta et al., JP 2016119652 A, hereinafter Shigeta”. Note: Shigeta art is from the IDS – the translation is provided by the Examiner)
Regarding Claims 12 and 13:
The rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Kobayashi’2013 fails to teach the limitations of claims 12 and 13. As for that matter, Shigeta teaches an imaging device that while holding electrical charges generated at a photoconversion portion in a first exposure period and a second exposure period which has a period different in length form the first exposure period (See Abstract). Fig 9 and Fig 10 show an example of circuit where pixel 800 include two set/systems of charge holding unit 302, first and second transfer switch 304 and 305. Fig 10 shows the timing chart for the operation of the system o Fig 9, since each pixel 820 includes two charge holding units in each frame, two signal have different exposure time are output from the image sensor 102 to the image processing unit 104, which generates an image by combining two signals with different exposure times output for each frame. See page 13 of the translation, 2nd to 5th paragraphs.
By modifying Kobayashi’2013 with Morimoto, wherein the pixel includes two charge holding units and by sequentially operating it as taught by Shigeta, it is possible to hold a highly simultaneous signal in the two charge holding portions (See Shigeta, page 13 of the translation, 2nd paragraph).
Conclusion
12. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
1. M. Kobayashi et al., US 2014/0225213 A1 – it includes the same assignee and different inventors. It teaches a photoelectric conversion device including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and adding signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements included in each of the photoelectric conversion units, wherein each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type for collecting a signal charge, wherein a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type is arranged between the first semiconductor regions of the photoelectric conversion elements arranged adjacent to each other and included in the photoelectric conversion unit, wherein a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type is arranged between the first semiconductor regions of the photoelectric conversion elements arranged adjacent to each other among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements included in different photoelectric conversion units arranged adjacent to each other, and wherein an impurity concentration of the second conductivity type of at least a portion of the second semiconductor region is lower than an impurity concentration of the second conductivity type of the third semiconductor region.
2. M. Kobayashi et al., US 2013/0214126 A1 – it includes the same assignee and different inventors. It teaches an image pickup apparatus including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit, an amplification element configured to amplify a signal based on a signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit, and a first signal holding unit and a second signal holding unit located at a stage following the first signal holding unit and arranged on an electric path between the photoelectric conversion unit and an input node of the amplification element, in which a coverage by a light-shielding member of the first signal holding unit is lower than a coverage by a light-shielding member of the second signal holding unit.
3. M. Kobayashi et al., US 2020/0194482 A1 – it teaches a photoelectric conversion apparatus including a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion, a floating diffusion, and first and second transistors disposed in a common active region. The active region includes a partial region which includes a first region extending in a first direction, a second region connected to the first region and extending in a second direction, and a third region connected to the second region and extending in a third direction. In a planar view, the partial region of a first pixel is disposed between a gate of the first transistor of the first pixel and the charge holding portion of a second pixel, and between a gate of the second transistor of the first pixel and the charge holding portion of the second pixel. A light-shielding member is disposed in a region overlapping the partial region.
Contact
13 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARLY S.B. CAMARGO whose telephone number is (571)270-3729. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached on 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MARLY S CAMARGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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