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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`18/306,496
`
`04/25/2023
`
`Takashi MACHIDA
`
`6810-798-CON-6
`
`4987
`
`Sheridan Ross P.C.
`Bradley M. Knepper
`1560 Broadway
`Site 120
`Denver, CO 80202
`
`MOREHEAD III, JOHN H
`
`raNN
`
`2639
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/14/2025
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`edocket @sheridanross.com
`
`sony @sheridanross.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`16-31 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)__ is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 16-31 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)( The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)(¥ The drawing(s) filed on 25 April 2023 is/are: a)(¥} accepted or b){j objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)(¥) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`_—_c)L) None ofthe:
`b)L) Some**
`a)Y) All
`1.1) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.[¥} Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. 15/117,021.
`3.2.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20250207
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`18/306,496
`MACHIDAetal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`JOHN H MOREHEAD III
`2639
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s)filed on 07 January 2025.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)() This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/306,496
`Art Unit: 2639
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1.
`
`Claims 15-31 are pending in the application. Claims 1-14 have been cancelled.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
`
`2.
`
`A requestfor continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
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`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), wasfiled in this application after final rejection. Since this
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`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set
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`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has beentimely paid, the finality of the previous Office action
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`has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on
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`01/07/2025 has been entered.
`
`Response to Arguments
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`3.
`
`Applicant’s arguments with respect to pending claims have been considered but
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`are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in
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`the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the
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`argument.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/306,496
`Art Unit: 2639
`
`Page 3
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
`
`(a) INGENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the
`invention, and of the manner and process of making and usingit, in suchfull, clear, concise,
`and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with whichit
`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 usingit, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to
`enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with whichit 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.
`
`4.
`
`Claims 15-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AlA),
`
`first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The
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`claim(s) contains subject matter which wasnot described in the specification in such a
`
`way as to reasonably conveyto one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint
`
`inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time
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`the application wasfiled, had possession of the claimed invention.
`
`The application as currently constructed is silent towards “an insulating region
`
`between the first electrode and the second electrode” (emphasis added). The detailed
`
`description of the specification provides no “metes and bounds”nor explanations for
`
`determining whatis the “insulating region’? The drawings as currently constructed fail
`
`to show any “insulating region” between thefirst and second electrode as well. The
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`specification as currently constructed makesreferenceto a plurality of layer(s) such as
`
`wiring layer, metallic layer, polysilicon layer, etc. However, none of those layer(s) make
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 18/306,496
`Art Unit: 2639
`
`Page 4
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`reference to any insulating region, nor where an insulating region may be located
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`(emphasis added). Based on this reasoning/rationale, claim 15 will be rejected. Claims
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`16-31 depend from independent claim 15 and are thus rejected as well. Corrective
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`action is required immediately. Lastly no prior art will be applied because Examiner
`
`cannot ascertain what is meant by “insulating region” as applied to the claim as
`
`currently constructed.
`
`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-AlA), second paragraph:
`The specification shall conclude with one or moreclaims particularly pointing out and distinctly
`claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
`
`5.
`
`Claims 15-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AlA),
`
`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-AlA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
`
`Claim 15 recites the following: A light detecting device, comprising:
`
`a photoelectric conversion region;
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`a transfer transistor;
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`a switch transistor; and
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`a wiring layer including:
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 18/306,496
`Art Unit: 2639
`
`a first electrode coupled to the switch transistor;
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`Page 5
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`a second electrode opposedto the first electrode, the second electrode coupled
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`to a predetermined potential; and
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`an insulating region disposed betweenthe first electrode and the second
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`electrode, wherein a capacitor includes the first electrode and the secondelectrode,
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`wherein the photoelectric conversion region is electrically connected to the
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`source follower circuit via the transfer transistor,
`
`wherein the capacitor is electrically connected to the source followercircuit via
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`the switch transistor,
`
`wherein the switch transistoris electrically connected to the source follower
`
`circuit, and
`
`wherein the source followercircuit is electrically connected to an selection
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`transistor.
`
`Based on the claim as currently constructed, it is unclear to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art as to what is meant by “the source follower circuit’? There is no prior
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`mentioning in the claim above regarding “the source follower circuit’? Corrective
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`action is required. Claims 16-31 depend from claim 15 and are thusrejected.
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`6.
`
`Claim 15 recites the limitation "the source follower circuit" in line 13. There is
`
`insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 18/306,496
`Art Unit: 2639
`
`Page 6
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`Conclusion
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`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to JOHN H MOREHEADIII whose telephone numberis
`
`(571)270-3845. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 0930-1800 EST.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
`
`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-basedcollaboration tool. To schedule an
`
`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
`
`(AIR) at http:/Avwww.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`
`supervisor, Twyler Haskins can be reached on (571) 272-7406. 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 Centeris
`
`available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center,
`
`visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https:/Awww.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-
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`additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197
`
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`
`Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/JOHN H MOREHEAD III/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2639
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/306,496
`Art Unit: 2639
`
`/TWYLER L HASKINS/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2639
`
`Page 7
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