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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/204,851
`
`03/17/2021
`
`KATSUYA NOZAWA
`
`083710-3307
`
`7893
`
`Rimon PC - Pansonic Corporation
`8300 Greensboro Dr.
`Suite 500
`
`RAHMAN, MOHAMMAD A
`
`2898
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`11/27/2023
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`Thetime 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):
`USPTOmail@rimonlaw.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)C) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)) The drawing(s) filed on 03/17/2021 is/are: a) accepted or b)() 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:
`cc) None ofthe:
`b)LJ Some**
`a)Y) All
`1.¥) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have beenreceived in Application No.
`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)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 03/17/2021.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) (J Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20231120
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/204,851
`NOZAWAetal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`MOHAMMAD A RAHMAN
`2898
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of 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 10/04/2023.
`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)02 An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on__; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporatedinto this action.
`4)\0) 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.
`
`)
`)
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-18 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) 18 is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`Claim(s) 1-4,6-11 and 13-17 is/are allowed.
`S$) 5and12 is/are rejected.
`Claim(s
`[J 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:/Awww.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/204,851
`Art Unit: 2898
`
`Page 2
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
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`Priority
`
`Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign benefit based on
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`JP2019-028538 filed on 02/20/2019.
`
`Election/ Restrictions
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`Applicant's election of group I: claims 1-17, in the “Response to Election /
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`Restriction Filed - 08/24/2023”, withdrawal of non-elected claim(s) 18 is/are
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`acknowledged. This office action considers claims 1-18, in “Claims - 3/17/2021”,
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`pending for prosecution, of which claim(s) 18 is/are withdrawn.
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`Duplicate Claims, Warning
`
`Claim 12 is substantially same as claim 5 both of which depend from Claim 1.
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`Applicant may cancel claim 12.
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`Applicant is advised that should claim 5 be found allowable, claim 12 will be
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`objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two
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`claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both
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`cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing
`
`one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim.
`
`See MPEP § 706.03(k).
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
`(bo) 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.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/204,851
`Art Unit: 2898
`
`Page 3
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`Claims 5, 12 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
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`subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AlA the applicant regards
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`as the invention.
`
`Claims 5 and 12 recite:
`
`“the voltage supply circuit supplies, in a first period, a first voltage to the counter
`
`electrode such that the potential difference between the pixel electrode and the counter
`
`electrode becomes the first potential difference, and
`
`the voltage supply circuit supplies, in a second period whichis different from the
`
`first period, a second voltage to the counter electrode such that the potential difference
`
`between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode becomes the second potential
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`difference” which rendersthe claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for
`
`this limitation in the claims. The applicant may recite the following to overcome this
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`rejection:
`
`“the voltage supply circuit supplies, in a first period, a first voltage to the counter
`
`electrode such that a potential difference between the pixel electrode and the counter
`
`electrode becomes the first potential difference, and
`
`the voltage supply circuit supplies, in a second period whichis different from the
`
`first period, a second voltage to the counter electrode suchthat a potential difference
`
`between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode becomes the second potential
`
`difference”.
`
`REASON FOR ALLOWANCE
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/204,851
`Art Unit: 2898
`
`Claims 1-4, 6-11, 13-17 are allowed over prior art.
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`Page 4
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`The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance, which
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`paraphrases and summarizes the claimed invention without intending to belimiting,
`
`wherein the legally defined scope of the claimed invention is defined by the allowed
`
`claims themselvesin view of the written description under 35 USC 112. This statement
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`is not intended to necessarily state all the reasons for allowance or all the details why
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`the claims are allowed and has not been written to specifically or impliedly state thatall
`
`the reasons for allowance are set forth (MPEP 1302.14).
`
`Regarding claim 1, the reference(s) of the Prior Art of record and considered
`
`pertinent to the applicant's disclosure and to the examiner's knowledge do(es) not teach
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`or render obvious, at least to the skilled artisan, the instant invention regarding a
`
`method in their entirety (the individuallimitations may be found just not in combination
`
`with proper motivation).
`
`The mostrelevantprior art reference(s) (US 20090152664 A1 to Klem)
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`substantially teach(es) some of limitations in claim 1 such as:
`
`a plurality of electrodes, including at leasta first electrode and a second
`
`electrode; an optically sensitive material between the first electrode and the second
`
`electrode; circuitry that applies a voltage difference between the first electrode and the
`
`second electrode such that current flows through the optically sensitive material during
`
`an integration period of time, wherein the rate of the current flow through the optically
`
`sensitive material has a non-linear relationship with intensity of light absorbed by the
`
`optically sensitive material; a charge store in electrical communication with at least one
`
`of the electrodes, the quantity of charge in the charge store based on the current flow
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/204,851
`Art Unit: 2898
`
`Page 5
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`through the optically sensitive material during the integration period of time; and read
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`out circuitry configured to generate a signal based on the charge in the charge store
`
`after the integration period of time. A portion of the energy in the charge store is
`
`dissipated over the integration period of time. The charge store is charged by the
`
`current flow during the integration period of time (para. [0952]), but not the limitations of
`
`“a first quantum dotthat includesafirst core and a first shell and that is located between
`
`the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the first core generating first signal
`
`charge, the first shell covering the first core and formingafirst heterojunction barrier
`
`againstthe first signal charge; a second quantum dotthat includes a second core anda
`
`second shell and that is located between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode,
`
`the second core generating second signal charge, the second shell covering the second
`
`core and forming a second heterojunction barrier against the second signal charge; and
`
`a charge accumulator that is electrically connected to the pixel electrode and that
`
`accumulates the first signal charge and the second signal charge, wherein the first
`
`quantum dot and the second quantum dotare type-II quantum dots” as recited in the
`
`amendedclaim 1. Therefore, the claim 1
`
`is deemed patentable over the prior art.
`
`Regarding claims4, 6-10, 12, they are allowed due to their dependencies on
`
`claim 1.
`
`Regarding claim 2, Klem teaches some ofthe limitations of claim 2 such as:
`
`a plurality of electrodes, including at leasta first electrode and a second
`
`electrode; an optically sensitive material between the first electrode and the second
`
`electrode; circuitry that applies a voltage difference between the first electrode and the
`
`second electrode such that current flows through the optically sensitive material during
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/204,851
`Art Unit: 2898
`
`Page 6
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`an integration period of time, wherein the rate of the current flow through the optically
`
`sensitive material has a non-linear relationship with intensity of light absorbed by the
`
`optically sensitive material; a charge store in electrical communication with at least one
`
`of the electrodes, the quantity of charge in the charge store based on the current flow
`
`through the optically sensitive material during the integration period of time; and read
`
`out circuitry configured to generate a signal based on the charge in the charge store
`
`after the integration period of time. A portion of the energy in the charge store is
`
`dissipated over the integration period of time. The charge store is charged by the
`
`current flow during the integration period of time (para. [0952]), but not the limitations of
`
`“a first quantum dotthat includesafirst core and a first shell and that is located between
`
`the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the first core generating first signal
`
`charge, the first shell covering the first core; a second quantum dot that includes a
`
`second core and a second shell and that is located between the pixel electrode and the
`
`counter electrode, the second core generating second signal charge, the second shell
`
`covering the second core; and a charge accumulator that is electrically connected to the
`
`pixel electrode and that accumulates the first signal charge and the secondsignal
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`charge, wherein the first quantum dot is one of a hole confining type-II quantum dot and
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`an electron confining type-II quantum dot, and the second quantum dotis the other of
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`the hole confining type-II quantum dot and the electron confining type-II quantum dot”
`
`as recited in the amended claim 2. Therefore, the claim 2 is deemed patentable over the
`
`prior art.
`
`Regarding claims 3, 11, 13-17, they are allowed due to their dependencies on
`
`claim 2.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/204,851
`Art Unit: 2898
`
`Page 7
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD A. RAHMAN whosetelephone number is
`
`(571) 270-0168 and email is mohammad.rahman5@uspto.gov. The examiner can
`
`normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 PM.
`
`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 itowwwuspio cov/interviewnractice.
`
`
`
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
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`supervisor, Julio J. Maldonado can be reached on (571) 272-1864. The fax phone
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`number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571 -
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`273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
`
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`
`applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status
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`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/204,851
`Art Unit: 2898
`
`Page 8
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`/MOHAMMAD A RAHMAN/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2898
`
`