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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph [0030], the phrase “at a predetermined modulation frequency c,” should likely read “at a predetermined modulation frequency f”.
In paragraph [0114], the phrase “switching between plan irradiation…” should likely read “switching between plane irradiation…”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hiromasa et al. (JP2018077071A), hereinafter Hiromasa.
Regarding claim 9, Hiromasa teaches:
A distance measurement system comprising: an illumination device that applies irradiation light to an object; a distance measurement sensor that receives reflection light resulting from the irradiation light reflected by the object ([0014] “As shown in FIG. 3, the distance sensor 20 includes a light projection system 201, a light receiving system 202, and a control system 203, for example.”),
wherein the distance measurement sensor includes a pixel array section where pixels that each output a detection signal according to a quantity of the received reflection light are two-dimensionally arranged ([0023] “As shown in FIG. 7, the light receiving system 202 includes an imaging optical system 28 and an image sensor 29 (image pickup element).”; [0025] “Here, the image sensor 29 is an area image sensor (for example, a CCD or CMOS) in which a plurality of light receiving sections are arranged two-dimensionally.”), and
a control section that controls an operation state of the illumination device according to an operation timing of the distance measurement sensor itself (FIG. 11; [0037] “The control unit also synchronizes the timing of light emission from the light source and signal acquisition by the imaging element”).
Regarding claim 1, the limitations of claim 1 are encompassed by the scope of claim 9 and are rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 2, Hiromasa teaches the distance measuring system of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the control section controls the operation state of the illumination device in line with driving of the pixels (FIG. 11; [0037] “The control unit also synchronizes the timing of light emission from the light source and signal acquisition by the imaging element”).
Regarding claim 3, Hiromasa teaches the distance measuring system of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein, during a reading time period of reading out the detection signals from the pixels, the control section controls the operation state of the illumination device such that power consumption becomes smaller than that during a light emission state ([0050] “Each subframe has in common the fact that it starts with a reset operation and ends with a read operation.”; FIG. 11 visually shows that the laser transmission pulses (TX1, TX2) are shut off during the read operations.).
Regarding claim 5, Hiromasa teaches the distance measuring system of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
wherein the control section further controls a light emission condition for emission of the irradiation light from the illumination device ([0018-19] “The light source driving unit 25 generates a light source driving signal (see FIG. 6) based on a pulse control signal (see FIG. 5) from the control system 203.”).
Regarding claim 10, the scope of claim 10 matches that of claim 9 and it is rejected for the same reasons.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiromasa in view of Nishita et al. (US 20190302233 A1), hereinafter Nishita.
Regarding claim 4, Hiromasa teaches the distance measuring system of claim 1, as described above, but fails to teach:
wherein, when first light emission is performed after power supply, the control section controls the illumination device to carry out a calibration operation.
Nishita, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein, when first light emission is performed after power supply, the control section controls the illumination device to carry out a calibration operation (FIG. 2, the process initiates with a calibration procedure (steps S1 and S2); [0036] “First, the control unit 5 starts the distance measurement operation of the electro-optical distance meter 1. In Step S1… the light from the light source 10 passes through the light-transmitting region 50a of the liquid shutter 50 as the reference light, and travels through the internal optical path L2 to enter the detector 40.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the distance sensor of Hiromasa with the calibration of Nishita to improve the accuracy of measurements (Nishita: [0005] “The measurement light is subjected to phase shift due to a change in output caused by, for example, a thermal drift. In such a case, the measurement light cannot provide correct measurement data. To obtain correct measurement data, the electro-optical distance meter includes an internal optical path for use in measurement based on reference light so as to correct a measurement value.”).
Regarding claim 7, Hiromasa teaches the distance measuring system of claim 1, as described above, but fails to teach:
wherein, in a case where a temperature change in the illumination device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control section controls the illumination device to carry out a calibration operation.
Nishita, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein, in a case where a temperature change in the illumination device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control section controls the illumination device to carry out a calibration operation ([0034] “When calibration is needed, the calculator 41 transmits a switching signal for switching the external optical path L1 and the internal optical path L2 to the driver 42 so as to switch the liquid shutter 50, and calibrates the error based on the reference light.”; [0043] “if a predetermined time has passed since the last calibration or if the temperature has changed by predetermined degrees or more, the routine is returned to Step S1 where switching of the liquid shutter 50 is performed again. The calculator 41 then acquires a measurement value based on the reference light again.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the distance sensor of Hiromasa with the temperature dependent calibration of Nishita to improve the accuracy of measurements (Nishita: [0005] “The measurement light is subjected to phase shift due to a change in output caused by, for example, a thermal drift. In such a case, the measurement light cannot provide correct measurement data. To obtain correct measurement data, the electro-optical distance meter includes an internal optical path for use in measurement based on reference light so as to correct a measurement value.”).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiromasa in view of Xu et al. (US 20120013887 A1), hereinafter Xu.
Regarding claim 6, Hiromasa teaches the distance measuring system of claim 5, as described above, but fails to teach:
wherein, in a case where the light emission condition is changed, the control section controls the illumination device to carry out a calibration operation.
Xu, in the same field of endeavor, teaches dynamic self-calibration ([0074] “Because the method is dynamically self-calibrating, calibration is robust despite environment temperature changes and variations in system components within the TOF system, over the life of the system. Prior art use of static LUT(s) with calibration data determined a priori simply cannot provide consistently good calibration data, especially when optical energy and pixel detector waveforms change during runtime operation.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the distance sensor of Hiromasa with the dynamic calibration of Xu to maintain good calibration data despite changes in optical energy.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiromasa in view of Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_communication).
Regarding claim 8, Hiromasa teaches the distance measuring system of claim 1, as described above but fails to explicitly teach:
wherein the control section controls the operation state of the illumination device by serial communication.
Serial communication is a well-known and predictable choice of communication system. See, for example, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_communication, accessed by the Wayback Machine dated 01/15/2018.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN C. GRANT whose telephone number is (571)272-0402. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 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 http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuqing Xiao can be reached at (571)270-3603. 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.
/SEAN C. GRANT/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645