DETAILED ACTION
This Action addresses the communication received on 21 Nov 2025. Applicant has amended Claims 1, and 4-17. The Office rejects pending Claims 1-17 as detailed below.
Response to Amendments
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The claim recites in error, with suggested edit, “wherein the optical receiver includes a first pixel and a second pixel[[ that]], each of the first pixel and the second pixel receives the light to output the pixel signal….”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 1, 17, and any corresponding dependent claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Independent Claims 1 and 17 recite "a converter configured to sequentially convert the pixel signal bit by bit based on binary search to output a first digital signal for a pixel in the first period and a second digital signal for the pixel in the second period, wherein the first digital signal is output based on the conversion of the pixel signal with a first bit width in the first period, the second digital signal is output based on the conversion of the pixel signal with a second bit width in the second period.” It is unclear from the context of the claim what the first and second digital signals for pixels in the first and second periods means. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art would not be apprised of the metes and bounds of the claims, if allowed, in order to avoid infringement.
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.
+_+_+ Claims 1-10 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takabayashi et al. - U.S. Pub. 20130076896 - in view of Smith - Elliott Smith; "Understanding the Successive Approximation Register ADC"; AllAboutCircuits.com website [full URL found in ref.]; 28 Dec 2015 - +_+_+
As for Claim 1, Takabayashi teaches an optical receiver configured to receive light to output a pixel signal; a light source configured to project light with a first irradiation pattern in a first period and project light with a second irradiation pattern in a second period (¶24 L3: “FIG. 4. The three-dimensional measurement apparatus includes a projector 402 which projects stripe pattern light formed by alternately arranging bright and dark portions onto an object 407, a camera 403 which captures an image of reflected pattern light of the object 407 (target object) on which the stripe pattern light is projected, and a computation processing unit 41 which executes various arithmetic operations. The computation processing unit 41 instructs to project and capture the stripe pattern light, and executes computation processing of captured image data.”); […] and a calculation unit configured to calculate a distance based on the first digital signal and the second digital signal (¶5 L1: “In order to perform a three-dimensional shape measurement [including distance] in more detail, n patterns of stripe pattern light are irradiated while sequentially reducing regions of bright and dark portions in size. Then, by assigning region numbers obtained by dividing an irradiation region of the projector into 2n regions, the respective regions can be judged. In a three-dimensional measurement which uses 1024 divided regions, 10-bit spatial coding is attained.”) Although Takabayashi requires the use of an ADC, it does not explicitly teach using an SAR ADC.
But Smith teaches a converter configured to sequentially convert the pixel signal bit by bit based on binary search to output a first digital signal for a pixel in the first period and a second digital signal for the pixel in the second period, wherein the first digital signal is output based on the conversion of the pixel signal with a first bit width in the first period, the second digital signal is output based on the conversion of the pixel signal with a second bit width in the second period, and the second bit width is less than the first bit width (P2/6: “The SAR ADC does the following things for each sample: 1. The analog signal is sampled and held. 2. For each bit, the SAR logic outputs a binary code to the DAC that is dependent on the current bit under scrutiny and the previous bits already approximated. The comparator is used to determine the state of the current bit. 3. Once all bits have been approximated, the digital approximation is output at the end of the conversion (EOC). The SAR operation is best explained as a binary search algorithm. ”)
It 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 to combine Takabayashi and Smith because SAR ADCs are small, fast, and have a low power consumption.
As for Claim 2, which depends on Claim 1, Takabayashi teaches wherein the second bit width has a length of one bit (Fig.2, smallest pattern is one bit. Each layer adds another bit to the detected signal value.)
As for Claim 3, which depends on Claim 1, Takabayashi teaches wherein the first bit width is a count of bits convertible by the converter to a maximal (Fig.2, largest pattern is large enough to account for the total desired pixel signal bit length.)
As for Claim 4, which depends on Claim 1, Takabayashi teaches wherein the converter is further configured to output the second digital signal based on execution of the binary search with a threshold value corresponding to the first digital signal in the second period (¶5 L1: “In order to perform a three-dimensional shape measurement in more detail, n patterns of stripe pattern light are irradiated while sequentially reducing regions of bright and dark portions in size. Then, by assigning region numbers obtained by dividing an irradiation region of the projector into 2n regions, the respective regions can be judged. In a three-dimensional measurement which uses 1024 divided regions, 10-bit spatial coding is attained.”)
As for Claim 5, which depends on Claim 4, Takabayashi teaches wherein the light source is further configured to project the light with a plurality of second irradiation patterns; the plurality of second irradiation patterns includes the second irradiation pattern, each of the plurality of second irradiation patterns has a different irradiation pattern in the second period, the converter is further configured to output a plurality of the second digital signals based on the execution of the binary search, with the threshold value, for a plurality of pixel signals respectively corresponding to the plurality of second irradiation patterns in the second period, and the plurality of pixel signals incudes the pixel signal (¶44 L1: “The measurement processor 406 prohibits measurement points whose reliabilities are equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold from being output onto a range image based on the calculated reliabilities. Alternatively, the reliabilities may be given to respective measurement points of range image data, and all points may be output. Then, upon editing of the range image data, the user may arbitrary set a reliability threshold, thus obtaining range image data of only measurement points having desirably high reliabilities.”)
As for Claim 6, which depends on Claim 5, Takabayashi teaches wherein the calculation unit is further configured to integrate the plurality of the second digital signals to calculate the distance (¶1 L1: “The present invention relates to a three-dimensional measurement apparatus, a three-dimensional measurement method, and a storage medium, which measure a three-dimensional shape by a spatial coding method which acquire distance information by projecting a plurality of patterns of pattern light formed by arranging bright and dark portions with arbitrary widths.”)
As for Claim 7, which depends on Claim 6, Takabayashi teaches wherein the calculation unit is further configured to set a confidence coefficient of the calculated distance to be lower as a value of the first digital signal approximates a value of a saturation region of the optical receiver (¶27 L12: “The measurement processor 406 binarizes image data to generate code data. When N-bit spatial coding is to be attained, the stripe pattern light includes N different pattern shapes, and N patterns of code data are generated. The data are given with the reliabilities [confidence coefficient] and boundary positions which are calculated by the reliability calculator 405.”)
As for Claim 8, which depends on Claim 6, Takabayashi teaches wherein the calculation unit is further configured to set, in a case where values of the plurality of the second digital signals are identical, a confidence coefficient of the distance to be lower than in a case where the values are different (¶27 L12: “The measurement processor 406 binarizes image data to generate code data. When N-bit spatial coding is to be attained, the stripe pattern light includes N different pattern shapes, and N patterns of code data are generated. The data are given with the reliabilities [confidence coefficient] and boundary positions which are calculated by the reliability calculator 405.”)
As for Claim 9, which depends on Claim 6, Takabayashi teaches wherein the light source is further configured to project the light with a third irradiation pattern having an irradiation pattern identical to the first irradiation pattern in the second period, the converter is further configured to convert the pixel signal corresponding to the third irradiation pattern with the second bit width to output a third digital signal, and the calculation unit is further configured to set a confidence coefficient of the distance based on the third digital signal (¶27 L12: “The measurement processor 406 binarizes image data to generate code data. When N-bit spatial coding is to be attained, the stripe pattern light includes N different pattern shapes, and N patterns of code data are generated. The data are given with the reliabilities [confidence coefficient] and boundary positions which are calculated by the reliability calculator 405.” Further, Fig.2, 201-203 shows successively narrowing projected stripe pattern [1st, 2nd, and 3rd signals] to be combined to form binary pixel values.)
As for Claim 10, which depends on Claim 6, Takabayashi teaches wherein the calculation unit is further configured to calculate a difference between a plurality of the first digital signals and sets a confidence coefficient of the distance based on the difference (¶27 L12: “The measurement processor 406 binarizes image data to generate code data. When N-bit spatial coding is to be attained, the stripe pattern light includes N different pattern shapes, and N patterns of code data are generated. The data are given with the reliabilities [confidence coefficient] and boundary positions which are calculated by the reliability calculator 405.”)
As for Claim 14, which depends on Claim 1, Takabayashi teaches wherein the optical receiver includes a first pixel and a second pixel[,] each of the first pixel and the second pixel receives the light to output the pixel signal, and the first period in which the pixel signal output by the first pixel with the first bit width is made different from the first period in which the pixel signal output by the second pixel with the first bit width (¶5 L1: “In order to perform a three-dimensional shape measurement [including distance] in more detail, n patterns of stripe pattern light are irradiated while sequentially reducing regions of bright and dark portions in size. Then, by assigning region numbers obtained by dividing an irradiation region of the projector into 2n regions, the respective regions can be judged. In a three-dimensional measurement which uses 1024 divided regions, 10-bit spatial coding is attained.”)
As for Claim 15, which depends on Claim 14, Takabayashi teaches wherein the converter is further configured to convert the second digital signal based on execution of the binary search on the pixel signal output by the second pixel with a threshold value corresponding to the first digital signal, wherein the first digital signal is obtained based on conversion of the pixel signal output by the first pixel with the first bit width (¶44 L1: “The measurement processor 406 prohibits measurement points whose reliabilities are equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold from being output onto a range image based on the calculated reliabilities. Alternatively, the reliabilities may be given to respective measurement points of range image data, and all points may be output. Then, upon editing of the range image data, the user may arbitrary set a reliability threshold, thus obtaining range image data of only measurement points having desirably high reliabilities.”)
As for Claim 16, which depends on Claim 1, Takabayashi teaches wherein the optical receiver is further configured to receive the light in synchronization with the projection by the light source (¶25 L8: “Upon reception of a projection instruction from the CPU 400, the pattern memory 401 sends a stripe pattern light shape signal to the projector 402. Also, a time account signal is sent to the projector 402 and camera 403, thereby managing projection and capturing timings of stripe pattern light.”)
Claim 17 recites substantially the same subject matter as Claim 1 and stands rejected on the same basis accordingly.
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+_+_+ Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takabayashi and Smith in view of Geng - Jason Geng; “Structured-light 3D Surface Imaging: a Tutorial”; Advances in Optics and Photonics 3, 128-160 (2011) doi:10.1364/AOP.3.000128; 31 Mar 2011 - and in further view of Framos - “RGB+IR Technology”; framos.com website [full URL included in ref.]; 20 Jun 2017 - +_+_+
As for Claim 11, which depends on Claim 1, Takabayashi and Smith do not explicitly teach detecting colored or IR structured light patterns for 3D surface imaging.
But Geng teaches wherein the optical receiver includes a color pixel utilized to detect a specific color […], and the converter is further configured to: convert, with the first bit width, a color pixel signal output by the color pixel and a first IR pixel signal output by the […] pixel in the first period: and convert, with the second bit width, a second [...] pixel signal output by the […] pixel in the second period (P139: “Figure 11 illustrates the basic concept of the Rainbow 3D Camera [17-25]. Unlike conventional stereo, which must extract corresponding features from a pair of stereo images to calculate the depth value, the Rainbow 3D camera projects a spatially varying wavelength illumination onto the object surface. The fixed geometry of the rainbow light projector establishes a one-to-one correspondence between the projection angle, a, of a plane of light and a particular spectral wavelength , thus providing easy-to-identify landmarks on each surface point. With a known baseline B and a known viewing angle, the 3D range values corresponding to each individual pixel can be computed by using a straightforward triangulation principle, and a full frame of the 3D range image can be obtained in a single snapshot at the camera’s frame rate (30 frames/s or faster).”)
It 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 to combine Takabayashi and Smith with Geng because by using a rainbow pattern, the 3D range values can be computed in a single frame image.
Takabayashi, Smith, and Geng don’t explicitly teach including IR detecting pixels with the color pixels. But Framos teaches including IR sensing pixels with the color pixels (P2/4: “The main benefits of an RGB+IR sensor are sensitivity and good color reproduction. This sensor will provide a brighter image as the available IR light is not blocked and is collected in addition to the visible light. With the standard Bayer masks, IR damages the color separation as it can only be approximated and not measured. This results in lost color resolution and color that does not look natural. With the addition of the IR sensing pixels we have a good measure of the IR signal and can subtract it from the color pixels before the de-bayering process. The resulting system offers an R, G, B and IR image. The combination of these 4 channels allows for a brighter image without sacrificing good color.”)
It 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 to combine Takabayashi, Smith, and Geng with Framos because combining the RGB and IR channels “allows for a brighter image without sacrificing good color.”
As for Claim 12, which depends on Claim 11, Framos teaches wherein the converter is further configured to execute the conversion on the color pixel signal and the conversion on the first IR pixel signal and the second IR pixel signal at different times (P2/4: “This technology is similar to standard RGB color sensors in that it is a mask that is applied to a monochrome sensor. What is different is that one of the two green pixels is replaced with an Infrared (IR) pixel. This IR pixel contains Red, Green and Blue filter materials, effectively absorbing all of the light in the visible spectrum. IR light with longer wavelengths will pass through this filter with minimal loss.”)
As for Claim 13, which depends on Claim 11, Framos teaches wherein the converter is further configured to convert the color pixel signal in a fourth period in which the first period and the second period are combined (P2/4: “With the addition of the IR sensing pixels we have a good measure of the
IR signal and can subtract it from the color pixels before the de-bayering process. The resulting system offers an R, G, B and IR image.”)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 21 Nov 2025 relate to newly amended claims and are not addressed in this section; the rejections above, however, address the latest version of the claims in detail.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Applicants should direct any inquiry concerning this or earlier communications to CLINT THATCHER at phone 571.270.3588. Examiner is normally available Mon-Fri, 9am to 5:30pm ET and generally keeps a daily 2:30pm timeslot open for interviews.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, Examiner’s supervisor, Yuqing Xiao, can be reached at (571) 270-3603.
Though not relied on, the Office considers the additional prior art listed in the Notice of Reference Cited form (PTO-892) pertinent to Applicant's disclosure.
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/Clint Thatcher/
Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645