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 .
Response to Amendment
The following addresses applicant’s remarks/amendments dated 26 March 2026.
The amendment is sufficient to overcome the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(d).
Claims 1, 4, 7, 9, 14, and 20 were amended. Claims 2-3, 8, 15, and 19 were cancelled. No new claims were added. Therefore, claims 1, 4-7, 9-14, 16-18, and 20 are currently pending in the current application and are addressed below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 26 March 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Ono does not teach the limitations of the amended claim 1. However, Ono teaches a 2-tap photodetector that uses four phases delays to control the collection of light. The exposure signal for one frame includes 2 groups of exposure information, where the first exposure time can be shorter than the second exposure time (Fig. 25, Paragraph [0213]).Through the 2-tap photodetector, Ono teaches a first circuit and second circuit for converting light into an electrical signal (Fig. 3). Each of the four phase delays is collected during a first, second, third, and fourth time period (Fig. 11), where during each time period, the control signal either has the same or a different phase as the light source (Figs. 6-9). The photodetector sends each collected electrical signal to a processing module (Fig. 1, detection signal to signal processing unit), where the processing module acquires target information according to the electrical signals (Expressions (1)-(2)). Thus, Ono teaches the limitations of amended claim 1, and the rejection is maintained.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: on line 17, “wherein the processing module is configured to receive a first signal, is electrically connected” should be “wherein the processing module is configured to receive a first signal and is electrically connected”. Also, on line 24, “wherein the processing module is configured to receive a second signal, is electrically connected” should be “wherein the processing module is configured to receive a second signal and is electrically connected” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities: on line 6, “performing, an exposure” should be “performing an exposure”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 4-7, 9-14, 16-18, and 20 are objected to due to dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 5, 12-13, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 5 contains the same claim limitations included in claim 1, and thus fails to further limit the claim.
Claim 12 is improperly dependent on cancelled claim 8.
Claim 13 is rejected due to dependency.
Claim 18 contains the same claim limitations included in claim 14, and thus fails to further limit the claim.
Claim 20 is rejected due to dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1, 4-7, 9-14, 16-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ono et al., US 20220137224 A1 (“Ono”).
Regarding claim 1, Ono discloses a detection pixel unit, comprising:
a photosensitive module configured to receive light emitted by a light source to expose the pixel (Fig. 1, receiving unit, Paragraph [0079]);
a processing module (Fig. 2, system control unit 45, Paragraph [0085]) configured to obtain an exposure signal according to the exposure process, wherein the exposure signal includes N groups of exposure information, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2 (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S are 2 groups, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), and the N groups of exposure information include at least two groups of exposures corresponding to a first exposure time and a second exposure time (Fig. 25, subframe L is a long-time exposure, subframe S is a short-time exposure, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), the first exposure time being shorter than the second exposure time (Fig. 25, subframe L is a long-time exposure, subframe S is a short-time exposure, Paragraph [0203]-[0207], [0213]: long exposure may be performed after short exposure);
wherein the photosensitive module includes a first circuit and a second circuit for converting incident light into respective electrical signals (Fig. 3, pixel 50, tap 51-1, tap 51-2, Paragraph [0089]-[0090]), wherein the first circuit and the second circuit are configured to generate respective electrical signals according to a first modulation signal and a second modulation signal, respectively, within a first time period (Fig. 6, transfer control signal TRT_A, transfer control signal TRT_B, detection signals A0 and B0, detection period Q0, Paragraph [0102]-[0103]);
wherein the first circuit and the second circuit are configured to generate respective electrical signals according to the second modulation signal and the first modulation signal, respectively, within a second time period (Fig. 7, transfer control signal TRT_A, transfer control signal TRT_B, detection signals A90 and B90, detection period Q1, Paragraph [0104]-[0105]);
wherein the processing module is configured to receive a first signal (Fig. 6, detection signals A0 and B0, Paragraph [0102]-[0103]), is electrically connected to the light source to control the light source to emit light to illuminate a detected object (Fig. 1, light emitting unit 14, light emission control unit 15, signal processing unit 13, Paragraph [0074]), and is further electrically connected to the photosensitive module (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, control signal, detection signal), wherein the photosensitive module is configured to receive a plurality of receiving control signals having a same phase or different phases as a light signal emitted by the light source (Fig. 2, system control unit 45, Paragraph [0085]; Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, control signal, Fig. 6-7, transfer control signal TRT_A, transfer control signal TRT_B), and obtain electrical signals corresponding to at least one receiving control signal of the same phase respectively via the two circuits (Fig. 6-7, detection signals A0, B0, and A90, B90);
wherein the processing module is further configured to receive a second signal, is electrically connected to the photosensitive module (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, control signal, detection signal), and obtain electrical signals corresponding to the plurality of receiving control signals of different phases respectively via the two circuits (Fig. 7, detection signals A90 and B90, Paragraph [0104]-[0105]);
an information acquiring module configured to acquire target information of the detected object according to the electrical signals corresponding to the plurality of receiving control signals of different phases (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, Paragraph [0076]; See also: Expressions (1) and (2) in Paragraph [0132]);
wherein the information acquiring module is further configured to acquire target information of the detected object according to the electrical signals corresponding to the receiving control signal of the same phase respectively obtained by the two circuits, wherein the target information is target distance information (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, Paragraph [0076]; See also: Expressions (1) and (2) in Paragraph [0132]).
Regarding claim 4, Ono discloses an array detection device comprising the detection pixel according to claim 1 (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 4, wherein the
processing module is further configured to receive a second signal (Fig. 7, detection signals A90 and B90, Paragraph [0104]-[0105]) and is electrically connected to the photosensitive module (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, control signal, detection signal) so that the photosensitive module acquires electrical signals corresponding to the plurality of receiving control signals having different phases respectively by the two circuits (Fig. 7, transfer control signal TRT_B, detection signal B, Paragraph [0104]-[0105]); and
the information acquiring module is configured to acquire the target information of the detected object according to the electrical signals corresponding to the plurality of receiving control signals having different phases (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, Paragraph [0076]; See also: Expressions (1) and (2) in Paragraph [0132]).
Regarding claim 6, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 4, wherein phases of the plurality of receiving control signals having the same phase or different phases comprise 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° (Fig. 11, detection period Q0, detection period Q1, detection period Q2, detection period Q3, Paragraph [0116]; See also Figs. 5-10).
Regarding claim 7, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 6, wherein the information acquiring module is configured to acquire the target information of the detected object according to different electrical signals corresponding to each phase of the four receiving control signals respectively obtained by the two circuits (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, Paragraph [0076]; Fig. 16, detection signal A0, B0, A90, B90, A180, B180, A270, B270, Paragraph [0131]-[0132]).
Regarding claim 9, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 6, wherein the exposure information comprises two subframes of information, and each of the two subframes of information comprises information of four different receiving control phase signals (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, QL0-3, QS0-3, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]).
Regarding claim 10, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 9, the two subframes contain a same number of first exposure duration information, and the first exposure duration information comprises information of four different receiving control phases (Fig. 25, subframe L, QL0-3, AL0,90,180,270, BL0,90,180,270 Paragraph [0203]-[0207]).
Regarding claim 11, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 10, wherein the two subframes further contain a same number of second exposure duration information (Fig. 25, subframe S, QS0-3, AS0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), and a first subframe contains information corresponding to at least one second exposure duration (Fig. 25, subframe S, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]) and the second exposure duration contains output information corresponding to the receiving control signals of two phases with a phase difference of 180° (Fig. 25, subframe S, QS0-3, AS0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]; See also Figs. 5-9), the second subframe contains at least one second exposure duration information (Fig. 25, subframe S, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), and the second exposure duration contains output information corresponding to the receiving control signals of two phases with a phase difference of 180° (Fig. 25, subframe S, QS0-3, AS0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]; See also Figs. 5-9), and the receiving control signals with a phase difference of 180° in the second exposure duration contained in the two subframes form output signals of the four receiving control signals having different phases (Fig. 25, detection signals AS0-3, detection signals BS0-3, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]).
Regarding claim 12, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 8, wherein the N groups of exposure information comprise a plurality of subframes of information (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), and each of the plurality of subframes of information comprises information of four different receiving control phase signals (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, QL0-3, QS0-3 , Paragraph [0203]-[0207]).
Regarding claim 13, Ono discloses the detection device according to claim 12, wherein
two adjacent subframes among the plurality of subframes each contains output information corresponding to at least one of the receiving control signals of two phases with a phase difference of 180° (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, AL0,90,180,270, AS0,90,180,270, BL0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]; See also: Fig. 5-9), and the receiving control signals with a phase difference of 180° in the second exposure duration contained in the two adjacent subframes form output signals of the four receiving control signals having different phases (Fig. 25, AS0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]);
the processing module is further configured to receive a third control signal and output electrical signals corresponding to at least one of different phase control signals in at least one exposure duration in different subframes respectively by the two circuits (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, QL2, QS2, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]); and
the information acquiring module is configured to acquire the target information of the detected object according to the electrical signals corresponding to the receiving control signals having the same phase acquired respectively by the two circuits (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, AL0,90,180,270, AS0,90,180,270, BL0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]).
Regarding claim 14, Ono discloses a detection method, performed by the detection device according to claim 4, the detection method comprising:
emitting, by the light source, light to illuminate the detected object (Fig. 1, light emitting unit 14, Paragraph [0074]);
exposing, by the photosensitive module, the pixel array at the time associated with the light emitted by the light source (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, control signal, on/off signal Paragraph [0074]; Fig. 6, transfer control signal TRT_A, transfer control signal TRT_B, Paragraph [0102]-[0103]);
performing, an exposure signal according to the exposure process, wherein the exposure signal includes N groups of exposure information, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2 (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S are 2 groups, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), the N groups of exposure information including at least two groups of exposures corresponding to a first exposure time and a second exposure time (Fig. 25, subframe L is a long-time exposure, subframe S is a short-time exposure, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), the first exposure time being shorter than the second exposure time (Fig. 25, subframe L is a long-time exposure, subframe S is a short-time exposure, Paragraph [0203]-[0207], [0213]: long exposure may be performed after short exposure);
converting, by the first circuit and the second circuit of the photosensitive module (Fig. 3, pixel 50, tap 51-1, tap 51-2, Paragraph [0089]-[0090]), incident light into respective electrical signals, wherein the first circuit and the second circuit are configured to generate respective electrical signals according to a first modulation signal and a second modulation signal, respectively, during a first time period (Fig. 6, transfer control signal TRT_A, transfer control signal TRT_B, detection signals A0 and B0, detection period Q0, Paragraph [0102]-[0103]);
generating, by the first circuit and the second circuit, respective electrical signals according to the second modulation signal and the first modulation signal, respectively, during a second time period (Fig. 7, transfer control signal TRT_A, transfer control signal TRT_B, detection signals A90 and B90, detection period Q1, Paragraph [0104]-[0105]);
receiving, by the processing module, control of a first signal (Fig. 6, detection signals A0 and B0, Paragraph [0102]-[0103]), emitting, by the light source under control of the processing module, light to illuminate the detected object (Fig. 1, light emitting unit 14, light emission control unit 15, signal processing unit 13, Paragraph [0074]), receiving, by the photosensitive module under control of the processing module, a plurality of receiving control signals having a same phase or different phases as the light signal emitted by the light source (Fig. 2, system control unit 45, Paragraph [0085]; Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, control signal, Fig. 6-7, transfer control signal TRT_A, transfer control signal TRT_B), and acquiring, respectively by the two circuits, electrical signals corresponding to at least one receiving control signal of the same phase (Fig. 6-7, detection signals A0, B0, and A90, B90); and
acquiring, by the information acquiring module, target information of the detected object according to the electrical signals corresponding to the receiving control signal of the same phase respectively acquired by the two circuits (Fig. 7, detection signals A90 and B90, Paragraph [0104]-[0105]).
Regarding claim 16, Ono discloses the detection method according to claim 14, wherein phases of the plurality of receiving control signals having the same phase or different phases comprise 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° (Fig. 11, detection period Q0, detection period Q1, detection period Q2, detection period Q3, Paragraph [0116]; See also Figs. 5-10).
Regarding claim 17, Ono discloses the detection method according to claim 16, wherein the information acquiring module is configured to acquire the target information of the detected object according to different electrical signals corresponding to each phase of the four receiving control signals respectively obtained by the two circuits (Fig. 1, signal processing unit 13, Paragraph [0076]; Fig. 16, detection signal A0, B0, A90, B90, A180, B180, A270, B270, Paragraph [0131]-[0132]).
Regarding claim 18, Ono discloses the detection method according to claim 14, wherein the exposure information has N groups, N is an integer greater than or equal to two (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S are 2 groups, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), and wherein the N groups of exposures comprise two groups of exposures respectively having at least a first exposure duration and a second exposure duration (Fig. 25, subframe L is a long-time exposure, subframe S is a short-time exposure, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]), the first exposure duration is less than the second exposure duration (Fig. 25, subframe L is a long-time exposure, subframe S is a short-time exposure, Paragraph [0203]-[0207], [0213]).
Regarding claim 20, Ono discloses the detection method according to claim 18,
wherein two adjacent subframes among the plurality of subframes each contains output information corresponding to at least one of the receiving control signals of two phases with a phase difference of 180° (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, AL0,90,180,270, AS0,90,180,270, BL0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]; See also: Fig. 5-9), and the receiving control signals with a phase difference of 180° in the second exposure duration contained in the two adjacent subframes form output signals of the four receiving control signals having different phases (Fig. 25, AS0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]);
the processing module further receives a third control signal and output electrical signals corresponding to at least one of different phase control signals in at least one exposure duration in different subframes respectively by the two circuits (Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, QL2, QS2, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]); and the information acquiring module acquires the target information of the detected object according to the electrical signals corresponding to the receiving control signals having the same phase acquired respectively by the two circuits ((Fig. 25, subframe L and subframe S, AL0,90,180,270, AS0,90,180,270, BL0,90,180,270, BS0,90,180,270, Paragraph [0203]-[0207]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RACHEL N NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5405. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 5:30 pm ET.
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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.
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/RACHEL NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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