DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Response to Amendment
The following addresses applicant’s remarks/amendments dated 6th June, 2026.
Claims 2, 4, 7-8 and 12-15 were amended; claims 1, 5, 6, and 9-11 were cancelled; no new claims were added; therefore, claims 2-4, 7-8 and 12-16 are pending in current application and are addressed below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 6th June, 2026 have been fully considered.
Applicant’s argument regarding the rejection of claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii (J.P. Patent Publication No. 2019039715 A), modified in view of Perenzoni (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20190018118 A1), Sarmast (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20130050426 A1), Maeno (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20120069319 A1), Nobayashi (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20160337576 A1), in view of Yano (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20120288152 A1), in view of Afrouzi (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20190114798 A1) is persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Fujii (J.P. Patent Publication No. 2019039715 A), modified in view of Perenzoni (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20190018118 A1), Nobayashi (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20160337576 A1) and Itaba (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20230179841 A1), necessitated by claim amendments. New limitations have been addressed in the present Office Action. See below.
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.
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii et al. (JP 2019039715 A, hereinafter “Fujii”), modified in view of Perenzoni et al. (US 20190018118 A1, hereinafter “Perenzoni”), in view of Nobayashi (US 20160337576 A1, hereinafter “Nobayashi”), in view of Itaba et al. (US 20230179841 A1, hereinafter “Itaba”).
Regarding claim 8, Fujii teaches a comprising:
a light emitting part that emits pulsed light a plurality of times in each emission direction (Fujii; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0017], the LD 21 output pulsed laser light; [0040], the object recognition unit 6 recognizes the distance to the object, the position of the object, etc. based on multiple distance data obtained by multiple scans, and generates object information including these recognition results and outputs it to the measurement control unit 5; this implies a multiple scans is conducted by the system);
a light receiving part that receives reflected light of the pulsed light (Fujii; Fig. 1, Fig. 3, [0015], a light receiving optical system 12 (receiving the reflected light [0018]) and a detection system 13);
a calculating part that uses a time of flight of the reflected light received by the light receiving part to calculate a measurement target distance, which is a distance to a reflective object that reflects the pulsed light and outputs the reflected light (Fujii; Fig. 1, [0021], a time calculation unit 15 calculates the TOF based on electrical signal generated by the detection system 13 (photoelectrically convers the reflected light and generates an electrical signal [0019]); and
the calculating part includes:
a received light intensity determining part that determines a received light intensity for each of a plurality of times of flight (Fujii; Fig. 14, [0048], shows the relationship between the object distance, the peak intensity of the target peak 85, and the estimated range of the noise voltage. This implies the calculation unit 15 determines a received light intensity for each of the plurality of TOF),
a peak detecting part that detects a time of flight corresponding to a peak of the received light intensities of the plurality of times of flight (Fujii; Fig. 1, [0021], a time calculation unit 15 calculates the TOF based on electrical signal generated by the detection system 13; Fig. 6, [0039], illustrating a method for calculating the TOF Δt of light including an irradiation pulse 81 and light receiving pulse 82 which implies a peak detection process to detect the time on the peak),
a distance calculating part that calculates a distance from the detected time of flight corresponding to the peak (same as above), and
a distance determining part that uses the distance calculated by the distance calculating part to determine the measurement target distance (Fujii; Fig. 1, [0040], the light flight time Δt calculated by the time calculation unit 15 is output to the measurement control unit 5 then sent to the object recognition unit as distance data. The object recognition unit 6 recognizes the distance to the object, the position of the object based on multiple distance data obtained by multiple scans and generates object information including these recognition results and outputs it to the measurement control units), wherein
the distance determining part uses a first distance and a second distance to determine the measurement target distance (Fujii; Fig. 1, [0040], the light flight time Δt calculated by the time calculation unit 15 is output to the measurement control unit 5 then sent to the object recognition unit as distance data. The object recognition unit 6 recognizes the distance to the object, the position of the object based on multiple distance data obtained by multiple scans and generates object information including these recognition results and outputs it to the measurement control units).
Fujii does not teach,
a control part that controls at least one of an intensity of the pulsed light emitted from the light emitting part, and sensitivity of the light receiving part to the reflected light received, wherein
the control part controls at least one of an intensity of the pulsed light emitted from the light emitting part, and the sensitivity of the light receiving part to the reflected light received, so that the received light intensity determining part obtains, at least once in the plurality of times the pulsed light is emitted, a first received light intensity as the received light intensity of each of the plurality of times of flight, and the received light intensity determining part obtains, at least once in the plurality of times the pulsed light is emitted, a second received light intensity having an S/N ratio higher than that of the first received light intensity as the received light intensity of each of the plurality of times of flight, and
a first distance, which is the distance calculated based on the first received light intensity, and a second distance, which is the distance calculated based on the second received light intensity
The rangefinder further comprises a distance image generating part that generates a distance image, which is an image showing a position and the measurement target distance of the reflective object,
the distance image generating part combines a first distance image including the first distance determined for each emission direction and a second distance image including the second distance determined for each emission direction to generate an integrated distance image.
the distance image generating part combines:
a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and
a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder,
to generate the integrated distance image, and
the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other.
Perenzoni teaches,
a control part that controls at least one of an intensity of the pulsed light emitted from the light receiving part, and sensitivity of the light receiving part to the reflected light received, (Perenzoni; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0051], invention comprises emission means 2 are configured to emit, at each time interval I related to each one of the measuring operation Ai; [0080], disclosed capable of dynamically varying the position, shape and/or size of said region of interest (implies due to the change of region of interest, expected the sensitivity of the light receiving part will be changed) based on the light conditions detected during the previous measuring operation to improving the signal to noise ration. This implies that the previous measuring operation (1st received intensity) has lower SNR than current measuring operation (2nd received intensity), thus improved the SNR (2nd received intensity has Higher SNR than 1st received intensity) after dynamically varying the position, shape and/or size of region of interest) on the light receiving part in which a received light intensity is determined), wherein
the control part controls at least one of an intensity of the pulsed light emitted from the light emitting part, and the sensitivity of the light receiving part to the reflected light received, and the position of the region of interest so that the received light intensity determining part obtains, at least once in the plurality of times the pulsed light is emitted, a first received light intensity as the received light intensity of each of the plurality of times of flight, and the received light intensity determining part obtains, at least once in the plurality of times the pulsed light is emitted, a second received light intensity having an S/N ratio higher than that of the first received light intensity as the received light intensity of each of the plurality of times of flight (Perenzoni; Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0051], invention comprises emission means 2 are configured to emit, at each time interval I related to each one of the measuring operation Ai; [0080], disclosed capable of dynamically varying the position, shape and/or size of said region of interest (implies due to the change of region of interest, expected the sensitivity of the light receiving part will be changed) based on the light conditions detected during the previous measuring operation to improving the signal to noise ration. This implies that the previous measuring operation (1st received intensity) has lower SNR than current measuring operation (2nd received intensity), thus improved the SNR (2nd received intensity has Higher SNR than 1st received intensity) after dynamically varying the position, shape and/or size of region of interest) on the light receiving part in which a received light intensity is determined), and
a first distance, which is the distance calculated based on the first received light intensity, and a second distance, which is the distance calculated based on the second received light intensity (Perenzoni; [0079], [0080], disclosed capable of dynamically varying the position, shape and/or size of said region of interest (implies due to the change of region of interest, expected the sensitivity of the light receiving part will be changed) based on the light conditions detected during the previous measuring operation to improving the signal to noise ration and consequently, thus increasing precision in the determination of said distance d during each measuring operation. This implies that the previous measuring operation (1st received intensity) has lower SNR than current measuring operation (2nd received intensity) or 2nd received intensity has higher SNR than previous measurement and also implies the distance is calculated for both previous measuring operation and current measuring operation such that can increasing precision in the determination of distance during each measuring operation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the rangefinder taught by Fujii to include the control part controls the position of the region of interest taught by Perenzoni with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to dynamically vary the position, shape and/or size of said region of interest (implies due to the change of region of interest, expected the sensitivity of the light receiving part will be changed) based on the light conditions detected during the previous measuring operation to improving the signal to noise ration and consequently, thus increasing precision in the determination of said distance d during each measuring operation (Perenzoni; [0079], [0080]).
However, Fujii modified in view of Perenzoni still not teach,
The rangefinder further comprises a distance image generating part that generates a distance image, which is an image showing a position and the measurement target distance of the reflective object,
the distance image generating part combines a first distance image including the first distance determined for each emission direction and a second distance image including the second distance determined for each emission direction to generate an integrated distance image.
the distance image generating part combines:
a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and
a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder,
to generate the integrated distance image, and
the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other.
Nobayashi teaches,
a distance image generating part that generates a distance image, which is an image showing a position and the measurement target distance of the reflective object (Nobayashi; Fig. 9A, [0158], Step S103 is the same as step S3 (calculating a distance to the object based on the 1st image and 2nd image [0077]) in Embodiment 1, except that two patterns of distance images are generated; [0160], first, to generate the first distance image, the fifth image is selected as the standard image, and the sixth image is selected as the reference image. Then to generate the second distance image, the seventh image is selected as the standard image, and the eighth image is selected as the reference image), wherein
the distance image generating part combines a first distance image including the first distance determined for each emission direction and a second distance image including the second distance determined for each emission direction to generate an integrated distance image (Nobayashi; Fig. 9A, [0163], step S107 is a step of integrating the first distance image and the second distance image to generate a signal distance image (integrated distance image)).
a first image and a second image to generate the integrated distance image (Nobayashi; Fig. 9A, [0158], [0160], [0163], step S107 is a step of integrating the first distance image and the second distance image to generate a signal distance image (integrated distance image) please also see claim 6 mapping and rationale).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the rangefinder taught by Fujii to include the control part controls the position of the region of interest taught by Perenzoni, include the distance image generating part to generate and combine a first distance image and a second distance image taught by Nobayashi with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to using 1st and 2nd image to calculate the distance to the object and generate 1st and 2nd distance image. Using 1st and 2nd confidence images to weight the 1st and 2nd distance image and further integrated both distance image to a single distance image. In other words, the 1st confidence image and the 2nd confidence image are compared, and the 1st and the 2nd distance image are averaged such that the ratio of the distance having a higher confidence becomes higher, whereby the integrated distance image is acquired (Nobayashi; Fig. 9A, [0077], [0158], [0160], [0163]).
Nevertheless, Fujii modified in view of Perenzoni and Nobayashi still not teach,
the distance image generating part combines:
a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and
a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder,
the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other.
Itaba teaches,
the distance image generating part combines:
a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder (Itaba; [0309], Figs. 40A-40B are diagrams for explaining the image capture operation of the gating camera 20E. Fig. 40A, the OBJ2, OBJi, OBJN exit in the ranges RNG2, RNGi and RNGN, respectively; [0310], in the images shown in Fig. 40B, the hatching density represents the magnitude of the pixel value. Different slice image IMG2, IMGi and IMGN shows only the object in the range OBJ2, OBJi and OBJN; IMG2 is equivalent to first partial image which measure the position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance (gating camera is used such OBJ2 is in the RNG2 will be captured in IMG2) and IMGi/IMGN is equivalent to second partial image which measure the position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance (gating camera is used such OBJi is in the RNGi will be captured in IMGi or OBJN is in the RNGN will be captured in IMGN)), and
a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder (same as above),
the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other (same as above. Since the gating camera 2E is used in the system, IMG2 only captures OBJ2 located in the distance of the RNG2, IMGi only captures OBJi located in the distance of the RNGi and IMGN only captures OBJN located in the distance of the RNGN. Therefore, IMG2, IMGi and IMGN do not overlap with each other). Furthermore, Fig. 41A, [0311], disclosed a combined image obtained by combining the multiple slice images shown in Fig. 40B.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the rangefinder taught by Fujii to include the control part controls the position of the region of interest taught by Perenzoni, include the distance image generating part to generate and combine a first distance image and a second distance image taught by Nobayashi, include the distance image generating part combines: a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder, the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other taught by Itaba with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is using gating camera to divides a FOV in a depth direction into multiple ranges to generates multiple slice images that correspond to the multiple ranges. Furthermore, the gating camera is optimized in a hardware manner or software manner such that the object image has approximately the same pixel values regardless of whether it exists in the slice image IMG2 that is corresponds to a near-distance range or in the slice image IMGN that corresponds to a far-distance range. Using gating camera to take slice images and the combined image obtained by combining the multiple slice images would lead to same pixel values regardless of whether the object exists in the near-distance range or a far-distance range to avoid for the user to see the object images with bright object images (near-distance) and dark object images (far-distance) are mixed in a single image (Itaba; [0008], [0309]-[0311]).
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii, modified in view of Perenzoni, in view of Nobayashi, in view of Itaba, in view of Drader et al. (US 20150144767 A1, hereinafter “Drader”), in view of Sakimura et al. (US 20220413108 A1, hereinafter “Sakimura”).
Regarding claim 7, Fujii as modified above teaches the rangefinder as recited in claim 8,
the distance image generating part generates the first distance image using the first distance calculated based on the first time of flight (Nobayashi; Fig. 9A, [0158], Step S103 is the same as step S3 (calculating a distance to the object based on the 1st image and 2nd image [0077]) in Embodiment 1, except that two patterns of distance images are generated; [0160], first, to generate the first distance image, the fifth image is selected as the standard image, and the sixth image is selected as the reference image; please also see claim 5 mapping and rationale), and
the distance image generating part generates the second distance image using the second distance calculated based on the second time of flight (Nobayashi; Fig. 9A, [0158], Step S103 is the same as step S3 (calculating a distance to the object based on the 1st image and 2nd image [0077]) in Embodiment 1, except that two patterns of distance images are generated; [0160], to generate the second distance image, the seventh image is selected as the standard image, and the eighth image is selected as the reference image; please also see claim 5 mapping and rationale).
Fujii as modified in view of Perenzoni, Nobayashi, Itaba does not teach,
a first storage part that stores the time of flight corresponding to a maximum received light intensity, and a second storage part that stores a histogram showing the received light intensity for each of the plurality of times of flight, wherein
in response to the received light intensity determining part sequentially determining the first received light intensities of the plurality of times of flight, the received light intensity determining part updates and stores a time of flight corresponding to a higher received light intensity in the first storage part, and
the received light intensity determining part sequentially determines the second received light intensities of the plurality of times of flight, and creates the histogram and stores the created histogram in the second storage part, wherein
the peak detecting part detects the time of flight stored in the first storage part as a first time of flight, which is the time of flight of the peak, and detects a second time of flight, which is a time of flight of the peak, from a histogram obtained by accumulating the histogram stored in the second storage part, and
Drader teaches,
a first storage part that stores the time of flight corresponding to a maximum received light intensity (Drader; [0011], disclosed storing a local maximum value of the intensity of the flux (reflected from a reference object [0010]) and the corresponding time of flight).
in response to the received light intensity determining part sequentially determining the first received light intensities of the plurality of times of flight, the received light intensity determining part updates and stores a time of flight corresponding to a higher received light intensity in the first storage part (Drader; [0010], during the movement, storing multiple time of flight values and the corresponding flux intensities; and constructing the reference curve form the stored values; [0011], the reference curve may be selected from a set of multiple reference curves assigned to different reflectance values, according to the steps of measuring changes in the intensity of flux; storin a local maximum value of the intensity of the flux and the corresponding time of flight; and finding in the set of curves the curve that provides the intensity closest to the stored local maximum value), and
the peak detecting part detects the time of flight stored in the first storage part as a first time of flight, which is the time of flight of the peak (same as above),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the rangefinder taught by Fujii to include the control part controls the position of the region of interest taught by Perenzoni, include the distance image generating part to generate and combine a first distance image and a second distance image taught by Nobayashi, include the distance image generating part combines: a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder, the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other taught by Itaba, include storing and determine the first time of flight based on the received light intensities taught by Drader with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to storage and determine the time of flight based on the received reflected intensity (Drader; [0010], [0011]).
However, Fujii as modified in view of Perenzoni, Nobayashi, Itaba, Drader still not teach,
a second storage part that stores a histogram showing the received light intensity for each of the plurality of times of flight, wherein
the received light intensity determining part sequentially determines the second received light intensities of the plurality of times of flight, and creates the histogram and stores the created histogram in the second storage part, wherein
the peak detecting part detects a second time of flight, which is a time of flight of the peak, from a histogram obtained by accumulating the histogram stored in the second storage part, and
Sakimura further teaches,
a second storage part that stores a histogram showing the received light intensity for each of the plurality of times of flight (Sakimura; [0068], the histogram generator accumulates results of the TOF measurement for a plurality of times by TDCs (included in a light receiving device [0024]) within the TDC block and generates a histogram. By virtue of the time of flight being measured for a plurality of times, it is possible to distinguish between a background light and the reflected light of the light outputted from the light source section 7), wherein
the received light intensity determining part sequentially determines the second received light intensities of the plurality of times of flight, and creates the histogram and stores the created histogram in the second storage part (Sakimura; [0068], the histogram generator accumulates results of the TOF measurement for a plurality of times by TDCs within the TDC block and generates a histogram. It should be noted that the histogram generator may average the time of flight measured for a plurality of times to generate a histogram), wherein
the peak detecting part detects a second time of flight, which is a time of flight of the peak, from a histogram obtained by accumulating the histogram stored in the second storage part (Sakimura; [0068], the histogram generator accumulates results of the TOF measurement for a plurality of times. As long as a peak of the histogram is obtained, a distance from the ranging device 1 to the subject OBJ can be calculated), and
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the rangefinder taught by Fujii to include the control part controls the position of the region of interest taught by Perenzoni, include the distance image generating part to generate and combine a first distance image and a second distance image taught by Nobayashi, include the distance image generating part combines: a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder, the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other taught by Itaba, include storing and determine the first time of flight based on the received light intensities taught by Drader, include storing and determine the second time of flight based on the accumulated histogram generated by the received light intensities taught by Sakimura with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to accumulate results of the time of flight measured for a plurality of times to generate histogram and determine a distance between the ranging device and the subject OBJ based on the peak of the histogram (Sakimura; [0068]).
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii, modified in view of Perenzoni, in view of Nobayashi, in view of Itaba, in view of Waschura et al. (US 11988775 B1, hereinafter “Waschura”).
Regarding claim 12, Fujii as modified above teaches the rangefinder as recited in claim 8.
Fujii does not teach, wherein
the distance image generating part identifies, in the first distance image, a first high intensity region in which the received light intensity is equal to or higher than a first threshold intensity,
the distance image generating part identifies, in the second distance image, a second high intensity region in which the received light intensity is equal to or higher than a second threshold intensity,
the distance image generating part identifies a region of the second high intensity region of the second distance image excluding a region corresponding to the first high intensity region as a flare region, which is a region representing a flare, and
the distance image generating part acquires an image obtained by excluding the flare region from the second distance image as the integrated distance image.
Waschura teaches the sensor system configuration determination component 126 can also generate one or more emitter system configuration signals 128 to control aspects of the sensor systems 104 to implement the determined change in emitter system 110 (e.g., voltage/current supplies, a projection system, an LCD/mask). The sensor system 104 may then generate a next iteration of the sensor data 114 (equivalent to the second distance image) with the sensor system 104 reconfigured according to the emitter system configuration signals 126. This Dynamically changing illumination of one or more regions of a FOV of the sensor can reduce the effects of glare (equivalent to flare region) in subsequent frames. For instance, by dynamically reducing illumination power at regions of a FOV of a TOF sensor corresponding to certain object (highly reflective or very close to the sensor), pixels in the sensor data that would be substantially completely saturated (equivalent to flare region), can be improved to reduce saturation, thereby, allowing for better recognition of objects (Waschura; column 10, line 42). In other words, Waschura disclosed dynamically adjusting the illumination power in a subsequence TOF measurement such that to improve the image accuracy especially for the object which is highly reflective or very close to the sensor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the rangefinder taught by Fujii to include the control part controls the position of the region of interest taught by Perenzoni, include the distance image generating part to generate and combine a first distance image and a second distance image taught by Nobayashi, include the distance image generating part combines: a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder, the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other taught by Itaba, include dynamically adjusting the illumination power in a subsequence TOF measurement to prevent the image flare taught by Waschura with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is dynamically adjusting the illumination power in a subsequence TOF measurement such that to improve the image accuracy especially for the object which is highly reflective or very close to the sensor. This may be particularly useful in configuration in which the TOF sensor is relied upon to sense object in close proximity to a vehicle (Waschura; column 10, line 42).
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii, modified in view of Perenzoni, in view of Nobayashi, in view of Itaba, in view of Korekado et al. (US 20120177252 A1, hereinafter “Korekado”).
Regarding claim 15, Fujii as modified above teaches the rangefinder as recited in claim 8.
Fujii does not teach, wherein,
the distance image generating part combines a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a first threshold distance of the rangefinder, and
the distance image generating part combines a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at distance that is larger than a second threshold distance from the rangefinder,
to generate the integrated distance image, and
the first threshold distance is larger than the second threshold distance.
Korekado teaches in Figs. 3A and B the characteristic curves, which represent image capturing conditions that are optimum for measuring the distance up to the subject 131 and the subject 132 (both have similar profile but different distance). With different image capturing conditions disclosed in the invention, for accurately measuring distance up to the subject 132, an image of the subject 132 is captured under the image capturing conditions that are represented by a characteristic curve 142 and the distance Z7 serve as a threshold value (equivalent to 1st threshold). For accurately measuring the distance up to the subject 131, an image of the subject 131 is captured under the image capturing condition that are represented by the characteristic curve 141 and the distance Z5 serve as a threshold value (equivalent to 2nd threshold). Where the 1st threshold distance is larger than the 2nd threshold distance (Korekado; [0046]-[0047]). In the case where a plurality of subjects are present in a large distance range including a short distance and long distance, if both the short distance and the long distance are to be measured with high accuracy, then it is necessary to selectively combine pixel values generated under two or more different image capturing conditions to generate image distance with a wide dynamic range (Korekado; [0046]-[0047]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of this invention to modify the rangefinder taught by Fujii to include the control part controls the position of the region of interest taught by Perenzoni, include the distance image generating part to generate and combine a first distance image and a second distance image taught by Nobayashi, include the distance image generating part combines: a first partial image of the first distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object within a threshold distance of the rangefinder, and a second partial image of the second distance image that shows a position of and a distance to the reflective object at a distance larger than the threshold distance from the rangefinder, the first partial image and the second partial image do not overlap with each other taught by Itaba, include selectively combine pixel values generated under two or more different image capturing conditions to generate image distance with a wide dynamic range taught by Korekado with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is that in the case where a plurality of subjects are present in a large distance range including a short distance and long distance, if both the short distance and the long distance are to be measured with high accuracy, then it is necessary to selectively combine pixel values generated under two or more different image capturing conditions to generate image distance with a wide dynamic range (Korekado; [0046]-[0047]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 13-14 and 16 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 13, the prior art of record does not explicitly teach nor render obvious the following element, along with all other claimed feature:
wherein after emission of the first pulsed light as the first emission and before emission of the second pulsed light as the second emission, the control part uses the first distance calculated based on the first time of flight to determine a high reflection direction, which is a direction relative to the rangefinder of a region of a predetermined size including a high reflectance object whose reflectance is higher than a predetermined value, and
for a direction that is not the high reflection orientation, the histogram generating part generates the histogram by accumulating a received light intensity obtained within the predetermined period of time including a time of flight of the reflected light corresponding to the second pulsed light one after another each time the second pulsed light is emitted from the second emission to the last emission, and storing an accumulated received light intensity in the storage part, and
for the high reflection direction, the histogram generating part generates the histogram by accumulating a received light intensity obtained within the predetermined period of time including a time of flight of the reflected light corresponding to the second pulsed light one after another each time the second pulsed light is emitted from the second emission to a particular emission the particular emission being after the second emission and before the last emission, and storing an accumulated received light intensity in the storage part.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art of record does not explicitly teach nor render obvious the following element, along with all other claimed feature:
wherein after emission of the first pulsed light as the first emission and before emission of the second pulsed light as the second emission, the control part uses the first distance calculated based Page 9 of 17 on the first time of flight to determine a high reflection direction, which is a direction relative to the rangefinder of a region of a predetermined size including a high reflectance object whose reflectance is higher than a predetermined value, and
for a direction that is not the high reflection direction, in response to the histogram being generated by accumulating a received light intensity obtained within the predetermined period of time including a time of flight of the reflected light corresponding to the first or second pulsed light one after another each time the first or second pulsed light is emitted from the first emission to the last emission, and storing an accumulated received light intensity in the storage part, the histogram generating part detects a second time of flight of the peak using the histogram, and
for the high reflection direction, in response to the histogram being generated by accumulating a received light intensity obtained within the predetermined period of time including a time of flight of the reflected light corresponding to the first or second pulsed light one after another each time the first or second pulsed light is emitted from the first emission to a particular emission, the particular emission being after the second emission and before the last emission, and storing an accumulated received light intensity in the storage part, the histogram generating part detects a second time of flight of the peak using the histogram.
Other claims are allowed due to claim dependency.
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Conclusion
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/CHIA-LING CHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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