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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
According to [0038] of D1 During the single shutter time shutter 4 phase clocks are presented to detectors 148-1, 148-2,…,148-4 in such way that 148-1 integrates starting from phi1 to phi2, 148-2 integrates starting from phi2 to phi3, 148-3 integrates starting from phi3 to phi4, 148-4 integrates starting from phi4 to the end of the shutter time(In this embodiment, adjacent pixel detectors are again driven by phase clock signals that are about 90.degree. or about 180.degree. apart). And hence the shutter which includes complete shutter time + phase clock signals .phi.1, .phi.2, .phi.3, .phi.4 and hence configured for independently controlling integration time of each of the first, second and third photodiodes in said groups, facilitating detection of light by said first photodiode during a first timeslot (first time slot is phi1-phi2 for example, second time slot is phi2-phi3 and so on).
As described above the amendment to limitation is present in prior art D1.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 7, 13 and claims bellow are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by D1 US 20060176469 A1.
Regarding claims 1, 7, 13 D1 teaches
1. An array of photodiodes comprising:
a plurality of photodiodes(144-1- 144-4) arranged in groups(fig. 3C), each group including at least a first photodiode, a second photodiode and a third photodiode; and(fig. 3C)
a shutter(abstract ) is controlling integration time of each of the first, second and third photodiodes in said groups(abstract), facilitating detection of light by said first photodiode during a first timeslot, detection of light by said second photodiode during a second timeslot, and
detection of light by said third photodiode during a third timeslot;[0017]
wherein said first, second and third timeslots are independently controlled with respect to one another allowing thereby detecting various portions of light radiation.[0017][0038]
controlling the integration time of said first, second and third photodiodes such that timing of each one of said first, second and third timeslots independently are independent with respect to one another allowing thereby detecting various portions said reflected pulses[0038]
2, 8, 14 The array of Claim 1 wherein each of said groups further includes a fourth photodiode and wherein said shutter is further configured to facilitate detection of light by said fourth photodiode during a fourth timeslot.(fig. 3C abstract and [0038])
3, 15 The array of Claim 1 wherein said second timeslot occurs after said first timeslot and said third timeslot starts at the end of said second timeslot.([0038])
5. The array of Claim 1 further comprising a controller configured for receiving data related to amount of light detected by each one of said first, second and third photodiodes.(abstract )
6. The array of Claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured for determining length and timing of each of the first, second and third timeslots in accordance with said data.[0039]
9. The time-of-flight detector of Claim 8 further comprising a controller configured for controlling operation of said light source and said shutter, and for controlling timing of said light pulses and timing of said each of the first, second and third timeslots.(abstract [0038])
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:
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) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1.
Regarding claim 4 D1 teaches
4. The array of Claim 2 wherein said second timeslot occurs after said first timeslot and said third timeslot starts at the end of said second timeslot[0038(and abstract)]
But does not teach wherein said fourth timeslot overlaps with a portion of said second timeslot and a portion of said third timeslot.
Although D1 does not explicitly teach overlapping portions, using overlapping timeslot for collecting all four timeslots is just obvious modification in order to obtain redundant integrated signal for detector malfunction detection and error identification.
D1 also teaches
said controller is further configured to start said second timeslot after said pulse of light is emitted such that light detected during said second timeslot is a first portion of said reflected pulse, and said controller is further configured to start said third timeslot at the end of said second timeslot such that light detected during said third timeslot is a second portion of said reflected pulse.[0038]
Although D1 does not explicitly say
10, 16 The time-of-flight detector of Claim 9 wherein said controller is configured to end said first timeslot before said reflected pulse is expected to reach back the detector, such that light detected during said first timeslot is ambient light,
D1 explicitly teaches that different portion of the received signal associated with different phases can be due to ambient light [0035][0011]
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time of filing to modify teachings by D1 To use first time sot for ambient light in order to increase the dynamic range of the system and take into account the environmental conditions.
11, 17 The time-of-flight detector of Claim 10 wherein said controller is further configured to determine the timing of said fourth time slot such that said fourth timeslot overlaps with a portion of said second timeslot and a portion of said third timeslot.
Although D1 does not explicitly teach overlapping portions, using overlapping timeslot for collecting all four timeslots is just obvious modification in order to obtain redundant integrated signal for detector malfunction detection and error identification.
Regarding claims 12, 18 D1 teaches
12, 18 The time-of-flight detector of Claim 8 wherein controller is configured for receiving data related to amount of light detected by each one of said first, second, third and fourth photodiodes, said controller is further configured for determining timing of each of said light pulses(implicit TOF detector) and the first, second, third and fourth timeslots in accordance with said data.[0039]
But does not explicitly teach
length of each of said light pulses
Although D1 does not explicitly say length and timing of each of said light pulses It would be obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time of filing to modify teachings by D1 to identify the length of the pulse in order to estimate the signal error(for example gause signal half length represent s the error of TOF)
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 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.
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/HOVHANNES BAGHDASARYAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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