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 .
1. Claims 1-10 are pending.
Foreign Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 is incorrectly labeled as Claim 11 in the immediate application. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
2. Claims 1-4, 8 & 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danziger (EP 1813964 B1), in view of Jarosinski (US 20180045816 A1).
3. Regarding Claim 1:
Danziger teaches, A multi-target distance measurement system comprising:
a plurality of optical dividers, ([0041]: In certain particularly preferred implementations, the LADAR system of the present invention includes a controller associated with the illumination subsystem and configured for timed actuation of an illumination pulse for each of the plurality of illumination sub-regions according to one or more sequence, particularly varying according to the distance (range) to the objects within the field of view). ([Figures 4-9]: show a plurality of optical dividers).
Danziger teaches, a plurality of measurement heads optically connected, one by one, to ends of a plurality of optical paths divided by the plurality of optical dividers, ([Figures 4-9]: show several embodiments of the LiDAR system where a plurality of measurement heads are connected one by one, to ends of a plurality of optical paths divided by a plurality of optical dividers).
Danziger teaches, a range finder configured to measure a distance from each of the plurality of measurement heads to a measurement target, wherein when a laser pulse is emitted toward the measurement target through each of the plurality of measurement heads, ([0044]: An example of the optical setup used in the present invention is described in Figure 3 Lasers 100 transmit light pulses through optical fibers The fiber tips 104 are arranged in the focal plane of an optical setup 106 and illuminate the object 108. This way every laser illuminates a slightly different angle and thereby a different part (or section) of the FOV. The reflected pulses from the target are focused on the detectors 110 or on a fiber bundle that guide the light to the detectors (not depicted) In a first set of particularly preferred implementations, the illumination subsystem and the detection subsystem transmit and receive illumination via a common optical arrangement, referred to here as the detector optical arrangement).
Danziger does not teach, the range finder receives a reference pulse and a measurement pulse from the each of the plurality of measurement heads.
However, Jarosinski teaches a LiDAR system, ([0033]: To measure ranges to multiple points on a target or in a field-of-view (FOV) of a system, a laser beam is usually scanned in one or two dimensions as shown in FIG. 1. In order to achieve a 1-D or 2-D scan pattern, a system may use, for example, an array of lasers, multiple sets of lasers/sensors that are slightly tilted against each other). Jarosinski further teaches, ([0048]: A small fraction of a transmitted pulsed laser beam 412 from laser beam scanner 410 may be split by a transmitter optical subsystem 430 (or a separate beam splitting device 420) as a reference beam 422 and directed onto an area 462 on the surface of 2-D sensor array 460, while the rest (432) of the transmitted pulsed laser beam 412 may propagate through transmitter optical subsystem 430 and illuminate a target object 440 when the transmitted pulsed laser beam is scanned in a desired scanning pattern. The returned beam 442 reflected or scattered by target object 440 may be collected by a receiver optical subsystem 450 and directed onto the surface of the same 2-D sensor array 460 in an area spaced apart from area 462 corresponding to the reference beam 422, such as, for example, in an area 464 opposite to area 462 where the light spot of the reference beam is located, to minimize the interference between the reference beam 422 and the returned beam 442).
Danziger does not teach, a distance between the each of the plurality of measurement heads and the measurement target is calculated on the basis of a receiving time difference between the reference pulse and the measurement pulse of the each of the plurality of measurement heads.
However, Jarosinski teaches, ([0001]: In various implementations of the LIDAR system, it may be desirable to determine the position, timing, and/or intensity of a reference laser beam and the corresponding returned beam in order to determine the ranges from the source to the points on the target).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Danziger with Jarosinski since it is the same field of endeavor and results would have been predictable. One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been motivated to modify Danziger with Jarosinski to include reference pulses and to calculate the distance to target based on a time difference between the reference pulse and measurement pulse since, measuring the timing difference of the reference pulse relative to the measurement pulse, using the same sensor and clock will reduce timing error and improve measurement accuracy. This arrangement also serves to reduce errors due to vibration or thermal drift, allowing the system to correct measurement offsets in real-time or in postprocessing.
4. Regarding Claim 2:
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski teaches, the plurality of optical dividers comprises: a first coupler configured to divide a laser pulse into a plurality of optical paths; and a plurality of second couplers optically connected to the optical paths divided by the first coupler, ([Figure 4]: shows a first coupler configured to divide a laser pulse into a plurality of optical paths; and a plurality of second couplers optically connected to the optical paths divided by the first coupler).
5. Regarding Claim 3:
Danziger does not teach, the range finder is configured to receive all the reference pulses and all the measurement pulses of the plurality of measurement heads within a period TR of the laser pulse.
However, Jarosinski teaches, ([0066]: Between time tn+1+Δ and time tn+2, returned beam n+1 may be detected by the activated return spot SPAD micro-cells as shown by waveform 620. As shown in FIG. 6, between time tn+1+Δ and time tn+2, a pulse 626 above a threshold value may be detected. After time tn+2, the activated return spot SPAD micro-cells may be deactivated. Based on the timing information, shape, duration, phase, or amplitude of pulse 626, along with, for example, timing information of pulse 614, the distance and/or other characteristics of the target object that causes returned beam n+1 may be determined).
([Figure 6]: shows the reference and measurement pulses collected within one repetition period of the laser pulse).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Danziger with Jarosinski since it is the same field of endeavor and results would have been predictable. One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been motivated to modify Danziger with Jarosinski to include receiving all the reference pulses and all the measurement pulses of the plurality of measurement heads within a period TR of the laser pulse since, (Jarosinski: [0070]: Several other advantages may be achieved by a LIDAR system according to certain aspects of this disclosure. For example, the SNR of the detection signal for the returned beam may be improved because most background radiation and other noise that would otherwise be collected and detected by the deactivated SPAD micro-cells may be excluded by deactivating these SPAD micro-cells, thus reducing the total noise, while the intensity of the desired returned beam from the target object may not be affected. Due to the improved SNR performance, a longer range and/or better signal accuracy/sensitivity may be achieved using such a LIDAR system).
6. Regarding Claim 4:
Danziger does not teach, a measurable distance of each of the measurement heads is determined based on a time interval between a reception time at which the range finder receives a reference pulse of another measurement head and a reception time of the next reference pulse received thereafter.
However, Jarosinski teaches, ([0001]: In various implementations of the LIDAR system, it may be desirable to determine the position, timing, and/or intensity of a reference laser beam and the corresponding returned beam in order to determine the ranges from the source to the points on the target). Jarosinski further teaches, ([0002]: Techniques disclosed herein relate to measuring a reference beam and a corresponding returned beam from a target in a LIDAR system or other like system using a single sensor array. In various embodiments, a first set of sensor elements on the sensor array corresponding to the reference beam may be dynamically selected and activated based on a laser beam scanning control signal. The detection signal from the first set of sensor elements may be used to determine a location and/or a pattern of the reference beam, which may then be used to estimate a location and/or pattern of the corresponding returned beam on the same sensor array. A second set of sensor elements of the sensor array may then be dynamically selected and activated based on the estimated location and/or pattern of the corresponding returned beam. In this way, the timings, locations, and/or intensities of the reference beam and the returned beam can be measured by a single sensor array, thereby increasing accuracy and reliability of the system.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Danziger with Jarosinski since it is the same field of endeavor and results would have been predictable. One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been motivated to modify Danziger with Jarosinski to include a measurable distance of each of the measurement heads is determined based on a time interval between a reception time of a reference pulse of another measurement head and a reception time of the next reference pulse since, using the inherent measurement capabilities of the LiDAR system to characterize itself allows for internal calibration to continuously adjust for timing errors between measurement heads resulting from changing path-lengths due to vibration or changes in temperature.
7. Regarding Claim 8:
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski teaches a multi-optical fiber bundle, ([0023]:According to a further feature of the present invention, the illumination subsystem transmits illumination pulses via a focal plane array of optical fiber tips).
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski teaches a multi-core optical fiber, ([0031]: There is also provided according to the teachings of the present invention, a fiber coupler comprising (a) a primary optic fiber having a core and a clad, the clad having a first refractive index; and (b) a branch fiber forming an acute-angled junction with the primary optic fiber, at least part of the branch fiber having a higher refractive index than the first refractive index, the at least part of the branch fiber optically coupled with the clad of the primary optic fiber but spaced from the core of the primary optic fiber). See figures 10-12 & 19.
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski teaches, a collimator configured to convert a laser pulse, which is emitted from the multi-optical fiber bundle or the multi-core optical fiber, into parallel light, ([0049]: the different fiber tips 136, which are located at the focal plane of the transmitting optics).
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski teaches, one end of a core of the multi-optical fiber bundle or the multi- core optical fiber is optically connected to one optical divider among the plurality of optical dividers, and the other end of each of the cores emits a laser pulse of a parallel light toward the same measurement target, ([See Figure 4]).
8. Regarding Claim 10:
Danziger does not teach, the measurement heads each further comprise a position sensor configured to receive at least a part of the measurement pulse.
However, Jarosinski teaches, ([0002]: Techniques disclosed herein relate to measuring a reference beam and a corresponding returned beam from a target in a LIDAR system or other like system using a single sensor array. In various embodiments, a first set of sensor elements on the sensor array corresponding to the reference beam may be dynamically selected and activated based on a laser beam scanning control signal. The detection signal from the first set of sensor elements may be used to determine a location and/or a pattern of the reference beam).
Danziger does not teach, the measurement heads are aligned on the basis of a detection result of the position sensor so that an optical axis of a laser pulse emitted toward the measurement target is coincident with an optical axis of the measurement pulse.
However, Jarosinski teaches, ([0071]: Furthermore, the complexity of the LIDAR system may be reduced. For example, only one 2-D sensor array may be used, and thus the assembly, alignment, and calibration of the system may be easier. Jarosinski further teaches, ([0072]: In some embodiments, the 2-D sensor array may also be used for performing calibration/re-calibration of the transmission path and/or the receiving path, including, for example, laser beam scanner 410, transmitter optical subsystem 430 and/or separate beam splitting device 420 if used, receiver optical subsystem 450, and the 2-D sensor array itself When the calibration of the system becomes off over time, the actual direction of the laser beam may be different from the one that is expected. To re-calibrate the system, laser beam steering controller 405 may control laser beam scanner 410 to transmit a pulsed laser beam in a particular direction).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Danziger with Jarosinski since it is the same field of endeavor and results would have been predictable. One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been motivated to modify Danziger with Jarosinski to include a beam position sensor and to align heads on this basis since, (Jarosinski: [0029]: In this way, the location, timing and intensity information of the reference beam and the returned beam can be measured by a single sensor array. No additional sensors, detectors, data converters, or other extra components are needed to determine the location of the reference beam or the returned beam. Therefore, the assembly and calibration of the LIDAR system can be much easier and the accuracy and reliability of the LIDAR system can be improved).
9. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danziger (EP 1813964 B1), in view of Jarosinski (US 20180045816 A1), as applied to Claim 1, and further in view of Jamieson (US 20030043058 A1).
10. Regarding Claim 5:
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski does not teach, a switch configured to divide the laser pulse into the plurality of optical paths; and a plurality of couplers optically connected to the optical paths divided by the switch.
However, Jamieson teaches a LiDAR system, ([00134]: an optical switch 642 is disposed in the output optical path 644 of the LOAS 280. The path 644 may be formed by a fiber optic cable. The optical switch 642 may be controlled by a signal 646 to direct the beam of path 644 to one of a plurality of optical paths. For example, the optical switch 642 may be controlled to direct the LOAS beam over the fiber optic cable of path 18 to the dichroic filter 320 and on to the scan head 600 as described herein above in connection with FIG. 31, or to direct the beam over an optical path 648, which may be formed by a fiber optic cable, to the tail scan head 640, or to direct the beam to other scan heads (not shown) mounted elsewhere on the vehicle over other optical paths 650. The return beam will follow substantially the same optical path as the directed beam). Jamieson further teaches, ([0142]: A block diagram illustration of a DLOAS suitable for embodying the broad principles of the present invention is shown in FIG. 38. Referring to FIG. 38, a laser source 710 emits pulsed laser energy over an optical path 712 to an optical switch 714 via a collimating lens 716. The optical switch 714 which may be comprised of any one of a conventional mechanical scanner, a resonant scanner, a micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) scanner, such as that described in connection with FIG. 35 herein above, or a fiber optic switch, for example, is actuated to redirect the laser beam from path 712 to one of a plurality n fiber optic channels CH1, CH2, . . . CHn. This operation is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 39 using a resonant scanner mirror as the optical switch 714. As the resonant scanner 714 is actuated from one position to another about an axis 718, it directs the laser beam 712 to each input of the plurality of optical channels CH1, CH2, . . . , CHn).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Danziger in view of Jarosinski with Jamieson since it is the same field of endeavor and results would have been predictable. One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been motivated to modify Danziger in view of Jarosinski with Jamieson to include a switch and a plurality of couplers since, (Jamieson: [0149]: The DLOAS approach has the advantage of being overall very light weight and small due to the centrally disposed laser source 710).
11. Claims 6 & 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danziger (EP 1813964 B1), in view of Jarosinski (US 20180045816 A1), as applied to Claim 1, further in view of Jamieson (US 20030043058 A1), as applied to Claim 5, and further in view of Kim (KR 10-2018-0032396 A).
12. Regarding Claim 6:
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski and Jamieson does not teach, the range finder is configured to receive a reference pulse and a measurement pulse from one coupler,
which is selected by the switch among the plurality of couplers, for each period TR of the laser pulse, and to receive, within the period, all reference pulses and all measurement pulses of the plurality of measurement heads optically connected to the selected coupler.
However, Kim teaches a LiDAR system, ([0008]: A distance measuring apparatus according to an embodiment uses reflected light reflected from a reference plane, measurement light reflected from a measurement plane, and a second laser pulse emitted from a second femtosecond laser among the first laser pulses emitted from the first femtosecond laser And an optical cross-correlator for generating a cross-correlation signal, the distance between the reference plane and the measurement plane being calculated using the cross-correlation signal). Kim further teaches, ([0143]: Referring to FIG. 19, the distance measuring apparatus 100 may generate a plurality of beams using a coupler 1910. Coupler 1910 may be implemented with a switch). Kim continues to teach, ([0061]: The cross-correlation signal generated by the reflected light reflected from the reference plane 150 and the measurement light reflected from the measurement plane 310 among the first laser pulses is repeated at the cycle of T update, and the cross- May have a time difference of [Delta] T). Kim goes on to teach, ([0089]: repetition period of signals T update).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Danziger in view of Jarosinski in view of Jamieson with Kim since it is the same field of endeavor and results would have been predictable. One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been motivated to modify Danziger in view of Jarosinski in view of Jamieson with Kim to include receiving a reference pulse and measurement pulse from one coupler, selected by a switch, to receive all pulses for heads connected to the selected coupler within the repetition period of the laser since, (Kim: [0004]: Embodiments can provide a clear measurement reference point when the distance measuring device measures the distance). This will serve to improve measurement accuracy and reduce errors due to timing offsets.
13. Regarding Claim 7:
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski, Jamieson, and Kim teach, a measurable distance of each of the measurement heads is determined based on a time interval between a reception time at which the range finder receives a reference pulse of another measurement head and a reception time of the next reference pulse received thereafter.
See Claim 4.
14. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Danziger (EP 1813964 B1), in view of Jarosinski (US 20180045816 A1), as applied to Claims 1 & 8, and further in view of Kim (KR 10-2018-0032396 A).
15. Regarding Claim 9:
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski teaches, measure a distance to the measurement
target by using a laser pulse emitted from one optical fiber of the multi-optical fiber bundle or one core of the multi-core optical fiber, (Danziger: [0002]: LADAR systems create 3D image of the an object or terrain by transmitting time varying light to various directions in their Field Of View (FOV) and measuring the time it took the light to reach the detector after being reflected. The result is effectively a surface map of the viewed scene, where each pixel value corresponds to a distance from the LADAR system to the object viewed, This will be referred to herein as a LADAR "image"). Danziger as modified by Jarosinski further teaches, (Danziger: [0029]: According to a further feature of the present invention, both the illumination subsystem and the detection subsystem are connected via fiber coupling arrangements to a set of optical fibers terminating at tips arranged at a focal plane of the detector optical arrangement such that each optical fiber tip transmits an illumination pulse to a given LADAR image pixel and receives reflected radiation from the given LADAR image pixel).
Danziger as modified by Jarosinski does not teach, calculate a gradient of the measurement target by using laser pulses emitted from the remaining optical fibers of the multi-optical fiber bundle or from the remaining cores of the multi-core optical fiber.
However, Kim teaches, ([0164]: The distance measuring apparatus 100 calculates the locus of a unit normal vector perpendicular to the plate using the distance d of the origin, the yaw angle X, and the pitch angle Y calculated using Equations 3 to 5, As shown in Fig. 25 in three dimensions according to time).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Danziger in view of Jarosinski with Kim since it is the same field of endeavor and results would have been predictable. One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been motivated to modify Danziger in view of Jarosinski with Kim to include calculating the gradient of the measurement target since, measuring the precise angular position of objects with LiDAR provides high-acuracy 3D spatial awareness, enabling detailed mapping of surroundings and more reliable object classification. This is especially important with regard to LiDAR systems utilized in autonomous vehicles to improve safety.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
WO 2013139347 A1: Discloses a LiDAR system with internally reflected reference, waveguides, splitters, and couplers.
US 20200284883 A1: Discloses a LiDAR system, waveguides, switches, reference beam, and multiple detection heads.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES W NAPIER whose telephone number is (571)272-7451. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Hodge can be reached at (571) 272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.W.N./Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/HELAL A ALGAHAIM/SPE , Art Unit 3645