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.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 2, line 1, “the determining a target bias voltage” should read “determining the target bias voltage”.
Regarding claim 6, line 4, “the photoelectric sensor does not satisfy a preset condition” should read “the photoelectric sensor does not satisfy the preset condition”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hartman et al. (US 20160282451 A1, hereinafter “Hartman”).
Regarding claim 7, Hartman teaches a LiDAR adjustment circuit, wherein the LiDAR adjustment circuit comprises: a control sub-circuit, a detection sub-circuit, and a photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0019], the controller 108 includes a temperature compensation module 204 (includes circuitry to generate a digital value of temperature based on the signal provided by the temperature sensor 202) connected to the temperature sensor 202 (equivalent to the control sub-circuit determining that the control sub-circuit is connected to the detection sub-circuity directly in Fig. 2; the temperature compensation module 204 determines a target bias voltage based on the temperature of the light sensor 104), wherein
the detection sub-circuit is connected to the photoelectric sensor and configured to detect an operating temperature of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0018], a temperature sensor 202 is provided to measure the temperature of the light sensor 104; the temperature sensor 202 may be disposed near the circuit board of the light sensor 104, which may be a thermistor or any other temperature sensor known in the art and may be in physical contact with the light sensor (equivalent to the detection sub-circuit is connected to the photoelectric sensor); );
the control sub-circuit is connected to the detection sub-circuit and the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0019], the controller 108 includes a temperature compensation module 204 (includes circuitry to generate a digital value of temperature based on the signal provided by the temperature sensor 202) connected to the temperature sensor 202 (equivalent to the control sub-circuit determining that the control sub-circuit is connected to the detection sub-circuity directly in Fig. 2);
the photoelectric sensor is configured to receive an echo signal (Hartman; [0014], the light sensor 104 is positioned to capture at least a portion of the light pulses scattered back from the one or more objects in the surrounding environment); and
the control sub-circuit is configured to control the detection sub-circuit to detect the operating temperature of the photoelectric sensor, and is further configured to: determine a target bias voltage based on the operating temperature and based on the target bias voltage, adjust a value of a voltage applied to at least one of an anode and a cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and the target bias voltage is a difference between the voltages applied to the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; [0015], the Lidar system 100 further includes a voltage source 16 connected to the light sensor 104 to provide a bias voltage to the light sensor 104; [0019], the temperature compensation module 204 determines a target bias voltage based on the temperature of the light sensor 104; Fig. 3, [0026], step 306, the controller 108 regulates the voltage source 106 based on the temperature of the light sensor 104 and the present bias voltage. Thus despite temperature variations, a consistent sensitivity of the light sensor 104 can be maintained by appropriately varying the bias voltage. All these technical feature disclosed determining a target bias voltage as a function of temperature and for regulating a voltage of the photosensor to improve the sensitivity of the photosensor).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize the bias voltage means the difference in electrode and reference electrode voltage values in the sensor (equivalent to the target bias voltage is a difference between voltages applied to a cathode and an anode of the photoelectric sensor). Thus, “bias voltage is applied to the light source 104” would be equivalent to “adjusting the voltages applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor”
Regarding claim 8, Hartman teaches the LiDAR adjustment circuit according to claim 7, wherein the control sub- circuit is configured to: determine the target bias voltage corresponding to the operating temperature based on a preset mapping relationship, and based on the target bias voltage, adjust the voltage applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and the preset mapping relationship comprises a plurality of temperatures and bias voltages respectively corresponding to different temperatures (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0018]-[0019], the temperature compensation module 204 connected to the temperature sensor 202. The temperature compensation module 204 determines a target bias voltage based on the temperature of the light sensor 104. In one embodiment, the temperature compensation module may include circuitry to generate a digital value of temperature based on the signal provided by the temperature sensor. Further, the temperature compensation module 204 may include a temperature to voltage map to determine the target bias voltage (equivalent to determining a target bias voltage corresponding to the operating temperature according to a preset mapping). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize that the predetermined mapping relationship include a plurality of temperatures and respective bias voltage corresponding to the different temperature.
Claims 1-2 are the method claim possess nearly identical limitation to those of claims 7-8 and are thus rejected for the same reasoning.
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) 3-4, 9-10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartman, modified in view of Nie et al. (CN 111077934 A, hereinafter “Nie”).
Regarding claim 9, Hartman teaches the LiDAR adjustment circuit according to claim 7, wherein the control sub-circuit comprises a power supply and a controller, and the power supply comprises a first end and a second end, wherein
the first end is connected to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and is configured to provide a voltage for the cathode of the photoelectric sensor;
the second end is connected to the anode of the photoelectric sensor, and is configured to provide a voltage for the anode of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0016], the LIDAR system 100 further includes a voltage source 106 connected to the light sensor 104 to provide a bias voltage to the light sensor 104; [0021], the controller 108 includes a voltage monitoring module 206 to measure a present bias voltage indicating the bias voltage currently applied to the light sensor 104. The controller 108 generates an error signal indicating the difference between the present bias voltage and target bias voltage. The PI controller 212 generates control signals which is utilized by the controller 108 to regulate the voltage source 106. Thus, appropriate bias voltage is generated and applied to the light sensor 104 based on the temperature of the light sensor 104 (equivalent to LIDAR also including a power supply; the voltage applied to the anode/cathode of the photosensor is adjusted according to the target bias voltage)); It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize for the power supply to provide voltage to both electrodes (anode and cathode) with first and second ends connected to the photosensor.
Hartman doesn’t teach,
the controller is configured to: based on the target bias voltage, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and output the modulation signal to at least one of the first end and the second end based on the duty ratio, to provide the voltage for at least one of the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric sensor.
Nie teaches,
the controller is configured to: based on the target bias voltage, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and output the modulation signal to at least one of the first end and the second end based on the duty ratio, to provide the voltage for at least one of the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric sensor (Nie; [0019], based on the correspondence between the bias voltage and the duty cycle of the pulse modulation signal, the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal corresponding to the first laser receiving unit at the first bias voltage is obtained; [0031], a first compensation circuit connected to the first laser receiving unit may be selectively energized based on the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit by adjusting the volage across the first energy storage capacitor in the first compensation circuit; [0032], the first laser receiving unit are avalanche photodiodes; [0097], the duty cycle of the pulse modulation signal refer to the ratio of the high-level time to the period within one pulse modulation signal cycle or the ratio of the time during which the pulse modulation signal conducts the compensation circuit to the period within one pulse modulation single cycle).
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 LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman to include the controller is configured to: based on the target bias voltage, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and output the modulation signal to at least one of the first end and the second end based on the duty ratio, to provide the voltage for at least one of the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric sensor taught by Nie with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is the first laser receiving unit may be selectively energized based on the duty cycle (duty ratio) of the first pulse modulation signal to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit by adjusting the volage across the first energy storage capacitor in the first compensation circuit (Nie; [0019], [0031], [0097]).
Regarding claim 10, Hartman teaches the LiDAR adjustment circuit according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to determine the value of the voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0016], the LIDAR system 100 further includes a voltage source 106 connected to the light sensor 104 to provide a bias voltage to the light sensor 104; [0021], the controller 108 includes a voltage monitoring module 206 to measure a present bias voltage indicating the bias voltage currently applied to the light sensor 104. The controller 108 generates an error signal indicating the difference between the present bias voltage and target bias voltage (equivalent to a controller to determine a voltage value applied to the photosensor). The PI controller 212 generates control signals which is utilized by the controller 108 to regulate the voltage source 106. Thus, appropriate bias voltage is generated and applied to the light sensor 104 based on the temperature of the light sensor 104); and
Hartman doesn’t teach,
the controller is also configured to: based on the target bias voltage and the value of the voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to the second end, and output the modulation signal to the second end based on the duty ratio, to provide a voltage for the anode of the photoelectric sensor;
or
the controller is configured to determine a value of the voltage applied to the anode of the photoelectric sensor; and the controller is also configured to: based on the target bias voltage and the value of the voltage applied to the anode of the photoelectric sensor, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to the first end, and output the modulation signal to the first end based on the duty ratio, to provide a voltage for the cathode of the photoelectric sensor.
Nie disclosed in paragraph [0019] based on the correspondence between the bias voltage and the duty cycle of the pulse modulation signal, the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal corresponding to the first laser receiving unit at the first bias voltage is obtained; [0031], a first compensation circuit connected to the first laser receiving unit may be selectively energized based on the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit by adjusting the volage across the first energy storage capacitor in the first compensation circuit; [0032], the first laser receiving unit are avalanche photodiodes; [0097], the duty cycle of the pulse modulation signal refer to the ratio of the high-level time to the period within one pulse modulation signal cycle or the ratio of the time during which the pulse modulation signal conducts the compensation circuit to the period within one pulse modulation single cycle).
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 LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman to include the controller is configured to: based on the target bias voltage, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and output the modulation signal to at least one of the first end and the second end based on the duty ratio, to provide the voltage for at least one of the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric sensor taught by Nie with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is the first laser receiving unit may be selectively energized based on the duty cycle (duty ratio) of the first pulse modulation signal to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit by adjusting the volage across the first energy storage capacitor in the first compensation circuit (Nie; [0019], [0031]).
Furthermore, Hartman disclosed adjusting a voltage value applied to a photosensor based on a target bias voltage, where the target bias voltage is known to be the difference between the cathode and the anode (see more detail on claim 7 mapping above), when the voltage value of the cathode/voltage value of anode is known, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize that for the modified LiDAR adjustment circuit invented by Hartman in view of Nie, the controller may determine the voltage value of the corresponding anode/cathode so as to determine the duty cycle control output voltage of the modulated signal according to the respective voltage.
Regarding claim 14, Hartman teaches a LiDAR, comprising: a photoelectric sensor (Hartman; [0011], the LIDAR system 100 also includes a light sensor 104 to receive light pulses scattered from one or more objects in the surrounding environment); wherein
the processor is connected to the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; [0017], the controller 108 may include various signal processing modules and control logic modules to process the information captured by the light sensor 104).
obtaining an operating temperature of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0018], a temperature sensor 202 is provided to measure the temperature of the light sensor 104);
the photoelectric sensor is configured to receive an echo signal (Hartman; [0014], the light sensor 104 is positioned to capture at least a portion of the light pulses scattered back from the one or more objects in the surrounding environment);
determining a target bias voltage based on the operating temperature, wherein the target bias voltage is a difference between voltages applied to a cathode and an anode of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0019], the temperature compensation module 204 determines a target bias voltage based on the temperature of the light sensor 104. [0020], the temperature compensation module 204 may receive an input corresponding to the sensitivity level offset associated with the light sensor 104. The temperature compensation module 204 determines the target bias voltage while considering the sensitivity level offset); and
based on the target bias voltage, adjusting the voltages applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; [0015], the Lidar system 100 further includes a voltage source 16 connected to the light sensor 104 to provide a bias voltage to the light sensor 104; Fig. 3, [0026], step 306, the controller 108 regulates the voltage source 106 based on the control signal. In other words, appropriate bias voltage is generated and applied to the light source 104 based on the temperature of the light sensor 104. Thus despite temperature variations, a consistent sensitivity of the light sensor 104 can be maintained by appropriately varying the bias voltage. All these technical feature disclosed determining a target bias voltage as a function of temperature and for regulating a voltage of the photosensor to improve the sensitivity of the photosensor).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize the bias voltage means the difference in electrode and reference electrode voltage values in the sensor (equivalent to the target bias voltage is a difference between voltages applied to a cathode and an anode of the photoelectric sensor). Thus, “bias voltage is applied to the light source 104” would be equivalent to “adjusting the voltages applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor”.
Hartman doesn’t teach,
comprising: a processor, and a memory, wherein
the processor is connected to the memory;
the memory is configured to store an executable program code; and
the processor reads the executable program code stored in the memory to run a program corresponding to the executable program code, to perform operations comprising:
Nie teaches,
comprising: a processor, and a memory (Nie; [0055]-[0057], a control device wherein the processing unit includes a memory and a processor), wherein
the processor is connected to the memory (Nie; [0055]-[0056], a control device wherein the processing unit includes a memory and a processor);
the memory is configured to store an executable program code (Nie; [0055]-[0057], a control device, wherein the processing unit includes a memory and a processor, wherein computer program instructions are stored in the memory.); and
the processor reads the executable program code stored in the memory to run a program corresponding to the executable program code, to perform operations comprising (Nie; [0057], the computer program instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a bias voltage control method as described in claims to output the duty cycle of a first pulse modulation signal to a first compensation circuit, to selectively energized the first compensation circuit connected to a first laser receiving unit based on the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal, to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit):
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 LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman to include a memory to store an executable program code and a processor reads the executable program code stored in the memory to run a program corresponding to the executable program code, to perform operations taught by Nie with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to store an instruction in the memory and executable by the processor such that the computer program instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a bias voltage control method as described above to output the duty cycle of a first pulse modulation signal to a first compensation circuit, to selectively energized the first compensation circuit connected to a first laser receiving unit based on the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal, to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit (Nie; [0055]-[0057]).
Claim 3 and claim 4 are the method claim possess nearly identical limitation to those of claim 9 and claim 10 and are thus rejected for the same reasoning.
Claim(s) 5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartman, modified in view of Nishino et al. (US 20200314375 A1, hereinafter “Nishino”), in view of Tang et al. (CN 111930166 A, hereinafter “Tang”).
Regarding claim 12, Hartman teaches the LiDAR adjustment circuit as recited in claim 7, wherein the control sub- circuit comprises a power supply, a controller (Hartman; [0016], the LIDAR system 100 includes a controller 108 communicably coupled to the light source 102, the light sensor 104, and the voltage source 106), wherein
the power supply is configured to supply energy to the photoelectric sensor and apply a bias voltage to both ends of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; [0015], the LIDAR system 100 further includes a voltage source 106 connected to the light sensor 104 to provide a bias voltage (bias voltage means the difference in electrode and reference electrode voltage values in the sensor as known to those skill in the art) to the light sensor 104);
Hartman does not teach,
the control sub- circuit comprises a high-voltage operational amplifier.
the controller is configured to: when the operating temperature of the photoelectric sensor satisfies a preset condition, determine that the target bias voltage is a preset bias voltage; and
the controller is also configured to: based on the preset bias voltage, by using the high- voltage operational amplifier, switch a first voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor to a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage.
Tang teaches,
the control sub- circuit comprises a high-voltage operational amplifier (Tang; [0086], the control circuit includes an adjustable high-voltage power supply circuit and a front-end analog circuit. The adjustable high-voltage power supply circuit uses a first stage Boost switch to boost voltage, a second-stage LC negative high-voltage conversion, and a third-stage high-voltage operational amplifier to filter and regulate the voltage to output an adjustable negative high-voltage power supply, providing SiPM with a highly stable and low noise adjustable high-voltage power supply and fully utilizing the characteristics of SiPM).
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 LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman to include the control sub- circuit comprises a high-voltage operational amplifier taught by Tang with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to use high-voltage operational amplifier inside the adjustable high-voltage power supply circuit to filter and regulate the voltage to output an adjustable negative high-voltage power supply, such that to provide SiPM with a highly stable and low noise adjustable high-voltage power supply and fully utilizing the characteristics of SiPM (Tang; [0086]).
However, Hartman modified in view of Tang still not teach,
the controller is configured to: when the operating temperature of the photoelectric sensor satisfies a preset condition, determine that the target bias voltage is a preset bias voltage; and
the controller is also configured to: based on the preset bias voltage, by using the high- voltage operational amplifier, switch a first voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor to a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage.
Nishino disclosed in Fig. 32, Fig. 33, paragraph [0187]-[0188], the control circuit 210 includes a controller 213, a power IC 214, a comparison unit 215, a temperature sensor 220, and a reverse bias set value storage unit 221; the temperature sensor 220 measures the temperature in a distance measuring module 100 and supplies a measurement value to the comparison unit 215. The comparison unit 215 compares the measurement value with a predetermined fixed value and supplies a comparison result to the controller 231 as a switching signal SW. When the temperature is higher than the fixed value, the switching signal SW is set to a high level; [0192], the switching SW is at a high level, the controller 213 sets a target value VL to the power IC 214; Fig. 33, shows the fixed voltage (equivalent to first voltage) is higher than VL (equivalent to second voltage and the second voltage is less than the first voltage).
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 LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman to include the control sub- circuit comprises a high-voltage operational amplifier taught by Tang, include based on the preset bias voltage switch a first voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor to a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage taught by Nishino with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to adjust the bias voltage of the photosensor such that even if the sensitivity of the photodiode 262 fluctuates due to a temperature change, the detection efficiency of incident light can be maintained (Nishino; [0187]-[0196]). Besides, the LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman in combination with high-voltage operational amplifier taught by Tang and the comparison unit to switch signal taught by Nishino predictably improve the responsiveness of the output signal.
Claim 5 is the method claim possesses nearly identical limitation to those of claim 12 and is thus rejected for the same reasoning.
Claim(s) 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartman, modified in view of Nishino, in view of Tang, in view of Nie.
Regarding claim 13, Hartman as modified above teaches the LiDAR adjustment circuit as recited in claim 12, wherein the power supply comprises a first end and a second end (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0016], the LIDAR system 100 further includes a voltage source 106 connected to the light sensor 104 to provide a bias voltage to the light sensor 104; the power supply comprises two ends as known to those skill in the art);
the controller is also configured to: when the operating temperature of the photoelectric sensor does not satisfy a preset condition (as disclosed above in claim 12, when the temperature satisfy a preset condition, the control has different setup, here shows the case when the temperature is not satisfy a preset condition and the control just follow the preset mapping relationship as disclosed in claim 10), determine the target bias voltage corresponding to the operating temperature based on a preset mapping relationship, wherein the preset mapping relationship comprises a plurality of temperatures and bias voltages respectively corresponding to different temperatures (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0018]-[0019], the temperature compensation module 204 connected to the temperature sensor 202. The temperature compensation module 204 determines a target bias voltage based on the temperature of the light sensor 104. In one embodiment, the temperature compensation module may include circuitry to generate a digital value of temperature based on the signal provided by the temperature sensor. Further, the temperature compensation module 204 may include a temperature to voltage map to determine the target bias voltage (equivalent to determining a target bias voltage corresponding to the operating temperature according to a preset mapping). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize that the predetermined mapping relationship include a plurality of temperatures and respective bias voltage corresponding to the different temperature); and
the controller is also configured to:
determine a value of the voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor;
based on the target bias voltage and the value of the voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, determine a value of the voltage applied to the anode of the photoelectric sensor (Hartman; Fig. 2, [0016], the LIDAR system 100 further includes a voltage source 106 connected to the light sensor 104 to provide a bias voltage to the light sensor 104; [0021], the controller 108 includes a voltage monitoring module 206 to measure a present bias voltage indicating the bias voltage currently applied to the light sensor 104. The controller 108 generates an error signal indicating the difference between the present bias voltage and target bias voltage (equivalent to a controller to determine a voltage value applied to the photosensor). The PI controller 212 generates control signals which is utilized by the controller 108 to regulate the voltage source 106. Thus, appropriate bias voltage is generated and applied to the light sensor 104 based on the temperature of the light sensor 104);
Hartman doesn’t teach,
determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal based on the value of the voltage of the anode of the photoelectric sensor; and
based on the modulation signal with the duty ratio, control the first end to output the target voltage to the anode of the photoelectric sensor;
or
determine a value of the voltage applied to the anode of the photoelectric sensor;
based on the target bias voltage and the value of the voltage applied to the anode of the photoelectric sensor, determine a value of the voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor;
determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal based on the value of the voltage of the cathode of the photoelectric sensor; and
based on the modulation signal with the duty ratio, control the second end to output the target voltage to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor.
Nie disclosed in paragraph [0019] based on the correspondence between the bias voltage and the duty cycle of the pulse modulation signal, the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal corresponding to the first laser receiving unit at the first bias voltage is obtained; [0031], a first compensation circuit connected to the first laser receiving unit may be selectively energized based on the duty cycle of the first pulse modulation signal to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit by adjusting the volage across the first energy storage capacitor in the first compensation circuit; [0032], the first laser receiving unit are avalanche photodiodes; [0097], the duty cycle of the pulse modulation signal refer to the ratio of the high-level time to the period within one pulse modulation signal cycle or the ratio of the time during which the pulse modulation signal conducts the compensation circuit to the period within one pulse modulation single cycle).
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 LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman to include the control sub- circuit comprises a high-voltage operational amplifier taught by Tang, include based on the preset bias voltage, by using the high- voltage operational amplifier, switch a first voltage applied to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor to a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage taught by Nishino, include the controller is configured to: based on the target bias voltage, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and output the modulation signal to at least one of the first end and the second end based on the duty ratio, to provide the voltage for at least one of the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric sensor taught by Nie with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is the first laser receiving unit may be selectively energized based on the duty cycle (duty ratio) of the first pulse modulation signal to control the bias voltage of the first laser receiving unit by adjusting the volage across the first energy storage capacitor in the first compensation circuit (Nie; [0019], [0031]).
Furthermore, Hartman disclosed adjusting a voltage value applied to a photosensor based on a target bias voltage, where the target bias voltage is known to be the difference between the cathode and the anode (see more detail on claim 7 mapping above), when the voltage value of the cathode/voltage value of anode is known, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to realize that the modified LiDAR adjustment circuit invented by Hartman in view of Tang, Nishino and Nie, the controller may determine the voltage value of the corresponding anode/cathode so as to determine the duty cycle control output voltage of the modulated signal according to the respective voltage.
Claim 6 is the method claim possesses nearly identical limitation to those of claim 13 and is thus rejected for the same reasoning.
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartman, modified in view of Nie, in view of Nishiyama (US 20060060756 A1, hereinafter “Nishiyama”).
Regarding claim 11, Hartman as modified above teaches the LiDAR adjustment circuit as recited in claim 9.
Hartman does not teach, wherein the LiDAR adjustment circuit further comprises a voltage step-down sub-circuit, wherein
an end of the voltage step-down sub-circuit is connected to the first end;
another end of the voltage step-down sub-circuit is connected to the photoelectric sensor; and
the voltage step-down sub-circuit is configured to lower the voltage of the cathode of the photoelectric sensor.
Nishiyama teaches, wherein the LiDAR adjustment circuit further comprises a voltage step-down sub-circuit (Nishiyama; Fig. 1, [0021], bias-controlling circuit 10), wherein
an end of the voltage step-down sub-circuit is connected to the first end (Nishiyama; Fig. 1, [0024], one end of the bias-controlling circuit 10 is connected to Vcc through V-source 16);
another end of the voltage step-down sub-circuit is connected to the photoelectric sensor (Nishiyama; Fig. 1, [0024], another end of the bias-controlling circuit 10 is connected to the cathode of the APD 12); and
the voltage step-down sub-circuit is configured to lower the voltage of the cathode of the photoelectric sensor (Nishiyama; Fig. 1, [0024], an input terminal 41 of the voltage source 16 connects to the external power source Vcc. Supplying a DC voltage Vcc to the input terminal 41, the voltage source 16 boosters or steps down (equivalent to lower the voltage of the cathode of the photoelectric sensor) this external voltage Vcc to generate the output voltage Vh in the output terminal 42, thereof that connects to the cathode of the APD 12 via the line 15 and the current detector 18).
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 LiDAR adjustment circuit taught by Hartman to include the controller is configured to: based on the target bias voltage, determine a duty ratio of a modulation signal applied to at least one of the anode and the cathode of the photoelectric sensor, and output the modulation signal to at least one of the first end and the second end based on the duty ratio, to provide the voltage for at least one of the cathode and the anode of the photoelectric sensor taught by Nie, include the voltage step-down sub-circuit connects to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor and is configured to lower the voltage of the cathode of the photoelectric sensor taught by Nishiyama with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is to control the cathode of the photoelectric sensor using bias-controlling circuit 10 to boosters or steps down (equivalent to lower the voltage of the cathode of the photoelectric sensor) this external voltage Vcc to generate the output voltage Vh to the cathode of the photoelectric sensor (Nishiyama; [0024]).
Conclusion
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/CHIA-LING CHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645