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 .
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) 1-4, 6, 9-11, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Elkind et al. (U.S. PGPUB 2012/0261553).
Regarding claims 1-4, 6, 9-11, 15, Elkind et al. disclose (Fig. 5) a device, comprising: an optical module configured to receive a first optical signal; a first circuit coupled to the optical module, the first circuit (201) being configured to generate a first electrical signal based on at least the first optical signal; a first comparator (401) coupled to the first circuit, the first comparator being configured to generate a second electrical signal by comparing the first electrical signal to a first threshold value; a first filter (408) coupled to the first comparator, the first filter being configured to generate a third electrical signal based on at least the second electrical signal, the third electrical signal comprising a first pulse (Q), the first pulse comprising a first point associated with a first timestamp ([0081] time delay/TOF); a second circuit (ramp, 501) coupled to the first filter, the second circuit being configured to generate a fourth electrical signal based on at least the first pulse; and a memory (503) configured to receive the fourth electrical signal and store the first timestamp. The filter 408 of Elkind et al. ([0080]-[0081]) comprises a rising pulse by outputting a logic 1 when a pulse is detected by comparator 401. Elkind et al. also disclose (Fig. 1B; Fig. 4) a second comparator (in circuit 103C or 401) and a second filter (408) as claimed. Elkind et al. further disclose ([0092]) adjusting the first threshold value (tuned threshold level, fourth circuit to tune is inherent).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-20 are allowed over the prior art of record.
Claims 5, 7, 8, 12-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/THANH LUU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
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