DETAILED ACTIONS
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 Amendment
This office action is in response to the amendments/arguments submitted by the Applicant(s) on 07/27/2026.
Status of the Claims
Claims 21-40 are pending.
Claims 21,23-26, 32,34-35, and 37- 38 are amended.
Claims 1-20 are canceled.
Response to Arguments
Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102
Applicant's arguments, see remarks page 7-11, filed 07/27/2026.
with respect to the rejection(s) of Claim under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) has been considered and are moot because the amendment has necessitated a new ground of rejections. The new rejections are set forth 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.
Claims 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Plank et al. (US 2020/0300986 A1, hereinafter Plank, previously cited)
and in view of over in view of Schoenlieb et al. (US 2020/0301014 A1, hereinafter Schoenlieb).
Regarding Claim 21, Plank teaches,
A time-of-flight imaging apparatus comprising circuitry configured (Plank Figure 6, [0039] FIG. 6 illustrates an example ToF measurement device 600) to: demodulate depth Plank, Figure 6, step 610, Depth map generation) information representing a distance to a scene (Plank, Figure 6, [0039], The ToF measurement device 600 can be utilized to detect objects, e.g., as shown in target scene 602, as well as to determine distances to the detected objects”) from a modulated light sensing signal represented by modulated light reflected from the scene by correlating the modulated light sensing signal with a signal comprising one or more phase- shifted phase locations having a phase shift with respect to a first phase location and use the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function.(Plank, Figure 6, [0043] ToF measurement device 600 further includes a reference signal generator 608, which may be configured, in some embodiments, to generate reference signal 622 with a selectable phase, relative to the phase of a modulation signal applied to light transmitted towards target scene 602, and to provide the reference signal 622 to the plurality of pixels in sensor 604. Image processing system 600 still further includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit 606, which may include one or several ADCs, operatively coupled to the plurality of pixels in sensor 604, with ADC circuit 606 providing digital phase or distance measurements to depth map generator 610”. [0044], Control circuitry 612 may be further configured to control one or more of the pixels in sensor 604 to demodulate received light using a pulsed reference signal derived from the modulating signal, to generate respective pixel signal values, each of one or more of the pixel signal values being indicative of a time of-flight from the ToF measurement device to an object and back to the ToF measurement device”).
Plank is silent on wherein the deviation comprises cyclic error; and wherein the circuitry is configured to use the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to filter a harmonic component of the modulated light sensing signal such that, after the correction, the cyclic error is below a distance-error threshold.
However, Schoenlieb teaches wherein the deviation comprises cyclic error (Schoenlieb, Figure 3-4, [0032] FIG. 3, which shows how the correlations AO and Al, at O and 90 degrees, respectively, correspond to a first phase vector having an "ideal" component corresponding to the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic error in the measurements and readout. In the figure, the ideal components are represented by the vectors extending from the origin to the circle, while the systematic error components are represented by the smaller vectors. Figure 7-8 [0047] In the illustrated example, the CW ToF measurements yield periodic correlation responses. [0076] In some embodiments, the second coded-modulation measurement uses a reference signal that is a cyclically rotated version of the reference signal used for the first coded-modulation measurement.” NOTE: systematic error reads on the “cyclic error”); and wherein the circuitry is configured to use the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to filter a harmonic component of the modulated light sensing signal such that, after the correction, the cyclic error is below a distance-error threshold (Schoenlieb, Figure 6,[0031] “the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic error in the measurements and readout[0032] FIG. 3, [0039], modulation coding, the modulating waveform applied to the emitted light and the pixel reference signal (which is used by the TOF pixels to measure a correlation with the received signal reflected from the object of interest) are adapted in such a way that the autocorrelation function is cut-off over certain distances.[0051] shown in FIG. 8, the correlation values are compared to a threshold with a negative threshold-values lower than the threshold are set to 1, for example, while values higher than the threshold are set to 0:”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Plank’s method to incorporate an autocorrelation function and compare with a threshold to determine accurate distance as taught by Schoenlieb p (Schoenlieb, [0039]-[0040]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill to include the well-known correlation function and other analysis in order to yield the predicted results of generating accurate distance, yet with higher accuracy (KSR).
Regarding Claim 22, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein the first phase location is at one of zero degrees, 90 degrees, one hundred and eighty degrees, or two hundred and seventy degrees (Plank, [0020], At least two measurements are required to calculate this phase shift, and hence to determine the distance traveled. This is often done using four different phase shifts, at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees “).
Regarding Claim 23, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein using the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function is a real-time, in use, calibration for the time-of-flight imaging apparatus (Plank, [0004], Pixels configured to demodulate received light using a pulsed reference signal derived from the modulating signal are controlled to generate pixel signal values, each being indicative of a time-of-flight from the ToF measurement device to an object and back. This controlling comprises varying time intervals between successive groups of reference signal pulses in the same way time intervals between the emitted pulses are varied, so that the superimposition of data has no effect on the ToF measurements”).
Regarding Claim 24, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein the using the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function updates a pre-calibration that has been performed at manufacture of the time-of-flight imaging apparatus. (Plank, [0020], [0020] The phase difference between the emitted optical signal and the received reflection of that signal, which is proportional to the distance traveled by the optical signal, can be extracted by an N-phase shifting technique. This requires sampling the correlation function at N different
points, e.g., by performing correlations using N different phase shifts of the reference signal, with respect to the modulating signal g(t). At least two measurements are required to calculate this phase shift, and hence to determine
the distance traveled. This is often done using four different phase shifts, at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, as this allows for a simple cancellation of systematic offsets in the correlation results. This is seen in FIG. 3, which shows how the
correlations AO and Al, at 0 and 90 degrees, respectively, correspond to a first phase vector having an "ideal" component corresponding to the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic
error in the measurements and readout”).
Regarding Claim 25, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein using the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function calibrates the time-of flight imaging apparatus for at least one of operating temperature, operating process, applied supply voltage, and aging of the time-of-flight imaging apparatus. (Plank, [0018], [0018] The difference between voltages at the Read-A and Read-B nodes of the PMD corresponds to the correlation between the modulated optical signal detected by the photosensitive diode structures in the illustrated device and the reference signal, which is applied between the Mod-A and Mod-B nodes of the device. Thus, the PMD (and other light-sensitive pixel structures) demodulate the modulated optical signal reflected from the target scene 120, producing a pixel signal value (in this case the difference between voltages at Read-A and Read-B) indicative of the distance traveled by the reflected optical signal “).
Regarding Claim 26, Plank teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank is silent on wherein the apparatus uses the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function when the deviation of the distance to the scene about the expected function exceeds a threshold value.
However, Schoenlieb teaches wherein the apparatus uses the one of more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function when the deviation of the distance to the scene about the expected function exceeds a threshold value (Schoenlieb, Figure 6, [0039], modulation coding, the modulating waveform applied to the emitted light and the pixel reference signal (which is used by the TOF pixels to measure a correlation with the received signal reflected from the object of interest) are adapted in
such a way that the autocorrelation function is cut-off over certain distances. An example of this is depicted in FIG. 6. In this figure, the balded line 620 represents a correlation measurement at a ToF pixel, as a function of distance, for an example coded-modulation measurement. As can be seen in the figure, the function has a single peak over the illustrated range of distances, and yields significant amplitudes (i.e., exceeding the threshold 610) over only a limited range of distances within this overall range. Results of this kind can be achieved with modulation signals (and corresponding reference signals) that amplitude-modulate the optical signal with m-sequences”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Plank’s method to incorporate an autocorrelation function and compare with a threshold to determine accurate distance as taught by Schoenlieb p (Schoenlieb, [0039]-[0040]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill to include the well-known correlation function and other analysis in order to yield the predicted results of generating accurate distance, yet with higher accuracy (KSR).
Regarding Claim 27, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time The time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein the phase shift is at a predetermined angle with respect to the first phase location. (Plank [0015], figure 1, TOF sensor 130, with the time of flight to the target scene 120 and back imposing a phase shift of φ on the optical signal as received at the pixel array 135, relative to the originally transmitted optical signal. [0020], This is seen in FIG. 3, which shows how the
correlations AO and Al, at 0 and 90 degrees, respectively, correspond to a first phase vector having an "ideal" component corresponding to the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic
error in the measurements and readout. Likewise, the correlations A2 and A3, at 180 and 270 degrees, respectively, correspond to a second phase vector pointing in the opposite direction, with an exactly opposite "ideal" component
and an identical systematic component. In the figure, the ideal components are represented by the vectors extending from the origin to the circle, while the systematic error components are represented by the smaller vector”).
Regarding Claim 28, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein the circuitry is configured to apply a phase shift which is different from one point in time to another. (Plank, [0023] [0023] As noted above, a given exposure may comprise a series of dozens or hundreds of regularly spaced pulses, with FIG. 4A showing only a small portion of those pulses. Data can be superimposed on the emitted light by grouping the pulses into groups of N pulses, with each group being transmitted with regular spacing between the N pulses. In other words, the time interval between pulses within a given group is constant. However, the spacing (i.e., time interval) between successive groups may be varied, with the degree of that variation conveying information”).
Regarding Claim 29, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein the circuitry is configured to use the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to filter a frequency component of the modulated light sensing signal. (Plank, [0039] FIG. 6 illustrates an example ToF measurement. [0040] The amplitude modulation may be based on a reference signal generated by reference signal generator 608).
Regarding Claim 30, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 29,
Plank further teaches wherein the frequency component is a harmonic of the modulated light sensing signal. (Plank [0032] A frequency f of the modulation signal
may be selected, in some embodiments, to provide a desired unambiguous measurement range, in some embodiments. For example, f may be about 100 MHz, in some embodiments, to provide an unambiguous measurement range of
about 1.5 meters. N may be a relatively small number, in some embodiments, such as 2-10, or larger, e.g., 10-100, in others, so as to provide for greater signal to noise in the receiving device”).
Regarding Claim 31, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 30,
Plank further teaches wherein the frequency component is a high order harmonic of the modulated light sensing signal. (Plank [0032] A frequency f of the modulation signal may be selected, in some embodiments, to provide a desired unambiguous measurement range, in some embodiments. For example, f may be about 100 MHz, in some embodiments, to provide an unambiguous measurement range of about 1.5 meters. N may be a relatively small number, in some embodiments, such as 2-10, or larger, e.g., 10-100, in others, so as to provide for greater signal to noise in the receiving device”. NOTE: Higher order harmonic it is a design choice).
Regarding Claim 32, Plank teaches,
A time-of-flight imaging method comprising (Plank Figure 6, [0039] FIG. 6 illustrates an example ToF measurement device 600) to:
demodulate depth Plank, Figure 6, step 610, Depth map generation) information representing a distance to a scene (Plank, Figure 6, [0039], The ToF measurement device 600 can be utilized to detect objects, e.g., as shown in target scene 602, as well as to determine distances to the detected objects”) from a modulated light sensing signal represented by modulated light reflected from the scene by correlating the modulated light sensing signal with a signal comprising one or more phase- shifted phase locations having a phase shift with respect to a first phase location and use the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function.(Plank, Figure 6, [0043] ToF measurement device 600 further includes a reference signal generator 608, which may be configured, in some embodiments, to generate reference signal 622 with a selectable phase, relative to the phase of a modulation signal applied to light transmitted towards target scene 602, and to provide the reference signal 622 to the plurality of pixels in sensor 604. [0044], Control circuitry 612 may be further configured to control one or more of the pixels in sensor 604 to demodulate received light using a pulsed reference signal derived from the modulating signal, to generate respective pixel signal values, each of one or more of the pixel signal values being indicative of a time of-flight from the ToF measurement device to an object and back to the ToF measurement device”).
Plank is silent on wherein the deviation comprises cyclic error; and wherein the circuitry is configured to use the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to filter a harmonic component of the modulated light sensing signal such that, after the correction, the cyclic error is below a distance-error threshold.
However, Schoenlieb teaches wherein the deviation comprises cyclic error (Schoenlieb, Figure 3-4, [0032] FIG. 3, which shows how the correlations AO and Al, at O and 90 degrees, respectively, correspond to a first phase vector having an "ideal" component corresponding to the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic error in the measurements and readout. In the figure, the ideal components are represented by the vectors extending from the origin to the circle, while the systematic error components are represented by the smaller vectors. Figure 7-8 [0047] In the illustrated example, the CW ToF measurements yield periodic correlation responses. [0076] In some embodiments, the second coded-modulation measurement uses a reference signal that is a cyclically rotated version of the reference signal used for the first coded-modulation measurement.” NOTE: systematic error reads on the “cyclic error”); and wherein the circuitry is configured to use the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to filter a harmonic component of the modulated light sensing signal such that, after the correction, the cyclic error is below a distance-error threshold (Schoenlieb, Figure 6,[0031] “the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic error in the measurements and readout[0032] FIG. 3, [0039], modulation coding, the modulating waveform applied to the emitted light and the pixel reference signal (which is used by the TOF pixels to measure a correlation with the received signal reflected from the object of interest) are adapted in such a way that the autocorrelation function is cut-off over certain distances.[0051] shown in FIG. 8, the correlation values are compared to a threshold with a negative threshold-values lower than the threshold are set to 1, for example, while values higher than the threshold are set to 0:”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Plank’s method to incorporate an autocorrelation function and compare with a threshold to determine accurate distance as taught by Schoenlieb p (Schoenlieb, [0039]-[0040]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill to include the well-known correlation function and other analysis in order to yield the predicted results of generating accurate distance, yet with higher accuracy (KSR).
Regarding Claim 33, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 21,
Plank further teaches wherein the first phase location is at one of zero degrees, 90 degrees, one hundred and eighty degrees, or two hundred and seventy degrees (Plank, [0020], At least two measurements are required to calculate this phase shift, and hence to determine the distance traveled. This is often done using four different phase shifts, at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees “).
Regarding Claim 34, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging apparatus as claimed in Claim 32,
Plank further teaches wherein using the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function is a real-time, in use, calibration for a time-of-flight imaging apparatus (Plank, [0004], Pixels configured to demodulate received light using a pulsed reference signal derived from the modulating signal are controlled to generate pixel signal values, each being indicative of a time-of-flight from the ToF measurement device to an object and back. This controlling comprises varying time intervals between successive groups of reference signal pulses in the same way time intervals between the emitted pulses are varied, so that the superimposition of data has no effect on the ToF measurements”).
Regarding Claim 35, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging method as claimed in Claim 32,
Plank further teaches wherein the using the one or more phase-shifted phase locations to correct a deviation of the distance to the scene about an expected function updates a pre-calibration that has been performed at manufacture of the time-of-flight imaging apparatus. (Plank, [0020], The phase difference between the emitted optical signal and the received reflection of that signal, which is proportional to the distance traveled by the optical signal, can be extracted by an N-phase shifting technique. This requires sampling the correlation function at N different
points, e.g., by performing correlations using N different phase shifts of the reference signal, with respect to the modulating signal g(t). At least two measurements are required to calculate this phase shift, and hence to determine
the distance traveled. This is often done using four different phase shifts, at 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, as this allows for a simple cancellation of systematic offsets in the correlation results. This is seen in FIG. 3, which shows how the
correlations AO and Al, at 0 and 90 degrees, respectively, correspond to a first phase vector having an "ideal" component corresponding to the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic
error in the measurements and readout”).
Regarding Claim 36, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging method as claimed in Claim 32,
Plank further teaches wherein the phase shift is at a predetermined angle with respect to the first phase location (Plank [0015], figure 1, TOF sensor 130, with the time of flight to the target scene 120 and back imposing a phase shift of φ on the optical signal as received at the pixel array 135, relative to the originally transmitted optical signal. [0020], This is seen in FIG. 3, which shows how the correlations AO and Al, at 0 and 90 degrees, respectively, correspond to a first phase vector having an "ideal" component corresponding to the actual difference traveled by the optical signal and a systematic component reflecting systematic error in the measurements and readout.”).
Regarding Claim 37, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging method as claimed in Claim 32,
Plank further teaches wherein a phase shift is applies which is different from one point in time to another. (Plank, [0023] [0023] As noted above, a given exposure may comprise a series of dozens or hundreds of regularly spaced pulses, with FIG. 4A showing only a small portion of those pulses. Data can be superimposed on the emitted light by grouping the pulses into groups of N pulses, with each group being transmitted with regular spacing between the N pulses. In other words, the time interval between pulses within a given group is constant. However, the spacing (i.e., time interval) between successive groups may be varied, with the degree of that variation conveying information”).
Regarding Claim 38, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging method as claimed in Claim 32,
Plank further teaches wherein the one or more phase-shifted phase locations are used to filter a frequency component of the modulated light sensing signal. (Plank, [0039] FIG. 6 illustrates an example ToF measurement. [0040] The amplitude modulation may be based on a reference signal generated by reference signal generator 608).
Regarding Claim 39, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging method as claimed in Claim 38,
Plank further teaches wherein the frequency component is a harmonic of the modulated light sensing signal. (Plank, [0028] As can be seen in the example approach illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, after the transmission of each group of N pulses, there is a delay oftp, in addition to the phase delay cp 1 or cp 2. This pause allows the emitted pulses to travel back from an illuminated object to the sensor. For short-range ToF, which may use, for example, only 4 phase measurements, tP can simply be T/2, where T is the period of the modulation signal. For long-range ToF, however, e.g., where 8 phase measurements are used, tP may be extended, so as to cover the maximum elapsed travel time of the light from the camera to the scene and back (time-of-flight”).
Regarding Claim 40, combination of Plank and Schoenlieb teaches the time-of-flight imaging method as claimed in Claim 39,
Plank further teaches `wherein the frequency component is a high order harmonic of the modulated light sensing signa (Plank, [0028], This pause allows the emitted pulses to travel back from an illuminated object to the sensor. For short-range ToF, which may use, for example, only 4 phase measurements, tP can simply be T/2, where T is the period of the modulation signal. For long-range ToF, however, e.g., where 8 phase measurements are used, tP may be extended, so as to cover the maximum elapsed travel time of the light from the camera to the scene and back (time-of-flight”).
Conclusion
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Patil et al (US 20170041589 A1) recites “A time-of-flight (TOF) camera system for correcting non-linearity in phase-to-depth measurements. The TOF camera system includes a module to simulate movement of a target object by generating delays between modulation signals emitted from a transmitter and demodulation signals received by a sensor. For each delay, the TOF system calculates and stores a phase output corresponding to a simulated distance of the target object. The TOF camera may consult the stored data during normal operation to perform in-field calibration” (abstract).
Wilks et al. (US 2015/0103330 A1) discloses “A light transit time camera system and method for operating such a system which can be operated with at least three modulation frequencies, having the steps a) determining a phase shift (φi) of an emitted signal (Sp1) and a received signal (Sp2) for a modulation frequency (f1, f2, f3) in a phase-measuring cycle (PM1, PM2, . . . ), b) carrying out a plurality of phase-measuring cycles (PM1, PM2, . . . ), c) determining a distance value (dn,n+1) on the basis of the phase shifts (φn, φn+1) determined in two successive phase-measuring cycles (PMn, PMn+1), in a distance-measuring cycle (M1, M2, . . . ), d) carrying out a plurality of distance-measuring cycles (M1, M2, . . . ), e) determining a distance deviation (Δd) between the distance values of successive distance-measuring cycles, f) outputting of a distance value (dn,n+1) as a valid distance value if the distance deviation (Δd) is within a tolerance limit (Δdtol) is provided.
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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/DILARA SULTANA/Examiner, Art Unit 2858 09/28/2026
/SON T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858