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)(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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kudla (US 2021/0223374).
Regarding Claim 1, Kudla discloses a method of performing light detection and ranging (LIDAR) [0005; 0008; 0021], the method comprising: illuminating a scene along a first direction with first interrogating infrared [0019-22; 0028-30; 0045], the illuminating results in first reflected infrared, the first reflected infrared reflected from a first object disposed within the scene [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; activating a plurality of pixels such that each pixel of the plurality of pixels is sensitive to the first reflected infrared during respective first activation periods [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; creating, by each pixel, a first signal that is proportional to a number of photons of the reflected infrared absorbed by each pixel, the creating results in a plurality of first signals [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; and estimating a distance to the first object based on an amplitude of at least one of the plurality of first signals [0038; 0045-49; -0076; 0087; 0107].
Regarding Claim 2, Kudla also discloses outside of each pixel’s respective first activation period, deactivating each pixel of the plurality of pixels such that each pixel is insensitive to the first reflected infrared [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90]
Regarding Claim 3, Kudla also discloses wherein activating the plurality of pixels comprises sequentially activating each pixel of the plurality of pixels [0032; 0034; 0038; 0045; 0052; 0114; 0132].
Regarding Claim 4, Kudla also discloses wherein activating the plurality of pixels comprises: activating, during respective first activation periods, each pixel to generate electrons responsive to the number of photons of the first reflected infrared absorbed by each pixel; and deactivating, outside of each respective first activation period, each pixel of the plurality of pixels such that each pixel is insensitive to the first reflected infrared [0032; 0034; 0038; 0045; 0052; 0114; 0132].
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) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kudla (US 2021/0223374).
Regarding Claim 10, Kudla teaches light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor [0005; 0008; 0021], the sensor comprising: a first plurality of pixels including one or more shutter transistors, one or more photodetectors [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045], a row controller coupled to the first plurality of pixels, the row controller configured to arrange the first plurality of pixels for readout [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; a column controller coupled the first plurality of pixels, the column controller configured to read signals from each pixel of the first plurality of pixels [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; and a gating controller coupled to the first plurality of pixels, the gating controller [0048] configured to gate each pixel of the first plurality of pixels such that each pixel is sensitive to reflected infrared during respective activation periods, and insensitive to reflected infrared outside of the respective activation periods [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90]. Kudla does not explicitly teach one or more transfer transistors, one or more floating diffusions, and one or more memory capacitors – but does teach memory and processor architecture that would be equivalent, if not a suitable or better substitute, in [0208] – [0210], as these features being ordinary for one having ordinary skill in the art to use or substitute based on the size, cost, and energy needs of the lidar sensor device.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kudla (US 2021/0223374), in view of Helsloot (US 2021/0033711).
Regarding Claim 17, Kudla teaches a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system [0005; 0008; 0021] comprising: a LIDAR controller; a LIDAR source coupled to the LIDAR controller [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045], the LIDAR source configured to send interrogating light into a scene responsive to commands from the LIDAR controller [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; a LIDAR sensor coupled to the LIDAR controller, the LIDAR sensor comprising: a first plurality of pixels [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; a row controller coupled to the first plurality of pixels, the row controller configured to arrange the first plurality of pixels for readout [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; a column controller coupled the first plurality of pixels, the column controller configured to read sample signals from each pixel of the first plurality of pixels [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]; and a gating controller coupled to each pixel of the first plurality of pixels, the gating controller [0048] configured to gate the first plurality of pixels such that each pixel is sensitive to reflected infrared during respective activation periods [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112], and insensitive to reflected infrared outside of the respective activation periods [0021-24; 0028-30; 0038; 0045; 0056-58; 0087-90; 0109-0112]. Kudla does not explicitly teach – but Helsloot does teach the LIDAR controller is configured to acquire, from the LIDAR sensor, a histogram of sample signals, and estimate a distance to a reflecting object based on an amplitude of the sample signals of the histogram [0100; 0110]. It would have been obvious to modify the system of Kudla to include acquiring a histogram of signals to sum and average the detected pulses over a plurality of measurements and improve precision and accuracy.
Claim Objections
Claims 5-9, 11-16, 18-20 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES R HULKA whose telephone number is (571)270-7553. The examiner can normally be reached M-R: 9am-6pm, F: 10am-2pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Helal Algahaim can be reached at 5712705227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
JAMES R. HULKA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3645
/JAMES R HULKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645
Prosecution Insights