11/29/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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 11-20 in the reply filed on 09/17/2025 is acknowledged. However, the applicant requested that the restriction requirement with respect to claims 1-10 be withdrawn, since the claims have been amended to closely correspond to the elected group of claims 11-20. The examiner has considered the request and has withdrawn the current restriction.
Claims 1-20 are now pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claims 2 & 18 recite the limitation "… wherein the single photon avalanche diode array is an image sensor of a camera …" (emphasis added to accentuate insufficient antecedent basis).
Claims 2 & 18 depend on claims 8 & 17 respectively. Claims 8 & 17 recite the limitation: “… wherein the image sensor is a single photon avalanche diode array.” It is unclear if “the image sensor” of claims 2 & 18 is the same or different image sensor of the claims that they depend on (8 & 17).
For the purposes of examination, claims 2 & 18 are interpreted as the following: “… a camera includes the single photon avalanche diode array and comprises a high frame rate of incoming data that exceeds a readout bandwidth of the camera.”
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.
Claims 1, 3, 8-12, 17, 19, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Numata (US 2022/0150424 A1).
As per claim 1, Numata discloses a method for detecting changes via an event camera (Numata: Abstract.), the method comprising:
monitoring a plurality of pixel measurements from an image sensor (Numata: Paras. [0016], [0020] disclose a pixel unit 110 constituting the event-based sensor 101 that includes a photoelectric conversion element 1011 [image sensor], counts the number of photons incident on the photoelectric conversion unit 111 [monitoring a plurality of pixel measurements] by the pixel counter 112.);
determining an estimate of intensity (luminance) for a scene using a current frame (Numata: Paras. [0024], [0029] disclose the differential count value calculated by the comparator 116 corresponds to the reciprocal number of incidence frequency of photons and measures “a change in incidence frequency of photons”, that is, a change in luminance.);
detecting changes of the plurality of pixel measurements using the estimate of intensity for the scene (Numata: Paras. [0021]-[0022], [0024] disclose the memory 115 uses the comparator 116 to determine a differential count value between the current count value of the time counter 113 and the past count value of the time counter 113. In a case where the differential count value is equal to or greater than the second threshold a change in luminance is detected.);
maintaining a stored flux value for each of a first plurality of pixels, wherein the first plurality of pixels has not changed intensities (Numata: Paras. [0021]-[0022] disclose the memory 115 stores the past count values of the time counter 113. In a case where the differential count value is smaller than the second threshold [i.e., first plurality of pixels has not changed intensities], the second determination circuit 117 does not send a request signal.);
transmitting an intensity change value (outputs the count value associated with luminance changes) for each of a second plurality of pixels (pixels associated with luminance change that equal or exceed the second threshold), wherein the second plurality of pixels have changed intensities (Numata: Paras. [0021]-[0023] disclose in a case where the differential count value is equal to or greater than the second threshold [i.e., the second plurality of pixels have changed intensities], the second determination circuit 117 sends a request signal and outputs the count value of the time counter 113 to the horizontal read circuit 122.);
determining if a change in the scene has occurred based on the intensity change value for each of the second plurality of pixels (Numata: Paras. [0018], [0029], [0031]-[0032] disclose determining a scene change (such as intrusion or theft) by detecting a change in luminance by comparing the required times and differentiating between detection of a moving body/subject and changes in brightness of the whole screen or specific regions of the screen.); and
triggering an event (outputs address event signal) in response to the change in the scene (Numata: Paras. [0017], [0042] disclose outputting an address event signal indicating a change in the luminance. The outputs caused by the movement of the subject are detected as specific events.).
As per claim 11, Numata discloses a system for detecting changes (Numata: Abstract.), the system comprising:
an image sensor (Numata: Para. [0016] discloses photoelectric conversion element 1011.);
a processor (102) electrically coupled to the image sensor (1011), the processor programmed to (Numata: Fig. 1):
monitor a plurality of pixel measurements from the image sensor (Numata: Paras. [0016], [0020] disclose a pixel unit 110 constituting the event-based sensor 101 that includes a photoelectric conversion element 1011 [image sensor], counts the number of photons incident on the photoelectric conversion unit 111 [monitoring a plurality of pixel measurements] by the pixel counter 112.);
determine an estimate of intensity for a scene using a current frame (Numata: Paras. [0024], [0029] disclose the differential count value calculated by the comparator 116 corresponds to the reciprocal number of incidence frequency of photons and measures “a change in incidence frequency of photons”, that is, a change in luminance.);
detect changes of the plurality of pixel measurements using the estimate of intensity for the scene (Numata: Paras. [0021]-[0022], [0024] disclose the memory 115 uses the comparator 116 to determine a differential count value between the current count value of the time counter 113 and the past count value of the time counter 113. In a case where the differential count value is equal to or greater than the second threshold a change in luminance is detected.);
maintain a stored flux value for each of a first plurality of pixels, wherein the first plurality of pixels has not changed intensities (Numata: Paras. [0021]-[0022] disclose the memory 115 stores the past count values of the time counter 113. In a case where the differential count value is smaller than the second threshold [i.e., first plurality of pixels has not changed intensities], the second determination circuit 117 does not send a request signal.);
transmit an intensity change value for each of a second plurality of pixels, wherein the second plurality of pixels have changed intensities (Numata: Paras. [0021]-[0023] disclose in a case where the differential count value is equal to or greater than the second threshold [i.e., the second plurality of pixels have changed intensities], the second determination circuit 117 sends a request signal and outputs the count value of the time counter 113 to the horizontal read circuit 122.);
determine if a change in the scene has occurred based on the intensity change value for each of the second plurality of pixels (Numata: Paras. [0018], [0029], [0031]-[0032] disclose determining a scene change (such as intrusion or theft) by detecting a change in luminance by comparing the required times and differentiating between detection of a moving body/subject and changes in brightness of the whole screen or specific regions of the screen.); and
trigger an event in response to the change in the scene (Numata: Paras. [0017], [0042] disclose outputting an address event signal indicating a change in the luminance. The outputs caused by the movement of the subject are detected as specific events.).
As per claim 3, Numata discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising rendering an event camera image on a device (Numata: Paras. [0016]-[0017], [0029] disclose rendering luminance changes of a frame image of a subject captured by the information processing apparatus 100 using the event-based sensor 101 on display unit 104.).
As per claim 8, Numata discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) sensor array (Numata: Para. [0020] discloses the photoelectric conversion unit 111 includes an avalanche photodiode (SPAD) operating in the Geiger mode and is configured to count the number of photons incident on the photoelectric conversion unit 111 by the pixel counter 112.).
As per claim 9, Numata discloses the method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimate of intensity for the scene using the current frame also uses an estimate of flux (incidence frequency of photons) at locations corresponding to each of the plurality of pixel measurements from the image sensor (Numata: Paras. [0024], [0029] disclose the differential count value calculated by the comparator 116 corresponds to the reciprocal number of incidence frequency of photons, and thus the photoelectric conversion element 1011 according to the present exemplary embodiment has a function of measuring “a change in incidence frequency of photons”, that is, a change in luminance detected as an address event in real time at each pixel address with respect to the output frame.).
As per claim 10, Numata discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising rendering an optical image of the scene if the change in the scene has occurred, wherein the optical image corresponds to a time of the change, and wherein the optical image comprises a third plurality of pixels corresponding to cumulative adaptive exposures (Numata: Fig. 4 & Paras. [0018], [0029] disclose the event-based sensor 101 also measures required time (the number of clocks) until the number of photons becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold, detects a change in luminance by comparing the required times and outputs frame images of the subject.).
As per claim 12, the claim(s) recites analogous limitations to claim(s) 3 above, and is/are therefore rejected on the same premise.
As per claim 17, the claim(s) recites analogous limitations to claim(s) 8 above, and is/are therefore rejected on the same premise.
As per claim 19, the claim(s) recites analogous limitations to claim(s) 9 above, and is/are therefore rejected on the same premise.
As per claim 20, the claim(s) recites analogous limitations to claim(s) 10 above, and is/are therefore rejected on the same premise.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4-7, 13-16, 18 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 provided that the rejections pertinent 35 U.S.C. 112(b) are overcome.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and can be viewed in the list of references.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PEET DHILLON whose telephone number is (571)270-5647. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 5am-1:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sath V. Perungavoor can be reached at 571-272-7455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PEET DHILLON/Primary Examiner
Art Unit: 2488
Date: 11-29-2025