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 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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pacala et al. (US 20200209355 A1, hereinafter “Pacala”).
Regarding claim 1, Pacala teaches an electromagnetic wave radiation device comprising:
multiple electromagnetic wave radiation circuits (Pacala; Fig. 6, [0080], an electronic circuit 600 representative of electronically scanning laser array 500 includes 12 separate and independently operable channels C1-C12), each electromagnetic wave radiation circuit including an electromagnetic wave radiation element, a capacitor configured to supply current to the electromagnetic wave radiation element, and a discharging switching element configured to discharge the capacitor (Pacala; Fig. 6, [0081], each channels includes emitter bank 510(1)-510(12) and a diode 610(1)-610(12), capacitor 504a/504b (drive current thorough the emitter banks after charge [0084]) and discharging switching 615a/615b (discharge capacitor 504a/504b through ground [0086]));
a radiation switching element connected to a cathode side of the multiple electromagnetic wave radiation elements included in the multiple electromagnetic wave radiation circuits and configured to be capable of energizing the multiple electromagnetic wave radiation elements (Pacala; Fig. 6, [0084], once the capacitors 504a/504b are charged by switches 514a/514b, the capacitor can be discharged by switches 412(1)-412(b) (connected to the cathode side of the diode) to drive current through the emitter banks); and
a controller configured to discharge the capacitor in any one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit, among the multiple electromagnetic wave radiation circuits, after causing the electromagnetic wave radiation element in the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit to radiate and before causing the electromagnetic wave radiation element in another electromagnetic wave radiation circuit, among the multiple electromagnetic wave radiation circuits, to radiate (Pacala; Fig. 1, [0047], light transmission module 106 can include an emitter controller 115 which controls the operation of emitter array by selective firing each bank of emitters according to firing desired sequence; Fig. 7A-7C, [0085], the capacitor 504a is fully charged, and switches 412(1)412(6) are activated in sequence to drive current through and fire the emitters associated with channels C1, C3, C5, C7 and C11; [0086], after a the emitter associated with C11 (A rail) is fired, activate switch 615a to fully discharge capacitor 504a through ground so that no residual charge is left on capacitor 504a that might otherwise fire the A rail channels when the B rail is activated. Implies the discharge of the capacitor is after the firing of A rail and before the firing of B rail).
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) 2-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pacala, modified in view of Yang et al. (US 20250098051 A1, hereinafter “Yang”).
Regarding claim 2, Pacala teaches the electromagnetic wave radiation device according to claim 1, wherein each of the electromagnetic wave radiation circuits includes a charging switching element configured to charge the capacitor of the electromagnetic wave radiation circuit (Pacala; Fig. 6, [0084], once the capacitors 504a/504b are charged by switches 514a/514b (equivalent to charging switching element), the capacitors can be discharged by switches 412(1)-412(b) (connected to the cathode side of the diode) to drive current through the emitter banks), and
Pacala does not teach,
the controller is configured to control the charging switching element and the discharging switching element and make a discharging time longer than a charging time.
Yang disclosed in Fig. 10, paragraph [0084], the voltage conversion circuit 71 is a boost circuit includes a capacitor; Fig. 12, [0084], the capacitor is charged at a voltage ramping time (tr1/tr2) from low voltage to a high voltage which then keep the voltage during the light enabled period (Dg, Dr, Dir enable period). Furthermore, in the time between lighting of every two LED (“toff”), td represents time during which an output voltage of the boost circuit decreases from a high level to a low level, and td1 in Fig. 12 represents time during which the output voltage of the boost circuit decreases from the expected voltage 4.6V for lighting Dg to a 3.4V voltage for lighting Dr. The output terminal of the boost circuit is usually grounded through a large capacitor, and the capacitor needs to discharge electricity when the output voltage of the boost circuit decreases from a high level to a low level. Therefore, the time td is long. In case of a same voltage difference, usually td>>tr. Fig. 12 shows that even the voltage difference of charging and discharging is different, the discharging time will be longer than charging time too. This implies to ensure fully discharging the capacitor, setting the discharging time longer than a charging is expected if one wants to discharge the capacitor. This can be applied to Pacala’s invention after all channels in rail A are emitted and then fully discharge the capacitor (set the discharging time longer than charging time) such that no emitting will be fired in rail A during rail B is operating.
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 device taught by Pacala to include set the discharging of the capacitor is longer than charging the capacitor taught by Yang with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is setting the discharging time longer than charging time of the capacitor such that to ensure the fully discharging of the capacitor so that no residual charge is left on capacitor that might otherwise fire the A rail channels when the B rail is activated.
Regarding claim 3, Pacala as modified above teaches the electromagnetic wave radiation device as recited to claim 2, wherein the ranging device is configured to measure a distance to an object using an electromagnetic wave radiated from the electromagnetic wave radiation device (Pacala; Fig. 1, [0035]-[0036], ranging data can be generated by light emitted to the object and reflected back from the object. Based on the delay time, the distance to the reflecting surface can be determined), and
the controller is configured to start discharging the capacitor in the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit after elapsing of a prescribed ranging time from after the electromagnetic wave radiation element in the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit radiates, the ranging time being a time in which a distance to the object is measured by detecting a reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the object (Pacala; Fig. 7A-7C, [0086]-[0087], after channel C11 is fired, the ɸA line can be pulsed high at time 706 to activate switch 615a and fully discharge capacitor 504a through ground so that no residual charge is left on capacitor 504a that might otherwise fire the A rail channels when B rail is activated. As can be seen the discharges is after channels C1, C3, C5, C9 and C11 are activated; Paragraph [0017] also disclosed the operation of the array of photosensor with sensor array readout circuity couple to it. The array of photosensors are paired with array of emitter and the sensor array readout circuitry can be configured to synchronize the readout of each of the photosensor banks within the array concurrently with the firing of its corresponding emitter bank so that each light emitter in the 2D array of individual light emitters can be activated and each photosensor in the array of photosensor can be readout through one emission cycle. Therefore, when emitting the channels C1 through C11, the readout will be concurrently with the firing of its corresponding bank. This means the discharge process after time 706 is after elapsing of a prescribed ranging time).
Regarding claim 4, Pacala as modified above teaches the electromagnetic wave radiation device as recited to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the charging switching elements and the discharging switching elements, and charge the capacitor in the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit (Pacala; [0087], after all the A rail channels have been fired, switch 514b is set to initiating the charging of capacitor 504b. Once capacitor 504b is fully charged, activate switches 412(1)-412(2) in sequence to fire the emitters in B rail) and discharge the capacitor in the electromagnetic wave radiation circuit other than the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit before ranging is performed (Pacala; Fig. 7A-C, [0085]-[0086], firing A rail in sequence C1, C3, C5, C7 and C11. After all the A rail channels have been fired, activate switch 615a to fully discharge capacitor 504a through ground).
Regarding claim 5, Pacala as modified above teaches the electromagnetic wave radiation device as recited to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the charging switching elements and the discharging switching elements, and not discharge the capacitor in the electromagnetic wave radiation circuit other than the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit while the distance to the object is measured (Pacala; Fig. 7A-C, [0085]-[0086], firing A rail in sequence C1, C3, C5, C7 and C11. After all the A rail channels have been fired, activate switch 615a to fully discharge capacitor 504a through ground; as can be seen the discharging of rail B is not performed during rail A distance measurement processing (see Fig. 7A, only rail A is activated and rail B is not operated)).
Pacala does not teach,
and not charge the capacitor in the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit while the distance to the object is measured.
However, in different embodiment in paragraph [0088], Pacala disclosed using smaller capacitors as capacitors 504a and 504b. The capacitors can be fully discharged after each channel is fired and the length of time that the emitters in a given channel are fired will be dependent on the discharge time of the capacitors instead of the pulse width of signal ɸ1 to ɸ6. This implies that the capacitor is not charged during the period that the distance to the object is measured because after the channel is fired, the capacitor is fully discharged.
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 device taught by Pacala to include set the discharging of the capacitor is longer than charging the capacitor taught by Yang, further include not charge the capacitor in the one electromagnetic wave radiation circuit while the distance to the object is measured taught by Pacala in different embodiment with a reasonable expectation of success. The reasoning for this is only charge the capacitor before performing the distance measurement predictably to fully discharging the capacitor after the distance measurement and enable additional flexibility in the timing sequence of the channels (Pacala; [0088]).
Regarding claim 6, Pacala as modified above teaches the electromagnetic wave radiation device as recited to claim 3. The electromagnetic wave radiation device can be used for vehicle navigation (Pacala; [0045]); Fig. 12, [0117], solid state electronic scanning Lidar systems 1202a-d are implemented at the outer regions of a rod vehicle 1205.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lueger (US 20200396813 A1) disclosed in Fig. 6, [0064], shows an embodiment of the driving circuit 10, wherein the controllable switch 210 is embodied to ensure that, at the moment, when the drain voltage of the controllable switch 210 shortly drops below the ground potential, the bulk connection of the controllable switch 210 is connected such that it is avoided that the bulk diode of the controllable switch 210 is forward biased and the flying capacitor 300 is discharged to ground.
Sakda Sae-Ueng et al. (US 20050151524 A1) disclosed in [0008], a modular power supply system is disclosed, wherein the modular power supply system consists of a power source and a power status signal generator circuit connected to the power source for detecting a peak value of an input voltage received from the power source and generating a power status signal indicating a power supply status of the power source, wherein the power status signal generator circuit includes a peak detector that detects a voltage sag of a peak value of the input voltage received from the power source, wherein the peak detector comprises a first voltage comparator that compares the input voltage received from the power source with a predetermined reference voltage and sends an output signal according to a comparison result thereof, a resistor-capacitor network connected to the first voltage comparator and is configured to charge and discharge the capacitor according to the output signal of the first voltage comparator, wherein a charging time of the capacitor is shorter than a discharging time thereof, and a second voltage comparator connected to the resistor-capacitor network that compares a terminal voltage of the capacitor of the resistor-capacitor network with the predetermined reference voltage and generates a power status signal according to a comparison result thereof.
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/CHIA-LING CHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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