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
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.
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.
Claims 1-6, and 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chan (US 2021/0217918 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Chan discloses time-of-flight circuitry ([0107] Single shot light detection and ranging (LIDAR)—For LIDAR, a scene is illuminated by a short burst of light from a laser and reflections of this pulse is detected. The time between the emission of the laser light and the detection of a reflection gives the distance to the reflector) comprising:
an imaging element ([0106] The systems using the linear mode APD [avalanche photodiode] array with a matched superlattice structure may include as follows); and
readout circuitry ([0105] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a diagram 800 of a linear mode APD array with a matched superlattice structure with in-situ memory and a parallel column readout. Each pixel in array sees different x-y direction, and acquires a z-direction. The array is designed for in-situ storage of each time bin, sequentially reading-out each time bin between light pulses. The light pulses such as laser pulses may be captured in 100 time bins in each 50 μm×50 μm pixel. Each time bin has a read out circuit containing a linear mode APD with a matched superlattice structure) configured to:
apply a plurality of time-shifted readout taps to a plurality of outputs of the imaging element, wherein the time-shifted readout taps are shifted in time with respect to each other, such that the outputs of the imaging element are read out after one another ([0108] The waveform representing the data along the z-direction can be broken into time bins and the APD output current integrated over each time bin stored as charge in a separate capacitor in the readout circuit. We have determined that a 50 μm×50 μm pixel can have 100 storage capacitors in addition to the electronics needed to integrate the current and to read out the charge in the capacitors).
Regarding Claims 2 and 12, Chan discloses that the imaging element includes a plurality of imaging sub-elements ([0107] Each APD in a linear mode APD array with proper optics can detect light arriving from different directions. Each APD in the linear mode APD array can acquire the full waveform for light reflected from objects located in a unique direction determined by the optics. Thus, a linear mode APD array can collect all reflections of a single laser shot over a field-of-view determined by the optics).
Regarding Claims 3 and 13, Chan discloses that each sub-element includes at least one output ([0107] The collected data represents a three-dimensional image of the scene where the arrival time gives the z-direction and each APD gives the x- and y-directions).
Regarding Claims 4 and 14, Chan discloses that the plurality of outputs corresponds to a plurality of capacitances of the imaging element ([0108] The waveform representing the data along the z-direction can be broken into time bins and the APD output current integrated over each time bin stored as charge in a separate capacitor in the readout circuit. We have determined that a 50 μm×50 μm pixel can have 100 storage capacitors in addition to the electronics needed to integrate the current and to read out the charge in the capacitors).
Regarding Claims 5 and 15, Chan discloses that the plurality of time-shifted readout taps is applied to the plurality of capacitances based on a main readout capacitance to which each time-shifted readout signal is applied, and based on a plurality of sub-capacitances which are read out with one respective time-shifted readout signal of the plurality of time-shifted readout signals ([0108] and Fig. 9 The waveform representing the data along the z-direction can be broken into time bins and the APD output current integrated over each time bin stored as charge in a separate capacitor in the readout circuit. We have determined that a 50 μm×50 μm pixel can have 100 storage capacitors in addition to the electronics needed to integrate the current and to read out the charge in the capacitors Examiner Note: Fig. 9, reproduced below, shows that the “electronics needed to integrate the current” are represented as the integrating amplifier and include a capacitor).
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Regarding Claims 6 and 16, Chan discloses that each capacitance is coupled to at least two readout switches (Figure 9 Examiner Note, Fig. 9, reproduced above, illustrates that the “storage capacitors” are coupled to two switches. For example, SW1 and SW4 are both coupled to the capacitor located at the top of the column of capacitors).
Regarding Claim 11, Chan discloses a time-of-flight ([0107] Single shot light detection and ranging (LIDAR)—For LIDAR, a scene is illuminated by a short burst of light from a laser and reflections of this pulse is detected. The time between the emission of the laser light and the detection of a reflection gives the distance to the reflector) readout method ([0105] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a diagram 800 of a linear mode APD array with a matched superlattice structure with in-situ memory and a parallel column readout. Each pixel in array sees different x-y direction, and acquires a z-direction. The array is designed for in-situ storage of each time bin, sequentially reading-out each time bin between light pulses. The light pulses such as laser pulses may be captured in 100 time bins in each 50 μm×50 μm pixel. Each time bin has a read out circuit containing a linear mode APD with a matched superlattice structure) comprising:
applying a plurality of time-shifted readout taps to a plurality of outputs of an imaging element, wherein the time-shifted readout taps are shifted in time with respect to each other, such that the outputs of the imaging element are read out after one another ([0108] The waveform representing the data along the z-direction can be broken into time bins and the APD output current integrated over each time bin stored as charge in a separate capacitor in the readout circuit. We have determined that a 50 μm×50 μm pixel can have 100 storage capacitors in addition to the electronics needed to integrate the current and to read out the charge in the capacitors).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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 7-9 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan (US 2021/0217918 A1) in view of Laifenfeld et al. (US 2019/0018119 A1).
Regarding Claims 7 and 17, Chan is not relied upon as teaching that the plurality of outputs corresponds to a plurality of counters.
However, Laifenfeld teaches that the plurality of outputs corresponds to a plurality of counters ([0107] Three light sensing pixels—1302, 1304, and 1306—may be from the same column but adjacent rows, as described above, for overlap of processing. The three light sensing pixels can receive a controllable Early/Late counting range value 1308. An E−L up-down counter 1312 for each light sensing pixel is triggered by external signals to control the direction of the counting).
Chan and Laifenfeld are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of time-of-flight imaging and LiDAR systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the readout circuit of Chan to include the up-down counter of Laifenfeld with a reasonable expectation of success. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to provide digital counting and precise range tracking for individual pixels. By integrating Laifenfeld’s teaching of an up-down counter for each light sensing pixel into Chan’s readout circuit, the system can quantify the arrival time of light pulses digitally. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that combining a digital counter with the capacitor-based storage architecture would yield the predictable result of enhanced temporal resolution and robust digital data processing.
Regarding Claims 8 and 18, Chan is not relied upon as teaching that a histogram is generated based on counts in the plurality of counters.
However, Laifenfeld teaches that a histogram is generated based on counts in the plurality of counters ([0107] The three light sensing pixels can receive a controllable Early/Late counting range value 1308. An E−L up-down counter 1312 for each light sensing pixel is triggered by external signals to control the direction of the counting and whether to register a count in the histogram of that light sensing pixel. At the end of the counting time period, histograms 1310 for the three light sensing pixels can be used to determine a TOF.).
Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) and Laifenfeld are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of time-of-flight imaging and LiDAR systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the processing circuitry of Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) to include the histogram generation based on counts of Laifenfeld with a reasonable expectation of success. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to compile and analyze statistical distributions of arrival times for precise time-of-flight determination. By integrating Laifenfeld’s teaching of generating a histogram using counts from the up-down counters into Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld)’s readout and processing architecture, the system can evaluate multiple photon detection events statistically. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that storing and organizing the counter data into histograms would yield the predictable result of improved accuracy in distance and depth calculation.
Regarding Claims 9 and 19, Chan is not relied upon as teaching that the counters are bidirectional counters.
However, Laifenfeld teaches that the counters are bidirectional counters ([0107] An E−L up-down counter 1312 for each light sensing pixel).
Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) and Laifenfeld are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of time-of-flight imaging and LiDAR systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the counters of Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) to include the bidirectional nature (up-down counting functionality) of Laifenfeld with a reasonable expectation of success. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to enable flexible counting directions, such as early and late counting ranges for precise temporal tacking. By integrating Laifenfeld’s teaching of an E-L up-down counter into Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld)’s readout system, the system can dynamically increment and decrement counts based on control systems. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that employing bidirectional counting would yield the predictable result of enhanced accuracy and adaptability in measuring time intervals.
Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chan (US 2021/0217918 A1) and Laifenfeld et al. (US 2019/0018119 A1) in view of Tsuji (US 2020/0304688 A1).
Regarding Claims 10 and 20, Chan is not relied upon as teaching that a histogram is generated based on counts in the bidirectional counters, wherein entries of the histogram correspond to relative counts with respect to their respective neighboring entry.
However, Laifenfeld teaches that a histogram is generated based on counts in the bidirectional counters ([0107] An E−L up-down counter 1312 for each light sensing pixel is triggered by external signals to control the direction of the counting and whether to register a count in the histogram of that light sensing pixel. At the end of the counting time period, histograms 1310 for the three light sensing pixels can be used to determine a TOF. For memory efficiency, the histogram of each light sensing pixel may be expanded by one memory bin that can be used to store the E−L difference).
Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) and Laifenfeld are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of time-of-flight imaging and LiDAR systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the histogram generation of Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) to include the bidirectional counter counts and memory bin expansion for E-L difference of Laifenfeld with a reasonable expectation of success. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to efficiently store and process count data to determine time-of-flight. By integrating Laifenfeld’s teaching of generating a histogram using counts from bidirectional up-down counters into Chan’s readout system, the system can track counting directions and calculate time-of-flight values. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that using bidirectional counters to populate a histogram would yield the predictable result of precise, memory-efficient temporal range detection.
Laifenfeld is not relied upon as teaching that entries of the histogram correspond to relative counts with respect to their respective neighboring entry.
However, Tsuji teaches that entries of the histogram correspond to relative counts with respect to their respective neighboring entry ([0069] a histogram of the cumulative relative frequency of the color differences ΔE between the reference printing sheet and two prospective printing sheets, and the color difference).
Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) and Tsuji are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of histogram generation and data processing. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the histogram entries of Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld) to include cumulative relative frequency and relative differences between entries of Tsuji with a reasonable expectation of success. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to evaluate data distributions relative to neighboring values for enhanced statistical comparison. By integrating Tsuji’s teaching of entries corresponding to relative counts with respect to respective neighboring entries into Chan (as previously modified by Laifenfeld)’s histogram architecture, the system can normalize data points against adjacent reference values. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that configuring histogram entries to represent relative values compared to neighboring entries would yield the predictable result of improved analytical resolution and structured data evaluation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EVAN H HAUT whose telephone number is (571)272-7927. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10am-3pm EST.
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/E.H.H./Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/HELAL A ALGAHAIM/SPE , Art Unit 3645
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