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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to amendments and remarks filed on 3/23/2026. Claims 20-33 are pending.
Drawings
The explanation regarding Fig. 3 clearly showing the first to fourth power supplies is accepted. The previous drawing objection is withdrawn.
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.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0284743 ("Mellot").
Regarding claim 20, Mellot discloses a photoelectric conversion device comprising:
an avalanche multiplying photodiode (502, Fig. 5);
a waveform shaping unit (NAND gate, Fig. 5, see paragraph [0036]) configured to generate a photon detection pulse based on an avalanche current generated by incidence of a photon to the avalanche multiplying photodiode (paragraph [0036]);
a first transistor (518, Fig. 5) configured to control an applied voltage (VSPADOFF, Fig. 5) to a terminal of the avalanche multiplying photodiode (anode of 502, Fig. 5, paragraphs [0022], [0036]), which is electrically connected to the waveform shaping unit (NAND gate, Fig. 5);
a counter (counters, paragraphs [0028], [0039]) configured to generate a count value (count rate, paragraphs [0028], [0039], [0046]) by counting the photon detection pulse output from the waveform shaping unit (202, Fig. 2, paragraph [0028]: “The output line 204 is coupled to counters for counting the detected events.” and/or SPADOUT, Fig. 5 is the output line of circuit 500 that would be coupled to the counters); and
a control unit (220, Figs. 2, 6A) configured to stop detection of the photon at the avalanche multiplying photodiode (502, Fig. 5, paragraphs [0018], [0020], [0022],[0036], [0039], SPAD blocks are enabled, and in turn other blocks are disabled, based on the count rate value) by controlling a voltage applied to a gate of the first transistor (gate of 518, Fig. 5, paragraphs [0022], [0059]) in response to the count value (count rate, paragraphs [0028], [0039], [0046]) reaching a predetermined setting value (paragraphs [0046], [0048]).
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 20-28, 31, and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018/0124338 (“Augusto”) in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0284743 ("Mellot").
Regarding claim 20, Augusto discloses a photoelectric conversion device comprising:
an avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5, paragraph [0051]);
a waveform shaping unit (80/84, Fig. 5) configured to generate a photon detection pulse based on an avalanche current generated by incidence of a photon to the avalanche multiplying photodiode (paragraphs [0054]-[0055], [0057]);
a first transistor (anyone of 92, 78, 96, Fig. 5) configured to control an applied voltage (VEE-0, Fig. 5) to a terminal of the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5, paragraph [0051]), which is electrically connected to the waveform shaping unit (80/84, Fig. 5);
a counter (88, Fig. 5) configured to generate a count value by counting the photon detection pulse output from the waveform shaping unit (80, Fig. 5, paragraph [0056]); and
a control unit (10, 16, 18, 20, Fig. 3, and see also Fig. 5, form control unit) configured to stop [generation of the avalanche current] at the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5, paragraphs [0057], [0059]) by controlling a voltage applied to a gate of the first transistor (96, Fig. 5, paragraph [0059]) in response to the count value reaching a predetermined setting value (paragraphs [0030],[0033], [0037], [0059]).
Augusto does not disclose that the control unit is configured to stop detection of the photon at the avalanche multiplying photodiode in response to the count value reaching a predetermined setting value.
However, Mellot discloses a control unit (220, Fig. 2, 6A) is configured to stop detection (paragraphs [0018], [0020], [0022],[0036], [0039], SPAD blocks are enabled, and in turn other blocks are disabled, based on the count rate value) of the photon at the avalanche multiplying photodiode (SPAD1… SPADN, Fig. 2, 502, Fig. 5) in response to the count value (count rate, paragraphs [0028], [0039], [0046]) reaching a predetermined setting value (paragraphs [0046], [0048]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to stop detection of the avalanche photodiode when the count value reaches as threshold as disclosed by Mellot in the device of Augusto in order to selectively enabling/disabling a subset of SPAD cells of a SPAD array to improve the sensitivity of the SPAD array by preventing an overly high count rate that is likely to lead to events being missed or photon arrival statistics being skewed.
Regarding claim 21, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 20, and Augusto further discloses that the counter (88, Fig. 5) outputs a setting value detection signal (overflow signal, paragraph [0059]) to the control unit (16, Fig. 5) in response to the count value reaches the predetermined setting value (paragraphs [0030], [0033], [0037], [0059]).
Regarding claim 22, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 21, and Augusto further discloses that the control unit (16, Fig. 5) is configured to control the applied voltage to the gate of the first transistor (gate of 96, Fig. 5) so as to stop generation of the avalanche current in the avalanche multiplying photodiode (paragraph [0059]) in response to receiving the setting value detection signal (overflow signal, paragraph [0059]).
Regarding claim 23, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 21, and Augusto further discloses that the control unit (10,16, 18, 20, Figs. 3, 5) includes the first transistor (any one of 92, 78, 96, Fig. 5) provided between a power supply node (VEE-0, Fig. 5, paragraph [0042]) and the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5) and is configured to stop supplying of the applied voltage (VEE-0, Fig. 5, paragraph [0059]) to the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5) from the power supply node (VEE-0, Fig. 5) by turning off the first transistor (96 is turned off, paragraph [0059]) in response to receiving the setting value detection signal (overflow signal, paragraph [0059]).
Regarding claim 24, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 21, and Augusto further discloses that the control unit further includes a second transistor (any one of 92 or 78, Fig. 5) that is serially connected to the first transistor (96, Fig. 5) and provided between a power supply node (VEE-0, Fig. 5) and the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5) and is controlled in response to a change in a voltage of the one terminal of the avalanche multiplying photodiode due to incidence of the photon to the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5, paragraphs [0054], [0057]).
Regarding claim 25, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 21, and Augusto further discloses that the first transistor (96, Fig. 5) is controlled by the setting value detection signal (overflow signal, paragraph [0059]).
Regarding claim 26, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 20, and Augusto further discloses that a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels (12, Fig. 1) each including the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Figs. 2, 5), the first transistor (96, Fig. 5), the waveform shaping unit (80/84, Fig. 5 is within a pixel, Fig. 2), the control unit (10, 16, 18, 20, Fig. 2, 5), and the counter (88, Fig. 5, is within a pixel, Fig. 2) is arranged over a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 27, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 20, and Augusto further discloses that the first transistor (92 or 78, Fig. 5) also functions as a quench circuit for the avalanche multiplying photodiode (22, Fig. 5, paragraphs [0050], [0057]).
Regarding claim 28, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 21, and Augusto further discloses that the one terminal is one of an anode or a cathode of the avalanche multiplying photodiode (for example, anode of 22, Fig. 5), wherein another terminal of the avalanche multiplying photodiode (for example, cathode of 22, Fig. 5) is electrically connected to a first power supply voltage (VDD, Fig. 5), and wherein the one terminal of the avalanche multiplying photodiode (for example, anode of 22, Fig. 5) is electrically connected to a second power supply voltage (VEE-0, Fig. 5, or any one of VEE-1 to VEE-3, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 31, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses an imaging system comprising: and Augusto further discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 20 (Fig. 5); and a signal processing unit (10, Fig. 1) configured to process a signal output from the photoelectric conversion device (paragraph [0062]-[0064]).
Regarding claim 33, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 20, and Augusto further discloses that the first transistor (96, Fig. 5) also functions as a recharge circuit for the avalanche multiplying photodiode (paragraph [0051]).
Claims 29-30, 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Augusto in view of Mellot further in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0382726 ("Inaoka")
Regarding claim 29, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, and Augusto further discloses that the control unit is electrically connected to a third power supply voltage (for example, any of VEE-0 to VEE-3, Fig. 5) and a fourth power supply voltage (another one of VEE-1 to VEE-3, Fig. 5) lower than the third power supply voltage (paragraph [0048]), and wherein the control unit is configured to output the third power supply voltage (Fig. 5, paragraphs [0048], [0059]) if the control unit receives the setting value detection signal (overflow signal, paragraph [0059]), and to output the fourth power supply voltage (Fig. 5, paragraph [0048]) if the control unit does not receive the setting value detection signal (paragraph [0059]).
Augusto in view of Mellot does not disclose that the third and fourth power supply voltages are output to the gate of the transistor based on the setting value detection signal.
However, Inaoka discloses a multiplexer (225, Fig. 11) controlled by the control unit (273, Fig. 11) configured to output a first, second, or third voltage (SW=0, 1, or 2, Fig. 12) to the gate of the transistor (251, 252, or 226, Fig. 11) depending on whether the count value has reached the threshold value (see Fig. 12, paragraphs [0109]-[0113]).
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to control the transistor and in turn tune the potential applied to the light sensor as disclosed by Inaoka in the device of Augusto in view of Mellot in order to apply the desired level of potential across the light sensor.
Regarding claim 30, Augusto in view of Mellot and Inaoka discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 29, but does not explicitly disclose that the second power supply voltage and the third power supply voltage are the same voltage.
However, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to select the voltages as appropriate in order to apply the desired level of potential across the light sensor.
Regarding claim 32, Augusto in view of Mellot discloses a moving body (vehicle, paragraph [0003]) comprising: and Augusto further discloses the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 20 (Fig. 5); a distance information acquisition device that acquires distance information on a distance to an object (paragraphs [0003]-[0004]), based on a signal from the photoelectric conversion device (Fig. 5).
Augusto in view of Mellot does not explicitly disclose a control device that controls the moving body based on the distance information.
However, Inaoka discloses a distance information acquisition device (Fig. 34) that acquires distance information on a distance to an object (paragraph [0204]), based on a signal from the photoelectric conversion device (paragraph [0205]), and a control device (12051, Fig. 34) that controls the moving body based on the distance information (paragraph [0207]-[0209]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to control the moving body based on distance information as disclosed by Inaoka in the device of Augusto in view of Mellot in order to prevent collisions, follow travel based on vehicular gap, or provide lane out warnings of the moving body.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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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/MONICA T TABA/Examiner, Art Unit 2878
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