DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Summary
2. Patent application submitted on August 13, 2024, has been received and recorded. There are 1-18 claims in the application of which claim 1 is independent claim. Claims 2-18 are dependent claims. Therefore, claims 1-18 are pending for consideration.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement(IDS) submitted was filed along with the mailing date of the application on August 13, 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
3. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
4. This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitations are: “signal generation unit” in claims 1, 14-15; “synchronization unit” in claims 1, 12; “control unit” in claim 1-6, 9; and “movable body control unit” in claim 18.
Because these claim limitations are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, they are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have these limitations interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
6. Claim limitations “control unit”, “signal generation unit”, “synchronization unit”; and “movable body control unit” in claims 1-6, 9, 12, 14-15 and 18 invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Therefore, the claims are indefinite and are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claims 7-8, 10-11, 13, and 16-17 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph because of their dependency on the rejected base claims respectively.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
9. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
10. Claims 1-9, 11-12, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NAKADA(US 2024/0264307 A1) in view of Tashiro(US 2010/0231774 A1).
Regarding claim 1, NAKADA teaches a semiconductor device (distance measuring device 1, fig.1, Para-28; light receiving unit 11, fig.4, Para-44), comprising:
a signal generation unit(reference clock signal generation unit 40, fig.1, Para-29) configured to generate a first signal (reference clock signal, Para-29);
a synchronization unit(control unit 90, fig.1, Para-28, 37, 77-79; clock synchronization unit 13, fig.3, Para-40, 42-43) configured to synchronize the first signal(reference clock signal) with any one of a second signal(delayed clock signal(1) or delayed clock signal(2) or delayed clock signal(3)) and a third signal(delayed clock signal(2) or delayed clock signal(3) or delayed clock signal(1)) that are input from an outside and are synchronized with each other(Para-43); and
a control unit(control unit 90, fig.1, Para-28, 37, 77-79) configured to control at least one of the second signal (delayed clock signal(1) or delayed clock signal(2) or delayed clock signal(3)) and the third signal(delayed clock signal(2) or delayed clock signal(3) or delayed clock signal(1)) based on the first signal after synchronization is performed by the synchronization unit(Para-43).
Nevertheless, NAKADA is not found to teach expressly the semiconductor device, wherein the synchronization unit performs the synchronization by matching a timing at which a potential of the first signal changes to a later one of a timing at which a potential of the second signal changes and a timing at which a potential of the third signal changes.
However, Tashiro teaches a solid-state imaging device, wherein the synchronization unit(drive circuit, Para-30) performs the synchronization by matching a timing(P1, or P2 or P3, fig.3A; or P1, P2, P3, fig.3B) at which a potential of the first signal(øP) changes to a later one of a timing at which a potential of the second signal(øTX1 or øTX2) changes and a timing at which a potential of the third signal changes(øOFD1 or øOFD2, figs.3A-3B, Para-30).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the application, to have modified NAKADA with the teaching of Tashiro to include the feature in order to provide a distance measuring device that reduces error by performing light pulse irradiation multiple times within a single frame period, and determining the distance based on sum total of light exposure quantities(accumulated electric charges) within the single frame period.
Regarding claim 2, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit(90, fig.1, NAKADA) controls both the second signal (øTX1 or øTX2) and the third signal(øOFD1 or øOFD2) based on the first signal(øP) after synchronization is performed by the synchronization unit(Para-30, Tashiro).
Regarding claim 3, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control to switch between enabling and disabling of an external output of at least one of the second signal and the third signal(Para-30, Tashiro).
Regarding claim 4, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further controls, based on one of the second signal and the third signal controlled based on the first signal, the other of the second signal and the third signal (Para-30, Tashiro).
Regarding claim 5, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs, based on one of the second signal and the third signal controlled based on the first signal, control to switch between enabling and disabling of an external output of the other of the second signal and the third signal(Para-30, Tashiro).
Regarding claim 6, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization unit includes a flip-flop circuit(Para-43, NAKADA) to which the first signal and any one of the second signal and the third signal are input.
Regarding claim 7, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches a photoelectric conversion device comprising:
the semiconductor device according to claim 1(see the rejection of claim 1); and
a pixel(fig.4, NAKADA) including a photoelectric conversion element(SPAD, Para-45, NAKADA), the pixel being controlled by a signal output from the semiconductor device(Para-46, NAKADA).
Regarding claim 8, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the photoelectric conversion element is an avalanche photodiode(SPAD, Para-45, NAKADA).
Regarding claim 9, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls whether or not at least one of the second signal and the third signal is supplied to the pixel (Para-35, Tashiro)(checked sequentially for even rowed pixel or odd rowed pixel).
Regarding claim 11, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the third signal indicates timing of signal holding in the pixel(Para-62, NAKADA).
Regarding claim 12, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7,
wherein a fourth signal synchronized with the second signal and the third signal is further input to the synchronization unit(figs.2-3B, Tashiro), and
wherein the synchronization unit synchronizes the first signal with any one of the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal(figs.2-3B, Tashiro).
Regarding claim 16, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the photoelectric conversion device(SPAD, Para-45, NAKADA) is configured to acquire distance information(Para-27, 63, NAKADA; Para-32, 45, Tashiro) to an object by receiving light emitted from a light source whose emission timing is synchronized with the second signal and the third signal at the pixel(Para-27, 63, NAKADA; Para-32, 45, Tashiro(delayed clock signal(1) or delayed clock signal(2) or delayed clock signal(3)); (delayed clock signal(2) or delayed clock signal(3) or delayed clock signal(1))).
Regarding claim 17, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches a photodetection system comprising:
the photoelectric conversion device(fig.4, NAKADA) according to claim 1(see the rejection of claim 1); and
a signal processing unit(control unit, fig.1, Para-37, 77, NAKADA) configured to process a signal output from the photoelectric conversion device(fig.8, Para 60-63, NAKADA).
Regarding claim 18, NAKADA as modified by Tashiro teaches a movable body comprising:
the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1(see the rejection of claim 1); and
a movable body control unit configured to control the movable body based on distance information generated by a signal output from the photoelectric conversion device(Para-4, Tashiro).
Allowable Subject Matter
11. Claims 10, and 13-15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
12. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 10: None of the prior arts, in record, taken alone or in combination, provides a reasonable motivation to fairly teach or suggest the applicant’s invention, “the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the second signal indicates timing of initializing a potential of the photoelectric conversion element”.
Claim 13: None of the prior arts, in record, taken alone or in combination, provides a reasonable motivation to fairly teach or suggest the applicant’s invention, “the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12, wherein each of the third signal and the fourth signal indicates timing of signal holding in the pixel, and wherein the timing of signal holding indicated by the third signal and the timing of signal holding indicated by the fourth signal are different from each other”.
Claim 14: None of the prior arts, in record, taken alone or in combination, provides a reasonable motivation to fairly teach or suggest the applicant’s invention, “the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the signal generation unit further generates a fifth signal synchronized with the first signal, and wherein the fifth signal indicates timing of signal output from the pixel”.
Claim 15: None of the prior arts, in record, taken alone or in combination, provides a reasonable motivation to fairly teach or suggest the applicant’s invention, “the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein the signal generation unit further generates a sixth signal synchronized with the first signal, and wherein the sixth signal indicates timing of initializing a signal held in the pixel, the signal being based on incident light to the photoelectric conversion element”.
Examiner Note
13. The Examiner cites particular figures, paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the references, as applied to the claims above. Although the particular citations are representative teachings and are applied to specific limitations within the claims, other passages, internally cited references, and figures may also apply. In preparing a response, it is respectfully requested that the Applicants fully consider the references, in their entirety, as potentially disclosing or teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as fully consider the context of the passage as taught by the references or as disclosed by the Examiner.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MD SAIFUL A SIDDIQUI whose telephone number is (571)270-1530. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 9:00AM - 5:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Temesghen Ghebretinsae, can be reached at (571)272-3017. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MD SAIFUL A SIDDIQUI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2626
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