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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/19/2026 has been entered.
Applicant(s) Response to Official Action
The response filed on 05/19/2026 has been entered and made of record.
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Presented arguments have been fully considered but are held unpersuasive. Examiner’s response to the presented arguments follows below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Summary of Arguments:
Regarding claims 1, 10, 12-13, the Applicant argues US 2023/0012744 A1 (Wong) in view of US 2022/0036110 A1 (Sironi) and US 2026/0006304 A1 (Dahlgren) do not disclose “(1) setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging-state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate, (2) acquiring tracking-object information of a tracking object determined by the third control unit and performing control for setting an event detection region in an image generated by the event detection apparatus, and (3) performing control for changing at least one of a size or a shape of the event detection region according to a moving speed or a moving direction of the tracking object calculated from the one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus” for the following reasons:
“Wong discloses that the 'category, nature, relative velocity, particular object, or other characteristic determined from the output of the event detection pixels 502, 503 … can then be applied to determine the operating parameter of image sensing pixels 501, 502' (emphasis added). Wong is deficient at least as regards the above discussed claimed features as recited, inter alia, in Claims 1, 10, 12, and 13.” [Remarks: Pages 1-2]
“Wong is deficient and therefore relies upon Sironi, citing to, e.g., [0011], which states 'The activation threshold Q can be fixed, or can be adapted as a function of the luminance …' But Sironi also lacks any description or suggestion of at least the above discussed claimed features as recited, inter alia, in Claims 1, 10, 12, and 13.” [Remarks: Page 2]
“… stating that Dahlgren discloses 'any captured high resolution video stream may be analyzed based on thresholds detected in change detectors 231 and automatically adjust the settings of the camera module 300.' […] Dahlgren also lacks any description or suggestion of at least the above discussed claimed features as recited, inter alia, in Claims 1, 10, 12, and 13.” [Remarks: Page 3]
“… there has been no showing of any indication of motivation in the applied documents, or any other rationale, that would lead one having ordinary skill in the art to arrive at the above discussed claimed features as recited, inter alia, in Claims 1, 10, 12, and 13.” [Remarks: Page 3]
Examiner’s Response:
Regarding claims 1, 10, 12-13, the Examiner contends:
This argument fails because it attacks the Wong reference individually. Under a 35 U.S.C. § 103 obviousness rejection, a single reference is not required to teach every limitation of the claim; rather, it is the combination of references that renders the claim unpatentable. The rejection explicitly acknowledges that the Wong reference relies on event detection pixels to determine the operating parameters of the image sensing pixels. The limitation of calculating moving speed or an imaging state index from output frames to change the size/shape or set a detection condition of the event detection apparatus is specifically cured by the Dahlgren reference, not the Wong reference.
This argument fails because it similarly attacks the Sironi reference in isolation. The rejection does not rely on the Sironi reference to teach calculating state indexes or object speed from synchronous output frames. Rather, the Sironi reference is relied upon to teach what the detection condition is (an activation threshold adapted as a function of luminance) and the setting of an event detection region to track the object. The Dahlgren reference is relied upon to provide the missing teaching of calculating the required indexes and speed from the synchronous frames to perform these adaptations.
This argument fails because it mischaracterizes the teachings of the Dahlgren reference. The Dahlgren reference explicitly discloses that "captured high-resolution images as well as any captured high-resolution video stream may be analyzed by for example object detection algorithms in order to identify the moving object, its position and speed … and automatically adjust the settings of the camera module 300, in particular the settings of the image sensor system 200". Furthermore, it discloses that "trigger level(s)... may be set on a luminance interval". Therefore, the Dahlgren reference clearly teaches calculating imaging state indexes (such as luminance intervals) and moving speeds from the synchronous frames to adjust the settings (detection conditions/trigger levels) of the event detection sensors.
This argument fails because it is a mere conclusory statement that ignores the rationale provided in the rejection. The rejection clearly articulated a proper motivation to combine the references. Specifically, the combination leverages the Sironi reference's teaching of tracking local regions to dynamically adjust sensitivity and avoid noise, and the Dahlgren reference's teaching of utilizing high-resolution synchronous image data to calculate object speed and scene luminance precisely. The rationale to combine these teachings with the Wong reference is explicitly stated. Please see the updated mappings and motivation below.
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 1-3 & 5-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wong et al., hereinafter referred to as Wong (US 2023/0012744 A1) in view of Sironi et al., hereinafter referred to as Sironi (US 2022/0036110 A1) in further view of Dahlgren et al., hereinafter referred to as Dahlgren (US 2026/0006304 A1).
As per claim 1, Wong discloses an object tracking apparatus (Wong: Abstract) comprising:
at least one processor or circuit configured to function as (Wong: Paras. [0045], [0048] disclose a processor system (130) comprising a CPU and other components configured to control the system and execute programming.):
(1) an acquisition unit configured to acquire (a) an output of an event detection apparatus (EBS sensor) that detects an event based on a change in luminance of a pixel and (b) an output of an imaging apparatus (image sensor) that images an object at a predetermined frame rate (Wong: Paras. [0002], [0006], [0042], [0045], [0048] disclose the processor system (130) processing data output from the image sensor and EBS sensor (asynchronously detects a change in light intensity for every pixel), which include both event detection signals and imaging sensor data, thereby acquiring their outputs.);
(2) a first control unit configured to control the event detection apparatus and the imaging apparatus (Wong: Paras. [0048], [0059] disclose the processor system (130) controls the components of the imaging device, including the drive circuit (211) which drives the unit pixels.);
(4) a data processing unit configured to generate image data from the output of the imaging apparatus and the output of the event detection apparatus (Wong: Paras. [0010], [0048] disclose the processor system (130) processes both event and image sensor data to perform functions like object recognition, which requires generating usable data from the raw sensor outputs.); and
(5) a third control unit configured to perform detection and tracking control of an object by using the image data generated by the data processing unit (Wong: Paras. [0010], [0114], [0120] disclose performing object recognition and classification by evaluating events and using the image sensor to obtain further information about the object.),
wherein the second control unit performs control for setting a detection condition (Wong: Paras. [0007]-[0009], [0115]-[0119] disclose the concept of setting operating parameters of the image sensor [imaging apparatus] in response to outputs from the EBS sensor [event detection apparatus] and based on a frame rate that is determined based on detected object speed [claimed calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate].),
wherein the second control unit acquires tracking-object information of a tracking object determined by the third control unit and performs control (Wong: Para. [0010] discloses “region of interest occupied by or surrounding the desired object can be mapped to the image sensor, and that area of the image sensor can be activated [claimed acquires tracking object information of a tracking object determined by the third control unit and performs control]”), and
wherein the second control unit performs control for changing at least one of a size or a shape of the event detection region according to a moving speed or a moving direction of the tracking object calculated from the one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus (Wong: Para. [0008] discloses “an object causing the detection of an event that is travelling relatively quickly will result in the activation of a larger area of the image sensor [claimed according to a moving speed or a moving direction of the tracking object] … The shape of the activated area can also be varied [claimed changing at least one of a size or a shape]”. Further, Wong: Para. [0065] discloses “the area of each address event detection pixel 503 [claimed event detection region] can be the same as the area of each image sensing pixel 502 [claimed calculated from the one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus].”.).
However, Wong does not explicitly disclose “… a second control unit configured to control a detection condition for the event detection apparatus to detect an event; … wherein the second control unit performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging-state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate …”.
Further, Sironi is in the same field of endeavor and teaches a second control unit configured to control a detection condition for the event detection apparatus to detect an event (Sironi: Para. [0011] discloses for an event-based sensor, the “activation threshold Q can be fixed, or can be adapted”. Adapting this threshold is equivalent to controlling a detection condition.);
wherein the second control unit performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus (Sironi: Paras. [0020], [0034], [0038] disclose a two-process method: a first process detects an object/region of interest (ROI) using a frame (image data) and a second process determines the track based on events in that ROI. The ROI determined by the frame-based process sets the detection condition (region) for the event-based apparatus.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, and having the teachings of Wong and Sironi before him or her, to modify the imaging system of Wong to include the controlling and setting detection condition feature as described in Sironi. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve overall system efficiency and robustness by providing an optimized configuration that modulates event sensor output data based on an imager’s capturing operation.
However, Wong-Sironi do not explicitly disclose “… performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate …”.
Furthermore, Dahlgren is in the same field of endeavor and teaches performs control for setting a detection condition (thresholds) of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate (Dahlgren: Paras. [0138], [0145]-[0146], [0216], [0221] disclose the captured high-resolution images at a synchronous rate as well as any captured high-resolution video stream may be analyzed based on thresholds detected in change detectors 231 and automatically adjust the settings of the camera module 300. Further, Dahlgren: Para. [0227] discloses “trigger level(s) … may be set on a luminance interval [claimed performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate]” and Dahlgren: Para. [0267] discloses operating the system at predetermined rate settings based on power profiles [therefore, high-resolution synchronous frames generated at the predetermined rate are analyzed to extract both the speed of the object and luminance indices to precisely adjust the event sensor detection conditions].).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, and having the teachings of Wong-Sironi and Dahlgren before him or her, to modify the imaging system of Wong-Sironi to include the control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate feature as described in Dahlgren. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve motion sensitivity at low light conditions and event detection accuracy by providing a configuration that enables robust exposure adjustment for motion that would otherwise not be detected and by leveraging high-resolution synchronous image data to precisely calculate object speed and scene luminance, enabling finer dynamic adjustments of the event sensors.
As per claim 2, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the object tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit performs control for setting the detection condition of the event detection apparatus by determining brightness (Sironi: luminance) or contrast of a captured image acquired by the imaging apparatus based on the one or more output frames or a detection result of an object (Sironi: Paras. [0007]-[0012], [0034]-[0039] disclose updating the detection threshold in the event-based sensor when luminance change exceeds threshold (positive/negative) polarity.).
As per claim 3, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the object tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit acquires information on the tracking object determined by the third control unit and performs control for setting the event detection region of the event in an image generated by the event detection apparatus (Sironi: Paras. [0011], [0034]-[0039], [0102]-[0104] disclose using tracking object information from the fast process to update the ROI for event detection.).
As per claim 5, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the object tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third control unit calculates a reliability of an object detection result based on a captured image acquired by the imaging apparatus and a reliability of an object detection result based on an image acquired by the event detection apparatus, and performs tracking control by using an object detection result in which the reliability is higher (Sironi: Paras. [0099]-[0104] disclose selection of detection results based on confidence/reliability from the slow vs. fast process.).
As per claim 6, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the object tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit performs control for changing the event detection region of an event in an image acquired by the event detection apparatus according to a moving speed or a moving direction of a tracking object determined by the third control unit (Wong: Paras. [0008]-[0009] disclose the ROI of the image sensor is adjusted based on object speed/direction and Sironi: Paras. [0099]-[0104] disclose selection of detection results based on confidence/reliability from the slow vs. fast process.).
As per claim 7, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the object tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data processing unit changes a framing cycle for generating a framed image from an output of the event detection apparatus according to a moving speed of an object detected by the third control unit (Wong: Paras. [0008]-[0009] disclose the frame rate of the image sensor is adjusted based on object speed and Sironi: Paras. [0020]-[0026], [0034]-[0039], [0093]-[0098] disclose events accumulated over a time interval to form images and the interval is adjusted based on object motion.), and
wherein the moving speed is calculated from the one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus (Wong: Paras. [0008]-[0009] disclose the frame rate [corresponds to claimed one or more output frames] of the image sensor is adjusted based on object speed.).
As per claim 8, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the object tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit performs control for changing a size or a shape of a detection region of an event in an image generated by the event detection apparatus, in the control of the detection condition (Wong: Para. [0008] discloses the size and shape of the activated area can also be varied based on characteristics of the object detected by the EBS sensor and Sironi: Paras. [0020]-[0026], [0103] disclose the detection region is continuously re-defined based on object motion and shape.).
As per claim 9, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the object tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the event detection apparatus detects, as the event, a case where a signal based on intensity of light incident to an imaging element of the event detection apparatus increases exceeding a threshold or a case where the signal decreases below the threshold (Wong: Paras. [0042], [0057] disclose the event detection sensor responds to a change in intensity asynchronously. Intensity change is correlated with a change in photocurrent, and if this change exceeds a constant threshold value it could be detected as an event. Further, Sironi: Paras. [0007]-[0012], disclose updating the detection threshold in the event-based sensor when luminance change exceeds threshold (positive/negative) polarity.).
As per claim 10, Wong discloses an imaging system (Wong: Abstract) comprising:
an event detection apparatus that has an asynchronous imaging element and that detects an event based on a change in luminance of a pixel (Wong: Paras. [0002], [0006], [0042] disclose a system with an event-based sensor (EBS) that asynchronously detects a change in light intensity for every pixel.);
an imaging apparatus that has a synchronous imaging element and that captures an image of an object at a predetermined frame rate (Wong: Paras. [0002], [0006], [0009] disclose a regular frame-based image sensor that operates at a selected frame rate.); and
at least one processor or circuit configured to function as (Wong: Paras. [0045], [0048] disclose a processor system (130) comprising a CPU and other components configured to control the system and execute programming.):
(1) an acquisition unit configured to acquire an output of the event detection apparatus and an output of the imaging apparatus (Wong: Paras. [0045], [0048] disclose the processor system (130) processing data output from the image sensor, which includes both event detection signals and imaging sensor data, thereby acquiring their outputs.);
(2) a first control unit configured to control the event detection apparatus and the imaging apparatus (Wong: Paras. [0048], [0059] disclose the processor system (130) controls the components of the imaging device, including the drive circuit (211) which drives the unit pixels.);
(4) a data processing unit configured to generate image data from the output of the imaging apparatus and the output of the event detection apparatus (Wong: Paras. [0010], [0048] disclose the processor system (130) processes both event and image sensor data to perform functions like object recognition, which requires generating usable data from the raw sensor outputs.); and
(5) a third control unit configured to perform object detection and tracking control by using image data generated by the data processing unit (Wong: Paras. [0010], [0114], [0120] disclose performing object recognition and classification by evaluating events and using the image sensor to obtain further information about the object.),
wherein the second control unit performs control for setting a detection condition frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate (Wong: Paras. [0007]-[0009], [0115]-[0119] disclose the concept of setting operating parameters of the image sensor [imaging apparatus] in response to outputs from the EBS sensor [event detection apparatus] and based on a frame rate that is determined based on detected object speed [claimed calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate].),
wherein the second control unit acquires tracking-object information of a tracking object determined by the third control unit and performs control (Wong: Para. [0010] discloses “region of interest occupied by or surrounding the desired object can be mapped to the image sensor, and that area of the image sensor can be activated [claimed acquires tracking object information of a tracking object determined by the third control unit and performs control]”), and
wherein the second control unit performs control for changing at least one of a size or a shape of the event detection region according to a moving speed or a moving direction of the tracking object calculated from the one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus (Wong: Para. [0008] discloses “an object causing the detection of an event that is travelling relatively quickly will result in the activation of a larger area of the image sensor [claimed according to a moving speed or a moving direction of the tracking object] … The shape of the activated area can also be varied [claimed changing at least one of a size or a shape]”. Further, Wong: Para. [0065] discloses “the area of each address event detection pixel 503 [claimed event detection region] can be the same as the area of each image sensing pixel 502 [claimed calculated from the one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus].”.).
However, Wong does not explicitly disclose “… a second control unit configured to control a detection condition for the event detection apparatus to detect an event; … wherein the second control unit performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging-state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate …”.
Further, Sironi is in the same field of endeavor and teaches a second control unit configured to control a detection condition for the event detection apparatus to detect an event (Sironi: Para. [0011] discloses for an event-based sensor, the “activation threshold Q can be fixed, or can be adapted”. Adapting this threshold is equivalent to controlling a detection condition.);
wherein the second control unit performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus (Sironi: Paras. [0020], [0034], [0038] disclose a two-process method: a first process detects an object/region of interest (ROI) using a frame (image data) and a second process determines the track based on events in that ROI. The ROI determined by the frame-based process sets the detection condition (region) for the event-based apparatus.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, and having the teachings of Wong and Sironi before him or her, to modify the imaging system of Wong to include the controlling and setting detection condition feature as described in Sironi. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve overall system efficiency and robustness by providing an optimized configuration that modulates event sensor output data based on an imager’s capturing operation.
However, Wong-Sironi do not explicitly disclose “… performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate …”.
Furthermore, Dahlgren is in the same field of endeavor and teaches performs control for setting a detection condition (thresholds) of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate (Dahlgren: Paras. [0138], [0145]-[0146], [0216], [0221] disclose the captured high-resolution images at a synchronous rate as well as any captured high-resolution video stream may be analyzed based on thresholds detected in change detectors 231 and automatically adjust the settings of the camera module 300. Further, Dahlgren: Para. [0227] discloses “trigger level(s) … may be set on a luminance interval [claimed performs control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate]” and Dahlgren: Para. [0267] discloses operating the system at predetermined rate settings based on power profiles [therefore, high-resolution synchronous frames generated at the predetermined rate are analyzed to extract both the speed of the object and luminance indices to precisely adjust the event sensor detection conditions].).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, and having the teachings of Wong-Sironi and Dahlgren before him or her, to modify the imaging system of Wong-Sironi to include the control for setting a detection condition of the event detection apparatus based on at least one imaging state index calculated from one or more output frames of the imaging apparatus generated at the predetermined frame rate feature as described in Dahlgren. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve motion sensitivity at low light conditions and event detection accuracy by providing a configuration that enables robust exposure adjustment for motion that would otherwise not be detected and by leveraging high-resolution synchronous image data to precisely calculate object speed and scene luminance, enabling finer dynamic adjustments of the event sensors.
As per claim 11, Wong-Sironi-Dahlgren disclose the imaging system according to claim 10, wherein the second control unit performs control for setting the detection condition of the event detection apparatus according to a moving speed of a tracking object or a relative moving speed between the imaging system and the tracking object (Wong: Paras. [0008]-[0009] disclose the ROI of the image sensor is adjusted based on object speed/direction and Sironi: Paras. [0099]-[0104] disclose selection of detection results based on confidence/reliability from the slow vs. fast process.).
As per claims 12-13, the claims recite analogous limitations to claims 1 & 10 above, and are therefore rejected on the same premise.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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.
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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/PEET DHILLON/Primary Examiner
Art Unit: 2488
Date: 07-27-2026
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