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
Claims 1, 2, 4, 7-12, 14-16, 18-19 are amended.
Claim 17 is cancelled.
Claims 1-16 and 18-19 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 4, 8, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The claims listed above use the terms “x” and “y” as variables but do not define what the variables relate to in the overall process. For the purposes of examination these variables will be interpreted as generic values.
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 1-3, 6-7, 9-13, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (US 20220018943 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches a method for detection result processing ([0046] The laser is configured to transmit a plurality of detection signals to a target object,), comprising:
determining a signal peak of a target pixel signal ([0224] The preset signal-to-noise ratio threshold is determined based on a system test status or an empirical value, and the signal-to-noise ratio may be a peak signal-to-noise ratio); and
determining an accumulated signal by accumulating the target pixel signal and neighboring pixel signals, based on a determination that the target pixel signal and a neighboring pixel signal satisfy an accumulation condition and the signal peak of the target pixel signal is no greater than a first detection threshold ([Fig. 8] [0223] Step 801: Light detection and ranging determines, based on a first echo signal, whether a signal-to-noise ratio of the first echo signal is greater than a signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and if yes, executes step 802, or if no, executes step 803. [0231] Step 803: The light detection and ranging determines a pixel matrix based on received echo signals. [0234] Step 806: The light detection and ranging determines, based on the second pixel, a second amplitude value set corresponding to the second pixel, where the second amplitude value set is a set that includes amplitude values corresponding to some second sampling points in the second echo signal; [0260] Step 808: The light detection and ranging obtains a target ranging set based on all first amplitude value sets and all second amplitude value sets.).
Regarding claim 2, Li teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the determination that the target pixel signal and the neighboring pixel signals satisfy the accumulation condition comprises:
a determination that a peak value of the target pixel signal is smaller than a first accumulation threshold, and a signal peak of the neighboring pixel signal is smaller than a second accumulation threshold ([0232] Step 804: The light detection and ranging determines a first amplitude value set based on a first pixel, where the first amplitude value set is a set that includes amplitude values corresponding to some first sampling points in the first echo signal; [0234] Step 806: The light detection and ranging determines, based on the second pixel, a second amplitude value set corresponding to the second pixel, where the second amplitude value set is a set that includes amplitude values corresponding to some second sampling points in the second echo signal.); and
a determination that a neighboring pixel is a pixel adjacent in angle to a target pixel, or a pixel adjacent in channel to the target pixel ([0231] Step 803: The light detection and ranging determines a pixel matrix based on received echo signals.).
Regarding claim 3, Li teaches the method of claim 2, wherein the first accumulation threshold is configured to be a predetermined first constant value, or the first accumulation threshold is configured to be determined based on the target pixel signal ([0224] The preset signal-to-noise ratio threshold is determined based on a system test status or an empirical value); and
the second accumulation threshold is configured to be a predetermined second constant value, or the second accumulation threshold is configured to be determined based on the target pixel signal ([0234] Step 806: The light detection and ranging determines, based on the second pixel, a second amplitude value set corresponding to the second pixel, where the second amplitude value set is a set that includes amplitude values corresponding to some second sampling points in the second echo signal.).
Regarding claim 6, Li teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: based on a determination that the signal peak is greater than the first detection threshold, determining the target pixel signal as a detection result corresponding to a target pixel ([0223] Step 801: Light detection and ranging determines, based on a first echo signal, whether a signal-to-noise ratio of the first echo signal is greater than a signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and if yes, executes step 802, or if no, executes step 803...[0229] Step 802: The light detection and ranging performs ranging based on the first echo signal.).
Regarding claim 7, Li teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the first detection threshold is configured to be a predetermined third constant value, or the first detection threshold is configured to be determined based on the target pixel signal ([0239] The first condition is that a correlation coefficient of the target first amplitude value set and the target second amplitude value set is greater than or equal to a preset threshold.).
Regarding claim 9, Li teaches the method of claim 1, wherein when determined the accumulated signal, the method further comprising:
in response to detecting the accumulated signal satisfying a predetermined output condition, determining the accumulated signal as a detection result corresponding to a target pixel ([0229] Step 802: The light detection and ranging performs ranging based on the first echo signal. [0230] In this embodiment, if the light detection and ranging determines that the signal-to-noise ratio of the first echo signal obtained after the noise reduction filtering is greater than or equal to the signal-to-noise ratio threshold, it indicates that the light detection and ranging can accurately measure a distance from the target object based on the first echo signal.).
Regarding claim 10, Li teaches the method of claim 9, wherein neighboring pixels comprise a first neighboring pixel and a second neighboring pixel; the accumulated signal comprises a first accumulated signal determined by accumulating the target pixel signal and a first neighboring pixel signal, a second accumulated signal determined by accumulating the target pixel signal and a second neighboring pixel signal, and a third accumulated signal determined by accumulating the target pixel signal, the first neighboring pixel signal, and the second neighboring pixel signal ([0236] Step 807: The light detection and ranging performs summation on a target first amplitude value set and a target second amplitude value set.; [0246] For example, a target parameter of a first pixel A0 is B0, there are n second pixels (A1, A2, . . . , and An), and target parameters of the n second pixels are B1, B2, . . . , and Bn respectively.;); and
wherein in response to detecting the accumulated signal satisfying the predetermined output condition ([0237] In this embodiment, when the light detection and ranging determines that the target first amplitude value set and the target second amplitude value set meet a summation condition, the light detection and ranging performs summation on the target first amplitude value set and the target second amplitude value set.), determining the accumulated signal as the detection result corresponding to the target pixel comprises:
determining the accumulated signal satisfying the output condition as the detection result corresponding to the target pixel when detecting at least one of the first accumulated signal, the second accumulated signal, or the third accumulated signal satisfying the output condition ([0264] Step 810: The light detection and ranging performs ranging based on an average sequence.).
Regarding claim 11, Li teaches the method of claim 10, wherein in response to detecting the accumulated signal satisfying the predetermined output condition, determining the accumulated signal as the detection result corresponding to the target pixel comprising:
in response to detecting two or more of the first accumulated signal, the second accumulated signal, and the third accumulated signal satisfying the output condition, selecting one accumulated signal with a highest peak value among the two or more of the first accumulated signal, the second accumulated signal, and the third accumulated signal as the detection result corresponding to the target pixel ([0247] The light detection and ranging may first sort, in descending order, the target parameters respectively corresponding to the n second pixels, the sorted target parameters corresponding to then second pixels may be B1, B2, . . . , and Bn, and B1, B2, . . . , and Bn are sorted in descending order.; [0257] The light detection and ranging may determine whether Bi>=M*B0 holds true, where Bi represents a target parameter corresponding to any one of second pixels A1, A2, . . . , and An corresponding to a first pixel; [0258] If the condition holds true, the light detection and ranging determines that sequence summation can be performed on a first amplitude value set determined based on the first pixel A0 and a second amplitude value set determined based on the second pixel Bi.).
Regarding claim 12, Li teaches the method of claim 9, wherein the output condition comprises: a peak value of the accumulated signal being greater than a second detection threshold ([Fig. 8]; [0264] Step 810: The light detection and ranging performs ranging based on an average sequence.).
Regarding claim 13, Li teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the second detection threshold is configured to be a predetermined third constant value, or the second detection threshold is configured to be determined based on the accumulated signal ([0238] The summation condition in this embodiment includes the following two conditions: a first condition and a second condition; [0245] In an optional manner, a searching and accumulating solution may be used for the second condition. The searching and accumulating solution in this embodiment means performing summation on the target parameter of the first pixel and a target parameter of at least one second pixel to obtain a target sum, and if a ratio of the target sum to a weighting coefficient is greater than or equal to the target parameter of the first pixel, determining that the second condition is met.).
Regarding claim 18, Li teaches a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is a non-volatile storage medium or a non-transient storage medium, and stores a computer program, executable by at least one processor to perform operations for detection result processing ([0046] The laser is configured to transmit a plurality of detection signals to a target object,; [0089] The processor 139 executes an instruction 141 stored in a non-transient computer-readable medium such as a memory 140.), the operations comprising:
determining a signal peak of a target pixel signal ([0224] The preset signal-to-noise ratio threshold is determined based on a system test status or an empirical value, and the signal-to-noise ratio may be a peak signal-to-noise ratio); and
determining an accumulated signal by accumulating the target pixel signal and neighboring pixel signals, based on a determination that the target pixel signal and a neighboring pixel signal satisfy an accumulation condition and the signal peak of the target pixel signal is no greater than a first detection threshold ([Fig. 8] [0223] Step 801: Light detection and ranging determines, based on a first echo signal, whether a signal-to-noise ratio of the first echo signal is greater than a signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and if yes, executes step 802, or if no, executes step 803. [0231] Step 803: The light detection and ranging determines a pixel matrix based on received echo signals. [0234] Step 806: The light detection and ranging determines, based on the second pixel, a second amplitude value set corresponding to the second pixel, where the second amplitude value set is a set that includes amplitude values corresponding to some second sampling points in the second echo signal; [0260] Step 808: The light detection and ranging obtains a target ranging set based on all first amplitude value sets and all second amplitude value sets.).
Regarding claim 19, Li teaches an apparatus, comprising
at least one memory; and at least one processor ([0089] The processor 139 executes an instruction 141 stored in a non-transient computer-readable medium such as a memory 140.),
wherein the at least one memory stores a computer program executable by the at least on processor to perform operations for detection result processing ([0046] The laser is configured to transmit a plurality of detection signals to a target object,; [0089] The processor 139 executes an instruction 141 stored in a non-transient computer-readable medium such as a memory 140.), the operations comprising:
determining a signal peak of a target pixel signal ([0224] The preset signal-to-noise ratio threshold is determined based on a system test status or an empirical value, and the signal-to-noise ratio may be a peak signal-to-noise ratio); and
determining an accumulated signal by accumulating the target pixel signal and neighboring pixel signal satisfy an accumulation condition and the signal peak of the target pixel signal is no greater than a first detection threshold ([Fig. 8] [0223] Step 801: Light detection and ranging determines, based on a first echo signal, whether a signal-to-noise ratio of the first echo signal is greater than a signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and if yes, executes step 802, or if no, executes step 803. [0231] Step 803: The light detection and ranging determines a pixel matrix based on received echo signals. [0234] Step 806: The light detection and ranging determines, based on the second pixel, a second amplitude value set corresponding to the second pixel, where the second amplitude value set is a set that includes amplitude values corresponding to some second sampling points in the second echo signal; [0260] Step 808: The light detection and ranging obtains a target ranging set based on all first amplitude value sets and all second amplitude value sets.).
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 4, 8, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 20220018943 A1), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Matsumoto (US 20140307142 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Li teaches the method of claim 3, wherein the first accumulation threshold or the second accumulation threshold is configured to be determined based on:
determining a mean value μn and a standard deviation on of the first signal ([0224] The peak signal-to-noise ratio is a signal-to-noise ratio corresponding to a sampling point with a largest amplitude value in the first echo signal, and the net value signal-to-noise ratio is an average value of signal-to-noise ratios corresponding to all sampling points included in the first echo signal; [0283] amplitude value set and the second amplitude value set by using the following formula:...Var(rx,y(n)) is a variance of the first amplitude value set); and
determining at least one of the first accumulation threshold as μn+y1σn, or the second accumulation threshold as μn+y2σn, and y1≤y2 ([0107] To improve ranging accuracy, a signal-to-noise ratio of an echo signal may be improved by using a standard averaging algorithm.).
Li fails to teach the method of determining a first clamped signal by clamping the target pixel signal;
However, Matsumoto teaches the method of determining a first clamped signal by clamping the target pixel signal ([055] The signal processing circuit 12 outputs the pixel signal having undergone the clamp process to a processing circuit (not illustrated) on the subsequent stage.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Li to comprise the clamped pixel signal similar to Matsumoto, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a common technique known to the art to shift the signal to avoid damage or better suit the sensing equipment used by the device.
Regarding claim 8, Li teaches the method of claim 7, wherein the first detection threshold is configured to be determined based on:
determining a mean value μn and a standard deviation on of the first signal ([0224] The peak signal-to-noise ratio is a signal-to-noise ratio corresponding to a sampling point with a largest amplitude value in the first echo signal, and the net value signal-to-noise ratio is an average value of signal-to-noise ratios corresponding to all sampling points included in the first echo signal; [0283] amplitude value set and the second amplitude value set by using the following formula:...Var(rx,y(n)) is a variance of the first amplitude value set); and
determining the first detection threshold to be μn+Xσn ([0107] To improve ranging accuracy, a signal-to-noise ratio of an echo signal may be improved by using a standard averaging algorithm.).
Li fails to teach the method of determining a first clamped signal by clamping the target pixel signal;
However, Matsumoto teaches the method of determining a first clamped signal by clamping the target pixel signal ([055] The signal processing circuit 12 outputs the pixel signal having undergone the clamp process to a processing circuit (not illustrated) on the subsequent stage.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Li to comprise the clamped pixel signal similar to Matsumoto, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a common technique known to the art to shift the signal to avoid damage or better suit the sensing equipment used by the device.
Regarding claim 14, Li teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the second detection threshold is configured to be determined based on:
determining a mean value μ2 and standard deviation σ2 of the second signal ([0224] The peak signal-to-noise ratio is a signal-to-noise ratio corresponding to a sampling point with a largest amplitude value in the first echo signal, and the net value signal-to-noise ratio is an average value of signal-to-noise ratios corresponding to all sampling points included in the first echo signal; [0283] amplitude value set and the second amplitude value set by using the following formula:...Var(rx,y(n)) is a variance of the first amplitude value set); and
determining the second detection threshold to be μ2+xσ2 ([0107] To improve ranging accuracy, a signal-to-noise ratio of an echo signal may be improved by using a standard averaging algorithm.).
Li fails to teach the method of determining a second clamped signal by clamping the accumulated signal;
However, Matsumoto teaches the method of determining a second clamped signal by clamping the accumulated signal ([055] The signal processing circuit 12 outputs the pixel signal having undergone the clamp process to a processing circuit (not illustrated) on the subsequent stage.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Li to comprise the clamped pixel signal similar to Matsumoto, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a common technique known to the art to shift the signal to avoid damage or better suit the sensing equipment used by the device.
Regarding claim 15, Li teaches the method of claim 13, wherein neighboring pixels comprise a first neighboring pixel and a second neighboring pixel; and the second detection threshold is determined based on:
determining a mean value μn−1 and standard deviation σn−1 of the third signal and a mean value μn−2 and standard deviation σn−2 of the fourth signal; and determining the second detection threshold to be μ2+xσ2, wherein μ2 (μn−1+μn+1)/2, and σ2=√{square root over (varn−1+varn+1)}÷2 ([0224] The peak signal-to-noise ratio is a signal-to-noise ratio corresponding to a sampling point with a largest amplitude value in the first echo signal, and the net value signal-to-noise ratio is an average value of signal-to-noise ratios corresponding to all sampling points included in the first echo signal; [0283] amplitude value set and the second amplitude value set by using the following formula:...Var(rx,y(n)) is a variance of the first amplitude value set).
Li fails to teach the method of determining a third clamped signal by clamping a first neighboring pixel signal, and determining a fourth clamped signal by clamping a second neighboring pixel signal;
However, Matsumoto teaches the method of determining a third clamped signal by clamping a first neighboring pixel signal, and determining a fourth clamped signal by clamping a second neighboring pixel signal ([055] The signal processing circuit 12 outputs the pixel signal having undergone the clamp process to a processing circuit (not illustrated) on the subsequent stage.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Li to comprise the clamped pixel signal similar to Matsumoto, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a common technique known to the art to shift the signal to avoid damage or better suit the sensing equipment used by the device.
Regarding claim 16, Li teaches the method of claim 13, wherein neighboring pixels comprise a first neighboring pixel and a second neighboring pixel; and the second detection threshold is configured to be determined based on the following steps:
determining a mean value μn and standard deviation on of the first signal, and determining a mean value μn−1, standard deviation σn−1, and variance varn−1 of the third signal, and a mean value μn+1, standard deviation σn+1, and variance varn+1 of the fourth signal; and determining the second detection threshold to be μ2+Xσ2, wherein μ2=(μn−1+μn+μn+1)/3, and σ2=√{square root over (varn−1+varn+varn+1)}÷3 ([0224] The peak signal-to-noise ratio is a signal-to-noise ratio corresponding to a sampling point with a largest amplitude value in the first echo signal, and the net value signal-to-noise ratio is an average value of signal-to-noise ratios corresponding to all sampling points included in the first echo signal; [0283] amplitude value set and the second amplitude value set by using the following formula:...Var(rx,y(n)) is a variance of the first amplitude value set).
Li fails to teach the method of determining a first clamped signal by clamping the target pixel signal, determining a third clamped signal by clamping a first neighboring pixel signal, and determining a fourth clamped signal by clamping a second neighboring pixel signal, respectively;
However, Matsumoto teaches the method of determining a first clamped signal by clamping the target pixel signal, determining a third clamped signal by clamping a first neighboring pixel signal, and determining a fourth clamped signal by clamping a second neighboring pixel signal, respectively ([055] The signal processing circuit 12 outputs the pixel signal having undergone the clamp process to a processing circuit (not illustrated) on the subsequent stage.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Li to comprise the clamped pixel signal similar to Matsumoto, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a common technique known to the art to shift the signal to avoid damage or better suit the sensing equipment used by the device.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 20220018943 A1) and Matsumoto (US 20140307142 A1), as applied to Claim 4 above, and further in view of Solh et al. (US 10,380,853 B1).
Regarding claim 5, Li, as modified, teaches the method of claim 4,
LI fails to teach the method of comparing a signal amplitude of the target pixel signal at each time stamp with a predetermined clamp value, and selecting a minimum value between the signal amplitude at each time stamp and the predetermined clamp value, wherein the minimum value corresponding to the time stamp is configured to be a signal amplitude of the first clamped signal at a corresponding time stamp.
However, Matsumoto teaches the method of comparing a signal amplitude of the target pixel signal at each time stamp with a predetermined clamp value, and selecting a minimum value between the signal amplitude at each time stamp and the predetermined clamp value, wherein the minimum value corresponding to the time stamp is configured to be a signal amplitude of the first clamped signal at a corresponding time stamp ([Col. 11, line 50 - Col. 12, line 3] For example, the detector 102 may compare the aggregate confidence values to a universal confidence threshold value to determine if human presence is detected. The universal confidence threshold value may be based on a set of training data and may apply to any image data...For example, the intensity values are generated by comparing aggregate confidence values relative to a global maximum aggregate confidence value (e.g., highest aggregate confidence value over a period of time). Thus, while a maximum aggregate confidence value may vary between environments).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of this invention to modify the invention of Li, as modified, to comprise the time-based comparison similar to Solh, with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of using a predetermined reference level to compare real world incoming signals to cross-reference and check the level and validity of a target.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT W VASQUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/JAMES R HULKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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