DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: It is missing a period. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 4, 6, and 9 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.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the photon detection circuit" in lines 2-4. However, is not clear whether it is referring to the photon detection circuit in the first pixel, the second pixel, or both of them. Therefore, the claim is indefinite.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the photon detection circuit" in line 2. However, is not clear whether it is referring to the photon detection circuit in the first pixel, the second pixel, or both of them. Therefore, the claim is indefinite.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the photon detection circuit" in line 2. However, is not clear whether it is referring to the photon detection circuit in the first pixel, the second pixel, or both of them. Therefore, the claim is indefinite.
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.
Claim 1-4, 7, 11, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0252563 ("Yasuda") in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0141238 ("Zhou").
Regarding claim 1, Yasuda discloses a photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising:
a first pixel (either one of first or second pixel, Fig. 35) having an avalanche photodiode (either one of 3302A, 3302B, Fig. 35) configured to acquire light information (paragraphs [0055], [0235]); and
a second pixel (other one of first or second pixel, Fig. 35) having an avalanche photodiode (other one of 3302A, 3302B, Fig. 35) configured to acquire visible light information (paragraph [0235], Bayer-array sensor is a visible light sensor), wherein each of the first pixel and the second pixel (each of first and second pixel, 3302B, Fig. 35) includes:
a photon detection circuit (3601A and 3601B, Fig. 35) configured to detect a photon signal (photon signal from 3302A, 3302B, Fig. 35) and to output a photon detection signal (output of 3601A, 3601B, Fig. 35); and
a pixel counter (3602A, 3602B, Fig. 35) configured to count the photon detection signal (paragraph [0237]), and
the first pixel (for example, second pixel, Fig. 35) transmits the photon signal (output of 3302B, Fig. 35) or the photon detection signal at the first pixel to the second pixel (for example, to the first pixel, Fig. 35), and causes the pixel counter of the second pixel (3602A, Fig. 35) to make an [addition] from the counter value (paragraph [0238]).
Yasuda does not disclose that one of the pixels acquires infrared light, nor that the transmission of the signal from one pixel to the other causes the pixel counter of the second pixel not to change a counter value or to make a subtraction from the counter value.
However, in claims 4 and 17, Yasuda discloses subtracting a counter value (see also paragraph [0239]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to change the counter of one of pixels to make a subtraction, instead of an addition, in order to cancel out the signals and obtain a pixel count without pixel mixing.
Yasuda does not disclose that one of the pixels acquires infrared light.
However, Zhou discloses one of pixels acquires infrared light (pixel IR, Fig. 5A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include an IR pixel as disclosed by Zhou in the device of Yasuda in order to capture both visible light images and IR images using a single camera, as it saves on size and costs and avoids the need to do a geometry calibration that is required when two cameras are used.
Regarding claim 2, Yasuda in view of Zhou discloses the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, Yasuda further discloses that the second pixel (first pixel, Fig. 35) further includes a signal control circuit (3601A, Fig. 35, further functions as a signal control circuit given its ability to perform logic functions) configured to control a signal input to the pixel counter of the second pixel (3602A, Fig. 35, paragraph [0237]), the first pixel (second pixel, Fig. 35) transmits the photon detection signal at the first pixel (output of 3302B, Fig. 35) to the signal control circuit (3601A, Fig. 35), the signal control circuit (3601A, Fig. 35) performs a logical operation on the photon detection signal having been transmitted (paragraphs [0236]-[0237]), and a photon detection signal at the second pixel (output of 3302A, Fig. 35).
Regarding claim 3, Yasuda in view of Zhou discloses the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, and Yasuda further discloses that the photon detection circuit (for example, 3601A, Fig. 35) at the second pixel (for example, first pixel, Fig. 35) operates to cause the pixel counter of the second pixel (3602A, Fig. 35) not to change a counter value or to make a subtraction from the counter value (paragraph [0239]).
Regarding claim 4, Yasuda in view of Zhou discloses the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 3, and Yasuda further discloses that the first pixel (for example, second pixel, Fig. 35) transmits the photon detection signal at the first pixel (output of 3302B, Fig. 35) to the photon detection circuit (either one of 3601A, 3601B, Fig. 35), and the photon detection circuit (either one of 3601A, 3601B, Fig. 35) performs a logical operation (3601A, Fig. 35 does a logical-OR operation, paragraph [0238]) on the photon detection signal having been transmitted (see Fig. 35), and a photon detection signal at the second pixel (output of 3302A, Fig. 35).
Regarding claim 7, Yasuda in view of Zhou discloses the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, and Yasuda discloses that the number of times photon detection is performed per one frame (for example, paragraph [0251-[0252]) is greater than the number of counter bits of the pixel counter (paragraph [0236]).
Regarding claim 11, Yasuda in view of Zhou discloses a photoelectric conversion system comprising: the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and Yasuda further discloses a signal processing unit (502, Fig. 5) configured to generate an image (inherent output of an image sensor, Fig. 5) by using a signal output from the photoelectric conversion apparatus (200, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 13, Yasuda in view of Zhou discloses equipment comprising: the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1; and Yasuda further discloses at least any one of:
an optical apparatus (401, Fig. 4 or see 601/602, Fig. 6) corresponding to the photoelectric conversion apparatus (paragraph [0075]);
a control apparatus (503, Fig. 5 or 603, Fig. 6) configured to control the photoelectric conversion apparatus (paragraph [0079]);
a processing apparatus (502, Fig. 5) configured to process a signal output from the photoelectric conversion apparatus (paragraph [0078]);
a display apparatus configured to display information acquired by the photoelectric conversion apparatus;
a storage apparatus (604, Fig. 6) configured to store the information acquired by the photoelectric conversion apparatus (paragraph [0084]); and
a mechanical apparatus configured to operate based on the information acquired by the photoelectric conversion apparatus.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasuda in view of Zhou further in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0134771 ("Kim").
Regarding claim 12, Yasuda in view of Zhou discloses the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim, but does not disclose a moving body comprising the photoelectric conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving body further comprises a control unit configured to control a movement of the moving body by using a signal output from the photoelectric conversion apparatus.
However, Kim discloses a moving body (6000, Fig. 21) with a photelectric conversion apparatus, wherein the moving body (6000, Fig. 21) further comprises a control unit configured to control a movement of the moving body by using a signal output from the photoelectric conversion apparatus (paragraph [0138]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the photoelectric conversion apparatus of Yasuda in view of Zhou in a vehicle as disclosed in Kim in order to provide information necessary for autonomous driving by automatically recognizing objects or people in images.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 are 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 and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The invention as claimed, specifically in combination with the pixel counter of the second pixel is an up/down counter, the up/down counter increments a counter value of the pixel counter at the second pixel, and decrements the counter value on the basis of a photon signal or a photon detection signal transmitted from the first pixel; or a clock signal is input to the photon detection circuit, is not taught or made obvious by the prior art of record.
Claims 8, 10 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The invention as claimed, specifically in combination with: the second pixel outputs the flag information as well as a counter value of the photon detection signal at the second pixel, is not taught or made obvious by the prior art of record.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
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/MONICA T TABA/Examiner, Art Unit 2878
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