throbber
EXHIBIT 1039
`
`Transcript of deposition of Ralph Etienne-Cummings on Dec. 11, 2015
`
`TRW Automotive U.S. LLC: EXHIBIT 1039
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NUMBER 8,599,001
`IPR2015-00436
`
`

`
`
`In the Matter of:
`
`TRW AUTOMOTIVE U.S. LLC
`vs.
`MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
`
`___________________________________________________

`RALPH ETIENNE‐CUMMINGS, Ph.D.
`December 11, 2015
`
`___________________________________________________
`
`1039-001
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`
` UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
` ____________________________
` BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
` ____________________________
`
` TRW AUTOMOTIVE U.S. LLC
` Petitioner
` v.
` MAGNA ELECTRONICS, INC.
` Patent Owner
` ____________________________
` Case IPR2015-00436, Case IPR2015-00437
` Case IPR2015-438, Case IPR2015-439
` ____________________________
`
` Videotaped Deposition of
` RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D.
` Washington, D.C.
` Friday, December 11, 2015
` 9:19 a.m.
`
`Job No. CH-064908
`Pages 1 - 135
`Reported by: Michele E. Eddy, RPR, CRR, CLR
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-002
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 2
`
` Videotaped Deposition of RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS,
`Ph.D., held at the offices of:
` STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX
` 1100 New York Avenue, Northwest
` Suite 600
` Washington, D.C. 20005
` (202) 371-2600
` Pursuant to Notice, before Michele E.
`Eddy, Registered Professional Reporter, Certified
`Realtime Reporter, and Notary public in and for
`the District of Columbia.
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-003
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 3
`
` A P P E A R A N C E S
`
`ON BEHALF OF THE PETITIONER:
` JON R. TREMBATH, ESQUIRE
` LATHROP & GAGE LLP
` 950 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2400
` Denver, Colorado 80202
` Telephone: (720) 931-3200
` jtrembath@lathropgage.com
` - AND -
` HISSAN ANIS, ESQUIRE
` LATHROP & GAGE LLP
` 10851 Mastin Boulevard
` Building 82, Suite 1000
` Overland Park, Kansas 66210
` Telephone: (913) 451-5100
` hanis@lathropgage.com
`
`1
`
`2 3
`
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-004
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 4
`
`ATTENDANCE, Continued
`
`ON BEHALF OF THE PATENT OWNER:
` MARK CONSILVIO, ESQUIRE
` DANIEL E. YONAN, ESQUIRE
` STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX
` 1100 New York Avenue, Northwest
` Suite 600
` Washington, D.C. 20005
` Telephone: (202) 371-2600
`
`ALSO PRESENT:
` T.J. O'Toole, Videographer
`
`1
`
`2 3
`
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-005
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 5
`
` EXAMINATION INDEX
` PAGE
`EXAMINATION BY MR. TREMBATH 8
`EXAMINATION BY MR. YONAN 126
`
` E X H I B I T S
` (Attached to the Transcript)
`DEPOSITION EXHIBIT PAGE
`Exhibit 1 Declaration of Dr. Ralph 12
` Etienne-Cummings; IPR2015-00436
`Exhibit 2 Exhibit 1004, Vellacott, Oliver; 48
` CMOS In Camera, IEE Review
` pp. 111-114 (May 1994)
`Exhibit 3 Exhibit 1005, U.S. Patent 64
` 4,970,653, Issued to Kenue on
` November 13, 1990
`Exhibit 4 Declaration of Dr. Matthew A. 65
` Turk, Patent 7,994,462
`Exhibit 5 Diagram 91
`Exhibit 6 Exhibit 1002, U.S. Patent 92
` 8,599,001 for Vehicular Vision
` System, Issued to Schofield,
` et al., on December 3, 2013
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`
`5 6 7 8
`
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`1039-006
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 6
`
` EXHIBIT INDEX CONTINUED
`
`DEPOSITION EXHIBIT PAGE
`Exhibit 7 Diagram 100
`Exhibit 8 Article titled "256 x 256 CMOS 123
` Active Pixel Sensor
` Camera-on-a-Chip" by R.H. Nixon,
` S.E. Kemeny, B. Pain, C.O.
` Staller, and E.R. Fossum
`
`1
`
`2 3
`
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-007
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 7
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` P R O C E E D I N G S
` Washington, D.C.
` December 11, 2015, 9:19 A.M.
` - - -
` THE VIDEOGRAPHER: On the record with
`disc number 1 of the video deposition of Dr. Ralph
`Etienne-Cummings, taken in the matter of TRW
`Automotive U.S. LLC versus Magna Electronics,
`Incorporated, in the United States Patent and
`Trademark Office before the Patent Trial and
`Appeal Board, Cases Number IPR2014-01497 and 99.
` This deposition is being held at the
`offices of Sterne Kessler, located at 1100 New
`York Avenue, Northwest, in Washington, D.C., on
`December 11th, 2015, at approximately 9:19 a.m.
` My name is T.J. O'Toole. I am the
`certified legal video specialist. The court
`reporter is Michele Eddy. We are both here
`representing DTI Global.com.
` Will counsel please introduce themselves
`and indicate which parties they represent.
` MR. TREMBATH: Jon Trembath, Lathrop &
`Gage, representing the petitioner, TRW Automotive.
`With me is Hissan Anis as well.
` MR. YONAN: Daniel Yonan, from the law
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-008
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 8
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`firm of Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox,
`representing Magna.
` MR. CONSILVIO: Mark Consilvio, from
`Sterne Kessler, also representing Magna.
` THE VIDEOGRAPHER: Thank you.
` Will the court reporter please swear in
`the witness.
` - - -
` RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS
`having been duly sworn, testified as follows:
` MR. TREMBATH: So, as a housekeeping
`matter, what he read in was maybe different from
`what I have. I think he said 2014. And I think
`it's IPR2015-00436, 00437, 00438, and 00439.
` MR. YONAN: That's correct.
` EXAMINATION BY COUNSEL FOR PETITIONER
`BY MR. TREMBATH:
` Q Could you state your name for the
`record, please.
` A Sure. My name is Ralph
`Etienne-Cummings.
` Q How would you like me to call you?
` A Ralph is fine or Dr. Etienne-Cummings.
` Q All right. Have you been deposed
`before?
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-009
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 9
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` A Yes, I have.
` Q How many times?
` A Not exactly sure, but I think it's in
`the neighborhood of ten, something like that.
` Q So you kind of know the rules of the
`game?
` A I think so.
` Q Okay. I'll reiterate the ones that I
`think are important.
` If you need a break, let me know.
` A Okay.
` Q I sometimes ask inarticulate questions.
`If you don't understand what I'm asking, just say
`so and I'll try to reformulate the question.
` A Okay.
` Q We'll try not to talk over each other.
`I think those are the big ones. Okay?
` A Thank you.
` Q As you prepared your declaration, did
`you review anything that wasn't included in the
`exhibits that you provided?
` A I do not think so.
` Q In your expert report, you indicated
`that the Vellacott reference was maybe inadequate
`to inform one how to do what it purported to do
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-010
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 10
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`because Donnelly, I guess, programmed the
`Vellacott device or something, that Donnelly added
`something to the mix that wasn't disclosed. Do
`you recall that?
` MR. YONAN: Objection, vague.
` A Yeah, I don't quite understand your
`question. It's a little bit convoluted.
` Q Okay. Let me see if I can find your
`testimony.
` A Sure.
` Q And then I think that will clear it up.
` While I'm looking, do you -- do you know
`about how much you've been paid for your
`engagement in this matter?
` A I don't know how much I have been paid
`because I didn't do the math, but I know how much
`time I have worked on it.
` Q How much time have you worked on it?
` A So it's something to the order of 54, I
`think, hours at this point.
` Q I think maybe what I'll do is I'll just
`go through your report and I'll get to what I
`wanted to ask you about.
` Were you told anything about Donnelly's
`development of the rearward-facing camera system?
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-011
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 11
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` MR. YONAN: Same objection, vague.
` A "Development." What do you mean by
`development?
` Q Did anyone tell you what Donnelly did to
`make the VVL device work?
` A I have not spoken with anybody other
`than -- the only thing that I have is what's
`within the references so ...
` Q You didn't see any documents, nobody
`told you anything about how the VVL device worked
`or --
` A Well, I mean, other than -- so other
`than my understanding of the document, the
`Vellacott reference --
` Q Right.
` A -- and all the references that I've
`cited in my declarations, those are the components
`that went into my analysis to determine -- to
`understand, if I could, what the Donnelly system
`did or didn't do.
` Q So you didn't receive any information
`outside that universe that would inform you what
`the Donnelly system did.
` A Not that I recall.
` Q Perfect.
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-012
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 12
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` Let's break out the declaration.
` Danny, would you like a copy?
` MR. YONAN: Absolutely. Thank you.
` MR. TREMBATH: Let's mark that as
`Exhibit 1. Hand it to the witness. Thank you.
` (Exhibit 1 was marked for identification
`and attached to the deposition transcript.)
`BY MR. TREMBATH:
` Q I believe Exhibit 1 is the declaration
`that you filed in this case, or that you prepared
`for this case, and I think if we can go ahead and
`jump to page 17.
` A Okay.
` Q At the top of the page, you write, "Each
`vision system is the result of conscious selection
`parameters for innumerable possibilities in an
`effort to find a uniquely effective solution to a
`particular application," and then, paren, "vision
`chips," in bold, "are always full-custom design,"
`end bold, "and full custom design is known to be
`time-consuming and error prone."
` What -- are you -- are you suggesting
`that all vision chips are full custom design?
` A So, remember, this is in the context of
`a time when we're talking about here.
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-013
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 13
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` Q Right. Right.
` A So back in those -- at those times, if
`you look at the reference that I cited --
` Q Yes.
` A -- I believe this is the -- yes, it's
`the Exhibit 2005, which is -- just to be certain
`so that I don't give you the wrong impression -- I
`believe it's a book by Ali Moini, but let me
`verify that to be certain. Yes.
` So it's not just my opinion. It's the
`opinion of folks who were actually doing vision
`systems at that time, that pretty much every
`aspect of vision systems that were being developed
`at that time required, you know, the combination
`of design of a custom system based on the
`application at hand.
` Q What do you mean by "a custom system"?
` A So, for example, if I'm building a
`system that's going to measure movement, then I
`would have to build a system that had the entire
`componentry to allow motion to be measured. There
`was some literature that folks were, you know,
`putting out there of how one might consider
`measuring motion, for example, but there was no
`off-the-shelf component that I could go and
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-014
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 14
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`purchase and just say I want measure motion.
`Everything had to be matched to the circumstance
`of the application at hand.
` Q So your opinion is there was no system
`out there that you could get off the shelf that
`would let you adapt it to a particular
`application.
` A So what I'm saying is that there are
`specifics about the application domain that
`ultimately one has to tune not -- one has to tune
`the design process to match that application
`domain.
` Q What do you mean by "tune the design
`process"?
` A So I mean that, ultimately, if I'm
`designing something to work in low light
`conditions, then I would have to build a design
`that works in low light conditions. If I need to
`build something that works in sunlight, then I
`have to tune it to make sure that it has the specs
`to work in sunlight. So that's what I mean. It's
`like the specs of the system has to match the
`condition in which you're applying it.
` Q And you couldn't get -- at the time
`we're talking about -- and just for clarity, all
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-015
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 15
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`of my questions are going to relate to the time
`before the -- more than a year before the
`application was filed.
` A Sure.
` Q So at that time, there wasn't anything
`off the shelf that would let the person do that,
`get a -- there wasn't a vision system that I could
`get and tune for the application that I wanted, or
`was there?
` MR. YONAN: Objection, vague.
` A So each application at hand had to be --
`had to be tuned. So if you found such an
`application -- if you were to -- this is now
`speculation or it's, you know, hypothetical. If
`you were to find such a thing, it would probably
`work in one domain but not in another. So one has
`to be particularly careful, if one wants a
`component that works in a particular domain, that
`one picks the right set of parameters that makes
`it work in that domain.
` Q When you say "domain," what do you mean?
` A So I mean if I am working -- well, let's
`go back to kind of what we're talking about here,
`which is, you know, these references in these
`patents. If I am working on a -- if I have a
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-016
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 16
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`system that's used to look, let's say, rearward
`from a vehicle, and then I want to now make it
`look forward, that's a completely different set of
`parameters from a perspective of what that scene
`would look like. So a camera or a system, a
`vision system, that may work looking backwards may
`not work at all looking forward.
` Q So would it be your testimony that you
`are unaware of any system off the shelf that you
`could -- that was designed, say, to look
`backwards, that you could have looked forward?
`You're not aware of anything like that?
` A You can always have it look forward, but
`will it give you anything of use? Will it do what
`it's intended to do? Will it provide the data
`that you need to do anything of use looking
`forward. That's what, you know -- that's the
`problem.
` Q So is it your testimony that you're
`unaware of any system that off the shelf was
`adaptable to be used in different environments?
` MR. YONAN: Objection. Asked and
`answered.
` A Also very vague, unfortunately.
`"Different environments," I mean, there's multiple
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-017
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 17
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`different environments. What specific environment
`are you referring to?
` Q Let's say something that you could
`use -- we'll stick with the rearward camera.
` A Right.
` Q But, let's say, use that in a medical
`application.
` A So it, again, depends on the conditions
`of the environment, right? So, for example, what
`is the light level.
` Q Okay.
` A So think about it this way. I have a
`camera that's in my garage. You know, the garage
`is generally dark. So I have a system that sees
`me moving around in my garage. Now I take that
`same thing and I go outside in the bright
`sunlight. You're not going to see anything. It's
`all going to be completely saturated, completely.
` Q Okay. So --
` A It's that kind of thing, right? It's
`basically the environment in which this vision
`system has to exist has to be one where the
`parameters of that environment has to be
`considered. Otherwise, it's not going to be of
`use.
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-018
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 18
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` Q Okay. So are you aware of any system
`that could be used -- we'll use -- we'll stay with
`rearward cameras --
` A Sure.
` Q -- which is to detect headlights. That
`seems to me to be a low light condition, right?
` A Not exactly.
` Q No?
` A No. You can look at the reference by
`Yadid-Pecht, where she argues and, in general,
`true to be the case that the headlight itself,
`that point where the headlight hits the camera is
`actually something on the order of about two or
`three orders of magnitude brighter than sun. So
`it's not a low light condition. Now, around it,
`maybe. But those two points that corresponds to
`that headlights, no.
` Q So compare that environment to a surgery
`room where I've got bright lights. Could I use
`the technology that identifies the bright lights
`of a headlight in a surgery room where I have
`steady, constant bright light but not two or three
`times the brightness of the sun?
` A Right. So --
` MR. YONAN: Objection, speculation.
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-019
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 19
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` A So that was what I was -- that was
`not -- it was not part of the consideration that I
`had, right? It was not a --
` Q Right.
` A -- one of the references because I don't
`think it appears in my declaration anywhere.
` Q Right.
` A So I would have to evaluate that
`situation entirely and determine whether or not,
`you know, the system at hand could be used. But
`I'm speaking now as a -- you know, kind of based
`on my experience, based on my knowledge --
` Q Yes.
` A -- that it would not be -- it would not
`be necessarily an easy transition. It would not
`be necessarily a predictable transition. It would
`not be necessarily a known transition to use that
`camera that's been in -- used to look backwards
`on -- you know, to track headlights behind me to
`now go into the OR and try to measure lights in
`the OR. It's not something that I've given much
`thought to, to tell you the truth.
` Q Based on the research that you've done
`and your own personal experience, are you aware of
`any system that would allow you or would enable
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-020
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 20
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`you to do that, to make that transition?
` MR. YONAN: Same objection.
`Speculation.
` A Based on my analysis, I didn't see
`anything that would allow me to do that, no.
` Q Perfect.
` A And just be clear about that, yes, I
`don't see anything that -- given the fact that I
`don't know the exact lighting conditions and so on
`and so forth, right, I put it in that context.
` Q Right.
` A Because that was never a point of
`analysis, right, to look at OR. I don't know how
`bright it is and so on and so forth.
` Q Right. How about this room?
` A Yes, but you've got to, you know, have
`measurements, right, measurements of the lighting
`in this room for me to know -- also, one thing you
`don't realize is that this room has a lot of
`flicker. The light is shaking back and forth.
`Can the vision system handle that? Don't know
`until you test it, until you look at the
`algorithms and you look at the camera.
` Q You don't know if the Vellacott system
`would handle the flicker and the lights?
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-021
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 21
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` A No idea.
` Q On page 32 --
` A Yes.
` Q -- the last sentence in the top
`paragraph, "The comparative disadvantages of CMOS
`meant that vision system designers found CMOS
`undesirable for high-speed and high-resolution
`applications, such as vehicle vision systems."
` Do you have any citation to support
`that?
` A So let us -- this is obviously in
`context of everything that's come before, right?
` Q Right.
` A So resolution obviously is not just how
`many pixels there are but also what is the dynamic
`range, and there's no question that at that time
`folks like, again, Yadid-Pecht were working
`fervently on trying to understand how to extend
`the dynamic range of the photodetectors in order
`for it to be -- have a useful application, a
`useful, wide range of application, number one.
` Number two, and I notice that it says --
`I notice that it says, "CMOS image -- imagers of
`the mid '90s (and, in particular, PPS)" -- right,
`passive pixel CMOS image sensors -- "had
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-022
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 22
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`substantial and significant disadvantages compared
`to CCDs at that time. CCDs had fewer electronic
`components in the pixels and had quieter sensor
`substrates. CCDs also have inherent tolerance to
`bus capacitance variation and common output
`amplifiers with transistor geometries that could
`be easily adapted for minimal noise."
` Then you say -- then I say, "The
`comparative disadvantage then of CMOS meant that
`vision systems found CMOS undesirable for high
`speed and high resolution applications such as the
`vehicle -- such as the vehicle systems."
` So that, again, refers back to,
`particularly, in particular PPSs, right, passive
`pixel sensors. Those were known at that time to
`be particularly bad. In fact, today, there is no
`PPS on the market, as far as I know. And by the
`early 2000s, PPSs were the last time where they
`were looked at as a potential viable CMOS sensor.
` Q Right. I believe, though, your -- your
`statement was that -- let me see if I can find it
`again -- "The comparative disadvantages of CMOS
`meant that vision system designers found CMOS
`undesirable for high-speed and high-resolution
`applications, such as vehicle vision systems."
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-023
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 23
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` A Right.
` Q Okay. So the only support you have for
`that conclusion is what you've referenced,
`correct?
` A That, and my vast knowledge of -- my
`knowledge of passive pixel sensors. Plus, if you
`even look further and you look on page 35, there's
`a plot showing essentially the signal-to-noise
`ratio because signal-to-noise is related to, in
`some ways, to resolution as well. That's the
`dynamic resolution of a pixel. And you can see
`that PPS is way below that of APS and so on.
` So, in general, that was the
`understanding at that time, and, in fact, also at
`that time -- I don't know if you're familiar with
`the ISSCC, the International Symposium of
`Solid-State Circuits -- or the International
`Solid-State Circuits Conference. That's where the
`most recent developments in image sensors were
`being presented on a yearly basis. That was one
`of the place where folks were trying to solve this
`problem, trying to solve speed, trying to solve
`resolution, trying to solve ways to make the CMOS
`sensors better. So in 1995, this was definitely
`the truth -- the case.
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-024
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 24
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` Q I'm focusing on vehicle vision systems.
` A Right.
` Q I get your general concept that it
`wasn't as good and -- you know, it wasn't as good
`as CCD, and active pixel wasn't there yet, and had
`a lot of problems. But you say here, "Vision
`system designers found CMOS undesirable for
`high-speed and high-resolution applications, such
`as vehicle systems."
` Do you have any evidence that CMOS was
`undesirable in a vehicle vision system setting?
` MR. YONAN: Objection. Asked and
`answered.
` A So vehicle vision requires that same
`kind of resolution and speed that I referred to,
`right? So, consequently, if the problem was with
`the speed and resolution that I've just referred
`to, then applying it in the vehicle vision system
`still had the same speed and resolution issues
`that I just referred to.
` Q Sure.
` A So, yes, so for vehicle vision systems,
`the same CMOS being used in those cases would have
`the same problems that I've articulated
`previously.
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-025
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 25
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
` Q What can you point to specifically, if
`anything, that CMOS was unacceptable in the
`vehicle vision system setting?
` MR. YONAN: Asked and answered.
` A So, again, I mean, I would just go back
`to reiterating my point, right.
` Q So the only thing you can say is that
`generally CMOS was not as good as CCD.
` A Or was -- was -- yes, it was not as good
`as in some -- in some aspects, PPS, in
`particular -- passive pixel sensors, in
`particular -- and there was a lot of research
`being done at that time to improve the thing and
`that conferences and workshops were being set up
`in order to try to resolve these issues and that
`vehicle vision system has particular requirements.
`And, as a result, they were not ready for prime
`time, so to speak.
` Q So, as you sit here today, are you aware
`of any CMOS system that was successfully used in
`that time frame in a vehicle vision system?
` A So you mean at that time frame.
` Q Yes.
` A So I am aware of the Donnelly
`application looking backwards through the cabin
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-026
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 26
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`and looking at the headlights.
` Q Yes.
` A That's part of the Vellacott reference.
`However, those were particular conditions, right,
`where the car behind you had to be -- was
`essentially moving at the same rate as you are.
`The headlights, if you will, on those image
`sensors tend to almost stationary relative to what
`you are using.
` So, yes, so there, I imagine, is a
`scenario where it is in a vehicle vision system,
`but the conditions -- and that's what I keep
`referring back to earlier on and throughout my
`declarations -- that the condition matches, right.
` Q So in your hypothetical, the people
`behind the car don't drive as fast as I do.
` A Sometimes. Maybe they come up real
`quick, but it's always the difference between you
`and them. So that's much slower than if you are
`looking forward and you're looking at
`(indicating).
` Q You don't drive with me. It's not that
`different.
` Okay.
` Okay. If we could look at page 48. And
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-027
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 27
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`I'll let you read it instead of me reading it.
`The last sentence in 87 and the first sentence in
`88, if you could read those.
` A Yes.
` (Document review.)
` Q Would you agree with me that --
` A One second, let me just finish, I'm
`sorry. Let me just make sure that I get all the
`components.
` Q Sure. That's another rule. Don't let
`me force you. If you want to read more, do it,
`tell me. That's fine.
` A Cool.
` MR. YONAN: Jon is very good at that
`rule.
` A Uh-hmm, yes.
` Q And then the third sentence in 88 reads,
`"Without further direction from Vellacott, one
`could not," and "not" is emphasized, "assume that
`making a 512 by 512 array would be within the
`level of ordinary skill."
` Is it your testimony that a 512 by 512
`CMOS array was not available in the relevant time
`frame?
` A So rough -- reading the references at
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-028
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 28
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`hand, with my knowledge of what was happening at
`that time, and I believe that the last sentence of
`87 talks about what was being published at the
`IEEE and what was being published at the SPIE at
`that time. The movement from a 128 to a 256 to a
`512 was still very much an active area of
`research. Commercially, even in -- even in
`Vellacott, Vellacott says VVL is working towards
`or is in the process of developing. And what does
`that mean? I don't know, do they just conceive it
`and then decided that they were going to do it in
`ten years? I don't know, right. I have no clue
`of what that means in long-term. But the point is
`that at that time, commercially, you know, there
`was -- as far as I remember, there was no 512 by
`512 in CMOS available.
` Q How about noncommercially? Are you
`aware of any 512 by 512 CMOS array in the relevant
`time frame?
` A Sure. So at that -- so I go by what's
`being published in literature.
` Q Right. Right.
` A Right. And taking the ISSCC 1996
`publication as a benchmark because at that time
`that was the benchmark. They were still talking
`
`DTI Court Reporting Solutions - Chicago
`800-868-0061
`www.deposition.com
`
`1039-029
`
`

`
`RALPH ETIENNE-CUMMINGS, Ph.D. December 11, 2015
`Page 29
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`7
`8
`9
`10
`11
`12
`13
`14
`15
`16
`17
`18
`19
`20
`21
`22
`23
`24
`25
`
`about 128 by 128, maybe 256 by 256. I don't
`remember at that time of a system that was 512 by
`512.
` Q Okay. If there was a 512 by 512 CMOS
`system available at that time, would that affect
`your testimony?
` A N

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket