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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments and amendments received March 05, 2026 have been fully considered. With regard to 35 U.S.C. § 103, Applicant argues that the cited prior art does not disclose (see applicant argument pages 7-13). This language corresponds to the newly amended language of claims 1-19 and 20.
As such, these have been considered but they are directed to newly amended language, which is addressed below. See the rejection below for how the art on record reads in view of the newly amended language as well as the examiner's interpretation of the cited art in view of the presented claim set.
As previously addressed, applicant argument in regarding art of Niga, the examiner respectfully disagrees since Niga clearly teaches “memory storing calibration data” the system control unit 1003 stores the current tilt angle θ.sub.n and the sum Aθ.sub.n+Bθ.sub.n of the contrast evaluation values in the contrast evaluation areas 2005 and 2006 of the long-distance and short-distance objects..para. 0040; “the calibration data comprising a plurality of entries, each associating an in-focus lens position of a camera with a corresponding object distance value measured for that in-focus lens position”. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 2000 denotes a captured image by the surveillance camera 1000, reference numeral 2001 denotes a long-distance object (first object), reference numeral 2002 denotes a center object, reference numeral 2003 denotes a short-distance object (second object), and reference numeral 2004 denotes an in-focus plane..para. 0029-0030. The teaching of Niga includes contrast as well as distance measurement as outlined in at least Figs. 3-4. It is obvious the three different object distance provided includes three different value. Also, Zhou teaches: calibrator may be implemented as a look up table that stores lens positions for the camera indexed by current values. The look up table may store data representing a lens's position at various drive current values. the calibration operation may be performed to cause a lens system to focus on a given object at various distances from a camera. Furthermore, applicant argument in regarding dependent claims 3-6 and 7, the examiner stands with the rejection, since cited paras. clearly teaches the claimed invention. As such, all claims rejected as outlined below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1, 8 and 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The claimed invention “numerical or numerical object distance value” not described or not clearly defined within applicant specification. For purpose of examination, “numerical” interpreted as “number or value”.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Niga et al. 2020/0213523 and Zhou US 2013/0155266.
In regarding to claim 1: Niga teaches:
1. An apparatus comprising: a memory storing calibration data, the calibration data comprising a plurality of entries, each associating an in-focus lens position of a camera with a numerical object distance value measured during a calibration for that in-focus lens position;
[0029] In FIG. 3, reference numeral 2000 denotes a captured image by the surveillance camera 1000, reference numeral 2001 denotes a long-distance object (first object), reference numeral 2002 denotes a center object, reference numeral 2003 denotes a short-distance object (second object), and reference numeral 2004 denotes an in-focus plane. Reference numeral 2005 denotes a contrast evaluation area (first evaluation area) of the long-distance object 2001, and reference numeral 2006 denotes a contrast evaluation area (second evaluation area) of the short-distance object 2003. Reference numeral 2007 denotes an upper contrast evaluation area (first partial evaluation area) of the short-distance object 2003, and reference numeral 2008 denotes a lower contrast evaluation area (second partial evaluation area) of the short-distance object 2003. Reference numeral 2009 denotes a vertical plane of the short-distance object 2003. Herein, the contrast evaluation area 2005 of the long-distance object 2001 and the contrast evaluation area 2006 of the short-distance object 2003 are set manually by the user input via the input unit 1104 or automatically by the system control unit 1003. The upper contrast evaluation area 2007 and the lower contrast evaluation area 2008 of the short-distance object 2003 are evaluation areas which are obtained by vertically dividing the contrast evaluation area 2006 of the near-distance object 2003 into two, and automatically set by the system control unit 1003. The vertical plane 2009 of the short-distance object 2003 is a vertical plane including the contrast evaluation area 2006 of the short-distance object 2003.
[0030] In FIG. 3, the in-focus plane 2004 represents the in-focus state on the center object 2002 when the tilt angle is 0 degree. FIG. 3 illustrates a state where the long-distance object 2001 and the short-distance object 2003 are out of focus. Thus, in the state where the tilt angle is 0 degree, the contrast evaluation value is low in each of the contrast evaluation area 2005 of the long-distance object 2001, the upper contrast evaluation area 2007, and the lower contrast evaluation area 2008 of the short-distance object 2003.
[0040] In the step S6002, the system control unit 1003 stores the current tilt angle θ.sub.n and the sum Aθ.sub.n+Bθ.sub.n of the contrast evaluation values in the contrast evaluation areas 2005 and 2006 of the long-distance and short-distance objects. Next, in the step S6003, the system control unit 1003 adjusts the tilt angle in a direction where the sum of the contrast evaluation values in the contrast evaluation areas 2005 and 2006 become larger (a direction where the contrast evaluation values are expected to be larger). The number of adjustments of the tilt angle is n+1, and the system control unit 1003 sets the tilt angle of the image sensor driver 1008 to θ.sub.n+1 via the image sensor control unit 1009. In the step S6004, the system control unit 1003 stores the adjusted tilt angle θ.sub.n+1 and the sum Aθ.sub.n+1+Bθ.sub.n+1 of the contrast evaluation values in the contrast evaluation areas 2005 and 2006 of the long-distance and short-distance objects.
Niga, 0022, 0024, 0029-0030, 0040 emphasis added
and a control circuit configured to: receive an indication of a given in-focus lens position of the camera for a captured image;
[0024] The recorder 1004 records images in an internal or external storage. The imaging view-angle control unit 1006 commands the lens driver 1005 to change the zoom lens position based on the zoom setting value which is transmitted from the system control unit 1003. The focus control unit 1007 commands the lens driver 1005 to change the focus lens position based on the focus setting value which is transmitted from the system control unit 1003. The image sensor control unit 1009 commands the image sensor driver 1008 to change the image sensor tilt angle based on the setting value of the tilt angle which is transmitted from the system control unit 1003. The diaphragm controller 1011 commands the diaphragm driver 1010 to change the F-number based on the diaphragm setting value transmitted from the system control unit 1003.
0023-0025, 0029, emphasis added
However, Niga fails to explicitly teach but Zhou teaches:
and perform a lookup of the calibration data using the given in-focus lens position to retrieve the corresponding object distance value.
[0016] In an embodiment, the lens position may be output to components within the device to perform various functions. In an embodiment, the lens position may be used to calculate the distance between an electronic device and an object. The distance (d) may be calculated using a lens position (p) and a focal length (f) using the following equation: 1/d=(1/f)-(1/p). In an embodiment, the lens position may be used by one or more imaging applications, such as a video application. A video application may use lens position information for functions, such as video stabilization.
[0020] Similarly, in practice the drive curve calibrator 250 may be implemented as a look up table that stores lens positions for the camera indexed by current values. The look up table may store data representing a lens's position at various drive current values. Typically, the lens position data is obtained during a calibration operation in which various drive current values are applied to a lens and the lens position is measured. Alternatively, the calibration operation may be performed to cause a lens system to focus on a given object at various distances from a camera. which requires the auto-focus system to move the lens to a variety of focus positions corresponding to the object distances. The drive current may be measured at each of the lens positions and stored in the look up table.
Zhou, 0016, 0020, 0027 and Fig. 6, emphasis added
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the teaching of Zhou with the system of Niga in order perform a lookup of the calibration data using the given lens position to retrieve a given distance value, wherein the given distance value represents an estimated distance from the given camera to a given object in the captured image, as such, estimating the focus position based solely upon a measured drive current can lead to inaccurate results due to variables, such as the orientation of the electronic device. Thus, a need exists for an improved technique of accurately estimating a focus position for a camera lens…--0003.
In regarding to claim 2: Niga and Zhou teaches:
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, furthermore, Niga teaches wherein the control circuit is further configured to provide, to a depth application, an estimated distance from the camera to a given object in the captured image, and wherein the given in-focus lens position is an actual in-focus lens position for the captured image.
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. (“JP”) 2017-173802 discloses a technique for widening a depth-of-field range by detecting a focus shift amount among a plurality of focus detection areas and by adjusting an image sensor to an optimum tilt angle based on the focus shift amount. JP2012-141516 discloses a technique for widening the depth-of-field range by selecting a candidate area for an in-focus control from a plurality of focus detection areas, and by adjusting the image sensor to the optimum tilt angle based on the evaluation result of the candidate area.
Niga, 0002-0004, emphasis added
Note: The motivation that was applied to claim 1 above, applies equally as well to claims 2-20 as presented blow.
In regarding to claim 3: Niga and Zhou teaches:
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, furthermore, Niga teaches wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine a plurality of estimated distances to a plurality of objects in different regions of the captured image.
[0029] In FIG. 3, reference numeral 2000 denotes a captured image by the surveillance camera 1000, reference numeral 2001 denotes a long-distance object (first object), reference numeral 2002 denotes a center object, reference numeral 2003 denotes a short-distance object (second object), and reference numeral 2004 denotes an in-focus plane. Reference numeral 2005 denotes a contrast evaluation area (first evaluation area) of the long-distance object 2001, and reference numeral 2006 denotes a contrast evaluation area (second evaluation area) of the short-distance object 2003. Reference numeral 2007 denotes an upper contrast evaluation area (first partial evaluation area) of the short-distance object 2003, and reference numeral 2008 denotes a lower contrast evaluation area (second partial evaluation area) of the short-distance object 2003. Reference numeral 2009 denotes a vertical plane of the short-distance object 2003. Herein, the contrast evaluation area 2005 of the long-distance object 2001 and the contrast evaluation area 2006 of the short-distance object 2003 are set manually by the user input via the input unit 1104 or automatically by the system control unit 1003. The upper contrast evaluation area 2007 and the lower contrast evaluation area 2008 of the short-distance object 2003 are evaluation areas which are obtained by vertically dividing the contrast evaluation area 2006 of the near-distance object 2003 into two, and automatically set by the system control unit 1003. The vertical plane 2009 of the short-distance object 2003 is a vertical plane including the contrast evaluation area 2006 of the short-distance object 2003.
Niga, 0022, 0029, emphasis added
In regarding to claim 4: Niga and Zhou teaches:
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, furthermore, Niga teaches wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a depth map from the plurality of estimated distances to the plurality of objects in different regions of the captured image.
Niga, 0002-0004, 0029
In regarding to claim 5: Niga and Zhou teaches:
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, furthermore, Zhou teaches wherein the control circuit is further configured to retrieve first and second object distances from first and second entries when the given in-focus lens position is in between first and second in-focus lens positions of the first and second entries.
Zhou, 0016, 0020 and Fig. 6
In regarding to claim 6: Niga and Zhou teaches:
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, furthermore, Niga teaches wherein the control circuit is further configured to interpolate between first and second distances retrieved from the first and second entries to generate the corresponding object distance value.
Niga, 0022, 0025, 0029
In regarding to claim 7: Niga and Zhou teaches:
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, furthermore, Zhou teaches wherein the calibration data is generated prior to capture of the captured image.
Zhou, 0016, 0020 and Fig. 6
Claims 8-14 list all similar elements of claims 1-7, but in method form rather than apparatus form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claims 1-7 applies equally as well to claims 8-14.
Claims 15-20 list all similar elements of claims 1-4, 7 and 6 respectively, but in camera form rather than apparatus form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claims 1-4, 7 and 6 applies equally as well to claims 15-20.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Feng et al. US 2022/0116545 see at least 0009, 0179 and 0207.
Przyborski US 2018/0234617 see at least Abstract, 0004 and claim 1
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL T TEKLE whose telephone number is (571)270-1117. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30 ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Vaughn can be reached at 571-272-3922. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL T TEKLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2481
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