DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 09/09/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendments
The amendment to claim 14 has been accepted and entered.
Claims 1-14 are pending regarding this application.
Claim Objections
Claims 3, 12, and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3 recites “a library for radiative transfer” in line 2. Please change to recite “the library for radiative transfer”, since the library in this step is previously claimed in claim 1, upon which claim 3 is dependent.
Claim 12 recites “a ground leaving reflectance image” in line 2. Please change to recite “the ground leaving reflectance image”, since the ground leaving reflectance image in this step was previously claimed in claim 1, upon which claim 12 is dependent.
Claim 14 recites an em dash “--” in line 14. This should be a singular dash “-”.
Claim 14 recites “Digital” in line 6. Please replace with “digital”.
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.
Claim 14 is 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 14 recites top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance in line 6-7 and “the TOA radiance image” in lines 8-9. Here, it is unclear whether the TOA radiance in line 6-7 is the same as the TOA radiance image in lines 8-9. Similarly, claim 14 recites “a bottom of atmosphere radiance” in lines 3-4 and “a bottom—of-atmosphere (BOA) radiance image” in line 14. It is unclear whether the bottom of atmosphere radiance in lines 3-4 is equivalent to the bottom—of-atmosphere (BOA) radiance image in line 14. Claim 14 recites a “reflectance value image” in line 4 and “a BOA reflectance” in line 15. Here, it is unclear whether the reflectance value image in line 4 is equivalent or distinct from the BOA reflectance in line 15.
Claim 14 recites “performing conversion of at-sensor image Digital number (DN) values to top-of- atmosphere (TOA) radiance and then to a TOA reflectance image” in lines 6-7. Here, it is unclear whether the at-sensor image Digital number (DN) values are being converted to top-of- atmosphere (TOA) radiance and then the at-sensor image Digital number (DN) values are being converted to a TOA reflectance image OR whether the at-sensor image Digital number (DN) values are being converted to top-of- atmosphere (TOA) radiance and then to top-of- atmosphere (TOA) radiance is converted to a TOA reflectance image.
Below is a suggested amended recitation of claim 14 which would address the above claim objections and 112(b) rejections:
14. (Currently Amended) A method of hyperspectral image correction comprising:
generating one or more lookup tables with a radiative transfer model for converting an at-sensor digital number image from a hyperspectral satellite to a bottom-of-atmosphere (BOA) radiance image and a BOA reflectance value image;
wherein the converting comprises:
performing conversion of at-sensor image digital number (DN) values to a top-of- atmosphere (TOA) radiance image and then, performing conversion of the top-of- atmosphere (TOA) radiance image to a TOA reflectance image;
creating a pre-classification layer using the TOA reflectance image to mask the TOA radiance image;
performing an aerosol correction on a masked at-sensor radiance image by:
applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation, and using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image;
performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate the BOA radiance image; and
converting the BOA radiance image to [[a]] the BOA reflectance value image.
Reasons for Allowance
Claim 14 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claims 1-13 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance and allowable subject matter:
Regarding independent claim 1, the primary reason for allowance is that the prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest generating one or more lookup tables with a radiative transfer library for converting a digital number of an at-sensor radiance image from a satellite to a top of atmosphere radiance and reflectance value to generate a top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance image; implementing a pre-classification operations on the TOA reflectance image to create a set of masks to generate a masked at-sensors radiance image; performing aerosol correction on the masked at-sensors radiance image by applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image; performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image; and converting the bottom of atmosphere radiance image to a ground leaving reflectance.
Similarly, regarding claim 14, the primary reason for allowable subject matter is that the prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest performing conversion of at-sensor image Digital number (DN) values to top-of- atmosphere (TOA) radiance and then to a TOA reflectance image; creating a pre-classification layer using the TOA reflectance image to mask the TOA radiance image; performing an aerosol correction on a masked at-sensor radiance image by: applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation, and using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image; performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom-of-atmosphere (BOA) radiance image; and converting the BOA radiance image to a BOA reflectance.
The closest prior art, listed below, discloses creating a set of masks in a masked at-sensors radiance image, masks, a TOA reflectance image, performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image, aerosol correction, water vapor correction, performing aerosol correction by applying an albedo, and lookup tables, but fails to specifically disclose generating one or more lookup tables with a radiative transfer library for converting a digital number of an at-sensor radiance image from a satellite to a top of atmosphere radiance and reflectance value to generate a top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance image; implementing a pre-classification operations on the TOA reflectance image to create a set of masks to generate a masked at-sensors radiance image; performing aerosol correction on the masked at-sensors radiance image by applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image; performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image; converting the bottom of atmosphere radiance image to a ground leaving reflectance.
Ardouin (CA 2836210 C) teaches masks, a TOA reflectance image, aerosol correction, water vapor correction and lookup tables, but fails to teach implementing a pre-classification operations on the TOA reflectance image to create a set of masks in a masked at-sensors radiance image, performing aerosol correction on the masked at-sensors radiance image by applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image, performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image, and converting the bottom of atmosphere radiance image to a ground leaving reflectance, but fails to disclose generating one or more lookup tables with a radiative transfer library for converting a digital number of an at-sensor radiance image from a satellite to a top of atmosphere radiance and reflectance value to generate a top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance image; implementing a pre-classification operations on the TOA reflectance image to create a set of masks to generate a masked at-sensors radiance image; performing aerosol correction on the masked at-sensors radiance image by applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image; performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image; and converting the bottom of atmosphere radiance image to a ground leaving reflectance.
Jin (US Publication No. 20090274387 A1) teaches to create a set of masks in a masked at-sensors radiance image, but fails to disclose generating one or more lookup tables with a radiative transfer library for converting a digital number of an at-sensor radiance image from a satellite to a top of atmosphere radiance and reflectance value to generate a top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance image; implementing a pre-classification operations on the TOA reflectance image to create a set of masks to generate a masked at-sensors radiance image; performing aerosol correction on the masked at-sensors radiance image by applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image; performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image; and converting the bottom of atmosphere radiance image to a ground leaving reflectance.
Adler-Golden (US Patent No. 7337065 B2) teaches performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image, but fails to disclose generating one or more lookup tables with a radiative transfer library for converting a digital number of an at-sensor radiance image from a satellite to a top of atmosphere radiance and reflectance value to generate a top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance image; implementing a pre-classification operations on the TOA reflectance image to create a set of masks to generate a masked at-sensors radiance image; performing aerosol correction on the masked at-sensors radiance image by applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image; performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image; and converting the bottom of atmosphere radiance image to a ground leaving reflectance.
Mariko (WO 2021038621 A1, see machine translation) teaches performing aerosol correction by applying an albedo, but fails to disclose generating one or more lookup tables with a radiative transfer library for converting a digital number of an at-sensor radiance image from a satellite to a top of atmosphere radiance and reflectance value to generate a top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectance image; implementing a pre-classification operations on the TOA reflectance image to create a set of masks to generate a masked at-sensors radiance image; performing aerosol correction on the masked at-sensors radiance image by applying a pixel-wise albedo estimation using the one or more lookup tables to generate an aerosol corrected radiance image; performing a water vapor correction on the aerosol corrected radiance image to generate a bottom of atmosphere radiance image; and converting the bottom of atmosphere radiance image to a ground leaving reflectance.
Claims 2-13 are allowable by virtue of their dependency upon allowable claim 1.
Conclusion
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/Kyla Guan-Ping Tiao Allen/
Examiner, Art Unit 2661
/JOHN VILLECCO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2661