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 Status
This Office Action responds to reply filed on 9/22/25 regarding application 18/065554 that was initially filed on 12/13/22. Claims 1-10 are pending.
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 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 of this title, 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.
1. Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 - 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kyo, JP 2007-166144 (hereinafter Kyo) in view of Ohtsuka, US 2014/0132802 A1 (hereinafter Ohtsuka), and further in view of Dannen et al., US 2017/0244909 A1 (hereinafter Dannen).
As for claim 1, Kyo discloses an information processing apparatus comprising a computer (p. 3, first paragraph, e.g., control device) executing instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the information processing apparatus to: acquire (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., captured images) an image (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., images) transmitted from an imaging apparatus (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., camera); cause a display (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., display) to display at least one of a plurality of setting menus (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, various shooting conditions, and select an arbitrary shooting condition, note the multiple choices implied) corresponding to a plurality of setting processes of different types (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, various shooting conditions, and select an arbitrary shooting condition); and transmit the control command (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., setting … the shooting conditions) to the imaging apparatus to acquire an image of the identified image setting, wherein, in a case where the first setting menu (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, various shooting conditions, and select an arbitrary shooting condition, note a first setting) is selected from the plurality of setting menus and the first image setting (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, note the image setting corresponding to the first chosen menu) is identified based on the information, the control command to acquire an image of the first image setting corresponding to the first setting menu is transmitted to the imaging apparatus in response to the selection of the first setting menu, and the image of the first image setting transmitted from the imaging apparatus is displayed (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., display) in association with (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, various shooting conditions, and select an arbitrary shooting condition, note the displayed image is associated with the choice because the image is captured according to the choice) the first setting menu, and in a case where the second setting menu (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, various shooting conditions, and select an arbitrary shooting condition, note a second setting) is selected from the plurality of setting menus and the second image setting (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, note the image setting corresponding to the second chosen menu) is identified based on the information, the control command to acquire an image of the second image setting corresponding to the second setting menu is transmitted to the imaging apparatus in response to the selection of the second setting menu, and the image of the second image setting transmitted from the imaging apparatus is displayed (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., display) in association with (p. 3, fourth paragraph, e.g., menu, various shooting conditions, and select an arbitrary shooting condition, note the displayed image is associated with the choice because the image is captured according to the choice) the second setting menu.
Kyo does not explicitly disclose, but Ohtsuka teaches identify an image setting (Fig. 4A, e.g., film mode and aspect ratio), based on at least information associating a first setting menu with a first image setting (Fig. 4A, e.g., film mode) and associating a second setting menu different from the first setting menu with a second image setting different from the first image setting (Fig. 4A, e.g., aspect ratio).
Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Kyo and Ohtsuka before him/her to modify the optical finder for camera of Kyo with the teaching of imaging apparatus and method of assigning functions to an operating unit of an imaging apparatus of Ohtsuka with a motivation to obtain an image that corresponds to an image setting that satisfies multiple choices simultaneously by using the multiple menu choice system.
Kyo as modified by Ohtsuka does not explicitly teach, but Dannen teaches create a control command including information about a clipping range ([0057], e.g., cropping, note the cropping range implied), based on the identified image setting ([0056], e.g., receive user input and control and [0057], e.g., user interface display).
Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Kyo, Ohtsuka, and Dannen before him/her to modify the optical finder for camera of Kyo with the teaching of portable video studio kits, systems, and methods of Dannen with a motivation to obtain images that user specifically wants by using the clipping range.
As for claim 2, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 1.
Kyo as modified by Ohtsuka does not explicitly teach, but Dannen teaches the plurality of setting menus include a setting menu for setting a clipping range ([0057], e.g., cropping).
Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Kyo, Ohtsuka, and Dannen before him/her to modify the optical finder for camera of Kyo with the teaching of portable video studio kits, systems, and methods of Dannen with a motivation to obtain images that user specifically wants by using the clipping range.
As for claim 4, the claim recites an imaging apparatus of the apparatus of claim 1, and is similarly analyzed.
As for claim 5, the claim recites an imaging apparatus of the apparatus of claim 2, and is similarly analyzed.
As for claim 7, the claim recites an information processing method of the apparatus of claim 1, and is similarly analyzed.
As for claim 8, the claim recites a control method for controlling an imaging apparatus of the apparatus of claim 4, and is similarly analyzed.
As for claim 9, the claim recites a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform a method of the apparatus of claim 1, and is similarly analyzed.
As for claim 10, the claim recites a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform a method of the apparatus of claim 4, and is similarly analyzed.
2. Claims 3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kyo in view of Ohtsuka, Dannen, and further in view of Ohnishi, US 2012/0098854 A1 (hereinafter Ohnishi).
As for claim 3, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 1.
Kyo as modified by Ohtsuka and Dannen does not explicitly teach, but Ohnishi teaches the plurality of setting menus include a setting menu for setting a privacy mask ([0030], e.g., privacy mask).
Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Kyo, Ohtsuka, Dannen, and Ohnishi before him/her to modify the optical finder for camera of Kyo with the teaching of display control apparatus and display control method of Ohnishi with a motivation to provide a privacy protection for face and/or inside of a building by using the intuitive privacy setting as taught by Ohnishi ([0007] and Fig. 11).
As for claim 6, the claim recites an imaging apparatus of the apparatus of claim 3, and is similarly analyzed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, filed 9/22/25, have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the citations being used in the current rejection.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
1. US 2001/0054989 discloses color sequential display panels.
Conclusion
Applicant 's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 JOSEPH SUH whose telephone number is 571-270-7484. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM.
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, Jay Patel can be reached on 571-272-2988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOSEPH SUH/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2485