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
The previous Non-Final action dated 07/02/2025 has been vacated and replaced with this Non-Final Office Action as the Applicant’s arguments filed on 12/02/2025 are persuasive.
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.
Claims 1-6, 8-13, 15-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lien et al. (“Lien”, US 2009/0310955) in view of Wang et al. (“Wang”, US 2025/0005852).
Regarding claim 1, Lien discloses a camera, comprising:
a system of a hybrid face detection auto exposure module to detect a user's face within an image captured by the camera and define a first image region of interest of the image that includes the user's face and a second image region of interest of the image that includes a background of the image captured by the camera (Lien: see fig. 3 and pars. [0015], [0017], wherein the system detects foreground objects within an image captured by the camera and define a first image region of interest of the image that includes foreground object and second image region of interest of the image that includes a background of the image captured by the camera. The foreground image could be a face of the user);
a system of a lighting detection module to detect brightness levels of the user's face within the first image region of interest of the image and brightness levels in the second image region of interest of the image captured by the camera (Lien: see fig. 3 and pars. [0015]-[0016], in which the system detects brightness levels of the foreground object within the first image region of interest of the image and brightness levels in the second image region of interest of the image captured by the camera); and
a system of a hybrid face detection auto exposure module to determine if a background brightness change threshold level is exceeded and to automatically adjust an exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the webcam when the background brightness change threshold level is exceeded (Lien: see fig. 3 and par. [0015], note that the system determines if a background brightness change threshold level is exceeded and to automatically adjust an exposure setting of the whole image including the first image region of interest of the image captured by the camera when the background brightness change threshold level is exceeded. The claimed language does not explicitly state that “only adjust an exposure setting for the first image region of interest”, therefore, the Examiner interpret that adjusting an exposure setting of the image including adjusting an exposure setting of the first image region of interest of the image).
Lien does not explicitly disclose a webcam comprising a hardware microcontroller to execute computer readable program code and a memory device.
However, Wang teaches a webcam comprising a hardware microcontroller to execute computer readable program code and a memory device (Wang: see fig. 1 and pars. [0035], [0037] and [0054]).
One would have been modified to include a webcam as taught by Wang in the apparatus of Lien to operate the system.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wang with the Lien’s system to include a webcam comprising a hardware microcontroller to execute computer readable program code and a memory device.
Regarding claim 2, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the webcam of claim 1 further comprising: the hardware microcontroller to execute the computer-readable program code of the hybrid face detection auto exposure module to determine when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded and to prevent automatic adjustment to the exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the webcam when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded (Lien: see the analysis of claim 1 and see fig. 3 and par. [0015], note that the system determines when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest and to prevent automatic adjustment to the exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the camera when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded. As if the background is too bright, the method shortens the shutter time or decreases the lens aperture or takes both, if not the system does not perform changing the exposure time).
Regarding claim 3, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the webcam of claim 2, wherein the background brightness change threshold level is set as a change in brightness of 15% at the second image region of interest (One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the brightness change threshold level can be set any level).
Regarding claim 4, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the webcam of claim 1, wherein where no face is detected within the first image region of interest of the image the hardware microcontroller executes computer-readable program code of an auto exposure module to automatically adjust the exposure settings of the webcam across a whole portion of the image captured by the webcam (Lien: see the analysis of claim 1 and see par. [0015], wherein if the foreground object is considered to be insignificant and negligible, the brightness analysis neglects the foreground object, the exposure setting is adjust across a whole portion of the image captured by the camera).
Regarding claim 5, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the webcam of claim 1, wherein the background brightness change threshold level is set as a change in brightness of 5% at the second image region of interest (One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the brightness change threshold level can be set any level).
Regarding claim 6, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the webcam of claim 1, wherein where the brightness level within the first image region of interest of the image changes but the brightness level within the second image region of interest of the image does not change by greater than the background brightness change threshold level, the hardware microcontroller executes the computer-readable program code of the hybrid face detection auto exposure module to maintain the exposure setting, including the ISO sensitivity setting of the webcam (See and analysis of claim 1 and one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that where the brightness level within the first image region of interest of the image changes but the brightness level within the second image region of interest of the image does not change by greater than the background brightness change threshold level, the hardware microcontroller executes the computer-readable program code of the hybrid face detection auto exposure module to maintain the exposure setting, including the ISO sensitivity setting of the camera).
Regarding claim 9, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the method of claim 8, further comprising: executing the computer-readable program code of the hybrid face detection auto exposure module to determine when the brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest and to prevent automatic adjustment to the exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the webcam when the brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest (see the analysis of claim 1 and Lien: see fig. 3 and par. [0015], note that the system determines when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest and to prevent automatic adjustment to the exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the camera when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest. As if the background is too bright, the method shortens the shutter time or decreases the lens aperture or takes both, if not the system does not perform changing the exposure time).
Regarding claim 10, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the method of claim 8, wherein where no face is detected within the first image region of interest of the image the hardware microcontroller executes computer-readable program code of an auto exposure module to automatically adjust the exposure settings of the webcam across a whole portion of the image captured by the webcam (see the analysis of claim 1 and Lien: see par. [0015], wherein if the foreground object is considered to be insignificant and negligible, the brightness analysis neglects the foreground object, the exposure setting is adjust across a whole portion of the image captured by the camera).
Regarding claim 11, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the method of claim 10, wherein the brightness change threshold is a change in brightness of 15% (One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the brightness change threshold level can be set any level).
Regarding claim 12, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the background brightness change threshold level is set as a change in brightness of 5% at the second image region of interest (One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the brightness change threshold level can be set any level).
Regarding claim 15, Lien discloses a camera comprising:
a power management unit (PMU) to provide power to the hardware processing device and the memory device (One of ordinary skill in the art would understand the system should include a hardware processing device, a memory device and a power management unit to provide power to the hardware processing device and the memory device); and
a camera of a hybrid face detection auto exposure module to detect a user’s face within an image captured by the camera and define a first image region of interest of the image that includes the user’s face and a second image region of interest of the image that includes a background of the image captured by the camera (Lien: see fig. 3 and pars. [0015], [0017], wherein the system detects foreground objects within an image captured by the camera and define a first image region of interest of the image that includes foreground object and second image region of interest of the image that includes a background of the image captured by the camera. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the foreground object could include the face of the user));
the camera of a lighting detection module to detect brightness levels of the user’s face within the first image region of interest of the image and brightness levels in the second image region of interest of the image captured by the camera (Lien: see fig. 3 and pars. [0015]-[0016], in which the system detects brightness levels of the foreground object within the first image region of interest of the image and brightness levels in the second image region of interest of the image captured by the camera);
the camera of a hybrid face detection auto exposure module to determine if a background brightness change threshold level is exceeded by the brightness level at the second image region of interest and to automatically adjust an exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the webcam when the background brightness change threshold level is exceeded at the second image region of interest (Lien: see fig. 3 and par. [0015], note that the system determines if a background brightness change threshold level is exceeded and to automatically adjust an exposure setting of the whole image including the first image region of interest of the image captured by the camera when the background brightness change threshold level is exceeded at the second image region of interest); and
the camera of the hybrid face detection auto exposure module to determine when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest and to prevent automatic adjustment to the exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the camera when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest (Lien: see fig. 3 and par. [0015], note that the system determines when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest and to prevent automatic adjustment to the exposure setting for the first image region of interest of the image captured by the camera when the background brightness change threshold level is not exceeded at the second image region of interest. As if the background is too bright, the method shortens the shutter time or decreases the lens aperture or takes both, if not the system does not perform changing the exposure time).
Lien does not explicitly disclose a webcam coupled to an information handling system comprising a hardware processing device to execute computer readable program code, a memory device.
However, Wang teaches a webcam coupled to an information handling system comprising a hardware processing device to execute computer readable program code, a memory device (Wang: see fig. 1 and pars. [0035], [0037] and [0054]).
One would have been modified to include a webcam as taught by Wang in the apparatus of Lien to operate the system.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wang with the Lien’s system to include a webcam coupled to an information handling system comprising a hardware processing device to execute computer readable program code, a memory device.
Regarding claim 16, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the information handling system of claim 15, wherein the background brightness change threshold level is set as a change in brightness of 15% at the second image region of interest (One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the brightness change threshold level can be set any level).
Regarding claim 17, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the information handling system of claim 15, wherein where no face is detected within the first image region of interest of the image the hardware microcontroller executes computer-readable program code of an auto exposure module to automatically adjust the exposure settings of the webcam across a whole portion of the image captured by the webcam (Lien: see par. [0015], wherein if the foreground object is considered to be insignificant and negligible, the brightness analysis neglects the foreground object, the exposure setting is adjust across a whole portion of the image captured by the camera).
Regarding claim 20, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the information handling system of claim 15, wherein the background brightness change threshold level is set as a change in brightness of 5% at the second image region of interest (One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the brightness change threshold level can be set any level).
Regarding claims 8, 13 and 18, claims 8, 13 and 18 are directed to a method corresponding to the apparatus claimed in claims 1, 6, respectively. Claims 8, 13 and 18 are similar scope to claims 1 and 6, respectively, and are therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Claim(s) 7, 14 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lien et al. (“Lien”, US 2009/0310955) in view of Wang et al. (“Wang”, US 2025/0005852) and further in view of Shin et al. (“Shin”, US 2023/0262321).
Regarding claim 7, Lien in the combination with Wang discloses the webcam of claim 1 further comprising: the hardware microcontroller to execute computer-readable program code of the hybrid face detection auto exposure module (see the analysis of claim 1).
Lien in the combination with Wang does not explicitly disclose the system to track the user's face and readjust the location of the first image region of interest of the image that includes the user's face as the user's face changes position.
However, Shin teaches the system to track the user's face and readjust the location of the first image region of interest of the image that includes the user's face as the user's face changes position (Shin: see par. [0179], wherein in the case in which ‘face+motion’ are set as tracking options, if the face of a person who is moving detected (or recognized), an automatic tracking view corresponding to the detected face of the person may be added to a screen).
One would have been modified to include tracking option as taught by Shin in the apparatus of Lien to tract the face of the user.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Shin with the Lien’s system to include comprising the system to track the user's face and readjust the location of the first image region of interest of the image that includes the user's face as the user's face changes position.
Regarding claims 14, 19, claims 14 and 19 are directed to a method corresponding to the apparatus claimed in claim 7, respectively. Claims 14 and 19 are similar scope to claim 7, respectively, and are therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAN T H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3452. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHAN T NGUYEN/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638