Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/485,926

IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Oct 12, 2023
Examiner
SUN, JIANGENG
Art Unit
2671
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 9m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
330 granted / 403 resolved
+19.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
425
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.4%
-33.6% vs TC avg
§103
45.3%
+5.3% vs TC avg
§102
25.7%
-14.3% vs TC avg
§112
20.4%
-19.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 403 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale , or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-6, 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Matsumoto ( US20150063726 ) . Regarding claim 1 , Matsumoto teaches a n image processing apparatus comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors and the one or more memories ( [0116] , a computer) are configured to: perform correction on an image ( 102, 103 in FIG. 1) ; and perform enlargement on the image on which the correction is performed ( 104 in FIG. 1) , wherein intensity of the correction in a case where the enlargement is performed is different from the intensity of the correction in a case where the enlargement is not performed ( FIG. 2; [0029]-[003 2 ], generates a blur signal by combining a pixel value of the pixel in the reduced image and pixel values of multiple pixels surrounding the pixel. The blur signal includes information indicating luminosity of a target pixel and its surroundings ) . Regarding claim 2, Matsumoto teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intensity of the correction in the case where the enlargement is performed is weaker than the intensity of the correction in the case where the enlargement is not performed ( [0037], a human recognizes that lightness he or she perceives is low when the object is in a bright setting and high when the object is in a dark setting, no matter how the level of the lightness is the same … the correction value determining unit 202 generates a correction value which corresponds to such a visual characteristic ). Claims 3-6 recite the image content of the image being processed. However, c laim limitations directed to the content of information and lacking a requisite functional relationship are not entitled to patentable weigh t. In this case, whether the image is skin or no has no effect on the image processing steps, therefore do not limit the scope of the claims. Regarding claim 18, Matsumoto teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit configured to capture an image, wherein t the correction is performed on the image captured by the imaging unit ( 101 in FIG. 1) . Claims 19 and 20 recite the method and medium in the apparatus of claim 1, and thus also rejected. 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. Claim (s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto . Regarding claim 7, Matsumoto teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 1 . Matsumoto does not expressly teach wherein the correction reduces noise. However, official notice is taken that it is conventional in the art to correct luminosity of images to reduce noise. Therefore It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the correction method taught by Matsumoto with a well-known method to reduce noise, with motivation to generate less noisy images. Claim (s) 8-1 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto in view of Sytnik ( US 20210150677 ) . Regarding 8 , Matsumoto teaches The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors and the one or more memories are further configured to: to generate a first enlarged image ( 104 in FIG. 1) ; and perform second enlargement different from the first enlargement performed on the image on which the correction is performed, to generate a second enlarged image ( 105 in FIG. 1) . Matsumoto does not expressly teach perform first enlargement using a neural network on the image on which the correction is performed . However, Sytnik teaches teach perform first enlargement using a neural network on the image on which the correction is performed (120 in FIG. 1). Therefore It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Matsumoto and Sytnik, by identifying skin areas as taught by Sytnik, and then applying Matsumoto’s processing on the identified skin area, with motivation “ for selective enhancement of skin features in an image ”( Sytnick, Abstract). Regarding 9, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the one or more processors and the one or more memories are further configured to combine the first enlarged image and the second enlarged image ( Matsumoto, 104 and 105 in FIG. 1) . Regarding 10, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a composition rate of the first enlarged image in a case where the intensity of the correction is first intensity is larger than the composition rate of the first enlarged image in a case where the intensity of the correction is second intensity greater than the first intensity ( Matsumoto,[0037], a human recognizes that lightness he or she perceives is low when the object is in a bright setting and high when the object is in a dark setting, no matter how the level of the lightness is the same … the correction value determining unit 202 generates a correction value which corresponds to such a visual characteristic ) . Regarding 11, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a composition rate of the first enlarged image in a case where the intensity of the correction is first intensity is smaller than the composition rate of the first enlarged image in a case where the intensity of the correction is second intensity greater than the first intensity ( Matsumoto, [0037], a human recognizes that lightness he or she perceives is low when the object is in a bright setting and high when the object is in a dark setting, no matter how the level of the lightness is the same … the correction value determining unit 202 generates a correction value which corresponds to such a visual characteristic ) . Regarding 12, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the one or more processors and the one or more memories are further configured to: perform the correction on a partial area of the image, and combine the first and second enlarged images based on an area of the partial area on which the correction is performed ( Matsumoto, [0038]-[0040], The second enlarging unit 105 generates, from the correction value for each of the pixels in the intermediate image ) . Regarding 13, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the one or more processors and the one or more memories are further configured to: perform different correction on a plurality of areas of the image, and combine the first and second enlarged images based on the correction performed on each of the plurality of areas of the image ( Matsumoto, [0045], the image correcting unit 106 multiplies a pixel value (X in ) for the original image by a correction value (g) which is gain, and generates a corrected pixel value (X out ) in order to generate a corrected imag e) . Regarding 14, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second enlargement does not use the neural network ( Matsumoto , [0078], a second intermediate image generating unit 601 generates, based on an original image, a second intermediate image having as many pixels as correction values to be outputted by a second intermediate enlarging unit 604 for the original image ) . Regarding 15, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches t he image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second enlargement uses at least any of a nearest neighbor method, a bicubic method, and a bilinear method ( Matsumoto, [0041], the second enlarging unit 105 increases the correction value, using bilinear interpolation (linear interpolation) ) . Regarding 16, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first enlarged image generated by performing the first enlargement on the image is more enhanced in high-frequency signal ( Matsumoto, [0023] the reduced image generating unit 102 generates a reduced image having no aliasing, by low-pass filtering and sub-sampling the original image ) than the second enlarged image generated by performing the second enlargement on the image. Regarding 17, Matsumoto in view of Sytnik teaches image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first enlarged image generated by performing the first enlargement on the image is higher in resolution feeling ( Matsumoto, [0073], the image processing apparatus 100 first refers to pixels of 4×4 and second refers to pixels of 2×2. Hence the image processing apparatus 100 can curb an increase in processing amount and execute intense smoothing ) than the second enlarged image generated by performing the second enlargement on the image. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT JIANGENG SUN whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-3712 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT 8am to 5pm, EST, M-F . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Randolph Vincent can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571 272 8243 . 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. FILLIN "Examiner Stamp" \* MERGEFORMAT JIANGENG SUN Examiner Art Unit 2661 /Jiangeng Sun/ Examiner, Art Unit 2671
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Prosecution Timeline

Oct 12, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 18, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
82%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+14.0%)
2y 9m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 403 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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