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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2022-166377 and JP2022-190038, filed on 10/17/2022 and 10/29/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/12/2023 was compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-18 and 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hiasa (US 2017/0302868 A1) hereinafter Hiasa.
Regarding Claim 1, Hiasa teaches an image processing method comprising: acquiring a captured image obtained by image capturing using an optical system (fig.1-2; image capturing); acquiring correction strength for a sharpening process applied to a partial area in the captured image (fig.3; perform noise reduction in partial region); and applying the sharpening process to the partial area based on a first optical characteristic and the correction strength (fig.8), wherein the correction strength is acquired based on a second optical characteristic (fog.8; correction is based on optical characteristic), wherein the first optical characteristic is an optical characteristic of the optical system in a case where the optical system is defocused by a first defocus amount (fig.8; Para.0071 and 0086-0087; optical characteristic for defocused amount), wherein the second optical characteristic is an optical characteristic of the optical system in a case where the optical system is defocused by a second defocus amount (fig.8; Para.0071 and 0086-0087; larger defocus blur and focused image area has smaller defocus blur), and wherein the second defocus amount is smaller than the first defocus amount (fig.8; Para.0071 and 0086-0087; focus plan or defocus plan which is the image or object has larger defocus blur then focused image area has smaller defocus blur).
Regarding Claim 2, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the first defocus amount is a defocus amount due to aberration of the optical system (fig.1; Para.0049; aberration of optical system).
Regarding Claim 3, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the second defocus amount is a distance between an image forming position corresponding to a subject and a position of an image plane, in a case where the subject in the partial area is in focus (Para.0079-0081; image distances due to defocus).
Regarding Claim 4, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 3, wherein the second defocus amount is 0 (fig.8; Para.0071 and 0086-0087; focus plan when object in fully in focus).
Regarding Claim 5, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the higher a performance of the second optical characteristic is, the smaller the correction strength is (fig.8; Para.0071 and 0086-0087; focus plan or defocus plan which is the image or object has larger defocus blur then focused image area has smaller defocus blur).
Regarding Claim 6, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the higher a performance of the second optical characteristic is relative to a performance of the first optical characteristic, the smaller the correction strength is (Para.0092-0094; strength of the noise reduction is relative to optical characteristic).
Regarding Claim 7, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the sharpening process is a process of correcting blur corresponding to the first optical characteristics (fig.8; Para.0071 and 0086-0087; optical characteristic for defocused amount).
Regarding Claim 8, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the sharpening process is a process using a machine learning model (fig.1; Para.0101; sharping processing using program processing).
Regarding Claim 9, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the correction strength is uniform in a rotation direction with respect to an optical axis of the optical system (fig.8; acquiring an image and depth map).
Regarding Claim 10, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the second defocus amount is a distance between an image forming position corresponding to a subject corresponding to one of a plurality of azimuth directions and a position of an image plane in a case where the subject in the partial area is in focus (Para.0076; “the partial region is acquired from one (single) defocus characteristic region among the multiple defocus characteristic regions”).
Regarding Claim 11, Hiasa teaches an image processing apparatus comprising a processing unit configured to execute the image processing method according to claim 1 (Para.0060-0062; image processing).
Regarding Claim 12, Hiasa teaches an image processing system (fig.1) comprising: the image processing apparatus according to claim 11 (Claim11); and an imaging apparatus including the optical system and configured to acquire the captured image (Fig.1 and Para.0060-0062; image processing).
Regarding Claim 13, Hiasa teaches an imaging apparatus comprising: a processing unit configured to execute the image processing method according to claim 1 (see claim 1); and an imaging unit including the optical system and configured to acquire the captured image (fig.1; image capturing).
Regarding Claim 14, Hiasa teaches same reason as Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 15, Hiasa teaches same reason as Claim 1 and 4.
Regarding Claim 16, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 15, wherein the first defocus amount is a defocus amount with respect to each image height due to aberration of the optical system (fig.1; Para.0049; aberration of optical system).
Regarding Claim 17, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 15, wherein the captured image is a plurality of parallax images corresponding to a plurality of viewpoints, and wherein the subject defocus amount is acquired based on the plurality of parallax images (Para.0071; defocus amount is acquired from plurality of parallax images).
Regarding Claim 18, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 17, wherein the subject defocus amount is a defocus map that is distribution of a defocus value indicating a degree of focusing when the captured image is acquired, with respect to each position in the image (Para.0091; depth map).
Regarding Claim 21, Hiasa teaches the image processing method according to claim 15, wherein the correction strength is based on a subject defocus amount in a first direction among a plurality of azimuth directions in the partial area and a subject defocus amount in a second direction different from the first direction among the plurality of azimuth directions (Para.0076; “the partial region is acquired from one (single) defocus characteristic region among the multiple defocus characteristic regions”).
Regarding Claim 22, Hiasa teaches an image processing apparatus comprising a processing unit configured to execute the image processing method according to claim 15 (Para.0060-0062; image processing).
Regarding Claim 23, Hiasa teaches an image processing system comprising: the image processing apparatus according to claim 22 (see claim 22); and an imaging apparatus including the optical system and configured to acquire the captured image (Fig.1 and Para.0060-0062; image processing and capturing).
Regarding Claim 24, Hiasa teaches an imaging apparatus comprising: a processing unit configured to execute the image processing method according to claim 15 (see claim 15); and an imaging unit including the optical system and configured to acquire the captured image (Fig.1 and Para.0060-0062; image processing and capturing).
Regarding Claim 25, Hiasa teaches the imaging apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the imaging unit includes an image sensor including pixels having a plurality of light-receiving units (fig.1), and wherein the plurality of light-receiving units receives beams passing through pupils different from each other (Para.0046; pupil).
Regarding Claim 26, Hiasa teaches same reason as Claim 1 and 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FAYEZ A BHUIYAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1562. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 - 6:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached on 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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/FAYEZ BHUIYAN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638