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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/19/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/19/2023 is in 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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)(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.
Claims 1-3 and 6-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hendrickson et al (“Hendrickson” hereinafter, U.S. Publication No. 2014/0028802 A1).
As per claim 1, Hendrickson discloses a stereoscopic camera device (figure 2), comprising: a first camera (paragraph [0029]: camera 202 in figure 2 or camera 102 in figure 1A if conventional), configured to capture toward an object (paragraph [0027]: “object”) to obtain a first image of the object; a second camera (camera 204 in figure 2 or camera 102 in figure 1A if conventional), configured to capture toward the object to obtain a second image of the object; and a controller (paragraph [0074]: “microprocessors”), electrically connected to the first camera and the second camera, wherein the controller synthesizes the first image and the second image to generate a stereoscopic image of the object (paragraph [0023]: 3-D or stereoscopic imaging/movie), wherein: by the controller, the first camera and the second camera are controlled, so that toe-in angles of an optical axis of the first camera and an optical axis of the second camera are greater than 0 (paragraph [0029], and figures 1A and 2, the toe-in angle of two cameras are greater than 0); or the controller image processes the first image and the second image, so that the processed first image and the processed second image are equivalent to images captured when the toe-in angles of the optical axis of the first camera and the optical axis of the second camera are greater than 0 (one of two alternative features were examined above).
As per claim 2, Hendrickson discloses wherein when the toe-in angles are greater than 0: a distance between an imaging position of the stereoscopic image of the object and a display surface is greater than 0, wherein an intersection position of the optical axis of the first camera and the optical axis of the second camera falls on the display surface, the display surface is parallel to a base line, and a straight line formed between the first camera and the second camera is the base line (see set up figure 2).
As per claim 3, Hendrickson discloses wherein when the toe-in angles are greater than 0: a difference value between an included angle formed by a first straight line and a second straight line and an included angle formed by a third straight line and the second straight line falls between ±0.5 degrees, wherein a straight line formed between an imaging position of the stereoscopic image of the object and a position of a preset left eye or a preset right eye is the first straight line, a straight line formed perpendicular to a connection direction between the position of the preset left eye and the position of the preset right eye and toward a direction of the stereoscopic image is the second straight line, and a straight line formed between a center of sight of the preset left eye and the preset right eye on a display surface and the position of the preset left eye or the preset right eye is the third straight line, an intersection position of the optical axis of the first camera and the optical axis of the second camera falls on the display surface, the display surface is parallel to a base line, and a straight line formed between the first camera and the second camera is the base line (as shown in figures 2-5, and paragraphs [0030]-[0033] & [0047]-[0048], Hendrickson teaches calculating camera positioning parameters in accordance with left and right eye positions, and the so-called “straight lines” are virtual/imaginary lines, can be achieved with adjustment of camera positions and angles).
For claims 6-11, as explained above, the toe-in angles of the camera can be adjusted through an actuator for each camera, and the angle, distance and display size will change accordingly when the camera positioning parameter changes as shown in figures 2 and 4.
Claims 12-14 are not examined as being dependent upon the alternative that was not selected in claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 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 TOM Y LU whose telephone number is (571)272-7393. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Bella can be reached at (571) 272 - 7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TOM Y LU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2667
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