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 11/21/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Objection/s to the Specification
The title of the invention, “CONTROL METHOD FOR PROJECTOR, PROJECTOR, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM,” is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
(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 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takahashi (US 20170127020 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Takahashi teaches a control method for a projector (Fig. 1-12), comprising: receiving designation of a target image (A, B, C, and D; Fig. 5, 7) to be projected in a first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ; Fig. 9) in, in an input image (image input to 300 from 2; Fig. 4), a projection image (projected image) obtained by a projector projecting the input image (image input to 300 from 2) onto a projection surface (screen; [0053], [0054], [0056]); calculating a second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) indicating a size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) in the projection image (projected image) when the size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) included in the input image (image input to 300 from 2) is changed; and adjusting, based on a first ratio (α/α′, β/β′, γ/γ′, δ/δ′ and/or scaling factor; [0062], [0064]), which is a ratio of the second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) to the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ), an enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD; [0052], [0071]) of the projection image (projected image) with respect to the input image (image input to 300 from 2) such that the target image (A, B, C, and D) is displayed in the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) in the projection image (projected image; [0052], [0071]).
Regarding claim 2, Takahashi further teaches adjusting the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) includes adjusting the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) with an optical device of the projector (300).
Regarding claim 3, Takahashi further teaches adjusting the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) includes scaling the target image (A, B, C, and D) with image processing (101).
Regarding claim 5, Takahashi further teaches in adjusting the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD), when the target image (A, B, C, and D) is an image of a person (Fig. 5), the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) is a size in which the person is displayed in an actual size (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Takahashi further teaches adjusting the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) includes: increasing volume of voice corresponding to the target image (A, B, C, and D) when the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) is reduced (by controlling the directivity of the microphone array); and reducing the volume of the voice corresponding to the target image (A, B, C, and D) when the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) is increased (by controlling the directivity of the microphone array).
Regarding claim 7, a projector (300 and 1 and/or 2; Fig. 1-12) comprising: an optical device (300); and at least one processor (101), the at least one processor (101) executing: receiving designation of a target image (A, B, C, and D) to be projected in a first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) in, in an input image (image input to 300 from 2), a projection image (projected image) obtained by the optical device projecting the input image (image input to 300 from 2) onto a projection surface (screen; [0053], [0054], [0056]); calculating a second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) indicating a size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) in the projection image (projected image) when the size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) included in the input image (image input to 300 from 2) is changed; and adjusting, based on a first ratio (α/α′, β/β′, γ/γ′, δ/δ′ and/or scaling factor; [0062], [0064]) that is a ratio of the second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) to the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ), an enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD; [0052], [0071]) of the projection image (projected image) with respect to the input image (image input to 300 from 2) such that the target image (A, B, C, and D) is displayed in the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) in the projection image (projected image; [0052], [0071]).
Regarding claim 8, Takahashi teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program ([0080], [0085]), the program causing a processor (101) to execute (Fig. 1-12): receiving designation of a target image (A, B, C, and D) to be projected in a first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) in, in an input image (image input to 300 from 2), a projection image (projected image) obtained by a projector projecting the input image (image input to 300 from 2) onto a projection surface (screen; [0053], [0054], [0056]); calculating a second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) indicating a size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) in the projection image (projected image) when the size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) included in the input image (image input to 300 from 2) is changed; and adjusting, based on a first ratio (α/α′, β/β′, γ/γ′, δ/δ′ and/or scaling factor; [0062], [0064]) that is a ratio of the second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) to the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ), an enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD; [0052], [0071]) of the projection image (projected image) with respect to the input image (image input to 300 from 2) such that the target image (A, B, C, and D) is displayed in the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) in the projection image (projected image; [0052], [0071]).
Claim Rejections - AIA 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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi.
Regarding claim 4, Takahashi does not explicitly teach when a third size different from the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) and indicating a size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) in the projection image (projected image) is designated, adjusting the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) based on a second ratio, which is a ratio of the second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) to the third size, such that the target image (A, B, C, and D) is displayed in the third size in the projection image (projected image).
Changing the system interface, i.e., basic area, such that it requires the system to recalibrate which results in a third size different from the first size (with respect to α, β, γ, δ) and indicating a size of the target image (A, B, C, and D) in the projection image (projected image) is designated, adjusting the enlargement ratio (ratio of clipped image to ABCD) based on a second ratio, which is a ratio of the second size (with respect to α′, β′, γ′, δ′) to the third size, such that the target image (A, B, C, and D) is displayed in the third size in the projection image (projected image), is necessarily a natural consequence; hence it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art at the time of the invention. Furthermore, it is a matter of common sense.
Conclusion
The prior art references cited in PTO-892 are made of record and considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Patent documents, US 20150109401 A1, US 20070291185 A1, US 11183154 B2, US 20120257173 A1, US 20140019894 A1, US 20110122147 A1, US 20100321410 A1, US 20070291189 A1, US 20070291047 A1, US 20070291184 A1, US 20070291233 A1, US 20060192847 A1, US 20070257927 A1, US 20050128530 A1, US 20040261037 A1, and US 20020186212 A1, disclose projection systems for accepting multiple inputs from multiple sources and manipulate each input in the aggregated output.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAO-LUAN Q LE whose telephone number is (571)270-5362. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday; 9:00AM-5:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached on (571) 272 230303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Any response to this action should be mailed to:
Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
Or faxed to:
(571) 273-8300, (for formal communications intended for entry)
Or:
(571) 273-7490, (for informal or draft communications, please label “PROPOSED” or “DRAFT”)
Hand-delivered responses should be brought to:
Customer Service Window
Randolph Building
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
/BAO-LUAN Q LE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882