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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because on fig. 8 “fees” should be rewritten as “feed”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 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 (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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10,11, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Bhanushali (US 20200348665 A1) (hereinafter Bhanushali) in view of Sun (US 20220058771 A1) (hereinafter Sun).
Regarding claim 1, A system for processing sensor data at a remotely controlled vehicle(As described in the specification, a sensor can be a camera. Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors, including one or more cameras configured to capture images of a surrounding environment around the vehicle. Bhanushali, paragraph 01, Aspects of the disclosure relate to compressing image data for transmission to a computer system of a remote operator controlling a vehicle), comprising:
a plurality of sensors for monitoring an exterior environment of the remotely controlled vehicle to generate a corresponding respective plurality of sensor data feeds(The specification discloses the plurality of sensors can be multiple cameras. Bhanushali, paragraph 6, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors, including one or more cameras configured to capture images of a surrounding environment around the vehicle. Bhanushali, paragraph 28,the image processing logic 122 may combine images from different cameras by stitching the images together to form a single image as an aggregated camera view of the surrounding environment.),
a compositor for combining the plurality of sensor data feeds into a composite data stream(Its described in the specification that the compositor can stitch together the plurality of data feeds to provide a continuous representation of the sensor data. Bhanushali‘s image processing logic performs a similar function as the compositor by combining and stitching images to create a visual representation of a vehicle’s surrounding. Bhanushali, paragraph 78, the vehicle system generates a visual representation of the surrounding environment based on at least one image included in the sensor data collected in step 702. The visual representation can, for example, include a single image captured by camera, multiple images captured by different cameras, or a composite image formed by stitching together the images captured by the cameras. Bhanushali, paragraph 28 Image processing logic 122 can generate image data for transmission to the remote computer system 106. The image data can be transmitted in one or more data streams (e.g., video streams), based on real-time processing of images captured by one or more of the sensors);
a remote pilot terminal operative to receive the composite data stream and render a representation of the exterior environment of the remotely controlled vehicle to a remote pilot(The specification discloses that the remote pilot terminal can be a device that includes a pilot interface that can receive inputs, and has a display. Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system 140 can include one or more display devices that output images corresponding to the image data sent by the vehicle system 102. Bhanushali, paragraph 55, Display device(s) 310 may be used to present a visual representation of a surrounding environment to the remote operator. The visual representation corresponds to the image data sent by a vehicle system. Bhanushali, paragraph 68, FIG. 5 comprises a single image 500 formed by stitching together images captured by different cameras. The image 500 can be transmitted to a remote computer system for display on a single display device); and
a pilot monitor for determining an area of focus of the remote pilot(As disclosed in the specification, the area of focus of the remote pilot can be determined by monitoring the eye direction of the pilot. Bhanushali, paragraph 44, the driver monitoring system 128 may include an eye tracking sensor that captures movement of one or more of the remote operator's eyes to determine a gaze direction. Bhanushali, paragraph 65, Regions of interest can also be defined based on gaze or face direction. In some embodiments, the entire image shown on a display device can be classified as a region of interest based on the direction of the remote operator. Bhanushali, paragraph 77, the vehicle system receives, from the remote computer system, information indicating a direction or area of focus of the remote operator);
wherein the area of focus is provided to the compositor for use in differentiating the plurality of data feeds in the composite data stream(Bhanushali, paragraph 35, The image processing logic 122 can map the indicated locations to image data being generated for transmission to the remote computer system 106. For instance, the image processing logic 122 may define a region of interest as a bounding box or outline around the indicated location. Bhanushali, paragraph 28, the image processing logic 122 may combine images from different cameras by stitching the images together to form a single image as an aggregated camera view of the surrounding environment.), and wherein the representation of the exterior environment at the remote operator terminal is based on the area of focus of the remote pilot(Bhanushali, paragraph 04, a region of interest is identified based on a direction or an area of focus of the remote operator. For instance, a gaze or face direction of the remote operator can be detected using a sensor of a driver monitoring system, and can be mapped to a region of interest. Bhanushali, paragraph 65, Regions of interest can also be defined based on gaze or face direction. In some embodiments, the entire image shown on a display device can be classified as a region of interest based on the direction of the remote operator. Bhanushali, paragraph 6, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors, including one or more cameras configured to capture images of a surrounding environment around the vehicle).
While Bhanushali teaches about processing of image data from camera based on the focus area of the operator, it fails to disclose a sensor system wherein adjacent pairs of the plurality of sensors comprising an at least partially overlapping field of view.
However, Sun, which is in the same analogous art that teaches about image processing and stitching discloses: a system wherein adjacent pairs of the plurality of sensors comprising an at least partially overlapping field of view(Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data in the multiple-channel image data is fused to obtain the stitched image by stitching. Sun, fig. 2, 201 and 202 show partially overlapped image data.)
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Figure shows partially overlapped image data(201 and 202)
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Bhanushali’s invention with the teaching of Sun, where multiple images are partially overlapped to create a stitched image. Common features can be identified in the images captured by different cameras that are important for alignment. By overlapping the images, the common features allow a more precise stitching of adjacent camera feeds. In addition, the overlap eliminates visible gaps that appear when combining different images from different cameras.
Regarding claim 2. the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the system of claim 1(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the plurality of sensors comprise cameras (Bhanushali, paragraph 21, examples of sensors 114 may include, without limitation, a camera)and the plurality of sensor data feeds comprise video data feeds(Bhanushali, paragraph 76, images captured by the imaging sensor(s) can be processed for transmission to the remote computer system, e.g., in one or more video streams).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the system of claim 2(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the plurality of sensor data feeds of the cameras provide a continuous field of view(Bhanushali discloses a single 360-degree panoramic view that is stitched together with images from multiple cameras. This implies continuity in the stitched images. Bhanushali, paragraph 48, images from cameras located at each side of the vehicle 200 can be stitched together to form a 360-degree view of the vehicle and/or its environment.) about at least a portion of the remotely controlled vehicle in the composite data stream(Bhanushali, paragraph 28,a data stream can comprise a plurality of sequentially transmitted visual representations or a select portion of the plurality of sequentially transmitted visual representations. Bhanushali, paragraph 03,The image data can be selectively compressed to provide better image quality (e.g., higher resolution) for certain portions of images viewed by the remote operator).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the system of claim 3(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the plurality of sensor data feeds of the cameras provide a continuous field of view(Bhanushali, paragraph 48, images from cameras located at each side of the vehicle 200 can be stitched together to form a 360-degree view of the vehicle and/or its environment.) about an entirety of the remotely controlled vehicle in the composite data stream(Bhanushali, paragraph 32, a region of interest can be an entire image selected from among multiple images that are to be displayed simultaneously).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the system of claim 2(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the compositor is operative to generate the composite data stream such that resolutions of the plurality of sensor data feeds in the composite data stream are based on the area of focus of the remote pilot(Bhanushali discloses that by selectively compressing an area of interest of an operator, it can increase the resolution of an image. Furthermore, Bhanushali has a composing mechanism that stitches images to create a single image based on the user’s focus area. Bhanushali, paragraph 3, the image data can be selectively compressed to provide better image quality (e.g., higher resolution) for certain portions of images viewed by the remote operator. Bhanushali, paragraph 69, the vehicle system may send image data for multiple compressed images to the remote computer system, and the remote computer system may be configured to decompress and then stitch these images together to form a single image, e.g., an image corresponding to a compressed version of the image).
Regarding claim 8, A method for processing sensor data at a remotely controlled vehicle(As described in the specification, a sensor can be a camera. Bhanushali, paragraph 05, a method for compressing image data for display to a remote operator of a vehicle includes receiving, by a first computer system located on the vehicle. Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors, including one or more cameras configured to capture images of a surrounding environment around the vehicle. Bhanushali, paragraph 01, Aspects of the disclosure relate to compressing image data for transmission to a computer system of a remote operator controlling a vehicle), comprising:
determining an area of focus of a remote pilot of the remotely controlled vehicle(As disclosed in the specification, the area of focus of the remote pilot can be determined by monitoring the eye direction of the pilot. Bhanushali, paragraph 44, the driver monitoring system 128 may include an eye tracking sensor that captures movement of one or more of the remote operator's eyes to determine a gaze direction. Bhanushali, paragraph 65, Regions of interest can also be defined based on gaze or face direction. In some embodiments, the entire image shown on a display device can be classified as a region of interest based on the direction of the remote operator. Bhanushali, paragraph 77, the vehicle system receives, from the remote computer system, information indicating a direction or area of focus of the remote operator);
monitoring an exterior environment relative to the remotely controlled vehicle with a plurality of sensors to generate a corresponding respective plurality of sensor data feeds(The specification discloses the plurality of sensors can be multiple cameras. Bhanushali, paragraph 6, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors, including one or more cameras configured to capture images of a surrounding environment around the vehicle. Bhanushali, paragraph 28,the image processing logic 122 may combine images from different cameras by stitching the images together to form a single image as an aggregated camera view of the surrounding environment.),
combining the plurality of sensor data feeds into a composite data stream(Its described in the specification that the compositor can stitch together the plurality of data feeds to provide a continuous representation of the sensor data. Bhanushali‘s image processing logic performs a similar function as the compositor by combining and stitching images to create a visual representation of a vehicle’s surrounding. Bhanushali, paragraph 78, the vehicle system generates a visual representation of the surrounding environment based on at least one image included in the sensor data collected in step 702. The visual representation can, for example, include a single image captured by camera, multiple images captured by different cameras, or a composite image formed by stitching together the images captured by the cameras. Bhanushali, paragraph 28 Image processing logic 122 can generate image data for transmission to the remote computer system 106. The image data can be transmitted in one or more data streams (e.g., video streams), based on real-time processing of images captured by one or more of the sensors), wherein the composite data stream differentiates the plurality of sensor data feeds in the composite data stream based on the area of focus of the remote pilot(Bhanushali, paragraph 35,The image processing logic 122 can map the indicated locations to image data being generated for transmission to the remote computer system 106. For instance, the image processing logic 122 may define a region of interest as a bounding box or outline around the indicated location. Bhanushali, paragraph 28, the image processing logic 122 may combine images from different cameras by stitching the images together to form a single image as an aggregated camera view of the surrounding environment.); and
rendering a representation of the exterior environment at a remote pilot terminal based on the area of focus of the remote pilot(Bhanushali, paragraph 04, a region of interest is identified based on a direction or an area of focus of the remote operator. For instance, a gaze or face direction of the remote operator can be detected using a sensor of a driver monitoring system, and can be mapped to a region of interest. Bhanushali, paragraph 65, Regions of interest can also be defined based on gaze or face direction. In some embodiments, the entire image shown on a display device can be classified as a region of interest based on the direction of the remote operator. Bhanushali, paragraph 6, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors, including one or more cameras configured to capture images of a surrounding environment around the vehicle).
While Bhanushali teaches about processing of image data from camera based on the focus area of the operator, it fails to disclose a sensor system wherein adjacent pairs of the plurality of sensors comprising an at least partially overlapping field of view.
However, Sun, which is in the same analogous art that teaches about image processing and stitching discloses: a system wherein adjacent pairs of the plurality of sensors comprising an at least partially overlapping field of view(Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data in the multiple-channel image data is fused to obtain the stitched image by stitching. Sun, fig. 2, 201 and 202 show partially overlapped image data.)
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Figure shows partially overlapped image data(201 and 202)
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Bhanushali’s invention with the teaching of Sun, where multiple images are partially overlapped to create a stitched image. Common features can be identified in the images captured by different cameras that are important for alignment. By overlapping the images, the common features allow a more precise stitching of adjacent camera feeds. In addition, the overlap eliminates visible gaps that appear when combining different images from different cameras.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the method of claim 8(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the plurality of sensors comprise cameras and the plurality of sensor data feeds comprise video data feeds(Bhanushali, paragraph 76, images captured by the imaging sensor(s) can be processed for transmission to the remote computer system, e.g., in one or more video streams).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the system of claim 2(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data the method of claim 9(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the plurality of sensor data feeds of the cameras provide a continuous field of view(Bhanushali discloses a single 360-degree panoramic view that is stitched together with images from multiple cameras. This implies continuity in the stitched images. Bhanushali, paragraph 48, images from cameras located at each side of the vehicle 200 can be stitched together to form a 360-degree view of the vehicle and/or its environment.) about at least a portion of the remotely controlled vehicle in the composite data stream(Bhanushali, paragraph 28,a data stream can comprise a plurality of sequentially transmitted visual representations or a select portion of the plurality of sequentially transmitted visual representations. Bhanushali, paragraph 03,The image data can be selectively compressed to provide better image quality (e.g., higher resolution) for certain portions of images viewed by the remote operator).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the method of claim 10(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the plurality of sensor data feeds of the cameras provide a continuous field of view(Bhanushali, paragraph 48, images from cameras located at each side of the vehicle 200 can be stitched together to form a 360-degree view of the vehicle and/or its environment.) about an entirety of the remotely controlled vehicle in the composite data stream(Bhanushali, paragraph 32, a region of interest can be an entire image selected from among multiple images that are to be displayed simultaneously).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the method of claim 9(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), further comprising: generating the composite data stream such that resolutions of the plurality of sensor data feeds in the composite data stream are based on the area of focus of the remote pilot(Bhanushali discloses that by selectively compressing an area of interest of an operator, it can increase the resolution of an image. Furthermore, Bhanushali has a composing mechanism that stitches images to create a single image based on the user’s focus area. Bhanushali, paragraph 3, the image data can be selectively compressed to provide better image quality (e.g., higher resolution) for certain portions of images viewed by the remote operator. Bhanushali, paragraph 69, the vehicle system may send image data for multiple compressed images to the remote computer system, and the remote computer system may be configured to decompress and then stitch these images together to form a single image, e.g., an image corresponding to a compressed version of the image).
Claims 6, 7,13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Bhanushali (US 20200348665 A1) (hereinafter Bhanushali) in view Sun (US 20220058771 A1) (hereinafter Sun) in further view of Yuan (US 20180190091 A1) (hereinafter Yuan).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the system of claim 5(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein the area of focus of the remote pilot relative to the exterior environment is identified based on a monitored position of the remote pilot(Bhanushali, paragraph 04, a region of interest is identified based on a direction or an area of focus of the remote operator. For instance, a gaze or face direction of the remote operator can be detected using a sensor of a driver monitoring system, and can be mapped to a region of interest).
The combination of Bhanushali and Sun specifically fails to disclose a system wherein the compositor maintains a greater bit rate of first sensor data in the composite data stream for the focus area relative to a lower bit rate for second sensor data away from the area of focus.
However, Yuan, which is in the same analogous art, and that teaches about bit rate control of a camera based on gaze status of an operator, discloses a system wherein the system maintains a greater bit rate of first sensor data in the data stream for the focus area(Yuan, paragraph 97, generating the gradient may include instructing the camera to increase a bit rate of the video stream inside the gaze area.) relative to a lower bit rate for second sensor data away from the area of focus(Yuan, paragraph 9, instructing the camera to decrease a bit rate of the video stream outside the gaze area based on the generated gradient may further include instructing the camera to lower resolution for an area of the video stream outside the gaze area prior to encoding the video stream).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Bhanushali and Sun with Yuan’s bit rate controller that is based on an operator’s gaze. Yuan discloses an adjusting of a bit rate depending on the gaze direction(area of interest) of the operator. Even though Yuan does not specifically disclose a compositor, both Bhanushali and Sun teach an image stitching technique similar to the compositor. Therefore, it would be obvious to use the image of a gaze area(area of focus) with the higher bit rate taught by Yuan with the composing mechanism of Bhanushali and Sun. By allocating higher bit rate for user’s area of interest, it is possible to reduce unnecessary data transmission from remote vehicle. This allows a high-quality image transmission while decreasing redundancy. Furthermore, it improves the processor’s load management that helps for speedy data transmission with less memory consumption.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the system of claim 1(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is movable based on the area of focus of the remote pilot(Controller of Yuan controls the movement of the camera. Furthermore, the camera receives instructions via network to adjust its position based on eye direction. Yuan, paragraph 58, controller 240 may also determine and control the desired focus and position (e.g., tilt, pan, rotation, zoom, etc.) of camera 110. To do so, controller 240 sends commands to one or more motor controllers 270 to drive one or more motors 272 to tilt, pan, rotate, and/or zoom camera 110 or optically zoom lenses. Yuan, paragraph 44, Eye tracker 140 includes a sensor (e.g., a camera) that enables VMS 150 (or any other device in environment 100) to determine where the eyes of an operator are focused).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the method of claim 12(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), further comprising: identifying the area of focus of the remote pilot relative to the exterior environment based on a monitored position of the remote pilot(Bhanushali, paragraph 04, a region of interest is identified based on a direction or an area of focus of the remote operator. For instance, a gaze or face direction of the remote operator can be detected using a sensor of a driver monitoring system, and can be mapped to a region of interest);
The combination of Bhanushali and Sun specifically fails to disclose a method for maintaining a greater bit rate of first sensor data in the composite data stream for the focus area relative to a lower bit rate for second sensor data away from the area of focus.
However, Yuan, which is in the same analogous art, and that teaches about bit rate control of a camera based on gaze status of an operator, discloses a method for maintaining a greater bit rate of first sensor data in the data stream for the focus area(Yuan, paragraph 97, generating the gradient may include instructing the camera to increase a bit rate of the video stream inside the gaze area.) relative to a lower bit rate for second sensor data away from the area of focus(Yuan, paragraph 9, instructing the camera to decrease a bit rate of the video stream outside the gaze area based on the generated gradient may further include instructing the camera to lower resolution for an area of the video stream outside the gaze area prior to encoding the video stream).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Bhanushali and Sun with Yuan’s bit rate controller that is based on an operator’s gaze. Yuan discloses an adjusting of a bit rate depending on the gaze direction(area of interest) of the operator. Even though Yuan does not specifically disclose a compositor, both Bhanushali and Sun teach an image stitching technique similar to the compositor. Therefore, it would be obvious to use the image of a gaze area(area of focus) with the higher bit rate taught by Yuan with the composing mechanism of Bhanushali and Sun. By allocating higher bit rate for user’s area of interest, it is possible to reduce unnecessary data transmission from remote vehicle. This allows a high-quality image transmission while decreasing redundancy. Furthermore, it improves the processor’s load management that helps for speedy data transmission with less memory consumption.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Bhanushali and Sun teaches about the method of claim 8(Bhanushali, paragraph 06, a vehicle system includes one or more sensors; Bhanushali, paragraph 43, Remote control system; Sun, paragraph 29, overlapping image data), further comprising: moving at least one of the plurality of sensors based on the area of focus of the remote pilot(Controller of Yuan controls the movement of the camera. Furthermore, camera receives instructions via network to adjust its position based on eye direction. Yuan, paragraph 58, controller 240 may also determine and control the desired focus and position (e.g., tilt, pan, rotation, zoom, etc.) of camera 110. To do so, controller 240 sends commands to one or more motor controllers 270 to drive one or more motors 272 to tilt, pan, rotate, and/or zoom camera 110 or optically zoom lenses. Yuan, paragraph 44, Eye tracker 140 includes a sensor (e.g., a camera) that enables VMS 150 (or any other device in environment 100) to determine where the eyes of an operator are focused).
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure
Akisada(US 20220201194 A1) discloses an apparatus comprising an acquisition unit configured to acquire a captured an image of a subject which a user is looking, and an orientation changing unit configured to change an orientation based on eye detection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BESUFEKAD TESSEMA whose telephone number is (571) 272-6850. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hunter Lonsberry can be reached on 571-272-7298. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BESUFEKAD LEMMA TESSEMA/Examiner, Art Unit 3665
/HUNTER B LONSBERRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3665