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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
1.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.
2. Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 20250184615) in view of Oe et al. (US 20120327207).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses an information handling system comprising: a housing (Paragraph: 0005: Chen discusses a user device such as computer, laptop, tablet, mobile phones and the likes); a processor disposed in the housing and operable to execute instructions that process information (Paragraphs: 0005 and 0145: processor in the computer, laptop, tablet, mobile phones and the likes; and also discusses one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, and digital signal processors); a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information (Paragraphs: 0005, 0146 and fig.11, 1114, 1128: Chen discusses executing instructions for an application stored in memory); a display interfaced with the processor and operable to present the information as visual images (Paragraphs: 0005, 0027 and fig.11, 1134: Chen discusses how at least one display renders images); and a camera having a lens (Paragraphs: 0075, 0081 and fig.2, 204, 210: Chen discusses representations of a lens, each representation of a lens depicting a reflection of image), a processing resource and a non-transitory memory, the camera interfaced with the processor and operable to capture visual images (Paragraphs: 0019 and 0045: Chen discusses how at least one camera to capture images clearly depicting the user and in particular the user's face and eyes), and reflected from surfaces facing the display to the camera and captured in visual images of the camera (Paragraphs: 0044-0045, 0076 and fig.1, 121: Chen discusses a reflection of an image rendered by at least one display, on a reflective surface located in a field of view of the at least one camera; and how at least one camera captures a series of images, wherein each image of the series of images includes a depiction of a reflective surface).
Chen discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically point out “the lens having a camera polarizer to cancel reflections of the visual images presented at the display”
Oe however discloses the lens having a camera polarizer to cancel reflections of the visual images presented at the display (Paragraphs: 0079-0080 and 0117: Oe discusses how the system uses the lens attached to the camera to polarize filter to cancel noise of surface reflection of a facial image of the subject to be captured thereby obtain a clear image in which glaring on the surface; and how the image forming unit can display the image after modifying the image).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chen, and modify a system wherein the lens having a camera polarizer to cancel reflections of the visual images presented at the display, as taught by Oe, thus allowing to blocks ultraviolet rays, infrared rays and a filter installed in front of lens of image capturing unit to adjust light amount, as discussed by Oe
Regarding claim 10, Chen discloses a method for capturing visual images with a camera (Paragraphs: 0019 and 0045: Chen discusses how at least one camera to capture images), the method comprising: presenting information as visual images at display at a presentation axis (Paragraph: 0004, fig.2, 204, 208c and fig.7, 704, 716); capturing visual images with a camera along the presentation axis (Paragraph: 0004 and fig.8, 804, 810, 816: camera 810 capturing visual images); detecting a reflection of the visual images presented by the display in the visual images captured by the camera (Paragraphs: 0126 and 0137-0138: Chen discusses how at least one display such that each rendered image reflected on the reflective surface; and a reflection of each rendered image is captured by the at least one camera);
Chen discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically point out “in response to the detecting, activating a polarizer at the camera to cancel the reflection”
Oe however discloses in response to the detecting, activating a polarizer at the camera to cancel the reflection (Paragraphs: 0079-0080 and 0117: Oe discusses how the system uses the lens attached to the camera to polarize filter to cancel noise of surface reflection of a facial image of the subject to be captured thereby obtain a clear image in which glaring on the surface; and how the image forming unit can display the image after modifying the image).
Regarding claim 16, Chen discloses a camera comprising: a lens (Paragraphs: 0075, 0081 and fig.2, 204, 210: Chen discusses representations of a lens in a camera, each representation of a lens depicting a reflection of image); a processing resource (Paragraphs: 0005 and 0145: processor in the computer, laptop, tablet, mobile phones and the likes); a polarizer aligned with the lens (Paragraphs: 0004, 0075 and fig.1, 110, 114a: Chen discusses how a computer screen with a given polarization state strikes the eyewear at a given angle so as to be reflected towards the camera); and a non-transitory memory interfaced with the processing resource and storing instructions that when executed on the processing resource cause: capture of visual images from light passing through the lens (Paragraphs: 0004, 0019 and 0086: Chen discusses how an illumination device becomes necessary when the at least one display is the only available light source as the images are to be captured by the at least one camera); detection of an end user wearing eyeglasses in the visual images (Paragraphs: 0053, 0074 and 0084: Chen discusses how the video signal depicting a representation of eyeglasses, worn by a representation of a user, through which each representation of an eye of the user is clearly visible);
Chen discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically point out “activation of a polarizer associated with the lens to cancel reflections from the eyeglasses”
Oe however discloses activation of a polarizer associated with the lens to cancel reflections from the eyeglasses (Paragraphs: 0079-0080 and 0117: Oe discusses how the system uses the lens attached to the camera to polarize filter to cancel noise of surface reflection of a facial image of the subject to be captured thereby obtain a clear image in which glaring on the surface; and how the image forming unit can display the image after modifying the image).
Considering claim 2, Chen further discloses the information handling system of claim 1 further comprising: a display polarizer included in the display to polarize illumination from the display at a first orientation for presentation of the visual images (Paragraphs: 0018-0019 and 0115: Chen discusses how an illumination device (e.g., auxiliary lamp whose brightness can be tuned by varying the voltage) becomes necessary when the at least one display is the only available light source as the images are to be captured by the at least one camera); wherein the display is a peripheral display separate from the housing, the camera integrates with the peripheral display and the camera polarizer has a second orientation normal the first orientation (Paragraph: 0108 and fig.3, 304, 306, 308).
Considering claim 3, Chen further discloses the information handling system of claim 1 further comprising: liquid crystals included with the camera polarizer to selectively enable and disable the camera polarizer to cancel the reflections; and instructions stored in the camera non-transitory memory that when executed on the processing resource cause: recognition of a reflection in the visual image captured by the camera; and selective enablement of the polarizer in response to the recognition to cancel the reflection ( Paragraphs: 0004 and 0015: Chen discusses how the system reduce computer screen reflection on a user's eyewear in live streaming using a polarizing filter).
Considering claim 5, Chen further discloses the information handling system of claim 3 wherein the reflection comprises a reflection from eyeglasses at a face of an end user viewing the display (Paragraphs: 0002, 0028 and fig.2, 204: Chen discusses how eyeglasses worn by the user such that the eyeglasses are to preferentially reflect the image rendered by the user-selected display).
Considering claim 6, Chen further discloses the information handling system of claim 5 wherein the instructions further: determine a brightness of the reflection from the eyeglasses; and enable the polarizer only when the brightness of the reflection exceeds a predetermined amount (Paragraphs: 0128 and 0161: Chen discusses how the system determining the brightness changes and enable, disable, calibrate the light sensor using an illumination device able to produce a variety of known brightness levels, forward brightness readings from the light sensor to the user device).
Considering claim 7, Chen further discloses the information handling system of claim 1 further comprising instructions stored in the non-transitory memory that when executed on the processing resource cause: detection of a brightness of the reflection in the camera visual image (Paragraphs: 0025-0026); and rotation of an orientation of the camera polarizer to reduce the reflection (Paragraphs: 0028 and 0035: Chen discusses how the head rotation changes the orientation of the eyeglasses worn by the user such that the eyeglasses are to reflect the image rendered by the user-selected display; thus to capture images depicting no reflection of an image rendered by the at least one display on the user's eyeglasses, and eliminate any reflection of an image).
Considering claim 8, Chen further discloses the information handling system of claim 7 further comprising an actuator coupled to the polarizer to rotate the polarization for rotation of the polarizer orientation (Paragraphs: 0004 and 0028: Chen discusses how a polarizing filter installed in front of the camera aperture and rotated to an angle; and how a head rotation changes the orientation of the eyeglasses worn by the user such that the eyeglasses are to reflect the image).
Considering claim 9, Chen further discloses the information handling system of claim 8 wherein the polarizer comprises a layer of liquid crystals that rotate orientation in response to a predetermined current applied to the liquid crystals to remove reflections of polarized light from the eyeglasses (Paragraphs: 0004 and 0028: Chen discusses how the system reduce computer screen reflection on a user's eyewear in live streaming, a polarizing filter may be installed in front of the camera aperture and manually rotated to an angle to absorb the eyewear-reflected light rays; and how the system eliminate any reflection of an image rendered by the at least one display on the user's eyeglasses during the capturing of the series of images)
Considering claim 11, Chen further discloses the method of claim 10 further comprising: inserting a layer of liquid crystals at the camera lens along the presentation axis; and applying a current to the liquid crystals to rotate the liquid crystals (Paragraphs: 0018-0019) and activate polarization (Paragraphs: 0005, 0028 and 0151: Chen discusses how at least one camera with display is mobile in space rotates around e.g., a yaw axis and/or a pitch axis).
Considering claim 12, Chen further discloses the method of claim 11 further comprising: detecting a brightness of the reflection; and applying the current to change an orientation of the polarization to reduce the brightness of the reflection (Paragraphs: 0004, 0028 and 0151: Chen discusses rotating shutter, at least one display (e.g., one or more external displays) illumination device (e.g., auxiliary lamp whose brightness is voltage-dependent).
Considering claim 13, Chen further discloses the method of claim 10 further comprising: passing the display visual images through a polarizer of the display having a first orientation; and activating the polarizer of the camera to have a second orientation normal to the first orientation (Paragraphs: 0044 and 0108: Chen discusses how at least one camera is mobile in space rotates around e.g., a yaw axis and/or a pitch axis; and how the head rotation changes the orientation of eyeglasses with camera worn by user).
Considering claim 14, Chen further discloses the method of claim 10 wherein the detecting further comprises: identifying eyeglasses worn by an end user in the visual images captured by the camera (Paragraph: 0051 and figg.3, 308b: Chen discusses captured images to identify the presence of a depiction of at least one eye of the user unobstructed by a reflection of the at least one display on the user's eyeglasses, i.e. upon identifying eyeglasses worn by an end user); determining a brightness threshold of a reflection of the eyeglasses; and in response to the brightness threshold, activating the polarizer (Paragraphs: 0093 and 0102: Chen discusses how the control circuitry of user device comprise instructions to control (e.g., enable, disable or tune the brightness, produced by the illumination device; and how the system control (e.g., enable, disable, calibrate the light sensor using an illumination device able to produce a variety of known brightness levels, access brightness readings from the light sensor).
Considering claim 15, Chen further discloses the method of claim 14 wherein the brightness threshold of the eyeglasses comprises visibility of eyes of the end user behind the eyeglasses (Paragraphs: 0053-0054: Chen discusses how eyeglasses, worn by a representation of a user, through which each representation of an eye of user is clearly visible).
Considering claim 17, Chen further discloses the camera of claim 16 wherein the polarizer comprises a layer of liquid crystals selectively activated to polarize light by a charge (Paragraphs: 0002 and 0149: Liquid Crystal Displays or OLED-based panels keeps alternating between a lit frame and a black frame as prescribed by the Black Frame Insertion option (when selected)).
Considering claim 18, Chen further discloses the camera of claim 17 wherein the instructions further adjust an orientation of the liquid crystals that are activated to change the orientation of light polarized by the liquid crystals (Paragraphs: 0108, 0149 and fig.7, 716: Chen discusses changes the orientation of eyeglasses worn by user such that eyeglasses are to reflect the image rendered by the user-selected display (second display)).
Considering claim 19, Chen further discloses the camera of claim 16 further comprising: a display panel configured to present visual images through a display panel polarizer; and a housing coupling the display panel and camera into an assembly; wherein the camera polarizer polarizes light in an orientation normal to the display panel polarizer (fig.1, 104, 110).
Considering claim 20, Chen discloses the camera of claim 16 further comprising: activating the polarizer when the reflection blocks visibility of the end user eyes by a predetermined amount (Paragraphs: 0004, 0019 and 0050-0051: Chen discusses how polarization filter eliminate the eyewear-reflected light produced by the user's computer screen).
3. Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 20250184615) in view of Oe et al. (US 20120327207) and further in view of SCHAEFER et al. (US 20230379567).
Considering claim 4, Chen in view of Oe fail to discloses claim 4. SCHAEFER however discloses the information handling system of claim 4, wherein the instructions further: compare the reflection with the camera polarizer enabled and disabled (Paragraph: 0021: updating the polarization angle based on a trigger condition) ; and in response to the compare, rotate the polarizer axis to increase cancellation of the reflection (Paragraphs: 0014, 0017 and 0036: SCHAEFER discusses how a polarization angle of the polarizer may be adjusted until the unwanted features such as reflection are removed or significantly attenuated; and how the system rotates the polarizer about an axis of rotation to create an angle A1 between a reference axis and a polarizer index).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chen and Oe, and modify a system wherein the instructions further: compare the reflection with the camera polarizer enabled and disabled; and in response to the compare, rotate the polarizer axis to increase cancellation of the reflection, as taught by SCHAEFER, thus allowing the images to be processed in an efficient and effective manner, as discussed by SCHAEFER.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5149. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-7503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2691 01/13/2026