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 § 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)(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) 1-9 and 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura et al. (US 2021/0281712), cited in the IDS dated 5/21/24.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Nakamura discloses an image reading method and an image reading device comprising:
an illuminator to irradiate a subject with visible light and invisible light (see Fig. 3 and paras 48-49 and 53, light source 2 irradiates visible and invisible light);
an imager to receive the visible light and the invisible light reflected by the subject to capture a visible image and an invisible image (see Fig, 3 and paras 51-53 and 61-63, imaging unit 22 receives visible and invisible light, each of which is reflected from the subject, to capture a visible image and/or an invisible image);
a background portion in an image capturing range of the imager (see paras 50 and 53, a background portion 13 is provided in an image capturing range of imaging unit 22),
the background portion having:
a reflectance at a specific wavelength of the visible light equal to or higher than a lower limit of visible light reflectance, the lower limit of visible light reflectance specifying a lower limit of reflectance of the visible light (see Fig. 8 and para 71, a specific wavelength, such as 85% reflectance at 450nm, is higher than a lower limit of 80% reflectance); and
a reflectance at a specific wavelength of the invisible light equal to or lower than an upper limit of invisible light reflectance, the upper limit of invisible light reflectance specifying an upper limit of reflectance of the invisible light (see Fig. 8 and para 71, a specific wavelength, such as 35% reflectance at 450nm, is lower than a upper limit of 90% reflectance); and
an image processor configured to detect a feature of one of the subject and the background portion from at least one of the visible image and the invisible image (see Figs. 3 and 6 and paras 59 and 61-63, image processor 20 detects a feature amount of a subject and the background portion 13 from at least one of the visible image or the invisible image).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Nakamura further discloses wherein the reflectance of the background portion at the specific wavelength of the visible light is equal to or lower than an upper limit of visible light reflectance, the upper limit of visible light reflectance specifying an upper limit of reflectance of the visible light (see Fig. 8 and para 71, 90% reflectance is an upper limit of the visible light).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Nakamura further discloses wherein the reflectance of the background portion at the specific wavelength of the invisible light is equal to or higher than a lower limit of invisible light reflectance, the lower limit of invisible light reflectance specifying a lower limit of reflectance of the invisible light (see Fig. 8 and para 71, 30% reflectance is a lower limit of the invisible light).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Nakamura further discloses wherein the background portion has a difference between a maximum reflectance value and a minimum reflectance value at a plurality of specific wavelengths of the visible light equal to or less than an upper limit of difference in visible light reflectance, the upper limit of difference in visible light reflectance specifying an upper limit of the difference (see Fig. 6A, there is a 5% difference between the maximum reflectance of 90% and the minimum reflectance at 85%, the limit is 6%).
Regarding claim 5, Nakamura further discloses wherein the illuminator emits infrared light as the invisible light, and wherein the imager captures an infrared image as the invisible image (see paras 49 and 53, light source 2 can irradiate infrared light as the invisible light and the imaging unit 22 captures an infrared image as the invisible image).
Regarding claim 6, Nakamura further discloses wherein the image processor is configured to detect an edge between the subject and the background portion as the feature of the at least one of the visible image and the invisible image (see Fig. 10 and 12B and paras 67, 75, and 77, an edge between the subject and the background is detected from the visible or invisible image), and
wherein the upper limit of invisible light reflectance of the background portion is equal to or lower than 55% when the specific wavelength is 850 nm (see Fig. 8, invisible light reflectance of 40% at 850nm is below 55%).
Regarding claim 7, Nakamura further discloses wherein the image processor is configured to detect brightness of the subject as the feature of the visible image (see para 98, brightness is detected), and
wherein the lower limit of visible light reflectance of the background portion is equal to or higher than 55% when the specific wavelength is 550 nm (see Fig. 8, visible light reflectance of 90% at 550nm is above the lower limit of 55%).
Regarding claim 8, Nakamura further discloses wherein the image processor is configured to detect an edge between the subject and the background portion as the feature of the at least one of the visible image and the invisible image (see Fig. 10 and 12B and paras 67, 75, and 77, an edge between the subject and the background is detected from the visible or invisible image), and
wherein the upper limit of visible light reflectance of the background portion is equal to or lower than 99% when the specific wavelength is 550 nm (see Fig. 8, visible light reflectance of 90% at 550nm is below the upper limit of 99%).
Regarding claim 9, Nakamura further discloses wherein the image processor is configured to detect brightness of the background portion as the feature of the invisible image (see para 98, brightness is detected), and
wherein the lower limit of invisible light reflectance of the background portion is equal to or higher than 1% when the specific wavelength is 850 nm (see Fig. 8, invisible light reflectance of 40% at 850nm is above 1%).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. To further show the state of the art please refer to the attached Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK R MILIA whose telephone number is (571) 272-7408. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Akwasi Sarpong can be reached at 571-270-3438. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARK R MILIA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681