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 05/09/2024 and 12/18/2025 being considered by the examiner. A copy of initialed form is attached for Applicant’s record.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sharma ("LCDs Versus CRTs-Color-Calibration and Gamut Considerations", PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE, IEEE. NEW YORK, US, vol. 90, no. 4, 1 April 2002 (2002-04-01), XP011064994, ISSN: 0018-9219, of record).
Regarding claim 1, Sharma discloses an information processing device (''A prototype LCD (13) was chosen for experimental study in order to evaluate the applicability of the color-calibration models" pag.609 comprising:
- a measurement data acquisition unit that acquires gradation characteristics, which are a data set obtained by measuring spectral radiance of an optotype presentation device that presents an optotype to a subject, at a plurality of gradation values of a plurality of primary colors ("a number of spatially uniform color patches were displayed in the central region and measured using a PR705 spectroradiometer that provides full spectral radiance (in W/sr/m2 units) for each of the patches at a 2- nm sampling resolution in the range 380-780 nm (as opposed to a colorimeter that provides only CIE XYZ or equivalent values", page 609);
- a stimulus value calculation unit that calculates a stimulus value at each gradation value based on the gradation characteristics ("CIEXYZ tristimulus values for each of the RGB channels can be obtained from the measured values for the corresponding ramps by interpolation of each
tristimulus value", page 615);
- a function generation unit that fits a predetermined function related to the gradation characteristics to a relationship between the stimulus value and the gradation value ("The functions vr(.), vg(.), and vb(.) are commonly referred to as the tone-response curves (TRCs) of the red, green, and blue channels" page 606, and "Since several commercial image processing packages allow for easy ''gamma correction" of images, it is also worth determining how closely the power-law-based model of (15) represents the display TRCs. For both the LCD and the CRT, the best ''gamma" exponent and offset values for each of the channels were determined through a least-squares fit of the TRCs to (15). The power-law TRCs corresponding to the estimated gamma and offset values from (15) were then used in the forward model of (5)-(8) to obtain predicted tristimulus values for the test samples and color errors were computed as before", page 615).
Regarding claim 2, Sharma discloses the information processing device according to claim 1. Sharma further discloses wherein the function fitted by the function generation unit includes a nonlinear term including a parameter for fitting and a linear term including a parameter for fitting (page 615; "Since several commercial image processing packages allow for easy "gamma correction" of images, it is also worth determining how closely the power-law-based model of (15) represents the display TRCs. For both the LCD and the CRT, the best ''gamma" exponent and offset values for each of the channels were determined through a least squares fit of the TRCs to (15)").
Regarding claim 3, Sharma discloses the information processing device according to claim 1. Sharma further discloses a gradation value calculation unit that calculates a gradation value corresponding to a display target value in the optotype presentation device based on the function ("The TRCs vr(.), vg(.), and vb(.) then correspond to what is commonly referred to as the electrooptic response in LCD terminology" page 609).
Regarding claim 4, Sharma discloses the information processing device according to claim 1. Sharma further discloses wherein the stimulus value calculation unit calculates tristimulus values of an XYZ color system for each of the primary colors as the stimulus value ("The characterization patches consisted of ramps with 33 levels each for each of the rm R,,G,,B channels (e.g., the red channel characterization patches consisted of patches with rm G = rm B = 0 and rm R values uniformly sampling the range from 0 to rm R max = 255”, page 609; and “the measured characterization and test spectra and the spectral predictions obtained by using the models were converted to CIEXYZ tristimulus values", page 614).
Regarding claim 5, Sharma discloses the information processing device according to claim 1. Sharma further discloses wherein the stimulus value calculation unit calculates an LMS cone stimulus value for each of the primary colors as the stimulus value (or to express the tri-stimulus value in an alternative way. However, it is well known that LMS domain is an alternative to XYZ. The skilled person would without any inventive step express the tri-stimulus in the LMS domain as an obvious alternative to XYZ).
Regarding claim 6, Sharma discloses the information processing device according to claim 1. Sharma further discloses wherein the measurement data acquisition unit acquires the gradation characteristics at a timing of starting a visual function inspection on the subject ("Both displays were allowed to warm up for over 45 min to reduce the effects of any transient variations upon power on", page 609).
Regarding claim 9, Sharma discloses the information processing device according to claim 1. Sharma further discloses wherein the measurement data acquisition unit acquires gradation characteristics of each of red, green, and blue subpixels that represent the primary color by color mixing ("the individual RGB pixels are rectangular and arranged so that three horizontally adjacent rectangular RGB pixels constitute a single square "color pixel" page 609).
Regarding claim 10, Sharma discloses an information processing device (''A prototype LCD (13) was chosen for experimental study in order to evaluate the applicability of the color-calibration models" pag.609 and the corresponding method ("methods for their color calibration" page 605) comprising:
- acquiring gradation characteristics, which are a data set obtained by measuring spectral radiance of an optotype presentation device that presents an optotype to a subject, at a plurality of gradation values of a plurality of primary colors ("a number of spatially uniform color patches were displayed in the central region and measured using a PR705 spectroradiometer that provides full spectral radiance (in W/sr/m2 units) for each of the patches at a 2- nm sampling resolution in the range 380-780 nm (as opposed to a colorimeter that provides only CIE XYZ or equivalent values", page 609);
- calculating a stimulus value at each gradation value based on the gradation characteristics ("CIEXYZ tristimulus values for each of the RGB channels can be obtained from the measured values for the corresponding ramps by interpolation of each tristimulus value", page 615); and
- fitting a predetermined function related to the gradation characteristics to a relationship between the stimulus value and the gradation value ("The functions vr(.), vg(.), and vb(.) are commonly referred to as the tone-response curves (TRCs) of the red, green, and blue channels" page 606, and "Since several commercial image processing packages allow for easy ''gamma correction" of images, it is also worth determining how closely the power-law-based model of (15) represents the display TRCs. For both the LCD and the CRT, the best ''gamma" exponent and offset values for each of the channels were determined through a least-squares fit of the TRCs to (15). The power-law TRCs corresponding to the estimated gamma and offset values from (15) were then used in the forward model of (5)-(8) to obtain predicted tristimulus values for the test samples and color errors were computed as before", page 615).
Regarding claim 11, Sharma discloses an information processing device (''A prototype LCD (13) was chosen for experimental study in order to evaluate the applicability of the color-calibration models" pag.609 and program ("Where required, color in CIEXYZ/CIELAB coordinates [15] was computed from the spectral measurements as in (2)" page 610) comprising:
- acquiring gradation characteristics, which are a data set obtained by measuring spectral radiance of an optotype presentation device that presents an optotype to a subject, at a plurality of gradation values of a plurality of primary colors ("a number of spatially uniform color patches were displayed in the central region and measured using a PR705 spectroradiometer that provides full spectral radiance (in W/sr/m2 units) for each of the patches at a 2- nm sampling resolution in the range 380-780 nm (as opposed to a colorimeter that provides only CIE XYZ or equivalent values", page 609);
- calculating a stimulus value at each gradation value based on the gradation characteristics ("CIEXYZ tristimulus values for each of the RGB channels can be obtained from the measured values for the corresponding ramps by interpolation of each tristimulus value", page 615); and
- fitting a predetermined function related to the gradation characteristics to a relationship between the stimulus value and the gradation value ("The functions vr(.), vg(.), and vb(.) are commonly referred to as the tone-response curves (TRCs) of the red, green, and blue channels" page 606, and "Since several commercial image processing packages allow for easy ''gamma correction" of images, it is also worth determining how closely the power-law-based model of (15) represents the display TRCs. For both the LCD and the CRT, the best ''gamma" exponent and offset values for each of the channels were determined through a least-squares fit of the TRCs to (15). The power-law TRCs corresponding to the estimated gamma and offset values from (15) were then used in the forward model of (5)-(8) to obtain predicted tristimulus values for the test samples and color errors were computed as before", page 615).
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.
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sharma as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Chou et al.(US 2007/052735 A1 hereinafter Chou).
Sharma discloses the information processing device according to claim 1 with "Both displays were allowed to warm up for over 45 min to reduce the effects of any transient variations upon power on" (page 609). The skilled person would therefore without any inventive step acquire a temperature of the display and trigger the function generation when the display would be at the expected temperature. However, Sharma does not disclose wherein the measurement data acquisition unit acquires, in addition to the gradation characteristics, environmental data on an environment at a time point for measuring the gradation characteristics; wherein the function generation unit fits the predetermined function to the relationship between the stimulus value and the gradation value according to the environment data. Chou teaches wherein the measurement data acquisition unit acquires, in addition to the gradation characteristics, environmental data on an environment at a time point for measuring the gradation characteristics; wherein the function generation unit fits the predetermined function to the relationship between the stimulus value and the gradation value according to the environment data ("different target luminance curves and different target chromaticity points can be selected in order to calibrate the display device 10 to suit different viewing environments and input video signal characteristics. For example, the target chromaticity point can be selected to correspond to a warmer or cooler color temperature so that the perceived image quality is maintained in warmer or cooler ambient lighting conditions", par.[0047]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply teaching of Chou to device of Sharma for purpose of calibrating the display.
Conclusion
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/TUYEN TRA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872