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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is responsive to the amendment received 04/06/2026.
In the response to the Non-Final Office Action 01/06/2026, the applicant states that claims 1, 3-16, and 18-30 are pending in the application. Claims 1, 3, 16, 18, 29, and 30 have been amended. Claims 2 and 17 have been cancelled.
Claims 1, 3, 16, 18, 29, and 30 have been amended. Claims 2 and 17 have been cancelled. In summary, claims 1, 3-6, and 18-30 are pending in current application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding 35 U.S.C 112 (f) interpretation, the applicant acknowledges the 35 U.S.C 112 (f) interpretation. However, the applicant does not argue the 35 U.S.C112 (f) interpretation. The amendment does not cure the basis of 35 .S.C 112 (f) interpretation. Therefore, the examiner maintains the 35 U.S.C 112 (f) interpretation.
Regarding to 35 U.S.C 101 rejection, the amendment has cured the basis of 35 U.S.C 101 rejection. Therefore, the 35 U.S.C 101 rejection of claim 30 is hereby withdrawn.
Regarding to claim 1, the applicant argues that Morein fails to teach or suggest all the limitations of amended claim 1, including, inter alia, obtain an indication of a resolution update for the at least one second frame; and adjust the valid pixel region of the at least one second frame based on the indication of the resolution update. The arguments have been fully considered, but they are not persuasive. Morein in view of Spitzer discloses all limitations of amended claim 1. For example,
Morein discloses “obtain an indication of a resolution update for the at least one second frame”. For example, in paragraph [0034], Morein teaches the rendering engine 112 generates a high-resolution foveal image to be overlaid in the foveal region of the full-frame image; Morein further teaches the rendering engine 112 may generate the full-frame image at a lower resolution than a corresponding display resolution of the HMD device 120. In Fig. 4 and paragraph [0051], Morein teaches receiving the foveal image 402 and FOV image 404 sequentially; Morein further teaches indications of the foveal image 402 and FOV image 404 as illustrated in Fig. 4. In Fig. 4 and paragraph [0052], Morein teaches encoding a foveal coordinate 406, in the frame buffer image 400, specifying the foveal region 408 of the FOV image;
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; Morein further teaches the foveal coordinate 406 is an indication and indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; Morein further more teaches the foveal coordinate 406 is an indication and identifies a set of pixels defining a boundary of the foveal region, i.e. higher resolution region. In paragraph [0086], Morein teaches the host device renders the foveal image at a relatively high resolution.
Morein further discloses “adjust the valid pixel region of the at least one second frame based on the indication of the resolution update”. For example, in Fig. 4 and paragraph [0034], Morein teaches a high-resolution foveal image is overlaid in the foveal region of the full-frame image to increase the resolution. In Fig. 4 and paragraph [0052], Morein teaches specifying the foveal region 408 of the FOV image 404 based on the foveal coordinate 406, i.e. indication of resolution update; Morein further teaches the foveal coordinate 406 is an indication and indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined and updated image on a display. In Fig. 7 and paragraph [0080], Morein teaches while the foveal image is being received and stored in the foveal buffer, the combined image from the prior frame is flashed on the physical display as shown by a flash of frame in the display timing; Morein further teaches updating and adjusting the foveal image based on a short time; Morein further more teaches time is an indication. In paragraph [0081], Morein teaches the FOV image is merged with the foveal image to create the combined image and update the physical display with the newly created portions; Morein further teaches the pixels are available to be updated and adjusted for the current frame, i.e. second frame, without interrupting the display of the prior image, i.e. first frame. In paragraph [0093], Morein teaches the blending adjusts and reduces the appearance of sharp edges between the foveal region and the field of view region in the combined image; Morein further teaches rendering the foveal image to have a resolution that is adjusted and decreased around the edges than toward the center of the foveal image. In paragraph [0101], Morein teaches the resolution of the foveal image along the edges is adjusted and decreased to gradually match the resolution of the field of view image. In paragraph [0106], Morein teaches the pixels of the field of view image are adjusted, substituted or overlaid by the foveal image based on coordinates, i.e. indication. In paragraph [0107], Morein teaches the lines of the field of view image are adjusted, upscaled, merged with the foveal image into a combined image according to the coordinates; Morein further teaches blending algorithms are applied at least to the intersection region of the foveal image and the field of view image to remove a hard edger; Morein further more teaches setting the intersection region of the foveal image as having a certain amount of transparency, i.e. indication, in order to merge a percentage of the value of the pixel of the field of view image with a percentage of the value of the corresponding pixel of the foveal image to obtain a value for the corresponding pixel in the combined image.
Claims 6, 29, and 30 include limitations similar to those presented in independent claim 1. Therefore, claims 6, 29, and 30 are not allowable due to the similar reasons as discussed above.
35 USC § 112 (f) Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim 29 limitations use the word “means”.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1-13, 15-26, and 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morein (US 20190122642 A1) and in view of Spitzer (US 20180136720 A1).
Regarding to claim 1 (Currently Amended), Morein discloses an apparatus for display processing (Fig. 2; [0039]: the host device 210 receives image source data 201 from an image source and renders the image source data 201 for display on the HMD device 220; [0043]: the central portion of the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution; the edges and border regions of the foveal image 304 are blended into the surrounding portions of the FOV image 302; Fig. 9; [0093]: the host device renders the foveal image to perform blending with the field of view image; Fig. 9; [0095]: the frame has the foveal image and the field of view image as separate and distinct images; Fig. 9; [0097]: the host device transmits the frame to the HMD device), comprising:
memory ([0028]: the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium includes random access memory, i.e., RAM, SDRAM, and ROM; [0029]: instructions of one or more software programs are stored in memory; [0117]: an exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor); and
at least one processor coupled to the memory, based at least in part on first information stored in the memory, the at least one processor is configured to ([0029]: processors execute instructions of one or more software programs stored in memory; Fig. 5; [0058]: the hardware processor 532 may be any one or more processors configured to execute instructions; the hardware processor 532 may be a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, an application processor or other processing circuitry; [0117]: a storage medium is coupled to the processor):
transmit, to a display panel, a first frame including a border filling region with a plurality of first pixels ([0037]: transmit the foveal image and the full-frame image as separate component images; [0043]: the edges and border regions of the foveal image 304 are blended into the surrounding portions of the FOV image 302; Fig. 4; [0051]: transmit the frame buffer image 400; transmit the FOV image 404 and non-display region, i.e. a border filling region;
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; [0052]: encode the foveal coordinate 406 in a portion of the frame buffer image 400; [0053]: the first 32 pixels of the first 2 lines of the frame buffer image 400; Fig. 4; [0056]: the foveal coordinate 406 is encoded on the first line of pixels of the FOV image 404; Fig. 7; [0078]: a sequence of consecutive frame buffer images;
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; [0081]: the FOV image is received), wherein each of the plurality of first pixels includes a border ([0043]: the edges and border regions of the foveal image 304 blended into the surrounding portions of the FOV image 302; Fig. 3; [0050]: the FOV image 302 includes a number of non-display regions 310; the non-display regions 310 corresponds to unused pixels in the FOV image 302; Fig. 4; [0056]: the foveal coordinate 406 is encoded on the first line of pixels of the FOV image 404;
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; Fig. 7; [0078]);
configure at least one second frame including a valid pixel region with a plurality of second pixels ([0037]: transmit the foveal image and the full-frame image as separate component images; [0045]: render the foveal image 203 at a relatively high resolution; Fig. 4; [0051]: the foveal image 402 and FOV image 404 are transmitted sequentially; [0052]: overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404), wherein the at least one second frame includes second content data and a second pixel resolution (Fig. 3; [0042]: the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution than the corresponding foveal region of the FOV image 302; [0043]: the central portion of the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution than the outer portions, e.g., edges, of the foveal image 304; Fig. 12A; Fig. 12B; [0111-0113]: coordinates 1206 identifies a foveal region, e.g., foveal region 1210, of the field of view image 1204;
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);
transmit, to the display panel, the at least one second frame including the valid pixel region with the plurality of second pixels ([0031]: the host device generates the combined image and transmits the combined image to the HMD device; Fig. 8; [0087]: the host device transmits each of the foveal image and the FOV image, in its entirety, to a display device; Fig. 9; [0088]: transmit foveal component images; Fig. 9; [0093]: the host device renders the foveal image to perform blending with the field of view image; Fig. 9; [0095]: the frame has the foveal image and the field of view image; Fig. 9; [0097]: the host device transmits the frame to the HMD device; Fig. 12A; Fig. 12B; [0111-0113]);
obtain an indication of a resolution update for the at least one second frame (Morein ; [0034]: the rendering engine 112 generates a high-resolution foveal image to be overlaid in the foveal region of the full-frame image; Fig. 4; [0052]: encode a foveal coordinate 406, in the frame buffer image 400, specifying the foveal region 408 of the FOV image;
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; the foveal coordinate 406 indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; the foveal coordinate 406 identifies a set of pixels defining a boundary of the foveal region, i.e. higher resolution region; [0086]: the host device renders the foveal image at a relatively high resolution); and
adjust the valid pixel region of the at least one second frame based on the indication of the resolution update (Morein; Fig. 4; [0034]: a high-resolution foveal image is overlaid in the foveal region of the full-frame image to increase the resolution; Fig. 4; [0052]: specify the foveal region 408 of the FOV image 404; the foveal coordinate 406 indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; Fig. 7; [0080]: update and adjust the foveal image; [0081]: the FOV image is merged with the foveal image to create the combined image; the pixels are available to be updated and adjusted for the current frame without interrupting the display of the prior image; [0093]: render the foveal image to have a resolution that is decreased around the edges than toward the center of the foveal image; [0101]: the resolution of the foveal image along the edges is decreased to gradually match the resolution of the field of view image; [0107]: remove a hard edge).
Morein fails to explicitly disclose filling color.
In same field of endeavor, Spitzer teaches filling color ([0030]: RGBG pixel format; [0036]: color for the pixel; Fig. 4; [0042]: a distal peripheral region 408 surrounds the proximate peripheral region 406;
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[0063]: blend the foveal region and peripheral region at the edges of the foveal region; convert the pixel format of the modified representation of the original image from an RGB format to the non-RGB format; [0087]: low-resolution RGB rendering process; other color components of the pixel format.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Morein to include filling color as taught by Spitzer. The motivation for doing so would have been to better optimize one or more of power consumption; to optimize the rendering process; to blend the foveal region and peripheral region at the edges of the foveal region; to convert the pixel format of the modified representation of the original image; and to transmit the combined row in pixel stream to the display interface as taught by Spitzer in Fig. 11 and paragraphs [0005], [0027], [0063], and [0077].
Regarding to claim 3 (Currently Amended), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to (same as rejected in claim 1):
configure, after being configured to adjust the valid pixel region of the at least one second frame, an updated pixel resolution of the plurality of second pixels of the at least one second frame based on the indication of the resolution update (Morein; Fig. 4; [0034]: a high-resolution foveal image is overlaid in the foveal region of the full-frame image to increase the resolution; Fig. 4; [0052]: specify the foveal region 408 of the FOV image 404; the foveal coordinate 406 indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; Fig. 7; [0080]: update and adjust the foveal image).
Regarding to claim 4 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to (same as rejected in claim 1):
retransmit, to the display panel, the first frame including the border filling region with the plurality of first pixels (Morein; [0030]: transmit a foveal image and a field of view image; [0031]: the host device generates the combined image and transmits the combined image to the HMD device; Fig. 7; [0078-0079]: retransmit and receive the images in the frames; Fig. 12A; Fig. 12B; [0111]: a frame buffer image 1200 is transmitted from a host device to an HMD device; [0114]: transmit the frame having a separate foveal image and field of view image).
Morein in view of Spitzer further discloses retransmit, to the display panel, the first frame including the border filling region with the plurality of first pixels (Spitzer; Fig. 11; [0078]: the method 1100 returns to block 1112 for selection of the next row of the base image and the next iteration of blocks 1114 and 1116 for the selected next row;
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; retransmit the updated frame data as illustrated in Fig. 11).
Same motivation of claim 1 is applied here.
Regarding to claim 5 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
transmit, to the display panel, the at least one second frame including the adjusted valid pixel region and the updated pixel resolution of the plurality of second pixels (Morein; [0031]: the host device generates the combined image and transmits the combined image, i.e. adjusted pixel region, to the HMD device; Fig. 4; [0052]: specify the foveal region 408 of the FOV image 404; the foveal coordinate 406 indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; Fig. 8; [0087]: the host device transmits each of the foveal image and the FOV image, in its entirety, to a display device; Fig. 9; [0088]: transmit foveal component images; Fig. 9; [0093]: the host device renders the foveal image to perform blending with the field of view image; Fig. 9; [0095]: the frame has the foveal image and the field of view image as separate and distinct images; Fig. 9; [0097]: the host device transmits the frame to the HMD device).
Regarding to claim 6 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 3, wherein to obtain the indication of the resolution update for the at least one second frame, the at least one processor is configured to (Morein; Fig. 4; [0052]: specify the foveal region 408 of the FOV image 404; the foveal coordinate 406 indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; Fig. 7; [0080]: update and adjust the foveal image):
receive the indication of the resolution update from at least one of: at least one application, at least one end user, or an operating system (or is optional; Morein; [0008]: the host device encodes the coordinate as pixel data in a non-display region of the FOV image; the encoding includes a 2-bits per pixel sparse encoding such that each pattern of bits is represented by a different pixel color; [0032]: comply with the requirements of high resolution displays on HMD devices; [0045]: render the foveal image 203 at a relatively high resolution).
Regarding to claim 7 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second pixel resolution is configured to be aligned with a pixel resolution of at least one of: the at least one application, the at least one end user, or the operating system (Spitzer; [0032]: comply with the requirements of high resolution displays on HMD devices; [0040]: the foveal region, being centered in the anticipated gaze direction, is rendered at a higher resolution; [0043]: the foveal region 502 is projected onto the user's retina with approximate alignment of the foveal region 502 to the user's fovea; [0045]: render the resulting display image with higher resolution within the region corresponding to the foveal region).
Same motivation of claim 1 is applied here.
Regarding to claim 8 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one application is associated with at least one user device for the at least one end user (Morein; [0032]: comply with the requirements of high resolution displays on HMD devices; Fig. 5; [0057]: a host device 501 and an HMD device 502; the host device 501 is coupled to the HMD device 502 via a communication link; [0058]), and wherein to adjust the valid pixel region of the at least one second frame, the at least one processor is configured to: adjust at least one of a resolution of the valid pixel region and a size of the valid pixel region (Morein; Fig. 4; [0034]: a high-resolution foveal image is overlaid in the foveal region of the full-frame image; Fig. 4; [0052]: specify the foveal region 408 of the FOV image 404; the foveal coordinate 406 indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; Fig. 7; [0080]: update and adjust the foveal image; [0081]: the FOV image is merged with the foveal image to create the combined image; the pixels are available to be updated and adjusted for the current frame without interrupting the display of the prior image; [0093]: render the foveal image to have a resolution that is decreased around the edges than toward the center of the foveal image; [0101]: the resolution of the foveal image along the edges is decreased to gradually match the resolution of the field of view image; [0107]: remove a hard edge).
Regarding to claim 9 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the updated pixel resolution of the plurality of second pixels is configured to be aligned with an updated resolution of the at least one application (Morein; [0032]: comply with the requirements of high resolution displays on HMD devices; Fig. 4; [0034]: a high-resolution foveal image is overlaid in the foveal region of the full-frame image; Fig. 4; [0052]: specify the foveal region 408 of the FOV image 404; the foveal coordinate 406 indicates to the HMD device 220 where to overlay the foveal image 402 with respect to the FOV image 404 when rendering a combined image on a display; Fig. 7; [0080]: update and adjust the foveal image; [0081]: the FOV image is merged with the foveal image to create the combined image; the pixels are available to be updated and adjusted for the current frame without interrupting the display of the prior image; [0093]: render the foveal image to have a resolution that is decreased around the edges than toward the center of the foveal image; [0101]: the resolution of the foveal image along the edges is decreased to gradually match the resolution of the field of view image; [0107]: remove a hard edge).
Regarding to claim 10 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the border filling region includes a set of coordinates within the first frame, and wherein the border filling region includes a border pixel resolution (Morein; [0008]: the encoding may comprise a 2-bits per pixel sparse encoding such that each pattern of bits is represented by a different pixel color; [0037]: transmit the foveal image and the full-frame image as separate component images; [0043]: the edges and border regions of the foveal image 304 are blended into the surrounding portions of the FOV image 302; Fig. 4; [0051]: transmit the FOV image 404 and non-display region, i.e. a border filling region;
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; Fig. 4; [0056]: the foveal coordinate 406 is encoded on the first line of pixels of the FOV image 404; [0061]: the edges of the foveal image may have lower resolution than the center of the foveal image; Fig. 7; [0078]: a sequence of consecutive frame buffer images;
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).
Regarding to claim 11 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the border filling color is associated with a pixel format including at least one of: a red (R) green (G) blue (B) (RGB) format or a physical subpixel format (Spitzer; [0026]: a display device employs a red-green-blue (RGB) pixel format; [0027]: render each display image in the RGB pixel format and transmits this display image to the display panel; [0036]: color for the pixel; Fig. 4; [0042]: a distal peripheral region 408 surrounds the proximate peripheral region 406;
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[0063]: blend the foveal region and peripheral region at the edges of the foveal region; convert the pixel format of the modified representation of the original image from an RGB format to the non-RGB format; [0087]: low-resolution RGB rendering process).
Regarding to claim 12 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second pixels in the valid pixel region of the at least one second frame corresponds to the second content data and the second pixel resolution of the at least one second frame (Morein; Fig. 3; [0042]: the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution than the corresponding foveal region of the FOV image 302; [0043]: the central portion of the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution than the outer portions, e.g., edges, of the foveal image 304; Fig. 12A; Fig. 12B; [0111-0113]: coordinates 1206 identifies a foveal region, e.g., foveal region 1210, of the field of view image 1204;
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).
Regarding to claim 13 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the border filling color corresponds to a color of a physical border for the display panel (Spitzer; [0036]: color for the pixel; Fig. 4; [0042]: a distal peripheral region 408 surrounds the proximate peripheral region 406;
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[0063]: blend the foveal region and peripheral region at the edges of the foveal region; convert the pixel format of the modified representation of the original image from an RGB format to the non-RGB format; [0087]: low-resolution RGB rendering process), and
Morein in view of Spitzer further discloses wherein the physical border is associated with an exterior of the display panel (Morein; [0032]: comply with the requirements of high resolution displays on HMD devices; [0037]: transmit the foveal image and the full-frame image as separate component images; [0043]: the edges and border regions of the foveal image 304 are blended into the surrounding portions of the FOV image 302; Fig. 4; [0051]: transmit the FOV image 404 and non-display region, i.e. a border filling region;
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; Fig. 4; [0056]: the foveal coordinate 406 is encoded on the first line of pixels of the FOV image 404; Fig. 7; [0078]: a sequence of consecutive frame buffer images;
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).
Regarding to claim 15 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one transceiver coupled to the at least one processor, wherein to transmit the first frame, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first frame via the at least one transceiver (Morein; Fig. 2; [0044]: an image transport interface;
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; Fig. 5; [0057] ).
Regarding to claim 16 (Currently Amended), Morein discloses a method of display processing (Fig. 2; [0039]: the host device 210 receives image source data 201 from an image source and renders the image source data 201 for display on the HMD device 220; Fig. 9; [0093]: the host device renders the foveal image to perform blending with the field of view image; Fig. 9; [0095]: the frame has the foveal image and the field of view image as separate and distinct images; Fig. 9; [0097]: the host device transmits the frame to the HMD device), comprising:
The rest claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 1. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 1 is also used to reject claim 16.
Regarding to claim 18 (Currently Amended), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 16, further comprising:
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 3. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 3 is also used to reject claim 18.
Regarding to claim 19 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 18, further comprising:
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 4. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 4 is also used to reject claim 19.
Regarding to claim 20 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 19, further comprising:
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 5. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 5 is also used to reject claim 20.
Regarding to claim 21 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 18,
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 6. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 6 is also used to reject claim 21.
Regarding to claim 22 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 21,
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 7. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 7 is also used to reject claim 22.
Regarding to claim 23 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 21,
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 8. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 8 is also used to reject claim 23.
Regarding to claim 24 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 21,
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 9. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 9 is also used to reject claim 24.
Regarding to claim 25 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 16,
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 10. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 10 is also used to reject claim 25.
Regarding to claim 26 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 16,
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 11. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 11 is also used to reject claim 26.
Regarding to claim 28 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 16,
The claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 13. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 13 is also used to reject claim 28.
Regarding to claim 29 (Currently Amended), Morein discloses an apparatus for display processing (Fig. 2; [0039]: the host device 210 receives image source data 201 from an image source and renders the image source data 201 for display on the HMD device 220; [0043]: the central portion of the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution; the edges and border regions of the foveal image 304 are blended into the surrounding portions of the FOV image 302; Fig. 9; [0093]: the host device renders the foveal image to perform blending with the field of view image; Fig. 9; [0095]: the frame has the foveal image and the field of view image as separate and distinct images; Fig. 9; [0097]: the host device transmits the frame to the HMD device), comprising:
means for ([0029]: processors execute instructions of one or more software programs stored in memory; Fig. 5; [0058]: the hardware processor 532 may be any one or more processors configured to execute instructions; [0117]: an exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor);
the rest claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 1. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 1 is also used to reject claim 29.
Regarding to claim 30 (Currently Amended), Morein discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for display processing, the code when executed by a processor causes the processor to ([0028]: the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium includes random access memory, i.e., RAM, SDRAM, and ROM; [0029]: instructions of one or more software programs are stored in memory; Fig. 2; [0039]: the host device 210 receives image source data 201 from an image source and renders the image source data 201 for display on the HMD device 220; Fig. 5; [0058]: the hardware processor 532 may be any one or more processors configured to execute instructions; Fig. 9; [0093]: the host device renders the foveal image to perform blending with the field of view image; Fig. 9; [0095]: the frame has the foveal image and the field of view image as separate and distinct images; Fig. 9; [0097]: the host device transmits the frame to the HMD device; [0117]: an exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor):
The rest claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 1. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 1 is also used to rest claim limitations.
Claims 14 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morein (US 20190122642 A1) in view of Spitzer (US 20180136720 A1), and further in view of Martin (US 20200258264 A1).
Regarding to claim 14 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein to configure the at least one second frame including the valid pixel region with the plurality of second pixels (Morein; Fig. 3; [0042]: the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution than the corresponding foveal region of the FOV image 302; [0043]: the central portion of the foveal image 304 is rendered at a higher resolution than the outer portions, e.g., edges, of the foveal image 304), the at least one processor is configured to: configure the at least one second frame at a processing unit (Morein; [0029]: any general purpose processor, conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, and state machine; [0058]: the hardware processor 532 is a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, an application processor or other processing circuitry).
Morein in view of Spitzer fails to explicitly disclose: a processing unit is a display processing unit (DPU).
In same field of endeavor, Martin teaches:
a processing unit is a display processing unit (DPU) (Fig. 3; [0265]: a display processor; display processing unit; DPU; [0268]: the frames for display are streamed to the display processor from the processing unit; [0290]: the display processor 5 read that frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Morein in view of Spitzer to include a processing unit is a display processing unit (DPU) as taught by Martin. The motivation for doing so would have been to display higher resolution versions of the frame in the darkest texture positions 401 and to display the lowest resolution version of the frame in the lightest texture positions 402 as taught by Martin in Fig. 4 and paragraph [0288-0289].
Regarding to claim 27 (Original), Morein in view of Spitzer discloses the method of claim 16,
The rest claim limitations are similar to claim limitations recited in claim 12 and claim 14. Therefore, same rational used to reject claim 12 and claim 14 are also used to reject claim 27.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/HAI TAO SUN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2616
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