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
Applicant’s amendments filed on 08/10/2026 to the abstract and claims have overcome specification objection and claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as preciously set forth in the Non-Final Rejection Office Action mailed on 05/11/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-5, 10-11, 13-16, 20-22 and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al (CN 112258605 A), hereinafter Wu.
-Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a method of image processing, the method comprising (Abstract; FIGS. 1-4; Page 17, last paragraph): collecting, in response to an effect addition instruction, an image comprising an object (FIG. 1, S110; FIG. 2, S202; Page 7, Sec. Specific implementation examples, 4th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph); segmenting the image based on an image segmentation model to obtain a plurality of render regions corresponding to the image (FIG. 1, S120-S130; FIG. 2, S204-214; Page 8, step S120, step 130; Page 2, last paragraph – 5th paragraph, “… segmentation model …a first hair area and a human face area …first Liu sea (bangs) area … second Liu sea area (bangs) … second hair area”; Page 5, 7th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph); detecting at least two target render regions from the plurality of render regions based on a bounding box region, wherein the at least two target render regions are located inside the bounding box region (FIG. 3, determining unit 330; FIGS. 1-2; Page 5, 5th paragraph, “… determining covering the minimum rectangle of the first hair area; inquiring the expansion coefficient corresponding to the short side length of the minimum rectangle … obtaining the first hair area after expansion and the human face area after expansion”, 7th paragraph; Page 10, 4th -6th paragraphs, “…mask pattern … … rectangle … hair area … face area … first Liu sea (bangs) area … second Liu sea (bangs) area …”; Page 13, last paragraph – Page 14, 1st paragraph); and obtaining, based on the at least two target render regions and an effect parameter (FIG. 1, S140-S150; FIG. 2, S216-218; Page 4, 5th paragraph, “preset color rendering the area to be dyed”; Page 8, step 150, Page 9, step 150; Page 13, 3rd paragraph), a target image comprising the object with an added effect (FIG. 1, S150; FIG. 2, S220-222; FIG. 3, units 340-350; Page 9, step 150; Page 11, 6th paragraph; Page 12, 4th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph - 4th paragraph; Page 14, 5th – 7th paragraphs).
-Regarding claim 10, Wu discloses an electronic device, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory storing at least one program; wherein the at least one processor, when executing the at least one program (FIGS. 3-4), is caused to implement a method comprising (Abstract; FIGS. 1-4; Page 17, last paragraph): collecting, in response to an effect addition instruction, an image comprising an object (FIG. 1, S110; FIG. 2, S202; Page 7, Sec. Specific implementation examples, 4th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph); segmenting the image based on an image segmentation model to obtain a plurality of render regions corresponding to the image (FIG. 1, S120-S130; FIG. 2, S204-214; Page 8, step S120, step 130; Page 2, last paragraph – 5th paragraph, “… segmentation model …a first hair area and a human face area …first Liu sea (bangs) area … second Liu sea area (bangs) … second hair area”; Page 5, 7th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph); detecting at least two target render regions from the plurality of render regions based on a bounding box region, wherein the at least two target render regions are located inside the bounding box region (FIG. 3, determining unit 330; FIGS. 1-2; Page 5, 5th paragraph, “… determining covering the minimum rectangle of the first hair area; inquiring the expansion coefficient corresponding to the short side length of the minimum rectangle … obtaining the first hair area after expansion and the human face area after expansion”, 7th paragraph; Page 10, 4th -6th paragraphs, “…mask pattern … … rectangle … hair area … face area … first Liu sea (bangs) area … second Liu sea (bangs) area …”; Page 13, last paragraph – Page 14, 1st paragraph); and obtaining, based on the at least two target render regions and an effect parameter (FIG. 1, S140-S150; FIG. 2, S216-218; Page 4, 5th paragraph, “preset color rendering the area to be dyed”; Page 8, step 150, Page 9, step 150; Page 13, 3rd paragraph), a target image comprising the object with an added effect (FIG. 1, S150; FIG. 2, S220-222; FIG. 3, units 340-350; Page 9, step 150; Page 11, 6th paragraph; Page 12, 4th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph - 4th paragraph; Page 14, 5th – 7th paragraphs).
-Regarding claim 11, Wu discloses a non-transitory readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer processor (FIGS. 3-4), implement comprising (Abstract; FIGS. 1-4; Page 17, last paragraph): collecting, in response to an effect addition instruction, an image comprising an object (FIG. 1, S110; FIG. 2, S202; Page 7, Sec. Specific implementation examples, 4th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph); segmenting the image based on an image segmentation model to obtain a plurality of render regions corresponding to the image (FIG. 1, S120-S130; FIG. 2, S204-214; Page 8, step S120, step 130; Page 2, last paragraph – 5th paragraph, “… segmentation model …a first hair area and a human face area …first Liu sea (bangs) area … second Liu sea area (bangs) … second hair area”; Page 5, 7th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph); detecting at least two target render regions from the plurality of render regions based on a bounding box region, wherein the at least two target render regions are located inside the bounding box region (FIG. 3, determining unit 330; FIGS. 1-2; Page 5, 5th paragraph, “… determining covering the minimum rectangle of the first hair area; inquiring the expansion coefficient corresponding to the short side length of the minimum rectangle … obtaining the first hair area after expansion and the human face area after expansion”, 7th paragraph; Page 10, 4th -6th paragraphs, “…mask pattern … … rectangle … hair area … face area … first Liu sea (bangs) area … second Liu sea (bangs) area …”; Page 13, last paragraph – Page 14, 1st paragraph); and obtaining, based on the at least two target render regions and an effect parameter (FIG. 1, S140-S150; FIG. 2, S216-218; Page 4, 5th paragraph, “preset color rendering the area to be dyed”; Page 8, step 150, Page 9, step 150; Page 13, 3rd paragraph), a target image comprising the object with an added effect (FIG. 1, S150; FIG. 2, S220-222; FIG. 3, units 340-350; Page 9, step 150; Page 11, 6th paragraph; Page 12, 4th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph - 4th paragraph; Page 14, 5th – 7th paragraphs).
-Regarding claims 2, 13, and 20, Wu discloses the method of claim 1, the electronic device of claim 10, and the non-transitory readable storage medium of claim 11. Wu further discloses in response to detecting a wake word that triggers addition of an effect to the object, generating the effect addition instruction and collecting the image comprising an object; or alternatively, in response to detecting that an effect addition control is triggered, generating the effect addition instruction and collecting the image comprising an object; or alternatively, in response to detecting that a visual field comprises the object, collecting the image comprising an object (FIGS. 1-2; Page 7, 10th paragraph, “wherein the color-generating special-effect selecting instruction can be the instruction of the user selecting the electronic device entering the special-effect shooting mode”, 13th paragraph, “… user can trigger the color-generating special-effect selection entrance …”).
-Regarding claims 3, 14 and 21, Wu discloses the method of claim 1, the electronic device of claim 10, and the non-transitory readable storage medium of claim 11. Wu further discloses segmenting, based on the image segmentation model, the object in the image , and determining a bounding box region corresponding to the object, and at least two render regions to be processed; and determining the at least two target render regions based on the bounding box region and the at least two render regions to be processed (FIGS. 1-3; Page 10, 4th-6th paragraphs).
-Regarding claims 4, 15, and 22, Wu discloses the method of claim 1, the electronic device of claim 10, and the non-transitory readable storage medium of claim 11. Wu further discloses determining a pixel value of each pixel in the at least two target render regions based on the effect parameter; and updating an original pixel value of the pixel in the at least two target render regions based on the pixel value of the pixel point to obtain the target image comprising the object with an added effect (Page 3, last paragraph, “pixel … area … reducing each pixel …”; Page 5, 1st paragraph, “perform rendering the area to be dyed with a preset color”; 4th and 6th paragraphs; Page 9, 3rd paragraph; Page 11, 2nd -5th paragraphs).
-Regarding claims 5 and 16, Wu discloses the method of claim 1 and the electronic device of claim 10. Wu further discloses rendering the at least two target render regions based on a rendering model and the effect parameter to obtain the target image comprising the object with an added effect (FIGS. 1-2; FIG. 3, rendering unit 350; Page 14, 7th paragraph, “rendering unit 350, configured to perform to preset color rendering the area to be dyed”; Page 15, 4th paragraph).
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.
Claim(s) 6-7 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al (CN 112258605 A), hereinafter Wu in view of Zhan et al (US 20210158579 A1), hereinafter Zhan.
-Regarding claims 6 and 17, Wu discloses the method of claim 1 and the electronic device of claim 10.
Wu does not disclose updating the first effect with an added effect; or alternatively, superposing a second effect that corresponds to the effect parameter into the at least two target render regions to obtain the target image comprising the object with an added effect.
In the same field of endeavor, Zhan teaches a method to obtain a second special effect display image by adjusting a first special effect display image as the second special effect (Zhan: FIGS. 1-5). Zhan further teaches updating the first effect with an added effect; or alternatively, superposing a second effect that corresponds to the effect parameter into the at least two target render regions to obtain the target image comprising the object with an added effect (Zhan: FIGS. 1-4; Page 4, 3rd paragraph, “… the second special effect display image is a special effect display diagram obtained after the first special effect is superimposed on the special effect on the basis of the first special effect …”; Page 7, 8th paragraph, “ … an additional special effect superposition module, configured to add an auxiliary special effect to the second special effect display image after obtaining the second special effect display image or after the second special effect display image is reduced to an original size, and update the second special effect display image based on the auxiliary special effect …”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wu with the teaching of Zhan by using an added effect or superposing a second effect in order to improves the richness of the image display, so as to improve the technical effect of the user experience.
-Regarding claims 7 and 18, Wu discloses the method of claim 6 and the electronic device of claim 17.
Wu does not disclose in response to detecting that an operation of replacing the first effect is triggered, keeping the second effect unchanged and updating the first effect according to the triggering operation; or alternatively, in response to detecting that an operation of replacing the second effect is triggered, keeping the first effect unchanged and updating the second effect according to the triggering operation.
In the same field of endeavor, Zhan teaches a method to obtain a second special effect display image by adjusting a first special effect display image as the second special effect (Zhan: FIGS. 1-5). Zhan further teaches in response to detecting that an operation of replacing the first effect is triggered, keeping the second effect unchanged and updating the first effect according to the triggering operation; or alternatively, in response to detecting that an operation of replacing the second effect is triggered, keeping the first effect unchanged and updating the second effect according to the triggering operation (Zhan: FIG. 3, S330; Page 6, 8th – 10th paragraphs; Page 7. 6th paragraph, “… a second special effect display image reduction module, configured to gradually reduce the second special effect display image to an original size when it is detected that the second special effect display image meets a reduction condition … detecting a trigger reduction control”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wu with the teaching of Zhan by using an added effect or superposing a second effect in order to improves the richness of the image display, so as to improve the technical effect of the user experience.
Claim(s) 8 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al (CN 112258605 A), hereinafter Wu in view of Liu (US 20210158579 A1).
-Regarding claims 8 and 16, Wu discloses the method of claim 1 and the electronic device of claim 10. Wu further disclose the bounding box region is a region surrounding hair of the object (FIGS. 1-3; Page 10, 4th -6th paragraphs).
Wu does not disclose wherein the at least two target render regions are ear render regions.
In the same field of endeavor, Liu teaches a method identifying objects to be rendered in a target image, generating a reference image including a mark based on the target image and an identified object, the mark being used for recording a coverage area of the object; determining an area to be rendered by utilizing a target material to generate a rendering result (Liu: Abstract; FIGS. 1-12). Liu further teaches wherein the at least two target render regions are ear render regions (Liu: FIGS. 1-2; [0048], “… the first object is an ear lobe, the second object may be an ear …”; [0050]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wu with the teaching of Liu by using ear render regions in order to provide a different real-world application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Wu does not disclose claim limitations “detecting at least two target render regions from the plurality of render regions based on a bounding box region, wherein the at least two target render regions are located inside the bounding box region” (Remarks: Page 11, 2nd paragraph, line 1; Page 12, 1st paragraph) because Wu only discloses determining a first hair area and a face area and determining a second hair region based on the first hair region and the face area (Remarks: Page 11, 2nd – 3rd paragraphs, last paragraph). Applicant further argues that Wu does not disclose “obtaining, based on the at least two target render regions and an effect parameter, a target image comprising the object with an added effect” (Remarks: Page 12, 2nd paragraph).
The examiner respectfully disagrees the above arguments.
Regarding claims 1, 10-11 and in response to applicant’s argument that Wu has no teaching on claim limitation “detecting at least two target render regions from the plurality of render regions based on a bounding box region, wherein the at least two target render regions are located inside the bounding box region”, Wu discloses a second hair area, the area to be dyed, et c. from a plurality of render regions such as a first hair area, a face area, first Liu sea (bangs) area, a second Liu sea (bangs) area based on initial rectangle and its expansion (i.e., bounding box) (Wu: FIG. 3, determining unit 330; FIGS. 1-2; Page 5, 5th paragraph; Page 10, 4th - 6th paragraphs; Page 13, last paragraph – Page 14, 1st paragraph; See page 3, 1st paragraph of this office action as well). The claims do not provide details about the render regions and the target render region, and do not specify how to detect or generate these regions.
In response to applicant’s argument that Wu does not disclose “obtaining, based on the at least two target render regions and an effect parameter, a target image comprising the object with an added effect”, Wu discloses determining the target channel image corresponding to the variance maximum color channel in the character image, adjusting the image contrast of the target channel image to obtain the adjusted image; using the adjusted image to conduct filter processing to the second hair area to obtain the area to be dyed, and performing to preset color rendering the area to be dyed (Wu: FIGS. 1-3; Page 9, step 150; Page 11, 6th paragraph; Page 12, 4th paragraph; Page 13, 3rd paragraph - 4th paragraph; Page 14, 5th – 7th paragraphs; ).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIAO LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-4539. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday and Alternate Fridays 8:30-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Mehmood can be reached at (571) 272-2976. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/XIAO LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2664
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