DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
The subject matter of this application admits of illustration by a drawing to facilitate understanding of the invention. Applicant is required to furnish a drawing under 37 CFR 1.81(c). No new matter may be introduced in the required drawing. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Routhier (US 2021/0235055).
Regarding claim 1, Routhier teaches a method for driving a screen of an autostereoscopic display device to present a three-dimensional image of an object in a scene to a viewer residing in a field of view of the screen (i.e., modifying images by two identical cameras of a stereoscopic capture system (para.[0097]); for displaying on a single screen; para. [0085]), the method comprising:
providing a three-dimensional recording of an object in a scene, obtained by a stereo camera (i.e., two cameras of the stereoscopic system capture images of the same scene included the distance of the object from the camera; para.[0084]);
displaying the three-dimensional recording of the object as a three-dimensional image on the screen (i.e., the left and right images are displayed and viewed on the single screen, as shown in figures 1B, 1C and 1F; para.[0086], [0089] and [0101]);
wherein the three-dimensional image of the object is scaled to a desired extent (i.e., scaling the images according to or functions as screen position, different screen size, position to viewer sitting closer or farther away from a screen, scaling images to fit larger or smaller screen, etc., para.[0140]-[0145]), taking into account
the viewing distance of the viewer's eyes to the screen (i.e., a distance that viewer sits or stands closer or farther away from a screen, as shown in figure 1D or 1E; para.[0088] and [0142]);
the recording distance of the object to the stereo camera (i.e., captured images, using parallel axis cameras, having distant objects, e.g., the sun and other objects representing far-away distant and closer distant, as shown in figure 9C, 9D, 10C and 10D; para.[0139] and [0147]).
Regarding claim 7, Routhier further teaches the steps of a) determining the viewing distance of the viewer's eyes to the screen (i.e., a distance that viewer sits or stands closer or farther away from a screen, as shown in figure 1D or 1E; para.[0088] and [0142]); b) determining the field of view of the camera or stereo camera (para.[0084] and [0087] and [0265]); c) imaginarily positioning the background image in the display plane of the screen so that the background image plane coincides with the display plane of the screen (i.e., the captured image is used and displayed as a background image plan and to fit it onto the display screen by either reducing, enlarging or zooming the sizes of images; para.[0089]-[0091]); d) determining to which extent the background image has to be imaginarily scaled to allow the viewer to imaginarily see, from the viewing distance obtained under a) (i.e., either magnifying or scaling down the sizes of the images to allow viewer to enjoy the viewing the images on the display screen; para.[0090], [0093] and [0094]), the background image with a field of view that corresponds to a desired percentage of the field of view of the camera or stereo camera obtained under b) (i.e., magnifying by factors of either 1.5 to enlarge or 0.5 to reduce the size of image on the display screen; para.[0090] and [0094]); e) scaling the background image to the extent obtained under d) and displaying it on the screen (para.[0094]); f) fitting the background image that is scaled in step e) to the screen by cropping the background image where the background image is larger than the screen (para.[0065], [0089] [0145] and [0267]).
Regarding claim 13, Takahashi further teaches the limitations of the claim such as scaling the images to fit on the display screen for the viewer to enjoy (para.[0091]-[0093]).
Regarding claim 14, Takahashi further teaches the limitations of the claim in paragraphs [0139], [0147] and [0140]-[0145].
Regarding claim 15, Takahashi further teaches the limitations of the claim, such as the autostereoscopic display device is selected from the group of laptops (i.e., automobile as one of mobile apparatuses 120-1, 120-2, 120-3), mobile phone (i.e., smartphone), rear view in a call, etc. (figure 1, para.[0087]-[0088]).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2-8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Routhier (US 2021/0235055) in view of Takahashi et al. (US 2015/0293362).
Regarding claim 2, Routhier further teaches the steps of a) determining the recording distance of the object to the stereo camera (i.e., a distance that viewer sits or stands closer or farther away from a screen, as shown in figure 1D or 1E; para.[0088] and [0142]); and b) determining the viewing distance of the viewer's eyes to the screen (i.e., captured images, using parallel axis cameras, having distant objects, e.g., the sun and other objects representing far-away distant and closer distant, as shown in figure 9C, 9D, 10C and 10D; para.[0139] and [0147]).
It should be noticed that Routhier teaches the features of providing, adjusting or modifying (zooming) to fit on either small or large screen and displaying the captured images on the screen. Routhier further teaches the steps of scaling the captured images, adjusting the sizes of images to fit into either small or large screen, as discussed above. Routhier failed to teach the steps of defining a feature of the object, determining an apparent real world size of the feature to be viewed as a three-dimensional image on the screen, scaling the three-dimensional image to a desired percentage of three-dimensional image and fitting the three-dimensional image that is scaled, as in steps c) - g). However, Takahashi et al. (hereinafter “Takahashi”) teaches an analogue image display apparatus, such as a head mount display 110, as shown in figures 1-4. Takahashi further an image display method for displaying captured three-dimensional images, captured from camera unit installed on mobile apparatus 120 (para.[0113] and [0119]) and displaying the captured images on the screen of a display panel 409 on the head mount display 110 (para.[0107]). Takahashi further teaches the features of detecting feature (i.e., motions of a head in respective directions of rolling, tilting, and panning of the head of an user or a feature of an object (read on step c)(para.[0099]); determining an apparent real world size of the feature (i.e., displaying the captured images as virtual images on the screen for user to see; para. [0108] and [0123]); scaling, zooming and/or adjusting a convergence point, a shorten distance to the convergence point, etc. of the three dimensional image (captured images) displayed on display mount display 110 based on velocity information (para.[0149]-[0155]). Takahashi further teaches a step of displaying images captured by mobile apparatus 120-2, as shown in figures 23 and 28 that fit to the screen (para.[0173]-[0176]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the steps of c) defining a feature of the object, the feature being included in the three-dimensional image; d) determining an apparent real world size of the feature, which is the angular size of the feature when the feature is viewed in the real world from the recording distance obtained under a); e) determining an apparent displayed size of the feature, which is the angular size of the feature when the feature is viewed as a three-dimensional image on the screen from the viewing distance obtained under b); f) scaling the three-dimensional image by adjusting the apparent displayed size determined under e) in the three-dimensional image to a desired percentage of the apparent real world size obtained under d); and g) fitting the three-dimensional image that is scaled in step f) to the screen by cropping the three-dimensional image where the three-dimensional image is larger than the screen, as taught by Takahashi, into view of Routhier in order to properly display the captured three dimensional images to the user.
Regarding claim 3, Takahashi further teaches a memory, such as a storage unit 406, as shown in figure 4, to contain or store the data of whole-sky images, etc. captured by the mobile apparatuses 120 in paragraph [0105].
Regarding claim 4, Takahashi further teaches the recording including a plurality of objects in the scene, such as cameras captured first-person viewpoint images (objects), etc. by one of mobile apparatuses 120 (0116); the method is performed for each object of the plurality of objects (i.e., captured image and a wide-angle image which are captured by the camera unit 605 are processed and displayed on the display of head mount display 110; para.[0118]-[0119]); and simultaneously displaying a plurality of three-dimensional images on the screen, wherein each image is scaled independently of one another, as shown in figures 17-18 (para.[0184]).
Regarding claim 5, Takahashi further teaches the features of providing a first three-dimensional recording of a first object in a scene (i.e., providing image captured from the mobile apparatus 120) and a second three-dimensional recording of a second object in the scene (i.e., providing an AR image indicating the positional relationship between the user and the mobile apparatus 120; para.[0182]), both recordings being obtained by a stereo camera (i.e., by the stereo camera installed on the mobile apparatus 120; para.[0155]); simultaneously displaying the first three-dimensional recording as a first three-dimensional image on the screen and the second three-dimensional recording as a second three-dimensional image on the screen (as shown in figures 17 and 18); wherein the first and the second three-dimensional image are scaled, taking into account - the viewing distance of the viewer's eyes to the screen; - the recording distance of the respective object to the stereo camera (para.[0183]-[0184]).
Regarding claim 6, Routhier further teaches the captured image comprising a sun and a tree, as shown in figures 1A-1C, wherein the distance from the observer to the tree is about 30m and to the sun being infinity (para. [0130] and [0139]). Takahashi further teaches that a map is displayed as a background, as shown in figures 18-20. Takahashi further teaches an icon indicating current location of user and another icon indicating current location of mobile apparatus 120 as foreground images on the screen (para.[0185]-[0186]).
Regarding claim 7, Routhier further teaches the steps of a) determining the viewing distance of the viewer's eyes to the screen (i.e., a distance that viewer sits or stands closer or farther away from a screen, as shown in figure 1D or 1E; para.[0088] and [0142]); b) determining the field of view of the camera or stereo camera (para.[0084] and [0087] and [0265]); c) imaginarily positioning the background image in the display plane of the screen so that the background image plane coincides with the display plane of the screen (i.e., the captured image is used and displayed as a background image plan and to fit it onto the display screen by either reducing, enlarging or zooming the sizes of images; para.[0089]-[0091]); d) determining to which extent the background image has to be imaginarily scaled to allow the viewer to imaginarily see, from the viewing distance obtained under a) (i.e., either magnifying or scaling down the sizes of the images to allow viewer to enjoy the viewing the images on the display screen; para.[0090], [0093] and [0094]), the background image with a field of view that corresponds to a desired percentage of the field of view of the camera or stereo camera obtained under b) (i.e., magnifying by factors of either 1.5 to enlarge or 0.5 to reduce the size of image on the display screen; para.[0090] and [0094]); e) scaling the background image to the extent obtained under d) and displaying it on the screen (para.[0094]); f) fitting the background image that is scaled in step e) to the screen by cropping the background image where the background image is larger than the screen (para.[0065], [0089] [0145] and [0267]).
Regarding claim 8, Takahashi further teaches that the object is a human head as shown in figure 5 in paragraph [0099].
Regarding claim 12, Takahashi further teaches that the stereoscopic output (images) may be magnified by factors from 0.5 to 1.5 to affect the size of the objects and zooming in the range of factors form 0.5-1.5 to fit the images on the display screen (para.[0090], [0091] and [0094]).
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Routhier (US 2021/0235055) in view of Hoppe et al. (US 2023/0396751).
Regarding claim 9, Routhier teaches all subject matters as claimed above, except for the feature of the method is used in teleconferencing. However, Hoppe et al. (hereinafter “Hoppe”) teaches such feature in paragraph [0029].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the method is used in teleconferencing, as taught by Hoppe, into view of Routhier in order to provide the users in the teleconference with the three-dimensional images.
Regarding claim 10, Hoppe further teaches the limitations of the claim, such as displaying novel views (i.e., image of user in the conference) on a display of another user (para.[0030]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Routhier (US 2021/0235055) in view of Hoppe et al. (US 2023/0396751) as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Megian (US 2020/0261180).
Regarding claim 11, Routhier and Hoppe, in combination, teach all subject matters as claimed above, except for the feature of the displayed three-dimensional image is mirrored. However, Megian teaches such feature in paragraph [0053].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the feature of the displayed three-dimensional image is mirrored, as taught by Megian, into view of Routhier and Hoppe, in order to provide the captured images on a display device, such as a stereoscopic display.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BINH TIEU whose telephone number is (571)272-7510. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5. The Examiner’s fax number is (571) 273-7510 and E-mail address: BINH.TIEU@USPTO.GOV.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone or video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, FAN S. TSANG can be reached on (571) 272-7547.
Any response to this action should be mailed or handed carry deliveries to:
Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Or faxed to: (571) 273-8300
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (FAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the FAIR system, see fitp://nair-direct.usoto.aqev. If you have any questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/Binh Kien Tieu/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2694
Date: February 2026