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 Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments filed 5-28-26 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection(s).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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 of this title, 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.
3. Claims 1-7, 9-11, and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pulli et al., US 2021/0132693 in view of Ohba et al., US 2022/0113543, and in further view of Gronholm et al., CA 2943856.
Regarding claim 1, Pulli teaches of an image processing apparatus (See Fig.3 and [0048]) comprising:
a processing circuitry configured to perform processing including first processing for a first signal related to a first stereoscopic image at a current viewpoint position corresponding to a position of a user viewing a stereoscopic image in a real space (See Figs.3; Figs.17-18; [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a first viewpoint of a stereoscopic region of at least the portions of the viewing zone in which the processor processes for display), among a plurality of viewpoints with respect to a stereoscopic display configured to present a plurality of images as the stereoscopic image, the first processing having a first processing load (See Figs.3; Figs.17-18; [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of the plurality of viewpoints according to the viewer and eyes as well as the visible and nonvisible portions wherein the first processing load/bandwidth is associated with the visible portion); and
second processing for a second signal related to a pair of second stereoscopic
images at a second viewpoint position away from the first viewpoint
position, the second processing having a second load that is lower than
the first processing load (See Figs.3; Figs.17-18; [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a second stereoscopic view of the images of at least the portions outside of the viewers eyes which has a lower bandwidth/load/resolution/frame rate than the first processing load); and
wherein the first processing includes:
first imaging viewpoint processing, first transmission viewpoint processing, and first display viewpoint processing (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0101], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0121]-[0122], and [0141] which discloses the processing consisting of at least the imaging processing and displaying processing related to transmission/transmitting of information and displaying at the display), and
wherein the second processing includes:
second imaging viewpoint processing, second transmission viewpoint processing, and second display viewpoint processing (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0101], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0121]-[0122], and [0141] imagine processing related to imaging, transmission of emitted light, and displayed images on display),
wherein the second transmission viewpoint processing includes decreasing a second bit rate for the second signal related to the second stereoscopic image (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] lower bit rate when there is reduced resolution and lower frame rate), and
wherein one or both of the second imaging viewpoint processing or the second display viewpoint processing includes reducing a second data processing amount to an amount less than the first data processing amount (See Figs.3; Figs.17-18; [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a second stereoscopic view of the images of at least the portions outside of the viewers eyes which has a lower bandwidth/load/resolution/frame rate than the first processing load).
Pulli is silent with respect to the pair of second stereoscopic images at respective peripheral viewpoint positions being away from and on opposite dies of the current viewpoint position and wherein the first transmission viewpoint processing includes increasing a first bit rate for the first signal related to the first stereoscopic image.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Ohba teaches of the pair of second stereoscopic images at respective peripheral viewpoint positions being away from and on opposite dies of the current viewpoint position and wherein the first transmission viewpoint processing includes increasing a first bit rate for the first signal related to the first stereoscopic image (See Figs.4-5; [0045] and [0048]-[0049]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Pulli to have incorporated the teachings of Ohba for the mere benefit of allowing desired portions to be more detailed than portions that are not visible or of desire.
The combination of Pulli and Ohba is silent with respect wherein one or both of the of the first imaging viewpoint processing or the first display viewpoint processing includes reducing a first data processing amount.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Gronholm teaches of wherein one or both of the of the first imaging viewpoint processing or the first display viewpoint processing includes reducing a first data processing amount (See Pages 26-27).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Pulli and Ohba to have incorporated the teachings of Gronholm for the mere benefit of being able to compress images for transmitting for lower data applications.
Regarding claim 2, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second processing is simplified as compared with the first processing (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a lower resolution and/or frame rate construed to be that of a simplified processing).
Regarding claim 3, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to simplify the second processing in stages based on the current viewpoint position (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0101], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0121]-[0122], and [0141] which discloses the adjacent zones or nonvisible zones as the eyes moves thereby processing in stages with respect to the stages of eye/position of user movement).
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing unit is further configured to simplify the second processing as a distance of the second viewpoint positions from the currentviewpoint position increases (See Pulli, [0009], [0044],[0064, [0101],[0107], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0121]-[0122], and [0141] which discloses distance and depth increase such that the object located closer to the display plane is displayed with finer details than being further from the display, thereby simplifying decreasing with regards to details of the object based on distance/depth spatial frequency as the first viewpoint position increases with distance from the display plane).
Regarding claim 5, the combination teaches of the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the imaging processing is processing related to imaging, the transmission processing is processing related to transmission, and the display processing is processing related to display (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0101], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0121]-[0122], and [0141] which discloses the processing consisting of at least the imaging processing and displaying processing related to transmission/transmitting of information and displaying at the display).
Regarding claim 6, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform simplified imaging processing on the second signal (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a lower resolution and/or frame rate construed to be that of a simplified processing).
Regarding claim 7, the image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
the imaging processing includes at least one of signal processings including demosaic processing, noise reduction processing, and super-resolution processing (See Pulli, [0092]-[0099], [0109]-[0117] and [0141] crosstalk and ghosting reduction which reads on noise reduction), and the processing circuitry is configured to perform, on the second signal, signal processing whose processing amount is smaller than that of signal processing for the first signal (See Pulli, Figs.3; Figs.17-18; [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a second stereoscopic view of the images of at least the portions outside of the viewers eyes which has a lower bandwidth/load/resolution/frame rate than the first processing load).
Regarding claim 9, the combination teaches of the image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform simplified display processing on the second signal (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a lower resolution and/or frame rate construed to be that of a simplified processing).
Regarding claim 10, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the display processing includes at least one of signal processings including noise reduction processing, scaler processing, and super- resolution processing (See Pulli, [0092]-[0099], [0109]-[0117] and [0141] crosstalk and ghosting reduction which reads on noise reduction), and the processing circuitry is configured to perform, on the second signal, signal processing whose processing amount is smaller than that of signal processing for the first signal (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] which discloses of a lower resolution and/or frame rate).
Regarding claim 11, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform, on the first signal, first processing with a precision higher than that of second processing for the second signal (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0104], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0122], and [0141] higher resolution and frame rate reads on higher precision, further, it is disclosed that more detail and color can be rendered in regions where the pixels of which the eyes are looking and passing through the pupil).
Regarding claim 13, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic display is a non-wearable display configured to present the stereoscopic image without using dedicated eyewear (See Pulli, Fig.2-5 and [0044]-[0048] non wearable display).
Regarding claim 14, the combination teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the image processing apparatus further comprises:
an imaging device configured to measure the plurality of viewpoint positions (See Pulli, Figs.2-5 and [0044]-[0048 eye tracker for viewpoint positions); and
the non-wearable display, wherein the imaging device is further configured to output viewpoint position information which is information of the plurality of viewpoint
positions to the processing circuitry (See Pulli, [0044]-[0048] processing unit receives information related to the user tracked eyes and viewpoints), and wherein the transmission processing related to transmission, and the display processing is related to display (See Pulli, [0009], [0044], [0101], [0111]-[0112], [0118], [0121]-[0122], and [0141] imagine processing related to imaging, transmission of emitted light, and displayed images on display).
Regarding claim 15, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 13.
Regarding claim 17, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 14.
Regarding claim 18, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 13.
Regarding claim 20, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 14.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pulli et al., US 2021/0132693, in view of Ohba et al., US 2022/0113543, in further view of Gronholm et al., CA 2943856, and in view of Welch et al., CA 3017930.
Regarding claim 12, Pulli in view of Ohba in view of Gronholm teaches the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform third processing in which a processing load for the first signal in a case where the first stereoscopic image is present inside a vergence-accommodation conflict (VAC) region (See Pulli, [0063] vergence accommodation such as eliminating ghosting and correcting parallax and accommodation depth cues and determining the neighboring viewing zone from the center of the segment of the viewing zone visible to the pupil; [0073]-[0078] coarser spatial resolution in viewing zones with no tracked eye and [0126]-[0128]).
The combination is silent with respect to where the load of where vergence-accommodation conflict occurs is lower than that in a case where the first stereoscopic image is present outside the VAC region.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Welch teaches of where the load of where vergence-accommodation conflict occurs is lower than that in a case where the first stereoscopic image is present outside the VAC region (See [0047] reduction in resolution for increased accommodation vergence, whereby a lower resolution would mean a lower load in all cases with increasing accommodation vergence. The claim is silent with respect to an act of determining of whether the first stereoscopic image is presented outside or inside of the VAC region and basing that load processing based upon that determination).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Pulli, Ohba, and Gronholm to have incorporated the teachings of Welch for the mere benefit of improving bandwidth/load efficiency.
Conclusion
6. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Contact
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ricky Chin whose telephone number is 571-270-3753. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30-6:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Bruckart can be reached on 571-272-3982. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/Ricky Chin/
Primary Examiner
AU 2424
(571) 270-3753
Ricky.Chin@uspto.gov
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