DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the initial filing filed on June 17, 2024, Claims 1-26 have been examined this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 11/04/2025 and 2/17/2026 has been acknowledged.
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 .
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 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Wolf et al (McGraw-Hill 2014).
Regarding Claim 1, Wolf discloses a method for improving an ortho accuracy in ortho-rectified images, the method comprising [page 379, section 13-8 for orthophoto generation]:
obtaining a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude corresponding to a ground control point (GCP) [page 21 for Oblique aerial photographs are exposed with the camera axis intentionally tilted away from vertical, and page 500, Section 17-11for Stereopairs of SPOT images can be acquired for a region by using the off-axis pointing capability of the satellite];
receiving an image including the GCP, wherein the image is taken at an off-nadir angle [page 270, Section 10-1, first and third paragraphs for camera axis tilted slightly from vertical];
obtaining a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) error including a region that includes the GCP [page 379 last paragraph, for essential inputs for the process of differential rectification are a DEM and a digital aerial photo with ground point],
calculating a DEM error equal to the difference between the altitude in the GCP and a DEM height of the GCP [page 379 last paragraph, for essential inputs for the process of differential rectification are a DEM and a digital aerial photo having known exterior orientation parameters];
determining an ortho shift equal to the DEM error multiplied by the tangent of the off-nadir angle [page 181, equation 6-11, and last two paragraphs for where d = relief displacement h = height above datum of object point whose image is displaced radial distance on photograph from principal point to displaced image];
and amending the image based on the determined ortho shift [page 379, last paragraph for the collinearity condition for a particular groundel point P in the DEM].
Regarding Claim 2, Wolf discloses receiving a plurality of images including the GCP, wherein each of the images of the plurality of images is taken at a corresponding off-nadir angle [page 496, Section 17-10 for three different perspectives of ground points along a strip from collection of forward, backward, and nadir scans].
Regarding Claim 3, Wolf discloses amending each of the images of the plurality of images based on the determined ortho shift, and combining the plurality of amended images to improve the ortho accuracy [page 379, Section 13-8, last paragraph for using digital mosaics for phot rectification and having a georeferenced image, with page 266 Section 9-9, last two paragraph for using differential rectification].
Regarding Claim 4, Wolf discloses performing a bundle block adjustment to the plurality of images [page 356, second paragraph for Simultaneous Bundle Adjustment].
Regarding Claim 5, Wolf discloses the errors in the DEM data are identified through a comparison between the DEM data and multiple GCPs [page 449, Section 16-3 and last paragraph for stereo-model oriented in a plotter should have three horizontal and four vertical control points used for comparison].
Regarding Claim 6, Wolf discloses the adjusting of the pointing accuracy comprises modifying the pointing angles, azimuth, or elevation of the satellite image based on the identified errors in the DEM data [page 255, second and fourth paragraph for using orientation fixes to resolve parameters and having exterior orientation parameters for the image].
Regarding Claim 7, Wolf discloses the adjusted pointing accuracy is applied to the satellite image by adjusting a position parameter or an orientation parameter used as an input to a satellite imaging software package [page 255, second and fourth paragraph for using orientation fixes to resolve parameters and having exterior orientation parameters for the image and equation 17-21].
Regarding Claim 8, Wolf discloses the corrected satellite imagery is generated by reprojecting the satellite image after correcting by the determined ortho shift [page 195, first paragraph for resampling is performed to obtain a digital number, which is then placed into the corresponding pixel of the digital orthophoto].
Regarding Claim 9, Wolf discloses generating an ortho-rectified product that is at least one of orthorectified satellite imagery or mosaics [page 139, first paragraph for using digital mosaics, with page 379, second paragraph for planimetrically correct, orthophotos can be used as maps for making direct measurements of distances, angles, positions, and areas without making corrections for image displacements].
Regarding Claim 10, Wolf discloses computer program product for correcting a satellite image by accounting for errors in Digital Elevation Models (DEM), comprising computer-readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method steps [page 203, second paragraph for using computers to manipulate digital images and improve image].
Regarding Claim 11, Wolf discloses method for determining an accuracy of satellite imagery, the method comprising [page 379, section 13-8 for orthophoto generation]:
obtaining a longitude, a latitude, and an altitude corresponding to a ground control point (GCP) [page 21 first paragraph for Oblique aerial photographs are exposed with the camera axis intentionally tilted away from vertical, and page 500, Section 17-11for Stereopairs of SPOT images can be acquired for a region by using the off-axis pointing capability of the satellite];
receiving an image including the GCP, wherein the image is taken at an off-nadir angle [page 270, Section 10-1, first and third paragraphs for camera axis tilted slightly from vertical];
measuring a building lean in the image based as a function of GCP elevation [page 185, section 6-10 for Error Evaluation Answers and page 379 last paragraph, for essential inputs for the process of differential rectification are a DEM and a digital aerial photo having known exterior orientation parameters];
comparing the building lean in the image as a function of GCP elevation against an expected building lean as a function of GCP elevation to determine an accuracy of the image [page 182, figure 6.7 and first paragraph for relief displacement on the tall buildings (building lean)].
Regarding Claim 12, Wolf discloses obtaining a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) error for the region that includes the GCP, and incorporating the DEM error into the accuracy determination [page 379, section 13-8 for effects of DEM accuracy and second paragraph for orthorectified photos].
Regarding Claim 13, Wolf discloses the expected building lean as a function of GCP elevation is derived from a reference dataset or known ground truth information [page 182, first paragraph for relief displacement on the tall buildings (building lean)].
Regarding Claim 14, Wolf discloses the accuracy determination is based on a statistical analysis of the building lean measurements across multiple GCPs within the image [page 182, figure 6.7, first paragraph for relief displacement on the tall buildings (building lean)].
Regarding Claim 15, Wolf discloses the accuracy determination is used to assess the quality and reliability of the ortho-rectified image [page 494 second paragraph for using covariance and page 494 third paragraph for using standard deviation and residual for ground control points].
Regarding Claim 16, Wolf discloses a computer program product for evaluating the accuracy of satellite imagery by measuring building lean, comprising computer-readable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method [page 118, first paragraph for using computers to manipulate digital images and improve image].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dolloff (US 2009/0296982 A1) has A method for fusion of image block adjustments for the generation of a ground control network constituting a Metric Information Network.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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