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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1 – 14 are pending in this application. Claims 1, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are independent.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1 – 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mitsumoto, Shinichi (US-20220148149-A1, hereinafter simply referred to as Shinichi).
Regarding independent claim(s) 1, 11 and 13, Shinichi teaches:
A method of controlling an information processing apparatus (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0034]; FIG. 2; "…FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the information processing apparatus 100…"), the method comprising: obtaining a captured image including a structure to be inspected (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0037]; FIG. 2; "…In step S202, the CPU 101 obtains the captured image files…"); obtaining in-focus degree information indicating a degree of in-focus of each of a plurality of regions of the captured image (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0063]; FIG. 2; "…The image quality determination processing of step S205 is described to use the in-focus degree information, i.e., the degree of in-focus state... out of focus blur information indicating the degree of out of focus blur in each predetermined region of the image is generated by using the frequency analysis processing on the image, and the ratio of regions where the degree of out of focus blur satisfies a predetermined condition in the image is determined based on the generated out of focus blur information…"); selecting one or more partial regions from a plurality of partial regions obtained by dividing the captured image into regions (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0055]; FIGS. 2, 8; "…Lines 803 and 823 indicate the borderlines between regions with different defocus amounts…"); and determining whether the captured image satisfies an in-focus condition necessary for being used in inspection (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0063]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…The image quality determination processing of step S205 is described to use the in-focus degree information, i.e., the degree of in-focus state... out of focus blur information indicating the degree of out of focus blur in each predetermined region of the image is generated by using the frequency analysis processing on the image, and the ratio of regions where the degree of out of focus blur satisfies a predetermined condition in the image is determined based on the generated out of focus blur information…"), wherein in the determining, a region that is in focus in a first region, in which an accuracy of determination in which the in-focus degree information is used is greater than or equal to what is predetermined, in the selected one or more partial regions is identified as an in-focus region (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0060]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine the ratio of regions where the defocus amount is “0” or “1” …if the first ratio is greater than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold different from the first threshold, the processing may proceed to step S704…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether the in-focus degree of the image satisfies various predetermined conditions based on the in-focus degree information, and use the determination result of the in-focus state in determining whether to recapture the image."), and whether the captured image satisfies the in-focus condition necessary for being used in inspection is determined based on a ratio of a surface area of the first region to a surface area of the in-focus region (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0060, 0066]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine the ratio of regions where the defocus amount is “0” or “1” …if the first ratio is greater than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold different from the first threshold, the processing may proceed to step S704…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether the in-focus degree of the image satisfies various predetermined conditions based on the in-focus degree information, and use the determination result of the in-focus state in determining whether to recapture the image.", "…apparatus 100 determines the image quality of a plurality of captured images of a structure in advance in using the captured images for inspection of the structure…").
Regarding independent claim(s) 9, 12 and 14, Shinichi teaches:
A method of controlling an information processing apparatus (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0034]; FIG. 2; "…FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the information processing apparatus 100…"), the method comprising: obtaining a captured image including a structure to be inspected (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0037]; FIG. 2; "…In step S202, the CPU 101 obtains the captured image files…"); obtaining frequency information indicating a result of analyzing a frequency of the captured image (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0063]; FIG. 2; "…The image quality determination processing of step S205 is described to use the in-focus degree information, i.e., the degree of in-focus state... out of focus blur information indicating the degree of out of focus blur in each predetermined region of the image is generated by using the frequency analysis processing on the image, and the ratio of regions where the degree of out of focus blur satisfies a predetermined condition in the image is determined based on the generated out of focus blur information…"); selecting one or more partial regions from a plurality of partial regions obtained by dividing the captured image into regions (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0055]; FIGS. 2, 8; "…Lines 803 and 823 indicate the borderlines between regions with different defocus amounts…"); and determining whether the captured image satisfies an in-focus condition necessary for being used in inspection (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0063, 0066]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…The image quality determination processing of step S205 is described to use the in-focus degree information, i.e., the degree of in-focus state... out of focus blur information indicating the degree of out of focus blur in each predetermined region of the image is generated by using the frequency analysis processing on the image, and the ratio of regions where the degree of out of focus blur satisfies a predetermined condition in the image is determined based on the generated out of focus blur information…", "…apparatus 100 determines the image quality of a plurality of captured images of a structure in advance in using the captured images for inspection of the structure…") based on the frequency information and the selected one or more partial regions (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0055, 0064]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…Numerical values 802 and 822 are defocus amounts indicating the degrees of in-focus in the respective regions…", "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether to recapture an image in the imaging range of a captured image by using the image quality determination result obtained by using the in-focus degree information and the image quality determination result obtained by using the degree of out of focus blur based on the frequency analysis processing.").
Regarding dependent claim 2, Shinichi teaches:
wherein the one or more partial regions are regions in which the structure is captured in the captured image (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0063, 0066]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…The image quality determination processing of step S205 is described to use the in-focus degree information, i.e., the degree of in-focus state... out of focus blur information indicating the degree of out of focus blur in each predetermined region of the image is generated by using the frequency analysis processing on the image, and the ratio of regions where the degree of out of focus blur satisfies a predetermined condition in the image is determined based on the generated out of focus blur information…", "…apparatus 100 determines the image quality of a plurality of captured images of a structure in advance in using the captured images for inspection of the structure…").
Regarding dependent claim 3, Shinichi teaches:
wherein the selection unit includes an acceptance unit configured to accept selection of one or more partial regions from a user (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0029]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…The operation unit 106 accepts a user's various operations…").
Regarding dependent claim 4, Shinichi teaches:
wherein the information obtaining unit further obtains image capturing condition information indicating an image capturing condition for when the captured image has been captured (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0060, 0066]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine the ratio of regions where the defocus amount is “0” or “1” …if the first ratio is greater than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold different from the first threshold, the processing may proceed to step S704…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether the in-focus degree of the image satisfies various predetermined conditions based on the in-focus degree information, and use the determination result of the in-focus state in determining whether to recapture the image.", "…apparatus 100 determines the image quality of a plurality of captured images of a structure in advance in using the captured images for inspection of the structure…"), and in a case where the image capturing condition does not match a predetermined image capturing condition, the determination unit determines that the captured image cannot be used in inspection (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0060, 0066]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine the ratio of regions where the defocus amount is “0” or “1” …if the first ratio is greater than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold different from the first threshold, the processing may proceed to step S704…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether the in-focus degree of the image satisfies various predetermined conditions based on the in-focus degree information, and use the determination result of the in-focus state in determining whether to recapture the image.", "…apparatus 100 determines the image quality of a plurality of captured images of a structure in advance in using the captured images for inspection of the structure…").
Regarding dependent claim 5, Shinichi teaches:
a display control unit configured to display, on a display unit, the captured image and a result of determination by the determination unit for the captured image in association with each other (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0046]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8, 9; "…As illustrated in FIG. 9, an image 921 to be recaptured and an image 922 to be recaptured in a combined image 450 are displayed on the display unit 105…").
Regarding dependent claim 6, Shinichi teaches:
wherein the in-focus degree information is a defocus map corresponding to the captured image (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0055]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8, 9; "…FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate examples of a defocus map that is the in-focus degree information…"), and the display control unit displays a contour diagram of the defocus map in a superimposed manner on the captured image displayed on the display unit (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0046]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8, 9; "…As illustrated in FIG. 9, an image 921 to be recaptured and an image 922 to be recaptured in a combined image 450 are displayed on the display unit 105…").
Regarding dependent claim 7, Shinichi teaches:
wherein the information obtaining unit further obtains frequency information indicating a result of analyzing a frequency of the captured image (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0063, 0066]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…The image quality determination processing of step S205 is described to use the in-focus degree information, i.e., the degree of in-focus state... out of focus blur information indicating the degree of out of focus blur in each predetermined region of the image is generated by using the frequency analysis processing on the image, and the ratio of regions where the degree of out of focus blur satisfies a predetermined condition in the image is determined based on the generated out of focus blur information…", "…apparatus 100 determines the image quality of a plurality of captured images of a structure in advance in using the captured images for inspection of the structure…"), and for the captured image determined to satisfy the in-focus condition (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0060]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine the ratio of regions where the defocus amount is “0” or “1” …if the first ratio is greater than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold different from the first threshold, the processing may proceed to step S704…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether the in-focus degree of the image satisfies various predetermined conditions based on the in-focus degree information, and use the determination result of the in-focus state in determining whether to recapture the image."), the determination unit derives a frequency component corresponding to the one or more partial regions based on the frequency information (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0055, 0064]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…Numerical values 802 and 822 are defocus amounts indicating the degrees of in-focus in the respective regions…", "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether to recapture an image in the imaging range of a captured image by using the image quality determination result obtained by using the in-focus degree information and the image quality determination result obtained by using the degree of out of focus blur based on the frequency analysis processing.").
Regarding dependent claim 8, Shinichi teaches:
wherein in a case where the frequency component is greater than or equal to a threshold, the determination unit determines that the captured image satisfies a blur condition necessary for being used in inspection (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0060]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine the ratio of regions where the defocus amount is “0” or “1” …if the first ratio is greater than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold different from the first threshold, the processing may proceed to step S704…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether the in-focus degree of the image satisfies various predetermined conditions based on the in-focus degree information, and use the determination result of the in-focus state in determining whether to recapture the image.").
Regarding dependent claim 10, Shinichi teaches:
wherein the determination unit determines a first region in which bokeh or blurring has not occurred in the selected one or more partial regions based on the frequency information (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0055, 0064]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…Numerical values 802 and 822 are defocus amounts indicating the degrees of in-focus in the respective regions…", "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether to recapture an image in the imaging range of a captured image by using the image quality determination result obtained by using the in-focus degree information and the image quality determination result obtained by using the degree of out of focus blur based on the frequency analysis processing."), and determines whether the captured image satisfies a condition necessary for being used in inspection based on a ratio of a surface area of the first region to a surface area of the one or more partial regions (See at least Shinichi, ¶ [0060, 0066]; FIGS. 2, 7, 8; "…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine the ratio of regions where the defocus amount is “0” or “1” …if the first ratio is greater than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold different from the first threshold, the processing may proceed to step S704…apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether the in-focus degree of the image satisfies various predetermined conditions based on the in-focus degree information, and use the determination result of the in-focus state in determining whether to recapture the image.", "…apparatus 100 determines the image quality of a plurality of captured images of a structure in advance in using the captured images for inspection of the structure…").
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure: See the Notice of References Cited (PTO–892)
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/IDOWU O OSIFADE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2675
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