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 .
Examiner’s Note
The instant application has a lengthy prosecution history and the examiner encourages the applicant to have an interview (telephonic or personal) with the examiner prior to filing a response to the instant office action. Also, prior to the interview the examiner encourages the applicant to present multiple possible claim amendments, so as to enable the examiner to identify claim amendments that will advance prosecution in a meaningful manner.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/20/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Presented arguments have been fully considered, but are rendered moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection necessitated by amendment(s) initiated by the applicant(s).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1 and 5-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Applicant has not pointed out where the new (or amended) claim is supported, nor does there appear to be a written description of the claim limitation “perform(ing) compression for reducing an amount of data of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element more in the image- recognition image processing than in the visual-recognition image processing” (claims 1, 14 & 15) in the application as filed.
When an amendment is filed in reply to an objection or rejection based on 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, a study of the entire application is often necessary to determine whether or not "new matter" is involved. Applicant should therefore specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure. MPEP 2163.06 I.
The claim element “perform(ing) compression for reducing an amount of data of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element more in the image- recognition image processing than in the visual-recognition image processing” seems to suggest that both “visual-recognition image processing unit” (603, figs. 6-7) and “image-recognition image processing unit” (604, figs. 6-7) “perform compression… of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element”. Only the “compression processing” (6041, fig. 7b) of “image-recognition image processing unit 604” perform compression on the “image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element” (i.e. The image processing selecting unit 602 serves to control whether an image signal output from the photoelectric conversion element 100 is to be output to the visual-recognition image processing unit 603 or the image-recognition image processing unit 604- ¶0066, figs. 6-7).
The “compression processing 6036” of “visual-recognition image processing unit 603” only performs compression processing on an image signal generated from 6031-6035 processing of “image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element” (fig. 7a), not compressing the “image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element” itself.
No, support was found comparing the level of compression between compression processing 6036 and compression processing 6041, let alone “reducing an amount of data of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element more in the image- recognition image processing than in the visual-recognition image processing”.
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 5, 9-12 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shinya Fujiwara [US 20230081752 A1: already of record] in view of Makiko Saito [US 20180338102 A1 which is the USPG-PUB of the Applicant’s admitted prior reference Japanese Patent No. 7223070: all already of record] and further in view of Toshikazu Yanai [US 20140218575 A1: already of record] and even further in view of Yasuyuki Ikeda [US 20130176408 A1].
Regarding claim 1, Shinya teaches:
1. A photoelectric conversion device (i.e. The present invention relates to a video control device, a video recording device, a video control method, a video recording method, and a non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a video control program- ¶0002t) comprising:
a photoelectric conversion element configured to generate an image signal corresponding to an incident light quantity (i.e. The imaging element 102 converts an optical image by the imaging lens system 101 into an analog image signal, and outputs the converted analog image signal to the ADC 103. The imaging element 102 is configured by an imaging element, such as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) type image sensor or a charge-coupled device (CCD) type image sensor- ¶0030);
one or more memories storing instructions (i.e. non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a video control program capable of performing imaging with an appropriate exposure value depending on whether or not pixel data before demosaicing processing is recorded); and one or more processors (i.e. e program causing a processor of the video control device to execute a process- ¶0006) executing the instructions to:
perform visual-recognition image processing to generate an image for visual recognition (i.e. The RAW correction unit 105 corrects the RAW pixel data output from the ADC 103. The correction performed by the RAW correction unit 105 is correction performed on the RAW pixel data before the demosaicing processing, and examples thereof include pixel value correction, defective pixel correction, and shading correction in accordance with a characteristic of the imaging element 102 and the like. The RAW correction unit 105 outputs the corrected RAW pixel data to transitory storage unit 106- ¶0035), which is used for a driver to visually recognize a fixed subject in the image (i.e. The monitor 108 displays the video based on the video data output from the development processing unit 107 to the user. As a result, the user can confirm the video being captured as a live image during the imaging of the video- ¶0040),
perform image-recognition image processing to generate an image for image recognition (i.e. The development processing unit 107 based on the RAW pixel data and the metadata stored by the transitory storage unit 106 generates a demosaicing video by performing the development processing including the demosaicing processing, and outputs the generated demosaicing video to the monitor 108- ¶0037), which is used to recognize a moving object in the image(i.e. The monitor 108 displays the video based on the video data output from the development processing unit 107 to the user. As a result, the user can confirm the video being captured as a live image during the imaging of the video- ¶0040), and
perform control such that image processing is performed on the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element using at least one of the visual-recognition image processing and the image-recognition image processing (i.e. the imaging control unit 104 may automatically control the exposure and the like of the imaging by the imaging unit 119 based on a demosaicing image obtained by the development processing unit 107, which will be described below.- ¶0033).
However, Shinya does not teach explicitly:
wherein the photoelectric conversion element includes a plurality of pixels of which each includes a photoelectric conversion unit emitting a pulse in response to incidence of photons, a counter counting the number of pulses, and a memory storing a count value of the counter,
wherein the photoelectric conversion element generates an image signal on the basis of a difference of the count value between a start timing of an accumulation period and an end timing of the accumulation period in each photoelectric conversion unit.
In the same field of endeavor, Makiko teaches:
wherein the photoelectric conversion element includes a plurality of pixels of which each includes a photoelectric conversion unit emitting a pulse in response to incidence of photons (i.e. pixels each having a sensor generating pulses at a frequency corresponding to a light receiving frequency- Abstract), a counter counting the number of pulses (i.e. a counter counting the number of pulse- Abstract), and a memory storing a count value of the counter (i.e. a memory storing a count value of the counter- Abstract…As illustrated in FIG. 3, a photodiode (photoelectric conversion device) 301, a reset transistor (reset unit) 302, and an inverter (waveform shaping unit) 303 are provided for the sensor unit 203…As mentioned above, the pixel 304 is constructed by the sensor unit 203 and the calculation unit 210. As mentioned above, the pixels 304 are two-dimensionally arranged- ¶0032-0033),
wherein the photoelectric conversion element generates an image signal on the basis of a difference of the count value between a start timing of an accumulation period and an end timing of the accumulation period in each photoelectric conversion unit (i.e. he first subtracting circuit 331 outputs a difference value obtained in this manner as a first imaging signal (pixel value) Sig1 of the pixel 304 to the signal line OUT1. The first imaging signal Sig1 corresponds to the number of photons which reached the pixel 304 for the storage period (during the photographing) of the first image. The second subtracting circuit 332 is provided to subtract the count value COUNT3 which is output from the third buffer memory 323 from the count value COUNT4 which is output from the fourth buffer memory 324. When the scanning pulse PH2 is supplied from the second scanning unit 211, the third buffer memory 323 outputs the stored count value COUNT3 to the second subtracting circuit 332. When the scanning pulse PH2 is supplied from the second scanning unit 211, the fourth buffer memory 324 outputs the stored count value COUNT4 to the second subtracting circuit 332. The second subtracting circuit 332 subtracts the count value COUNT3 which is output from the third buffer memory 323 from the count value COUNT4 which is output from the fourth buffer memory 324. The second subtracting circuit 332 outputs a difference value obtained in this manner as a second imaging signal Sig2 of the pixel 304 to the signal line OUT2. The second imaging signal Sig2 corresponds to the number of photons which reached the pixel 304 for the storage period of the second image. For simplicity of explanation, one of output lines of each of the buffer memories 321 to 324 is illustrated here. However, actually, the output lines of the number as many as the number of output bits of the counter 315 are provided for each of the buffer memories 321 to 324- ¶0038… As mentioned above, according to the embodiment, the first imaging signal Sig1 can be obtained on the basis of a difference between the count value COUNT1 at the time of starting the storage of the first image and the count value COUNT2 at the time of stopping the storage of the first image. According to the embodiment, the second imaging signal Sig2 can be obtained on the basis of a difference between the count value COUNT3 at the time of starting the storage of the second image and the count value COUNT4 at the time of stopping the storage of the second image- ¶0058).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya with the teachings of Makiko provide an imaging apparatus which can obtain not only a still image but also a moving image (Makiko- ¶0002).
However, Shinya and Makiko do not teach explicitly:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions perform image processing for enhancing image quality more in the visual-recognition image processing than in the image-recognition image processing,
wherein control is performed such that an image signal generated in an image- recognition accumulation period is output between an end of the image-recognition accumulation period and an end of a visual-recognition accumulation period, one full frame period including the image-recognition accumulation period for generating an image-recognition image and the visual-recognition accumulation period for generating a visual-recognition image, wherein the end of the image-recognition accumulation period is before the end of the visual-recognition accumulation period.
In the same field of endeavor, Toshikazu teaches:
herein the one or more processors further execute the instructions perform image processing for enhancing image quality more in the visual-recognition image processing than in the image-recognition image processing(i.e. As one method of the dynamic range expansion processing, a multi-exposure method for successively capturing a plurality of images with different exposure times by a single image sensor and composing these images is known. With the multi-exposure method, a long-term exposure image and short-term exposure image are successively and individually shot. Then, composition processing is executed using the long-term exposure image for a dark image region and the short-term exposure image for a bright image region which may cause a highlight-detail loss in the long-term exposure image. In this manner, one image, a dynamic range of which is expanded, is generated- ¶0010), and
wherein control is performed such that an image signal (i.e. middle-term exposure lines are lines 03, 04, 09, 10, 15, and 16, and short-term exposure lines are lines 05, 06, 11, and 12) generated in an image-recognition accumulation period is output (i.e. As a period required to read out signals of pixels of each line to column signal processing units 250, and to output signals of pixels for one line from an output unit 280, a corresponding 1HD period is indicated by RO- ¶0133-0136… An output signal Fr_M Readout of a middle-term exposure frame… An output signal Fr_S Readout of a short-term exposure frame- ¶0137-0139, fig. 5) between an end of the image-recognition accumulation period (i.e. Tfrm or Tfrs- fig. 5)and an end of a visual-recognition accumulation period (i.e. Tfrl- fig. 5), one full frame period including the image-recognition accumulation period for generating an image-recognition image and the visual-recognition accumulation period for generating a visual-recognition image (i.e. Tfrl- - fig. 5), wherein the end of the image-recognition accumulation period is before the end of the visual-recognition accumulation period.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya and Makiko with the teachings of Toshikazu to realize improvement of a rolling shutter operation required for dynamic range expansion processing(Toshikazu- ¶0017).
However, Shinya, Makiko and Toshikazu do not teach explicitly:
perform compression for reducing an amount of data of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element more in the image- recognition image processing than in the visual-recognition image processing.
In the same field of endeavor, Yasuyuki teaches:
perform compression for reducing an amount of data of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element more in the image- recognition image processing than in the visual-recognition image processing (i.e. The imaging apparatus of an aspect of the present invention includes: an imaging element provided with pixels which respectively have multiple photoelectric conversion units that generate image signals by photoelectrically converting light fluxes that transit different regions of exit pupil of an imaging optical system to one micro lens; an image generation unit configured to generate left-eye image data and right-eye image data for three-dimensional display based on image signals output by the imaging element, and generate combined image data for two-dimensional display by additively combining the generated left-eye image data and right-eye image data; an image compression unit configured to compress the combined image data at a predetermined first compression rate, and compress the left-eye image data and the right-eye image data at a second compression rate that is higher than the first compression rate; and an image recording unit configured to record the compressed combined image data, left-eye image data, and right-eye image data in the same image file- ¶0011).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya, Makiko Toshikazu with the teachings of Yasuyuki to enable efficient file management (Yasuyuki- ¶0025).
Regarding claim 5, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 1 and Shinya further teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to perform compression for reducing an amount of data of at least the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element in the image-recognition image processing (i.e. the development processing unit 107 generates the video data by performing various types of the image processing on the image data generated by the demosaicing processing, and outputs the generated video data to the monitor 108. Examples of the image processing performed after the development processing unit 107 performs the demosaicing processing include processing of gain correction, gamma correction, peripheral light amount falloff correction, color correction, contour enhancement, noise reducing, debayer processing, and compression- ¶0038).
Regarding claim 9, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 1 and Shinya further teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to perform defective pixel correction in the visual-recognition image processing (i.e. The RAW correction unit 105 corrects the RAW pixel data output from the ADC 103. The correction performed by the RAW correction unit 105 is correction performed on the RAW pixel data before the demosaicing processing, and examples thereof include pixel value correction, defective pixel correction, and shading correction in accordance with a characteristic of the imaging element 102 and the like. The RAW correction unit 105 outputs the corrected RAW pixel data to transitory storage unit 106- ¶0035).
Regarding claim 10, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 1 and Shinya further teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to perform black level correction in the image-recognition image processing (i.e. The metadata is used in a case in which development processing of generating the demosaicing image based on the RAW pixel data is performed. Examples of the metadata include a black offset level, a coefficient for converting a RAW value into a color system, a white balance parameter, a lens correction parameter, a color conversion parameter, a gamma correction parameter, a noise correction parameter, a time code, imaging date and time, and a product name- ¶0034).
Regarding claim 11, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 1 and Shinya further teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to allow the visual-recognition image processing and the image-recognition image processing to share a processing part (i.e. see fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 1 and Shinya further teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to allow the shared processing part to use different correction parameters when the visual recognition is performed and when the image recognition is performed.
Regarding claim 14, Shinya teaches:
14. A movable apparatus (i.e. The present invention relates to a video control device, a video recording device, a video control method, a video recording method, and a non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a video control program- ¶0002t) comprising:
a photoelectric conversion element configured to generate an image signal corresponding to an incident light quantity (i.e. The imaging element 102 converts an optical image by the imaging lens system 101 into an analog image signal, and outputs the converted analog image signal to the ADC 103. The imaging element 102 is configured by an imaging element, such as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) type image sensor or a charge-coupled device (CCD) type image sensor- ¶0030);
one or more memories storing instructions (i.e. non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a video control program capable of performing imaging with an appropriate exposure value depending on whether or not pixel data before demosaicing processing is recorded); and one or more processors (i.e. e program causing a processor of the video control device to execute a process- ¶0006) executing the instructions to:
perform visual-recognition image processing to generate an image for visual recognition (i.e. The RAW correction unit 105 corrects the RAW pixel data output from the ADC 103. The correction performed by the RAW correction unit 105 is correction performed on the RAW pixel data before the demosaicing processing, and examples thereof include pixel value correction, defective pixel correction, and shading correction in accordance with a characteristic of the imaging element 102 and the like. The RAW correction unit 105 outputs the corrected RAW pixel data to transitory storage unit 106- ¶0035), which is used for a driver to visually recognize a fixed subject in the image(i.e. The monitor 108 displays the video based on the video data output from the development processing unit 107 to the user. As a result, the user can confirm the video being captured as a live image during the imaging of the video- ¶0040),
perform image-recognition image processing to generate an image for image recognition (i.e. The development processing unit 107 based on the RAW pixel data and the metadata stored by the transitory storage unit 106 generates a demosaicing video by performing the development processing including the demosaicing processing, and outputs the generated demosaicing video to the monitor 108- ¶0037), which is used to recognize a moving object in the image (i.e. The monitor 108 displays the video based on the video data output from the development processing unit 107 to the user. As a result, the user can confirm the video being captured as a live image during the imaging of the video- ¶0040), and
perform control such that image processing is performed on the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element using at least one of the visual-recognition image processing and the image-recognition image processing and control of an operation of the movable apparatus (i.e. the imaging control unit 104 may automatically control the exposure and the like of the imaging by the imaging unit 119 based on a demosaicing image obtained by the development processing unit 107, which will be described below.- ¶0033).
However, Shinya does not teach explicitly:
wherein the photoelectric conversion element includes a plurality of pixels of which each includes a photoelectric conversion unit emitting a pulse in response to incidence of photons, a counter counting the number of pulses, and a memory storing a count value of the counter,
wherein the photoelectric conversion element generates an image signal on the basis of a difference of the count value between a start timing of an accumulation period and an end timing of the accumulation period in each photoelectric conversion unit.
In the same field of endeavor, Makiko teaches:
wherein the photoelectric conversion element includes a plurality of pixels of which each includes a photoelectric conversion unit emitting a pulse in response to incidence of photons (i.e. pixels each having a sensor generating pulses at a frequency corresponding to a light receiving frequency- Abstract), a counter counting the number of pulses (i.e. a counter counting the number of pulse- Abstract), and a memory storing a count value of the counter (i.e. a memory storing a count value of the counter- Abstract…As illustrated in FIG. 3, a photodiode (photoelectric conversion device) 301, a reset transistor (reset unit) 302, and an inverter (waveform shaping unit) 303 are provided for the sensor unit 203…As mentioned above, the pixel 304 is constructed by the sensor unit 203 and the calculation unit 210. As mentioned above, the pixels 304 are two-dimensionally arranged- ¶0032-0033),
wherein the photoelectric conversion element generates an image signal on the basis of a difference of the count value between a start timing of an accumulation period and an end timing of the accumulation period in each photoelectric conversion unit (i.e. he first subtracting circuit 331 outputs a difference value obtained in this manner as a first imaging signal (pixel value) Sig1 of the pixel 304 to the signal line OUT1. The first imaging signal Sig1 corresponds to the number of photons which reached the pixel 304 for the storage period (during the photographing) of the first image. The second subtracting circuit 332 is provided to subtract the count value COUNT3 which is output from the third buffer memory 323 from the count value COUNT4 which is output from the fourth buffer memory 324. When the scanning pulse PH2 is supplied from the second scanning unit 211, the third buffer memory 323 outputs the stored count value COUNT3 to the second subtracting circuit 332. When the scanning pulse PH2 is supplied from the second scanning unit 211, the fourth buffer memory 324 outputs the stored count value COUNT4 to the second subtracting circuit 332. The second subtracting circuit 332 subtracts the count value COUNT3 which is output from the third buffer memory 323 from the count value COUNT4 which is output from the fourth buffer memory 324. The second subtracting circuit 332 outputs a difference value obtained in this manner as a second imaging signal Sig2 of the pixel 304 to the signal line OUT2. The second imaging signal Sig2 corresponds to the number of photons which reached the pixel 304 for the storage period of the second image. For simplicity of explanation, one of output lines of each of the buffer memories 321 to 324 is illustrated here. However, actually, the output lines of the number as many as the number of output bits of the counter 315 are provided for each of the buffer memories 321 to 324- ¶0038… As mentioned above, according to the embodiment, the first imaging signal Sig1 can be obtained on the basis of a difference between the count value COUNT1 at the time of starting the storage of the first image and the count value COUNT2 at the time of stopping the storage of the first image. According to the embodiment, the second imaging signal Sig2 can be obtained on the basis of a difference between the count value COUNT3 at the time of starting the storage of the second image and the count value COUNT4 at the time of stopping the storage of the second image- ¶0058).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya with the teachings of Makiko provide an imaging apparatus which can obtain not only a still image but also a moving image (Makiko- ¶0002).
However, Shinya and Makiko do not teach explicitly:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to performing image processing for enhancing image quality more in the visual-recognition image processing than in the image-recognition image processing,
wherein control is performed such that an image signal generated in an image- recognition accumulation period is output between an end of the image-recognition accumulation period and an end of a visual-recognition accumulation period, one full frame period including the image-recognition accumulation period for generating an image-recognition image and the visual-recognition accumulation period for generating a visual-recognition image, wherein the end of the image-recognition accumulation period is before the end of the visual-recognition accumulation period.
In the same field of endeavor, Toshikazu teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to performing image processing for enhancing image quality more in the visual-recognition image processing than in the image-recognition image processing (i.e. As one method of the dynamic range expansion processing, a multi-exposure method for successively capturing a plurality of images with different exposure times by a single image sensor and composing these images is known. With the multi-exposure method, a long-term exposure image and short-term exposure image are successively and individually shot. Then, composition processing is executed using the long-term exposure image for a dark image region and the short-term exposure image for a bright image region which may cause a highlight-detail loss in the long-term exposure image. In this manner, one image, a dynamic range of which is expanded, is generated- ¶0010), and
wherein control is performed such that an image signal (i.e. middle-term exposure lines are lines 03, 04, 09, 10, 15, and 16, and short-term exposure lines are lines 05, 06, 11, and 12) generated in an image-recognition accumulation period is output (i.e. As a period required to read out signals of pixels of each line to column signal processing units 250, and to output signals of pixels for one line from an output unit 280, a corresponding 1HD period is indicated by RO- ¶0133-0136… An output signal Fr_M Readout of a middle-term exposure frame… An output signal Fr_S Readout of a short-term exposure frame- ¶0137-0139, fig. 5) between an end of the image-recognition accumulation period (i.e. Tfrm or Tfrs- fig. 5)and an end of a visual-recognition accumulation period (i.e. Tfrl- fig. 5), one full frame period including the image-recognition accumulation period for generating an image-recognition image and the visual-recognition accumulation period for generating a visual-recognition image (i.e. Tfrl- - fig. 5), wherein the end of the image-recognition accumulation period is before the end of the visual-recognition accumulation period.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya and Makiko with the teachings of Toshikazu to realize improvement of a rolling shutter operation required for dynamic range expansion processing(Toshikazu- ¶0017).
However, Shinya, Makiko and Toshikazu do not teach explicitly:
perform compression for reducing an amount of data of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element more in the image- recognition image processing than in the visual-recognition image processing.
In the same field of endeavor, Yasuyuki teaches:
perform compression for reducing an amount of data of the image signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element more in the image- recognition image processing than in the visual-recognition image processing (i.e. The imaging apparatus of an aspect of the present invention includes: an imaging element provided with pixels which respectively have multiple photoelectric conversion units that generate image signals by photoelectrically converting light fluxes that transit different regions of exit pupil of an imaging optical system to one micro lens; an image generation unit configured to generate left-eye image data and right-eye image data for three-dimensional display based on image signals output by the imaging element, and generate combined image data for two-dimensional display by additively combining the generated left-eye image data and right-eye image data; an image compression unit configured to compress the combined image data at a predetermined first compression rate, and compress the left-eye image data and the right-eye image data at a second compression rate that is higher than the first compression rate; and an image recording unit configured to record the compressed combined image data, left-eye image data, and right-eye image data in the same image file- ¶0011).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya, Makiko Toshikazu with the teachings of Yasuyuki to enable efficient file management (Yasuyuki- ¶0025).
However, Shinya does not teach explicitly:
movable.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make a device movable/portable, since it has been held that making an old device portable or movable without producing any new and unexpected result involves only routine skill in the art. In re Lindberg, 93 USPQ 23 (CCPA 1952).
Regarding claim 15, method claim 15 corresponds to apparatus claim 1, and therefore is also rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as listed above.
Regarding claim 16, computer-readable medium storing instructions claim 16 corresponds to apparatus claim 1, and therefore is also rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as listed above.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shinya Fujiwara [US 20230081752 A1: already of record] in view of Makiko Saito [US 20180338102 A1 which is the USPG-PUB of the Applicant’s admitted prior reference Japanese Patent No. 7223070] and further in view of Toshikazu Yanai [US 20140218575 A1] and even further in view of Yasuyuki Ikeda [US 20130176408 A1] and Thomas M. Carroll [US 5058174 A: already of record]:
Regarding claim 6, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 5.
However, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki do not teach explicitly:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to reduce the amount of data by adding or addition-averaging pixel values of the plurality of pixels in the compression.
In the same field of endeavor, Thomas teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to reduce the amount of data by adding or addition-averaging pixel values of the plurality of pixels in the compression (i.e. Compressor 122 combines the RGB color values for each pixel into a single, averaged RGB color value. Each pixel therefore, is assigned a single RGB color value. Compressor 122 then assigns a single RGB color to each subarea by computing an average color value from among the color values assigned each of the 25 pixels within each subarea. Compressor 122, therefore, reduces 192,700 pixels, each having separate R,G,B color values, into 7708 subareas, each having a single R,G,B color value. Each subarea value has a color corresponding to the average of the color values assigned to the 25 pixels within each subarea, to form a compressed image 113 (See FIG. 2) stored in compressed image memory 118- col 3, line 35-48).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki with the teachings of Thomas to generate an image having a preset number of colors (Thomas – Col 5, line 11-12).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shinya Fujiwara [US 20230081752 A1: already of record] in view of Makiko Saito [US 20180338102 A1 which is the USPG-PUB of the Applicant’s admitted prior reference Japanese Patent No. 7223070] and further in view of Toshikazu Yanai [US 20140218575 A1] and even further in view of Yasuyuki Ikeda [US 20130176408 A1] and Tetsu Wada [US 20060274953 A1: already of record]:
Regarding claim 7, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 5.
However, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki do not teach explicitly:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to reduce the amount of data by thinning out pixels in rows or columns of the photoelectric conversion element in the compression.
In the same field of endeavor, Tetsu teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to reduce the amount of data by thinning out pixels in rows or columns of the photoelectric conversion element in the compression(i.e. According to this signal processing method, thinned data are generated by thinning, in a checkerboard like manner, image data formed of a plurality of pixels that are arranged as a square; the first square array and the second square array are generated by respectively extracting only the odd-numbered lines and the even-numbered lines from the lines of thinned data in the row direction and in the column direction; and the image compression process is performed separately for the first and the second square arrays- ¶0015).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki with the teachings of Tetsu to reduce the volume of data without the image quality being deteriorated (Tetsu- ¶0015).
Regarding claim 8, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 5.
However, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki do not teach explicitly:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to reduce the amount of data by cutting out pixels in a partial area of the photoelectric conversion element in the image-recognition image processing.
In the same field of endeavor, Tetsu teaches:
wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to reduce the amount of data by cutting out pixels in a partial area of the photoelectric conversion element in the image-recognition image processing (i.e. According to this signal processing method, thinned data are generated by thinning, in a checkerboard like manner, image data formed of a plurality of pixels that are arranged as a square; the first square array and the second square array are generated by respectively extracting only the odd-numbered lines and the even-numbered lines from the lines of thinned data in the row direction and in the column direction; and the image compression process is performed separately for the first and the second square arrays- ¶0015).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki with the teachings of Tetsu to reduce the volume of data without the image quality being deteriorated (Tetsu- ¶0015).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shinya Fujiwara [US 20230081752 A1: already of record] in view of Makiko Saito [US 20180338102 A1 which is the USPG-PUB of the Applicant’s admitted prior reference Japanese Patent No. 7223070] and further in view of Toshikazu Yanai [US 20140218575 A1] and even further in view of Yasuyuki Ikeda [US 20130176408 A1] and Vladimir Koifman et al. [US 8184173 B1: already of record]:
Regarding claim 13, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki teach all the limitations of claim 1.
However, Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki do not teach explicitly:
wherein the photoelectric conversion element includes an avalanche photodiode.
In the same field of endeavor, Vladimir teaches:
wherein the photoelectric conversion element includes an avalanche photodiode (i.e. Digital cameras include a two-dimensional pixel array. Each pixel includes a light sensitive element that converts photons to an analog signal. The light sensitive elements can include photodiodes, phototransistors, photo-gates, hole accumulation diodes, pinned diodes, avalanche diodes, buried accumulation and transfer layer devices-Col 1, line 18-23).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Shinya, Makiko, Toshikazu and Yasuyuki with the teachings of Vladimir since Various prior art pixels are known and the most commonly used pixels are either CCD pixels or CMOS pixels (Vladimir- Col 1, line 24-25).
Conclusion
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CLIFFORD HILAIRE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2488
/CLIFFORD HILAIRE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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