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 .
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 9, 11, 13, and 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (US 2015/0109436 A1).
Claim 1, Chen teaches a control system (Fig. 7) in which a plurality of image capturing apparatuses (n number of cameras; paragraph 0040 and Fig. 3) are controlled by a control apparatus (smart dual-view video recorder SVR 340 can send a control signal to individual cameras; paragraph 0040, 0042 and Fig. 3), wherein the control apparatus includes:
at least one processor or circuit (processor and circuits are inherent to the system of Fig. 7) configured to function as:
a display control unit (display controller 750; Fig. 7) configured to be capable of controlling display device to display a live view image sent from each of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses in a plurality of display regions (live video windows are displayed on a screen; paragraph 0033 and Figs. 1-2), each corresponding to one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses (paragraph 0033), in the display device, and capable of changing a display method for each of the plurality of display regions (operator can select a source video for full screen display or to use different split views; paragraph 0010-0012, 0034, Fig. 1); and
a first communication unit (inherently present in the networked system of Chen: see SVR modems 710-730; paragraph 0049 and Fig. 7) configured to request the live view image from each of the image capturing apparatuses (SVR determines the dimensions of a display window and a live-view stream is transmitted from each corresponding camera to the SVR; paragraph 0046, 0043),
and each of the image capturing apparatuses (n smart dual-view cameras 310, 320, 330; paragraph 0040 and Fig. 3) includes:
an image capturing device configured to generate the live view image at a different image quality according to a send request for the live view image from the control apparatus (smart live-view processor 450 for each smart dual-view camera 310-330 produces a live-view video stream 451 carrying data only for the visible displayed pixels in its display window according to the control signal 462; paragraph 0043); and
at least one processor or circuit configured to function as a second communication unit configured to send the live view image generated by the image capturing device to the control apparatus (live-view video is multiplexed together with other downstream information by the camera-side modem 460 and sent to SVR 340 over communication channel 461).
Claim 2, Chen further teaches wherein the first communication unit makes a request to each of the image capturing apparatuses for the live view image at the image quality suited to the image capturing apparatus in accordance with the display method for each of the plurality of display regions (each camera receives its own display windows information and generated the live-view view accordingly; paragraph 0052), and the image capturing device generates the live view image at the image quality requested by the control apparatus (smart live-view processor 450 for each smart dual-view camera 310-330 produces a live-view video stream 451 carrying data only for the visible displayed pixels in its display window according to the control signal 462; paragraph 0043).
Claim 9, Chen further teaches wherein the image capturing device generates live view images having two types of image qualities (camera generates a recording-view and a smart live-view; paragraph 0040 and Fig. 3).
Claim 11, Chen further teaches wherein the display control unit can change a size of the live view image for each of the plurality of display regions (video recorder has the capability to display source video from each camera at varying resolution and size; paragraph 0012, 0032).
Claim 13, Chen further teaches wherein the display control unit is capable of performing control to skip displaying, in the display region, the live view image sent from the image capturing apparatus corresponding to the display region (video windows may overlap and be “cut off,” see paragraph 0033-0034. The live video is cropped, scaled, and masked such that only the visible displayed pixels in the display window are transmitted; paragraph 0043, 0049. That is, the cut off areas of the live video are “skipped.”).
Claim 15, Chen teaches an image capturing apparatus (smart dual-view camera 310; paragraph 0040 and Fig. 3) controlled by a control apparatus, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image capturing device configured to generate a live view image at a different image quality according to a send request for the live view image from the control apparatus (smart live-view processor 450 for each smart dual-view camera 310-330 produces a live-view video stream 451 carrying data only for the visible displayed pixels in its display window according to the control signal 462; paragraph 0043); and
at least one processor or circuit configured to function as a communication unit configured to send the live view image generated by the image capturing device to the control apparatus (live-view video is multiplexed together with other downstream information by the camera-side modem 460 and sent to SVR 340 over communication channel 461).
Claim 16 is analyzed and rejected as a method claim for performing the functions of the apparatus of claim 15.
Claim 17 is analyzed and rejected as a -transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute each of steps of a method for performing the functions of the apparatus of claim 15.
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.
Claim(s) 3, 4, 8, 10 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 2015/0109436 A1).
Claim 3, Chen teaches the control system according to claim 2, and further teaches wherein the first communication unit makes a request to the image capturing apparatus to send a low-quality live view image having a lower resolution (live-view window information is sent from SVR to camera; paragraph 0049) when the display control unit is not displaying the live view image in a maximized state (the ePTZ controller 520 of each camera crops and scales the size of a picture such that the resulting picture has the same size as the display window; paragraph 0046),
but Chen is silent regarding a predetermined resolution such that the low-quality live view image has a resolution less than or equal to a predetermined resolution. Chen teaches a full size full resolution video (claim 17) and lower resolution video (scaled picture; paragraph 0046). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have considered any resolution less than the full resolution to be a “predetermined resolution” such that a lower resolution video (compared to that of a full resolution video) is generated to reduce the bit rate required for data transmission (see paragraph 0019 of Chen).
Claim 4, Chen teaches the control system according to claim 2, wherein the first communication unit makes a request to the image capturing apparatus to send a low-quality live view image having a resolution less than a full resolution when the live view image displayed in the display region is cut off (video windows may overlap and be “cut off,” see paragraph 0033-0034. The live video is cropped, scaled, and masked such that only the visible displayed pixels in the display window are transmitted; paragraph 0043, 0049),
but Chen is silent regarding a predetermined resolution such that the low-quality live view image has a resolution less than or equal to a predetermined resolution. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have considered any resolution less than the full resolution to be a “predetermined resolution” such that a lower resolution video (compared to that of a full resolution video) is generated to reduce the bit rate required for data transmission (see paragraph 0019 of Chen).
Claim 8, Chen teaches the control system according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing device generates a high-quality live view image having a high resolution when a command for a shooting operation or a setting operation is sent to the image capturing apparatus from the control apparatus (when a display window is set to be a full screen video, the live view is set to be a full size full resolution video; see paragraph 0033-0034, claim 17).
Chen is silent regarding a predetermined resolution such that the high-quality live view image has a resolution higher than the predetermined resolution. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have considered any resolution less than the full resolution to be a “predetermined resolution” such that a lower resolution video (compared to that of a full resolution video) is generated to reduce the bit rate required for data transmission (see paragraph 0019 of Chen).
Claim 10, Chen teaches the control system according to claim 9, and further teaches wherein the image capturing device generates a high-quality live view image having a high resolution (full size full resolution video; see paragraph 0033-0034, claim 17), and a low-quality live view image having a resolution less than or equal to the predetermined resolution (live video that is cropped, scaled, and masked such that only the visible displayed pixels in the display window are transmitted; paragraph 0043, 0049).
Chen is silent regarding a specific predetermined resolution. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have considered any resolution less than the full resolution to be a “predetermined resolution” such that a lower resolution video (compared to that of a full resolution video) is generated to reduce the bit rate required for data transmission (see paragraph 0019 of Chen).
Claim 14, Chen teaches the control system according to claim 1, but is silent regarding wherein the display device is built into the control apparatus.
However, it is well-known in the art that a display device can be “built into,” i.e., physical connected to a control apparatus. Official Notice is taken for a display device built into a control apparatus in order to enhance portability and convenience of setup.
Claim(s) 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Sakai (US 2005/0078184 A1).
Claim 5, Chen teaches the control system according to claim 1, but is silent regarding wherein each of the image capturing apparatuses further includes subject detection unit for detecting a subject, and the image capturing device changes the image quality of the live view image generated, in accordance with a detection result from the subject detection unit.
Sakai teaches a monitoring system wherein each of the image capturing apparatuses (cameras 10a-10n; Fig. 1) further includes subject detection unit for detecting a subject (measuring part 15 detects and counts a number of persons in an image; paragraph 0039), and the image capturing device changes the image quality of the live view image generated, in accordance with a detection result from the subject detection unit (when a number of persons exceeds a threshold, the resolution of a captured image is increased; paragraph 0066).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Sakai with that of Chen in order to reduce communication traffic and power consumption (see paragraph 0045, 0065 of Sakai).
Claim 6, Chen in view of Sakai teaches the control system according to claim 5, Sakai further teaches wherein the image capturing device generates a high-quality live view image having a high resolution when a subject is detected by the subject detection unit (when a number of persons exceeds a threshold, the resolution of a captured image is increased; paragraph 0066).
Chen in view of Sakai is silent regarding a predetermined resolution such that the high-quality live view image has a resolution higher than the predetermined resolution. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have considered any resolution less than the full resolution to be a “predetermined resolution” such that a lower resolution video (compared to that of a full resolution video) is generated to reduce the bit rate required for data transmission (see paragraph 0019 of Chen).
Claim 7, Sakai further teaches wherein the subject detected by the subject detection unit includes a person, an animal, or a car (persons are detected; see paragraph 0040).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Daliyot (US 2017/0339336 A1).
Claim 12, Chen teaches the control system according to claim 1, and further teaches wherein the display control unit controls the display device to display, in the display region, a live view image sent from the image capturing apparatus corresponding to the display region (paragraph 0040 and Figs. 1-2) and Chen further teaches an operation part for operating the image capturing apparatus (pan-tilt-zoom control; paragraph 0042),
but Chen is silent regarding wherein the display device displays the operation part for operating the image capturing apparatus.
Daliyot teaches wherein a display device displays an operation part for operating an image capturing apparatus (user interface of Fig. 3 includes a toolbar that allows access to video controls and display features; paragraph 0039).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the teaching of Daliyot with that of Chen in order to allow a user to easily control and manipulate camera controls remotely (see paragraph 0029 of Daliyot).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 attached.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHIAWEI A CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1707. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 12:00pm - 9:00pm EST.
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/CHIAWEI CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2637