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 § 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) 1-15, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geissler (GB 2580625, published on July 29, 2020){US PGPUB 20220109788 is being used as a translation} in view of Lohrer et al. (US PGPUB 20110063500).
[Claim 1]
Geissler teaches a method for forming a processed video stream, comprising:
capturing a first part of an input video stream using a camera, wherein the camera is adjustable to alter its field of view (Paragraph 43, The camera installation comprises a camera 10. The camera is capable of capturing video. The camera has a variable zoom lens 11, which is provided with a motor 12 by which the zoom of the lens can be altered. The camera is mounted on a pan and tilt head 13. The pan and tilt head allows the direction in which the camera is pointing to be adjusted);
transmitting the first part of the video to a processing facility remote from the camera (Paragraph 44, The camera is coupled by a communications cable or a wireless data link to a local camera controller 17. The local camera controller receives a video signal from the camera and transmits it to the production facility 2. Paragraph 45, The production facility 2 comprises a production control unit 20, an image subset control terminal 21 and a production control terminal 22. );
at the processing facility, designating a first sub-region of the first part of the video stream for further processing (Paragraph 48, An important function of the terminal 21 is to allow a user of the terminal to select a sub-region of a video stream generated by a camera.);
in dependence on the designation of the first sub-region, forming a first cropped video stream by cropping the first part of the video stream to that sub-region (Paragraph 48, To form the output stream, video from the camera may be downscaled and/or cropped. In one example, the entire field of view of the camera's video stream may be downscaled to the output resolution. In another example, a portion of the camera's video stream that has the same resolution as the output stream may be cropped from the camera stream. In another example a portion of the camera's video stream that is smaller than the entire field of view of the camera's video stream but greater than the output video stream may be both cropped from the camera stream and downscaled.);
in dependence on the designation of the first sub-region, forming a camera control signal (Paragraph 77, In FIG. 4a, a movement of the designated sub region 45 is initiated. In line with methods described above, this movement can generate a camera control signal to cause the remote camera to move, so as to better align the field of view of the remote camera with the designated sub region, and therefore allow the system greater flexibility in any further movement of the sub region.);
forming the processed video stream incorporating the first cropped video stream (Paragraph 51, The control unit 20 then processes that camera stream to downscale and/or crop it to form an intermediate video stream that represents only that portion of the camera stream that is bounded by the boundary box, and has the resolution of the intended output stream) ; and
adjusting the field of view of the camera in dependence on the camera control signal (Paragraph 77, In FIG. 4a, a movement of the designated sub region 45 is initiated. In line with methods described above, this movement can generate a camera control signal to cause the remote camera to move, so as to better align the field of view of the remote camera with the designated sub region).
Geissler fails to teach storing the first part of the video stream at a first bandwidth and transmitting the first part of the video stream at a second bandwidth lower than the first bandwidth to a processing facility remote from the camera. However Lohrer teaches that the video data at the first resolution 255 may be sent to a storage device 370 that may also comprise a video server (Paragraph 21) and when the client device 380 requests 311 to receive the video data, in one embodiment, the storage device 370 responds 312 with video data at the second resolution 245 comprising a resolution less than the first resolution. The second resolution may be established through communication between the user device 380 and the storage device 370 (Paragraph 22).
Therefore taking the combined teachings of Geissler and Lohrer, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have been motivated to have stored the first part of the video stream at a first bandwidth and transmitting the first part of the video stream at a second bandwidth lower than the first bandwidth to a processing facility remote from the camera in order to provide the client device with the video data at the maximum resolution allowable for a network bandwidth between the client device and the video storage device.
[Claim 2]
Geissler teaches wherein the step of designating the first sub-region is performed contemporaneously with the step of capturing the input video stream (Paragraph 10).
[Claim 3]
Geissler teaches wherein the processed video stream is a live broadcast stream depicting a live event (Paragraph 11).
[Claim 4]
Geissler teaches wherein the step of capturing the input video stream comprises capturing a video stream of a live event (Paragraph 12).
[Claim 5]
Geissler teaches, after the step of adjusting the field of view of the camera: capturing a second part of the input video stream using the camera; transmitting the second part of the input video stream to the processing facility; at the processing facility, designating a second sub-region of the second part of the input video stream for further processing; in dependence on the designation of a second sub-region: (i) forming a second cropped video stream by cropping the second part of the video stream to that sub-region; and forming the processed video stream incorporating the second cropped video stream (Paragraph 14).
[Claim 6]
Geissler teaches transmitting the camera control signal to a camera installation comprising the camera; the camera installation being configured to automatically adjust the field of view of the camera in dependence on the camera control signal (Paragraph 15).
[Claim 7]
Geissler teaches wherein the step of forming the camera control signal comprises automatically analyzing the position and/or size of the first sub-region with respect to the entire field of the first part of the input video stream, and automatically applying a predetermined algorithm in dependence on that determination to form the camera control signal (Paragraph 16).
[Claim 8]
Geissler teaches wherein the camera control signal is such as to cause the field of view of the camera to alter so as to bring a location in the first part of the input video stream at the center of the first sub- region closer to the center of the field of view of the camera (Paragraph 17).
[Claim 9]
Geissler teaches wherein the step of adjusting the field of view of the camera comprises adjusting the pan or tilt of the camera, or translating the camera (Paragraph 27).
[Claim 10]
Geissler teaches wherein the camera control signal is such as to cause the field of view of the camera to alter so as to bring a region in the first part of the input video stream of the size of the first sub- region closer in size to a predetermined target size (Paragraph 28).
[Claim 11]
Geissler teaches wherein the step of adjusting the camera comprises adjusting the zoom of the camera (Paragraph 29).
[Claim 12]
Geissler teaches estimating the responsiveness of the camera to a previous camera control signal; and forming the camera control signal in dependence on that estimated responsiveness (Paragraph 30).
[Claim 13]
Geissler teaches wherein the step of designating a first sub-region of the first part of the video stream for further processing is performed by a human designating the first sub-region, and the method comprises displaying the boundary of the first sub-region to the user on a display (Paragraph 31).
[Claim 14]
Geissler teaches wherein the step of designating a first sub-region of the first part of the video stream for further processing is performed by automatically analyzing the first part of the video stream to identify a subject of interest therein, and designating the first sub-region so as to encompass that subject (Paragraph 32).
[Claim 15]
Geissler teaches wherein the processed video stream has lower resolution than the input video stream (Paragraph 33).
[Claim 17]
Geissler teaches use, for the purpose of mitigating communication delay between the camera and the production facility, of a method as claimed in claim 1 (Paragraph 56, the size and location of the boundary box is an indication of the portion of the camera stream that is most of interest. In the present system, that information is used to cause motion and/or zooming of the camera. This can avoid the need for separate control of the camera, and can have the result that the camera is automatically kept keyed to the portion of interest. It can do this in a manner that mitigates delay between the camera and the location from which it is controlled. The mechanism for this will now be described).
[Claim 18]
Geissler teaches a video processing device comprising an input for receiving a captured video stream (, a memory, and a controller (Paragraph 46, fig. 1, The production control unit is coupled to the network 3 for receiving video from camera 10 and potentially also from other cameras. The production control unit comprises a processor 24 and a memory 25. The memory stores in non-transient form program code executable by the processor to cause it to perform the functions of the production control unit as described herein. The production control unit is also coupled to the terminals 21, 22) configured to:
transmit the video stream in a form such that points in the progression of the video stream are identifiable (Paragraph 44, The camera is coupled by a communications cable or a wireless data link to a local camera controller 17. The local camera controller receives a video signal from the camera and transmits it to the production facility 2. Paragraph 45, The production facility 2 comprises a production control unit 20, an image subset control terminal 21 and a production control terminal 22. );
receive a designation of a sub-frame region and an associated point in the progression of the video stream (Paragraph 48, An important function of the terminal 21 is to allow a user of the terminal to select a sub-region of a video stream generated by a camera and Paragraph 49, The boundary box has the same proportions, e.g. pixel height to width ratio, as the output stream. A user of the terminal can change the size of the boundary box, by scaling it larger or smaller relative to the boundary of the camera stream, using the zoom input 42. The user can change the position of the boundary box, by moving it left, right, up or down relative to the boundary of the camera stream, using the position input 41. In this way the user can select a sub-region of the camera stream by delineating it with the boundary box);
form an output signal for controlling the direction and/or zoom of a camera in dependence on one or more of (i) the position of the designated sub-frame region relative to a whole frame and (ii) the size of the designated sub-frame region relative to a whole frame (Paragraph 57, As indicated in FIG. 3, the size and location of the boundary box or window is passed (step 55) as input to a step (56) of determining the deviation of that size and location from a predetermined standard. In dependence on that deviation, control signals for movement (e.g. pan and tilt, or movement of an arm or a camera dolly) and/or zoom are formed. (Step 57). Steps 56 and 57 may be performed at the controller 20. Then those control signals are transmitted to the interface 17, and used to control the motion and/or zoom of the camera. The signals may be sent towards the camera over the same link as is used to send the video from the camera, or over a different link 60.).; and
form an output video stream by cropping the video stream to the designated region at a point in the stored video stream corresponding to the designated point (Paragraphs 62 and 63, A secondary video stream may be formed by cropping the video stream from the camera to the designated region. That secondary video stream may be output for viewing elsewhere. 2. A control signal may be formed in dependence on the size and/or location of the designated region with respect to the full frame of the video. That control signal is then transmitted to the camera to control it. The control signal is formed such that it will cause the camera's field of view to move in such a way as to bring the subject location that occupies the designated region (i) closer to the center of the camera's field of view and/or (ii) closer to being of a predetermined size in the camera's field of view).
Geissler fails to teach store in the memory the captured video stream at a first bandwidth; compress the captured video stream to form a compressed video stream having a second bandwidth lower than the first bandwidth. However Lohrer teaches that the video data at the first resolution 255 may be sent to a storage device 370 that may also comprise a video server (Paragraph 21) and when the client device 380 requests 311 to receive the video data, in one embodiment, the storage device 370 responds 312 with video data at the second resolution 245 comprising a resolution less than the first resolution. The second resolution may be established through communication between the user device 380 and the storage device 370 (Paragraph 22).
Therefore taking the combined teachings of Geissler and Lohrer, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have been motivated to have store in the memory the captured video stream at a first bandwidth; compress the captured video stream to form a compressed video stream having a second bandwidth lower than the first bandwidth in order to provide the client device with the video data at the maximum resolution allowable for a network bandwidth between the client device and the video storage device.
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(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Geissler (GB 2580625, published on July 29, 2020){US PGPUB 20220109788 is being used as a translation}.
[Claim 16]
Geissler teaches a method for forming a processed video stream, comprising:
receiving a first part of an input video stream captured using a camera at a processing facility, wherein the camera is adjustable to alter its field of view (Paragraph 43, The camera installation comprises a camera 10. The camera is capable of capturing video. The camera has a variable zoom lens 11, which is provided with a motor 12 by which the zoom of the lens can be altered. The camera is mounted on a pan and tilt head 13. The pan and tilt head allows the direction in which the camera is pointing to be adjusted);
at the processing facility, designating a first sub-region of the first part of the video stream for further processing (Paragraph 48, An important function of the terminal 21 is to allow a user of the terminal to select a sub-region of a video stream generated by a camera.);
in dependence on the designation of a first sub-region: (i) forming a first cropped video stream by cropping the first part of the video stream to that sub-region (Paragraph 48, To form the output stream, video from the camera may be downscaled and/or cropped. In one example, the entire field of view of the camera's video stream may be downscaled to the output resolution. In another example, a portion of the camera's video stream that has the same resolution as the output stream may be cropped from the camera stream. In another example a portion of the camera's video stream that is smaller than the entire field of view of the camera's video stream but greater than the output video stream may be both cropped from the camera stream and downscaled.); and
(ii) forming a camera control signal (Paragraph 77, In FIG. 4a, a movement of the designated sub region 45 is initiated. In line with methods described above, this movement can generate a camera control signal to cause the remote camera to move, so as to better align the field of view of the remote camera with the designated sub region, and therefore allow the system greater flexibility in any further movement of the sub region.);
forming the processed video stream incorporating the first cropped video stream (Paragraph 51, The control unit 20 then processes that camera stream to downscale and/or crop it to form an intermediate video stream that represents only that portion of the camera stream that is bounded by the boundary box, and has the resolution of the intended output stream); and
transmitting the camera control signal to the camera for adjusting the field of view of the camera (Paragraph 77, In FIG. 4a, a movement of the designated sub region 45 is initiated. In line with methods described above, this movement can generate a camera control signal to cause the remote camera to move, so as to better align the field of view of the remote camera with the designated sub region).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art fails to teach or suggest “ wherein the controller is configured to, during the period between the storing of a point in the video stream and the cropping of that point in the video stream, perform video processing on that point in the video stream”. Claim 20 is dependent from claim 19.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOGESH K AGGARWAL whose telephone number is (571)272-7360. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sinh Tran can be reached at 5712727564. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YOGESH K AGGARWAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2637