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 § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-12, 15-17 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ENDO (US 20220020341 A1), referred herein as ENDO in view of XU et al. (CN 101299804 A), referred herein as XU.
Regarding Claim 1, ENDO in view of XU teaches a video image processing method, comprising (ENDO Abst: A video input interface receives video data on which a known character is to be drawn):
obtaining an area to be superimposed in a video image, wherein the area to be superimposed contains a plurality of display blocks (ENDO: Fig. 3, graphic controller 110, pars. [0044-52], and Fig. 4, video data 400, target region 404; the target region denotes the claimed display block; NB while Fig. 4, shows a single OSD character, ENDO also considers a plurality of characters 402, see par. [0051]);
performing optical parameter ENDO: Fig. 3, visibility detector 340, par. [0057], and Fig. 6, pars. [0062-76] for the details of optical parameter statistical processing; NB according to the present application, the claimed optical parameter is for instance brightness or colour; the visibility, which is the statistical processing and the difference, as claimed below, may be determined as the entire visibility of the region by integrating visibility of pixels, pars. [0057, 63-66]), wherein the optical parameter statistical component is a hardware component (ENDO: Fig. 3, semiconductor device 300 comprising the visibility detector 340 and control interface 320 and which is separate from the host processor 120, pars. [0044-50]);
based on a difference value between the optical parameter statistical value and an optical parameter value of a target display character, determining whether an adjustment processing needs to be performed on the target display character (ENDO: Fig. 3, control input interface 320 receiving the VSB_ERR signal, par. [0054]; the difference is established in the course of statistical processing at Fig. 3, visibility detector 340, in particular as implemented in Fig. 6, by color difference 354 and brightness difference 358 of the OSD character and the background and by the respective error detectors 356 and 360 which compare the difference to a threshold, see pars. [0068-76]);
in response to a determination that the difference value is less than or equal to a preset threshold, performing adjustment processing on the target display character to obtain a superimposed character, wherein a difference value between an optical parameter value of the superimposed character and the optical parameter statistical value of a corresponding display block is greater than the preset threshold (ENDO: see the feature above and par. [0054], re. the changing of the colour of the OSD character in response to visibility error indicating low visibility. See threshold of color or brightness difference in par. [0009]); and
performing character superimposition processing on the area to be superimposed, wherein the character superimposition processing comprises: superimposing the superimposed character with the corresponding display block (ENDO: Fig. 3, GPU 110 and OSD 114, par. [0046]).
ENDO disclosed allowable ratio, but does not explicitly disclose statistical processing and statistical value. However, XU discloses a character superposition method and device, which is analogous to the present patent application. XU teaches statistical processing and statistical value (XU: obtaining brightness average value of said video image block; regulating the brightness value of said first character foreground colour pixel point according to said brightness average value in Abst. FIG. 2, S204).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified ENDO to incorporate the teachings of XU, and apply the obtaining brightness average value of video image block into the semiconductor device of drawing characters on a video image.
Doing so would ensure the brightness value of the superposing character foreground colour, allow a certain contrast to be ensured between the superposing character and the video image, and allow the superposing character to be displayed more clearly.
Regarding Claim 2, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 1, and further teaches further comprising: after obtaining an area to be superimposed in a video image and the display blocks, and before performing optical parameter statistical processing on each display block by an optical parameter component, configuring information of the display block to the optical parameter statistical component (XU: specific format (12x 18, 12x16, 24x24) is divided into blocks in pg. 5; a brightness average value of brightness statistic unit 702 for obtaining the video obtaining unit 701 obtains the video image block in pg. 13).
Regarding Claim 3, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 1, and further teaches further comprising:
performing post-processing on the video image, wherein the post-processing comprises performing cropping processing on the video image and outputting a cropped image (XU: s101, obtaining video image block needing to superpose the first character of each frame of video image is generally divided into even data block (hereinafter called video image block), and video by dividing the size of the image block to obtain the video data in pg. 7); and
obtaining an area to be superimposed in a video image comprises: obtaining an area to be superimposed in the cropped image (XU; s102, obtaining the first character, step S101 obtains the video image block needing to be superpose the first character in pg. 7).
Regarding Claim 6, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the optical parameter is brightness; wherein the optical parameter statistical component is a brightness statistical component;
wherein performing optical parameter statistical processing on each display block comprises: performing brightness statistical processing on each display block by the brightness statistical component to obtain a brightness statistical value; and
wherein based on a difference value between the optical parameter statistical value and an optical parameter value of a target display character, determining whether an adjustment processing needs to be performed on the target display character comprises: based on a difference value between the brightness statistical value and the brightness value of the target display character, determining whether a brightness adjustment processing needs to be performed on the target display character.
(ENDO: determining the visibility of the OSD character by comparing a difference in color or brightness between the OSD character and the background with a threshold in par. [0009]. Including the citation in claim 1, ENDO discloses analyzing both brightness and colour (the claimed chromaticity).
Regarding Claim 7, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 6, and further teaches wherein performing adjustment processing on the target display character comprises: performing color inversion processing on the target display character. (ENDO: determining the visibility of the OSD character by comparing a difference in color or brightness between the OSD character and the background with a threshold in par. [0009]. XU: the overlapped character and video image is a certain contrast so as to more clearly seeing character of overlapping in pg. 9).
Regarding Claim 8, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the optical parameter is chromaticity;
wherein the optical parameter statistical component is a chromaticity statistical component;
wherein performing optical parameter statistical processing on each display block comprises: performing chromaticity statistical processing on each display block by the chromaticity statistical component to obtain chromaticity statistical value;
wherein based on a difference value between the optical parameter statistical value and an optical parameter value of a target display character, determining whether an adjustment processing needs to be performed on the target display character comprises: based on a difference value between the chromaticity statistical value and the chromaticity value of the target display character, determining whether a chromaticity adjustment processing needs to be performed on the target display character; and
wherein performing adjustment processing on the target display character comprises: performing color adjustment processing on the target display character corresponding to the current display block.
(ENDO: determining the visibility of the OSD character by comparing a difference in color or brightness between the OSD character and the background with a threshold in par. [0009]. Including the citation in claim 1, ENDO discloses analyzing both brightness and colour (the claimed chromaticity).
Regarding Claim 9, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 1, and further teaches wherein in response to a determination that the difference value is greater than the preset threshold, determining that there is no need to perform adjustment processing (XU: FIG. 3, S306); and
wherein the character superimposition processing further comprises: in response to a determination that there is no need to perform adjustment processing, superimposing the target display character with the corresponding display block (XU: FIG. 3, S312).
Regarding Claims 10-12, 16 and 17, ENDO in view of XU teaches a video image processing apparatus (ENDO Abst: A video input interface receives video data on which a known character is to be drawn):
The metes and bounds of the claim substantially correspond to the claimed limitations set forth in claims 1, 3, 6, 8 and 9; thus they are rejected on similar grounds and rationale as their corresponding limitations.
Regarding Claim 15, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing apparatus of claim 12, and further teaches wherein the post-processing circuit comprises a register, and the statistical value is stored in the register; wherein the at least one processing circuitry is configured to execute the one or more instructions to call the statistical value from the register (XU: video obtaining unit 801 a video data block cache unit, for caching the obtained video image block data, a character obtaining unit 805 includes character data block cache unit for caching the character obtaining unit 805 obtains character data in pg. 15).
Regarding Claim 19, ENDO in view of XU teaches device, comprising at least one memory and at least one processor, the at least one memory storing one or more computer instructions that, when by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to implement the video image processing method of claim 1 (ENDO [0047] The host processor 120 controls the image display system 100 in a centralized manner).
Claim(s) 4, 5, 13, 14 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ENDO (US 20220020341 A1), referred herein as ENDO in view of XU et al. (CN 101299804 A), referred herein as XU in view of LI et al. (CN 102209205 A), referred herein as LI.
Regarding Claim 4, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 3. However, LI further teaches wherein; the cropped image includes multiple rows of sub-images; the multiple rows of sub-images are sequentially input to the optical parameter statistical component (LI: in FIG. 3. display is divided into three layers, the more than 8M of the sdram into blocks of N 2M size, each block can be individually addressable, and each image are respectively put in different blocks in par. [0037]); and
wherein performing brightness statistical processing on each display block by an optical parameter statistical component comprises: determining whether the current row of sub-images contains the display block; if so, the optical parameter statistical component performs brightness statistical processing on the display block in the current row of sub-images (ENDO: the pixel determiner 352 checks an error based on a color difference CDi and a brightness difference BDi between the background color (Ri, Gi, Bi) and the reference color (Rr, Gr, Br) in par. [0068]-[0071]; LI: FIG. 3 shows a 20X20 matrix array, the matrix array storing a character X and Y. a character are continuously stored, while the first row N dot array stored in continuous, and continuous second row N points in par [0040]).
LI discloses a video in a television tracker overlay display device, which is analogous to the present patent application.
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified ENDO to incorporate the teachings of LI, and apply the matrix array for storing a character.
Doing so would improve the execution efficiency of the DSP program.
Regarding Claim 5, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing method of claim 3. However, LI further teaches wherein in the step of performing cropping processing on the video image, the method further comprises outputting multiple cropped images with different resolutions (LI: the first image area (original image stored camera shooting or original image obtained by reducing resolution image) in par. [0035]); and
wherein the method further comprises: selecting one cropped image from multiple cropped images during different time periods and outputting it to the optical parameter statistical component (XU: adjusting the brightness value to be the corresponding frame colour, because at this time with the change of foreground brightness, foreground and frame colour similar possibly adjusted, need to adjust the brightness value of the frame color, so that frame colour brightness value and the foreground luminance value also keeps a certain value in pg. 9).
The same motivation as the claim 4 applies here.
Regarding Claims 13 and 14, ENDO in view of XU teaches the video image processing apparatus of claim 10. The metes and bounds of the claim substantially correspond to the claimed limitations set forth in claims 4 and 5; thus they are rejected on similar grounds and rationale as their corresponding limitations.
Regarding Claim 21, ENDO in view of XU and LI teaches the video image processing method of claim 4, and further teaches wherein in the step of performing cropping processing on the video image, outputting multiple cropped images with different resolutions (LI: the first image area (original image stored camera shooting or original image obtained by reducing resolution image) in par. [0035]); and
wherein the video image processing method further comprises: selecting one cropped image from multiple cropped images during different time periods and outputting it to the optical parameter statistical component (XU: adjusting the brightness value to be the corresponding frame colour, because at this time with the change of foreground brightness, foreground and frame colour similar possibly adjusted, need to adjust the brightness value of the frame color, so that frame colour brightness value and the foreground luminance value also keeps a certain value in pg. 9).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Samantha (Yuehan) Wang whose telephone number is (571)270-5011. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
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/Samantha (YUEHAN) WANG/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2617
Prosecution Insights