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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12 and 14-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-4, 7, 8, 12, 14-18 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US PGPUB 20140282159), Lee (US Patent # 8,392,538) hereinafter Lee ‘538 and in further view of Crutchfield et al. (US PGPUB 20190087926).
[Claim 1]
Lee teaches an effect video generating method, comprising obtaining a target image (e.g. transparent image 400) ;
monitoring a contact motion track of a target contact on a display interface, and processing the target image based on the contact motion track to determine an effect superimposed image (Paragraph 132, Referring to FIG. 4B, a user's finger 470 comes in contact with the first layer displayed on the touch screen 190 and moves to create a drag path 460. Drag path 460 could comprise a center line of the user's finger movement and a predetermined area either side of the center line. Alternatively, the drag path 60 could comprise the whole touch area of the user's finger at each point along the drag movement. In response to such a touch and drag action, at operation 340 the control unit 110 changes the transparency of a specific region of the first layer from which a touch and drag action is detected. For example, if the drag path 460 is created on the first layer by means of the user's finger 470, transparency of the drag path 460 is changed such that the drag path 460 becomes transparent. The control unit 110 may receive coordinates of the drag path 460 from the touch screen 190 and then change transparency of a specific region corresponding to the drag path 460 on the first layer); and
taking the effect superimposed image as a foreground image and taking a collected original image as a background image, so as to determine a target effect video (Paragraph 132, The control unit 110 may receive coordinates of the drag path 460 from the touch screen 190 and then change transparency of a specific region corresponding to the drag path 460 on the first layer and Paragraph 133, For example, in the case where the initial transparency of the first layer is `70`, transparency of the drag path 460 may be changed to `100`. Therefore, the drag path 460 becomes transparent, and the image underlying the drag path can be seen clearly.).
Lee fails to teach uploaded image in response to an effect trigger operation. However, Lee ‘538 teaches that a user 205 then employs an end-user device 206 and web browser 208 to access the HTML web page script 212 via the Internet 207 (Arrow C). The user's web browser 208 then loads the HTML web page script as a viewable web page 212 within the web browser 208 (col. 7 lines 11-16, fig. 2. “effect trigger operation”). Arrow E indicates the reference script calling to the service provider 220, and more specifically to the content decision engine 222, in order for the service provider to identify the image and identify content that is contextually relevant to the image. Such contextually relevant content is then returned to the end-user device 206 for display within the web browser 208, as shown by Arrow F. (col. 7 lines 23-29).
Therefore taking the combined teachings of Lee and Lee ‘538, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have been motivated to have uploaded image in response to an effect trigger operation in order to perform an animation that modifies the image and displays the content in a spatial relationship with respect to the image as originally published.
Lee in view of Lee ‘538 fails to teach wherein the collected original image comprises each picture of a video captured in real time by a camera. However Crutchfield teaches that FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing a system-implemented method 600 for providing composite images, in an exemplary embodiment It will be understood that, as used herein, “composite images” may include a set of composite still images, composite video images or frames, or a series of composite animated still images. It will be understood that a “composite image” includes visual content captured in real-time, that is embedded, combined or merged with an embeddable content image or filter. As used in relation to method 600, “embeddable content image” includes a watermark, an image filter, filter layers, frames of filters, a set or series of image filters, multiple layers of image filters, an animated filter or animated filters such as, for example, a GIF file of filters, or filter content (Paragraph 52). Method 600 may include synthesizing or merging 652 by the digital imaging device, when the visual content captured in real-time is displayed on the image viewing structure in combination with the user-selected embeddable content image, a composite image data structure comprising the user-selected embeddable content image and portion(s) of the captured real-time visual content that are visible on the image viewing structure after application of the mask or filter. It will be understood that, when merged, portion(s) of the captured real-time visual content will be visible on the image viewing structure after application of the mask of filter, where transparent pixels are located in the remainder of the embeddable content image frame. The merging 652 may be considered as merging the portion of the captured real-time visual content, as background, into the filter or embeddable content image frame. Method 600 may include saving the composite image(s) to a video file (Paragraph 57).
Therefore taking the combined teachings of Lee, Lee ‘538 and Crutchfield, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have been motivated to have the collected original image comprises each picture of a video captured in real time by a camera in order to perform the merging or synthesizing process to be performed in combination with taking a picture which is advantageous, desirable and useful instead of a post capture approach leading to a more simpler and easier process.
[Claim 2]
Lee ‘538 teaches wherein obtaining the target image in response to the effect trigger operation comprises displaying an uploaded image box in response to the effect trigger operation (a user 205 then employs an end-user device 206 and web browser 208 to access the HTML web page script 212 via the Internet 207 (Arrow C). The user's web browser 208 then loads the HTML web page script as a viewable web page 212 within the web browser 208 (effect trigger operation, col. 7 lines 11-16, fig. 2) and displaying at least one image based on a trigger operation for the uploaded image box, and determining the target uploaded image based on a trigger operation for the at least one image to be uploaded (Arrow E indicates the reference script calling to the service provider 220, and more specifically to the content decision engine 222, in order for the service provider to identify the image and identify content that is contextually relevant to the image. Such contextually relevant content is then returned to the end-user device 206 for display within the web browser 208, as shown by Arrow F, col. 7 lines 23-29) in order to perform an animation that modifies the image and displays the content in a spatial relationship with respect to the image as originally published.
[Claim 3]
Lee teaches wherein, after obtaining the target image, the method further comprises superimposing the target image onto a target display region of the display interface, so as to determine the effect superimposed image from the target uploaded image based on the contact motion track (Paragraphs 132 and 133, fig. 4b). Uploaded image is taught in Lee ‘538 (col. 7 lines 11-16, 23-29, fig. 2).
[Claim 4]
Lee teaches wherein superimposing the target image onto the target display region of the display interface comprises superimposing the target image onto the target display region of the display interface according to preset transparency (Paragraph 133, For example, in the case where the initial transparency of the first layer is `70`, transparency of the drag path 460 may be changed to `100`. Therefore, the drag path 460 becomes transparent, and the image underlying the drag path can be seen clearly). Uploaded image is taught in Lee ‘538 (col. 7 lines 11-16, 23-29, fig. 2).
[Claim 7]
Lee teaches wherein processing the target image based on the contact motion track to determine the effect superimposed image comprises taking a track region corresponding to the contact motion track in the target display region as an image region to be displayed (Paragraph 132, Referring to FIG. 4B, a user's finger 470 comes in contact with the first layer displayed on the touch screen 190 and moves to create a drag path 460); and taking the target uploaded image of the image region to be displayed as the effect superimposed image (fig. 4b), and adjusting a transparency value of the effect superimposed image to a target transparency value, so as to display the effect superimposed image on the display interface (Paragraph 133, For example, in the case where the initial transparency of the first layer is `70`, transparency of the drag path 460 may be changed to `100`. Therefore, the drag path 460 becomes transparent, and the image underlying the drag path can be seen clearly). Uploaded image is taught in Lee ‘538 (col. 7 lines 11-16, 23-29, fig. 2).
[Claim 8]
Lee teaches wherein processing the target image based on the contact motion track to determine the effect superimposed image comprises: displaying the target image in a track region corresponding to the contact motion track to obtain the effect superimposed image (Paragraph 132, Referring to FIG. 4B, a user's finger 470 comes in contact with the first layer displayed on the touch screen 190 and moves to create a drag path 460. Drag path 460 could comprise a center line of the user's finger movement and a predetermined area either side of the center line. Alternatively, the drag path 60 could comprise the whole touch area of the user's finger at each point along the drag movement. In response to such a touch and drag action, at operation 340 the control unit 110 changes the transparency of a specific region of the first layer from which a touch and drag action is detected. For example, if the drag path 460 is created on the first layer by means of the user's finger 470, transparency of the drag path 460 is changed such that the drag path 460 becomes transparent. The control unit 110 may receive coordinates of the drag path 460 from the touch screen 190 and then change transparency of a specific region corresponding to the drag path 460 on the first layer). Uploaded image is taught in Lee ‘538 (col. 7 lines 11-16, 23-29, fig. 2).
[Claim 12]
Lee teaches in response to determining that the contact motion track is an isolated track point, determining a random display region corresponding to the isolated track point, and taking an image corresponding to the random display region in the target uploaded image as the effect superimposed image (The drag path 460 as shown in fig. 4b is an isolated drag point at a random region chosen by the user where the image is being shown as the transparency changes). Uploaded image is taught in Lee ‘538 (col. 7 lines 11-16, 23-29, fig. 2).
[Claims 14-18 and 21]
These are apparatus and computer-readable claims corresponding to method claims 1, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 and are analyzed and rejected based upon method claims 1, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 respectively.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 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 as recited in claim 5, “determining a contact type of the target contact on the display interface based on a capturing mode, so as to determine the contact motion track on the display interface based on the contact type, wherein the contact type comprises a physical contact type or a virtual contact type” Claim 6 is dependent upon claim 5, and as recited in claim 9, determining a connected domain for displaying the target uploaded image according to the track region, and displaying a significant region in the target uploaded image on the connected domain to obtain the effect superimposed image; compressing the target uploaded image onto the connected domain to obtain the effect superimposed image; or setting corresponding width information for the track region, so as to display the target uploaded image under compression in the track region and obtain the effect superimposed image, as recited in claim 10, “monitoring the contact motion track of the target contact on the display interface and processing the target uploaded image based on the contact motion track to determine the effect superimposed image comprises: tracking the contact motion track of the virtual contact, and projecting the contact motion track on the display interface to obtain an effect region to be superimposed, and determining the effect superimposed image based on the effect region to be superimposed and the target uploaded image”. Claim 11 is dependent upon claim 10. Claim 19 is same as claim 5. Claim 20 is dependent upon claim 19.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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
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