DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 .
This action is in response preliminary amendments to application 18847286 filed on 11/14/2024. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Prior Art Rejections
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to 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.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4-10, 12-15 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuwahara et al. (US Patent Pub. No. 2018/0047332 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Kuwahara teaches an image generation apparatus (Kuwahara, Figs. 4 and 5, system 400 500) comprising:
processing circuitry (Kuwahara, Figs. 4 and 5 processor 526) configured to
generate, on a basis of scene information, image data representing a part of a scene represented by the scene information, as display-use image data (Kuwahara, [0039], image rendering based on a pose of a user’s head, which can be obtained by camera of the surrounding; Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, rendered target 814, 924 and 928);
determine, as a recording target, a part that is at least a part of the scene and at least partially overlaps with the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 812, 922 and 926 overlaps with rendered target 814, 924 and 928); and
generate, as recording-use image data, image data regarding a part that is at least a part of the scene and has been determined as the recording target (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, the entirety of rendering 812, 922 and 926),
wherein the recording-use image data generated is subjected to predetermined reproduction processing (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted to have more area at the right side compared to rendering of 812, because the system projects the head of the user would move to the right side based on the obtained pose data).
Regarding claim 2, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches determine, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene, that includes the display-use image data, and that is wider than the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, renderings 812, 922 and 926 are wider than rendered target 814, 924 and 928).
Regarding claim 4, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 2 and further teaches receive an operation from a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, get pose 902 and 904), and
determine, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, on a basis of content of the received operation (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted based on the projected pose from the obtained pose).
Regarding claim 5, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 2 and further teaches receive field-of-view direction information regarding an orientation of a face of a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, get pose 902 and 904; Kuwahara, [0025]-[0026], head pose and field of view are related), and
determine a part that includes at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, by using the field-of-view direction information (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, position of rendering 922, 926 and rendered target 924, 928 are based on the pose information of the user).
Regarding claim 6, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches sequentially acquire and record field-of-view direction information regarding an orientation of a face of a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, multiple poses 902 and 904 are obtained; Kuwahara, [0025]-[0026], head pose and field of view are related),
wherein the field-of-view direction information sequentially received is subjected to reproduction processing of the recording-use image data (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted to have more area at the right side compared to rendering of 812, because the system projects the head of the user would move to the right side based on the obtained pose data; Kuwahara, [0067], determining continued movement of human heads).
Regarding claim 7, Kuwahara teaches an image reproduction apparatus (Kuwahara, Figs. 4 and 5, system 400 500 with head mounted display) comprising:
processing circuitry (Kuwahara, Figs. 4 and 5 processor 526) configured to
receive recording-use image data generated on a basis of scene information together with display-use image data representing a part of a scene represented by the scene information, the recording-use image data including a part that is at least a part of the scene and corresponds to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 4, receives video data; Kuwahara, [0039], image rendering based on a pose of a user’s head, which can be obtained by camera of the surrounding; Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 812, 922 and 926 overlaps with rendered target 814, 924 and 928);
reproduce the received recording-use image data (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, the entirety of rendering 812, 922 and 926); and
acquire field-of-view information regarding a field of view of a viewer who watches a video obtained by reproducing the recording-use image data, and extract and display at least a part of the recording-use image data on a basis of the field-of-view information (Kuwahara, [0025]-[0026], head pose and field of view are related; Kuwahara, [0039], image rendering based on a pose of a user’s head; Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, only 814, 924 and 928 are rendered on HMD).
Regarding claim 8, Kuwahara teaches an image generation method comprising:
generating, on a basis of scene information, image data representing a part of a scene represented by the scene information, as display-use image data (Kuwahara, [0039], image rendering based on a pose of a user’s head, which can be obtained by camera of the surrounding; Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, rendered target 814, 924 and 928);
determining, as a recording target, a part that is at least a part of the scene and at least partially overlaps with the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 812, 922 and 926 overlaps with rendered target 814, 924 and 928); and
generating, as recording-use image data, image data regarding a part that is at least a part of the scene and has been determined as the recording target (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, the entirety of rendering 812, 922 and 926),
wherein the recording-use image data generated is subjected to predetermined reproduction processing (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted to have more area at the right side compared to rendering of 812, because the system projects the head of the user would move to the right side based on the obtained pose data).
Regarding claim 9, Kuwahara teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method (Kuwahara, [0084]-[0085], memory device including software), the method comprising:
generating, on a basis of scene information, image data representing a part of a scene represented by the scene information, as display-use image data (Kuwahara, [0039], image rendering based on a pose of a user’s head, which can be obtained by camera of the surrounding; Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, rendered target 814, 924 and 928);
determining, as a recording target, a part that is at least a part of the scene and at least partially overlaps with the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 812, 922 and 926 overlaps with rendered target 814, 924 and 928); and
generating, as recording-use image data, image data regarding a part that is at least a part of the scene and has been determined as the recording target (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, the entirety of rendering 812, 922 and 926),
wherein the recording-use image data generated is subjected to predetermined reproduction processing (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted to have more area at the right side compared to rendering of 812, because the system projects the head of the user would move to the right side based on the obtained pose data).
Regarding claim 10, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 8 and further teaches determining, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene, that includes the display-use image data, and that is wider than the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, renderings 812, 922 and 926 are wider than rendered target 814, 924 and 928).
Regarding claim 12, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 10 and further teaches receiving an operation from a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, get pose 902 and 904); and
determining, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, on a basis of content of the received operation (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted based on the projected pose from the obtained pose).
Regarding claim 13, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 10 and further teaches receiving field-of-view direction information regarding an orientation of a face of a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, get pose 902 and 904; Kuwahara, [0025]-[0026], head pose and field of view are related); and
determining a part that includes at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, by using the field-of-view direction information (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, position of rendering 922, 926 and rendered target 924, 928 are based on the pose information of the user).
Regarding claim 14, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 8 and further teaches sequentially acquiring and recording field-of-view direction information regarding an orientation of a face of a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, multiple poses 902 and 904 are obtained; Kuwahara, [0025]-[0026], head pose and field of view are related),
wherein the field-of-view direction information sequentially received is subjected to reproduction processing of the recording-use image data (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted to have more area at the right side compared to rendering of 812, because the system projects the head of the user would move to the right side based on the obtained pose data; Kuwahara, [0067], determining continued movement of human heads).
Regarding claim 15, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 9 and further teaches determining, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene, that includes the display-use image data, and that is wider than the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Figs. 8 and 9, renderings 812, 922 and 926 are wider than rendered target 814, 924 and 928).
Regarding claim 17, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 15 and further teaches receiving an operation from a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, get pose 902 and 904); and
determining, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, on a basis of content of the received operation (Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted based on the projected pose from the obtained pose).
Regarding claim 18, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 15 and further teaches receiving field-of-view direction information regarding an orientation of a face of a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, get pose 902 and 904; Kuwahara, [0025]-[0026], head pose and field of view are related); and
determining a part that includes at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, by using the field-of-view direction information (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, position of rendering 922, 926 and rendered target 924, 928 are based on the pose information of the user).
Regarding claim 19, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 9 and further teaches sequentially acquiring and recording field-of-view direction information regarding an orientation of a face of a user who refers to the display-use image data (Kuwahara, Fig. 9, multiple poses 902 and 904 are obtained; Kuwahara, [0025]-[0026], head pose and field of view are related).
Regarding claim 20, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 19 and further teaches the field-of-view direction information sequentially received is subjected to reproduction processing of the recording-use image data Kuwahara, [0050]-[0054], comparing Figs. 8 and 9, rendering 922 is shifted to have more area at the right side compared to rendering of 812, because the system projects the head of the user would move to the right side based on the obtained pose data; Kuwahara, [0067], determining continued movement of human heads).
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.
Claims 3, 11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuwahara et al. (US Patent Pub. No. 2018/0047332 A1) in view of Khalid et al. (US Patent Pub. No. 2017/0289219 A1)
Regarding claim 3, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 2. Kuwahara does not seem to explicitly teach determine, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, on a basis of information regarding an object included in the scene information.
However, in a related art of displaying image in a head-mounted display, Khalid teaches determine, as a recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to display-use image data, on a basis of information regarding an object included in the scene information (Khalid, Fig. 11 and [0100]-[0101], predict the movement of the user’s head and field of view based on the predicted trajectory of the object 1102).
Before the time of the first effective filing of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art to further include the determination of the field of view of the used based on an object included in the scene as suggested by Khalid in the device of Kuwahara. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to more accurately predict the movement and field of view of the user (Khalid, [0100]-[0102]).
Regarding claim 11, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 10. Kuwahara does not seem to explicitly teach determining, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, on a basis of information regarding an object included in the scene information.
However, in a related art of displaying image in a head-mounted display, Khalid teaches determining, as a recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to display-use image data, on a basis of information regarding an object included in the scene information (Khalid, Fig. 11 and [0100]-[0101], predict the movement of the user’s head and field of view based on the predicted trajectory of the object 1102).
Before the time of the first effective filing of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art to further include the determination of the field of view of the used based on an object included in the scene as suggested by Khalid in the device of Kuwahara. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to more accurately predict the movement and field of view of the user (Khalid, [0100]-[0102]).
Regarding claim 16, Kuwahara teaches the limitations of claim 15. Kuwahara does not seem to explicitly teach determining, as the recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to the display-use image data, on a basis of information regarding an object included in the scene information.
However, in a related art of displaying image in a head-mounted display, Khalid teaches determining, as a recording target, a part that is at least the part of the scene and that includes a part corresponding to display-use image data, on a basis of information regarding an object included in the scene information (Khalid, Fig. 11 and [0100]-[0101], predict the movement of the user’s head and field of view based on the predicted trajectory of the object 1102).
Before the time of the first effective filing of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art to further include the determination of the field of view of the used based on an object included in the scene as suggested by Khalid in the device of Kuwahara. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to more accurately predict the movement and field of view of the user (Khalid, [0100]-[0102]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0091096 A1 to Oikawa et al. discloses a similar invention as recited, specifically the teaching of rendering a wider image that what is displayed in a HMD, see Figs. 6, 13A-14, 21 and 23.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0379772 A1 to Hoffman discloses a similar invention as recited, specifically the teaching of rendering a wider image that what is displayed in a HMD, see Figs. 5A and 5B.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018/0315364 A1 to Yamamoto et al. discloses a similar invention as recited, specifically the teaching of rendering a wider image that what is displayed in a HMD, see Figs. 6-9.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0341274 A1 to Onuki discloses a similar invention as recited, specifically the teaching of rendering a wider image that what is displayed in a HMD, see Figs. 5-7.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DONG HUI LIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-0487. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am-3pm EST.
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/DONG HUI LIANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629