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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/12/2024 and 5/09/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-5, 8, 11-15, 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hwang et al. (US 2022/0284553; hereinafter Hwang).
Regarding claim 1:
Hwang discloses a method, comprising:
generating, using computer hardware, histogram-based data for video including one or more frames, wherein the histogram-based data is generated for each of a plurality of dynamic ranges (see paragraph [0054]; “the statistical analyzer processes a histogram representing the HDR image data to generate a plurality of tonal ranges”);
for each dynamic range, generating, using the computer hardware, a predetermined amount of dynamic metadata for the video from the histogram-based data for the dynamic range (see paragraphs [0062]-[0063]; “the statistical data is directly calculated from the input image 102 or other statistical representative. In various embodiments, the statistical data and/or key statistical data includes a mid-tone mean, a highlight mean, a shadow mean, and a variance”; statistical data and/or key statistical data are construed as a predetermined amount of dynamic metadata; and
outputting the video and the dynamic metadata for the plurality of dynamic ranges (see Fig. 1; dynamic metadata is outputted from Stat Analyzer 106 and video is outputted from output image 120).
Regarding claim 2:
Hwang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic metadata for the plurality of dynamic ranges specifies a tonality representation of the video for high dynamic range tone mapping (see paragraph [0063]; “Rs defines a range of a shadow tone. Furthermore, the variables m, h, and s correspond to mid-tone mean, highlight mean, and shadow mean values, respectively. Although the equations above include three separate ranges (e.g., mid-tone, highlight, and shadow)”).
Regarding claim 3:
Hwang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dynamic ranges includes at least one of a dark dynamic range or a bright dynamic range (see paragraph [0054]; “the HDR image data is divided into three tonal ranges: a shadow range, a mid-tone range, and a highlight range, where the shadow range represents the lower ten percent (e.g., the number of pixels represented in the histogram), the highlight range represents the upper ten percent, and the mid-tone rage represents the portion of the HDR image data between the shadow range and the highlight range”).
Regarding claim 4:
Hwang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dynamic ranges includes a dark dynamic range, a mid-tone dynamic range, and a bright dynamic range (see paragraph [0054]; “the HDR image data is divided into three tonal ranges: a shadow range, a mid-tone range, and a highlight range, where the shadow range represents the lower ten percent (e.g., the number of pixels represented in the histogram), the highlight range represents the upper ten percent, and the mid-tone rage represents the portion of the HDR image data between the shadow range and the highlight range”)..
Regarding claim 5:
Hwang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic metadata for each dynamic range specifies percentile information and luminance information (see paragraphs [0054]and [0056]; the statistical analyzer and contrast gain curve generator outputs dynamic metadata for each dynamic range that specifies percentile information and luminance information).
Regarding claim 8:
Hwang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dynamic ranges is defined by one or more luminance thresholds, wherein each luminance threshold defines a boundary separating adjacent dynamic ranges of the plurality of dynamic ranges (see paragraph [0054]; the lower ten percent range and upper ten percent range are defined by at least two luminance thresholds, which define boundaries separating adjacent dynamic ranges).
Regarding claims 11-15 and 18:
Claims 11-15 and 18 recite similar limitations as in claims 1-5 and 8. Hence, claims 11-15 and 18 are rejected under the same reasons as discussed above in claims 1-5 and 8, respectively.
Regarding claim 20:
Claim 20 recites similar limitations as in claim 1. Accordingly, claims 20 is rejected under the same reason as discussed above in claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 9, 10, 16, 17, and 19 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.
In regards to claim 6, none of the reference of record alone or in combination discloses or suggests the method of claim 5, wherein the dynamic metadata for each dynamic range specifies a predetermined number of percentile-luminance pairs.
In regards to claim 7, none of the reference of record alone or in combination discloses or suggests the method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined number of percentile-luminance pairs for each dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges is independently specified.
In regards to claim 9, none of the reference of record alone or in combination discloses or suggests the method of claim 1, wherein the generating the histogram-based data comprises: generating a maximum red-green-blue (RGB) frame for a selected frame of the video; generating a range-specific maximum RGB frame for each dynamic range of the plurality of dynamic ranges; generating a range-specific histogram for each range-specific maximum RGB frame; and generating a range-specific cumulated distribution function for each range-specific histogram.
In regards to claim 10, none of the reference of record alone or in combination discloses or suggests the method of claim 9, wherein the generating the predetermined amount of dynamic metadata comprises: generating one or more percentile-luminance pairs from each range-specific cumulated distribution function.
Claims 16, 17, and 19 recite similar limitations as in claims 6, 7, and 9. Hence, claims 16, 17, and 19 are objected under the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chan et al. (US 2025/0117977) discloses a high dynamic range visualizations indicating ranges, point curves and previews.
Paris et al. (US 2013/0121572) discloses a method and apparatus for tone mapping high dynamic range images.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIXI CHOW SIMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7571. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00am-3:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Boddie can be reached at 517-272-0666. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LIXI C SIMPSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
Prosecution Insights