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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (lDS) submitted are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and have been 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 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.
Claims 1-7, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated over Japanese Patent Publication No. 6801618 B2 to TAKAHASHI HIROYUKI (employing the provided machine translation and hereafter “TAKAHASHI”).
Regarding claim 1, TAKAHASHI teaches an image capturing apparatus (Fig. 3) comprising:
an output unit that outputs an image based on a captured image to an external apparatus ([0037]: television camera 1 output a digital signal);
a receiving unit that receives a tally signal indicating an image being distributed from the external apparatus ([0037]: image signal input unit 152 of a control Box (CB) is configured to acquire the digital signal output from the television camera 1);
a notification unit ([0060]: CPU151 (claimed “notification unit”));
and a control unit that controls the notification unit to perform notification based on the tally signal received by the receiving unit (Figs. 5-6 and 11-12, [0060]: CPU151 (claimed “notification unit”) acquires the tally signal transmitted from the adjustment device 4 (S42). When the tally signal indicates "not in use" in the determination processing of step S43 (step S43: NO), CPU151 displays the image based on the acquired image signal on the liquid crystal display panel 25 as it is, for example, as shown in 12A of the figure (step S44).),
wherein the control unit controls the notification unit to perform different notifications in a first case where the tally signal received by the receiving unit indicates an image with a first angle of view and in a second case where the tally signal received by the receiving unit indicates an image with a second angle of view different from the first angle of view (Figs. 5-6 and 11-12, [0061]: On the other hand, in the determination processing of step S43, in a case where the tally signal "indicates being used", that is, in a case of the on-air tally signal (step S43: YES), during that time, CPU151 controls the frame processing unit 156 to perform image processing of superimposing a band-shaped frame on the peripheral portion of the target image (step S45). As a result, for example, an on-air image surrounded by a band-shaped frame as shown in the 12B of the figure is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 25), and wherein the control unit is implemented by one or more processors and/or circuitry (Figs. 3, 11-12, [0039]: CPU151).
Regarding claim 2, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 in addition TAKAHASHI discloses further comprising a determination unit that determines an angle of view of an image indicated by the tally signal received by the receiving unit, wherein the control unit controls the notification unit so as to perform a notification according to a result of the determination by the determination unit, and wherein the determination unit is implemented by one or more processors and/or circuitry (Figs. 3, 5-6 and 11&12, [0039]: The frame processing unit 156 performs image processing on one frame of image in the framebuffer 157 under the control of the CPU151. In the frame processing unit 156, specifically, for example, processing such as size change (enlargement /reduction) of an image or movement of a position is performed so as to adapt to a screen size (resolution), an aspect ratio, or the like of the liquid crystal panel 25. the CPU151 can control the frame processing unit 156 to perform a process of changing the size of the image displayed on the liquid crystal panels 25 based on the acquired tally signal.).
Regarding claim 3, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, in addition TAKAHASHI discloses wherein the receiving unit receives information about the angle of view of the image being distributed together with the tally signal, and the determination unit determines the angle of view of the image indicated by the tally signal received by the receiving unit based on the information received by the receiving unit (Figs. 3, 5-6 and 11-12, [0039]&[0060]-[0061]: The frame processing unit 156 performs image processing on one frame of image in the framebuffer 157 under the control of the CPU151. In the frame processing unit 156, specifically, for example, processing such as size change (enlargement /reduction) of an image or movement of a position is performed so as to adapt to a screen size (resolution), an aspect ratio, or the like of the liquid crystal panel 25. the CPU151 can control the frame processing unit 156 to perform a process of changing the size of the image displayed on the liquid crystal panels 25 based on the acquired tally signal.).
Regarding claim 4, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, in addition TAKAHASHI discloses wherein the first angle of view is a full angle of view of the captured image (Figs. 5-6 and 11-12, [0039]&[0060]-[0061]: CPU151 displays the image based on the acquired image signal on the liquid crystal display panel 25 as it is as illustrated by Fig. 12A),
and the second angle of view is an angle of view that corresponds to a partial area of the image with the full angle of view (Figs. 5-6 and 11-12, [0039]&[0060]-[0061]: CPU151 controls the frame processing unit 156 to perform image processing of superimposing a band-shaped frame on the peripheral portion of the target image as illustrated by Fig. 12B).
Regarding claim 5, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, in addition TAKAHASHI discloses wherein the notification unit includes a light-emitting unit, and the control unit controls the light-emitting unit to emit light in different colors and/or lighting patterns in the first case and in the second case ([0002]&[0028]: A tally signal is output from the switcher to the selected television camera, and a tally lamp attached to an upper portion of the camera is lit on the camera side).
Regarding claim 6, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 in addition TAKAHASHI discloses further comprising a display unit that superimposes angle of view information indicating an angle of view of the image output from the output unit on the captured image (Figs. 5-6 and 11-12, [0039]&[0060]-[0061]: CPU151 controls the frame processing unit 156 to perform image processing of superimposing a band-shaped frame on the peripheral portion of the target image as illustrated by Fig. 12B).
Regarding claim 7, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, in addition TAKAHASHI discloses wherein the display unit displays a frame corresponding to the angle of view in a superimposed manner as the angle of view information (Figs. 5-6 and 11-12, [0039]&[0060]-[0061]: CPU151 controls the frame processing unit 156 to perform image processing of superimposing a band-shaped frame on the peripheral portion of the target image as illustrated by Fig. 12B).
Regarding claim 16, claim 16 has been analyzed and rejected with regard to claim 1 and in accordance with TAKAHASHI's further teaching on: wherein the external apparatus outputs a tally signal indicating an image being distributed ([0002]&[0028]: A tally signal is output from the switcher to the selected television camera, and a tally lamp attached to an upper portion of the camera is lit on the camera side).
Regarding claim 18, Method claim 18 is drawn to the method of using the corresponding apparatus claimed in claim 1. Therefore, method claim 18 corresponds to apparatus claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of anticipation as used above.
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, 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 8, 9, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Japanese Patent Publication No. 6801618 B2 to TAKAHASHI HIROYUKI (employing the provided machine translation and hereafter “TAKAHASHI”), in view of Ohnishi et al. (US 2006/0078329 A1, hereinafter “Ohnishi”).
Regarding claim 8, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 7 except further comprising one or more second output units, wherein the output unit and the second output unit are capable of outputting images obtained from the captured image and having different angles of view to an external apparatus, respectively, and the display unit displays frames indicating the angles of view of the images output from the output unit and the second output unit in different display forms, superimposed on the captured image.
However, Ohnishi discloses one or more second output units, wherein the output unit and the second output unit are capable of outputting images obtained from the captured image and having different angles of view to an external apparatus, respectively, and the display unit displays frames indicating the angles of view of the images output from the output unit and the second output unit in different display forms, superimposed on the captured image (Figs. 1-4, [0041]-[0044]: a field-of-view range setting unit 3-110 and a panorama window 4-200 has field-of-view frames 4-201, 4-202 and 4-203 representative of a field-of-view range of each distribution image.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate one or more second output units, wherein the output unit and the second output unit are capable of outputting images obtained from the captured image and having different angles of view to an external apparatus, respectively, and the display unit displays frames indicating the angles of view of the images output from the output unit and the second output unit in different display forms, superimposed on the captured image as taught by Ohnishi into TAKAHASHI image device. The suggestion/ motivation for doing so would be to provide an image distribution system capable of distributing images of different field-of-view ranges (Ohnishi: [0009]).
Regarding claim 9, TAKAHASHI and Ohnishi combination teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 8 in addition Ohnishi discloses further comprising a designation unit that designates an angle of view of an image to be output to each of the output unit and the second output unit (Figs. 1-4, [0041]-[0044]: The field-of-view range setting unit 3-110 is constituted of: a viewpoint direction setting unit 3-111 for receiving a viewpoint direction designated by a user and indicating a viewpoint direction set on the side of the image distribution apparatus).
Regarding claim 14, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 except further comprising: an image capturing unit that captures an image; and a generating unit that generates a second image with the second angle of view based on a first image with the first angle of view captured by the image capturing unit, wherein the output unit outputs the first image and the second image to an external apparatus, and the generating unit is implemented by one or more processors and/or circuitry.
However, Ohnishi discloses an image capturing unit that captures an image; and a generating unit that generates a second image with the second angle of view based on a first image with the first angle of view captured by the image capturing unit, wherein the output unit outputs the first image and the second image to an external apparatus, and the generating unit is implemented by one or more processors and/or circuitry (Figs. 1-4, [0041]-[0044]: a field-of-view range setting unit 3-110 and a panorama window 4-200 has field-of-view frames 4-201, 4-202 and 4-203 representative of a field-of-view range of each distribution image.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate an image capturing unit that captures an image; and a generating unit that generates a second image with the second angle of view based on a first image with the first angle of view captured by the image capturing unit, wherein the output unit outputs the first image and the second image to an external apparatus, and the generating unit is implemented by one or more processors and/or circuitry as taught by Ohnishi into TAKAHASHI image device. The suggestion/ motivation for doing so would be to provide an image distribution system capable of distributing images of different field-of-view ranges (Ohnishi: [0009]).
Regarding claim 15, TAKAHASHI teaches the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, except wherein the external apparatus generates a second image with a different angle of view from a first image output from the output unit of the image capturing apparatus based on the first image, and the receiving unit receives information indicating the angle of view of the second image from the external apparatus.
However, Ohnishi discloses wherein the external apparatus generates a second image with a different angle of view from a first image output from the output unit of the image capturing apparatus based on the first image, and the receiving unit receives information indicating the angle of view of the second image from the external apparatus (Figs. 1-4, [0041]-[0044]: a field-of-view range setting unit 3-110 and a panorama window 4-200 has field-of-view frames 4-201, 4-202 and 4-203 representative of a field-of-view range of each distribution image.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein the external apparatus generates a second image with a different angle of view from a first image output from the output unit of the image capturing apparatus based on the first image, and the receiving unit receives information indicating the angle of view of the second image from the external apparatus as taught by Ohnishi into TAKAHASHI image device. The suggestion/ motivation for doing so would be to provide an image distribution system capable of distributing images of different field-of-view ranges (Ohnishi: [0009]).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) as being unpatentable over Japanese Patent Publication No. 6801618 B2 to TAKAHASHI HIROYUKI (employing the provided machine translation and hereafter “TAKAHASHI”) as applied above , in view of Examiner’s Official Notice.
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 has been analyzed and rejected with regard to claim 18 and in accordance with TAKAHASHI, except further teaching on: a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the storage medium storing a program that is executable by the computer, wherein the program includes program code for causing the computer to execute each process of the control method of an image capturing apparatus.
Nevertheless, Official Notice is taken regarding embodying/translating the functionality associated with a circuitry-based apparatus as/into a program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium; a concept that is well-known and accepted in the camera art. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have embodied the steps taught by TAKAHASHI being stored as an instruction on non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in order to allow for portability of the functionality; i.e., downloading it to a plurality of cameras being manufactured or downloading it to add to existing firmware functionality to a similar device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-13 and 17 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.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDELAAZIZ TISSIRE whose telephone number is (571)270-7204. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
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/ABDELAAZIZ TISSIRE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638