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 10/08/2024 was compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Application No. 18/909023, Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of application no. 12143729 B2 (17/538833). Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all the limitation of Claims 1-20 of 18/909023 application is anticipated by the claims 1-20 of application no. 13/494665 (US8958001 B2). Claims 1-20 of 18/909023 are therefore not patentably distinct from the patented applications 14/220361 (US8958001B2), and unpatentable for obvious-type double patenting.
Instant Application No.18/909023
Patent NO. US 12143729 B2 (17/538833)
1. A method, comprising:
receiving image data having a first bit depth, wherein
the image data includes color values corresponding to one or more colors associated with a first color space;
interpolating the image data to generate color values for one or more additional colors;
expanding the image data from the first bit depth to a second bit depth that is higher than the first bit depth, wherein color values of the expanded image data have a linear dynamic range; and
converting the color values of the expanded image data from the first color space to a second color space.
1. A method comprising:
receiving image data having a first bit depth, wherein
the image data includes incomplete color values captured by pixels of an image sensor corresponding to one or more colors associated with a first color space;
interpolating the image data to generate color values for one or more colors not captured by the pixels of the image data;
expanding the image data from the first bit depth to a second bit depth that is higher than the first bit depth, wherein color values of the expanded image data have a linear dynamic range;
converting the color values of the expanded image data from the first color space to a second color space; and compressing the color values for pixels of the converted image data to a third bit depth, that is lower than the second bit depth, wherein the compressed color values have a nonlinear dynamic range.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: compressing the color values of the converted image data to a third bit depth that is lower than the second bit depth, wherein the compressed color values have a nonlinear dynamic range.
1….. and compressing the color values for pixels of the converted image data to a third bit depth, that is lower than the second bit depth, wherein the compressed color values have a nonlinear dynamic range.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first bit depth is 16-bit, the second bit depth is 24-bit, and the third bit depth is 12-bit.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bit depth is 16-bit, the second bit depth is 24-bit, and the third bit depth is 12-bit.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein compressing the color values is based on a separate lookup table for each color channel.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein interpolating the image data comprises generating a plurality of color channels and wherein the image data is expanded based on a separate lookup table for each color channel.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is expanded based on one or more lookup tables.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is expanded based on one or more lookup tables.
The method of claim 5, wherein interpolating the image data comprises generating a plurality of color channels and wherein the image data is expanded based on a separate lookup table for each color channel.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein interpolating the image data comprises generating a plurality of color channels and wherein the image data is expanded based on a separate lookup table for each color channel.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein interpolating the image data comprises generating a plurality of color channels, and wherein interpolating the image data comprises generating a gain value and an offset value for each color channel.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein interpolating the image data comprises generating a plurality of color channels, and wherein interpolating the image data comprises generating a gain value and an offset value for each color channel.
The method of claim 7, wherein the color values are converted based in part on the gain value and offset value for each color channel.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the color values are converted based in part on the gain value and offset value for each color channel.
9. Regarding Claim 9 is rejected same reason as Claim 1.
10. Regarding Claim 10 is rejected same reason as Claim 2.
11. Regarding Claim 11 is rejected same reason as Claim 4.
12. Regarding Claim 12 is rejected same reason as Claim 5.
12. Regarding Claim 12 is rejected same reason as Claim .6
14. Regarding Claim 14 is rejected same reason as Claim 7.
Claims 15-20 are rejected same reason as Claims 9-14.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 9, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ferrara et al. (US 2021/0377549 A1) hereinafter Ferrara.
Regarding Claim 1, Ferrara teaches a method, comprising: receiving image data having a first bit depth (fig.1; Para.0084; encoder receives a high bit depth), wherein the image data includes color values corresponding to one or more colors associated with a first color space (fig.1 Para.0073; color RGB produced by the process of the color space); interpolating the image data to generate color values for one or more additional colors (fig.1; Para.0073; generate the color RGB by the process of original signal 100); expanding the image data from the first bit depth to a second bit depth that is higher than the first bit depth (fig.1; image compressing from higher bit depth to lower bit depth), wherein color values of the expanded image data have a linear dynamic range (fig.1; original signal with linear dynamic range); and converting the color values of the expanded image data from the first color space to a second color space (fig.7; Para.0096; image data compression of the original with higher bit depth from 16, 12, 10 or 8 as lower bit depths where they not linear).
Regarding Claim 9 is rejected same reason as Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 15 is rejected same reason as Claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FAYEZ A BHUIYAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1562. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 - 6:00 M-F.
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, Lin Ye can be reached on 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FAYEZ BHUIYAN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638