DETAILED ACTION
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 .
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, 5, 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. (CN110996083A) in view of Wang et al. (WO2023087960A).
Regarding claims 1, 7 and 8, Zhong discloses a projection method of a projection image projected from a projection apparatus (pg. 2 para. 4-8; The invention claims a trapezoidal correction method, comprising: when the projection of the first projection image, the first projection image adjustment to the target area to obtain initial adjusting back projection picture), comprising:
performing a first correction calculation for correcting a shape of the projection image (pg. 3 para. 4 and 5; the first projection picture according to the angular point position, so that the corner point position of said first projecting image and the target angular point positions of the target area to obtain the initial adjusting back projection picture, comprising: The corner point position adjusting the first projection image to obtain the adjusted angle adjustment of the first projection image point position);
projecting a first projection image as the projection image based on a calculation result of the first correction calculation on a projection target (pg. 6 7th para. when obtaining the target characteristic point of the characteristic map of first projecting image according to the conversion relation to calculate angular point position of the projection area can obtain the first projected image and the target feature point by performing image recognition the first projection image, obtaining the first projection image in the first projection image corresponding according to the target feature point and a preset scaling ratio, to calculate the angle position of the projection area);
performing a second correction calculation for correcting the shape of the projection image (pg. 7 2nd para. judging the adjusting angle point position angle difference to the target point position is in the preset mode in the range of the difference value determining whether to finish the coarse stage to improve the accuracy of the coarse tuning); and
projecting a second projection image as the projection image based on a calculation result of the second correction calculation on the projection target (pg. 7 4th para. in the second projecting image, user-defined set, and each feature map corresponding to the target boundary. wherein, in an embodiment mode can be realized, the second projection screen comprises 4 characteristic pattern, four angular point characteristic diagram are located on the second projecting image), wherein
the first projection image is projected on the projection target prior to the projection of the second projection image on the projection target.
Zhong fails to explicitly teach wherein a processing time for obtaining the calculation result of the first correction calculation is a first time (the projection of the first projected image comes first in the coarse adjustment), a processing time for obtaining the calculation result of the second correction calculation is a second time longer than the first time (the projection of the second projected image comes after the projection of the first projected image).
Wang discloses a projection device wherein the processing time for obtaining the calculation result of the first correction calculation is a first time (Pg. 27 1st para., The corrected display control method can automatically complete the correction for the above problems, including the realization of functions such as automatic keystone correction…further, pg. 27 2nd para. …the two-stage focusing, fast focusing is realized, the first focusing position is determined through the first stage of coarse focusing, and the second stage of fine focusing and further, discloses on pg. 40 last para. … the first coarse focus adjustment), a processing time for obtaining the calculation result of the second correction calculation is a second time longer than the first time (pg. 41 2nd para. states that the fine-tuning interval is… between 400-800 steps from the original position (the coarse adjustment)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the keystone correction method of Zhong with the two-stage adjustment method of Wang in order to increase the speed of correction (Wang, pg. 27 2nd para.).
Regarding claim 2, Zhong discloses wherein whether a variation range of an attitude of the projection apparatus falls within a first range is determined based on output from a first sensor for detecting the attitude (pg. 7 2nd para., judging the adjusting angle point position angle difference to the target point position is in the preset mode in the range of the difference value determining whether to finish the coarse stage to improve the accuracy of the coarse tuning), and when a determination that the variation range does not fall within the first range is made, the first projection image is projected on the projection target and, when a determination that the variation range falls within the first range is made, the second projection image is projected on the projection target (pg. 7 3rd and 4th para., S120, the second projection image based on projection area corresponding to the projection picture after initial adjustment, obtaining a second projection picture, wherein the second projection image comprising a characteristic diagram with a plurality of corresponding to the target region boundary. It should be understood that the four corner points of the projection area corresponding to the projection picture after initial adjustment of substantially coincides with the target area, four sides of a quadrilateral but the projection image distortion exists, the obtained is not necessarily linear, therefore, realizing fine adjustment to step S140 through step S120, reduce the distortion of the projection image and improve the precision of trapezoidal correction).
Regarding claim 5, Zhong discloses wherein a form of a peripheral edge of the first projection image (the first projection image 30 of fig. 7) is different from a form of another area than the peripheral edge of the first projection image (illustrated in fig. 7, the upper boundary edge has a feature map 50-1 and the lower boundary edge does not have a feature map).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. (CN110996083A) and Wang et al. (WO2023087960A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tanaka et al. (US PG Pub. 20180007329).
Regarding claim 3, Zhong as modified by Wang discloses a projection method of a projection image projected from a projection apparatus (pg. 2 para. 4-8; The invention claims a trapezoidal correction method, comprising: when the projection of the first projection image, the first projection image adjustment to the target area to obtain initial adjusting back projection picture), comprising: performing a first correction calculation for correcting a shape of the projection image (pg. 3 para. 4 and 5; the first projection picture according to the angular point position, so that the corner point position of said first projecting image and the target angular point positions of the target area to obtain the initial adjusting back projection picture, comprising: The corner point position adjusting the first projection image to obtain the adjusted angle adjustment of the first projection image point position); projecting a first projection image as the projection image based on a calculation result of the first correction calculation on a projection target (pg. 6 7th para. when obtaining the target characteristic point of the characteristic map of first projecting image according to the conversion relation to calculate angular point position of the projection area can obtain the first projected image and the target feature point by performing image recognition the first projection image, obtaining the first projection image in the first projection image corresponding according to the target feature point and a preset scaling ratio, to calculate the angle position of the projection area); performing a second correction calculation for correcting the shape of the projection image (pg. 7 2nd para. judging the adjusting angle point position angle difference to the target point position is in the preset mode in the range of the difference value determining whether to finish the coarse stage to improve the accuracy of the coarse tuning).
Zhong as modified by Wang fails to teach wherein the first correction calculation is performed based on output from a first sensor for detecting an attitude of the projection apparatus, and the second correction calculation is performed based on output from a second sensor for detecting a condition of the projection target.
Tanaka discloses wherein the first correction calculation is performed based on output from a first sensor for detecting an attitude of the projection apparatus (para. 0051; three-dimensional shape measurement unit 4 includes, for example, a light source for emitting infrared rays and an image sensor for infrared rays, and receives the reflected light of the infrared ray irradiated from the light source with the image sensor), and the second correction calculation is performed based on output from a second sensor (imaging unit 23 of fig. 1) for detecting a condition of the projection target (para. 0045-0046; The coarse correction unit 132 performs coarse correction processing on the test image Img_t(2) based on the information P_prj on the projection point and the signal VP_tmp including information on the viewpoint for coarse adjustment to obtain an image signal Img_t_adj. The coarse correction unit 132 then transmits the obtained image signal Img_t_adj to the second selector 14. [0046] The second selector 14 receives the test image Img_t(1) (image signal Img_t(1)) transmitted from the test image storage unit 2, the image signal D2 transmitted from the precise correction unit 123, the image signal Img_t_adj transmitted from the coarse correction unit 132).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify the projection method of Zhong and Wang with the correction method of Tanaka in order to properly correct geometric distortion of a projected image even when a user's viewpoint is not fixed (Tanaka; para. 0007).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. (CN110996083A) and Wang et al. (WO2023087960A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Li et al. (CN 115604446A)
Regarding claim 6, Zhong as modified by Wang discloses a projection method of a projection image projected from a projection apparatus (pg. 2 para. 4-8; The invention claims a trapezoidal correction method, comprising: when the projection of the first projection image, the first projection image adjustment to the target area to obtain initial adjusting back projection picture), comprising: performing a first correction calculation for correcting a shape of the projection image (pg. 3 para. 4 and 5; the first projection picture according to the angular point position, so that the corner point position of said first projecting image and the target angular point positions of the target area to obtain the initial adjusting back projection picture, comprising: The corner point position adjusting the first projection image to obtain the adjusted angle adjustment of the first projection image point position); projecting a first projection image as the projection image based on a calculation result of the first correction calculation on a projection target (pg. 6 7th para. when obtaining the target characteristic point of the characteristic map of first projecting image according to the conversion relation to calculate angular point position of the projection area can obtain the first projected image and the target feature point by performing image recognition the first projection image, obtaining the first projection image in the first projection image corresponding according to the target feature point and a preset scaling ratio, to calculate the angle position of the projection area); performing a second correction calculation for correcting the shape of the projection image (pg. 7 2nd para. judging the adjusting angle point position angle difference to the target point position is in the preset mode in the range of the difference value determining whether to finish the coarse stage to improve the accuracy of the coarse tuning).
Zhong as modified by Wang fails to teach wherein the peripheral edge of the first projection image is blurred.
Li discloses wherein the peripheral edge of the first projection image is blurred (pg. 5 2nd to last para., sawtooth edge is blurred visually).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the application to modify projection method of Zhong and Wang with the blurring of the peripheral edge of Li in order to give a quantitative brightness control means, so that the effect of eliminating edge sawtooth is more stable (Li; Abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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 subject matter of claim 4 that was found to be allowable because the first correction calculation is performed based on output by a first number of times from a second sensor for detecting a condition of the projection target, and the second correction calculation is performed based on output by a second number of times larger than the first number of times from the second sensor.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANELL L OWENS whose telephone number is (571)270-5365. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00pm 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, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. 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.
/DANELL L OWENS/Examiner, Art Unit 2882 31 August 2026
/BAO-LUAN Q LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
Prosecution Insights