DETAILED ACTION
1. This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant s communication received on 10/31/2024 for application number 18/933,273. The Office herby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and claims.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. 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
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/31/2024 and 07/29/2025 is in accordance with provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
4. Claims 26 and 33 objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claims 25 and 32. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Claim(s) 21-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al., [US Pub. No.: 2014/0063252 A1].
Re. Claim 21, Zhao et al., [US Pub. No.: 2014/0063252 A1] discloses:
A method comprising: monitoring [outside information detection part 2420 is equivalent to monitoring | 0038, 0054-0055], by a camera device installed in a vehicle [vehicle with a plurality of camera units disposed around the vehicle |Fig. 2, 0058], for occurrence of a triggering event [vehicle camera captures based on event trigger |0091];
in response to detecting the triggering event [trigger event is detected automatically without user input |0018], initiating an automatic camera calibration process [camera calibration is started automatically |0018], wherein the triggering event comprises maintaining a threshold speed for a predetermined duration [detected event comprises maintaining predetermined threshold value |0006];
determining, as part of the automatic camera calibration process, a vanishing point and a camera height [As soon as the calculated error decreases to less than a predetermined threshold value, the image capture device is calibrated with reference to the position of the vanishing point associated with the error |0006];
storing the vanishing point and camera height as camera calibration parameters [a roll angle of zero, the angle of inclination 13 and the lateral pivot angle of the camera 10, which is not visible in FIG. 1, are calculated additionally using the known intrinsic calibration parameters and stored and/or outputted.|0025, 0039];
periodically re-executing the automatic camera calibration process to update the camera calibration parameters [Fig.4 el 31 Continuous calibration state| 0043];
and using the camera calibration parameters to detect events involving the vehicle [continuous calibration state 31, the system checks the accuracy of the calibration result online by comparing it with the current estimate wherein detected events are used in the calibration process |0043].
Re. Claim 22, Zhao discloses:
The method of claim 21, wherein re-executing the automatic camera calibration process occurs at predetermined time intervals [Repeated performance of the calibration method may mean for example that the image capture device is calibrated at regular intervals |0018].
Re. Claim 23, Zhao discloses:
The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a manual calibration interface for setting the vanishing point [With the aid of the image objects, the position of a vanishing point in the captured image is estimated and tracked by a tracking method. Wherein calibration could also be made dependent on a trigger event such as the actuation of a calibration button |Abstract].
Re. Claim 24, Zhao discloses:
The method of claim 21, further comprising generating an alert when an event is detected prior to completion of the automatic camera calibration process [The camera 10 and the associated image processing device are associated with one or more driver assistance systems, for example a system for preventing lane departure (lane departure warning system). The camera 10 is tilted downwards so that the optical axis OA of the camera 10 forms with the horizon line H an angle of inclination 13. |0034].
Re. Claim 25, Zhao discloses:
The method of claim 21, wherein the automatic camera calibration process comprises determining a road plane normal vector [an image of a road area taken by the image capture device wherein road plane vector is determined. This is equivalent based on applicants specification 0007 |Fig. 2 elements 25a-c, 0030, 0035].
Re. Claim 26, Zhao discloses:
The method of claim 21, wherein the automatic camera calibration process comprises determining a road plane normal vector [an image of a road area taken by the image capture device wherein road plane vector is determined. This is equivalent based on applicants specification 0007 |Fig. 2 elements 25a-c, 0030, 0035].
Re. Claim 27, Zhao discloses:
The method of claim 21, further comprising using the camera calibration parameters to determine distances to detected objects [wherein the position of the vanishing point is estimated directly based on the image objects extended as lines, wherein the vanishing point is deemed to be the point on the image sensor that is at a minimum distance from the image objects 0013]..
Re. Claim 28, Zhao discloses:
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing computer program instructions capable of being executed by a computer processor [a computer program with program code means for carrying out a method as described above, when the computer program is run on a computer or corresponding computing unit |0025], the computer program instructions defining steps of: monitoring [], by a camera device installed in a vehicle [vehicle with a plurality of camera units disposed around the vehicle |Fig. 2, 0058], for occurrence of a triggering event [vehicle camera captures based on event trigger |0091];
in response to detecting the triggering event [trigger event is detected automatically without user input |0018], initiating an automatic camera calibration process [camera calibration is started automatically |0018],
wherein the triggering event comprises maintaining a threshold speed for a predetermined duration [detected event comprises maintaining predetermined threshold value |0006];
determining, as part of the automatic camera calibration process, a vanishing point and a camera height [As soon as the calculated error decreases to less than a predetermined threshold value, the image capture device is calibrated with reference to the position of the vanishing point associated with the error |0006];
storing the vanishing point and camera height as camera calibration parameters [a roll angle of zero, the angle of inclination 13 and the lateral pivot angle of the camera 10, which is not visible in FIG. 1, are calculated additionally using the known intrinsic calibration parameters and stored and/or outputted.|0025, 0039];
periodically re-executing the automatic camera calibration process to update the camera calibration parameters [Fig.4 el 31 Continuous calibration state| 0043];
and using the camera calibration parameters to detect events involving the vehicle [continuous calibration state 31, the system checks the accuracy of the calibration result online by comparing it with the current estimate wherein detected events are used in the calibration process |0043].
Re. Claim 29, Zhao discloses:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein re-executing the automatic camera calibration process occurs at predetermined time intervals [Repeated performance of the calibration method may mean for example that the image capture device is calibrated at regular intervals |0018].
Re. Claim 30, Zhao discloses:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, the steps further comprising providing a manual calibration interface for setting the vanishing point [With the aid of the image objects, the position of a vanishing point in the captured image is estimated and tracked by a tracking method. Wherein calibration could also be made dependent on a trigger event such as the actuation of a calibration button |Abstract]..
Re. Claim 31, Zhao discloses:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, the steps further comprising generating an alert when an event is detected prior to completion of the automatic camera calibration process [The camera 10 and the associated image processing device are associated with one or more driver assistance systems, for example a system for preventing lane departure (lane departure warning system). The camera 10 is tilted downwards so that the optical axis OA of the camera 10 forms with the horizon line H an angle of inclination 13. |0034]..
Re. Claim 32, Zhao discloses:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the automatic camera calibration process comprises determining a road plane normal vector [an image of a road area taken by the image capture device wherein road plane vector is determined. This is equivalent based on applicants specification 0007 |Fig. 2 elements 25a-c, 0030, 0035].
Re. Claim 33, Zhao discloses:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the automatic camera calibration process comprises determining a road plane normal vector [an image of a road area taken by the image capture device wherein road plane vector is determined. This is equivalent based on applicants specification 0007 |Fig. 2 elements 25a-c, 0030, 0035].
Re. Claim 34, The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, the steps further comprising using the camera calibration parameters to determine distances to detected objects [wherein the position of the vanishing point is estimated directly based on the image objects extended as lines, wherein the vanishing point is deemed to be the point on the image sensor that is at a minimum distance from the image objects 0013].
Re. Claim 35, Zhao discloses:
A device comprising: a camera [camera 10|0034];
a processor [a control device.|0034];
[a computer program with program code means for carrying out a method as described above, when the computer program is run on a computer or corresponding computing unit |0025], the computer program instructions defining steps of: monitoring , by a camera device installed in a vehicle [vehicle with a plurality of camera units disposed around the vehicle |Fig. 2, 0058], for occurrence of a triggering event [vehicle camera captures based on event trigger |0091];
in response to detecting the triggering event [trigger event is detected automatically without user input |0018], initiating an automatic camera calibration process [camera calibration is started automatically |0018],
wherein the triggering event comprises maintaining a threshold speed for a predetermined duration [detected event comprises maintaining predetermined threshold value |0006];
determining, as part of the automatic camera calibration process, a vanishing point and a camera height [As soon as the calculated error decreases to less than a predetermined threshold value, the image capture device is calibrated with reference to the position of the vanishing point associated with the error |0006];
storing the vanishing point and camera height as camera calibration parameters [a roll angle of zero, the angle of inclination 13 and the lateral pivot angle of the camera 10, which is not visible in FIG. 1, are calculated additionally using the known intrinsic calibration parameters and stored and/or outputted.|0025, 0039];
periodically re-executing the automatic camera calibration process to update the camera calibration parameters [Fig.4 el 31 Continuous calibration state| 0043];
and using the camera calibration parameters to detect events involving the vehicle [continuous calibration state 31, the system checks the accuracy of the calibration result online by comparing it with the current estimate wherein detected events are used in the calibration process |0043].
Re. Claim 36, Zhao discloses:
The device of claim 35, wherein re-executing the automatic camera calibration process occurs at predetermined time intervals [Repeated performance of the calibration method may mean for example that the image capture device is calibrated at regular intervals |0018]..
Re. Claim 37, Zhao discloses:
The device of claim 35, the steps further comprising providing a manual calibration interface for setting the vanishing point [With the aid of the image objects, the position of a vanishing point in the captured image is estimated and tracked by a tracking method. Wherein calibration could also be made dependent on a trigger event such as the actuation of a calibration button | Abstract].
Re. Claim 38, Zhao discloses:
The device of claim 35, the steps further comprising generating an alert when an event is detected prior to completion of the automatic camera calibration process [The camera 10 and the associated image processing device are associated with one or more driver assistance systems, for example a system for preventing lane departure (lane departure warning system). The camera 10 is tilted downwards so that the optical axis OA of the camera 10 forms with the horizon line H an angle of inclination 13. |0034].
Re. Claim 39, Zhao discloses:
The device of claim 35, wherein the automatic camera calibration process comprises determining a road plane normal vector [an image of a road area taken by the image capture device wherein road plane vector is determined. This is equivalent based on applicants specification 0007 |Fig. 2 elements 25a-c, 0030, 0035].
Re. Claim 40, Zhao discloses:
The device of claim 35, the steps further comprising using the camera calibration parameters to determine distances to detected objects [wherein the position of the vanishing point is estimated directly based on the image objects extended as lines, wherein the vanishing point is deemed to be the point on the image sensor that is at a minimum distance from the image objects 0013]..
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD D BROWN JR whose telephone number is (571)272-4371. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 5:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sathyanarayanan Perungavoor can be reached at 5712727455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HOWARD D. BROWN JR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2488
/HOWARD D BROWN JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2488