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 Objections
Claim 1 (and corresponding dependent claims 2-9 and 18-20) objected to because of the following informalities: Please indent between the separate limitations correcting and selecting steps. The Office suggests:
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus comprising an interface configured to obtain a wide-angle panorama image, the method comprising:
controlling image processing for the wide-angle panorama image; generating each piece of correction information to correct each of a plurality of partial images corresponding to each arbitrary image area of the wide-angle panorama image;
correcting each of the plurality of partial images based on each piece of the correction information;________________________________________________
______selecting an initial partial image and a final partial image from the corrected plurality of partial images based on characteristic points of the wide-angle panorama image, the initial partial image and the final partial image including at least one of the characteristic points; and
outputting, as thumbnail images, the corrected plurality of partial images sequentially from an initial partial image to a final partial image, some of the outputted corrected plurality of partial images between the initial partial image and the final partial image being partial images not including the characteristic points.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 (and corresponding dependent claims 2-9 and 18-20) and 10 (and corresponding dependent claims 11-17) recite “selecting an initial partial image and a final partial image……., the initial partial image and the final partial image…..outputting…..an initial partial image to a final partial image….
The limitations are unclear if there are more than one initial partial image and one final partial image of the corrected images. The Office makes the interpretation that it is the same partial images from the selecting step. Please amend the limitations to overcome the clarity issue.
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 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); 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 nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of US 12,163,806 and claims 1, 2, 6, 10 and 14 of the instant application are rejected over claims 1-3, 6, 8 and 14 of U.S. Patent No. 11733039. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant application is broader than US 11733039 and 12,163,806.
Regarding Claim 1 of instant application corresponds to
Clam 1 of US 12,163,806
Claims 1, 2 and 6 of US 11,733,039
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus comprising an interface configured to obtain a wide-angle panorama image, the method comprising:
controlling image processing for the wide-angle panorama image;
[see partial images including at least one of characteristic points]
generating each piece of correction information to correct each of a plurality of partial images corresponding to each arbitrary image area of the wide-angle panorama image;
correcting each of the plurality of partial images based on each piece of the correction information;
selecting an initial partial image and a final partial image from the corrected plurality of partial images based on characteristic points of the wide-angle panorama image, the initial partial image and the final partial image including at least one of the characteristic points; and
outputting, as thumbnail images, the corrected plurality of partial images sequentially from an initial partial image to a final partial image, some of the outputted corrected plurality of partial images between the initial partial image and the final partial image being partial images not including the characteristic points.
[see method described below]
An information processing apparatus comprising:
an interface configured to obtain a wide-angle panorama image; and
a control circuitry configured to control image processing for the wide-angle panorama image, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
generate each piece of correction information to correct each of a plurality of partial images corresponding to each arbitrary image area of the wide-angle panorama image;
correct each of the plurality of partial images on a basis of each piece of the correction information;
select an initial partial image and a final partial image from the corrected plurality of partial images based on characteristic points of the wide-angle panorama image, the initial partial image and the final partial image including at least one of the characteristic points; and
output, as thumbnail images, the corrected plurality of partial images sequentially from an initial partial image to a final partial image, some of the outputted corrected plurality of partial images between the initial partial image and the final partial image being partial images not including the characteristic points.
[see method described below]
An information processing apparatus comprising:
an interface configured to obtain a wide-angle panorama image;
a control circuitry configured to control image processing for the wide-angle panorama image; and
a display, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
extract, from the wide-angle panorama image, a plurality of partial images based on one or more characteristic points set in advance;
correct each of the plurality of partial images based on each of correction information generated corresponding to the each of the plurality of partial images; and
[see claim 2 below arbitrary image area]
cause the display to scroll and display, as a thumbnail image, the corrected plurality of partial images sequentially in an order corresponding to positional relationship of the each of the plurality of partial images in the wide-angle panorama image without displaying an image area other than the plurality of partial images in the wide-angle panorama image.
[see generating correction information limitation above]
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to: generate horizontal/vertical direction information, as the correction information, for correcting deviation of each of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of the partial image composed of an arbitrary image area of the wide-angle panorama image on a basis of first sensor information, the first sensor information indicating a tilt of each of a horizontal and a vertical direction of the wide-angle panorama image; generate image distortion information, as the correction information, for correcting image distortion of the partial image on a basis of second sensor information, the second sensor information indicating a state of photographing distortion caused by a lens for photographing; and correct the deviation of each of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the partial image and the image distortion in accordance with the generated horizontal/vertical direction information and the generated image distortion information.
[selecting/inputting partial images based on characteristic points – note above limitation states sequentially which corresponds with this limitation to be a first and last partial image]
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a characteristic point determination processing unit configured to determine and extract a characteristic point set in advance from the wide-angle panorama image, wherein the characteristic point determination processing unit is configured to generate characteristic point possessing partial image information indicating an image portion in which the characteristic point extracted from the wide-angle panorama image is possessed, and wherein the control unit is configured to causes the display unit to scroll and display a plurality of partial images having the characteristic point in accordance with the characteristic point possessing partial image information generated by the characteristic point determination processing unit.
Claim 2-9, 10-17 and 18-20 of the instant application corresponds to claim 2-9, 13-20, and 10-12 of US 12,163,806 respectively.
Claim 2, 6, 10, 14 of the instant application corresponds to claim 3, 2, 8, 14 of US 11,733,039 respectively.
Claims 3-5, 9 and 11-13 and 17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 11,733,039 in view of Ogawa.
See double patenting rejections above for independent claims.
The instant application’s “wherein the control circuitry is configured to perform a control processing to give a notification to a user when a partial image including a predetermined characteristic point is displayed as one of the plurality of partial images during the display scrolls and displays the plurality of partial images, wherein the notification is displaying a message on the display, :in audio input/output processor, wherein the notification is emitting a voice message by the audio input/output processor. the wide-angle panorama image is an entire celestial sphere image.
Ogawa discloses processing to give a notification to a user when a partial image including a predetermined characteristic point is displayed as one of the plurality of partial images during the display scrolls and displays the plurality of partial images (paragraph 0099, 0102, Claim 14). Ogawa discloses wherein the notification is displaying a message on the display (paragraph 0102, 0069). Ogawa discloses further comprising: in audio input/output processor (Figure 2, 200, 212), wherein the notification is emitting a sound or audio or various other types of message by the audio input/output processor (paragraph 0102, 0069). Ogawa teaches recording a sound with a microphone and various kinds of notification sound (paragraph 0047, 0069). Ogawa discloses the wide-angle panorama image is an entire celestial sphere image (paragraph 0033). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify 11,733,039 to include the missing limitations as taught by Ogawa in order to share the designated range of attention with users (Page 1, paragraph 0004) as disclosed by Ogawa and it is an obvious variant that it is notoriously well known that a microphone can record a voice message as a notification as it is easier for someone who may want to view other things or require a second type of notification to notice it.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FARZANA HOSSAIN whose telephone number is (571)272-5943. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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, Christopher Kelley can be reached at 571-272-7331. 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.
/FARZANA HOSSAIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
December 16, 2025