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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Image Processing Assembly, Monitoring System, Transmission Device, Receiving Device as Well as Method Involving Detecting Image Features With A First Detection Certainty and Second Detection Certainty.
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains legal phraseology such as “comprising”. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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 1-13 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.
Regarding claims 1-13, the numbers in the parenthesis are unclear because there appears to be examples of inconsistencies; for example, “feature image areas (11)” in claim 1 is also recited as “feature image areas (10)” in other claims, e.g. claim 3; however, “(10)” already referred to “image features (10)”. Please check that numbers in the parenthesis are all consistent. For the purpose of examination, the numbers in the parenthesis are interpreted based on order of occurrence from the base claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “the image processing assembly (1)”, "the camera interface (5)", “the video encoder device (14)”, “the transmitting detection device (8)”, “the content encoder (13)”, “the transmission interface (6)”. There are insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “the image processing assembly (1)”, “the receiving interface (7), “the video decoder device (15)”, “the content decoder device (16)”, “the at least one receiving detector device (17)”. There are insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 13 recites the limitation “the image processing assembly (1)”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Also, regarding claim 13, the claim is unclear because there appears to be no process or steps although the claim is directed to a method. Further, the term “optionally” makes the claim ambiguous because it is not clear if the limitations after “optionally” is included or not. For the purpose of examination, the claim is interpreted to mean a method for training an image processing assembly.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-7, 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2021/0203997 A1 (“Veselov”).
Regarding claim 1, Veselov discloses an image processing assembly (1) having a transmission device (2) (e.g. see terminal side, paragraphs [0129]-[0134]; also see source device in Fig. 3) comprising: a camera interface (5) for accepting image data (9) from a camera (6) (e.g. see receiving video (uncompressed) as shown in Figs. 5-6, e.g. from a camera, paragraphs [0058]-[0061]); a video encoder device (14) for encoding the image data (9) and for generating encoded image data (e.g. see video encoder, e.g. 100 in Figs. 5-6); a transmitting detector device (8) for detecting image features (10) having a first detection certainty in feature image areas (11) of the image data (9) (e.g. see computing/extracting features at the terminal side, paragraphs [0132]-[0133], 510 in Figs. 5-6) and a cut-out device (12) for cutting out the feature image areas (11) (e.g. see cropping of an image patch, e.g. see Fig. 15, paragraphs [0197]-[0198]), wherein the image features (10) comprise content data with the feature image areas (11) (e.g. see object detection or face detection, along with computing/extracting features at the terminal side, paragraphs [0132]-[0133], [0165]-[0166], [0197]-[0198]), a content encoder device (13) for encoding the content data and generating encoded content data (e.g. see feature encoder, e.g. 520 in Figs. 5-6), a transmission interface (6) for transmitting the encoded image data and the encoded content data (e.g. see output bitstream in Figs. 5-6 transmitted to decoder in Figs. 7-8, e.g. see communication interface 318 in Fig. 3); having a receiving device (3) (e.g. see cloud or server side, paragraphs [0129]-[0134]; also see destination device in Fig. 3) comprising: a receiving interface (7) for receiving the encoded image data and the encoded content data (e.g. see receiving input bitstream in Figs.7-8, e.g. see communication interface 322 in Fig. 3); a video decoder device (15) for decoding the encoded image data and generating decoded image data (e.g. see video decoder, e.g. see 200 in Figs. 7-8); a content decoder device (16) for decoding the encoded content data and generating decoded content data (e.g. see feature decoder, e.g. see 720 in Figs. 7-8), and at least one receiving detector device (17) for detecting and/or verifying the image features with a second detection certainty based on the decoded content data (e.g. see CV analyzer 730 including feature analyzer 732 and feature locator 734, e.g. see Figs. 8-9, paragraphs [0132]-[0133], [0193]-[0203]).
Regarding claim 2, Veselov further discloses wherein the transmission device (2) is configured to transfer the feature image areas (11) from a time range in which the image features (10) are active (e.g. see time durations, paragraphs [0139], [0192]).
Regarding claim 3, Veselov further discloses wherein the feature image areas (10) are configured as cropped images of the image data (9) (e.g. see cropping of an image patch, e.g. see Fig. 15, paragraphs [0197]-[0198]).
Regarding claim 4, Veselov further discloses wherein the feature image areas (10) are transmitted at a higher resolution than the image data (9), and/or that the image data (9) is compressed more than the feature image areas (10) (e.g. see lossless encoding of features, paragraphs [0153], [0161]-[0162], and/or use of standard encoder for video, e.g. H.265 (which is lossy), paragraphs [0250]-[0251]).
Regarding claim 5, Veselov further discloses wherein the transmitting detector device (8) is configured to detect detection objects as the image features (10) in the image data (9), wherein the feature image areas (11) comprise a position of the detection objects (e.g. see object detection or face detection, along with computing/extracting features at the terminal side, paragraphs [0132]-[0133], [0197]-[0198]).
Regarding claim 6, Veselov further discloses wherein the video encoder device (14) and/or the content encoder device (13) operate on the basis of an H.26x encoder (e.g. see at least H.265, paragraphs [0004]-[0005], [0250]-[0251]).
Regarding claim 7, Veselov further discloses wherein the receiving device (3) comprises a receiving detector network (20), wherein the receiving detector network (20) comprises the receiving detector device (17), wherein the receiving detector network (20) is configured to carry out the detection and/or verification of the image features (10) based on the decoded content data and the decoded image data (e.g. see CV analyzer 730 including feature analyzer 732 and feature locator 734, e.g. see Figs. 8-9, paragraphs [0132]-[0133], [0193]-[0203]).
Regarding claim 9, Veselov further discloses wherein the transmitting detector device (8), receiving detector device (17) and/or the receiving detector network (20) is configured as or comprises a neural network (e.g. see neural network, paragraphs [0128], [0197]).
Regarding claim 10, Veselov further discloses wherein the monitoring system (21) is configured for stationary monitoring of monitoring areas and/or monitoring in a vehicle (e.g. see applications such as in video surveillance, driver assistance, autonomous driving, etc., paragraphs [0127]-[0131]).
Regarding claims 11-12, the claims recite analogous limitations to the claims above and are therefore rejected on the same premise.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)) as being anticipated by US 2023/0164336 A1 (“Cricri”).
Regarding claim 13, Cricri discloses a method for training the image processing assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the image processing assembly (1) is trained end-to-end with training data comprising image data (9) and image features (11), wherein one training target is to reduce/minimize the quantity of encoded content data transmitted and optionally also reduce/minimize the quantity of encoded image data transmitted (e.g. see learned compression based on auto-encoder that is trained to encode and decode video data, paragraphs [0061]-[0062], [0064]-[0067]).
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Veselov in view of US 2023/0164336 A1 (“Cricri”).
Regarding claim 8, although Veselov discloses the video encoder device (14) and/or the content encoder device (13), it is noted Veselov differs from the present invention in that it fails to particularly disclose wherein the video encoder device (14) and/or the content encoder device (13) are configured as an autoencoder. Cricri however, teaches wherein the video encoder device (14) and/or the content encoder device (13) are configured as an autoencoder (e.g. see auto-encoder, paragraphs [0064]-[0067], [0093]).
Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Veselov and Cricri before him/her, to modify the Hybrid video and feature coding and decoding of Veselov with the teachings of Cricri in order to use learned compression with reduced number of iterations for fine-tuning the coding pipeline for one of the tasks and improve training of data coding pipeline.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2023/0343099 A1, Domanski et al., Video coding based on feature extraction and picture synthesis
US 2023/0289964 A1, Narukiyo et al., Medical image processing apparatus, method of medical image processing, and non-transitory computer readable medium
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRANCIS G GEROLEO whose telephone number is (571)270-7206. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 am - 3:30 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, Anna M Momper can be reached at (571) 270-5788. 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.
/Francis Geroleo/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619