Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant's arguments filed 03/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 9 of the amendment, Applicant argued that Hung does not disclose the features of “the first part of the local color correction applies a first portion of a local color operation matrix to the first pixel” and that “the global color correction applies a second portion of the local color operation matrix to a pixel in the second image corresponding to the first pixel.”
While Applicant’s arguments are understood, the claim language are broad enough to interpret Hung’s white balance correction 114, as the first part of the local correction which applies color operation matrix to input red, green and blue values for a pixel as taught in paragraph 0063, and interpret Hung’s color correction 118, as the global color correction which applies color operation matrix to input red, green and blue values for a pixel of the full color image outputted by the standard demosaicing 116 as taught in paragraph 0067.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hung et al. (US 2023/0360178) hereinafter “Hung”.
As per claim 1, Hung discloses a method comprising:
receiving a first image depicting a scene (Fig. 1 shows image data 102 received by processing unit 104; see also paragraph 0024), the first image being captured using an image sensor (paragraph 0040, Image data 102 may include intensity values from many sensor pixels of an RGB-IR camera);
removing, from a first pixel in the first image, a contribution of infrared radiation to a color channel of the first pixel based at least on an estimated amount of residual infrared radiation present in the color channel when the first image was captured using the image sensor (paragraph 0047, an IR subtraction factor (e.g., quantity 110A) is determined based on the scene detection value 108. The IR subtraction factor controls an amount of infrared correction 112 to perform. Accordingly, the IR subtraction factor controls an amount of an IR contribution to subtract from a visible light sensor pixel value for a given image. Based on the IR subtraction factor (quantity 110A), a fractional amount of the IR contribution to the visible light sensor pixel value may be subtracted out for infrared correction 112. In one embodiment, the IR subtraction value is a factor having a value of between 0 and 1);
performing a first part of local color correction for the color channel of the first pixel (Fig. 1, White balance correction 114) based at least on the estimated amount of residual infrared radiation (paragraph 0062, Performing correct white balance correction 114 is made more challenging when an IR signal is not removed from visible light sensor pixel values. The IR signal acts as an offset, interpreted as residual. As a result, when AWB is performed on an image in which an IR signal remains, a different amount of gain may be applied to the IR offset in each of the color channels), wherein the first part of the local color correction applies a first portion of a local color operation matrix to the first pixel (paragraph 0063 teaches color correction operation based on using white balance matrix that is applied to red, green and blue pixel values); and
performing global color correction (Fig. 1, Color correction 118) for a plurality of pixels in a second image that is reconstructed from the first image (Fig. 1, color correction 118 is applied to the output of demosaicing 116, that is a reconstructed full color image from incomplete color samples output from an image sensor, taught in paragraph 0064), wherein the global color correction applies a second portion of the local color operation matrix to a pixel in the second image corresponding to the first pixel (see Fig. 1, color correction 118, considered as a second correction that is applied after white balance correction to the full color image, uses color correction matrix applied to red, green and blue pixel values as taught in paragraph 0067).
As per claim 2, Hung discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is equipped with a plurality of color and infrared filters (paragraph 0025).
As per claim 3, Hung discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the removal of the contribution of infrared radiation to the color channel of the first pixel is based further on a scale factor (i.e., IR subtraction factor; see paragraph 0047).
As per claim 4, Hung discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the local color operation matrix is computed based on a local color correction matrix (CCM) and a local automatic white balance (AWB) matrix (the local color correction is based on a first part of local color correction, uses matrix related to AWB as taught in paragraph 0063, and a second part of local color correction, uses matrix related to CCM as taught in paragraph 0067).
As per claim 5, Hung discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first part of the local color correction is based on the local color operation matrix combined with an inverse matrix of a global color operation matrix (see paragraph 0063).
As per claim 6, Hung discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the global color operation matrix is based on a global color correction matrix (CCM) (see paragraph 0067) and a global automatic white balance (AWB) matrix (as shown from Fig. 1, color correction 118 is based on white balance correction 114, which uses AWB matrix taught in paragraph 0063).
As per claim 7, arguments analogous to those applied for the last limitation of claim 1 are applicable for claim 7.
As per claims 8 and 16, arguments analogous to those applied for claim 1 are applicable for claims 8 and 16. In addition, Hung discloses at least one processor comprising: one or more circuit to perform the claimed method (Fig. 1, processing unit 104; paragraph 0037)
As per claim 9, Hung discloses the at least one processor of claim 8, wherein the processor is comprised in at least one of: a control system for an autonomous or semi-autonomous machine (see Figs. 8A-8B; paragraph 0012); a perception system for an autonomous or semi-autonomous machine; a system for performing simulation operations; a system for performing digital twin operations; a system for performing light transport simulation; a system for performing collaborative content creation for 3D assets; a system for performing deep learning operations; a system implemented using an edge device; a system for generating or presenting at least one of virtual reality content, augmented reality content, or mixed reality content; a system implemented using a robot; a system for performing conversational AI operations; a system for generating synthetic data; a system incorporating one or more virtual machines (VMs);a system implementing one or more machine learning models using as an inference microservice including the one or more machine learning models and one or more operation system (OS)-level virtualization packages; a system implemented at least partially in a data center; or a system implemented at least partially using cloud computing resources.
As per claims 10-15, arguments analogous to those applied for claims 2-7 are applicable for claims 10-15.
As per claim 17, arguments analogous to those applied for claim 9 are applicable for claim 17.
As per claims 18-19, arguments analogous to those applied for claims 2-3 are applicable for claims 18-19.
As per claim 20, arguments analogous to those applied for claim 4 are applicable for claim 20.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED JEBARI whose telephone number is (571)270-7945. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 09:00am-06:00pm.
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/MOHAMMED JEBARI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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