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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/17/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see the remarks, filed 06/17/2026, with respect to the amended claim(s) 1, 6, and 11 have been fully considered and moot in view of new grounds of rejection by relying on the teachings of TOKUMO (US 20200045359 A1), Woo et al. (US 20080094395 A1, Aflake Beni (US 20180176545 A1), and Fan et al. (US 20190306530 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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) 1-2, 4-7, 9-11, 13-16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TOKUMO (US 20200045359 A1) in view of Woo et al. (US 20080094395 A1) and Aflake Beni (US 20180176545 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 6, and 11, Tokumo discloses an apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor ([0186]); and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to ([0186] the reproduction devices 100 and 600 and the generation devices 300 and 900 include a CPU performing instructions of a program that is software implementing the functions, a Read Only Memory (ROM) or a storage device (these are referred to as “recording media”) in which the program and various data are stored to be readable by a computer (or CPU), a Random Access Memory (RAM) in which the program is deployed):
receive, from a server (400 of fig. 2), information identifying viewpoints ([0054] to [0056] viewpoints (P1_1 to P1_9)) and respective attribute sets ([0072]-[0075] disclose viewpoints and metadata, wherein the viewpoints are disclosed in figure 5A and 5B and the metadata comprises attribute sets as disclosed in figures 9A and 9B, [0085]-[0088] disclose Metadata Related to Viewpoint and Line-of-Sight Direction in details, [0124] to [0128] the Metadata comprises attribute sets), each set comprises a viewpoint effective range ([0059] to [0061] the view points within a prescribed range and the view points P1_1 to P1_9 at prescribed distances; [0128] a view Range attribute may be described that indicates the range of view points (e.g., the range of movable view points is 1 m around) in the extended 360 video; [0136] message_data [ ] may further describe the number of view points and the range of view points, so the viewpoint effective range is the prescribed range or range of view points or the range of movable view points);
receive, from the server, information identifying one or more omnidirectional videos capturing an event at a scene ([0122]-[0123] The EventStream 60 can describe events such as a 360 video delivery start event and an extended 360 video delivery start event. The type of the event described in the EventStream 60 is identified by a value of a value attribute of an EventStream element; [0128] The details of the 360 video delivery start event and the extended 360 video delivery start event are described by an Event element in the EventStream element) from respective viewpoints of the identified viewpoints ([0069] Thus, the delivery unit 310 can transmit the metadata related to the omnidirectional video; [0079] the reproduction system 1 can also generate and transmit metadata related to the omnidirectional video and reproduce the omnidirectional video, based on the metadata, [0085] and [0092] Note that the metadata related to the view point and line-of-sight direction used in a case of selecting the recommended viewing mode is not limited to the SupplementalDescriptor and EssentialDescriptor described above. To the extent that the recommended viewing mode as described above can be implemented, the reproduction system 1 can use metadata related to arbitrary view point and line-of-sight direction; [0128] A presentation Time attribute of the Event element indicates a delivery start time for the 360 video/extended 360 video. A duration attribute of the Event element indicates a delivery period for the 360 video/extended 360 video. A num Of View attribute of the Event element indicates the number of view points in the extended 360 video; [0136] message_data [ ] may further describe the number of view points and the range of view points); and
render a video, of the one or more omnidirectional videos, based on at least one attribute of attribute set of a respective viewpoint of the identified viewpoints (Figs. 15A and 15B are for illustrating a partial video constituting an omnidirectional video reproduced by the reproduction system; [0010] to [0012] the piece of partial video data being a part of multiple pieces of partial video data constituting an omnidirectional video; [0207] to [0209] constituting an omnidirectional video based on the metadata as one attribute of attribute set of a viewpoint).
It is noted that Tokumo is silent about indicating a distance from a respective viewpoint within which an object in a video captured from the respective viewpoint can be rendered at a quality level.
Woo teaches indicating a distance from a respective viewpoint within which an object in a video captured from the respective viewpoint can be rendered at a quality level ([0085] a rendering order may be determined in units of objects or groups according to the distance between the viewpoint and the group and objects; [0086] the rendering order of the objects included in the group may be determined in units of pixels according to the distance between the viewpoint and the pixel of each object included in the group and improving the picture quality of the transparent objects even when the transparent objects included in the 3D graphic data overlap other objects in the 3D space; [0088] a rendering method, medium, and system, according to an embodiment of present invention, can more accurately render transparent objects included in 3D graphic data, thereby improving the rendering picture quality of transparent objects; [0089] a rendering order can be determined in units of objects or groups according to the distance between the viewpoint and the group and objects. Then, the rendering may be performed according to the rendering order; [0090] the rendering order of the objects included in the group may be determined in units of pixels according to the distance between the viewpoint and the pixel of each object included in the group and then the rendering may be performed according to the determined rendering order. In this way, even when transparent objects included in the 3D graphic data overlap other objects in the 3D space, a result of rendering without an error can be obtained and the picture quality of the transparent objects can be improved).
Taking the teachings of Tokumo and Woo together 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 to modify the rendered distance between the viewpoint and object of Woo into the rendering method of Tokumo thereby obtaining a result of rendering without a rendering error and improving the picture quality of the transparent objects even when the transparent objects included in the 3D graphic data overlap other objects in the 3D space ([0086] of Woo) and thereby improving the rendering picture quality of transparent objects ([0088] of Woo).
It is noted that Tokumo and Woo are silent about the quality level is above a predetermined threshold.
Aflake Beni teaches the quality level is above a predetermined threshold ([0109] the FIG. 8 method may have a further condition that ensures that the quality of the synthesised image is above a threshold quality; [0021] and [0022] the synthesised image may be rendered based on a depth based image rendering algorithm; and [0060] a depth map image may be considered to represent the values related to the distance of the surfaces of the scene objects from a reference location, for example a view point of an observer).
Taking the teachings of Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni together 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 to modify the quality level is above the threshold of Aflake Beni into the rendering method of Tokumo and Woo to improve the quality of the rendered images.
Regarding claims 2 and 7, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 1, Tokumo further teaches wherein a set of the attribute sets comprises a viewpoint position within a 3D space of the scene (Tokumo: figs. 5A and 5B illustrate the viewpoint positions (Viewpoints P1 to P9) within the 3D speace (x, y, and z); [0128] A num Of View attribute of the Event element indicates the number of view points in the extended 360 video. Although not illustrated, a view Range attribute may be described that indicates the range of view points (e.g., the range of movable view points is 1 m around) in the extended 360 video; [0136] message_data [ ] may further describe the number of view points and the range of view points. Note: Woo discloses the viewpoint in a 3D space, [0005] Portions of objects included in 3D graphic data may overlap each other depending, on the viewpoint in a 3D space from which 3D objects are viewed and Aflake Beni suggests the viewpoint position, 68 of fig. 5, within the 3D space of the scene).
Regarding claim 4 and 9, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 1, Tokumo further teaches wherein a set of the attribute sets comprises a viewpoint type, indicating the viewpoint is a real viewpoint or a virtual viewpoint ([0002] and [0003] a prescribed virtual view point; [0054] and [0055] a certain view point in a virtual space; [0059] view points within a prescribed range based on one point in the virtual space; [0128] A num Of View attribute of the Event element indicates the number of view points in the extended 360 video; [0131] the EventStream 60 is added at the timing of initial obtainment of the MPD data for the recommended viewing mode. However, in live delivery and the like, a DASH MPD update scheme may be used to, for example, obtain the MPD data with the EventStream 60 being added at the timing of MPD update immediately before time t2. Note Woo suggests the viewpoint in a 3D space as a real viewpoint and Aflake Beni teaches a real viewpoint, 68 of fig. 5, in the scene).
Regarding claims 5 and 10, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 1, Tokumo further teaches wherein a set of the attribute sets comprises a viewpoint availability ([0124] to [0129] A presentation Time attribute of the Event element indicates a delivery start time for the 360 video/extended 360 video. A duration attribute of the Event element indicates a delivery period for the 360 video/extended 360 video. A num Of View attribute of the Event element indicates the number of view points in the extended 360 video), specifying one or more time intervals during which a video ([0124] to [0129] A presentation Time attribute of the Event element indicates a delivery start time for the 360 video/extended 360 video. A duration attribute of the Event element indicates a delivery period for the 360 video/extended 360 video), of the one or more omnidirectional videos ([0124] to [0129] each value described in the value attribute is defined by a URI indicated by a scheme_id_uri attribute of the EventStream element; the value attribute of the EventStream 60 allows the switching unit 1120 to switch not only the viewing mode but also the video type), that captures the event at the scene from a respective viewpoint, is available ([0124] to [0129] a view Range attribute may be described that indicates the range of view points (e.g., the range of movable view points is 1 m around) in the extended 360 video; [0131] the EventStream 60 is added at the timing of initial obtainment of the MPD data for the recommended viewing mode. However, in live delivery and the like, a DASH MPD update scheme may be used to, for example, obtain the MPD data with the EventStream 60 being added at the timing of MPD update immediately before time t2).
Regarding claims 13 and 18, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 1, Tokumo further discloses determining, based on the information identifying viewpoints and respective attribute sets, that a position of at least one of the identified viewpoints is dynamic and provided in a timed- metadata track ([0183] The metadata generating unit 920 of the reproduction system 3 causes the parameter generating unit 330 to generate an identifier for identifying timed metadata to be referenced by the resource locator group (AdaptationSet) for each view point and each line-of-sight direction; [0193] to [0194] a media segment specified in Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH), the metadata is MPD data specified in the DASH and related to the content data, the resource locator is a URL of the media segment, and each of the multiple resource locator groups is an AdaptationSet specified in the DASH).
Regarding claims 14 and 19, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 1, Tokumo teaches wherein a viewpoint, of the identified viewpoints, is a virtual viewpoint that is located within the viewpoint effective ranges of other viewpoints, of the identified viewpoints (Tokumo: [0002] and [0003] a prescribed virtual view point; [0054] and [0055] a certain view point in a virtual space; [0059] view points within a prescribed range based on one point in the virtual space. Note Aflake Beni teaches [0029] a synthesised image representing a field-of-view of the virtual space from the position and orientation of said user device for presentation on a display screen of said user device).
Regarding claim 15, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 14, Aflake Beni further teaches before the rendering of the video, synthesizing the video from videos captured from the other viewpoints ([0092] a synthesised image is generated from the viewpoint and rendered for display on the display screens of the HMD).
Regarding claims 16 and 20, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 1, Tokumo and Aflake Beni further teach wherein the viewpoint effective range is determined based on one or more characteristics of the camera generating the video captured from the respective viewpoint (Tokumo: [0181] the cameras move to capture video in 360-degree, so this suggests one or more characteristics of the camera. Aflake Beni teaches [0079] cameras capture images may also control the focus, ISO levels and other imaging parameters of each camera, this disclosure suggests one or more characteristics of the camera).
Claim(s) 12 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TOKUMO (US 20200045359 A1) in view of Woo et al. (US 20080094395 A1) and Aflake Beni (US 20180176545 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 6, and further in view of Fan et al. (US 20190306530 A1).
Regarding claims 12 and 17, Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni teach the method of claim 1 and apparatus of claim 6. Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake are silent about wherein the receiving of information identifying viewpoints and respective attribute sets comprises: receiving an OMAF viewpoint List (OVL) descriptor containing one or more OMAF viewpoint (OVP) elements, wherein each OVP element identifies a viewpoint and includes a respective attribute set.
Taquet teaches wherein the receiving of information identifying viewpoints and respective attribute sets comprises: receiving an OMAF viewpoint List (OVL) descriptor containing one or more OMAF viewpoint (OVP) elements ([0082] To describe time-related attribute information in media data, a timed metadata track of a region on a sphere is specified in the Omnidirectional Media Format (OMAF) standard), wherein each OVP element identifies a viewpoint and includes a respective attribute set ([0110] The metadata information may be attribute information that is used to describe media data. For example, the metadata information may include duration of the media data, bit rate, frame rate, or viewpoint identification information of a viewpoint to which the media data belongs; [0122] As with the metadata information obtained in step 101, the metadata information obtained in step 301 is attribute information that is used to describe media data. In addition, the metadata information obtained in step 301 may carry the viewpoint identification information, and the viewpoint identification information is used to indicate a viewpoint; [0207] (1) The client parses an attribute at an adaptation set level, and obtains a viewpoint descriptor and an attribute value of the viewpoint descriptor; [0208] (2) The client presents different viewpoint information to a user based on attribute values of different viewpoint descriptors. [0241] In Table 3, when position_type is 0, which indicates that the viewpoint position is static, a static viewpoint may be indicated by center_x, center_y, and center_z. When position_type is 1, which indicates that the viewpoint position is a dynamic position, the viewpoint may be described by using a specific timed metadata track. The timed metadata track may be associated with a current media track by using @associationId attribute).
Taking the teachings of Tokumo, Woo, Aflake Beni, and Fan together 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 to modify the identified viewpoint and included attribute of Fan into the method of Tokumo, Woo, and Aflake Beni to improve quality since high resolution images.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshiura et al. (US 20180061086 A1) discloses the distance map obtaining unit 330 obtains the position information of an object in a space. This position information indicates the relative positional relationship between a virtual viewpoint and the object. In this embodiment, the distance map obtaining unit 330 obtains a distance map (depth map) from the virtual viewpoint to the object. The method of generating a distance map based on the captured images of the object obtained by the plurality of image capturing apparatuses 108 is known, and an arbitrary method can be adopted.
Contact Information
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TUNG T. VO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2425
/TUNG T VO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425
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