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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 8-10, 14-16 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2024/0242472) in view of D2 (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2023/0062367).
-Regarding claim 1, D1 discloses an image display method (see abstract), comprising: determining, according to a pixel brightness of a to-be-displayed image, a corresponding adaptive brightness mapping relationship that makes a difference between the pixel brightness of a non-low-brightness pixel area of the to-be-displayed image after being displayed through an optical imaging system and an ideal brightness of the non- low-brightness pixel area that is not displayed through the optical imaging system less than a preset brightness difference (the luminance mapping function calculation circuit (611) needs the following data: the reference luminance mapping function F_L, the maximum luminance of the connected display (PL_D), and the black level value (b), [0192]; so also the middle luminances of e.g. the person are shifted to brighter values significantly (which may have a sub-optimal impact on these regions too, i.e. on the total contrast of the image), [0209]; It will not do the re-distribution of the mapping to the ideal available situation, i.e. 0 nit to PL_D nit, but to the actually available luminances b nit to PL_D nit, [0210]); and transforming the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship (function FL_DA(t), when specified in the correct domain (e.g. as an equivalent function on PQ lumas) can then directly be applied by luminance mapping circuit (310) to the input lumas Y′ to yield the needed output lumas or luminances L′_HDR, [0191]).
D1 is silent to teaching that displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by D2.
In the same field of endeavor, D2 teaches displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system (display panel 4 to transmit a video signal to the display panel 4 for display after processing the video signal, [0015]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of D1 with the teaching of D2 in order to provide low cost signal processing hardware.
-Regarding claim 2, the combination further discloses the adaptive brightness mapping relationship makes a pixel brightness of a low-brightness pixel area of the to-be-displayed image after being displayed through the optical imaging system within a lowest brightness interval supported by the optical imaging system (D1, the darkest colors start at the visibility threshold, [0200]; a progressively larger normalized sub-range of the available luminances is used for the darkest indoors pixels, so that they still stay relatively well visible, [0210]).
-Regarding claim 6, the combination further discloses the transforming the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship, and displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system comprises: determining a brightness transform coefficient of each pixel point in the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship and the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image (D1, to the input lumas Y′ to yield the needed output lumas or luminances L′_HDR, [0191]; end-to-end is linear between Ylin and L′_HDR respectively R′G′B′ HDR in sub-circuit 702, [0202]; The constant a may again be a scaling factor, to put signal white on displayable white, [0198]); transforming color information of each pixel point in the to-be-displayed image according to the brightness transform coefficient of the pixel point to obtain the transformed to-be-displayed image (D1, the display mapping circuit 320 receives the display black level value b, … , it generally prepares its pixel colors output signal (i.e. display driving colors D_C) to be as desired for a particular display [0196]; The constant a may again be a scaling factor, to put signal white on displayable white, but one could also use other approaches, e.g. clipping or some non-linear equation (note that since Y′ is by standard agreed definition a linear combination of the R′G′B′ color components with three weights which sum to 1, one also has Y′_out=Y′+b), [0198]); and displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system (D1, HDR image, [0188]; D2, tone mapping can map the brightness to the display capability range of the display panel 4, [0027]).
-Regarding claim 8, the combination further discloses the to-be-displayed image is a low dynamic range LDR image or a tone-mapped high dynamic range HDR image (D1, HDR image, [0188]; D2, tone mapping can map the brightness to the display capability range of the display panel 4, [0027]).
-Regarding claim 9, D1 discloses an electronic device, comprising: a processor (processor, [0216]); and a memory configured to store executable instructions of the processor (memory, [0216]); wherein the processor is configured to perform, by executing the executable instructions, an image display method comprising: determining, according to a pixel brightness of a to-be-displayed image, a corresponding adaptive brightness mapping relationship that makes a difference between the pixel brightness of a non-low-brightness pixel area of the to-be-displayed image after being displayed through an optical imaging system and an ideal brightness of the non- low-brightness pixel area that is not displayed through the optical imaging system less than a preset brightness difference (the luminance mapping function calculation circuit (611) needs the following data: the reference luminance mapping function F_L, the maximum luminance of the connected display (PL_D), and the black level value (b), [0192]; so also the middle luminances of e.g. the person are shifted to brighter values significantly (which may have a sub-optimal impact on these regions too, i.e. on the total contrast of the image), [0209]; It will not do the re-distribution of the mapping to the ideal available situation, i.e. 0 nit to PL_D nit, but to the actually available luminances b nit to PL_D nit, [0210]); and transforming the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship (function FL_DA(t), when specified in the correct domain (e.g. as an equivalent function on PQ lumas) can then directly be applied by luminance mapping circuit (310) to the input lumas Y′ to yield the needed output lumas or luminances L′_HDR, [0191]).
D1 is silent to teaching that displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by D2.
In the same field of endeavor, D2 teaches displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system (display panel 4 to transmit a video signal to the display panel 4 for display after processing the video signal, [0015]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of D1 with the teaching of D2 in order to provide low cost signal processing hardware.
-Regarding claim 10, the combination further discloses the adaptive brightness mapping relationship makes a pixel brightness of a low-brightness pixel area of the to-be-displayed image after being displayed through the optical imaging system within a lowest brightness interval supported by the optical imaging system (D1, the darkest colors start at the visibility threshold, [0200]; a progressively larger normalized sub-range of the available luminances is used for the darkest indoors pixels, so that they still stay relatively well visible, [0210]).
-Regarding claim 14, the combination further discloses the transforming the pixel brightness of the to-be- displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship, and displaying the transformed to-be- displayed image through the optical imaging system comprises: determining a brightness transform coefficient of each pixel point in the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship and the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image (D1, to the input lumas Y′ to yield the needed output lumas or luminances L′_HDR, [0191]; end-to-end is linear between Ylin and L′_HDR respectively R′G′B′ HDR in sub-circuit 702, [0202]; The constant a may again be a scaling factor, to put signal white on displayable white, [0198]); transforming color information of each pixel point in the to-be-displayed image according to the brightness transform coefficient of the pixel point to obtain the transformed to-be-displayed image (D1, the display mapping circuit 320 receives the display black level value b, … , it generally prepares its pixel colors output signal (i.e. display driving colors D_C) to be as desired for a particular display [0196]; The constant a may again be a scaling factor, to put signal white on displayable white, but one could also use other approaches, e.g. clipping or some non-linear equation (note that since Y′ is by standard agreed definition a linear combination of the R′G′B′ color components with three weights which sum to 1, one also has Y′_out=Y′+b), [0198]); and displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system (D1, HDR image, [0188]; D2, tone mapping can map the brightness to the display capability range of the display panel 4, [0027]).
-Regarding claim 15, D1 discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon (memory, [0216]), wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor (processor, [0216]), implements an image display method comprising: determining, according to a pixel brightness of a to-be-displayed image, a corresponding adaptive brightness mapping relationship that makes a difference between the pixel brightness of a non-low-brightness pixel area of the to-be-displayed image after being displayed through an optical imaging system and an ideal brightness of the non- low-brightness pixel area that is not displayed through the optical imaging system less than a preset brightness difference (the luminance mapping function calculation circuit (611) needs the following data: the reference luminance mapping function F_L, the maximum luminance of the connected display (PL_D), and the black level value (b), [0192]; so also the middle luminances of e.g. the person are shifted to brighter values significantly (which may have a sub-optimal impact on these regions too, i.e. on the total contrast of the image), [0209]; It will not do the re-distribution of the mapping to the ideal available situation, i.e. 0 nit to PL_D nit, but to the actually available luminances b nit to PL_D nit, [0210]); and transforming the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship (function FL_DA(t), when specified in the correct domain (e.g. as an equivalent function on PQ lumas) can then directly be applied by luminance mapping circuit (310) to the input lumas Y′ to yield the needed output lumas or luminances L′_HDR, [0191]).
D1 is silent to teaching that displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by D2.
In the same field of endeavor, D2 teaches displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system (display panel 4 to transmit a video signal to the display panel 4 for display after processing the video signal, [0015]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of D1 with the teaching of D2 in order to provide low cost signal processing hardware.
-Regarding claim 16, the combination further discloses the adaptive brightness mapping relationship makes a pixel brightness of a low-brightness pixel area of the to-be-displayed image after being displayed through the optical imaging system within a lowest brightness interval supported by the optical imaging system (D1, the darkest colors start at the visibility threshold, [0200]; a progressively larger normalized sub-range of the available luminances is used for the darkest indoors pixels, so that they still stay relatively well visible, [0210]).
-Regarding claim 20, the combination further discloses the transforming the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship, and displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system comprises: determining a brightness transform coefficient of each pixel point in the to-be-displayed image according to the adaptive brightness mapping relationship and the pixel brightness of the to-be-displayed image (D1, to the input lumas Y′ to yield the needed output lumas or luminances L′_HDR, [0191]; end-to-end is linear between Ylin and L′_HDR respectively R′G′B′ HDR in sub-circuit 702, [0202]; The constant a may again be a scaling factor, to put signal white on displayable white, [0198]); transforming color information of each pixel point in the to-be-displayed image according to the brightness transform coefficient of the pixel point to obtain the transformed to-be-displayed image (D1, the display mapping circuit 320 receives the display black level value b, … , it generally prepares its pixel colors output signal (i.e. display driving colors D_C) to be as desired for a particular display [0196]; The constant a may again be a scaling factor, to put signal white on displayable white, but one could also use other approaches, e.g. clipping or some non-linear equation (note that since Y′ is by standard agreed definition a linear combination of the R′G′B′ color components with three weights which sum to 1, one also has Y′_out=Y′+b), [0198]); and displaying the transformed to-be-displayed image through the optical imaging system (D1, HDR image, [0188]; D2, tone mapping can map the brightness to the display capability range of the display panel 4, [0027]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5, 7, 11-13, and 17-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PING Y HSIEH whose telephone number is (571)270-3011. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.
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/PING Y HSIEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2664
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