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 § 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, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iwamura et al. (5,303,060).
Regarding claim 1, Iwamura discloses a video signal transmitting device, comprising: a YC conversion portion (3, 4, 5) to which RAW data output from an imaging element (1) by performing imaging is input, and configured to convert RAW data into YC data consisting of luminance data (Y), first chrominance data (PR), and second chrominance data (PB) for output; a digital-to-analog conversion portion (14) configured to convert YC data output from the YC conversion portion into an analog signal for output; and an analog transmitting portion (15) configured to transmit an analog signal converted by the digital-to-analog conversion portion to an external device.
Regarding claim 6, Iwamura discloses a video signal repeating device, comprising: a receiving portion configured to receive an analog signal transmitted from a video signal transmitting device according to claim 1; an analog-to-digital conversion portion (61) configured to convert an analog signal received by the receiving portion into YC data for output (62); and a RAW conversion portion configured to convert YC data output from the analog-to-digital conversion portion into RAW data for output (64, 65, 67).
Regarding claim 7, Iwamura discloses wherein the RAW conversion portion, in a case where a data order of luminance data of YC data has been rearranged, comprises a data order reverse rearrangement processing portion (63) that rearranges luminance data back to a data order before rearrangement, and converts YC data rearranged by the data order reverse rearrangement processing portion into RAW data.
Regarding claim 9, Iwamura discloses an RGB conversion portion that converts RAW data output from the RAW conversion portion into RGB data for output (note 64-71 in Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 10, Iwamura discloses that the RGB conversion portion applies a demosaic process in response to converting RAW data into RGB data (note 64-71 in Fig. 11). That is, the interpolation operations in 64 and 67 are demosaic processes.
Regarding claim 12, Iwamura discloses the RGB conversion portion is configured by an integrated circuit different from an integrated circuit constituting the receiving portion, the analog-to-digital conversion portion, and the RAW conversion portion (note 68).
Regarding claim 13, Iwamura discloses a video signal transmitting/receiving system, comprising: a camera having an imaging element (par. 4); a video signal transmitting device, comprising: a YC conversion portion (3-13) to which RAW data output from an imaging element by performing imaging is input, and configured to convert RAW data into YC data consisting of luminance data, first chrominance data, and second chrominance data for output; a digital-to-analog conversion portion (14) configured to convert YC data output from the YC conversion portion into an analog signal for output; and an analog transmitting portion (15) configured to transmit an analog signal converted by the digital-to-analog conversion portion to an external device; a video signal repeating device (Fig. 11), comprising: a receiving portion (60) configured to receive an analog signal transmitted from the video signal transmitting device; an analog-to-digital conversion portion (61) configured to convert an analog signal received by the receiving portion into YC data for output; and a RAW conversion portion (62-67) configured to convert YC data output from the analog-to-digital conversion portion into RAW data for output; and a display device (72) configured to display a video based on a signal output from the video signal repeating device.
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) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwamura et al. (5,303,060) in view of Tian et al. (2011/0228144).
Regarding claim 2, Iwamura discloses wherein RAW data is video data that has one red pixel, one blue pixel, and one green pixels as one unit, and the YC conversion portion converts input RAW data into first luminance data, second luminance data, first chrominance data, and second chrominance data for each unit, separates converted data into a luminance data group (Y output at matrix 3) and a chrominance data group (C output at MPX 5), and sequentially outputs separated luminance data group and chrominance data group as YC data (note TCI encoder 13) to the digital-to-analog conversion portion (14). However, Iwamura does not disclose that the two green pixels unit as claimed.
Tian, from the similar field of endeavor, teaches the use of two green pixels unit as claimed (note Fig. 4a). By using two green pixels unit instead of one green pixel unit, the luminance-sensitivity to the human eye can be increased (note par. 267).
Therefore, in view of Tian, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the one green pixel unit of Iwamura with two green pixels unit of Tian so that the luminance sensitivity to the human eye could be increased.
Regarding claim 3, Iwamura discloses the YC conversion portion serializes and outputs separated luminance data group and chrominance data group respectively, and comprises a data order rearrangement processing portion that rearranges and serializes a data order of first luminance data and second luminance data between predetermined units (note TCI encoder 13 and par. 27).
Claim(s) 4, 5, 8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwamura et al. (5,303,060) in view of Liu et al. (2013/0300774).
Regarding claim 4, Iwamura does not disclose that the YC conversion portion converts the RAW data into YC data in YC422 format. However, Iwamura does disclose subsampling means 8 and 11 for subsampling the luminance and chrominance signals, respectively.
Liu, from the similar field of endeavor, teaches a well known subsampler for subsampling YC444 to YC422 (note Fig. 1).
Therefore, knowing the subsampling means 8 and 11 in Iwamura can be replaced with any well known subsampling means, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the subsampler of Liu into the subsampling means in Iwamura to perform the well known functions as claimed.
Regarding claim 5, in addition of rejection to claim 4, the combination of Iwamura inherently discloses the YC conversion portion converts the RAW data into YC data in YC422 format using a RAW clock corresponding to a signal pitch of the RAW data, but not the YC clock with a frequency of 1/2 times the RAW clock. However, it would have been obvious to recognize that a RAW clock and a ½ times of the RAW clock are required to operate the subsamplers 8 and 11, respectively when the subsamplers are subsampling YC444 to YC422. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a 1/2 clock speed of the RAW clock into subsampler 11 so that the YC422 mode data could be generated.
Regarding claim 8, Iwamura inherently disclose wherein the RAW conversion portion converts YC data output from the analog-to-digital conversion portion into RAW data for output using a RAW clock corresponding to a signal pitch of the RAW data, but not the YC clock with a frequency of 1/2 times the RAW clock. However, in view of the similar rejections and reasonings to claim 5, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the ½ times RAW clock speed into the rearranging/linking means 63 to reverse the operation direction of the system so that the original RAW data could be recovered properly.
Regarding claim 11, in addition of rejection to claim 4, 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 operation steps in the receiver as shown in Fig. 11 so that in a case where YC data in YC422 format, as taught by Liu, is output from the analog-to-digital conversion portion (61), the RAW conversion portion converts YC data in YC422 format to RAW data in RAW8 format, and the RGB conversion portion converts RAW data in RAW8 format to RGB data in RGB888 format. The RAW8 format and RGB888 format would have been a matter of obvious design choice since the output formats in Iwamura are not limited to any form.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwamura et al. (5,303,060).
Regarding claim 14, Iwamura does not disclose the camera module device in which the camera and the video signal transmitting device are integrated (par. 4); and inherently included display module device in which the video signal repeating device and the display device are integrated (72). However, the integration features as claimed are considered a matter of obvious design choice since the camera and the display device in Iwamura can be integrated with other system components at will. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iwamura so that the camera could be integrated with transmitting device and the same time the display device could be integrated with the receiving device as shown in Fig. 11.
Regarding claim 15, Iwamura does not disclose that the display module device outputs a signal output from the video signal repeating device to a storage medium. The examiner takes Official Notice that using storage means to record video data is well known in the art. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to include a well known data storage into Iwamura so that the video data could be recorded for later viewing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL LEE whose telephone number 571-272-7349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, John Miller, can be reached on 571-272-7353. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL LEE/ Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2422