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 certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS filed to date have been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aoki (US 20200228722) herein after referred to as D1.
With regard to claim 1, D1 teaches an image capturing apparatus on which a lens ([0002]) unit (100) is mountable, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); comprising: an acquisition unit (200) configured to acquire a characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of a mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100); an operation unit (222) configured to receive a movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves); and a control unit (210) configured to control, in accordance with the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), a position of an AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) indicating a region in which a defocus amount ([0133]) is to be detected for an image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on a display unit (216), wherein, based on the characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100), the control unit (210) performs control such that, with respect to the same movement ([0014]) amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), an amount of movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) is different depending on whether the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of having an imaging optical system (10) with one optical axis ([0014]) or a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of having a plurality of imaging optical systems (10) with different optical axes ([0158]).
With regard to claim 2, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein based on the characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100), the control unit (210) performs control such that, with respect to the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), the amount of movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) in a case where the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) is smaller than in a case where the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics).
With regard to claim 3, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the control unit (210) controls the movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) such that, with respect to the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), the amount of movement ([0014]) in the case where the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) is half the amount of movement ([0014]) in the case where the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics).
With regard to claim 4, D1 teaches an image capturing apparatus on which a lens ([0002]) unit (100) is mountable, comprising: an acquisition unit (200) configured to acquire a characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of a mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100); an operation unit (222) configured to receive a movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves); and a control unit (210) configured to control, in accordance with the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), a position of an AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) indicating a region in which a defocus amount ([0133]) is to be detected for an image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on a display unit (216), wherein, based on the characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100), the control unit (210) performs control such that, with respect to the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), an amount of movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) is different depending on whether the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) in which a projection method ([0014]) of a lens ([0002]) is equidistant projection ([0167]) or the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) in which a projection method ([0014]) of a lens ([0002]) is central projection ([0156]).
With regard to claim 5, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 4, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) and the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) each have a plurality of imaging optical systems (10) with different optical axes ([0158]).
With regard to claim 6, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 4, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the control unit (210) controls the movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) such that, with respect to the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), the amount of movement ([0014]) in a case where a projection method ([0014]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is equidistant projection ([0167]) is larger than the amount of movement ([0014]) in a case where the projection method ([0014]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is central projection ([0156]).
With regard to claim 7, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 4, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the control unit (210) controls the movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) such that in a case where the projection method ([0014]) of a lens ([0002]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is equidistant projection ([0167]), the amount of movement ([0014]) is increased according to an angle of view ([0014]) on the image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on the display unit (216), and in a case where the projection method ([0014]) of a lens ([0002]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is central projection ([0156]), the amount of movement ([0014]) is not changed according to the angle of view ([0014]) on the capture signal displayed on the display unit (216).
With regard to claim 8, D1 teaches an image capturing apparatus on which a lens ([0002]) unit (100) is mountable, comprising: an acquisition unit (200) configured to acquire a characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of a mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100); an operation unit (222) configured to receive a movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves); and a control unit (210) configured to control, in accordance with the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), a position of an AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) indicating a region in which a defocus amount ([0133]) is to be detected for an image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on a display unit (216), wherein, based on the characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100), the control unit (210) performs control such that, with respect to the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), an amount of movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) is different depending on whether the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) in which a type of a lens ([0002]) is a fisheye lens ([0002]) or the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) in which a type of a lens ([0002]) is not a fisheye lens ([0002]).
With regard to claim 9, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 8, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) and the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) each have a plurality of imaging optical systems (10) with different optical axes ([0158]).
With regard to claim 10, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 8, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the control unit (210) controls the movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) such that, with respect to the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), the amount of movement ([0014]) in a case where a type of a lens ([0002]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a fisheye lens ([0002]) is larger than the amount of movement ([0014]) in a case where the type of the lens ([0002]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is not a fisheye lens ([0002]).
With regard to claim 11, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 8, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the control unit (210) controls the movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) such that in a case where a type of a lens ([0002]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a fisheye lens ([0002]), the amount of movement ([0014]) is increased in accordance with an angle of view ([0014]) on the image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on the display unit (216), and in a case where the type of the lens ([0002]) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is not a fisheye lens ([0002]), the amount of movement ([0014]) is not changed in accordance with the angle of view ([0014]) on the image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on the display unit (216).
With regard to claim 12, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the operation unit (222) receives the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) according to a movement ([0014]) of a touch operation ([0127]).
With regard to claim 13, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); wherein the operation unit (222) receives the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) according to a press of a key ([0075]).
With regard to claim 14, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an image capturing apparatus, in at least (Figs. 1-4; and [0014]); further comprising a judgment unit configured to judge, based on information acquired through communication with the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100), whether the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) or the lens ([0002]) unit (100) having the second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics).
With regard to claim 15, D1 teaches a control method for an image capturing apparatus on which a lens ([0002]) unit (100) is mountable, the method comprising: acquiring, by an acquisition unit (200), a characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of a mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100); receiving, by an operation unit (222), a movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves); and controlling, in accordance with the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), a position of an AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) indicating a region in which a defocus amount ([0133]) is to be detected for an image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on a display unit (216), wherein in the controlling, based on the characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100), control is performed such that, in accordance with the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), an amount of movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) is different depending on whether the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of having an imaging optical system (10) with one optical axis ([0014]) or a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of having a plurality of imaging optical systems (10) with different optical axes ([0158]).
With regard to claim 16, D1 teaches a storage medium including a program for causing a computer to execute a control method for an image capturing apparatus on which a lens ([0002]) unit (100) is mountable, the method comprising: acquiring a characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100); receiving a movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves); and controlling, in accordance with the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) on the operation unit (222), a position of an AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) indicating a region in which a defocus amount ([0133]) is to be detected for an image capture signal ([0114]) displayed on a display unit (216), wherein in the controlling, based on the characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100), control is performed such that, with respect to the same operation amount of the movement ([0014]) operation ([0014]: moves) of the operation unit (222), an amount of movement ([0014]) of the position of the AF frame ([0033] and [0124]) is different depending on whether the mounted lens ([0002]) unit (100) is a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a first characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of having an imaging optical system (10) with one optical axis ([0014]) or a lens ([0002]) unit (100) having a second characteristic ([0014]: characteristics) of having a plurality of imaging optical systems (10) with different optical axes ([0158]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GRANT A GAGNON whose telephone number is (571)270-0642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
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, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. 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.
/GRANT A GAGNON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BALRAM T PARBADIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
Prosecution Insights