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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objections
Claim15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising executing each charge accumulation in synchronization with a synchronization signal when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uchida (US2019/0230270).
Regarding claim 1, Uchida discloses an apparatus comprising:
an element configured to convert an image into an electric signal (Figs 2-3: See image sensor 184 and/or pixels 130-131);
a setting part configured to set an exposure period of the element ([0057-0069]: see the setting of full exposure for 1/30 of one frame period and different setting of charge accumulation time period of ¼ of full exposure amount “1/30”, 1/120, 1/8, 1/16, 1/1,920, 1/7680, 1/122,880,1/300,000); and
a controller configured to determine, when the element performs intermittent charge accumulation to obtain a dimming effect ([0060-0069]: see the performing of intermittent charge accumulation effect by varieties of exposure amount ratio of ½, ¼, 1/16…obtain dimming effect 1 ND stops, 3 ND stops, 6 ND stops),
a pattern with respect to a start timing and end timing of the set exposure period (see different exposure amount ratio or pattern “1/30”, 1/120, 1/8, 1/16, 1/1,920, 1/7680, 1/122,880,1/300,000) so that a start timing of first charge accumulation and an end timing of last charge accumulation fall within a predetermined range (Fig. 4: See the start timing of 602-1 and end timing 602-4 within the 1/30 second or full exposure range of an image at 1/30).
Regarding claim 2, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined range is a range in which a shift between the end timing of a last charge accumulation period in one frame and a timing at which the exposure period in one frame elapses is within a range of a setting part of a charge accumulation period (Fig. 4: See the start timing of 602-1 and end timing 602-4 within the 1/30 second or full exposure range of an image at 1/30) , the setting part being set by a user ([0131; 0161-0169]).
Regarding claim 3, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to execute each charge accumulation in synchronization with a synchronization signal when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation ([0056; 0144]: Fig. 4 shows øH synch signals are synchronized with accumulation timing period 602-1 and 602-4).
Regarding claim 4, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to execute each charge accumulation in synchronization with a synchronization signal when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation ([0056; 0144]: Fig. 4 shows øH synch signals are synchronized with accumulation timing period 602-1 and 602-4).
Regarding claim 5, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to perform control so that, when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation, a charge accumulation period of each charge accumulation is an integer multiple of a cycle of the synchronization signal ([0067-0069; 0162]).
Regarding claim 6, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to perform control so that, when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation, a charge accumulation period of each charge accumulation is an integer multiple of a cycle of the synchronization signal ([0067-0069; 0162]: See integer multiples of 1/300,000 or the pulse cycle).
Regarding claim 9, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the pattern depending on a quantity of dimming set by a user ([0060-0069]: charge accumulation periods, ratios or patterns are set differently depending upon the dimming effect of 1 ND stops, 3 ND stops or 6 ND stops).
Regarding claim 10, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine the pattern depending on a quantity of dimming set by a user ([0060-0069; 0131; 0161-0169]: charge accumulation periods, ratios or patterns are set differently depending upon the 1 ND stops, 3 ND stops or 6 ND stops set by a user ).
Regarding claim 11, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to execute each charge accumulation in synchronization with a synchronization signal when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation ([0056; 0144]: Fig. 4 shows each accumulation timing period 602-1 and 602-4 are in synchronization with horizontal øH synch signals).
Regarding claim 12, Uchida discloses the apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine the pattern depending on a quantity of dimming set by a user ([0060-0069; 0131; 0161-0169]: charge accumulation periods, ratios or patterns are set differently depending upon the 1 ND stops, 3 ND stops or 6 ND stops set by a user ).
Regarding claim 13, the claim is a method of the apparatus claim 1. Therefore, claim 13 is analyzed and rejected as claim 1.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is a method of the apparatus claim 2. Therefore, claim 14 is analyzed and rejected as claim 2.
Regarding claim 15, the claim is a method of the apparatus claim 3. Therefore, claim 15 is analyzed and rejected as claim 3.
Regarding claim 16, the claim is a method of the apparatus claim 9. Therefore, claim 16 is analyzed and rejected as claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of Uchida discloses a controller that controls the transmittance of the light-amount control element and the exposure amount controlled by the image sensor by intermittently accumulating charges in a predetermined cycle in each frame so as to achieve a preset target exposure amount. The prior art of Kiyamura (2020/0344429) discloses an imaging device which acquires an image by dividing one imaging period into a plurality of periods for exposure to add for each pixel, and includes an imaging element which includes a photoelectric conversion unit configured to generate a signal charge, and a control unit configured to control an accumulation time of the signal charge. The prior art of Iwqasaki (US2017/0054905) discloses a method and apparatus for realizing a digital ND filter. The prior art of Kiyamura (US2019/0026902) discloses two stages ND filter effect by summing of a plurality of first exposure times. The prior art of Nozawa (US11968457) discloses an imaging device that has variable sensitivity and that acquires images with a sampling cycle. The prior art of Miyakoshi (US2015/0156387) discloses an imaging element that repeatedly generates the pixel signal through the photoelectric conversion for each of the divided exposure time periods obtained by dividing a necessary exposure time which is necessary for imaging an image into multiple time periods at intervals of a predetermined time within an imaging time of one frame image. Thus, while many references teaches imaging apparatus for intermittently accumulating charges in a predetermined cycle in each frame to obtain ND filter effects, none of the references alone or in combination, provide a motivation to teach the apparatus according to claim 5, further in combination with: “wherein the controller is configured to, in a case where a period obtained by adding up of each period when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation is shorter than the charge accumulation period to obtain a desired dimming effect, perform control to perform signal amplification to compensate a shortfall of the period”.
Regarding claim 8, the prior art of Uchida discloses a controller that controls the transmittance of the light-amount control element and the exposure amount controlled by the image sensor by intermittently accumulating charges in a predetermined cycle in each frame so as to achieve a preset target exposure amount. The prior art of Kiyamura (2020/0344429) discloses an imaging device which acquires an image by dividing one imaging period into a plurality of periods for exposure to add for each pixel, and includes an imaging element which includes a photoelectric conversion unit configured to generate a signal charge, and a control unit configured to control an accumulation time of the signal charge. The prior art of Iwqasaki (US2017/0054905) discloses a method and apparatus for realizing a digital ND filter. The prior art of Kiyamura (US2019/0026902) discloses two stages ND filter effect by summing of a plurality of first exposure times. The prior art of Nozawa (US11968457) discloses an imaging device that has variable sensitivity and that acquires images with a sampling cycle. The prior art of Miyakoshi (US2015/0156387) discloses an imaging element that repeatedly generates the pixel signal through the photoelectric conversion for each of the divided exposure time periods obtained by dividing a necessary exposure time which is necessary for imaging an image into multiple time periods at intervals of a predetermined time within an imaging time of one frame image. Thus, while many references teaches imaging apparatus for intermittently accumulating charges in a predetermined cycle in each frame to obtain ND filter effects, none of the references alone or in combination, provide a motivation to teach the apparatus according to claim 6, further in combination with: “wherein the controller is configured to, in a case where a period obtained by adding up of each period when the element performs the intermittent charge accumulation is shorter than the charge accumulation period to obtain a desired dimming effect, perform control to perform signal amplification to compensate a shortfall of the period”.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG H LAM whose telephone number is (571)272-7367. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM.
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/HUNG H LAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639 07/28/26
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