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 .
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 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.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy of Japanese patent application number 2024-055498, filed on March 29, 2024, has been received and made of record.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (lDS) submitted on 03/24/2025, 11/26/2025, and 01/22/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and have been considered by the Examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 7, 10-11, 13, 16-17, and 22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Koppetz (US Pub. 2023/0262188).
In regard to claim 1, note Koppetz discloses an information processing apparatus comprising a processor, and a memory storing a program (camera 23 is considered to include a processor and memory that control the operation thereof) which, when executed by the processor, causes the information processing apparatus to execute acquisition processing of acquiring a diaphragm value of a lens of an imaging apparatus, and execute output processing of outputting the diaphragm value acquired during capturing of a captured image of the imaging apparatus and blur shape-related information related to a shape of blur occurring in the captured image (paragraphs 0039, 0069-0072; after the camera 23 receives the diaphragm value and shape information from the interchangeable lens 59, the camera outputs the information to the control device 25).
In regard to claim 2, note Koppetz discloses that in the acquisition processing, the diaphragm value is acquired in real time during capturing of the captured image, and in the output processing, the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information are outputted in real time during capturing of the captured image (paragraphs 0020, 0069-0072; the lens information is acquired and output in real time).
In regard to claim 3, note Koppetz discloses that in the output processing, the captured image of the imaging apparatus is further outputted (paragraphs 0072-0073; the optical image is obtained, and output for recording).
In regard to claim 7, note Koppetz discloses that the blur shape-related information indicates the shape of blur (paragraphs 0069-0070; the information indicates the shape of the blur due to the diaphragm).
In regard to claim 10, note Koppetz discloses that in the output processing, the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information are outputted to outside (paragraphs 0039, 0069-0072; after the camera 23 receives the diaphragm value and shape information from the interchangeable lens 59, the camera outputs the information to the control device 25).
In regard to claim 11, note Koppetz discloses that in the output processing, the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information are recorded in a recording medium provided in the information processing apparatus (paragraphs 0039, 0069-0072; the information is considered to be stored in the camera in order to transmit the information to the control device 25, i.e., the data is stored for transmission).
In regard to claim 13, note Koppetz discloses that the blur shape-related information is applied to a graphic displayed on a display device to be captured by the imaging apparatus (paragraphs 0069-0073, and figure 5).
In regard to claim 16, note Koppetz discloses that the information processing apparatus is the imaging apparatus of which the lens is interchangeable (paragraph 0039; interchangeable lenses can be used).
In regard to claim 17, note Koppetz discloses the information processing apparatus is the imaging apparatus of which the lens is not interchangeable (paragraph 0039; permanent lenses can be used).
In regard to claims 22-23, these are method claims, corresponding to the apparatus in claims 1-2. Therefore, claims 22-23 have been analyzed and rejected as previously discussed with respect claims 1-2.
In regard to claim 24, this is directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a program, wherein the program causes a computer to execute an information processing method corresponding to the operation of the information processing apparatus of claim 1. Therefore, claim 24 has been analyzed and rejected as previously discussed with respect claim 1.
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.
Claims 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koppetz (US Pub. 2023/0262188).
In regard to claim 19, note Koppetz discloses an information processing apparatus, as discussed with respect to claim 1 above. Therefore, it can be seen that the primary reference fails to explicitly disclose that in the output processing, metadata storing the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information is outputted in a manufacturer-unique region.
The Examiner notes that it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to include the use of a manufacturer-unique region for metadata storing the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information, since applicant has not disclosed that metadata storing the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information which is outputted in a manufacturer-unique region solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose, and it appears that the invention would perform equally well without a manufacturer-unique region.
In regard to claim 20, discloses an information processing apparatus, as discussed with respect to claim 1 above. Therefore, it can be seen that the primary reference fails to explicitly disclose that in the output processing, the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information are outputted using a manufacturer-unique standard.
The Examiner notes that it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to include the use of a manufacturer-unique standard to output the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information, since applicant has not disclosed that the use of a manufacturer-unique standard to output the diaphragm value and the blur shape-related information solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose, and it appears that the invention would perform equally well without the use of a manufacturer-unique standard.
In regard to claim 21, note Koppetz discloses an information processing apparatus, as discussed with respect to claim 1 above. Therefore, it can be seen that the primary reference fails to explicitly disclose that the diaphragm value is a value in a log format of 16-bit resolution.
The Examiner notes that it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to include the use of the diaphragm value is a value in a log format of 16-bit resolution, since applicant has not disclosed that the diaphragm value being a value in a log format of 16-bit resolution solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose, and it appears that the invention would perform equally well using a different format for the diaphragm value.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 8-9, 12, 14-15, and 18 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2018/0048820: note the use of an imaging device that performs imaging with different aperture shapes, with the image blur shape changing corresponding to the change in aperture.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISS S YODER III whose telephone number is (571)272-7323. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at (571) 272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISS S YODER III/Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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