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 § 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 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 15, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nakada (US 20170323465 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Nakada discloses a method for generating an effect image (title, ¶0002-0003, figs. 4, 9-22, claim 1 and dependents), comprising:
obtaining current light source information (¶0049, ¶0098), a normal map of an original image (…the integrated normal image data, ¶0098, normal vector N in ¶0099, N in figs. 17, 23; step s407, fig. 4), and a mask image of a target object (binary image 803 e.g. in fig. 8C, ¶0067. Also see binary image 1101, 1102 in figs. 11a-e, ¶0072-0073), wherein the light source information comprises a light source color, a light source position, and an illumination intensity (The illumination parameters in the present embodiment include the position, the pose, the intensity, the light source color and the like of the illumination, ¶0049,
The illumination parameters in the present embodiment include the position, the pose, the intensity, the light source color and the like of the illumination, ¶0061);
generating a target illumination image (s412 fig. 4, s1005, fig. 10, 1801 fig. 18, ¶0103; 2404 in fig. 24, ¶0128) based on the normal map (…the integrated normal image data, ¶0098, normal vector N in ¶0099, N in figs. 17, 23; step s407, fig. 4), and a mask image of a target object (binary image 803 e.g. in fig. 8C, ¶0067. Also see binary image 1101, 1102 in figs. 11a-e, ¶0072-0073), the mask image of the target object (binary image 803 e.g. in fig. 8C, ¶0067. Also see binary image 1101, 1102 in figs. 11a-e, ¶0072-0073), and the light source information (¶0049, 0061,
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a generation unit configured to generate normal image data recording normal information for each of a plurality of areas at least part of which is different from one another in image data and for each pixel of the area; a setting unit configured to set one of at least two or more smoothness degrees different from one another to each of a plurality of pieces of generated normal image data; a smoothing unit configured to smooth each of the plurality of pieces of normal image data in the set smoothness degree; an integration unit configured to generate integrated normal image data corresponding to pixel arrangement of the image data by integrating the plurality of pieces of smoothed normal image data; and a lighting processing unit configured to perform lighting processing for the image data based on the integrated normal image data, Abstract); and
fusing the target illumination image and the original image, to obtain a target illumination effect image (ibid, Abstract, fig. 4, original image data 501 is fused in several steps as shown in fig. 16, where image effect is generated by integrated with normal image with different smoothness degree images. Binary image is integrated in the process when subject target/candidate area is extracted, figs. 7-8, step s406, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 15, Nakada discloses an electronic device (101, fig. 2), comprising:
at least one processor (CPU 202+ IPU 209, fig. 2, ¶0041-0044. Also see ¶0131, claim 11); and
a storage apparatus (203+204, fig. 2, ¶0039, ¶0047. Also see ¶0131, claim 11) configured to store at least one program which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to (¶0131, claim 11):
obtain current light source information, a normal map of an original image, and a mask image of a target object, wherein the light source information comprises a light source color, a light source position, and an illumination intensity; generate a target illumination image based on the normal map, the mask image of the target object, and the light source information; and
fuse the target illumination image and the original image, to obtain a target illumination effect image (for this portion, see substantively equivalent/similar claim 1 rejection above).
Regarding claim 16, Nakada discloses a non-transitory storage medium comprising a computer- executable instruction which, when executed by a processor of a computer causes the processor of the computer to (¶0131, claim 11):
obtain current light source information, a normal map of an original image, and a mask image of a target object, wherein the light source information comprises a light source color, a light source position, and an illumination intensity; generate a target illumination image based on the normal map, the mask image of the target object, and the light source information; and
fuse the target illumination image and the original image, to obtain a target illumination effect image (for this portion, see substantively similar claims 1, and 15 rejection above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-13, and 17-21 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, prior arts of record taken alone or in combination fails to reasonably disclose or suggest,
wherein generating the target illumination image based on the normal map, the mask image of the target object, and the light source information comprises:
generating a target object illumination image based on the normal map, the light source information, and the mask image of the target object;
generating a background region illumination image based on the light source information and the mask image of the target object;
generating a back illumination image based on the normal map and the mask image of the target object; and
fusing the target object illumination image, the background region illumination image and the back illumination image, to obtain the target illumination image.
Claims 3-13 are allowable for being dependent on allowable claim 2.
Regarding claim 17, Prior arts of record taken alone or in combination fails to reasonably disclose or suggest,
wherein to generate the target illumination image based on the normal map, the mask image of the target object, and the light source information, the at least one program causes the at least one processor to: generate a target object illumination image based on the normal map, the light source information, and the mask image of the target object; generate a background region illumination image based on the light source information and the mask image of the target object; generate a back illumination image based on the normal map and the mask image of the target object; and fuse the target object illumination image, the background region illumination image and the back illumination image, to obtain the target illumination image.
Claims 18-21 are allowable for being dependent on allowable claim 17.
Conclusion
The prior and/or pertinent art(s) made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, are –
Son et al. (US 9922452 B2),
Nakada (US 20160307324 A1),
Nakada (11030799)
– who disclose different image effect generation methods of interest that are dependent on scene illumination element.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NURUN FLORA whose telephone number is (571)272-5742. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am -5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Chan can be reached at (571) 272-3022. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NURUN FLORA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2619
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