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, 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Goto (US PGPUB 20100295956).
[Claim 1]
An imaging apparatus comprising:
an image sensor (fig. 6, imaging device 121) configured to capture a subject image to generate image data, the image sensor having an imaging area in which the subject image is formed through an optical system (Paragraph 58);
a sensor (15) configured to detect a shake amount of the imaging apparatus (Paragraph 65); and
an image processor (13b, two axis rotation shake correcting section 134) configured to perform image stabilization by adjusting an output area according to the shake amount detected by the sensor, the output area being output as an image in the image data (Paragraph 76, When the shake correction amount (correction movement amount) notified from the control unit 18b is not "0", the two-axis rotation shake correcting section 134 moves the extraction area by the shake correction amount, as shown in FIG. 7, from the image in which the distortion aberration is corrected), wherein
in the image processor (132), distortion correction responsive to distortion aberration of the optical system is performed on an image area indicated by the image data (Paragraph 73), and
the image processor (134) performs the image stabilization without a correction area in a corrected image area by the distortion correction, the correction area being provided within a range corresponding to the imaging area to crop the image of the output area (Paragraph 77, by performing the correction of the two-axis rotation shake by using the image in which the distortion aberration has been corrected, the shake generated in the pan direction or the tilt direction can be corrected without reducing the extraction area or using an imaging device having the image sensing area larger than the extraction area. Accordingly, the shake can be corrected by effectively utilizing the image sensing area of the imaging device. In addition, in a case where an imaging device having the image sensing area larger than the extraction area is used, the shake in the pan direction or the tilt direction, which is greater than that of a general case, can be corrected. In FIG. 7, an area denoted by a dashed dotted line represents the movement range of the extraction area that is moved in accordance with the shake of two-axis rotation).
[Claim 4]
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processor performs the image stabilization without the correction area by adjusting a shape of a reference area according to the detected shake amount using an enlarged area in the corrected image area by the distortion correction, the correction area being provided within the range corresponding to the imaging area, the reference area being referred to output the image of the output area, the enlarged area being enlarged to outside of the range corresponding to the imaging area (Paragraph 76, When the shake correction amount (correction movement amount) notified from the control unit 18b is not "0", the two-axis rotation shake correcting section 134 moves the extraction area by the shake correction amount, as shown in FIG. 7, from the image in which the distortion aberration is corrected. Then, the two-axis rotation shake correcting section 134 extracts an image from the extraction area after being moved further. Here, the image after the correction of the distortion aberration has a bobbin shape whose four corners are drawn out from the center of the image to the outer side. Accordingly, the redundant area in the four corners is broadened. Thus, the two-axis rotation shake correcting section 134 extracts an image of the extraction area moved by the shake correction amount from the image after the correction of the distortion aberration).
[Claim 5]
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
at least one of a sensor driver (123) or a lens driver (114), the sensor driver being configured to perform optical image stabilization by moving the image sensor in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical system, the lens driver being configured to perform optical image stabilization by moving a correction lens included in the optical system in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (Paragraph 11, an image signal of a picked up image is generated by performing photoelectric conversion for an optical image formed by an imaging optical system. Then, by using a shake detecting sensor or detecting a motion vector by using a plurality of picked up images that are arranged in a time sequence, at least one of a shake in the direction of rotation about the optical axis of the imaging optical system and a shake of rotation about an axis perpendicular to the optical axis is detected, and a shake correction amount used for correcting the shake is set based on the detected shake),
wherein in the optical image stabilization, at least one of the image sensor or the lens driver is moved to cancel the detected shake amount (Paragraph 11), and
the image processor performs the image stabilization without moving the output area for the image against a corrected shake amount in the detected shake amount, by adjusting a shape of a reference area in the corrected image area by the distortion correction, the corrected shake amount being canceled by the optical image stabilization, the reference area being referred to output the image of the output area.
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) 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto (US PGPUB 20100295956) in view of Watanabe (US PGPUB 20180302567).
[Claim 6]
Goto fails to teach wherein the distortion aberration of the optical system is negative at least in a peripheral part of the imaging area, and the image processor performs the distortion correction in the image area by enlarging at least an area corresponding to the peripheral part to outside of the range corresponding to the imaging area, the image area being indicated by the image data. However Watanabe teaches wherein the distortion aberration of the optical system is negative at least in a peripheral part of the imaging area (Paragraph 44, he sign of the distortion rate is positive if the direction in which the image forming position changes is a direction in which the image height increases, and is negative if the direction in which the image forming position changes is a direction in which the image height decreases. Distortion is observed as “pincushion distortion” when the distortion rate is positive, and distortion is observed as “barrel distortion” when the distortion rate is negative), and the image processor performs the distortion correction in the image area by enlarging at least an area corresponding to the peripheral part to outside of the range corresponding to the imaging area, the image area being indicated by the image data (Paragraphs 65 and 66, This distortion addition data can be calculated by multiplying distortion correction data shown in 32 of FIG. 3 by a magnification of − 3/10. Note that, here, a distortion effect of about 30% of the degree of the distortion of the photographing lens 102 is assumed to be added, but the degree of a distortion effect that is added by the distortion addition circuit 108 can be appropriately determined in a range not exceeding the intensity of distortion caused by aberration of the photographing lens 102. Alternatively, in order to simplify the processing, default distortion addition data prepared in advance may be read out regardless of the photographing lens 102).
Therefore taking the combined teachings of Goto and Watanabe, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have been motivated to have wherein the distortion aberration of the optical system is negative at least in a peripheral part of the imaging area, and the image processor performs the distortion correction in the image area by enlarging at least an area corresponding to the peripheral part to outside of the range corresponding to the imaging area, the image area being indicated by the image data in order to generate a moving image that appears natural after image shake correction.
[Claim 7]
Goto teaches cause the image processor to perform the image stabilization without the correction area in the corrected image area by the distortion correction when an area outside the range corresponding to the imaging area is detected based on the acquired information and information indicating the imaging area, the correction area being provided within the range corresponding to the imaging area (Paragraph 77, by performing the correction of the two-axis rotation shake by using the image in which the distortion aberration has been corrected, the shake generated in the pan direction or the tilt direction can be corrected without reducing the extraction area or using an imaging device having the image sensing area larger than the extraction area. Accordingly, the shake can be corrected by effectively utilizing the image sensing area of the imaging device. In addition, in a case where an imaging device having the image sensing area larger than the extraction area is used, the shake in the pan direction or the tilt direction, which is greater than that of a general case, can be corrected. In FIG. 7, an area denoted by a dashed dotted line represents the movement range of the extraction area that is moved in accordance with the shake of two-axis rotation) but fails to teach a communication interface configured to communicate with the optical system; and a controller configured to control the communication interface and the image processor, wherein the controller is configured to acquire information on the distortion aberration of the optical system from the optical system via the communication interface, and cause the image processor to perform the image stabilization without the correction area in the corrected image area by the distortion correction when an area outside the range corresponding to the imaging area is detected based on the acquired information and information indicating the imaging area, the correction area being provided within the range corresponding to the imaging area.
However Watanabe teaches a communication interface (see fig. 1, interface between 102 and 201) configured to communicate with the optical system (102); and a controller (101) configured to control the communication interface and the image processor, wherein the controller is configured to acquire information on the distortion aberration of the optical system from the optical system via the communication interface (Paragraph 37, The optical parameter calculation circuit 201 calculates optical parameters such as a focal length and a subject distance of the photographing lens 102, and supplies the optical parameters to the distortion correction amount calculation circuit 202 and the image shake correction amount calculation circuit 203).
Therefore taking the combined teachings of Goto and Watanabe, it would be obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have been motivated to have a communication interface configured to communicate with the optical system; and a controller configured to control the communication interface and the image processor, wherein the controller is configured to acquire information on the distortion aberration of the optical system from the optical system via the communication interface, and cause the image processor to perform the image stabilization without the correction area in the corrected image area by the distortion correction when an area outside the range corresponding to the imaging area is detected based on the acquired information and information indicating the imaging area, the correction area being provided within the range corresponding to the imaging area in order to generate a moving image that appears natural after image shake correction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-15 are allowed. The prior art fails to teach to suggest as recited in claim 8, “the controller changes a ratio between first image stabilization and second image stabilization according to a focal length of the optical system, the first and second image stabilizations each being performed by the image processor in a corrected image area by the distortion correction, the first image stabilization corrects perspective distortion of the image in the corrected image area by the distortion correction, and the second image stabilization moves the output area for the image in the image area”. Claims 9-15 are dependent from claim 9.
Claims 2 and 3 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 prior art fails to teach or suggest “a user interface configured to input a user operation, the user operation selecting an image stabilization mode to be used for the image stabilization from a plurality of image stabilization modes, wherein the plurality of image stabilization modes includes a first image stabilization mode and a second image stabilization mode, the first image stabilization mode being an operation mode to perform the image stabilization without the correction area provided within the range corresponding to the imaging area, the second image stabilization mode being an operation mode to perform the image stabilization with the correction area”. Claim 3 is dependent from claim 2.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOGESH K AGGARWAL whose telephone number is (571)272-7360. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sinh Tran can be reached at 5712727564. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YOGESH K AGGARWAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2637
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