Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 19/216,537

CAMERA SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
May 22, 2025
Priority
May 24, 2024 — RE 10-2024-0067538
Examiner
LAM, HUNG H
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Otos Wing Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 5m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
548 granted / 651 resolved
+24.2% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
15 currently pending
Career history
662
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
§103
67.2%
+27.2% vs TC avg
§102
19.7%
-20.3% vs TC avg
§112
1.4%
-38.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 651 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 § 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 1-2 and 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh (US2022/0365370) in view of Suzuki (US2012/0256910). Regarding claim 1, Singh discloses a camera system comprising: a light shield disposed between a camera (120/ 114A-114B) and a light source (environment lights that enter the lenses 804A-B are interpreted as light source) and comprising a light shield cartridge structure configured to control light entering the camera ([0045; 0064-0065]: blue light filter or electrochromic lenses 804A-B); an image capturing portion comprising the camera configured to obtain a plurality of image frames ([0027; 0045; 0064-0065; 0085]: camera 120; 114A-114B). However, Singh fails to explicitly disclose: “a processor configured to generate a plurality of combined preprocessed images based on two or more image frames selected from the plurality of image frames based on set criteria and synthesize the plurality of combined preprocessed images to generate at least one combined image”. In an analogous of art, Suzuki discloses face detector 214 (or 224) detects the face of a person (area corresponding to face) in the left image A1 inputted from the image processor 212. When a plurality of persons' faces are present in the left image, the face detector 214 detects a plurality of faces. The face detector 214 also detects the position of the face. The face detector 214 outputs the result of the face detection to the face frame combiner 216. The face frame combiner 216 combines a face frame F1 with the left image A1 inputted from the image processor 212 based on the detection result from the face detector 214. That is, the face frame combiner 216 combines the face frame F1 corresponding to the face of the person with the left image A1 to produce a left image A2 shown in FIG. 3. The face frame combiner 216 outputs the left image A2 having the face frame F1 combined therewith to the image combiner 232. The image combiner 232 combines the left image A2 inputted from the face frame combiner 216 with the right image B2 inputted from the face frame combiner 226 into a single frame C1 having the two images arranged side by side as shown in FIG. 3 ([0044-0048]). In light of the teaching from Suzuki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the processing apparatus of Suzuki. The modifications thus allow the image combiner 232 to combine the left image A2 inputted from the face frame combiner 216 with the right image B2 inputted from the face frame combiner 226 into a single frame C1 having the two images arranged side by side as shown in FIG. 3 (Suzuki: [0047-0048]). Regarding claim 2, Singh in view of Suzuki discloses the camera system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of combined preprocessed images comprise a first combined preprocessed image and a second combined preprocessed image (Suzuki: Fig. 3: wherein A1 is combined with F1 to form image A2), and the processor is further configured to generate the first combined preprocessed image based on two or more first image frames selected from the plurality of image frames based on the criteria (Suzuki: See face detection criteria by face detector 214; [0044]), generate the second combined preprocessed image based on two or more second image frames selected from the plurality of image frames based on the criteria (Suzuki: See face detection criteria by face detector 224; [0046]), and synthesize the first combined preprocessed image and the second combined preprocessed image to generate the combined image (Suzuki: [0048]). Regarding claim 4, Singh in view of Suzuki discloses the camera system of claim 3, wherein the light shield cartridge structure further comprises a neutral density filter disposed in front of the blackening filter (Singh: [0065; 0085]). Regarding claim 5, Singh in view of Suzuki discloses the camera system of claim 1, wherein the light shield cartridge structure is disposed such that a virtual line perpendicular to a major surface of the light shield cartridge structure intersects a virtual line connecting a lens of the camera and the light source (Singh: Abstract; [0021]: a virtual line perpendicular to surfaces of the electrochromic lenses is inherently intersected with a virtual line of cameras and environment light in order for the environment light to pass through the electrochromic lenses to the cameras). Claim 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh in view of Suzuki and further in view of Mehra (US2019/0342647). Regarding claim 3, Singh in view of Suzuki discloses the camera system of claim 1, wherein the light shield cartridge structure comprises a blackening filter (Singh: abstract). However, Singh in view of Suzuki fails to disclose “an anti-reflection coating layer disposed on at least one surface of the blackening filter”. In an analogous of art, Mehra discloses optics block 530 that magnifies image light received from the electronic display 525, corrects optical errors associated with the image light, and presents the corrected image light to a user of the eyewear device 505. Moreover, the optics block 530 may include combinations of different optical elements. In some embodiments, one or more of the optical elements in the optics block 530 may have one or more coatings, such as partially reflective or anti-reflective co ([0058; 0061]). In light of the teaching from Mehra, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the optics block 530 with anti-reflective coatings. The modifications thus provide anti-reflective coatings on optics block 530 (Mehra: [0058-0061]). 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. 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, TWYLER HASKINS can be reached at (571) 272-7406. 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. /HUNG H LAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639 06/27/26
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

May 22, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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Patent 12663696
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2y 9m to grant Granted Jun 16, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+12.3%)
2y 7m (~1y 5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 651 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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