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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/28/2026, 01/14/2026 and 10/01/2025 were compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Application No. 19/217137, Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of application no. 12342075 B2 (18/233729). Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all the limitation of Claims 1-20 of 19/217137 application is anticipated by the claims 1-20 of application no. 12342075 B2 (18/233729). Claims 1-20 of 19/217137 are therefore not patentably distinct from the patented applications 12342075 B2 (18/233729), and unpatentable for obvious-type double patenting.
Instant Application No.19/217137
Patent NO. US 12342075 B2 (18/233729)
1. A method for limiting motion blur in a visual tracking system comprising:
accessing a first image generated by an optical sensor of the visual tracking system;
identifying camera operating parameters of the optical sensor for the first image;
determining a motion of the optical sensor for the first image;
determining a motion blur level of the first image based on the camera operating parameters of the optical sensor and the motion of the optical sensor;
detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within a motion blur threshold; and
in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within the motion blur threshold, adjusting the camera operating parameters by increasing an exposure time of the optical sensor and decreasing an ISO value of the optical sensor.
1. A method comprising:
accessing a first image generated by an optical sensor of a visual tracking system;
identifying camera operating parameters of the optical sensor for the first image;
determining, using the visual tracking system, a motion of the optical sensor for the first image;
determining a motion blur level of the first image based only on the camera operating parameters of the optical sensor and the motion of the optical sensor;
detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds a motion blur threshold; and
in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds the motion blur threshold, adjusting an exposure time of the optical sensor and an ISO value of the optical sensor based on the motion blur level of the first image.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the motion of the optical sensor comprises: retrieving inertial sensor data from an inertial sensor of the visual tracking system, the inertial sensor data corresponding to the first image; and determining an angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data, wherein the motion blur level is further based on the angular velocity of the visual tracking system without analyzing a content of the first image.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the motion of the optical sensor comprises: retrieving inertial sensor data from an inertial sensor of the visual tracking system, the inertial sensor data corresponding to the first image; and determining an angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data, wherein the motion blur level is further based on the angular velocity of the visual tracking system without analyzing a content of the first image.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the motion of the optical sensor comprises: accessing VIO data from a VIO system of the visual tracking system, the VIO data comprising an estimated angular velocity of the optical sensor, an estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and locations of feature points in the first image, and wherein the motion blur level is based on the camera operating parameters and the VIO data without analyzing a content of the first image, wherein the motion blur in different areas of the first image is based on the estimated angular velocity, the estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and the locations of 3D feature points in corresponding different areas of the first image with respect to the optical sensor.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, using the visual tracking system, the motion of the optical sensor for the first image comprises: accessing VIO data from the visual tracking system, the VIO data comprising an estimated angular velocity of the optical sensor, an estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and locations of feature points in the first image, wherein the motion blur in different areas of the first image is based on the estimated angular velocity, the estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and the locations of 3D feature points in corresponding different areas of the first image with respect to the optical sensor.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising: sampling the angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during the exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the sampled angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising: sampling the angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during an exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the sampled angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
5. The method of claim 2, further comprising: identifying a maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during the exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
5. The method of claim 2, further comprising: identifying a maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during an exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera operating parameters comprise a combination of the exposure time of the optical sensor, a field of view of the optical sensor, the ISO value of the optical sensor, and an image resolution.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera operating parameters comprise a combination of the exposure time of the optical sensor, a field of view of the optical sensor, the ISO value of the optical sensor, and an image resolution.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds the motion blur threshold; and in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds the motion blur threshold, decreasing the exposure time of the optical sensor and increasing the ISO value of the optical sensor.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the exposure time of the optical sensor and the ISO value of the optical sensor based on the motion blur level of the first image comprises: decreasing the exposure time of the optical sensor and increasing the ISO value of the optical sensor.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds a predefined maximum ISO value; and in response to detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds the predefined maximum ISO value, adjusting the increased ISO value to the predefined maximum ISO value.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds a predefined maximum ISO value; and in response to detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds the predefined maximum ISO value, adjusting the increased ISO value to the predefined maximum ISO value.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accessing a second image generated by the optical sensor that is operating with the adjusted camera operating parameters; and identifying a feature in the second image.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising: detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within the motion blur threshold; and in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within the motion blur threshold, increasing the exposure time of the optical sensor and decreasing the ISO value of the optical sensor.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accessing a second image generated by the optical sensor that is operating with the increased exposure time and decreased the ISO value; and identifying a pose of the optical sensor corresponding to the second image and a feature in the second image.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: accessing a second image generated by the optical sensor that is operating with the adjusted camera operating parameters; and identifying a feature in the second image.
11. A visual tracking system comprising: an optical sensor; a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the visual tracking system to perform operations comprising: accessing a first image generated by the optical sensor; identifying camera operating parameters of the optical sensor for the first image; determining a motion of the optical sensor for the first image; determining a motion blur level of the first image based on the camera operating parameters of the optical sensor and the motion of the optical sensor; detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within a motion blur threshold; and in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within the motion blur threshold, adjusting the camera operating parameters by increasing an exposure time of the optical sensor and decreasing an ISO value of the optical sensor.
11. A computing apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to perform operations comprising: accessing a first image generated by an optical sensor of a visual tracking system; identifying camera operating parameters of the optical sensor for the first image; determining, using the visual tracking system, a motion of the optical sensor for the first image; determining a motion blur level of the first image based only on the camera operating parameters of the optical sensor and the motion of the optical sensor; detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds a motion blur threshold; and in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds the motion blur threshold, adjusting an exposure time of the optical sensor and an ISO value of the optical sensor based on the motion blur level of the first image.
12. The visual tracking system of claim 11, wherein determining the motion of the optical sensor comprises: retrieving inertial sensor data from an inertial sensor of the visual tracking system, the inertial sensor data corresponding to the first image; and determining an angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data, wherein the motion blur level is further based on the angular velocity of the visual tracking system without analyzing a content of the first image.
12. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein determining the motion of the optical sensor comprises: retrieving inertial sensor data from an inertial sensor of the visual tracking system, the inertial sensor data corresponding to the first image; and determining an angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data, wherein the motion blur level is further based on the angular velocity of the visual tracking system without analyzing a content of the first image.
13. The visual tracking system of claim 11, wherein determining the motion of the optical sensor comprises: accessing VIO data from a VIO system of the visual tracking system, the VIO data comprising an estimated angular velocity of the optical sensor, an estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and locations of feature points in the first image, and wherein the motion blur level is based on the camera operating parameters and the VIO data without analyzing a content of the first image, wherein the motion blur in different areas of the first image is based on the estimated angular velocity, the estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and the locations of 3D feature points in corresponding different areas of the first image with respect to the optical sensor.
13. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein determining, using the visual tracking system, the motion of the optical sensor for the first image comprises: accessing VIO data from the visual tracking system, the VIO data comprising an estimated angular velocity of the optical sensor, an estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and locations of feature points in the first image, wherein the motion blur in different areas of the first image is based on the estimated angular velocity, the estimated linear velocity of the optical sensor, and the locations of 3D feature points in corresponding different areas of the first image with respect to the optical sensor.
14. The visual tracking system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise: sampling the angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during the exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the sampled angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
14. The computing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise: sampling the angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during an exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the sampled angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
15. The visual tracking system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise: identifying a maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during the exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
15. The computing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise: identifying a maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system based on the inertial sensor data during an exposure time of the first image, wherein the motion blur level in the first image is determined based on the maximum angular velocity of the visual tracking system and the camera operating parameters.
16. The visual tracking system of claim 11, wherein the camera operating parameters comprise a combination of the exposure time of the optical sensor, a field of view of the optical sensor, the ISO value of the optical sensor, and an image resolution.
16. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the camera operating parameters comprise a combination of the exposure time of the optical sensor, a field of view of the optical sensor, the ISO value of the optical sensor, and an image resolution.
17. The visual tracking system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise: detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds the motion blur threshold; and in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds the motion blur threshold, decreasing the exposure time of the optical sensor and increasing the ISO value of the optical sensor.
17. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein adjusting the exposure time of the optical sensor and the ISO value of the optical sensor based on the motion blur level of the first image comprises: decreasing the exposure time of the optical sensor and increasing the ISO value of the optical sensor.
18. The visual tracking system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise: detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds a predefined maximum ISO value; and in response to detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds the predefined maximum ISO value, adjusting the increased ISO value to the predefined maximum ISO value.
18. The computing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise: detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds a predefined maximum ISO value; and in response to detecting that the increased ISO value exceeds the predefined maximum ISO value, adjusting the increased ISO value to the predefined maximum ISO value.
19. The visual tracking system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: accessing a second image generated by the optical sensor that is operating with the adjusted camera operating parameters; and identifying a feature in the second image.
19. The computing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise: detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within the motion blur threshold; and in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image is within the motion blur threshold, increasing the exposure time of the optical sensor and decreasing the ISO value of the optical sensor.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising: access a first image generated by an optical sensor of a visual tracking system; identify camera operating parameters of the optical sensor for the first image; determine a motion of the optical sensor for the first image; determine a motion blur level of the first image based on the camera operating parameters of the optical sensor and the motion of the optical sensor; and adjust the camera operating parameters of the optical sensor based on the motion blur level.
20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising: accessing a first image generated by an optical sensor of a visual tracking system; identifying camera operating parameters of the optical sensor for the first image; determining, using the visual tracking system, a motion of the optical sensor for the first image; determining a motion blur level of the first image based only on the camera operating parameters of the optical sensor and the motion of the optical sensor; detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds a motion blur threshold; and in response to detecting that the motion blur level of the first image exceeds the motion blur threshold, adjusting an exposure time of the optical sensor and an ISO value of the optical sensor based on the motion blur level of the first image.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fayez Bhuiyan whose telephone number is 571-270-1562. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Thursday (9am-4pm).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached on 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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/FAYEZ BHUIYAN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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