DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
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 .
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 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); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,407,943 B1. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both sets of claims are directed towards a method of a plurality of cameras within an autonomous vehicle generating a cropped frame based on a first and second area of focus. The claims within the instant application are found to be anticipatory by Patent U.S. 12,407,943 B1 because the patented claims include all the limitations as currently recited within the instant application. Should be noted the bolded language in the table below is subject matter that is the same/similar in the instant application.
Instant Application Patent ‘943
Claim 1 - A method, comprising: selecting, by a first camera of an autonomous vehicle, a first area of focus for a first frame generated by the first camera; selecting, by a second camera of the autonomous vehicle, a second area of focus for a second frame generated by the second camera by matching the first area of focus for the first frame; and generating, by the first camera from the first frame-a first cropped frame based on the first area of focus.
Claim 1 - A method, comprising: selecting, by a first camera of an autonomous vehicle, a first area of focus for a first frame generated by the first camera; selecting, by a second camera of the autonomous vehicle, a second area of focus for a second frame generated by the second camera by matching the first area of focus for the first frame; generating, by the first camera from the first frame, a first downsampled frame and a first cropped frame, wherein the first cropped frame is based on the first area of focus; and generating, by the second camera from the second frame, a second downsampled frame and a second cropped frame, wherein the second cropped frame is based on the second area of focus.
Claim 2 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the second area of focus comprises selecting, based on one or more models, as the second area of focus, a portion of the second frame matching the first area of focus, wherein the first camera and the second camera are in a stereoscopic configuration.
Claim 2 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the second area of focus comprises selecting, based on one or more models, as the second area of focus, a portion of the second frame matching the first area of focus.
Claim 3 - The method of claim 1, wherein the first camera and the second camera are in a stereoscopic configuration.
Claim 3 - The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the first camera from the first frame a first downsampled frame, and generating, by the second camera from the second frame, a second downsampled frame and a second cropped frame, wherein the second cropped frame is based on the second area of focus.
Claim 1 - A method, comprising: selecting, by a first camera of an autonomous vehicle, a first area of focus for a first frame generated by the first camera; selecting, by a second camera of the autonomous vehicle, a second area of focus for a second frame generated by the second camera by matching the first area of focus for the first frame; generating, by the first camera from the first frame, a first downsampled frame and a first cropped frame, wherein the first cropped frame is based on the first area of focus; and generating, by the second camera from the second frame, a second downsampled frame and a second cropped frame, wherein the second cropped frame is based on the second area of focus.
Claim 4 - The method of claim 3, further comprising: providing, to an automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame instead of the first frame; and providing, to the automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame instead of the second frame.
Claim 4 - The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing, to an automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame instead of the first frame; and providing, to the automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame instead of the second frame.
Claim 5 - The method of claim 4, wherein the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame are provided via a first data link having the first camera at a first end and the automation computing system at a second end, and wherein the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame are provided via a second data link having the second camera at a third end and the automation computing system at a fourth end.
Claim 5 - The method of claim 4, wherein the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame are provided via a first data link having the first camera at a first end and the automation computing system at a second end, and wherein the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame are provided via a second data link having the second camera at a third end and the automation computing system at a fourth end.
Claim 6 - The method of claim 1, wherein the first camera and the second camera are included in a pair of cameras of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a plurality of pairs of cameras including the pair of cameras.
Claim 6 - The method of claim 1, wherein the first camera and the second camera are included in a pair of cameras of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a plurality of pairs of cameras including the pair of cameras.
Claim 7 - The method of claim 6, wherein each pair of cameras of the plurality of pairs of cameras correspond to a different facing of the autonomous vehicle.
Claim 7 - The method of claim 6, wherein each pair of cameras of the plurality of pairs of cameras correspond to a different facing of the autonomous vehicle.
Claim 8 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest spatial density.
Claim 8 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest spatial density.
Claim 9 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest object density.
Claim 9 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest object density.
Claim 10 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having one or more of: a degree of motion exceeding a threshold or a highest degree of motion.
Claim 10 - The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having one or more of: a degree of motion exceeding a threshold or a highest degree of motion.
Claim 11 - An autonomous vehicle, comprising: an automation computing system including; a first camera configured to: select a first area of focus for a first frame generated by the first camera; generate a first cropped frame based on the first area of focus; and a second camera configured to: select a second area of focus for a second frame generated by the second camera by matching the first area of focus for the first frame.
Claim 11 - An autonomous vehicle, comprising: an automation computing system; a first camera configured to: select a first area of focus for a first frame generated by the first camera; generate a first downsampled frame and a first cropped frame, wherein the first cropped frame is based on the first area of focus; a second camera configured to: select a second area of focus for a second frame generated by the second camera by matching the first area of focus for the first frame; and generate a second downsampled frame and a second cropped frame, wherein the second cropped frame is based on the second area of focus.
Claim 12 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the second area of focus comprises selecting, based on one or more models, as the second area of focus, a portion of the second frame matching the first area of focus, wherein the first camera and the second camera are in a stereoscopic configuration.
Claim 12 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the second area of focus comprises selecting, based on one or more models, as the second area of focus, a portion of the second frame matching the first area of focus.
Claim 13 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first camera and the second camera are in a stereoscopic configuration.
Claim 13 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein: the first camera is configured to generate a first downsampled frame, and the second camera is configured to generate a second downsampled frame and a second cropped frame, wherein the second cropped frame is based on the second area of focus
Claim 11 - An autonomous vehicle, comprising: an automation computing system; a first camera configured to: select a first area of focus for a first frame generated by the first camera; generate a first downsampled frame and a first cropped frame, wherein the first cropped frame is based on the first area of focus; a second camera configured to: select a second area of focus for a second frame generated by the second camera by matching the first area of focus for the first frame; and generate a second downsampled frame and a second cropped frame, wherein the second cropped frame is based on the second area of focus.
Claim 14 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 13:wherein the first camera is further configured to provide, to an automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame instead of the first frame; and wherein the second camera is further configured to provide, to the automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame instead of the second frame.
Claim 14 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11: wherein the first camera is further configured to provide, to an automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame instead of the first frame; and wherein the second camera is further configured to provide, to the automation computing system of the autonomous vehicle, the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame instead of the second frame.
Claim 15 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame are provided via a first data link having the first camera at a first end and the automation computing system at a second end, and wherein the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame are provided via a second data link having the second camera at a third end and the automation computing system at a fourth end.
Claim 15 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 14, wherein the first downsampled frame and the first cropped frame are provided via a first data link having the first camera at a first end and the automation computing system at a second end, and wherein the second downsampled frame and the second cropped frame are provided via a second data link having the second camera at a third end and the automation computing system at a fourth end.
Claim 16 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first camera and the second camera are included in a pair of cameras of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a plurality of pairs of cameras including the pair of cameras.
Claim 16 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first camera and the second camera are included in a pair of cameras of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a plurality of pairs of cameras including the pair of cameras.
Claim 17 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 16, wherein each pair of cameras of the plurality of pairs of cameras correspond to a different facing of the autonomous vehicle.
Claim 17 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 16, wherein each pair of cameras of the plurality of pairs of cameras correspond to a different facing of the autonomous vehicle.
Claim 18 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest spatial density.
Claim 18 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest spatial density.
Claim 19 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest object density.
Claim 19 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having a highest object density.
Claim 20 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having one or more of: a degree of motion exceeding a threshold or a highest degree of motion.
Claim 20 - The autonomous vehicle of claim 11, wherein selecting the first area of focus comprises selecting, as the first area of focus, an area of the first frame having one or more of: a degree of motion exceeding a threshold or a highest degree of motion.
Conclusion
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/JOHN H MOREHEAD III/Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/TWYLER L HASKINS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2639
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