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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/4/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the claims on 7/31/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
1. Claim(s) 1, 7, 11, 12, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application 2015/0208050, Pawlak et al. (hereinafter Pawlak).
2. Regarding Claim 1, Pawlak discloses A control device comprising:
a processor ([0087], “The control portion 30 realizes functions of a projection control portion 31, a detection control portion 32, an emission control portion 33, and a calibration control portion 39 by reading and executes the control program 111 recorded in the storage portion 110.” Processor/control device),
wherein the processor is configured to instruct a projection device to project a first image including a plurality of markers for adjusting a projection position ([0096], “FIG. 3 is an example of the auto calibration image 121 (image for calibration). A plurality of marks (symbols) are arranged in the auto calibration image 121 at a predetermined interval.” [0098], “The calibration control portion 39 operates the image processing portion 40 and the projecting portion 20 based on the auto calibration image 121 stored in the storage portion 110 by the function of the projection control portion 31, and projects the auto calibration image 121 on the screen SC.” [0095], “The auto calibration is a process of projecting an image for the auto calibration on the screen SC, capturing the screen SC with the imaging portion 51, and generating calibration data by using the data of the captured image.” Processor instructs projector to project first image (auto calibration image 121) containing plurality of markers (marks/symbols) for adjusting projection position.),
perform a first detection process of detecting the plurality of markers based on first captured image data that is obtained by capturing a projection image of the first image (Fig. 7: Step S103: “Detect Marks and Perform Calibration”; [0114], “The calibration control portion 39 causes the imaging portion 51 to capture the "5X5" auto calibration image 121 in a state of being projected on the screen SC by the projecting portion 20 (Step S102). The calibration control portion 39 causes the position detection portion 50 to detect the marks the data from the captured image, and to execute the calibration by calculating the coordinates of the marks (Step S103).” [0115], “Here, the calibration control portion 39 determines whether the processes of Step S103 succeed (Step S104).” First detection process: detect plurality of markers from first captured image data.), and
perform a second detection process of detecting, in a case where there is an undetected marker that is not detected in the first detection process, at least the undetected marker ([0015], “For example, it is determined that the processes do not succeed (fails) when the number of detected marks or associated marks is less than a set threshold value.” [0116], “If it is determined that the calibration using the "5x5" auto calibration image 121 fails (Step S103; No), the calibration control portion 39 stores an error log as a first log, in the storage portion 110 (Step S105), and proceeds to Step S106. In addition, if it is determined that the calibration succeeds (Step S104; Yes), the calibration control portion 39 proceeds to Step S106.” Also [0117]-[0118], Fig. 7: Steps S106-A108: “Select ‘4x4a’ Auto Calibration Image” -> “Project and Capture Image”-> “Detect Marks and Perform Calibration.” Second detection process: when first detection fails (undetected markers), system selects second calibration image and detects markers from second captured image.).
3. Regarding Claim 7, Pawlak discloses The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to, as the second detection process,
instruct the projection device to project a third image including a plurality of markers
in which at least any one of a position, an orientation, or a shape is different from a position, an
orientation, or a shape of the plurality of markers in the first image ([0117], “the calibration control portion 39 selects the second auto calibration image 121. According to the present embodiment, the "4x4a" auto calibration image 121 is selected. The auto calibration image 121 is an image in which marks in 4 rows and 4 columns are arranged as illustrated in FIG. 8B, and an image of which the arrangement state (size, shape, position, or the like) of the marks is "5x5" is a different auto calibration image 121.” Second calibration image has different position/shape from first (5x5) image. [0123], “the calibration control portion 39 selects the "4.times.4b" auto calibration image 121… in which 4 rows and 4 columns of marks are included in the same manner as "4.times.4a" but the arrangement state (size, shape, position, and the like) of the marks is different from "4x4a". That is, the respective marks are associated with different coordinates.” Third image (‘4x4b’) has markers with different position/shape from both the first and second images- directly mapping to “at least any one of position, orientation, or shape is different.”), and
perform a detection process of the undetected marker based on third captured image
data that is obtained by capturing a projection image of the third image ([0124], “The calibration control portion 39 causes the imaging portion 51 to execute capturing the "4x4b" auto calibration image 121 in a state of being projected on the screen SC by the projecting portion 20 (Step S114). The calibration control portion 39 causes the position detection portion 50 to defect marks from the data of the captured image and executes the calibration by calculating the coordinates of the marks (Step S115).” Fig. 7 (Steps S113-S115): “Select ‘4x4b’ Calibration Image” -> “Project and Capture Image” -> “Detect Marks and Perform Calibration.” Detection process performed on third captured image data).
4. Regarding Claim 11, Pawlak discloses A projection system comprising the control device according to claim 1 and a projection Device ([0037], “The projection system 1 includes a projector 10 installed, on the upper side of a screen SC (projection surface).” [0141], “the projector 10 according to the present embodiment to which the invention is applied includes the projecting portion 20, the position detection portion 50, and the control portion 30.” Projection system comprising control device and projection device).
5. Claim 12 is a method claim, rejected with respect to the same limitation rejected in device claim 1.
6. Regarding Claim 13, Pawlak discloses A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a control program of a control device for causing a processor of the control device to execute a process comprising ([0059], “The control portion 30 controls respective portions of the projector 10 by executing a predetermined control program 111. The storage portion 110 stores the control program 111 executed by the control portion 30 and data, processed by the control portion 30 in a non-volatile manner.”):
instructing a projection device to project a first image including a plurality of markers
for adjusting a projection position ([0096], “FIG. 3 is an example of the auto calibration image 121 (image for calibration). A plurality of marks (symbols) are arranged in the auto calibration image 121 at a predetermined interval.” [0098], “The calibration control portion 39 operates the image processing portion 40 and the projecting portion 20 based on the auto calibration image 121 stored in the storage portion 110 by the function of the projection control portion 31, and projects the auto calibration image 121 on the screen SC.” [0095], “The auto calibration is a process of projecting an image for the auto calibration on the screen SC, capturing the screen SC with the imaging portion 51, and generating calibration data by using the data of the captured image.” Processor instructs projector to project first image (auto calibration image 121) containing plurality of markers (marks/symbols) for adjusting projection position.),
performing a first detection process of detecting the plurality of markers based on first
captured image data that is obtained by capturing a projection image of the first image (Fig. 7: Step S103: “Detect Marks and Perform Calibration”; [0114], “The calibration control portion 39 causes the imaging portion 51 to capture the "5X5" auto calibration image 121 in a state of being projected on the screen SC by the projecting portion 20 (Step S102). The calibration control portion 39 causes the position detection portion 50 to detect the marks the data from the captured image, and to execute the calibration by calculating the coordinates of the marks (Step S103).” [0115], “Here, the calibration control portion 39 determines whether the processes of Step S103 succeed (Step S104).” First detection process: detect plurality of markers from first captured image data.), and
performing a second detection process of detecting, in a case where there is an
undetected marker that is not detected in the first detection process, at least the undetected
marker ([0015], “For example, it is determined that the processes do not succeed (fails) when the number of detected marks or associated marks is less than a set threshold value.” [0116], “If it is determined that the calibration using the "5x5" auto calibration image 121 fails (Step S103; No), the calibration control portion 39 stores an error log as a first log, in the storage portion 110 (Step S105), and proceeds to Step S106. In addition, if it is determined that the calibration succeeds (Step S104; Yes), the calibration control portion 39 proceeds to Step S106.” Also [0117]-[0118], Fig. 7: Steps S106-A108: “Select ‘4x4a’ Auto Calibration Image” -> “Project and Capture Image”-> “Detect Marks and Perform Calibration.” Second detection process: when first detection fails (undetected markers), system selects second calibration image and detects markers from second captured image.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 8-10 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:
2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein a color of the marker is a first color corresponding to a first wavelength range, the processor is configured to perform, as the second detection process, a detection process of the undetected marker based on first color image data consisting of a component of the first color in the first captured image data and second color image data consisting of a component of a second color in the first captured image data, and the second color is a color corresponding to a second wavelength range that partially overlaps with the first wavelength range.
The second detection uses two color image data sets extracted from the SAME first captured image- specifically the first color component and second color component of that same image- where the second color partially overlaps in wavelength with the first color.
2015//0208050 Pawlak: Uses monochromatic binary or grayscale data ([0100]) – no color component separation
8,696,140: Uses first and second wavelength band for separate pickup images (two separate captures), not components of the same captured iame, and for keystone/position calibration, not undetected marker recovery
JP 2019-114889: ISR confirms this does not teach claim 2’s color-based limitation.
Claims 3 dependents on claim 2.
Claim 4 dependents on claim 3.
5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to, as the second detection process, instruct the projection device to project a second image including a marker
obtained by excluding the undetected marker from the plurality of markers, and perform a detection process of the undetected marker based on the first captured image data and second captured image data that is obtained by capturing a projection image of the second image.
2015//0208050 Pawlak: Projects second/third calibration images with different arrangemtns of the same markers-does NOT exclude the undetected marker. Also uses only the second captured image alone for the second detection, NOT a combination of first + second captured iamge data together.
10,244,197: Uses first captured image to narrow search area for second detection-close but uses position of detected markers to guide second detection, NOT exclusion of undetected markers from second image.
8,212,945: Identifies dots not projected onto display surface and adds synthetic dots to fill gaps- conceptually related but approaches it from synthetic addition, not exclusion-based second projection.
Claim 6 dependents on claim 5.
8. The control device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of markers included in the third image are disposed to avoid a thing present on a projection surface for the projection image of the first image.
2015//0208050 Pawlak: THe third image (‘4X4b’) has markers at different positions- but repositioning is based on coordinate association accuracy, not on detecting and avoiding an obstacle. No obstacle detection drives marker placement.
7292,252: Teaches detecting obstacles on the projection surface and adjusting the projection area to avoid them- but does not teach repositioning calibration markers in a third calibration image to avoid obstacle. THe adjustment is to the projected content, not to calibration makers.
JP 2019-114889: ISR confirms does not teach claim 8.
Claim 9 dependents on claim 8.
10. The control device according to claim 7, wherein there are reference points corresponding to the plurality of markers in the first image, and
the plurality of markers in the third image are in a relationship, in which at least any one of movement, rotation, or deformation is performed on at least the undetected marker in the first image with reference to the reference points, with the undetected marker.
Closest reference but falls short
2015//0208050 Pawlak: [0117], The ‘4X4a’ second image has marks at positions different from the ‘5x5’ first image. [0123], The ‘4x4b’ third image has marks at positions different from ‘4x4a’- “the respective marks are associated with different coordinates.”
Pawlak discloses that third image markers have different positions/shapes- but there is no teaching of a specific geometric relationship (movement, rotation, or deformation) relative to reference points of the first image markers. The repositioning is dimply to different coordinates, not derived via a geometric transformation relative to reference points.
JP 2019-114889 and JP 2019169915
The ISR explicitly stated Claim 10’s limitation- is “not disclosed or suggested in any cited reference.”
Conclusion
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/OMER KHALID/Examiner, Art Unit 2422
/BRIAN P YENKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2422
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