DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to 07/22/2026.
Claims 1-17 are pending.
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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 18/527,718, filed on 12/04/2023.
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) 1-4 and 6-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tahara et al. (US Pub. 2024/0171853), hereinafter Tahara, in view of Okada (US Patent 11,070,716 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Tahara discloses a control apparatus (camera control unit CCU 15-see fig. 1) configured to communicate with an imaging unit (camera 11-see fig. 1) including a display unit (viewfinder 23-see fig. 1), the control apparatus comprising: a memory storing instructions (see figs. 3 and 23 with further description in [0206]-[0214]); and at least one processor (CPU 52-see fig. 1) configured to execute the instructions to: communicate with the imaging unit (see fig. 1-CCU 15 communicates with camera 11 via camera cable 14); acquire identification information indicating a type of an operation member connected to the control apparatus (the camera 11 includes a body portion 21 and a lens 22 (example of an operation member) attached to the body 21 (see [0049]). The lens 22 supplies lens information regarding the lens to the CPU 33 (see [0052 and [0087]), camera metadata generation unit 73 generates camera metadata including the lens information, and outputs the camera metadata to CPU 52 of the CCU 15 (see [0089])); generate display data for the display unit (see [0057] and [0062]-CPU 52 outputs recognition metadata to camera 11 to be superimposed on live-view image by CPU 33 of camera 11), based on the type of the operation member indicated by the identification information (image displayed in the viewfinder 23 is based on image captured using the lens 22-see [0051]); and transmit the display data to the imaging unit (CCU 15 communicates with camera 11 via cable 14, and camera CPU 33 controls display of information to be superimposed on live-view image in the viewfinder 23 based on recognition metadata and control signals from CCU 15-see [0053], [0057], and [0061]-[0062]).
Tahara does not appear to expressly disclose acquire display information indicating display ability of the display unit from the imaging unit and generate display data for the display unit based on the information.
Okada, for example in fig. 1, illustrates an image sensor system 1 having an image sensor 50 (control apparatus) associated with a camera 60 (see fig. 2) that is in communication with several operation terminals 10, the operation terminals display information of the image sensor included in received data on a respective terminal monitor 20 (see fig. 2) with a screen layout included in the data received from the image sensor (see [col. 5, ll. 15-19]), wherein, a CPU 501 of the image sensor acquires information of each operation terminal (such as operating system, information on browser used, information on device name, screen size or resolution of monitor 20 (of each operation terminal 10-see fig. 2), and the like (collectively referred to as examples of performance information of the operation terminal-see [col. 7, ll. 48-col. 8, ll. 8]) in advance and stores the information in HDD 503 (see fig. 2 and [col. 5, ll. 32-36]), and generate display data for each terminal according to, at least the screen layout of the terminal type (e.g., PC, tablet, smartphone etc. (see [col. 5, ll. 32-col. 7, ll. 38]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Okada with the inventions of Tahara by generating display data for a display monitor based on the display monitor ability, as taught by Okada, in order to display the image sensor information with screen layout that is easy for the user to see (see [col. 8, ll. 40-49]).
Regarding claim 2, Okada is further relied upon to teach wherein the display information about the display ability includes information about a display range of the display unit (device information for operation terminal 10 acquired by CPU 501 of image sensor 50 includes information on a screen size or resolution of the monitor-see [col. 7, ll. 59-65]).
Regarding claim 3, Okada is further relied upon to teach wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the display data further based on information indicating a position of the display unit (see [col. 11, ll. 3-10]).
Regarding claim 4, Okada is further relied upon to teach wherein the memory stores a table that associates the display information with content of the display data, and the at least one processor is configured to generate the display data further based on the table (see, for example, [col. 5, ll. 32-56], which teaches that HDD 503 of image sensor 50 stores information in advance about a condition specifying a type of a device of the operation terminal 10, and, for example fig. 3 with description in [col. 6, ll. 4-col. 7, ll. 38], which further teaches that information is displayed on each operation terminal 10 depending on the type of device (tablet, smartphone, or PC)).
Regarding claim 6, Okada is further relied upon to teach wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine an item of the display data further based on the display information (see, for example, fig. 3 with description in [col. 6, ll. 4-67], wherein information or content is displayed on each operation terminal 10 depending on the type of device (tablet, smartphone, or PC)).
Regarding claim 7, Okada is further relied upon to teach wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the display data further based on information about display data of another display unit (see figs. 1 and 3).
Regarding claim 8, Okada is further relied upon to teach wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the display data so as not to duplicate display data of another display unit (see fig. 3 and, for example, [col. 6, ll. 19-23]-display information for each terminal is generated based on a combination of a category of user (e.g., designer, line manager, or site operator) and operation terminal type (PC, tablet, smartphone), i.e., only information relevant to the particular combination is displayed for each terminal).
Regarding claim 9, Tahara discloses wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the display data further based on information displayed on the display unit (see, for example, fig. fig. 22 with description in [0053], [0057], and [0188]-[0190], which illustrates additional metadata generated and superimposed on a video signal displayed on a monitor (e.g., monitor 17 or viewfinder 23)).
Regarding claim 10, Tahara discloses an image pickup system comprising: the control apparatus according to claim 1; and the imaging unit (camera 11-see fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Tahara discloses wherein the control apparatus is included in one of a lens apparatus, an image pickup apparatus, an operating apparatus, a display apparatus, or a video engineering apparatus (see fig. 1, [0048], and [0053]-camera control unit 15), and the imaging unit is included in another of the lens apparatus, the image pickup apparatus, the operating apparatus, the display apparatus, or the video engineering apparatus (camera 11-see fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, Tahara discloses a control method (information processing method-see [0011]) in a control apparatus (camera control unit CCU 15-see fig. 1) configured to communicate with an imaging unit (camera 11-see fig. 1) including a display unit (viewfinder 23-see fig. 1), the control method comprising the steps of communicating with the imaging unit (see fig. 1-CCU 15 communicates with camera 11 via camera cable 14); acquiring identification information indicating a type of an operation member connected to the control apparatus (the camera 11 includes a body portion 21 and a lens 22 (example of an operation member) attached to the body 21 (see [0049]). The lens 22 supplies lens information regarding the lens to the CPU 33 (see [0052 and [0087]), camera metadata generation unit 73 generates camera metadata including the lens information, and outputs the camera metadata to CPU 52 of the CCU 15 (see [0089])); and generating display data for the display unit (see [0057] and [0062]-CPU 52 outputs recognition metadata to camera 11 to be superimposed on live-view image by CPU 33 of camera 11) based on the type of the operation member indicated by the identification information (image displayed in the viewfinder 23 is based on image captured using the lens 22-see [0051]); and transmitting the display data to the imaging unit (i.e., camera CPU 33 controls display of information to be superimposed on live-view image in the viewfinder 23 based on recognition metadata and control signals from CCU 15-see [0053], [0057], and [0061]-[0062]).
Tahara does not appear to expressly disclose acquiring display information indicating display ability of the display unit through communication with the imaging unit and generating display data for the display unit based on the display ability of the display unit indicated by the display information.
Okada, for example in fig. 1, illustrates an image sensor system 1 having an image sensor 50 (control apparatus) associated with a camera 60 (see fig. 2) that is in communication with several operation terminals 10, the operation terminals display information of the image sensor included in received data on a respective terminal monitor 20 (see fig. 2) with a screen layout included in the data received from the image sensor (see [col. 5, ll. 15-19]), wherein, a CPU 501 of the image sensor acquires information of each operation terminal (such as operating system, information on browser used, information on device name, screen size or resolution of monitor 20 (of each operation terminal 10-see fig. 2), and the like (collectively referred to as examples of performance information of the operation terminal-see [col. 7, ll. 48-col. 8, ll. 8]) in advance and stores the information in HDD 503 (see fig. 2 and [col. 5, ll. 32-36]), and generate display data for each terminal according to, at least the screen layout of the terminal type (e.g., PC, tablet, smartphone etc. (see [col. 5, ll. 32-col. 7, ll. 38]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Okada with the inventions of Tahara by generating display data for a display monitor based on the display monitor ability, as taught by Okada, in order to display the image sensor information with screen layout that is easy for the user to see (see [col. 8, ll. 40-49]).
Regarding claim 13, Tahara discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute the control method according to claim 12 (see [0206]-[0214]).
Regarding claim 14, Tahara in view of Okada teaches generating display data based on the display ability of the display unit indicated by the display information as in claim 1 above, and Tahara further discloses wherein the at least one processor is configured to: determine a candidate item of the display data based on the type of the operation member indicated by the identification information (see, for example, figs. 5-6 with description in [0083]-[0104], which disclose performing focus index processing and displaying the focus index).
Regarding claim 15, Tahara discloses wherein the operation member includes at least one of a zoom operation apparatus, a focus operation apparatus (lens 22-see fig. 1), or a video engineering remote controller (operation panel 16 (see [0061]) is used by a user such as a VE (Video Engineer), generates control signals based on user operations, and outputs the control signals to the CPU 52-see [0066]).
Regarding claim 16, Tahara in view of Okada teaches generating display data based on the display ability of the display unit indicated by the display information as in claim 1 above, and Tahara further discloses wherein the at least one processor is configured to: specify an imaging-operation function corresponding to the type of the operation member (imaging function is performed by a combination of imaging direction detection unit 72 and information processing unit 53 (see [0063] and [0071]), and camera metadata generation unit 73 generates camera metadata including imaging information direction, control information, and lens information of the camera, and outputs the information to the CPU 52-see [0072]).
Regarding claim 17, Tahara discloses wherein the display data item includes at least one of a zoom position, a zoom command value, a focus position, a focus command value, a depth of field, an aperture position, an aperture command value, a camera gain, an exposure time, or a filter setting (information includes focus index display processing (see figs. 5-6 and [0082]-[0105]), and recognition unit 131 also generates and updates a feature point map, wherein, a position of a future point map is represented by, for example, a direction based on the reference direction of the camera 11 and a distance in the depth direction).
Claim 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tahara in view of Okada and further in view of Tanaka et al. (US Pub. 2006/0008175), hereinafter Tanaka.
Regarding claim 5, Tahara in view of Okada does not appear to expressly teach wherein the table is changeable by an operator.
Tanaka is relied upon to teach wherein the table is changeable by an operator (see, for example, figs. 36-37 with description in [0169]-[0173], which illustrates a camera managing tool 371 and a screen of the camera managing tool displayed at a managing station 305 for managing information about the camera).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Tanaka with the inventions of Tahara and Okada such that information in a lookup table associating display ability with content of display data can be edited by an operator, as taught by Tanaka, which constitutes combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argued (see applicant remarks, pg. 5-6) that the applied references fail to teach or suggest the limitations “acquiring identification information indicating a type of an operation member connected to the control apparatus”.
The examiner respectfully disagrees for at least the following reasons: The primary reference Tahara teaches a camera 11 that includes a body portion 21 and a lens 22 (herein equated to an operation member) attached to the body portion 21, wherein, the lens 22 supplies lens information regarding the lens to the CPU 33 within the camara body 21 (see [0052 and [0087]), and camera metadata generation unit 73 (within CPU 33 of camera body 21-see fig. 2) generates camera metadata including the lens information, and outputs the camera metadata to CPU 52 of the CCU 15 (see [0089]), i.e., the CPU 52 of the CCU 15, is capable of acquiring information about any camera lens 22 attached to the body of the camera 11. Similarly, the operation panel 16, which may be used by a user such as a Video Engineer (see [0066]), is communicatively coupled to the CPU 52 (see [0048], [0061]-[0062], [0066], and [0084]). Tahara is silent about acquiring information indicating display ability of the display unit, but acquiring information indicating display ability of a display unit is readily available and taught by Okada in, for example, fig. 2 with description in [col. 7, ll. 48-col. 8, ll. 8]. The examiner therefore contends that the currently amended claims are still obvious in view of Tahara and Okada.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARDIS F AZONGHA whose telephone number is (571)270-7706. The examiner can normally be reached 10AM-7:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at (571)272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SARDIS F AZONGHA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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