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 . 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 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. There are a total of 5 claims and claims 1-5 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/10/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maharshi et al. ( US 2021/0223664 A1) in view of Peng (US 2013/0308036 A1 ).
Regarding claim 1, Maharshi discloses a depth map generation system that generates a depth map based on a plurality of captured images acquired by using an imaging device including a diaphragm unit in which a coded aperture is formed by a liquid crystal panel, the plurality of captured images including at least a first frame, a second frame acquired after acquisition of the first frame, and a third frame acquired after acquisition of the second frame, the depth map generation system comprising([para 0059 and 0112]- generating (1032) a first depth map from at least the first additional image (in various embodiments generating the first depth map (753) includes using one or more additional images captured by other cameras (110) at the same time the first additional image is captured in addition to the first additional image to generate the first depth map (753), said one or more additional images being captured by additional cameras (110)):
However, Maharshi does not disclose a combination unit configured to acquire a combined frame based on the first frame and the third frame; and a depth map generation unit configured to generate a depth map based on the combined frame and the second frame.
In an analogous art, Peng discloses a combination unit configured to acquire a combined frame based on the first frame and the third frame; and a depth map generation unit configured to generate a depth map based on the combined frame and the second frame([0080-0081];[0084];[0093]- processing circuitry 50 may combine the image frame at focus position N+1 with the image frame at focus position N to generate a combined image frame. If desired, processing circuitry 50 may combine image frame N+1 with image frame N using predetermined rules. For example, processing circuitry 50 may combine image frame N+1 and image frame N based on depth map information (e.g., as determined at step 126) by combing image data from image frames N and N+1 corresponding to objects separated from image sensor 16 by a selected distance). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Peng to the modified system of Maharshi an imaging systems with stacked-chip image sensors and adjustable lens systems and the adjustable lens system may pass light from a scene onto the image pixels at a number of focus positions. The image pixels may capture a focus bracket of image frames at a capture frame rate for light passed by the adjustable lens system at two or more of the focus positions. The processing circuitry may combine a set of image frames in the focus bracket to generate a focused image. The focused image may have one or more portions of the captured scene in focus. The processing circuitry may output the focused image to off-chip image processing circuitry at an output frame rate that is less than the capture frame rate to provide improved imaging systems with enhanced image focusing capabilities [Peng; abstract].
Regarding claim 3, Peng discloses wherein the combination unit generates the combined frame by averaging a pixel value of each pixel of the first frame and a pixel value of each pixel of the third frame corresponding to each pixel of the first frame([0080-0081];[0084];[0093]- processing circuitry 50 may combine the image frame at focus position N+1 with the image frame at focus position N to generate a combined image frame. If desired, processing circuitry 50 may combine image frame N+1 with image frame N using predetermined rules. For example, processing circuitry 50 may combine image frame N+1 and image frame N based on depth map information (e.g., as determined at step 126) by combing image data from image frames N and N+1 corresponding to objects separated from image sensor 16 by a selected distance).
Regarding claim 4, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1. Hence; all limitations for claim 4 have been met in claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1. Hence; all limitations for claim 5 have been met in claim 1.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maharshi in view of Peng as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Zhou et al. (NPL- Coded Aperture Paid for Depth from Defocus and Defocus; Pub. 2009 ).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Maharshi and Peng do not explicitly disclose wherein the diaphragm unit is a liquid crystal panel in which the coded aperture is formed such that an aperture pattern is switchable, and the first frame and the third frame are images captured using the coded aperture having a common aperture pattern.
In an analogous art, Zhou discloses wherein the diaphragm unit is a liquid crystal panel in which the coded aperture is formed such that an aperture pattern is switchable, and the first frame and the third frame are images captured using the coded aperture having a common aperture pattern ([pg. 14, left column]- two cameras using a half-mirror. A more compact implementation would be to use a programmable LCD or DMD aperture within a single camera to alternate between the two aperture patterns in quick succession and also see [pg. 5, right column]- all aperture patterns must be broadband. Since this property is much easier to satisfy by using more than one aperture pattern, multiple defocused images with different PSFs are better). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Zhou to the modified system of Maharshi and Peng photography have given rise to a new breed of digital imaging tools. By acquiring greater or more informative scene data, various forms of post-capture photo processing can be applied to improve image quality or alter scene appearance [Zhou; Introduction].
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art are made of record and not relied upon but considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
1. Atanassov et al., US 2020/0096640 A1, discloses systems and methods for structured light systems, and specifically to reducing interference in structured light systems.
2. Kim et. al., US 2020/0051265 A1, discloses an electronic device having a plurality of cameras.
3. Park et al., US 2019/0114832 A1, discloses an image processing method and apparatus estimates a depth value using a monocular camera in order to reconstruct a three-dimensional (3D) image.
4. Price et al., US 2019/0058859 A1, discloses a technique involving localized depth map generation, the techniques including receiving pixel data for a frame captured by an image sensor.
5. Marimon et al., US 2013/0286017 A1, discloses depth maps that are generated with the method of the invention can be used both for directly viewing 2D images in a 3D system and for transmitting video files incorporating information relating to its three-dimensional viewing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MD NAZMUL HAQUE whose telephone number is (571)272-5328. The examiner can normally be reached IFW.
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/MD N HAQUE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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