throbber
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`15/366,408
`
`12/01/2016
`
`Tsutomu MUKAI
`
`PANDP0171USA
`
`1065
`
`MARK D. SARALINO (PAN)
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`19mm
`CLEVELAND, OHIO 441 15
`UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
`
`VIEAUX GARY C
`
`MW
`
`2662
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`05/1 1/2018
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`ipdoeket@rennerotto.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/366,408
`Examiner
`GARY C VIEAUX
`
`Applicant(s)
`MUKAI et al.
`Art Unit
`2662
`
`AIA Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 4/6/2018.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2a)D This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
`
`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabte. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11)[:] The drawing(s) filed on
`
`is/are: a)D accepted or b)l:] objected to by the Examiner.
`
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a). All
`
`b)I:J Some”
`
`c)C] None of the:
`
`1..
`
`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.[:]
`
`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3.[:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20180502
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 2
`
`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.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1. 1 14
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this
`
`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set
`
`10
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action
`
`has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on April 6,
`
`2018 has been entered.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`15
`
`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 7, 2017 is in
`
`compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and is being considered by the
`
`Examiner.
`
`Amendment
`
`20
`
`The Amendment, filed April 6, 2018, has been received and made of record.
`
`In
`
`response to the Final Office Action dated October 13, 2017, figure 1 and claim 1 have
`
`been amended. Claims 5-8 have been newly added.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 3
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`Regarding the obiection to the drawings, Applicant has amended figure 1 to cure
`
`the previously identified misspelling. The objection to the figure 1
`
`is withdrawn.
`
`Regarding the obiection to claim 1, Applicant has amended the claim to address
`
`the previously identified issue. The objection to claim 1
`
`is withdrawn.
`
`Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 103 reiection of claims 1 and 2, Applicant states
`
`that “During the interview, proposed amendments to claim 1 were discussed. The
`
`Examiner agreed that amending claim 1 to recite that the still image generated from a
`
`single frame in the second mode is greater than the image quality of a still image
`
`10
`
`generated from a single frame in the first mode should overcome the current rejection.
`
`Claim 1 has been amended herein as discussed’ (Remarks, p. 5). The Examiner agrees
`
`that “During the interview, proposed amendments to claim 1 were discussed. "
`
`However, the exact wording of the amendment to claim 1 that was presented and
`
`agreed was not “that the still image generated from a single frame in the second mode
`
`15
`
`is greater than the image quality of a still image generated from a single frame in the
`
`first mode " as stated by Applicant. Please see the Applicant Initiated Interview
`
`Summary dated December 12, 2017 in which the proposed amended language is
`
`directed to “the still image generated without compositing processing’; language which
`
`would exclude an interpretation involving High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging. The
`
`20
`
`currently amended claim language as provided in the amendment dated April 6, 2018,
`
`does not limit the interpretation, as the exposure value of a single HDR frame in the
`
`second mode as taught by Sugie may be more appropriate, resulting in greater image
`
`quality than an image in the first video mode at a different exposure value.
`
`It is
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 4
`
`additionally noted that the apparatus disclosed in the specification has not been found
`
`to My generate a single frame of captured video taken during the first video mode.
`
`Applicant also argues that Bendall describes that a marked frame is embedded
`
`after the capturing in the captured video (Remarks, p. 7). The claim recites the
`
`controller “performs a marking process to designate a frame at a timing of a pressing an
`
`operation button when the operation button is pressed during the recording in the
`
`second video mode.” Aside from the fact that claim 1 does not provide structure for the
`
`recording, nor does the claim define what constitutes “during the recording” (what is the
`
`time frame in which “recording” occurs, and ends?) Bendall teaches the above, in that a
`
`10
`
`marker is provided during streaming (thus, recording not ended) ([0005], [0018-19]).
`
`Finally, Applicant also states that “Sugies also does not disclose —as set forth in
`
`amended claim 1—that “the second video capture setting includes a plurality of values
`
`which are predetermined regardless of luminance of an object.” (Remarks, p. 7). The
`
`Examiner respectfully disagrees as Sugie is found to disclose the values of each setting
`
`15
`
`employed in the HDR video mode being predetermined number values, Le, a plurality
`
`of values which are predetermined regardless of luminance of an object (fig. 4B, e.g.,
`
`values associated with gain, aperture, and accumulation).
`
`In light of the above responses and in light of the claims as currently written, the
`
`Sugie reference can still be interpreted to apply. Please see the 35 U.S.C. 102
`
`20
`
`rejection, m.
`
`Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 103 reiection of claims 3 and 4, Applicant states the
`
`remaining claims depend directly or indirectly from claim 1 and are not obvious over the
`
`applied references for at least the reasons argued in relation to claim 1.
`
`In light of the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 5
`
`above responses to claim 1, the Examiner stands behind the teachings of the art, as
`
`currently applied to the claims.
`
`Claim Objections
`
`Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities:
`
`Line 4 recites “the second video captured setting” please amend to recite “the
`
`second video gm setting” in order to conform to the existing basis. Appropriate
`
`correction is required.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12(a)
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
`
`(a) IN GENERAL—The specification shall contain a written description of the
`invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise,
`and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it
`is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode
`contemplated by the inventor orjoint inventor of carrying out the invention.
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
`
`The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the
`manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to
`enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly
`connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the
`inventor of carrying out his invention.
`
`Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), first
`
`paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s)
`
`contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to
`
`reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor,
`
`or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of
`
`30
`
`the claimed invention.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 6
`
`Regarding claim 1, the claim, from which claims 2-8 depend and inherit all
`
`limitations therefrom, recites “ the second video capture setting includes a plurality of
`
`values which are predetermined regardless of luminance of an object.” The disclosure
`
`has not been found to support or found to include this material.
`
`It is noted that Applicant
`
`states “[s]upport for the amendments to claim 1 can be found, e. g., in paragraph 0046
`
`and Figure 5B of the specification” (Remarks, p. 5). Although a setting menu is
`
`discussed in paragraph [0046], no reference to luminance of an object has not been
`
`found. Even if this could be interpreted as a negative limitation, any negative limitation
`
`or exclusionary proviso must have basis in the original disclosure. See In re Johnson,
`
`10
`
`558 F.2d 1008, 1019, 194 USPQ 187, 196 (CCPA 1977).
`
`In light of the above, the
`
`claims fail to comply with the written description requirement because the claims
`
`contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to
`
`reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor,
`
`or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of
`
`15
`
`the claimed invention.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12(b)
`
`20
`
`25
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
`(b) CONCLUSION—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly
`pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor
`regards as the invention.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph:
`The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly
`claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
`
`Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA),
`
`second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 7
`
`claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the
`
`applicant regards as the invention.
`
`Regarding claim 1, the claim recites the terms “more suitable” and “image
`
`quality of a still image generated from a single frame of a captured video taken during
`
`video capture in the second video mode is greater than image quality of a still image
`
`generated from a single frame of a captured video taken during video capture in the first
`
`video mode.” However, “more suitable” is not defined by the claim and therefore what
`
`one skilled in the art considers “more suitable” could vary greatly from what another
`
`skilled in the art considers “more suitable.” Further, “image quality’ is also not defined
`
`10
`
`by the claim and therefore what one skilled in the art considers a still image of
`
`“greater. . .image quality’ than that of another still image could vary greatly from what
`
`another skilled in the art considers “greater. . .image quality.” The video capture settings
`
`are not defined by definite terms (e.g., higher resolution, faster frame rate) that could
`
`move these terms past subjective determinations. Claims 2-8 depend from claim 1 and
`
`15
`
`are also not found to provide any clear and definitively stated settings that are directly
`
`recited as being “more suitable” or recite providing greater image quality of a still image.
`
`In light of the above, the claims are indefinite for failing to particularly point out and
`
`distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA
`
`the applicant regards as the invention.
`
`20
`
`Regarding claims 1 and 2, claim 1 recites “during the recording” in line 23 and
`
`claim 2 recites “ wherein the recording in the second video mode is performed from start
`
`to end of a video recording.” This apparatus claim is not found to distinctly recite
`
`apparatus structure for performing the recited functionality of recording.
`
`In light of this
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 8
`
`lack of recited structure placing those skilled in the art on notice regarding the metes
`
`and bounds of the apparatus, the claim is indefinite for failing to particularly point out
`
`and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-
`
`AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
`
`Regarding claims 6-8, independent claim 1 recites “a video capture setting” (e.g.,
`
`line 7), as well as “a first video capture setting” (lines 11-12) and “a second video
`
`capture setting” (lines 13-14). Each of these instance reference a singular setting.
`
`However, dependent claims 6-8, recite instances in which the singular setting “includes”
`
`or “further includes” an additional setting or that the setting “includes” a setting instead
`
`10
`
`of “ the video capture setting As” (e.g., a value of a frame rate; Le, a singular setting,
`
`instead of implied additional separate and distinct settings such as resolution). It is
`
`unclear how a singular setting (e.g., frame rate) can include an additional setting (e.g.,
`
`resolution).
`
`
`It is noted that the disclosure is found to support the modes having a
`
`number of video capture settings (see fig. 4 for examples), but no clear support is found
`
`15
`
`for a setting being both a setting (e.g., frame rate) and another setting (e.g., resolution).
`
`In light of the above, the claim is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and
`
`distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA
`
`the applicant regards as the invention.
`
`For the purposes of examination on the merits, the claims will be interpreted as
`
`20
`
`best understood by the Examiner in light of the disclosure, wherein the first and second
`
`capture settings are settings of the same type/category (e.g., resolution) with that
`
`type/category having differing set values (e.g., VGA vs 4K) for each mode. This
`
`interpretation however, does not fully clarify or cure the indefinite status of the claims as
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 9
`
`currently written. Applicant is respectfully requested to clarify the language relating to
`
`the terms “setting” and “includes” to conform to the teachings provided by the
`
`disclosure.
`
`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:
`
`10
`
`15
`
`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.
`
`Claims 1, 2, 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
`
`over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0015774 to Sugie in view of U.S. Patent
`
`Publication No. 2009/0158315 to Bendall et al (hereinafter “Benda||”).
`
`Regarding claim 1, Sugie teaches an imaging device comprising an imaging unit
`
`(fig. 1, element 105) that generates image data from the optical information input
`
`20
`
`through an optical system unit including at least one lens (fig. 1, element 101), an image
`
`processor that performs a predetermined process to the image data generated by the
`
`imaging unit (fig. 1, element 121), and a controller (fig. 1, element 131) that controls
`
`([0043]) at least one of the optical system unit, the imaging unit ([0033]), and the image
`
`processor based on a video capture setting relating to video capturing so as to generate
`
`25
`
`video data ([0027-36]), wherein the controller has at least a first video mode and a
`
`second video mode, each of which generates the video data ([0054], normal video
`
`mode or HDR video mode, respectively), whereby, in the first video mode (e.g., fig. 3,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 10
`
`8102, normal video mode), video is captured in accordance with a first video capture
`
`setting (fig. 3, step 8103), in the second video mode (e.g., fig. 3,8112, HDR video
`
`mode), video is captured in accordance with a second video capture setting (fig. 3,
`
`steps 81 19 and Si 20), and the second video capture setting being more suitable for
`
`recording a still image than the first video capture setting (fig. 4, the settings associated
`
`with an image captured in HDR video mode can be more suitable), and wherein the
`
`controller in the second video mode automatically sets the video capture setting to the
`
`second video capture setting so that image quality of a still image generated from a
`
`single frame of a captured video taken during video capture in the second video mode is
`
`10
`
`greater than image quality of a still image generated from a single frame of a captured
`
`video taken during video capture in the first video mode (fig. 4, the settings associated
`
`with a frame of captured video in HDR video mode can have greater image quality than
`
`any of the comparable settings employed in normal mode) and the second video
`
`capture setting includes a plurality of values which are predetermined regardless of
`
`15
`
`luminance of an object (fig. 4B, e.g., values associated with gain, aperture,
`
`accumulation). Sugie, however, has not been found by the Examiner to expressly
`
`disclose wherein the controller performs a marking process to designate a frame at a
`
`timing of a pressing an operation button when the operation button is pressed during the
`
`recording in the second video mode.
`
`20
`
`Nevertheless, Bendall teaches a similar imaging device that performs a marking
`
`process to designate a frame at a timing of a pressing an operation button when the
`
`operation button is pressed during a video recording ([0002-3], [0018-19]). It would have
`
`been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 11
`
`invention to have incorporated the operation button and frame designation as taught by
`
`Bendall with the controller and imaging device as taught by Sugie so that a user could
`
`indicate a frame(s) of the video desired for later review, extraction or use.
`
`Regarding claim 2, Sugie and Bendall teach all of the limitations of claim 2 (see
`
`the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection to claim 1, m including teaching wherein the recording
`
`in the second video mode is performed from start to end of a video recording (774 - fig.
`
`3, e.g. S100, START, 8114-8123 loop, 8124 END).
`
`Regarding claim 6, Sugie and Bendall teach all of the limitations of claim 6 (see
`
`the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection to claim 1, m) including teaching wherein when the
`
`10
`
`second video mode is set, the controller automatically sets the video capture setting to
`
`the second video capture setting (‘774 — [0056]), each of the first video capture setting
`
`and the second video capture setting includes a value of a frame rate (Sugie does not
`
`teach altering the frame rate, therefore the video capture setting includes an inherent
`
`frame rate) and a value of a resolution (Sugie does not teach altering the resolution,
`
`15
`
`therefore the video capture setting includes an inherent resolution), the value of the
`
`frame rate in the first video mode is set to be equal to (frame rate does not change) or
`
`lower than the value of the frame rate in the second video mode, and the second video
`
`capture setting includes the highest value of the resolution in the video capture setting
`
`and the highest value of the frame rate in the video capture setting (because frame rate
`
`20
`
`and resolution do not change, they can be interpreted as the highest values).
`
`Regarding claim 7, Sugie and Bendall teach all of the limitations of claim 7 (see
`
`the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection to claim 1, m) including teaching wherein, when the
`
`second video mode is set, the controller automatically sets the video capture setting to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 12
`
`the second video capture setting (‘774 — [0056]), each of the first video capture setting
`
`and the second video captured setting includes a value of frame rate (Sugie does not
`
`teach altering the frame rate, therefore the video capture setting includes an inherent
`
`frame rate), and the value of the frame rate in the second video mode is the highest
`
`value in the video capture setting (because frame rate dOes not change, it can be
`
`interpreted as the highest value).
`
`Claims 1, 2 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
`
`over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0212663 to Takita in view of U.S. Patent
`
`10
`
`Publication No. 2009/0158315 to Bendall et al (hereinafter “Benda||”).
`
`Regarding claim 1, Takita teaches an imaging device comprising an imaging unit
`
`(fig. 1, element 103; [0027]) that captures image data from optical information input
`
`through an optical system unit including at least one lens (fig. 1, element 100; [0027]),
`
`an image processor that performs a predetermined process to the image data
`
`15
`
`generated by the imaging unit (fig. 1, element 106; [0029]), a controller (fig. 1, element
`
`109; [0030]) that controls at least one of the optical system unit, the imaging unit
`
`([0030]), and the image processor based on a video capture setting relating to video
`
`capturing so as to generate video data, and a display unit (fig. 1, element 108; [0030]),
`
`wherein the controller has at least a first video mode ([0030], normal) and a second
`
`20
`
`video mode ([0030], high speed), each of which is configured to generate the video
`
`data, whereby, in the first video mode, video is captured in accordance with a first video
`
`capture setting ([0052], normal recording mode, e.g., F4.0), in the second video mode,
`
`video is captured in accordance with a second video capture setting (fig. 3; [0052] high
`
`speed recording mode, F28), and the second video capture setting being more suitable
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 13
`
`for recording a still image than the first video capture setting (e.g., more light let in via
`
`aperture), and wherein the controller in the second video mode automatically sets the
`
`video capture setting to the second video capture setting so that image quality of a still
`
`image generated from a single frame of a captured video taken during video capture in
`
`the second video mode is greater than image quality of a still image generated from a
`
`single frame of a captured video taken during video capture in the first video mode (e.g.,
`
`[0052], brighter images), and the second video capture setting includes a plurality of
`
`values which are predetermined regardless of luminance of an object (fig. 3, F-numbers
`
`F30, F4, F2.8 are a plurality of values of predetermined aperture sizes that do not relate
`
`10
`
`to a luminance of an object, but to desired amount of light allowed to reach the image
`
`sensor). Takita, however, has not been found by the Examiner to expressly disclose
`
`wherein the controller performs a marking process to designate a frame at a timing of a
`
`pressing an operation button when the operation button is pressed during the recording
`
`in the second video mode.
`
`15
`
`Nevertheless, Bendall teaches a similar imaging device that performs a marking
`
`process to designate a frame at a timing of a pressing an operation button when
`
`the operation button is pressed during a video recording ([0002-0003], [0018-19]). It
`
`would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of
`
`the claimed invention to have incorporated the operation button and frame designation
`
`20
`
`as taught by Bendall with the controller and imaging device as taught by Takita so that
`
`a user could indicate a frame(s) of the video desired for later review, extraction or use.
`
`Regarding claim 2, Takita and Bendall teach all of the limitations of claim 2 (see
`
`the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1, supra) including teaching wherein the recording
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 14
`
`in the second video mode is performed from start to end of a video recording (‘663 -
`
`[0048-49], an eventual end is inherent to a recording).
`
`Regarding claim 5, Takita and Bendall teach all of the limitations of claim 5 (see
`
`the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1, m) including teaching the imaging device
`
`further comprising an operation system that sets a video mode to the second video
`
`mode with a single operation, wherein, when the second video mode is set with the
`
`operation system, the controller automatically sets the video capture setting to the
`
`second video capture setting (‘663 - [0049-52], a user instruction to switch to enable;
`
`this could also be accomplished via use of the high-speed recording start button,
`
`10
`
`[0030D.
`
`Regarding claim 6, Takita and Bendall teach all of the limitations of claim 6 (see
`
`the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1, m) including teaching wherein when the
`
`second video mode is set, the controller automatically sets the video capture setting to
`
`the second video capture setting (‘663 - [0049-52], a setting to enable results in high
`
`15
`
`speed settings when high speed recording is started), each of the first video capture
`
`setting and the second video capture setting includes a value of a frame rate (‘663 -
`
`[0046]) and a value of a resolution (native resolution of sensor), the value of the frame
`
`rate in the first video mode is set to be equal to or lower than the value of the frame rate
`
`in the second video mode (‘663 - [0046]), and the second video capture setting includes
`
`20
`
`the highest value of the resolution in the video capture setting (‘663 - if only one
`
`resolution, this is always the highest resolution available) and the highest value of the
`
`frame rate in the video capture setting (‘663 - [0046]).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 15
`
`Regarding claim 7, Takita and Bendall teach all of the limitations of claim 7 (see
`
`the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1, m) including teaching wherein when the
`
`second video mode is set, the controller automatically sets the video capture setting to
`
`the second video capture setting (‘663 - [0049-52], a setting to enable results in high
`
`speed settings when high speed recording is started), each of the first video capture
`
`setting and the second video captured setting includes a value of frame rate (‘663 -
`
`[0046]), and the value of the frame rate in the second video mode is the highest value in
`
`the video capture setting (‘663 - fig. 3; [0046]).
`
`10
`
`Claims 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Sugie and Bendall in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0183271 to
`
`Forutanpour et al (hereinafter “Forutanpour”).
`
`Regarding claim 3, Sugie and Bendall teach all the limitations of claim 3 (see the
`
`35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1, m) except for being found by the Examiner
`
`15
`
`to expressly disclose wherein the controller records information indicating a marking
`
`timing in association with the video data when a marking instruction is issued.
`
`Nevertheless, Forutanpour teaches recording information indicating a marking
`
`timing in association with the video data when a marking instruction is issued
`
`([0022] encoded with the frame, in a header or in a separate file; timestamp: [0029],
`
`20
`
`[0044], [0058]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before
`
`the effective date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the functionality as
`
`taught by Forutanpour with the imaging device as taught by Sugie and Bendall as a way
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/366,408
`Art Unit: 2662
`
`Page 16
`
`to locate the image at a later time or later determine the location of the image relative
`
`to the time of capture in the video.
`
`Regarding claim 4, Sugie and Bendall teach all the limitations of claim 4 (see the
`
`35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 1, m) except for being found by the Examiner
`
`to expressly disclose wherein the controller records information indicating a marking
`
`timing and an identifier for identifying a marking in association with the video data when
`
`a marking instruction is issued.
`
`Nevertheless, Forutanpour teaches recording information indicating a marking
`
`timing ([0029], timestamp) and an identifier for identifying a marking in association
`
`10
`
`with the video data when a marking instruction is issued ([0044], sequence
`
`identification number/frame number). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the
`
`functionality as taught by Forutanpour with the imaging device as taught by Sugie and
`
`Bendall as a way to locate the image at a later time or later determine the location of the
`
`15
`
`image capture relative to the video.
`
`Claims 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Takita and Bendall in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/01

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket