Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2024-10-01)

CLAIMS:
AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS

The following listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:

1\. (Currently Amended) A gesture recognition method, comprising:
obtaining a first feature map that is a feature map corresponding to a target region in a depth image, and determining a target key point from the first feature map, the target recognition object being a hand, and the target key point being a key point of a thumb root;
establishing a three-dimensional coordinate system in the first feature map by taking the target key point as a coordinate origin, and predicting other three- dimensional coordinates of other key points in the three-dimensional coordinate system, the other key points being key points other than the target key point in the first feature map; and
determining, based on the target key point and the other three-dimensional coordinates, a plurality of absolute coordinates of a plurality of key points, to determine a gesture of a target recognition object in the target region based on the plurality of absolute coordinates, the plurality of key points comprising the target key point and the other key points.

2\. (Original) The method according to claim 1, wherein said predicting the other three- dimensional coordinate of the other key points in the three-dimensional coordinate system comprises:
inputting the first feature map into an XYZ encoder and a fully connected layer sequentially, to obtain the other three-dimensional coordinates corresponding to the other key points based on the three-dimensional coordinate system.

3\. (Original) The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining, based on the target key point and the other three-dimensional coordinates, the plurality of absolute coordinates of the plurality of key points comprises:
determining target absolute coordinates of the target key point; and
determining, based on the target absolute coordinates and the other three-dimensional coordinates, the plurality of absolute coordinates.

4\. (Original) The method according to claim 3, wherein said determining the target absolute coordinates of the target key point comprises:
obtaining a two-dimensional position of the target key point;
determining, based on the two-dimensional position, a target absolute depth of the target key

point; anddetermining, based on the target absolute depth of the target key point, the target absolute coordinates of the target key point.

5\. (Original) The method according to claim 4, wherein said obtaining the two-dimensional position of the target key point comprises:
inputting the first feature map into a UV encoder to obtain target UV coordinates of the target key point; and
determining the target UV coordinates as the two-dimensional position.

6\. (Original) The method according to claim 4, wherein said determining, based on the two- dimensional position, the target absolute depth of the target key point comprises:
in response to determining that the two-dimensional position is located in a background of the depth image, determining depth values of pixels within a predetermined range having the two- dimensional position as a center, and determining a closest depth from the depth values of the pixels within the predetermined range; and
determining the target absolute depth by using the closest depth.

7\. (Cancelled)

8\. (Currently Amended) A gesture recognition apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory, wherein the processor, when executing an operating program stored on the memory, implements a gesture recognition method comprising:
obtaining a first feature map that is a feature map corresponding to a target region in a depth image, and determining a target key point from the first feature map, the target recognition object being a hand, and the target key point being a key point of a thumb root;
establishing a three-dimensional coordinate system in the first feature map by taking the target key point as a coordinate origin, and predicting other three- dimensional coordinates of other key points in the three-dimensional coordinate system, the other key points being key points other than the target key point in the first feature map; and
determining, based on the target key point and the other three-dimensional coordinates, a plurality of absolute coordinates of a plurality of key points, to determine a gesture of a target recognition object in the target region based on the plurality of absolute coordinates, the plurality of key points comprising the target key point and the other key points.

9\. (Original) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor, when executing the operating program stored on the memory, implements:
inputting the first feature map into an XYZ encoder and a fully connected layer sequentially, to obtain the other three-dimensional coordinates corresponding to the other key points based on the three-dimensional coordinate system.

10\. (Original) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor, when executing the operating program stored on the memory, implements:
determining target absolute coordinates of the target key point; and
determining, based on the target absolute coordinates and the other three-dimensional coordinates, the plurality of absolute coordinates.

11\. (Original) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor, when executing the operating program stored on the memory, implements:
obtaining a two-dimensional position of the target key point;
determining, based on the two-dimensional position, a target absolute depth of the target key point; and
determining, based on the target absolute depth of the target key point, the target absolute coordinates of the target key point.

12\. (Original) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor, when executing the operating program stored on the memory, implements:
inputting the first feature map into a UV encoder to obtain target UV coordinates of the target key point; and
determining the target UV coordinates as the two-dimensional position.

13\. (Original) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor, when executing the operating program stored on the memory, implements:
in response to determining that the two-dimensional position is located in a background of the depth image, determining depth values of pixels within a predetermined range having the two- dimensional position as a center, and determining a closest depth from the depth values of the pixels within the predetermined range; and
determining the target absolute depth by using the closest depth.

14\. (Cancelled)

15\. (Original) A storage medium, having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the

computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to claim 1.

OFFICE ACTION:
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 .
EXAMINER’S AMENDMENT
An examiner’s amendment to the record appears below. Should the changes and/or additions be unacceptable to applicant, an amendment may be filed as provided by 37 CFR 1.312. To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee.
The application has been amended as follows:  in claim 15, line 1, “non-transitory” is inserted between “A” and “storage.”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-6, 8-13 and 15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art fails to disclose the recited combinations of elements in gesture recognition, including obtaining a first feature map that is a feature map corresponding to a target region in a depth image, and determining a target key point from the first feature map, the target recognition object being a hand, and the target key point being a key point of a thumb root; establishing a three-dimensional coordinate system in the first feature map by taking the target key point as a coordinate origin, and predicting other three- dimensional coordinates of other key points in the three-dimensional coordinate system, the other key points being key points other than the target key point in the first feature map, as in claims 1 and 8.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: Status of the Claims

Upon entry of the present amendment, claims 1-6, 8-13 and 15 will be pending in this application. Claim 1 has been amended to incorporate the limitations recited in claim 7 and limitations of "by taking the target key point as the coordinate origin" recited in paragraph [0053] of the specification. Accordingly, claim 7 has been cancelled. Claim 8 has been amended to incorporate the limitations recited in claim 14 and limitations of "by taking the target key point as the coordinate origin" recited in paragraph [0053] of the specification. Accordingly, claim 14 has been cancelled. No new matter has been introduced by the above amendments. Based on the following remarks, Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration and allowance of the pending claims.

Claim Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103

I. REJECTED CLAIMS 1-15 UNDER 35 U.S.C. 103 AS BEING UNPATENTABLE OVER TONG ET

AL. (CN 109308459, HEREINAFTER AS "TONG") IN VIEW OF CHUNYAN ET AL. (CN

108549489, HEREINAFTER AS "CHUNYAN")

Applicant submits that claim 1 as amended is patentable under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Tong in view of Chunyan because none of Tong and Chunyan disclose at least the following limitations in claim 1 as amended:

\- Feature (A): the target key point being a key point of a thumb root;

\- Feature (B): establishing a three-dimensional coordinate system in the first feature map by taking the target key point as a coordinate origin.

For feature (A), claim 1 as amended is not taught or suggested in Tong. Tong discloses, in combination of paragraph [0041] and FIG. 2a of Tong as reproduced below, label 16 and 21 key points are labelled in FIG. 2a and FIG. 2c, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2a below, 16 key points are divided into 5 groups to represent 5 fingers. Each of 5 groups owns a same key point at palm center, which may be considered as the target key point. That is, the target key point in Tong is located at palm center of the hand.

 1.4931.43FIG. 2a of Tong

In addition, Chunyan discloses that when the hand coordinate system o'- x'y'z' is extended and opened, the intersection point between the line where the thumb is located and the line where the middle finger is located is the origin, the line where the middle finger is located is the x 'axis, and the direction pointed by the fingertip is positive; the vertical palm direction is the y 'axis direction.

In contrast, the thumb root is used as the target key point in claim 1 as amended.

For feature (B), as described above, in paragraph [0027], Tong discloses the output value of the model is the coordinates of all key points in the input image obtained by preprocessing the original depth image in step 2. A preprocessing inverse process is required to obtain the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the key points, which are used to represent the estimation of the current gesture using the three-dimensional coordinates of all key points. That is to say, actual three-dimensional coordinates are used to estimate the current gesture instead of three-dimensional coordinates in local hand three-dimensional system. When there is no local three-dimensional coordinate system, it is impossible for Tong to disclose the above feature (B).

Moreover, as described above, Chunyan discloses taking the intersection point between the line where the thumb is located and the line where the middle finger is located as the origin instead of thumb root in claim 1 as amended.

In contrast, the thumb root is the target key point, which is used as an origin to establish a three-dimensional coordinate system in the first feature map.

Therefore, claim 1 as amended is patentable over the cited references, individually or in combination.

Claims 2-6 and 15 depend on claim 1 as amended and include further limitations in addition to the limitation in claim 1 as amended. Therefore, claims 2-6 and 15 are patentable for at least similar reasons as claim 1 as amended is patentable.

The arguments regarding claim 1 apply also to independent claim 8 as amended. Therefore, independent claim 8 as amended is also patentable over the cited documents.

Claims 9-13 depend on claim 8 as amended and include further limitations in addition to the limitation in claim 8 as amended. Therefore, claims 9-13 are patentable for at least similar reasons as claim 8 as amended is patentable.

CONCLUSION

In view of the foregoing amendments and remarks, Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration of this application and the timely allowance of the pending claims.

If the Examiner believes, for any reason, that personal communication will expedite prosecution of this application, the Examiner is invited to telephone the undersigned at the number provided. Please grant any extensions of time required to enter this response and charge any additional required fees to Deposit Account No. 50-4561.

Respectfully Submitted,

SHEPPARD MULLIN RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP Dated: September 24, 2024 By: /Weiguo Chen/

Weiguo Chen

Reg. No. 61878

Phone: 650-815-2692