Appeal 2007-1733
Application 09/978,275
The Invention
Appellant invented a method, apparatus, and computer-readable
medium for suppressing noise in an input image signal representing a
radiographic image by adapting the characteristic of a smoothing filter to the
characteristic of the input image signal. (Specification 5, Title and Abstract.)
An understanding of the invention can be derived from exemplary
independent claim 1, which reads as follows:
1. An apparatus for suppressing noise in an input image signal
representing a radiographic image, comprising:
a smoothing unit which processes said input image signal by using a
smoothing filter so as to smooth said radiographic image; and
a characteristic calculation unit which obtains at least one first
characteristic of said input image signal by calculation using a
function based on first information indicating an exposure dose with
which said radiographic image has been produced;
said smoothing unit adapts at least one second characteristic of the
smoothing filter to said input image signal based on said at least one
first characteristic.
In rejecting the claims on appeal, the Examiner relies upon the
following prior art:
Wood US 5,351,305 Sep. 27, 1994
Vuylsteke US 5,461,655 Oct. 24, 1995
Aach US 6,173,084 B1 Jun. 9, 2001
The Examiner rejects the claims on appeal as follows:
A. Claims 1 through 3, 7 through 13, 20, 21, and 37 through 41 stand
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being anticipated by Vuylsteke.
2
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