Obviousness

Under 35 U.S.C. § 103, a patent claim is considered obvious if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA). The motivation to combine prior art references is a key aspect of an obviousness analysis.

US Patent 9843786B2 describes methods and apparatuses for transporting stereoscopic image data over a digital display interface, such as HDMI. The core claims revolve around a formatter operating in different modes (2D or multiplexed stereoscopic), transmitting signaling information identifying the mode and multiplexing scheme, and carrying this signaling information in auxiliary data elements (e.g., HDMI Data Island Packets).

The patent itself outlines relevant prior art in its Background and Definitions sections:

• Existing Stereoscopic Display Techniques: The patent describes various known schemes for displaying 3D images, including those that simultaneously display left and right eye images (e.g., using polarization or colors) and those that sequentially present left and right eye images (e.g., using shuttered glasses) [cite: "One well-known scheme simultaneously displays two images which are encoded for the left eye and right eye by means of different optical polarizations, or colors (e.g. red and green).", "Another stereoscopic display technique sequentially presents an image intended for the left eye, and an image intended for the right eye."]. It also mentions autostereoscopic displays [cite: "Auto stereoscopic display techniques remove the need for a viewer to wear special glasses."].
• The WOWvx Format (by Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.): This format is described as dividing an overall display frame into sub-frames, with one sub-frame carrying 2D image data and another carrying depth information. A header is added to identify this format. A display extracts depth data to create a 3D image, which is then stretched. A significant characteristic of this method, as noted by the patent, is that it "tended to sacrifice part of the active portion of an image to carry additional data necessary to render a stereoscopic image" [cite: "The WOWvx format developed by Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. divides the overall display frame into a number of separate regions where different data can be carried.", "The overall frame is divided into two sub-frames, arranged side-by-side: a first of the sub-frames carries 2D image data and a second of the sub-frames carries depth information. A header is added to the beginning of the upper left-hand corner of the frame."].
• HDMI Interface and Deep Color Modes: Digital display interfaces like HDMI are acknowledged. Critically, the patent notes that "Improvements to HDMI from version 1.3 have allowed HDMI to carry more bits per pixel, with the options of carrying 10, 12 and 16 bits per color per pixel, i.e. up to 48-bit color. HDMI describes Deep Color Pixel Packing modes (HDMI 1.3a, section 6.5.3) which allow the higher color depths just described" [cite: "Improvements to HDMI from version 1.3 have allowed HDMI to carry more bits per pixel, with the options of carrying 10, 12 and 16 bits per color per pixel, i.e. up to 48-bit color. HDMI describes Deep Color Pixel Packing modes (HDMI 1.3a, section 6.5.3) which allow the higher color depths just described."].
• HDMI Data Island Packets: The patent explicitly defines that "Data Island Packets are carried within these periods [horizontal or vertical blanking periods], and certain Data Island Packets can be identified as carrying depth data" [cite: "Data Island Packets are carried within these periods, and certain Data Island Packets can be identified as carrying depth data."]. It also states that "In HDMI, Data Island Packets are sent in horizontal and vertical line blanking periods. The signaling information can conveniently be carried within a Data Island Packet" [cite: "In HDMI, Data Island Packets are sent in horizontal and vertical line blanking periods. The signaling information can conveniently be carried within a Data Island Packet."].

Obviousness Analysis based on Claim 1:

Claim 1 describes an interface part with a formatter operable in a first mode (2D image data) and a second mode (multiplexed stereoscopic image components). It further specifies sending signaling information (identifying the mode and multiplexing scheme) carried in auxiliary data elements that are generated at intervals in the data stream.

Combination of Prior Art References:

A PHOSITA would find the core concepts of Claim 1 obvious by combining the following known elements:

1. The general knowledge of transmitting stereoscopic image data: The patent's background describes several methods (e.g., left/right eye data, 2D + depth data, as exemplified by WOWvx) [cite: "The two main methods for transferring 3D image data across an interface are: to transmit two complete, separate, stereoscopic images representing the left and right views as seen by human eyes; and a normal 2D image with associated depth information that can be used to generate the stereoscopic images within the display."].
2. The availability and capabilities of HDMI Deep Color Pixel Packing modes (HDMI 1.3a, section 6.5.3): These modes provide increased bandwidth (e.g., 48-bit color) [cite: "Improvements to HDMI from version 1.3 have allowed HDMI to carry more bits per pixel, with the options of carrying 10, 12 and 16 bits per color per pixel, i.e. up to 48-bit color. HDMI describes Deep Color Pixel Packing modes (HDMI 1.3a, section 6.5.3) which allow the higher color depths just described."].
3. The known use of HDMI Data Island Packets for carrying auxiliary data and signaling information in blanking periods: This includes conveying depth data and general control information [cite: "Data Island Packets are carried within these periods, and certain Data Island Packets can be identified as carrying depth data.", "In HDMI, Data Island Packets are sent in horizontal and vertical line blanking periods. The signaling information can conveniently be carried within a Data Island Packet."].

Motivation for Combination:

A PHOSITA facing the challenge of delivering stereoscopic images in a consumer electronics environment (as identified by the patent [cite: "an issue with delivering stereoscopic images in a consumer electronics environment is that conventional displays, and display interfaces which connect displays or projectors to media players, have been designed specifically for the display of conventional 2D images."]) would be motivated to combine these known elements for the following reasons:

• Overcoming Limitations of Existing Methods: The WOWvx format, while providing 3D, "sacrifice[s] part of the active portion of an image to carry additional data" [cite: "Schemes for conveying stereoscopic image data within the confines of existing display interfaces have tended to sacrifice part of the active portion of an image to carry additional data necessary to render a stereoscopic image."]. A PHOSITA would be motivated to find a way to transmit stereoscopic data without this drawback.
• Utilizing Available, Underutilized Bandwidth: The HDMI 1.3+ Deep Color modes provide significantly increased bandwidth that, while intended for higher color depth 2D images, represent "higher capacity transport modes" [cite: "the higher capacity transport modes which are intended to transport higher color depth data can be re-used to carry the multiplexed stereoscopic image data."]. It would be obvious to a PHOSITA to re-purpose this available capacity to carry multiplexed stereoscopic image data (e.g., left/right eye data or 2D+depth data, as conceptually shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the patent) to achieve a "good color depth for the stereoscopic content" [cite: "Therefore, no additional capacity is required from the interface to carry the stereoscopic data, while still allowing good color depth for the stereoscopic content."]. This allows stereoscopic content "with a resolution which is significantly higher than schemes which sacrifice part of the active image area to carry the stereo image data" [cite: "It also allows stereoscopic image content to be sent with a resolution which is significantly higher than schemes which sacrifice part of the active image area to carry the stereo image data."].
• Ensuring Interoperability and Proper Decoding: Since the digital display interface would need to support both conventional 2D content and new stereoscopic content, a mechanism for the source device to inform the display device of the current mode (2D or stereo) and the specific multiplexing scheme used for stereoscopic data is essential for proper decoding and rendering. The WOWvx format already used a "header" for this purpose [cite: "A header is added to the beginning of the upper left-hand corner of the frame."]. HDMI Data Island Packets are a known and "convenient" vehicle for carrying such "signaling information" in blanking periods without interfering with active video data [cite: "In HDMI, Data Island Packets are sent in horizontal and vertical line blanking periods. The signaling information can conveniently be carried within a Data Island Packet."]. This provides a straightforward way to communicate the necessary decoding parameters to the receiving device, akin to how EDID communicates sink capabilities [cite: "In HDMI, the capability of a sink device can use the Display Data Channel (DDC) channel, with capability data being stored in an Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) ROM at a sink."].

Therefore, a PHOSITA would have been motivated to combine these known elements—leveraging the unused capacity of HDMI Deep Color modes for multiplexed stereoscopic data and using HDMI Data Island Packets for the necessary mode and decoding signaling—to address the problem of efficient stereoscopic image transmission over existing digital display interfaces without sacrificing active image area.