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 .
Response to Amendment and Argument
Applicant’s amendment and argument with respect to pending claims 1-16, 18, 19 and 21-23 filed on December 03, 2025 have been fully considered but the argument regarding the rejection under 35 USC § 102 of the pending claims is rendered moot in view of a new ground(s) of rejection necessitated by the amendment of the pending claims.
Claim Objection
In view of the amendment of claim 21, the objection to the claim has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-16, 18, 19 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yano et al. (US 20220038751 A1) in view of Mammou et al. (US 20210105493 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yano discloses a three-dimensional data encoding method comprising: obtaining first three-dimensional points (FIGs. 3, 4, 6, 11, 20-21: ¶0165-0168: point cloud data); encoding the first three-dimensional points using a selected one of a plurality of encoding schemes (¶0172-0175: the lossless encoding unit 313…selects the type of encoding designed by an encoding parameter from the plurality of candidates, and encodes an octree by the selected …the type selection unit 322 also supplies the octree data to the processing unit compatible with the applied type of encoding among the processes units from the type-0 encoding unit 323 to the type-3 encoding unit 326); the plurality of encoding schemes including a first scheme using an octree tree structure (¶0176-0179: For example, the type-0 encoding unit 323 acquires the octree data supplied from the type selection unit 322. The type-0 encoding unit 323 also performs type-0 encoding on the octree data, to generate encoded data) and a second scheme (e.g., type -1 encoding) ; and generating a bitstream including first encoded data and a first identification information item (¶0153-0154, 0168: transmitting information regarding the type of encoding), the first encoded data being generated by encoding the first three-dimensional points (FIG. 20, ¶0059-0060, 0161, 0163-0168), wherein the encoding of the first three-dimensional points includes: determining whether a context used for encoding is continuously used (¶0132, 0292: determination as to whether or not encoding has been performed after initialization of the context for each layer of an octree may be made on the basis of information indicating the octree encoding method in the encoded data); and encoding the first three-dimensional points using a context corresponding to a determination result in the determining, the context being included in contexts used in the encoding scheme used for the encoding and included in the plurality of encoding schemes (¶0170-0175, 0264, 0292: the encoding device encodes the octree corresponding to point cloud data after initializing the context for each layer of the octree…the lossless encoding unit 313 prepares a plurality of types of encoding including a type for performing encoding by initializing the context for each octree layer as candidates, selects the type of encoding designed by an encoding parameter from the plurality of candidates, and encodes an octree by the selected type… from the type-0 encoding unit 323 to the type-3 encoding unit 326), and the first identification information item indicates the determination result in the determining (¶0132, 0150-0154, 0277, 0292: determination as to whether or not encoding has been performed after initialization of the context for each layer of an octree may be made on the basis of information indicating the octree encoding method in the encoded data. For example, on the basis of the type contained in the frame header or the LoD header).
As noted above Yano teaches the limitation the plurality of encoding schemes including a first scheme using an octree structure and a second scheme
Yano does not explicitly teach the encoding schemes including …a second scheme using a predictive tree structure.
However, Mammou teaches the encoding schemes including …a second scheme using a predictive tree structure (¶0050, 0066-0067: The prediction tree may be encoded, including the prediction techniques applied to determine the predicted node values).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yano’s method of encoding by incorporating the teaching Mammou as noted above, in order to obtain a low latency encoding method for latency sensitive applications, and to reduce a computational complexity a decoder (¶0032).
Regarding claim 2, Yano discloses the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein in the encoding of the first three-dimensional points, when it is determined that the context used for the encoding is continuously used, the first three-dimensional points are encoded continuously using a context used in the encoding scheme for the first three-dimensional points, the encoding scheme being included in the encoding schemes (¶0117, 0132, 0292 : initialization of the context for each layer of an octree may be made on the basis of information indicating the octree encoding method in the encoded data. For example, on the basis of the type contained in the frame header or the LoD header ), and the first identification information item indicates that the context used for the encoding is continuously used (¶0150-0154, 0168, 0292: on the basis of the type contained in the frame header or the LoD header).
Regarding claim 3, Yano discloses the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein in the encoding of the first three-dimensional points, when it is determined that the context used for the encoding is not continuously used, the first three-dimensional points are encoded using a context initialized and for the encoding scheme for the first three-dimensional points, the encoding scheme being included in the encoding schemes (¶0117, 0132, 0292 : initialization of the context for each layer of an octree may be made on the basis of information indicating the octree encoding method in the encoded data. For example, on the basis of the type contained in the frame header or the LoD header ), and the first identification information item indicates that the context used for the encoding is not continuously used (¶0150-0154, 0168, 0292: on the basis of the type contained in the frame header or the LoD header).
Regarding claim 4, Yano discloses the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein each of the first three-dimensional points includes a geometry information item and an attribute information item, the encoding schemes are encoding schemes for geometry information, in the encoding of the first three-dimensional points, attribute information items of the first three-dimensional points are encoded using different encoding scheme (¶0059-0060, 0206, 0077, 0081), and in the encoding of the first three-dimensional points, when it is determined that the context used for the encoding is continuously used, (i) geometry information items of the first three-dimensional points are encoded continuously using a context used in the encoding scheme for the first three- dimensional points, the encoding scheme being included in the encoding schemes (¶0117, 0132, 0292), and (ii) the attribute information items of the first three-dimensional points are encoded continuously using a context used in the other encoding scheme (¶0059-0060, 0206).
Regarding claim 5, Yano discloses the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 4, wherein in the encoding of the first three-dimensional points, when it is determined that the context used for the encoding is not continuously used, (i) the geometry information items of the first three-dimensional points are encoded using a context initialized and for the encoding scheme for the first three-dimensional points, the encoding scheme being included in the encoding schemes (¶0059-0060, 0117, 0132, 0292), and (ii) the attribute information items of the first three-dimensional points are encoded using a context initialized and for the different encoding scheme (¶0059-0060, 0206).
Regarding claim 7, Yano teaches a three-dimensional data decoding method comprising: obtaining a bitstream including first encoded data and a first identification information item (Figs. 28, 29, ¶0292: determination as to whether or not encoding has been performed after initialization of the context for each layer of an octree may be made on the basis of information indicating the octree encoding method in the encoded data. For example, on the basis of the type contained in the frame header or the LoD header described above with reference of FIG. 19, the decoding control unit 521 may determine whether or not the encoding has been performed after initialization of the context for each layer of the octree), the first encoded data being generated by encoding first three-dimensional points using a selected one of a plurality of encoding schemes (¶0172-0175: the lossless encoding unit 313…selects the type of encoding designed by an encoding parameter from the plurality of candidates, and encodes an octree by the selected …the type selection unit 322 also supplies the octree data to the processing unit compatible with the applied type of encoding among the processes units from the type-0 encoding unit 323 to the type-3 encoding unit 326), the plurality of encoding schemes including a first encoding scheme using an octree structure (¶0176-0179: For example, the type-0 encoding unit 323 acquires the octree data supplied from the type selection unit 322. The type-0 encoding unit 323 also performs type-0 encoding on the octree data, to generate encoded data) and a second encoding scheme (e.g., type -1 encoding) (¶0132, 0292: determination as to whether or not encoding has been performed after initialization of the context for each layer of an octree may be made on the basis of information indicating the octree encoding method in the encoded data); and decoding the first encoded data using a decoding scheme corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of encoding schemes (the decoding control unit 521 also controls the decoding unit (¶0293: one of the decoding units of the type-0 decoding unit 524 to the type-3 decoding unit 527) to which the bitstream has been supplied, and causes the decoding unit to decode the bitstream), wherein in the decoding of the first encoded data, the first encoded data is decoded using a context according to the first identification information item (¶0292-0093:determination as to whether or not encoding has been performed after initialization of the context for each layer of an octree may be made on the basis of information indicating the octree encoding method in the encoded data. For example, on the basis of the type contained in the frame header or the LoD header described above with reference of FIG. 19, the decoding control unit 521 may determine whether or not the encoding has been performed after initialization of the context for each layer of the octree).
As noted above Yano teaches the limitation the plurality of encoding schemes including a first scheme using an octree structure and a second scheme
Yano does not explicitly teach the encoding schemes including …a second scheme using a predictive tree structure.
However, Mammou teaches the encoding schemes including …a second scheme using a predictive tree structure (¶0050, 0066-0067: The prediction tree may be encoded, including the prediction techniques applied to determine the predicted node values).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yano’s method of encoding by incorporating the teaching Mammou as noted above, in order to obtain a low latency encoding method for latency sensitive applications, and to reduce a computational complexity a decoder (¶0032).
Claims 8-11 are drawn to a decoding method claim and recite the limitation analogous to claims 2-5, and are rejected due to a similar reason set forth above with respect to claims 2-5.
Regarding claim 12, Yano discloses wherein the bitstream further includes second encoded data and a second identification information item, the second encoded data being obtained by encoding second three-dimensional points, the second identification information item indicating whether a context used for encoding is continuously used (¶0150-0154, 0168), the second three-dimensional points are encoded next to the first three- dimensional points, and the second identification information item indicates that the context used for the encoding is not continuously used (¶0117, 0132, 0292).
Claims 13, 14 and 23 are drawn to an encoding/decoding device claims and recite the limitation analogous to claims 1 and 7, and are rejected due to a similar reason set forth above with respect to claims 1 and 7.
Regarding claim 15, Yano discloses the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein the bitstream includes a plurality of slices, and the first encoded data corresponds to one of the plurality of slices (¶0153-0155: information such as the type (Type), the number of slices (SliceNum), and the offset (Offset) is signaled in a frame header ).
Regarding claim 16, Yano discloses the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein the first encoded data is generated by encoding a whole structure of an octree or a predictive tree representing all of the first three-dimensional points (FIGS. 1-4, 6, 9: ¶0066-0067, 0075-0077).
Regarding claims 18-19, the claims are drawn to decoding method claims and recite the limitation analogous to claims 15-16, and are rejected due to a similar reason set forth above with respect to claims 15-16.
Regarding claim 23, the claim is drawn to a method claim and recites the limitation analogous to claim 1, and is rejected due to the same reason set forth above with respect to claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6, 21 and 22 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following are the prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mammou et al. (US 11538196 B2) describes “Predictive Coding For Point Cloud Compression” Title
Flynn (US 11625866 B2) disclose “Geometry Encoding Using Octrees And Predictive Trees” Title
Mammou et al. (US 11887345 B2) discloses “Predictive Coding For Point Cloud Compression” Title
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP §706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/NATHNAEL AYNALEM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488