DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/06/2026 has been entered.
Following prior arts are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20210385439 A1 (Zhu)
US 20240259555 A1 (Zhang)
US 20260006187 A1 (Block vector ordering based on template matching para 81)
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant’s arguments are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection
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:
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4-7, 9-11, 14, 16-19, 21, 23, 25-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu in view of Zhang.
Regarding Claim 1. Zhu teaches A method of video processing in a decoder, comprising: receiving a coded video bitstream comprising a current picture, the current picture including a chroma block in a chroma separate tree, the chroma block being collocated in a same luma area [(para 128; separate partition structure for luma and chroma)] with luma blocks associated with respective luma block vectors [(para 377)] : decoding, from the coded video bitstream, a syntax element that indicates one of an intra template matching prediction (IntraTMP) mode and an intra block copy (IBC) mode for the chroma block: [(para 126 pred_mode_ibc_flag)] deriving candidate chroma block vectors from the luma block vectors:[(para 377 “The motion/block vector of a sub-block/sample in a chroma IBC coded block may be derived from the first available IBC-coded sub-region within the collocated luma block”)] decoding, from the coded video bitstream, an index indicative of a chroma block vector from the reordered list of the candidate chroma block vectors [([0389] b. In one example, a block vector candidate list may be constructed and an index to the list may be signaled.)] selecting the chroma block vector from the reordered list according to the index: and reconstructing, using the one of the IntraTMP mode and the IBC mode, the chroma block based on the selected chroma block vector. [(para 430, uses IBC mode to decode or reconstruct the block)]
Zhu does not explicitly show determining candidate reference templates corresponding to a current template of the chroma block according to the candidate chroma block vectors derived from the luma block vectors: calculating template matching costs respectively associated with the candidate chroma block vectors according to distortions between the current template and the candidate reference templates: ordering the candidate chroma block vectors into a reordered list of the candidate chroma block vectors according to the template matching costs:
However, in the same/related field of endeavor, Zhang teaches determining candidate reference templates corresponding to a current template of the chroma block according to the candidate chroma block vectors derived from the luma block vectors: calculating template matching costs respectively associated with the candidate chroma block vectors according to distortions between the current template and the candidate reference templates: ordering the candidate chroma block vectors into a reordered list of the candidate chroma block vectors according to the template matching costs:[(Zhang para 1049; template matching on chroma in para 1131; chroma block vector in para 152; see details template matching in Figs.18-20)]
Therefore, in light of above discussion it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of the prior arts because such combination would provide predictable result with no change of their respective functionalities.
Regarding Claims 21 and 25: see analysis of claim 1 and para 9 & 21 of Zhu
The additional limitations of followings claims are taught by Zhu in view of Zhang as indicated below:
2. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: determining a block vector predictor according to the luma block vectors: decoding, from the coded video bitstream, a block vector difference: and determining at least one of the candidate chroma block vectors based on the block vector predictor and the block vector difference. [(Zhu para 57, 377-383)]
4. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the block vector predictor further comprises: determining a first luma block from the luma blocks, the first luma block comprising a sample point corresponding to a center sample position of the chroma block: and deriving the block vector predictor from a luma block vector associated with the first luma block. [(Zhu 377-390)]
5. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the block vector predictor further comprises: determining a first luma block from the luma blocks, the first luma block comprising a sample point corresponding to a top-left sample position of the chroma block: and deriving the block vector predictor from a luma block vector associated with the first luma block. [(Zhu 377-390)]
6. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the block vector predictor further comprises: decoding an index indicative of a first luma block vector from the luma block vectors: and deriving the block vector predictor from the first luma block vector. [(Zhu 377-390)]
7. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining a first precision of the chroma block vector from candidates that are coarser than a second precision of the luma block vectors. [(Zhu 88-93-393)]
9. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: determining a first luma block from the luma blocks, the first luma block comprising a sample point corresponding to a center sample position of the chroma block: and deriving at least one of the candidate chroma block vectors from a luma block vector associated with the first luma block. [(Zhu 377-390)]
10. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: determining a first luma block from the luma blocks, the first luma block comprising a sample point corresponding to a top-left sample position of the chroma block: and deriving at least one of the candidate chroma block vectors from a luma block vector associated with the first luma block. [(Zhu 377-390)]
11. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: decoding an index indicative of a first luma block vector from the luma blocks: and deriving at least one of the candidate chroma block vectors from the first luma block vector. [(Zhu 377-390)]
14. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: deriving an initial chroma block vector according to the luma block vectors: and performing a template matching search starting from the initial chroma block vector to determine at least one of the candidate chroma block vectors. [(Zhang para 1030-1036)]
16. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 14, wherein the deriving the initial chroma block vector further comprises: determining a first luma block from the luma blocks, the first luma block comprising a sample point corresponding to a center sample position of the chroma block: and deriving the initial chroma block vector based on a luma block vector associated with the first luma block. [(Zhu 377-390)]
17. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 14, wherein the deriving the initial chroma block vector further comprises: determining a first luma block from the luma blocks, the first luma block comprising a sample point corresponding to a top-left sample position of the chroma block: and deriving the initial chroma block vector based on a luma block vector associated with the first luma block. [(Zhu 377-390)]
18. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 14, wherein the deriving the initial chroma block vector further comprises: decoding an index indicative of a first luma block vector from the luma block vectors: and deriving the initial chroma block vector based on the first luma block vector. [(Zhu 377-390)]
19. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 14, wherein the performing the template matching search further comprises, for an intermediate chroma block vector: determining an intermediate chroma reference template corresponding to a current chroma template of the chroma block according to the intermediate chroma block vector: determining an intermediate luma reference template collocated with the intermediate chroma reference template: calculating a first template matching cost according to a distortion between the current chroma template and the intermediate chroma reference template: calculating a second template matching cost according to a distortion between a current luma template collocated with the current chroma template and the intermediate luma reference template: and calculating a combined template matching cost associated with the intermediate chroma block vector by combining the first template matching cost with the second template matching cost. [(Zhang para 1054; Figs.18-21; intermediate templates are the reference templates for respective colors)]
23. (Previously Presented) The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises: selecting the chroma block vector from the candidate chroma block vectors based on the template matching costs, the chroma block vector having a minimum template matching cost among the candidate chroma block vectors [(Zhang para 154)] .
Regarding claims 26-28. The method of claim 1, wherein the reconstructing comprises: when the syntax element indicates the IBC mode for the chroma block, reconstructing the chroma block based on a reference chroma block in the current picture, the selected chroma block vector indicating the reference chroma block: [(Zhu para 57, Fig.1 and para 377)] and when the syntax element indicates the IntraTMP mode for the chroma block, performing a template matching search starting from the selected chroma block vector to determine a final chroma block vector: and reconstructing the chroma block based on a reference chroma block in the current picture, the final chroma block vector indicating the reference chroma block. [(Zhang para 945 and 953)]
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shahan Rahaman whose telephone number is (571)270-1438. The examiner can normally be reached on 7am - 3:30pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nasser Goodarzi can be reached at telephone number (571) 272-4195. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/SHAHAN UR RAHAMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2426