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
The Amendment filed 11/25/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending in this application.
Claims 1, 10, 15, and 18 have been amended. Claims 2- 4, 11- 13, 16- 17, and 19- 20 are cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/25/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Argument A (pages 9- 10) under Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C.§103:
Applicant argues that Hannuksela fails to teaches that the SEI message includes a length in bits of the view identifier of each video layer, rather the length in bit of the view identifier is in the VPS. The Applicant further argues that Hannuksela paragraph 0472 shows that the VPS and the SEI are different.
In response, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Hannuksela teaches the length of the view_id_val[i] syntax element is view_id_len bits. Hannuksela teaches that view_id_len in the VPS; however, Hannuksela further teaches that an indication concerning multiple layers can be conveyed either in the VPS or through SEI mechanism in the SEI message [0472]. Therefore, Hannuksela teaches that even though the VPS is different from the SEI message, it further teaches that indication concerning the multi-layer can be in both the VPS and the SEI. Kang further highlight the indications of the multi-layer in the SEI by teaching the view_id and layer_id in the SEI syntax (Kang [0143]). Therefore Khang highlights the indication that the view syntax elements are also located in the SEI message.
Argument B (pages 10- 11) under Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C.§103:
Applicant argues that Hannuksela does not disclose that the SEI field or the VUI syntax structure is used to indicate whether the bitstream is allowed to comprise a multiview bitstream.
In response, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Hannuksela teaches “View scalability, which may also be referred to as multiview coding. The base layer represents a first view, whereas an enhancement layer represents a second view.” (Hannuksela [0315]). Hannuksela further teaches that in multiview video coding, allows more than one view is coded in a bitstream (Hannuksela [0494]). Furthermore, Hannuksela teaches view_id_len and view_id_val which are indications that the bitstream allows multiview. Hannuksela also teaches that an indication concerning multiple layers can be conveyed either in the VPS or through SEI mechanism in the SEI message (Hannuksela [0472]). Kang also teaches the view_id and layer_id are in the SEI syntax (Kang [0143]). Which highlights the indication that the bitstream is allowed to be a multiview bitstream.
Argument C (pages 11- 12) under Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C.§103:
Applicant argues that Hannuksela does not disclose that the scalability dimension information includes the SEI field indicating whether the bitstream is allow to comprise a multiview bitstream.
In response, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Hannuksela teaches the multiview coding as a scalability dimension (Hannuksela [0309]), and places the view related identifiers within that scalability dimension architecture. Hannuksela further teaches that view scalability is a also referred to multiview video coding (Hannuksela [0494]. Furthermore, Hannuksela teaches view_id_len and view_id_val which are indications for the scalability information. Hannuksela also teaches that an indication concerning multiple layers can be conveyed either in the VPS or through SEI mechanism in the SEI message (Hannuksela [0472]). Kang also teaches the view_id and layer_id are in the SEI syntax (Kang [0143]). Which highlights the indications for the scalability information in the SEI syntax.
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.
The factual inquiries 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, 5-10, and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matias Hannuksela (US 20150264404 A1) (hereinafter Hannuksela) in view of Rapaka Krishnakanth (US 20140301458 A1) (hereinafter Krishnakanth) further in view of Jung Won Kang (US 20140184741 A1) (hereinafter (Kang):
Regarding Claim 1, Hannuksela teaches wherein the format rule specifies ([0655] the rules that are defined within the HEVC properties. [0207]-[208] format rules for the bitstream) that a supplemental enhancement information field ([0198] the SEI) or a video usability information syntax structure included in the bitstream ([0512] the video usability information syntax structure in the video stream) indicates whether the bitstream is allowed to comprise a multiview bitstream in which multiple views are coded in one or multiple video layers ([0494] Multiview video coding (MVC) where multiple views are coded within a single bitstream. It further teaches that the bitstream includes multiple views coded in one or multiple layers);
and wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information field is included in a scalability dimension information in a supplemental enhancement information message in the bitstream ([0363] the SEI which includes the scalability dimension information in the bitstream; [0207], [0198], [0494], [0309], [0315], [0472]); and
wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a length in bits of the view identifier of each video layer ([0204] the VPS that includes information about the layers in a bitstream. The VPS. [0365] the length in bits. [0472] the VPS as part of the SEI).
Hannuksela does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Krishnakanth teaches a method of processing video data, comprising ([0012] the method of video processing):
performing a conversion between a video and a bitstream of the video according to a format rule ([0012], [0047], and [0069] the conversion between video and bitstream. [0003] the video formats).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to enhance video quality, providing higher spatial, temporal, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels (Krishnakanth [0006]).
Krishnakanth does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Kang teaches wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a view identifier of each video layer of the one or multiple video layers of the bitstream ([0136] “base_view_change () signaled being included in an SEI message.”; [0136], [Table 7] base_view_change () … layer_id[i] … view_id[i]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to further add the signaling of layer and view id in the SEI message of Kang to improve the performance of video encoding (Kang [0062]).
Regarding Claim 5, Hannuksela in view of Krishnakanth and Kang teach the method of claim 1. Hannuksela further teaches the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a flag that indicates whether the view identifier is included in the bitstream for each video layer ([0365] the direct dependency flag that includes the view identifier of the layer. [0686] the SEI message that includes flags to indicate the association of SEI message with layer sets).
Regarding Claim 6, Hannuksela in view of Krishnakanth and Kang teach the method of claim 1. Hannuksela further teaches the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information field is included in the video usability information syntax structure in the bitstream ([0200] the parameter that include video usability information (VUI). [0225]- [0227] VUI and the SEI that are included in the HEVC).
Regarding Claim 7, Hannuksela in view of Krishnakanth and Kang teach the method of claim 1. Krishnakanth further teaches the bitstream is a versatile video coding bitstream ([0038] the versatility of the video coding techniques, it further teaches that the bit stream can be used across a wide range of applications).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to enhance video quality, providing higher spatial, temporal, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels (Krishnakanth [0006]).
Regarding Claim 8, Hannuksela in view of Krishnakanth and Kang teach the method of claim 1. Hannuksela further teaches the conversion comprises encoding the video into the bitstream ([0092] the encoder to encode a video into the bitstream).
Regarding Claim 9, Hannuksela in view of Krishnakanth and Kang teach the method of claim 1. Hannuksela further teaches the conversion comprises decoding the video from the bitstream ([0081] the decoder to decode a video into the bitstream).
Regarding Claim 10, Hannuksela teaches an apparatus for processing video data comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory with instructions thereon, wherein the instructions upon execution by the processor ([0032] an apparatus with a processor and a non-transitory memory with instructions executed with the processor), cause the processor to:
wherein the format rule specifies ([0655] the rules that are defined within the HEVC properties. [0207]-[208] format rules for the bitstream) that a supplemental enhancement information field ([0198] the SEI) or a video usability information syntax structure included in the bitstream ([0512] the video usability information syntax structure in the video stream) indicates whether the bitstream is allowed to comprise a multiview bitstream in which multiple views are coded in one or multiple video layers ([0494] Multiview video coding (MVC) where multiple views are coded within a single bitstream. It further teaches that the bitstream includes multiple views coded in one or multiple layers); and
wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information field is included in a scalability dimension information in a supplemental enhancement information message in the bitstream ([0363] the SEI which includes the scalability dimension information in the bitstream; [0207], [0198], [0494]) ; and
wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a length in bits of the view identifier of each video layer ([0204] the VPS that includes information about the layers in a bitstream. The VPS. [0365] the length in bits. [0472] the VPS as part of the SEI).
Hannuksela does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Krishnakanth teaches perform a conversion between a video and a bitstream of the video according to a format rule ([0012], [0047], and [0069] the conversion between video and bitstream. [0003] the video formats).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to enhance video quality, providing higher spatial, temporal, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels (Krishnakanth [0006]).
Krishnakanth does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Kang teaches wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a view identifier of each video layer of the one or multiple video layers of the bitstream ([0136] “base_view_change () signaled being included in an SEI message.”; [Table 7] base_view_change () … layer_id[i] … view_id[i]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to further add the signaling of layer and view id in the SEI message of Kang to improve the performance of video encoding (Kang [0062]).
Regarding Claim 14, Hannuksela in view of Krishnakanth and Kang teach the method of claim 1. Krishnakanth further teaches the bitstream is a versatile video coding bitstream ([0038] the versatility of the video coding techniques, it further teaches that the bit stream can be used across a wide range of applications).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to enhance video quality, providing higher spatial, temporal, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels (Krishnakanth [0006]).
Regarding Claim 15, Hannuksela teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a processor to ([0032] and [0757] the storing of the instructions in the memory that are executed by the processor):
wherein the format rule specifies ([0655] the rules that are defined within the HEVC properties. [0207]-[208] format rules for the bitstream) that a supplemental enhancement information field ([0198] the SEI) or a video usability information syntax structure included in the bitstream ([0512] the video usability information syntax structure in the video stream) indicates whether the bitstream is allowed to comprise a multiview bitstream in which multiple views are coded in one or multiple video layers ([0494] Multiview video coding (MVC) where multiple views are coded within a single bitstream. It further teaches that the bitstream includes multiple views coded in one or multiple layers); and
wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information field is included in a scalability dimension information in a supplemental enhancement information message in the bitstream ([0363] the SEI which includes the scalability dimension information in the bitstream; [0207], [0198], [0494]) ; and
wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a length in bits of the view identifier of each video layer ([0204] the VPS that includes information about the layers in a bitstream. The VPS. [0365] the length in bits. [0472] the VPS as part of the SEI).
Hannuksela does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Krishnakanth teaches perform a conversion between a video and a bitstream of the video according to a format rule ([0012], [0047], and [0069] the conversion between video and bitstream. [0003] the video formats),
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to enhance video quality, providing higher spatial, temporal, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels (Krishnakanth [0006]).
Krishnakanth does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Kang teaches wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a view identifier of each video layer of the one or multiple video layers of the bitstream ([0136] “base_view_change () signaled being included in an SEI message.”; [Table 7] base_view_change () … layer_id[i] … view_id[i]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the conversion of multiview video and bitstream of Krishnakanth to further add the signaling of layer and view id in the SEI message of Kang to improve the performance of video encoding (Kang [0062]).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hannuksela Matias Hannuksela (US 20150264404 A1) (hereinafter Hannuksela) in view of Jung Won Kang (US 20140184741 A1) (hereinafter (Kang):
Regarding Claim 18, Hannuksela teaches non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream of a video ([0032] the non-transitory computer-readable medium. [0535] the storing of the bitstream in memory] which is generated by a method performed by a video processing apparatus, wherein the method comprises ([0021]- [0022] the method and the processor):
generating the bitstream of the video according to a format rule ([0143]- [0144], and [0768] the generating of the bitstream, the generating method follows the format rule (AVC or HEVC)),
wherein the format rule specifies ([0655] the rules that are defined within the HEVC properties. [0207]-[208] format rules for the bitstream) that a supplemental enhancement information field ([0198] the SEI) or a video usability information syntax structure included in the bitstream ([0512] the video usability information syntax structure in the video stream) indicates whether the bitstream is allowed to comprise a multiview bitstream in which multiple views are coded in one or multiple video layers ([0494] Multiview video coding (MVC) where multiple views are coded within a single bitstream. It further teaches that the bitstream includes multiple views coded in one or multiple layers); and
wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information field is included in a scalability dimension information in a supplemental enhancement information message in the bitstream ([0363] the SEI which includes the scalability dimension information in the bitstream; [0207], [0198], [0494]) ; and
wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a length in bits of the view identifier of each video layer ([0204] the VPS that includes information about the layers in a bitstream. The VPS. [0365] the length in bits. [0472] the VPS as part of the SEI).
Hannuksela does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Kang teaches wherein the format rule specifies that the supplemental enhancement information message includes a view identifier of each video layer of the one or multiple video layers of the bitstream ([0136] “base_view_change () signaled being included in an SEI message.”; [Table 7] base_view_change () … layer_id[i] … view_id[i]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the video coding and decoding disclosed by Hannuksela to add the signaling of layer and view id in the SEI message of Kang to improve the performance of video encoding (Kang [0062]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 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 (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHMOUD KAMAL ABOUZAHRA whose telephone number is (703)756-1694. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
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/MAHMOUD KAMAL ABOUZAHRA/Examiner, Art Unit 2486
/JAMIE J ATALA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2486
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