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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 31 October 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 31 October 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On pages 8 – 11, applicant argues that neither Wang nor Wang 2 teach “wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of DIMD related information or MRL index information, and wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information” as recited in the claims because Wang does not conditional control logic based on whether the MRL index information is zero and because Wang 2 does not teach any procedure in which the intra prediction mode derivation varies depending on whether the MRL index is 0 or non-zero. While applicant’s arguments are understood, examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner relies on a combination of Wang and Wang 2 in maintaining the rejection.
One cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., Inc., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). Rather, “the test for obviousness is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to [a PHOSITA]." In re Mouttet, 686 F.3d 1322, 1333, 103 USPQ2d 1219, 1226 (Fed. Cir. 2012). At present, the combined teachings of Wang and Wang 2 reasonably suggest to a person of ordinary skill in the art “wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of DIMD related information or MRL index information, and wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information” as claimed.
Examiner first notes that the limitation “wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information” is, when given the broadest reasonable interpretation, interpreted as “when the intra prediction mode information includes MRL index and when the MRL index is 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on intra prediction mode information other than MRL index information.” This interpretation is consistent with the disclosure of the originally filed specification. See, e.g. specification, par. 249: describing that when the MRL index is 0, the intra prediction mode is derived using intra prediction mode information other than the MRL index such as an MPM flag, an MPM index, a planar flag information, or MPM reminder information.
Wang first teaches “wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of DIMD related information or MRL index information”. See, Wang, e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 205 – 208: describing that the intra prediction mode information includes DIMD related information, the DIMD related information including a DIMD flag representing whether DIMD mode is applied to the current block, the intra prediction mode information can further include MRL index, the MRL index being parsed after the DIMD flag [see, e.g. par. 206: describing that the DIMD flag is parsed first; Fig. 21 and par. 207: depicting and describing that the MRL index is parsed after determining the value of the DIMD flag]. Next, Wang teaches that MRL derived predictions modes are included only when the MRL index is greater than 0, remaining mode and planar mode excluded from MRL derived modes. See, Wang, e.g. par. 147: describing that the system only derives modes using MRL when the MRL index is greater than 0, the system further excluding remaining mode and planar mode as modes when deriving the prediction mode of the current block. Wang further teaches that when the DIMD information indicates that DIMD is enabled [flag equals 1], MRL index is 0. See, e.g. pars. 205 – 208: describing that when DIMD related information indicates that DIMD is enabled, MRL index is 0. These teachings of Wang strongly suggest to a person of ordinary skill in the art that the intra prediction mode of a current block is derived differently when the MRL index is greater than 0 compared to when the MRL index is zero. Wang does not explicitly teach “wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information.” Wang 2, however, teaches this at least at pg. 38, pars. 2-3. There, Wang 2 explicitly teaches that intra prediction mode is derived differently based on whether the MRL index is 0 or the MRL index is greater than 0 by describing that when the MRL index is zero, the system derives the intra prediction mode based on an MPM index for a normal MPM list instead of an MPM index for a special MPM list, the special MPM list being different from the normal MPM list and excludes specific intra prediction modes, wherein the MPM index for a normal MPM list is the equivalent of the intra prediction mode information. The combined teachings of Wang and Wang 2 therefore reasonably suggest to a person of ordinary skill in the art “wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of DIMD related information or MRL index information, and wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information” as claimed. A person of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to make such a combination because the combination provides a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding (Wang 2, e.g. pg. 2, par. 1: describing a desire to provide a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding). The rejection, therefore, is maintained.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3 – 13, and 15 - 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2024/0195982) (hereinafter Wang) in view of Wang et al. (WO 2020/173399) (hereinafter Wang 2).
Regarding claims 1 and 13, Wang teaches an image decoding method performed by a decoding apparatus, and an image encoding method performed by an encoding apparatus, the image decoding method and the image encoding method comprising, the image decoding method comprising:
obtaining intra prediction mode information for a current block (e.g. Fig. 21, and pars. 205 – 208: depicting and describing that the system obtains decoder intra mode derivation (DMID) information, wherein the DMID information is the equivalent of the intra prediction mode information);
constructing a Most Probable Mode (MPM) list for the current block based on neighboring blocks of the current block (e.g. pars. 139 – 141: describing that the system constructs most probable mode (MPM) list for a current block based on neighboring blocks of the current block);
wherein the MPM list includes a first MPM list or a second MPM list (e.g. pars. 139 – 141: describing that the system constructs a primary most probable mode (MPM) list and a secondary MPM for a current block);
wherein a number of candidates in the second MPM list is different from a number of candidates in the first MPM list (e.g. pars. 139 – 141: describing that the secondary MPM list has 16 entries while the primary MPM list has 6 entries, wherein the entries are the equivalent of the candidates);
deriving an intra prediction mode for the current block based on the intra prediction mode information and the MPM list (e.g. Fig. 21, pars. 146 – 148, 205 – 208, and 221 – 222: depicting and describing that the system derives an intra prediction mode based on either the primary MPM list or the secondary MPM list [see, e.g. pars. 146 – 148: describing that when intra mode information indicates DMID will not be used, an intra mode is derived based on a multiple reference line (MRL) index, the MRL index indicating a mode in the MPM list; see also pars. 221 – 222: describing that the current block uses DMID, the intra mode is derived based on the DMID MPM list]); and
generating a prediction sample for the current block based on the intra prediction mode (e.g. Fig. 21: depicting that the system generates a prediction sample [result of “predict with the intra mode” operation] based on the intra prediction mode),
wherein the MPM list includes at least one candidate which is a Decoder side Intra Mode Derivation (DMID) mode and is derived based on multiple reference lines (MRL) (e.g. pars. 146 – 147 and 221 – 239: describing that the MPM list includes candidates derived using MRL and candidates derived using DMID), and
wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of DIMD related information or MRL index information (e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 205 – 208: depicting and describing that the intra prediction mode information includes DIMD flag information and MRL index information).
Wang does not explicitly teach:
wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information.
Wang 2, however, teaches a method for video decoding and video encoding:
wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information (e.g. pg. 38, par. 3: describing that when the MRL index is 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the MPM index from the normal MPM list as opposed to a MPM index for a special MPM list, the normal MPM list and the special MPM list being different from each other and containing different probable modes, wherein the MPM index is the equivalent of the intra prediction mode information).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Wang by adding the teachings of Wang 2 in order for, based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification provides a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding (Wang 2, e.g. pg. 2, par. 1: describing a desire to provide a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 13, respectively, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein the DIMD related information includes DIMD flag information representing whether DIMD mode is applied to the current block, and wherein the MRL index information is parsed after the DIMD flag information (e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 205 – 208: describing that the intra prediction mode information includes DIMD related information, the DIMD related information related information including a DIMD flag representing whether DIMD mode is applied to the current block, and the intra prediction mode information include MRL index, the MRL index parsed after the DIMD flag [see, e.g. par. 206: describing that the DIMD flag is parsed first; Fig. 21 and par. 207: depicting and describing that MRL index is parsed after determining the value of the DIMD flag]).
Turning to claims 4 and 16, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 3, and claims 13 and 15, respectively, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein based on a value of the DIMD flag information being 1, the DIMD mode is derived, and wherein the DIMD mode is derived based on neighboring reference samples of the current block (e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 205 – 207: depicting and describing that when the DIMD flag is 1, DIMD mode is used for the current block, the DMID mode derived based on neighboring reference samples of the current block [see, e.g. par. 178: describing that in DMID, the intra prediction mode is derived based on neighboring samples of the current block]).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 13, respectively, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein a plurality of DIMD modes are included as candidates in the MPM list (e.g. pars. 221 – 222: describing that the system constructs an MPM list, the MPM list including a number of DIMD modes as candidates in the MPM list).
Turning to claims 6 and 18, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 3, and claims 13 and 15, respectively, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein based on a value of the DIMD flag information being 0, the MRL index information is parsed, and wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being greater than 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on candidates included in the second MPM list (e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 205 – 208: depicting and describing that when the DIMD flag is 0, the system obtains MRL index information, and that when the MRL index is greater than 0, the system derives the intra prediction mode based on candidates in the MPM list [see e.g. par. 147: describing that when the MRL index is greater than zero, the index is an index for the MPM list], the MPM list being different than the MPM list used if DIMD is applied [see, e.g. pars. 129 – 140 and 226 – 227: describing that the two MPM lists are constructed for the current block, the MPM list for DIMD mode being separate from the other MPM list], wherein the MPM list used for MRL index greater than 0 is the equivalent of the secondary MPM list).
Regarding claim 7, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1, 3 and 6, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein the DIMD modes is constructed as one of the candidates in the second MPM list (e.g. par. 179: describing that DIMD mode is included as one of the candidates in the secondary MPM list), and
wherein a number of candidates in the MPM list is greater than 6 (e.g. pars. 139 – 141, 231, and 237 – 238: describing that the number of candidates in the MPM list is 22).
Turning to claim 8, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1, 3 and 6, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of secondary MPM flag information, second MPM index information or not-planar flag information, wherein the second MPM flag information represents whether second MPM mode is enabled, and wherein the second MPM index information represents a candidate in the second MPM list (e.g. pars. 139 – 140: describing that the system parses secondary MPM flag information and secondary MPM index information, the secondary MPM index information indicating whether secondary MPM is present, the secondary MPM index indicating a candidate in the secondary MPM list).
Regarding claim 9, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 3, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of MPM flag information, MPM index information, not-planar flag information or remaining mode information (e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 139 – 141, and 205 - 208: depicting and describing that the intra prediction mode information includes an MPM flag, and an MPM index [PMPM index, SMPM index, or MRL index]), and
wherein based on a value of the DIMD flag information being 0, the MRL index information is parsed (e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 205 – 208: depicting and describing that when the DIMD flag information is 0, the system parses MRL index information).
Turning to claims 10 and 19, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 13 , as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein the intra prediction mode includes MRL index information, and wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being greater than 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on candidates included in the second MPM list (Fig. 21 and pars. 146 – 148, and 205 – 208: depicting and describing that intra prediction mode information includes MRL index information, when the MRL index information being greater than zero, the intra prediction mode being derived based on an MPM list, the MRL index being an index for the MPM list, wherein the MPM list is the equivalent of the secondary MPM list).
Regarding claim 11, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 10, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein intra prediction mode information includes at least one of second MPM flag information, second MPM index information, not-planar flag information or remaining mode information, wherein the second MPM flag information represents second MPM modes is enabled, and wherein the second MPM index information represent a candidate in the second MPM list (e.g. pars. 139 – 140: describing that the system parses secondary MPM flag information and secondary MPM index information, the secondary MPM index information indicating whether secondary MPM is present, the secondary MPM index indicating a candidate in the secondary MPM list).
Turning to claim 12, Wang and Wang 2 teach all of the limitations of claim 1, as discussed above. Wang further teaches:
wherein the intra prediction mode information includes MRL index information, MPM flag information, MPM index information, not- planar flag information or remaining mode information (e.g. Fig. 21, and pars. 139 – 141, and 205 – 208: depicting and describing that intra prediction mode information includes MRL index information, MPM flag information, and MPM index information [PMPM index or SMPM index]).
Wang does not explicitly teach:
wherein based on a value of the MRL index being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information.
Wang 2, however, teaches a method for video decoding:
wherein based on a value of the MRL index being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information (e.g. pg. 38, par. 3: describing that when the MRL index is 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the MPM index from the normal MPM list, wherein the MPM index is the equivalent of the intra prediction mode information).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Wang by adding the teachings of Wang 2 in order for, based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification provides a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding (Wang 2, e.g. pg. 2, par. 1: describing a desire to provide a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding).
Regarding claim 20, Wang teaches a transmission method of data for an image, the method comprising:
obtaining a bitstream of the image, wherein the bitstream is generated by:
constructing a Most Probable Mode (MPM) list of a current block based on neighboring blocks of the current block, wherein the MPM list includes a first MPM list or a second MPM list, wherein a number of candidates in the second MPM list is different from a number of candidates in the first MPM list (e.g. pars. 139 – 141: describing that the system constructs most probable mode (MPM) list for a current block based on neighboring blocks of the current block, the MPM list including a primary most probable mode (MPM) list and a secondary MPM for a current block, the secondary MPM list having 16 entries while the primary MPM list has 6 entries, wherein the entries are the equivalent of the candidates),
determining an intra prediction mode for the current block based on the MPM list (e.g. Fig. 21, pars. 146 – 148, 205 – 208, and 221 – 222: depicting and describing that the system derives an intra prediction mode based on either the primary MPM list or the secondary MPM list [see, e.g. pars. 146 – 148: describing that when intra mode information indicates DMID will not be used, an intra mode is derived based on a multiple reference line (MRL) index, the MRL index indicating a mode in the MPM list; see also pars. 221 – 222: describing that the current block uses DMID, the intra mode is derived based on the DMID MPM list]),
deriving intra prediction mode information for the current block based on the intra prediction mode for the current block (e.g. Fig. 20 and pars. 205 – 208: depicting and describing that the system determines intra prediction mode information, the intra prediction mode information indicating how to derive the intra prediction mode for the current block), and
encoding image information including the intra prediction mode information (e.g. Fig. 1, and pars. 45 – 47: depicting and describing that the system encodes the video data to form a bitstream, the bitstream including the intra prediction mode information [see, e.g. Fig. 20 and pars. 205 – 208: depicting and describing that intra prediction mode information is included in the bitstream]); and
transmitting the data comprising the bitstream (e.g. Fig. 1, and par. 47: depicting and describing that the system transmits the bitstream),
wherein the MPM list includes at least one candidate which is a Decoder side Intra Mode Derivation (DMID) mode and is derived based on multiple reference lines (MRL) (e.g. pars. 146 – 147 and 221 – 239: describing that the MPM list includes candidates derived using MRL and candidates derived using DMID), and
wherein the intra prediction mode information includes at least one of DIMD related information or MRL index information (e.g. Fig. 21 and pars. 205 – 208: depicting and describing that the intra prediction mode information includes DIMD flag information and MRL index information).
Wang does not explicitly teach:
wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information.
Wang 2, however, teaches a transmission method of data for an image:
wherein based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information (e.g. pg. 38, par. 3: describing that when the MRL index is 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the MPM index from the normal MPM list as opposed to a MPM index for a special MPM list, the normal MPM list and the special MPM list being different from each other and containing different probable modes, wherein the MPM index is the equivalent of the intra prediction mode information).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Wang by adding the teachings of Wang 2 in order for, based on a value of the MRL index information being 0, the intra prediction mode is derived based on the intra prediction mode information. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification provides a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding (Wang 2, e.g. pg. 2, par. 1: describing a desire to provide a technique for generating an MPM list that results in more efficient coding).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANIKA M BRUMFIELD whose telephone number is (571)270-3700. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 - 5 PM AWS.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Czekaj can be reached at 571-272-7327. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SHANIKA M. BRUMFIELD
Examiner
Art Unit 2487
/SHANIKA M BRUMFIELD/Examiner, Art Unit 2487
/Dave Czekaj/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2487