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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/13/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The office action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed 05/13/2026 which has been entered and made of record. Claims 1, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12, 17 and 19 have been amended. Claims 1-5, 7-13, 15-19 and 21-23 are pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 05/13/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Mammou and Park as fully explained below.
Applicant argues Mammou and Kim, taken individually or in combination, do not teach the newly amended independent claims.
Examiner agrees Mammou and Kim do not teach the newly amended independent claims. However, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Mammou and Park as fully explained below.
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) 1-3, 5, 7-11, 13, 15-19 and 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mammou et al. (US 20230290063 A1), hereinafter as Mammou, in view of Park et al. (US 20250373850 A1), hereinafter as Park.
Regarding claim 1, Mammou teaches A method comprising (Mammou paragraph [0003] “Disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses for image/video-based compression static and dynamic meshes.”): receiving, from a bitstream, subdivision information …… (Mammou paragraph [0324] “Mesh sub-bitstream 3202 contains data to generate base meshes to be fed to the mesh subdivision/mesh normalization process 3210.”); subdividing the base mesh according to the subdivision information (Mammou paragraph [0289] “the mesh subbitstream 3203 can be decoded by the mesh subbitstream decoder 3209 into a base mesh, which can be normalized via the mesh subdivision/mesh normalization process 3210.”), …… (Mammou teaches a metadata with subdivision scheme and iteration count as the subdivision parameter, further teaches the bounding box as the sub volume information, paragraph [0600] “Metadata metadata(i) describing various information about the mesh structure. For example, this could include patch/patch group information, subdivision scheme, subdivision iteration count, bounding box, tiles, etc.”); decoding, from the bitstream, displacements for respective vertices of the subdivided based mesh (Mammou paragraph [0076] “Depending on the application and the targeted bitrate/visual quality, the encoder could optionally encode a set of displacement vectors associated with the subdivided mesh vertices, referred to as displacement field d(i).” and paragraph [0289] “The geometry subbitstream 3204 can be decoded by the video decoder 3211 into geometry images. The geometry images can be normalized via the displacement decoder/geometry normalization process 3212, resulting in displacement values”); and reconstructing the mesh based on applying the displacements to the respective vertices of the subdivided base mesh (Mammou Figure 5, and paragraph [0599-0608] “FIG. 5, discussed above, shows the interactions between: (1) the adaptive tessellation post-processor module 503, (2) the decoder 502, and (3) application modules 501. More specifically, the adaptive tessellation module 503 can take as inputs:…… A decoded base mesh m′(i), which may (but need not) have per vertex/face/edge attributes describing saliency and importance/priority information; A set of displacements d′(i) associated with the subdivided mesh vertices…… The tessellation module 503 can take advantage of the subdivision structure described above, together with information provided by the decoder 502 and/or the application 501 to generate the mesh M″(i) to be used for rendering or for processing by the application 501.”).
Mammou is not relied on for the below claim language …… indicating a volume containing, a base mesh of a mesh, being iteratively split into sub-volumes with each sub-volume of the sub-volumes containing a respective base sub-mesh of base sub-meshes together forming the base mesh, wherein the each sub-volume indicates a subdivision parameter applied to the respective base sub-mesh contained in the each sub-volume …… wherein, for the each sub-volume, a surface of the respective base sub-mesh contained in the each sub-volume is subdivided according to the subdivision parameter indicated by the each sub-volume …… Park teaches …… indicating a volume containing, a base mesh of a mesh, being iteratively split into sub-volumes with each sub-volume of the sub-volumes containing a respective base sub-mesh of base sub-meshes together forming the base mesh, wherein the each sub-volume indicates a subdivision parameter applied to the respective base sub-mesh contained in the each sub-volume …… wherein, for the each sub-volume, a surface of the respective base sub-mesh contained in the each sub-volume is subdivided according to the subdivision parameter indicated by the each sub-volume …… (Park teaches using a recursive octree partition method for base mesh to form subgroups, and further teaches signaling octree partition data, paragraph [0242-0244] “the subgroup partitioning by the subgroup partitioner 12013 is calculated in the encoder (e.g., motion vector encoder) based on the partitioning method. And the corresponding subgroup partitioning information may be signaled or the subgroup partitioning information …… the subgroup partitioner 12013 may determine subgroups based on the order of vertices in the base mesh or the order in which the motion vectors are coded, and partition the reference base mesh into the determined subgroups. In this case, the size of the subgroups may be pre-defined according to an agreement between the encoder/decoder. Alternatively, the size of the subgroups may be signaled and transmitted to the decoder of the reception device. Various subgroup partitioning methods may be applied. According to embodiments, the subgroup partitioning methods include octree partitioning”, paragraph [0251-0253] “When the subgroup partitioning method is octree partitioning, the subgroup partitioner 12013 may recursively partition the cuboid and determine whether to perform the partitioning based on the minimum number of vertices in the partitioned region, the distribution of vertices in the partitioned region, and the like…….This process is repeated. Then, in the final partitioned octree structure, each cuboid will represent one subgroup…… when the partitioning method is the octree partitioning, the octree partitioning information (e.g., octree_partitioning_data) may be included in the auxiliary information header and transmitted to the receiving side.”).
Mammou and Park are in the same field of endeavor, namely 3D mesh data encoding and decoding. Park teaches a method of using octree to encode and decode 3D mesh data to improve efficiency (Park paragraph [0025] “Thereby, the amount of data to be transmitted may be reduced, and the compression efficiency of the geometry information may be increased.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Park with the method of Mammou to improve efficiency.
Regarding claim 2, Mammou in view of Park teach The method of claim 1, and further teach wherein the subdivision parameter indicates: a subdivision level of a subdivision scheme; or a number of iterations of the subdivision scheme (Mammou paragraph [0070] “The subdivided curve can be automatically generated by the decoder once the base/decimated curve is decoded (i.e., there may be no need for any information other than the subdivision scheme type and subdivision iteration count to be encoded/transmitted)”).
Regarding claim 3, Mammou in view of Park teach The method of claim 2, and further teach wherein the subdivision parameter indicates the subdivision scheme as one of a plurality of subdivision schemes (Mammou paragraph [0077] “Various subdivision schemes could be used in conjunction with the techniques herein. Suitable subdivision schemes may include, but are not limited to, those described in Reference [A4]. One possible solution is a mid-point subdivision scheme”).
Regarding claim 5, Mammou in view of Park teach The method of claim 1, and further teach further comprising: decoding, from the bitstream, information indicating vertices and triangles of the base mesh (Mammou teaches 5 vertex and 4 triangle faces formed by the 5 vertex in Figure 40 and paragraph [0571-0574] “The positions of the mesh is reconstructed by adding the i-th displacement in the area corresponding to the current patch data unit in the displacement video to the i-th vertex in the subpart associated with the current patch data unit in the resampled base mesh…… To illustrate this, FIG. 40 provides an example of vertex indices in a subpart associated with a patch. Looking at the example of FIG. 40, if a patch (mesh_intra_patch_data_unit[0]) has subpart id 0, then triangle faces with fi(facegroupId) 0 are associated with this patch, which are f 1/2/4, f 2/4/5 and f 0/1/2.”).
Regarding claim 7, Mammou in view of Park teach The method of claim 1, and further teach wherein the displacements comprise a displacement vector for each vertex of the vertices of the subdivided base mesh (Mammou paragraph [0068-0071] “a displacement vector can be computed for each vertex of the subdivided mesh 603 (illustrated by the arrows in the displaced polyline 604 of FIG. 6)…… The displaced curve can be generated by decoding the displacement vectors associated with the subdivided curve vertices.”), and wherein applying the displacements comprises adding the displacement vector to a respective vertex of the vertices (Mammou paragraph [0571] “The positions of the mesh is reconstructed by adding the i-th displacement in the area corresponding to the current patch data unit in the displacement video to the i-th vertex in the subpart associated with the current patch data unit in the resampled base mesh.”).
Regarding claim 8, Mammou in view of Park teach The method of claim 1, and further teach wherein the determining the displacements comprises: decoding, from the bitstream, wavelet coefficients representing the displacements (Mammou paragraph [0106-0107] “The displacement sub-stream can be decoded by a video/image decoder 1804 corresponding to the video/image encoder used to encode the sub-stream….. The decoded displacement d″(i) can then generated by applying the inverse wavelet transform 1807 to the unquantized wavelet coefficients.”); performing inverse quantization of the wavelet coefficients (Mammou paragraph [0106] “The generated image/video can then un-packed 1805 and inverse quantization 1806 can be applied to the wavelet coefficients that result from the unpacking.”); and performing inverse wavelet transform of the inverse-quantized wavelet coefficients to determine the displacements (Mammou paragraph [0107] “The decoded displacement d″(i) can then generated by applying the inverse wavelet transform 1807 to the unquantized wavelet coefficients.”).
Regarding claim 9, it recites similar limitations of claim 1 but in a decoder form. The rationale of claim 1 rejection is applied to reject claim 9. In addition, Mammou teaches A decoder comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the decoder to (Mammou Figure 32, “FIG. 32 illustrates a v-mesh decoder framework block diagram” and paragraph [0643] “The processor core complex 4308 is operably coupled with local memory 4310 and the main memory storage device 4312. Thus, the processor core complex 4308 may execute instructions stored in local memory 4310 or the main memory storage device 4312 to perform operations”):
Regarding claim 10, claim 10 has similar limitations as claim 2, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 2.
Regarding claim 11, claim 11 has similar limitations as claim 3, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 3.
Regarding claim 13, claim 13 has similar limitations as claim 5, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 5.
Regarding claim 15, claim 15 has similar limitations as claim 7, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 7.
Regarding claim 16, claim 16 has similar limitations as claim 8, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 8.
Regarding claim 17, it recites similar limitations of claim 1 but in a non-transitory computer-readable medium form. The rationale of claim 1 rejection is applied to reject claim 17. In addition, Mammou teaches A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a decoder, cause the decoder to (Mammou paragraph [0642] “The electronic device 4300 includes the electronic display 4302, one or more input devices 4304, one or more input/output (I/O) ports 4306, a processor core complex 4308 having one or more processing circuitry(s) or processing circuitry cores, local memory 4310, a main memory storage device 4312, a network interface 4314, and a power source 4316 (e.g., power supply). The various components described in FIG. 43 may include hardware elements (e.g., circuitry), software elements (e.g., a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions), or a combination of both hardware and software elements.”):
Regarding claim 18, claim 18 has similar limitations as claim 2, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 2.
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 has similar limitations as claim 3, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 3.
Regarding claim 21, Mammou in view of Park teach The method of claim 1, and further teach wherein the subdivision information comprises a respective subdivision parameter for the each sub-volume of the sub-volumes (Mammou teaches using different subdivision methods for each part, Park teaches the sub-volumes of octree, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Park with the method of Mammou, Mammou Figure 35 and paragraph [0546] “Based on patch information associated with areas in the mesh, different subdivision methods may be applied…… in example 3500, which only changes subdivision iteration counts for each of the three parts (e.g., left part 3501, right part 3502, and head part 3503)”).
Mammou and Park are in the same field of endeavor, namely 3D mesh data encoding and decoding. Park teaches a method of using octree to encode and decode 3D mesh data to improve efficiency (Park paragraph [0025] “Thereby, the amount of data to be transmitted may be reduced, and the compression efficiency of the geometry information may be increased.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Park with the method of Mammou to improve efficiency.
Regarding claim 22, claim 22 has similar limitations as claim 21, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 21.
Regarding claim 23, claim 23 has similar limitations as claim 21, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 21.
Claim(s) 4 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mammou et al. (US 20230290063 A1), hereinafter as Mammou, in view of Park et al. (US 20250373850 A1), hereinafter as Park, further in view of Hur et al. (US 20210407142 A1), hereinafter as Hur.
Regarding claim 4, Mammou in view of Park teach The method of claim 1, and further teach wherein the subdivision information comprises an octree that indicates the volume being iteratively split into …… sub-volumes corresponding to leaf nodes of the octree (Park paragraph [0251-0252] “When the subgroup partitioning method is octree partitioning, the subgroup partitioner 12013 may recursively partition the cuboid and determine whether to perform the partitioning based on the minimum number of vertices in the partitioned region, the distribution of vertices in the partitioned region, and the like…….This process is repeated. Then, in the final partitioned octree structure, each cuboid will represent one subgroup”), but are not relied on for the below claim language non-overlapping …… and wherein the sub-volumes are determined based on the non-overlapping sub-volumes. Hur teaches non-overlapping …… and wherein the sub-volumes are determined based on the non-overlapping sub-volumes (Hur teaches using an adjusted virtual position for octree division to achieve non-overlapping blocks, preventing overlapping blocks, and further teaches signaling the region overlapping processing. Figure 19, Paragraph [0395-0400] “the octree constructor according to the embodiments, may configure all blocks belonging to a slice based on one octree……after the secondary quantization, there may be a region where block-1 and block-2 overlap each other. The figure shows a process of processing bounding box-1 corresponding to block-1 and bounding box-2 corresponding to block-2 by a virtual position adjuster and an octree constructor of the octree generator. After the virtual position readjustment, the position of block-2 overlapping with a partial area of the block-1 (bounding box 1) is adjusted to a new virtual bounding box. In this method, the position of the block may be adjusted and an octree may be constructed based on the adjusted virtual position. When the points are divided into blocks, occupancy bits may be formed after processing the region overlap. The region overlap processing method may be signaled and transmitted to the decoder”).
Mammou, Park and Hur are in the same field of endeavor, namely computer graphics, especially in the field of data encoding and decoding. Hur teaches a method of using virtual positions for octree overlapping subblocks to prevent data loss or deterioration of data quality (Hur paragraph [0403] “The method/device according to the embodiments may prevent data loss or deterioration of the quality of point cloud content by preventing overlapping regions from occurring due to a change in regions that may occur in quantizing a plurality of blocks/bounding boxes.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hur with the method of Mammou and Park to prevent data loss or deterioration of data quality.
Regarding claim 12, claim 12 has similar limitations as claim 4, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jiang et al. (US 20140185668 A1) teaches a method to reduce bitstream redundancy for octree based 3D mesh model encoding. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIAOMING WEI whose telephone number is (571)272-3831. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kee Tung can be reached at (571)272-7794. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/XIAOMING WEI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2611
/KEE M TUNG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2611
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