DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Summary
2. This office action for US Patent application 18/409,220 is responsive to communications filed on 11/12/2025, in response to the Non-Final Rejection of 08/12/2025. Claim 3 has been amended. Currently, claims 1-20 are pending and are presented for examination.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant's Remarks see pages 6-9, filed on 11/12/2025, with respect to the amendment and argument have been fully considered, but they are not persuasive.
Applicant amends and urges that “indexing a first buffer element index array using the first part of the neighborhood configuration to determine a first index associated with a range of coder indices in a buffer array; indexing the buffer array, to determine a coder index, based on: the first index associated with the range of coder indices; and a second part of the neighborhood configuration” (see page 6-7: Applicant’s Remarks). The examiner respectively disagrees. Pham Van discloses in paragraph 0093 that coding using OBUF may include two general steps: in the first step, for the occupancy of a given child node to be encoded, a binary arithmetic coder is selected from a set of binary arithmetic coders. This decision of choosing a particular arithmetic coder is dependent on the index of the child node and a dependence state that is derived from the neighbourhood information. The dependence state X may take one of several values, where value corresponds one or more neighbourhood configurations. Each arithmetic coder is associated with a probability, and the probabilities of the binary arithmetic coders are chosen such that together they cover the probability range of [0,1], i.e., a set of increasing probability values are associated with the coders such that the first value is close to 0 and the last value is close to 1.
Pham Van further discloses that Word4 and Word7 values are first derived based on the occupancy information of neighbour nodes. Next, the G-PCC coder determines the primary information context ctx1 and secondary information context ctx2 using Word4 and Word7. Ctx1 and ctx2 are then used to derive the context index to encode the occupancy bit using the getEvolve function. In FIG. 8, occupancy represents the occupancy of the current node while i presents the index of the current bit to be encoded in the occupancy. The Sparse information, which indicates how sparse the occupied nodes in the neighbourhood of the point, is also derived using the occupancy of the neighbour nodes. _ctcMapOccupancy represents the entire context table to encode occupancy. _MapOccypancySparse and _MapOccupancy indicate the context index region for encoding the occupancy bit located in sparse and non-sparse areas. In the implementation, _MapOccupancySparse and _MapOccupancy are presented as tables of object for each bit index (see Fig. 8, paragraph 0160).
Applicant continues to urge that Pham Van page 93 is not supported by either of the provisional application nos. 63/363,160 and 63/331,175 which Pham Van claims priority to. Further, Pham Van's filing date (April 13, 2023) is after the filing date of provisional application no. 63/438,071 (Jan 10, 2023)” see page 7-8: Applicant remarks). However, all claim features and limitations of current application are supported by Pham Van’s specification and Figures. Furthermore, Applicant also states that Pham Van's filing date is April 13, 2023, however, it is not April 13, 2023, it is April 14, 2022. Therefore, it is still qualified for the prior art.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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 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.
5. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
6. Claims 1- 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pham Van et al. (US 2023/0342987A1; has Provisional Application 63/331,175, filed on April 14, 2022) (hereinafter Pham Van).
Regarding claim 1, Pham Van discloses a method (e.g., see abstract) comprising:
determining, by a computing device, a neighborhood configuration of a first occupancy bit indicating an occupancy of a sub-cuboid (e.g., see Figs. 5-6, 9-10; paragraphs 0032, 0035, 0056: sub-cuboid or split into multiple cube/cuboid regions) associated with a point cloud (e.g., see abstract, paragraphs 0005, 0006, 0069: occupancy bit of current child node based on the occupancy of the reference child node; Figs. 3-4, paragraphs 0089, 0092);
based on a quantity of symbols of a first part of the neighborhood configuration, indexing a first buffer (e.g., see paragraph 0043: buffer) element index array using the first part of the neighborhood configuration to determine a first index associated with a range of coder indices in a buffer array (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160);
indexing the buffer array, to determine a coder index(e.g., paragraphs 0087, 0160: context index) , based on:
the first index associated with the range of coder indices; and a second part of the neighborhood configuration (e.g., paragraphs 0087, 0160: context index); and
based on a context associated with the coder index, decoding the first occupancy bit (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160).
Regarding claim 2, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising decoding, using the first occupancy bit, the point cloud (e.g., see abstract, paragraphs 0005, 0006, 0069: occupancy bit of current child node based on the occupancy of the reference child node; Figs. 3-4, paragraphs 0089, 0092).
Regarding claim 3, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: indexing the first buffer (e.g., see paragraph 0043: buffer) element index array based on the quantity of symbols of the first part of the neighborhood configuration being equal to zero (e.g., see paragraphs 0056, 0090, 0092: equal to zero; also see paragraphs 0158, 0201, 0254).
Regarding claim 4, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the index associated with the range of coder indices indicates a starting location of the range of coder indices in the buffer array (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index and range; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160).
Regarding claim 5, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the buffer array (e.g., see paragraph 0043: buffer) is a two-dimensional array and wherein indexing the buffer array further comprises: using the first index for the range of coder indices to index a first dimension of the buffer array (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index and range; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160); and using the second part of the neighborhood configuration to index a second dimension of the buffer array(e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160).
Regarding claim, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, in a bitstream, an indication of a size of the buffer array (e.g., see paragraph 0043, 0152).
Regarding claim 7, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the indication of the size of the buffer array (e.g., see paragraph 0043: buffer) comprises an indication of: a quantity of buffer elements in the buffer array; and a depth of each of the buffer elements in the buffer array (e.g., see paragraphs 0177, 0231, 0233: depth).
Regarding claim 8, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the indication of the size of the buffer array (e.g., see paragraph 0043: buffer) comprises an indication of a codec profile or a codec level (e.g., see paragraphs 0050, 0054, 0056: codec).
Regarding claim 9, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first buffer element index array comprises: a coder index array of a leaf-per-leaf tree; and a quantity of visits array of the leaf-per-leaf tree (e.g., see paragraphs 0059, 0060, 0077: octree, leaf level and node; paragraphs 0078, 0081).
Regarding claim 10, Pham Van discloses a method (e.g., see abstract) comprising:
determining a neighborhood configuration of a first edge indicating an occupancy of a sub-cuboid associated with a point cloud frame (e.g., see Fig. 6, paragraphs 0148, 0153, 0161: edge);
based on a quantity of symbols of a first part of the neighborhood configuration, indexing a first buffer element index array (e.g., paragraphs 0087, 0160: context index) using the first part of the neighborhood configuration to determine a first index associated with a range of coder indices in a buffer array (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160);
indexing the buffer array, to determine a coder index, based on: the first index associated the range of coder indices (e.g., paragraphs 0087, 0160: context index); and
a second part of the neighborhood configuration (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160); and
based on a context associated with the coder index, decoding vertex information of the first edge (e.g., see Figs. 6, 9, paragraphs 0060, 0161, 0183: vertex).
Regarding claim 11, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 10, further comprising: determining a neighborhood configuration of a second edge (e.g., see Fig. 6, paragraphs 0148, 0153, 0161: edge); and based on a quantity of symbols of a first part of the neighborhood configuration of the second edge, indexing the first buffer element index array using the first part of the neighborhood configuration of the second edge to determine a second index associated with a range of coder indices in the buffer array (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index and range; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160).
Regarding claim 12, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the first index and the second index are the same (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index and range; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160).
Regarding claim 13, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 10, wherein the first buffer element index array is for a first Optimal Binary Coders with Update on the Fly (OBUF) instance (e.g., see paragraphs 0004, 0036. 0092: OBUF; Figs. 4, 7-8: dynamic OBUF; paragraphs 0093, 0158, 0160).
Regarding claim 14, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 10, further comprising: determining the first index, associated with the range of coder indices in the buffer array is determined, based on a global variable, wherein the global variable is incremented after a buffer element of the buffer array is attached to a leaf node of an Optimal Binary Coders with Update on the Fly (OBUF) instance (e.g., see paragraphs 0004, 0036. 0092: OBUF; Figs. 4, 7-8: dynamic OBUF; paragraphs 0093, 0158, 0160).
Regarding claim 15, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising: setting the global variable to a starting value after the global variable is incremented a quantity of times equal to a quantity of buffer elements in the buffer array (e.g., see paragraphs 0165, 0166; Figs. 11-12).
Regarding claim 16, Pham Van discloses the method of claim 10, further comprising: determining the first index, associated with the range of coder indices in the buffer array, based on a distance of a first coder index, associated with the first part of the neighborhood configuration, to a second coder index stored in a buffer element of the buffer array at an index associated with the second part of the neighborhood configuration (e.g., see paragraphs 0087, 0093, 0096: context index and range; also see paragraphs 0127, 0129, 0160).
Regarding claim 17, it contains the limitations of claims 1 and 10, and is analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Regarding claim 18, it contains the limitations of claims 2 and 17, and is analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Regarding claim 19, it contains the limitations of claims 10 and 17, and is analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Regarding claim 20, it contains the limitations of claims 11 and 19, and is analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Conclusion
7. 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 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 extension fee 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.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ON MUNG whose telephone number is (571) 270-7557 and whose direct fax number is (571) 270-8557. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9am - 6pm (ET).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JAMIE ATALA can be reached on (571)272-7384. 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 the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ON S MUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2486