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 .
Claims 1-3 have been amended and are pending for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/01/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant argues that the prior art of record fails to teach or disclose “wherein a width and a height of the current block is greater than or equal to 8”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. SEREGIN (US 20140072041 A1) disclose non-limiting examples of blocks with examples of blocks with width and height greater than or equal to 8. ([0123] For example, blocks larger then 8x8 or larger than 16x16 may be coded (e.g., encoded or decoded) using the weighted prediction mode.)
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 20190158835 A1) in view of Park (US 20180131943 A1) further in view of SEREGIN (US 20140072041 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches a video decoding method, the method comprising:
deriving a merge candidate list of a current block ([0152] Thereafter, a merge candidate list including the spatial merge candidate and the temporal merge candidate may be generated S1030.);
deriving a first motion vector and a second motion vector from the merge candidate list (The spatial motion vector candidate may include at least one of a first spatial motion vector candidate derived from a top neighboring block of the current block and a second spatial motion vector candidate derived from a left neighboring block of the current block. [0157]);
deriving a first prediction block of the current block based on the first motion vector (determine weights applying to a first prediction block generated based on a first reference picture and a second prediction block generated based on a second reference picture based on the weighted prediction parameter [0009]);
deriving a second prediction block of the current block using the second motion vector (determine weights applying to a first prediction block generated based on a first reference picture and a second prediction block generated based on a second reference picture based on the weighted prediction parameter [0009]); and
deriving a final prediction block of the current block based on a weighted sum of the first prediction block and the second prediction block (obtain a final prediction block of the current block based on a weighted sum of the first prediction block and the second prediction block. [0009]),
wherein the first motion vector and the second motion vector are each derived from different merge candidates in the merge candidate list (The spatial motion vector candidate may include at least one of a first spatial motion vector candidate derived from a top neighboring block of the current block and a second spatial motion vector candidate derived from a left neighboring block of the current block. [0157]),
wherein the merge candidate list includes spatial merge candidates and temporal merge candidate ([0152] Thereafter, a merge candidate list including the spatial merge candidate and the temporal merge candidate may be generated S1030.).
Lee does not teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, Park teaches wherein the weighted sum is applied to the first prediction block and the second prediction block based on a partial region within the current block ([0098] In this case, different weights can be applied to the first and second predictors. When the same weight is applied, the weighted sum may be an average of the two predictors. For example, the specific area of the current block may include the pixel or sub-block located at the boundary of the current block. In addition, for example, the sub-block may have a size of 2×2, 4×4, or more.).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Park and apply them to Lee. One would be motivated as such to reduce a prediction error and improve coding efficiency by smoothing a predictor of a current block using a predictor of a neighboring block (Park: [0005]).
Lee in view of Park does not teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, SEREGIN teaches wherein a width and a height of the current block is greater than or equal to 8 (In some embodiments, weighted mode may only be used for certain larger block sizes. [0035] FIG. 5. [0123] For example, blocks larger then 8x8 or larger than 16x16 may be coded (e.g., encoded or decoded) using the weighted prediction mode. Examiner note: SEREGIN provides non-limiting examples of blocks with width and height greater than or equal to 8).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of SEREGIN and apply them to Lee in view of Park. One would be motivated as such to minimize the amount of additional weighted mode information that is included in a coded bitstream. (SEREGIN: [0035]).
Regarding claim 2, Lee teaches a video encoding method, the method comprising:
deriving a merge candidate list of a current block ([0152] Thereafter, a merge candidate list including the spatial merge candidate and the temporal merge candidate may be generated S1030.);
deriving a first motion vector and a second motion vector from the merge candidate list (The spatial motion vector candidate may include at least one of a first spatial motion vector candidate derived from a top neighboring block of the current block and a second spatial motion vector candidate derived from a left neighboring block of the current block. [0157]);
deriving a first prediction block of the current block based on the first motion vector (determine weights applying to a first prediction block generated based on a first reference picture and a second prediction block generated based on a second reference picture based on the weighted prediction parameter [0009]);
deriving a second prediction block of the current block using the second motion vector (determine weights applying to a first prediction block generated based on a first reference picture and a second prediction block generated based on a second reference picture based on the weighted prediction parameter [0009]); and
deriving a final prediction block of the current block based on a weighted sum of the first prediction block and the second prediction block (obtain a final prediction block of the current block based on a weighted sum of the first prediction block and the second prediction block. [0009]),
wherein the first motion vector and the second motion vector are each derived from different merge candidates in the merge candidate list (The spatial motion vector candidate may include at least one of a first spatial motion vector candidate derived from a top neighboring block of the current block and a second spatial motion vector candidate derived from a left neighboring block of the current block. [0157]),
wherein the merge candidate list includes spatial merge candidates and temporal merge candidate ([0152] Thereafter, a merge candidate list including the spatial merge candidate and the temporal merge candidate may be generated S1030.).
Lee does not teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, Park teaches wherein the weighted sum is applied to the first prediction block and the second prediction block based on a partial region within the current block ([0098] In this case, different weights can be applied to the first and second predictors. When the same weight is applied, the weighted sum may be an average of the two predictors. For example, the specific area of the current block may include the pixel or sub-block located at the boundary of the current block. In addition, for example, the sub-block may have a size of 2×2, 4×4, or more.).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Park and apply them to Lee. One would be motivated as such to reduce a prediction error and improve coding efficiency by smoothing a predictor of a current block using a predictor of a neighboring block (Park: [0005]).
Lee in view of Park does not teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, SEREGIN teaches wherein a width and a height of the current block is greater than or equal to 8 (In some embodiments, weighted mode may only be used for certain larger block sizes. [0035] FIG. 5. [0123] For example, blocks larger then 8x8 or larger than 16x16 may be coded (e.g., encoded or decoded) using the weighted prediction mode. Examiner note: SEREGIN provides non-limiting examples of blocks with width and height greater than or equal to 8).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of SEREGIN and apply them to Lee in view of Park. One would be motivated as such to minimize the amount of additional weighted mode information that is included in a coded bitstream. (SEREGIN: [0035]).
Regarding claim 3, Lee teaches a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream encoded by a video encoding method (embodiments may be implemented in the form of program instructions that may be executed through various computer components and recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. [0209]), the video encoding method comprising:
deriving a merge candidate list of a current block ([0152] Thereafter, a merge candidate list including the spatial merge candidate and the temporal merge candidate may be generated S1030.);
deriving a first motion vector and a second motion vector from the merge candidate list (The spatial motion vector candidate may include at least one of a first spatial motion vector candidate derived from a top neighboring block of the current block and a second spatial motion vector candidate derived from a left neighboring block of the current block. [0157]);
deriving a first prediction block of the current block based on the first motion vector (determine weights applying to a first prediction block generated based on a first reference picture and a second prediction block generated based on a second reference picture based on the weighted prediction parameter [0009]);
deriving a second prediction block of the current block using the second motion vector (determine weights applying to a first prediction block generated based on a first reference picture and a second prediction block generated based on a second reference picture based on the weighted prediction parameter [0009]); and
deriving a final prediction block of the current block based on a weighted sum of the first prediction block and the second prediction block (obtain a final prediction block of the current block based on a weighted sum of the first prediction block and the second prediction block. [0009]),
wherein the first motion vector and the second motion vector are each derived from different merge candidates in the merge candidate list (The spatial motion vector candidate may include at least one of a first spatial motion vector candidate derived from a top neighboring block of the current block and a second spatial motion vector candidate derived from a left neighboring block of the current block. [0157]),
wherein the merge candidate list includes spatial merge candidates and temporal merge candidate ([0152] Thereafter, a merge candidate list including the spatial merge candidate and the temporal merge candidate may be generated S1030.).
Lee does not teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, Park teaches wherein the weighted sum is applied to the first prediction block and the second prediction block based on a partial region within the current block ([0098] In this case, different weights can be applied to the first and second predictors. When the same weight is applied, the weighted sum may be an average of the two predictors. For example, the specific area of the current block may include the pixel or sub-block located at the boundary of the current block. In addition, for example, the sub-block may have a size of 2×2, 4×4, or more.).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Park and apply them to Lee. One would be motivated as such to reduce a prediction error and improve coding efficiency by smoothing a predictor of a current block using a predictor of a neighboring block (Park: [0005]).
Lee in view of Park does not teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, SEREGIN teaches wherein a width and a height of the current block is greater than or equal to 8 (In some embodiments, weighted mode may only be used for certain larger block sizes. [0035] FIG. 5. [0123] For example, blocks larger then 8x8 or larger than 16x16 may be coded (e.g., encoded or decoded) using the weighted prediction mode. Examiner note: SEREGIN provides non-limiting examples of blocks with width and height greater than or equal to 8).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of SEREGIN and apply them to Lee in view of Park. One would be motivated as such to minimize the amount of additional weighted mode information that is included in a coded bitstream. (SEREGIN: [0035]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 HESHAM K ABOUZAHRA whose telephone number is (571)270-0425. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jamie Atala can be reached at 57127227384. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HESHAM K ABOUZAHRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2486
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