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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/4/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Lasserre does not explicitly teach calculating, by a computing device, a value based on a linear combination of: first occupancy values indicating vertex information of edges neighboring a current edge associated with a video frame; and first coefficients comprising signs based on spatial positions of the edges, corresponding to the first coefficients, relative to the current edge.
In response, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Lasserre teaches n accordance with embodiments, the information about the relative positions of neighboring vertices may be combined with the occupancy information of neighboring volumes, and it has been found that, for example, a 6-bit contextual word
W = 16* (Ne -1) + 4*ppar,Q + Nnear ‘
is a very strong predictor of the position pk of the vertex. In accordance with further embodiments, the word W may be enriched with any of the above-described contextual information, for example information like (Na ==4) , (Nb ==4) and NTV (k). [00119].
Ne is the number of occupied volumes among the 4 volumes e1 of which not all of the volumes are unoccupied (otherwise the current edge is not a TriSoup edge). [00106].
To further clarify, Lasserre teaches the position ppar,Q of the vertex Vpar along the already-coded/decoded edge k’ is a good indicator of the position pk of the vertex on the current edge k. The vertex position may be quantized into ppar,Q as illustrated in Fig. 17 into a two-bit value which may be used to construct the contextual information CIi.
In accordance with further embodiments, it has been found that the position pk’ of an already-coded TriSoup Vk’ on a perpendicular edge (see Fig. 15) is also a good indicator ofthe position pk of the vertex. For example, as is shown in Fig. 18, the one or more positions pk’ on the perpendicular edges k’ may be reduced to a binary value indicating the vertex to be “near” to or “far” from the start point of the current edge k. As is illustrated in Fig. 18, the position pk’ of a vertex Vk on a perpendicular edge k’ is indicated as a first positionin case its distance from an end point of the edge k’, which is the start point of the current edge k, is below a certain or predefined threshold. In Fig. 18, this first position is referred to as a position which is “near” to the current edge k. A position pk’ of a vertex Vk’ being at a distance more than the threshold from the start point of the current edge k is referred to as a position “far” from the current edge k. The number Nnear of near vertices Vk’ is obtained and used to construct the contextual information CIi. The following inequalities hold:
0 ≤ Nnear ≤4.
In accordance with embodiments, the position ppar of the vertex Vpar on the unique edge k’ (see Fig. 17) may also be considered for counting near vertices, and in such an embodiment the following inequalities hold:
0 ≤ Nnear ≤5.
In accordance with embodiments, the number of near vertices may be capped so as to obtain a 2-bit information referred to as N.sub.near’ for which the following applies:
0 ≤ Nnear ‘= min (3, Nnear ) ≤ 3.
In accordance with embodiments, all information on the positions pk’ for already-coded/decoded vertices Vk’ may be combined when constructing the contextual information CIi. In accordance with embodiments, a part of the contextual information CIi may be
4*ppar,Q + Nnear ‘ [00114] – [00118].
The coefficient of the terms ppar,Q and Nnear ‘ are 4 and 1, respectively. Each of them comprises a positive sign.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 7-16, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lasserre et al. (WO 2023/193533 A1).
Consider claim 1, Lasserre teaches a method comprising: calculating, by a computing device, a value ([00119], [00106] – [00113]) based on a linear combination of: first occupancy values indicating vertex information of edges neighboring a current edge associated with a video frame ([00119], [00106] – [00113]); and first coefficients comprising signs based on spatial positions of the edges, corresponding to the first coefficients, relative to the current edge ([00119], [00106] – [00113]); selecting, based on a neighborhood configuration associated with the value, a context associated with coding vertex information of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]); and coding, based on the context, the vertex information of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]).
Consider claim 2, Lasserre teaches calculating the value comprises: calculating a sum of: an offset associated with a direction of the current edge; and a result of the linear combination (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0091] – [0098]).
Consider claim 7, Lasserre teaches the coding the vertex information of the current edge comprises: coding, based on the context, a symbol of a vertex position present on the current edge (Fig. 10, [0090] – [0098]).
Consider claim 8, Lasserre teaches the vertex information of the current edge comprises at least one of: a vertex presence flag of the current edge; or the vertex position present on the current edge (Fig. 10, [0090] – [0098]).
Consider claim 9, Lasserre teaches the selecting the context comprises: based on an association between the neighborhood configuration and the context, selecting the context for coding the vertex information of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]).
Consider claim 10, Lasserre teaches a method comprising: calculating a value based on a linear combination of: occupancy values indicating vertex information of edges neighboring a current edge associated with a video frame ([00119], [00106] – [00113]); and coefficients comprising signs based on spatial positions of the edges, corresponding to the first coefficients, relative to the current edge ([00119], [00106] – [00113]); determining, based on the value, one or more symbols of a neighborhood configuration of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]); and coding, based on a context associated with the neighborhood configuration, vertex information of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]).
Consider claim 11, Lasserre teaches based on a mapping of a subset of the one or more symbols of the neighborhood configuration to the context, selecting the context for coding the vertex information of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]; [00119], [00106] – [00113]).
Consider claim 12, Lasserre teaches updating, based on the vertex information of the current edge, the mapping to associate the subset of the one or more symbols of the neighborhood configuration with a different context (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]; [00119], [00106] – [00113]).
Consider claim 13, Lasserre teaches based on a quantity of coded edges with neighborhood information, increasing a quantity of the subset of the one or more symbols, wherein the neighborhood information comprises the same subset of the one or more symbols (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]; [00119], [00106] – [00113]; [00124] – [00125]).
Consider claim 14, Lasserre teaches determining the one or more symbols comprises: determining at least one symbol, of the one or more symbols, based on whether the value is greater than a threshold value (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]; [00119], [00106] – [00113]).
Consider claim 15, Lasserre teaches each occupancy value of the occupancy values comprises a binary value indicating at least one of: whether a vertex is present with a position on a respective edge; or whether a vertex is present within a threshold distance of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]; [00119], [00106] – [00113]).
Consider claim 16, Lasserre teaches a method comprising: calculating a value as a sum of: an offset based on a direction of a current edge associated with a video frame (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0091] – [0098]); and a linear combination based on first occupancy values indicating vertex information of neighboring edges intersecting at least one of two endpoints of the current edge ( [00106] – [00119]); determining, based on the value, a symbol of a neighborhood configuration of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]); selecting, based on the neighborhood configuration, a context associated with coding vertex information of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]); and coding, based on the context, the vertex information of the current edge (Fig. 10; [0081] – [0084], [0090] – [0098]).
Consider claim 19, Lasserre teaches each of the neighboring edges is associated with at least one cuboid intersecting the current edge ([0081] – [0098]); and the at least one cuboid intersects at least one of the two endpoints of the current edge ([0081] – [0098]).
Consider claim 20, Lasserre teaches a spatial position of the at least one cuboid indicates whether the at least one cuboid intersects one of the two endpoints of the current edge ([0081] – [0098]).
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.
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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lasserre et al. (WO 2023/193533 A1) in view of Park et al. (US 2022/0337872 A1)
Consider claim 5, Lasserre teaches all the limitations in claim 1 but does not explicitly teach each coefficient, of the first coefficients, comprises a magnitude; and each magnitude is based on a spatial position of an edge, of the edges, relative to the current edge.
Park teaches each coefficient, of the first coefficients, comprises a magnitude ([0108] – [0113]); and each magnitude is based on a spatial position of an edge, of the edges, relative to the current edge ([0108] – [0113]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the known technique of having coefficients that comprise a magnitude, which is based on a spatial position of an edge relative to the current edge because such incorporation would increase the compression efficiency. [0105].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, 6, 17, 18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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.
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/TAT C CHIO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2486
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