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 Amendment
Applicant has amended claims 1, 6, 11, and 16. Applicant has cancelled claims 3-5, 8-10, and 13-15.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-2, 6-7, 11-12, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated Kim (US 20210097723 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Kim teaches a method of encoding point cloud data (see figure 2A), the method comprising:
encoding geometry data of the point cloud data (“In some embodiments, a system further includes an encoder configured to compress the attribute and/or spatial information of the points. To compress the attribute and/or spatial information, the encoder is configured to determine, for the point cloud, a plurality of patches, each corresponding to portions of the point cloud. The encoder is also configured to, for each patch, generate a patch image comprising the set of points corresponding to the patch projected onto a patch plane and generate another patch image comprising geometry information, such as depth information, for the set of points corresponding to the patch, wherein the geometry information comprises depths of the points in a direction perpendicular to the patch plane.” Paragraph 0005);
encoding attribute data of the point cloud data based on the geometry data (“In some embodiments, a system further includes an encoder configured to compress the attribute and/or spatial information of the points. To compress the attribute and/or spatial information, the encoder is configured to determine, for the point cloud, a plurality of patches, each corresponding to portions of the point cloud. The encoder is also configured to, for each patch, generate a patch image comprising the set of points corresponding to the patch projected onto a patch plane and generate another patch image comprising geometry information, such as depth information, for the set of points corresponding to the patch, wherein the geometry information comprises depths of the points in a direction perpendicular to the patch plane.” Paragraph 0005); and
transmitting the encoded geometry data, the encoded attribute data, and signaling data (“In some embodiments, the decoder may be associated with an augmented reality system and the decompressed attribute information may be displayed or otherwise used by the augmented reality system. In some embodiments, compressed attribute information for a point cloud may be sent with compressed spatial information for points of the point cloud. In other embodiments, spatial information and attribute information may be separately encoded and/or separately transmitted to a decoder.” Paragraph 0047 and figures 2B and 2C),
wherein the encoding of the geometry data comprises: partitioning the geometry data into motion blocks for motion compensation based on a partition method (“In some embodiments, an encoder, such as encoder 250, may be combined with or share modules with an intra point cloud frame encoder, such as encoder 200. In some embodiments, a point cloud re-sampling module, such as point cloud re-sampling module 252, may resample points in an input point cloud image frame in order to determine a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame for the point cloud. In some embodiments, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module, such as a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may apply a temporal prediction to the geometry/texture/attributes of the resampled points of the patches.” Paragraph 0067, patches as blocks); and
inter-prediction encoding the geometry data by performing the motion compensation on each of the motion blocks (“The prediction residuals may be stored into images, which may then be padded and compressed by using video/image codecs. In regard to spatial changes for points of the patches between the reference frame and a current frame, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may determine respective vectors for each of the points or segments of the point cloud, wherein the respective vectors indicate how the points or segments moved from the reference frame to the target frame (e.g. a current frame). A 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may then encode the motion vectors using different image parameters” paragraph 0067),
wherein the signaling data includes information for identifying the partition method (“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067 ) and motion block size information for identifying, for each of three axes, a size of a motion block that is partitioned based on the partition method (“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067 and “Note that other metadata associated with patches may also be sent to a decoder for use in the decompression process. For example, patch information indicating sizes and shapes of patches determined for the point cloud and packed in an image frame may be generated and/or encoded by an auxiliary patch-information compression module, such as auxiliary patch-information compression module 222.” Paragraph 0061).
With respect to claim 2, Kim teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the point cloud data is captured by a lidar comprising one or more lasers (“In some embodiments, a system, may include one or more LIDAR systems, 3-D cameras, 3-D scanners, etc., and such sensor devices may capture spatial information, such as X, Y, and Z coordinates for points in a view of the sensor devices.” Paragraph 0049).
With respect to claim 6, Kim teaches a device for encoding point cloud data (see figure 2A and figure 13 and figure 15), comprising: a geometry encoder configured to encode geometry data of the point cloud data (“In some embodiments, a system further includes an encoder configured to compress the attribute and/or spatial information of the points. To compress the attribute and/or spatial information, the encoder is configured to determine, for the point cloud, a plurality of patches, each corresponding to portions of the point cloud. The encoder is also configured to, for each patch, generate a patch image comprising the set of points corresponding to the patch projected onto a patch plane and generate another patch image comprising geometry information, such as depth information, for the set of points corresponding to the patch, wherein the geometry information comprises depths of the points in a direction perpendicular to the patch plane.” Paragraph 0005);
an attribute encoder configured to encode attribute data of the point cloud data based on the geometry data (“In some embodiments, a system further includes an encoder configured to compress the attribute and/or spatial information of the points. To compress the attribute and/or spatial information, the encoder is configured to determine, for the point cloud, a plurality of patches, each corresponding to portions of the point cloud. The encoder is also configured to, for each patch, generate a patch image comprising the set of points corresponding to the patch projected onto a patch plane and generate another patch image comprising geometry information, such as depth information, for the set of points corresponding to the patch, wherein the geometry information comprises depths of the points in a direction perpendicular to the patch plane.” Paragraph 0005); and
a transmitter configured to transmit the encoded geometry data, the encoded attribute data, and signaling data (“In some embodiments, the decoder may be associated with an augmented reality system and the decompressed attribute information may be displayed or otherwise used by the augmented reality system. In some embodiments, compressed attribute information for a point cloud may be sent with compressed spatial information for points of the point cloud. In other embodiments, spatial information and attribute information may be separately encoded and/or separately transmitted to a decoder.” Paragraph 0047 and figures 2B and 2C),
wherein the geometry encoder comprises: a splitter (see figure 3A) configured to partition the geometry data into motion blocks for motion compensation based on a partition method (“In some embodiments, an encoder, such as encoder 250, may be combined with or share modules with an intra point cloud frame encoder, such as encoder 200. In some embodiments, a point cloud re-sampling module, such as point cloud re-sampling module 252, may resample points in an input point cloud image frame in order to determine a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame for the point cloud. In some embodiments, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module, such as a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may apply a temporal prediction to the geometry/texture/attributes of the resampled points of the patches.” Paragraph 0067, patches as blocks); and
an inter-predictor configured to inter-prediction-encode the geometry data by performing applying the motion compensation on each of the motion blocks (“The prediction residuals may be stored into images, which may then be padded and compressed by using video/image codecs. In regard to spatial changes for points of the patches between the reference frame and a current frame, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may determine respective vectors for each of the points or segments of the point cloud, wherein the respective vectors indicate how the points or segments moved from the reference frame to the target frame (e.g. a current frame). A 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may then encode the motion vectors using different image parameters” paragraph 0067), and
wherein the signaling data includes information for identifying the partition method (“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067 ) and motion block size information for identifying, for each of three axes, a size of a motion block that is partitioned based on the partition method (“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067 and “Note that other metadata associated with patches may also be sent to a decoder for use in the decompression process. For example, patch information indicating sizes and shapes of patches determined for the point cloud and packed in an image frame may be generated and/or encoded by an auxiliary patch-information compression module, such as auxiliary patch-information compression module 222.” Paragraph 0061).
With respect to claim 7, Kim teaches the device of claim 6, wherein the point cloud data is captured by a lidar comprising one or more lasers (“In some embodiments, a system, may include one or more LIDAR systems, 3-D cameras, 3-D scanners, etc., and such sensor devices may capture spatial information, such as X, Y, and Z coordinates for points in a view of the sensor devices.” Paragraph 0049).
With respect to claim 11, Kim teaches a method of decoding point cloud data (see figure 12E and figure 2D), the method comprising:
receiving geometry data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D motion images), attribute data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D attribute images), and signaling data (see figure 12E element 1251 and figure 2D patch info);
decoding the geometry data based on the signaling data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D element 272); and
decoding the attribute data based on the signaling data and the decoded geometry data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D element 274),
wherein the decoding of the geometry data comprises: partitioning reference data for the geometry data into motion blocks for motion compensation based on a partition method (see figure 2D element 272 and “In decoder 280, the video/image streams are first decoded, then an inverse motion compensation and delta prediction procedure may be applied.” And “In some embodiments, an encoder, such as encoder 250, may be combined with or share modules with an intra point cloud frame encoder, such as encoder 200. In some embodiments, a point cloud re-sampling module, such as point cloud re-sampling module 252, may resample points in an input point cloud image frame in order to determine a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame for the point cloud. In some embodiments, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module, such as a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may apply a temporal prediction to the geometry/texture/attributes of the resampled points of the patches.” Paragraph 0067, patches as blocks”); and
inter prediction decoding the geometry data by performing the motion compensation on each of the motion blocks (“In decoder 280, the video/image streams are first decoded, then an inverse motion compensation and delta prediction procedure may be applied.” Paragraph 0068) based on the signaling data (“Note that other metadata associated with patches may also be sent to a decoder for use in the decompression process. For example, patch information indicating sizes and shapes of patches determined for the point cloud and packed in an image frame may be generated and/or encoded by an auxiliary patch-information compression module, such as auxiliary patch-information compression module 222.” Paragraph 0061 and “In some embodiments, an encoder, such as encoder 250, may be combined with or share modules with an intra point cloud frame encoder, such as encoder 200. In some embodiments, a point cloud re-sampling module, such as point cloud re-sampling module 252, may resample points in an input point cloud image frame in order to determine a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame for the point cloud. In some embodiments, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module, such as a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may apply a temporal prediction to the geometry/texture/attributes of the resampled points of the patches.” Paragraph 0067, patches as blocks”), and
wherein the signaling data includes information for identifying the partition method (“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067) and motion block size information for identifying, for each of three axes, a size of a motion block that is partitioned based on the partition method (“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067 and “Note that other metadata associated with patches may also be sent to a decoder for use in the decompression process. For example, patch information indicating sizes and shapes of patches determined for the point cloud and packed in an image frame may be generated and/or encoded by an auxiliary patch-information compression module, such as auxiliary patch-information compression module 222.” Paragraph 0061).
With respect to claim 12, Kim teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the point cloud data is captured by a lidar comprising one or more lasers on a transmitting side (“In some embodiments, a system, may include one or more LIDAR systems, 3-D cameras, 3-D scanners, etc., and such sensor devices may capture spatial information, such as X, Y, and Z coordinates for points in a view of the sensor devices.” Paragraph 0049).
With respect to claim 16, Kim teaches a device for decoding point cloud data (see figure 2D, figure 12E, figure 13 and figure 15), the device comprising:
a receiver (see figure 13 element 1312) configured to receive geometry data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D motion images ), attribute data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D attribute images), and signaling data (see figure 12E element 1251 and figure 2D patch info);
a geometry decoder configured to decode the geometry data based on the signaling data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D element 272);
and an attribute decoder configured to decode the attribute data based on the signaling data and the decoded geometry data (see figure 12E element 1255 and figure 2D element 274),
wherein the geometry decoder comprises: a splitter (see figure 3A) configured to partition reference data for the geometry data into motion blocks for motion compensation based on a partition method (see figure 2D element 272 and “In decoder 280, the video/image streams are first decoded, then an inverse motion compensation and delta prediction procedure may be applied.” And “In some embodiments, an encoder, such as encoder 250, may be combined with or share modules with an intra point cloud frame encoder, such as encoder 200. In some embodiments, a point cloud re-sampling module, such as point cloud re-sampling module 252, may resample points in an input point cloud image frame in order to determine a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame for the point cloud. In some embodiments, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module, such as a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may apply a temporal prediction to the geometry/texture/attributes of the resampled points of the patches.” Paragraph 0067, patches as blocks”), and
an inter-predictor configured to inter prediction decode the geometry data by performing the motion compensation on each of the motion blocks (“In decoder 280, the video/image streams are first decoded, then an inverse motion compensation and delta prediction procedure may be applied.” Paragraph 0068) based on the signaling data (“Note that other metadata associated with patches may also be sent to a decoder for use in the decompression process. For example, patch information indicating sizes and shapes of patches determined for the point cloud and packed in an image frame may be generated and/or encoded by an auxiliary patch-information compression module, such as auxiliary patch-information compression module 222.” Paragraph 0061 and “In some embodiments, an encoder, such as encoder 250, may be combined with or share modules with an intra point cloud frame encoder, such as encoder 200. In some embodiments, a point cloud re-sampling module, such as point cloud re-sampling module 252, may resample points in an input point cloud image frame in order to determine a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame for the point cloud. In some embodiments, a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module, such as a 3D motion compensation & delta vector prediction module 254, may apply a temporal prediction to the geometry/texture/attributes of the resampled points of the patches.” Paragraph 0067, patches as blocks”),
wherein the signaling data includes information for identifying the partition method (“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067) and motion block size information for identifying, for each of three axes, a size of a motion block that is partitioned based on the partition method(“For example, changes in the X direction for a point may be represented by an amount of red included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In a similar manner, changes in the Y direction for a point may be represented by an amount of blue included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. Also, in a similar manner, changes in the Z direction for a point may be represented by an amount of green included at the point in a patch image that includes the point. In some embodiments, other characteristics of an image included in a patch image may be adjusted to indicate motion of points included in the patch between a reference frame for the patch and a current frame for the patch.” Paragraph 0067 and “Note that other metadata associated with patches may also be sent to a decoder for use in the decompression process. For example, patch information indicating sizes and shapes of patches determined for the point cloud and packed in an image frame may be generated and/or encoded by an auxiliary patch-information compression module, such as auxiliary patch-information compression module 222.” Paragraph 0061).
With respect to claim 17, Kim teaches the device of claim 16, wherein the point cloud data is captured by a lidar comprising one or more lasers on a transmitting side (“In some embodiments, a system, may include one or more LIDAR systems, 3-D cameras, 3-D scanners, etc., and such sensor devices may capture spatial information, such as X, Y, and Z coordinates for points in a view of the sensor devices.” Paragraph 0049).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/02/2026 have been fully considered.
On pages 5-8 of applicant’s remarks, applicant argues that the previously used combination of
Zakharchenko and Oh , does not teach all claim limitations of the newly amended claim 1 and substantially similar claims , 6, 11, and 16. Of particular interest is the limitation "wherein the signaling data includes information for identifying the partition method and motion block size information for identifying, for each of three axes, a size of a motion block that is partitioned based on the partition method," as recited in amended claim 1. The examiner agrees and accordingly, finds the rest of Applicant’s arguments moot in light of the above updated rejection.
Conclusion
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/REBECCA COLETTE WILLIAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2677
/ANDREW W BEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2677
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