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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 10 July 2026 has been entered.
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.
Claim 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 2021/0274201) in view Xu (US 2021/0314585).
Regarding claim 1, Xu teaches a method of video processing, comprising ([Abstract] - visual media processing includes determining a size of a buffer to store reference samples for prediction in an intra block copy mode; and performing a conversion between a current video block of visual media data and a bitstream representation of the current video block, using the reference samples stored in the buffer):
determining, during a conversion between a video unit of a video and a bitstream of the video (para [0006]- determining, for a conversion between a current video block of visual media data and a bitstream representation of the current video block, a buffer that stores reconstructed samples for prediction in an intra block copy mode),
a first size parameter of an intra block copy (IBC) buffer based on a second size parameter of the video unit, a first value of the first size parameter being an integer multiple of a second value of the
second size parameter and the video unit being applied with an IBC mode (para [0148] i. In one example, the buffer size is unequal to the CTU size, such as 96×128 or 128×96. [0149] j. In one example, the buffer size is equal to the CTU size [0150] k. In one example, M=mW and N=H, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m is a positive integer. [0151] l. In one example, M=W and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, [0152] n is a positive integer. [0153] m. In one example, M=mW and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m and n are positive integers.);
while Xu ‘201 discusses performing a conversion based on a buffer (para [0893] When the buffer is considered as (W, H), after decoding a CTU or CU starting from (x, y), the reconstructed pixels before loop-filtering will be stored in the buffer starting from (x % W, y % H). Thus, after decoding a CTU, the corresponding IBC reference buffer will be updated accordingly.), Xu does not expressly disclose performing the conversion based on the IBC buffer.
However Xu ‘585 teaches performing the conversion based on the IBC buffer ([0118] The block based compensation from reconstructed area within the same picture is referred to as intra picture block compensation, current picture referencing (CPR), or intra block copy (IBC).). It would be obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to combine the Xu conversion using a buffer teachings with Xu ‘585 teaching to use an IBC buffer.
Regarding claim 2, Xu teaches wherein the video unit is a coding tree unit (CTU), and wherein determining the first size parameter of the IBC buffer based on the second size parameter of the video unit comprises: determining that a height of the IBC buffer is 2" times of a height of a coding tree unit (CTU), wherein n is a positive integer, and wherein n depends on the width of the CTU or a height of the CTU, or wherein at least one of the followings is indicated: a value of n, the width of the IBC buffer, or the height of the IBC buffer. (para [0139-47] (page 22)- N=nH, where H is the height of a CTU, n is a positive integer; when CTU size is 64x64, m=4 and n=1). (para [0109], (page 22), [0856]- wherein n and m depend on a size of the CTU).
Regarding claim 3, Xu teaches wherein if the height of the CTU in luma sample is 256, the height of the IBC buffer in luma sample is 512, or wherein if the height of the CTU in luma sample is 256, the height of the IBC buffer in luma sample is 256 (para [0139-75] (page 22) N equals to the height of a CTU)
Regarding claim 4, Xu teaches wherein the video unit is a coding tree unit (CTU), and wherein determining the first size parameter of the IBC buffer based on the second size parameter of the video unit comprises: determining that a width of the IBC buffer is 2"' times of a width of the CTU, wherein m is a positive integer, and wherein m depends on the width of the CTU or a height of the CTU, or wherein at least one of the followings is indicated: a value of m, the width of the IBC buffer, or the height of the IBC buffer. (para [0139-75], (page 22), [0263]- wherein n and m depend on a size of the CTU).
Regarding claim 5, Xu teaches wherein the if the width of the CTU in luma sample is 256, the width of the IBC buffer is 256, or wherein if the width of the CTU in luma sample is 256, the width of the IBC buffer is 512, or wherein if the width of the CTU in luma sample is 384, the width of the IBC buffer is 384, or wherein if the width of the CTU in luma sample is 384, the width of the IBC buffer is 768, or wherein if the width of the CTU in luma sample is 512, the width of the IBC buffer is 512, or wherein if the width of the CTU in luma sample is 512, the width of the IBC buffer is 1024 (para [0139-75] (page 22) N equals to the height of a CTU).
Regarding claim 6, Xu teaches wherein the video unit is a virtual pipeline data unit (VPDU), and wherein determining the first size parameter of the IBC buffer based on the second size parameter of the video unit comprises: determining that a height of the IBC buffer is 21 times of a height of the VPDU, wherein l is a positive integer, and wherein l depends on the width of the CTU or a height of the CTU, or wherein at least one of the followings is indicated: a value of 1,the width of the IBC buffer, or the height of the TBC buffer. (para [0139-75] (page 34-35 and 37) - the virtual buffer size is mWVPDU x nHVPDU. In one example, m is equal to 3 and n is equal to 2.)
Regarding claim 7, Xu teaches wherein if the height of the VPDU in luma sample is 128, the height of the IBC buffer in luma sample is 128, or wherein if the height of the VPDU in luma sample is 128, the height of the IBC buffer in luma sample is 256, or wherein if the height of the VPDU in luma sample is 256, the height of the IBC buffer in luma sample is 256, or wherein if the height of the VPDU in luma sample is 256, the height of the IBC buffer in luma sample is 512 (para [0175] f. Alternatively, the buffer size corresponds to a Virtual Pipeline Data Unit (VPDU) size.).
Regarding claim 8, Xu teaches wherein the video unit is a virtual pipeline data unit (VPDU), and wherein determining the first size parameter of the IBC buffer based on the second size parameter of the video unit comprises: determining that a width of the IBC buffer is 2ktimes of a width of the VPDU, wherein k is a positive integer, and wherein k depends on the width of the CTU or a height of the CTU, or wherein at least one of the followings is indicated: a value of k, the width of the IBC buffer, or the height of the IBC buffer. (para [0385] 50. The IBC buffer size may depend on VPDU size (wherein the width/height is denoted by vSize) and/or CTB/CTU size (wherein the width/height is denoted by ctbSize) [0856]- wherein n and m depend on a size of the CTU).
Regarding claim 9, Xu teaches wherein if the width of the VPDU in luma sample is 128, the width of the IBC buffer is 128, or wherein if the width of the VPDU in luma sample is 128, the width of the IBC buffer is 256, or wherein if the width of the VPDU in luma sample is 128, the width of the IBC buffer is 512, or wherein if the width of the VPDU in luma sample is 256, the width of the IBC buffer is 256, or wherein if the width of the VPDU in luma sample is 256, the width of the IBC buffer is 512, or wherein if the width of the VPDU in luma sample is 256, the width of the IBC buffer is 1024. (para [0149] j. In one example, the buffer size is equal to the CTU size [0150] k. In one example, M=mW and N=H, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m is a positive integer. [0151] l. In one example, M=W and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, [0152] n is a positive integer. [0153] m. In one example, M=mW and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m and n are positive integers.)
Regarding claim 10, Xu teaches further comprising: determining a validity of a block vector based on a height of the IBC buffer, wherein the height of the IBC buffer is equal to a height of a CTU associated with the video unit, or the height of the IBC buffer is not equal to the height of the CTU (para [0149] j. In one example, the buffer size is equal to the CTU size [0150] k. In one example, M=mW and N=H, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m is a positive integer. [0151] l. In one example, M=W and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, [0152] n is a positive integer. [0153] m. In one example, M=mW and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m and n are positive integers.)
Regarding claim 11, Xu teaches further comprising: determining a validity of a block vector based on whether a reference block derived from the IBC buffer with parameters of buffer width and height comprises an invalid sample value (para [0149] j. In one example, the buffer size is equal to the CTU size [0150] k. In one example, M=mW and N=H, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m is a positive integer. [0151] l. In one example, M=W and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, [0152] n is a positive integer. [0153] m. In one example, M=mW and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m and n are positive integers.).
Regarding claim 12, Xu teaches further comprising: resetting the IBC buffer based on a height of the IBC buffer, wherein the height of the IBC buffer is equal to a height of a CTU associated with the video unit, or the height of the IBC buffer is not equal to the height of the CTU (para [0149] j. In one example, the buffer size is equal to the CTU size [0150] k. In one example, M=mW and N=H, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m is a positive integer. [0151] l. In one example, M=W and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, [0152] n is a positive integer. [0153] m. In one example, M=mW and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m and n are positive integers.).
Regarding claim 13, Xu teaches wherein at a beginning of decoding a CTU row in a slice of the video, the resetting of the IBC buffer applies to all samples within buffer width and height. (para [0149] j. In one example, the buffer size is equal to the CTU size [0150] k. In one example, M=mW and N=H, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m is a positive integer. [0151] l. In one example, M=W and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, [0152] n is a positive integer. [0153] m. In one example, M=mW and N=nH, where W and H are width and height of a CTU, m and n are positive integers.).
Regarding claim 14, Xu teaches further comprising: after reconstructing a VPDU, resetting a corresponding block derived from the IBC buffer with parameters of buffer width and height, or after reconstructing a CU, resetting a corresponding block derived from the IBC buffer with parameters of buffer width and height, or after reconstructing a CTU, resetting a corresponding block derived from the IBC buffer with parameters of buffer width and height (para [0139] (page 22) - M=mW and N=nH, where Wand H are width and height of a CTU, m and n are positive integers).
Regarding claim 15, Xu teaches wherein a height of the IBC buffer is 2.exp.l times of a height of the CTU, or the width of the IBC buffer is 2.exp.n times of the width of the CTU, wherein m and n are set to a same value or different values, or wherein whether to set m and n to be same values depends on whether the width of the CTU and the height of the CTU are equal, and/or wherein a height of the IBC buffer is 2.exp.l times of a height of the VPDU, or the width of the IBC buffer is 2k times of the width of the VPDU, wherein I and k are set to a same value or different values, or wherein whether to set I and k to be same values depends on whether the width of the VPDU and the height of the VPDU are equal. (para [0109] (page 34-35 and 37) - the virtual buffer size is mWVPDU x nHVPDU. In one example, m is equal to 3 and n is equal to 2. para [0139] (page 34-35 and 37) - the virtual buffer size is mWVPDU x nHVPDU. In one example, m is equal to 3 and n is equal to 2.).
Regarding claim 16, Xu teaches wherein a size of VPDU is set to be a size of CTU, or wherein a width of the VPDU is set to be a width of the CTU, or wherein a height of the VPDU is set to be a height of the CTU (para [0139], page 34 - Alternatively, VPDU and/or H POU may denote the width and/or height of other video unit (e.g., CTU) ).
Regarding claim 17, Xu teaches wherein the conversion includes encoding the target block into the bitstream, or wherein the conversion includes decoding the target block from the bitstream. (para [0123]: the residual are generated and coded to the bitstream.).
Regarding claim 18, Xu teaches if the height of the VPDU in luma sample is 128, the height of the IBC buffer in luma sample is 128 (para [0139] buffer size corresponds to a Virtual Pipeline Data Unit (VPDU) size).
Regarding claims 18-20, Xu teaches the claimed limitations as discussed for claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
LEE; Jin Ho et al. US 20220232230 A1 IMAGE ENCODING/DECODING METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND RECORDING MEDIUM HAVING STORED BITSTREAM THEREON
XU; Jizheng et al. US 20220210444 A1 BUFFER ACCESS METHODS FOR INTRA BLOCK COPY IN VIDEO CODING
XU; Jizheng et al. US 20210274201 A1 BUFFER MANAGEMENT FOR INTRA BLOCK COPY IN VIDEO CODING
ZHAO; Liang et al. US 20210084309 A1 VIDEO CODING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AVOIDING SMALL CHROMA BLOCK INTRA PREDICTION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NEIL MIKESKA whose telephone number is (571)272-3917. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 6a - 2p.
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, Jay Patel can be reached at (571) 272-2988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NEIL R MIKESKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2485
Prosecution Insights