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's submission filed on 22 May 2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 2, 9, 11-15, 17, 18 and 20 have been amended. Claim 19 has been canceled. Claim 21 has been newly added. Claims 1-18, 20 and 21 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 22 May 2026 have been fully and carefully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on pages 9-10 of the Remarks that the reference fails to disclose the limitation, “determining a transform kernel corresponding to the current block according to the prediction block” as recited in the newly amended claims.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Seregin discloses in paragraph [0095], “Any residual data that may be remaining after prediction is performed is transformed using a block transform, which may be based on discrete cosine transform (DCT), discrete sine transform (DST), an integer transform, a wavelet transform, other suitable transform function, or any combination thereof. In some cases, one or more block transforms (e.g., a kernel of size 32×32, 16×16, 8×8, 4×4, or other suitable size) may be applied to residual data in each CU” and in paragraph [0108], “Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources.”
Seregin further discloses in paragraph [0155], “the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions.”
Therefor the reference discloses the limitation, “determining a transform kernel corresponding to the current block according to the prediction block” as recited in the newly amended claims.
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)(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, 14-17, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Seregin et al., U.S. Publication No. 2020/0099924, hereinafter, “Seregin”.
As per claim 1, Seregin discloses a method for video decoding, comprising:
decoding a bitstream to obtain a target transform coefficient of a current block (Seregin, Figure 12, encoded video bitstream; Seregin, Figure 12, Quantized coefficients; Seregin, ¶0236, FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an example decoding device 112. The decoding device 112 includes an entropy decoding unit 80, prediction processing unit 81, inverse quantization unit 86, inverse transform processing unit 88, summer 90, filter unit 91, and picture memory 92. Prediction processing unit 81 includes motion compensation unit 82 and intra-prediction processing unit 84; Seregin, ¶0237, During the decoding process, the decoding device 112 receives an encoded video bitstream that represents video blocks of an encoded video slice and associated syntax elements sent by the encoding device 104; Seregin, ¶0238, The entropy decoding unit 80 of the decoding device 112 entropy decodes the bitstream to generate quantized coefficients, motion vectors, and other syntax elements);
predicting the current block to obtain a prediction block of the current block (Seregin, Figure 12, Prediction Processing; Seregin, ¶0239, When the video slice is coded as an intra-coded (I) slice, intra-prediction processing unit 84 of prediction processing unit 81 may generate prediction data for a video block of the current video slice based on a signaled intra-prediction mode and data from previously decoded blocks of the current frame or picture. When the video frame is coded as an inter-coded (i.e., B, P or GPB) slice, motion compensation unit 82 of prediction processing unit 81 produces predictive blocks for a video block of the current video slice based on the motion vectors and other syntax elements received from entropy decoding unit 80. The predictive blocks may be produced from one of the reference pictures within a reference picture list);
determining a transform kernel corresponding to the current block according to the prediction block (Seregin, ¶0138, adaptive multiple transform (AMT) … Some AMT designs offer five transform options for an encoder to select on a per-block basis (e.g., the selection can be performed based on a rate-distortion metric for a coding block, prediction block, or transform block). Then, the selected transform index is signaled by the video encoder with the video bitstream, which can be decoded and analyzed by the video decoder; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions); and
performing inverse transform on the target transform coefficient according to the transform kernel, and obtaining a residual block of the current block according to a transform result of the inverse transform (Seregin, Figure 12, Inverse Quantization, 86; Seregin, Figure 12, Inverse Transform Processing, 88; Seregin, Figure 12, Residual Blocks; Seregin, ¶0233, Inverse quantization unit 58 and inverse transform processing unit 60 apply inverse quantization and inverse transformation, respectively, to reconstruct the residual block in the pixel domain for later use as a reference block of a reference picture; Seregin, ¶0242, Inverse quantization unit 86 inverse quantizes, or de-quantizes, the quantized transform coefficients provided in the bitstream and decoded by entropy decoding unit 80 ... Inverse transform processing unit 88 applies an inverse transform (e.g., an inverse DCT or other suitable inverse transform), an inverse integer transform, or a conceptually similar inverse transform process, to the transform coefficients in order to produce residual blocks in the pixel domain; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions).
As per claim 14, Seregin discloses the method of claim 1, wherein determining the transform kernel corresponding to the current block according to the prediction block comprises:
inputting the prediction block into a pre-trained model, to obtain transform kernel indication information output by the model and corresponding to the current block, wherein the transform kernel indication information is configured to indicate a transform kernel of secondary transform corresponding to the current block (Seregin, ¶0138, adaptive multiple transform (AMT) or enhanced multiple transform (EMT). Some AMT designs offer five transform options for an encoder to select on a per-block basis (e.g., the selection can be performed based on a rate-distortion metric for a coding block, prediction block, or transform block). Then, the selected transform index is signaled by the video encoder with the video bitstream, which can be decoded and analyzed by the video decoder; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions); and
determining the transform kernel corresponding to the current block according to the transform kernel indication information (Seregin, ¶0138, adaptive multiple transform (AMT) or enhanced multiple transform (EMT). Some AMT designs offer five transform options for an encoder to select on a per-block basis (e.g., the selection can be performed based on a rate-distortion metric for a coding block, prediction block, or transform block). Then, the selected transform index is signaled by the video encoder with the video bitstream, which can be decoded and analyzed by the video decoder; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions).
As per claim 15, Seregin discloses the method of claim 14, wherein inputting the prediction block into the pre-trained model, to obtain the transform kernel indication information output by the model and corresponding to the current block comprises:
down-sampling the prediction block (Seregin, ¶0035, a prediction block can be formed. In the case of intra-prediction, a prediction block may be formed from samples in the current frame that have been previously encoded and reconstructed); and
inputting the down-sampled prediction block into the pre-trained model, to obtain the transform kernel indication information output by the model and corresponding to the current block (Seregin, ¶0036, the prediction block can be subtracted from the current block at the intra/inter prediction stage 402 to produce a residual block (also called a residual). The transform stage 404 transforms the residual into transform coefficients; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions).
As per claim 16, Seregin discloses the method of claim 1, wherein decoding the bitstream to obtain the target transform coefficient of the current block comprises:
decoding the bitstream to obtain a quantization coefficient of the current block (Seregin, Figure 12, encoded video bitstream; Seregin, Figure 12, Quantized coefficients; Seregin, ¶0236, FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an example decoding device 112; Seregin, ¶0237, During the decoding process, the decoding device 112 receives an encoded video bitstream that represents video blocks of an encoded video slice and associated syntax elements sent by the encoding device 104; Seregin, ¶0238, The entropy decoding unit 80 of the decoding device 112 entropy decodes the bitstream to generate quantized coefficients, motion vectors, and other syntax elements); and
performing inverse quantization on the quantization coefficient, to obtain the target transform coefficient of the current block (Seregin, Figure 12, Inverse Quantization; Seregin, ¶0242, Inverse quantization unit 86 inverse quantizes, or de-quantizes, the quantized transform coefficients provided in the bitstream and decoded by entropy decoding unit 80 ... Inverse transform processing unit 88 applies an inverse transform (e.g., an inverse DCT or other suitable inverse transform), an inverse integer transform, or a conceptually similar inverse transform process, to the transform coefficients in order to produce residual blocks in the pixel domain).
As per claim 17, Seregin discloses a method for video encoding, comprising:
predicting a current block to obtain a prediction block of the current block (Seregin, Figure 12, Prediction Processing; Seregin, ¶0239, When the video slice is coded as an intra-coded (I) slice, intra-prediction processing unit 84 of prediction processing unit 81 may generate prediction data for a video block of the current video slice based on a signaled intra-prediction mode and data from previously decoded blocks of the current frame or picture. When the video frame is coded as an inter-coded (i.e., B, P or GPB) slice, motion compensation unit 82 of prediction processing unit 81 produces predictive blocks for a video block of the current video slice based on the motion vectors and other syntax elements received from entropy decoding unit 80. The predictive blocks may be produced from one of the reference pictures within a reference picture list);
determining a transform kernel corresponding to the current block according to the prediction block (Seregin, ¶0138, adaptive multiple transform (AMT) … Some AMT designs offer five transform options for an encoder to select on a per-block basis (e.g., the selection can be performed based on a rate-distortion metric for a coding block, prediction block, or transform block). Then, the selected transform index is signaled by the video encoder with the video bitstream, which can be decoded and analyzed by the video decoder; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions);
obtaining a residual block of the current block according to the prediction block and the current block (Seregin, Figure 12, Inverse Quantization, 86; Seregin, Figure 12, Inverse Transform Processing, 88; Seregin, Figure 12, Residual Blocks; Seregin, ¶0233, Inverse quantization unit 58 and inverse transform processing unit 60 apply inverse quantization and inverse transformation, respectively, to reconstruct the residual block in the pixel domain for later use as a reference block of a reference picture; Seregin, ¶0242, Inverse quantization unit 86 inverse quantizes, or de-quantizes, the quantized transform coefficients provided in the bitstream and decoded by entropy decoding unit 80 ... Inverse transform processing unit 88 applies an inverse transform (e.g., an inverse DCT or other suitable inverse transform), an inverse integer transform, or a conceptually similar inverse transform process, to the transform coefficients in order to produce residual blocks in the pixel domain); and
transforming the residual block according to the transform kernel, and encoding a transformed coefficient to obtain a bitstream (Seregin, Figure 12, encoded video bitstream; Seregin, Figure 12, Quantized coefficients; Seregin, ¶0236, FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an example decoding device 112. The decoding device 112 includes an entropy decoding unit 80, prediction processing unit 81, inverse quantization unit 86, inverse transform processing unit 88, summer 90, filter unit 91, and picture memory 92. Prediction processing unit 81 includes motion compensation unit 82 and intra-prediction processing unit 84; Seregin, ¶0237, During the decoding process, the decoding device 112 receives an encoded video bitstream that represents video blocks of an encoded video slice and associated syntax elements sent by the encoding device 104; Seregin, ¶0238, The entropy decoding unit 80 of the decoding device 112 entropy decodes the bitstream to generate quantized coefficients, motion vectors, and other syntax elements; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions).
As per claim 20, Seregin discloses a video decoder, comprising:
a processor; and a memory, configured to store a computer program executable by the processor (Seregin, ¶0013, a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause one or more processors of a device for decoding video data to: obtain an encoded block of the video data), wherein the processor is configured to:
decode a bitstream to obtain a target transform coefficient of a current block (Seregin, Figure 12, encoded video bitstream; Seregin, Figure 12, Quantized coefficients; Seregin, ¶0236, FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an example decoding device 112. The decoding device 112 includes an entropy decoding unit 80, prediction processing unit 81, inverse quantization unit 86, inverse transform processing unit 88, summer 90, filter unit 91, and picture memory 92. Prediction processing unit 81 includes motion compensation unit 82 and intra-prediction processing unit 84; Seregin, ¶0237, During the decoding process, the decoding device 112 receives an encoded video bitstream that represents video blocks of an encoded video slice and associated syntax elements sent by the encoding device 104; Seregin, ¶0238, The entropy decoding unit 80 of the decoding device 112 entropy decodes the bitstream to generate quantized coefficients, motion vectors, and other syntax elements);
predict the current block to obtain a prediction block of the current block (Seregin, Figure 12, Prediction Processing; Seregin, ¶0239, When the video slice is coded as an intra-coded (I) slice, intra-prediction processing unit 84 of prediction processing unit 81 may generate prediction data for a video block of the current video slice based on a signaled intra-prediction mode and data from previously decoded blocks of the current frame or picture. When the video frame is coded as an inter-coded (i.e., B, P or GPB) slice, motion compensation unit 82 of prediction processing unit 81 produces predictive blocks for a video block of the current video slice based on the motion vectors and other syntax elements received from entropy decoding unit 80. The predictive blocks may be produced from one of the reference pictures within a reference picture list);
determine a transform kernel corresponding to the current block according to the prediction block (Seregin, ¶0138, adaptive multiple transform (AMT) … Some AMT designs offer five transform options for an encoder to select on a per-block basis (e.g., the selection can be performed based on a rate-distortion metric for a coding block, prediction block, or transform block). Then, the selected transform index is signaled by the video encoder with the video bitstream, which can be decoded and analyzed by the video decoder); and
perform inverse transform on the target transform coefficient according to the transform kernel, and obtain a residual block of the current block according to a transform result of the inverse transform (Seregin, Figure 12, Inverse Quantization, 86; Seregin, Figure 12, Inverse Transform Processing, 88; Seregin, Figure 12, Residual Blocks; Seregin, ¶0233, Inverse quantization unit 58 and inverse transform processing unit 60 apply inverse quantization and inverse transformation, respectively, to reconstruct the residual block in the pixel domain for later use as a reference block of a reference picture; Seregin, ¶0242, Inverse quantization unit 86 inverse quantizes, or de-quantizes, the quantized transform coefficients provided in the bitstream and decoded by entropy decoding unit 80 ... Inverse transform processing unit 88 applies an inverse transform (e.g., an inverse DCT or other suitable inverse transform), an inverse integer transform, or a conceptually similar inverse transform process, to the transform coefficients in order to produce residual blocks in the pixel domain; Seregin, ¶0095; Seregin, ¶0108, Transform kernels corresponding to the transforms can be applied on one-dimensional (1D) input data, and in some cases can be extended for two-dimensional (2D) input data sources; Seregin, ¶0155, the transform kernel for the block is derived by the encoder based on one or more conditions).
As per claim 21, Seregin discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program and a bitstream, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 17 to generate the bitstream (Seregin, Figure 12; Seregin, ¶0013, a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause one or more processors of a device for decoding video data to: obtain an encoded block of the video data; Seregin, ¶0233; Seregin, ¶0236-0239; Seregin, ¶0242).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-13 and 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 2-13 and 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 because while the prior art discloses various video encoding and decoding methods the prior does not disclose the limitation, “wherein determining the transform core corresponding to the current block according to the prediction block comprises: determining texture information of the prediction block; and determining the transform core corresponding to the current block according to the texture information of the prediction block, wherein the texture information of the prediction block comprises gradient information of the prediction block, wherein determining the texture information of the prediction block comprises: determining the gradient information of the prediction block, wherein determining the transform core corresponding to the current block according to the texture information of the prediction block comprises: determining the transform core corresponding to the current block according to the gradient information of the prediction block” as recited in dependent claims 2 and 18.
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.
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/TRACY MANGIALASCHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2668
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