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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 April 7, 2026 has been entered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim(s) 1 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim(s) 1 recites “storing the intra mode for the target block”, but the in the next claim limitation make storing the intra mode for the target block conditional on if the target block includes both inter predicted samples in an inter-coded sub-region and intra predicted samples in an intra-coded sub-region.
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, 3 – 7 and 9 - 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kidani et al (US 2024/0205391, hereafter Kidani).
As per claim 1, Kidani discloses a method of video processing, comprising:
determining, during a conversion between a target block of a video and a bitstream of the target block, an intra mode for the target block (¶ 41), the target blocking being coded with a geometric partition mode (GPM) (¶ 100);
storing the intra mode for the target block (¶ 57, 111 and 214);
wherein if the target block includes both inter predicted samples in an inter-coded sub-region and intra predicted samples in an intra-coded sub-region, the intra mode for the target block is stored, and the intra mode for the target block is from the inter-coded sub-region or the intra mode of a subj-region in the target block is predefined (¶ 57, 111 and 214); and
performing the conversion based on the stored intra mode (¶ 214).
As per claim 3, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, wherein if the target block includes both inter predicted samples in an inter-coded sub-region and intra predicted samples in an intra-coded sub-region, the intra mode for the target block is stored (¶ 104, 105, 107, 111).
As per claim 4, Kidani discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the intra mode for the target block is from the inter-coded sub-region, or wherein the intra mode for the target block is from the intra-coded sub-region, or wherein the intra mode of a sub-region in the target block is predefined (¶ 104, 105, 107, 111).
As per claim 5, Kidani discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the intra mode of a sub-region in the target block is derived from coded information of the target block (¶ 149 and 169).
As per claim 6, Kidani discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the coded information comprises intra mode information of a temporally collocated block, or wherein the intra mode information comprises an intra mode derived by a template-based intra- prediction mode derivation (TIMD) (¶ 169; the decoding unit 210 may be configured to determine whether or not to derive the intra prediction mode by decoding or estimating a flag for determining whether or not the TIMD is applicable.).
As per claim 7, Kidani discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the coded information comprises a generated intra mode from a decode area; or
wherein the coded information comprises coded information of neighbor samples, or wherein the coded information comprises an intra mode derived by a decoder intra-prediction mode derivation (DIMD) (¶ 149; the decoding unit 210 may be configured to determine whether or not to derive the intra prediction mode by decoding or estimating a flag for determining whether or not the DIMD is applicable.).
As per claim 9, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, wherein whether to store the intra mode of an inter-coded sub-region or an intra-coded sub-region in the target block depends on coded information of the target block (¶ 149, 159, and 169).
As per claim 10, Kidani discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the coded information comprises at least one of:
splitting information of the target block, a weight index of the target block, a location of the target block, or dimension information of the target block; or wherein the coded information comprises usage of a decoder side mode derivation associated with the target block (¶ 149).
As per claim 11, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, wherein if the target block comprises all intra predicted samples or inter predicted samples, the intra mode is stored for the target block (¶ 111).
As per claim 12, Kidani discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the intra mode of an inter-coded sub-region is equal to an intra mode derived from a temporally collocated block, or wherein the intra mode derived from the temporally collocated block comprises an intra mode derived by TIMD (¶ 169).
As per claim 13, Kidani discloses the method of claim 12, wherein the intra mode of an inter-coded sub-region is equal to a generated intra mode from a decoded area, or the intra mode of an intra-coded sub-region is equal to an intra mode derived from a temporally collocated block, or the intra mode of an intra-coded sub-region is equal to a generated intra mode from a decoded area, or the intra mode of the target block is predefined, or the intra mode comprises a propagated intra mode, or the propagated intra mode is inherited from an inter prediction block using a motion vector (¶ 111).
As per claim 14, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, wherein motion information is stored for the target block, regardless of intra predicted samples or inter predicted samples include in the target block; or wherein for a first subblock with intra-prediction samples, motion information of a second subblock with inter-prediction samples is stored for the first subblock with intra-prediction samples (¶ 111).
As per claim 15, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, wherein an indication of whether to and/or how to store the intra mode for the target block is indicated at one of the followings: sequence level, group of pictures level, picture level, slice level, or tile group level (¶ 73); or wherein an indication of whether to and/or how to store the intra mode for the target block is indicated in one of the following:
a sequence header, a picture header, a sequence parameter set (SPS), a video parameter set (VPS), a dependency parameter set (DPS), a decoding capability information (DCI), a picture parameter set (PPS), an adaptation parameter sets (APS), a slice header, or a tile group header; or wherein an indication of whether to and/or how to store the intra mode for the target block (¶ 73 and 85) is included in one of the following:
a prediction block (PB), a transform block (TB), a coding block (CB), a prediction unit (PU), a transform unit (TU), a coding unit (CU), a virtual pipeline data unit (VPDU), a coding tree unit (CTU), a CTU row, a slice, a tile, a sub-picture, or a region containing more than one sample or pixel (¶ 85).
As per claim 16, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, based on coded information of the target block, whether to and/or how to store the intra mode for the target block, the coded information including at least one of: a block size, a colour format, a single and/or dual tree partitioning, a colour component, a slice type, or a picture type (¶ 212).
As per claim 17, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the conversion includes encoding the target block into the bitstream, or wherein the conversion includes decoding the target block from the bitstream (¶ 42; The image coding device 100 is configured to generate coded data by coding an input image signal (picture). The image decoding device 200 is configured to generate an output image signal by decoding the coded data.).
Regarding claim 18, arguments analogous to those presented for claim 1 are applicable for claim 18.
Regarding claim 19, arguments analogous to those presented for claim 1 are applicable for claim 19.
Regarding claim 21, arguments analogous to those presented for claim 1 are applicable for claim 21.
As per claim 22, Kidani discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the intra mode for the target block is target block is stored regardless of intra predicted samples or inter predicted samples included in the target block (¶ 57, 111 and 214).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kidani in view of Chen et al (US 2023/0073917, hereafter Chen).
As per claim 8, Kidani discloses the method of claim 5.
However, Kidani does not explicitly teach wherein the coded information comprises a propagated intra mode.
In the same field of endeavor, Chen teaches wherein the coded information comprises a propagated intra mode (¶ 152; Thus, the stored intra mode information can be used as a propagated intra mode for the neighboring block which is IBC coded).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Kidani in view of Chen. The advantage is improving video coding.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHIKAODILI E ANYIKIRE whose telephone number is (571)270-1445. The examiner can normally be reached 8 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Czekaj can be reached at 571-272-7327. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHIKAODILI E ANYIKIRE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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