Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. Applicant's arguments filed 02/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 8 of the amendment, Applicant argued that AHN fails to disclose that the transform is related to a dimension reduction applied at the feature block level.
However the Examiner respectfully disagrees. AHN clearly teaches transform related to dimension reduction applied at the feature block level (see paragraphs 0106-0107, A transform quantization unit may transform and quantize an input feature map for encoding and transmit it to an entropy encoding unit. In this case, for transform, spatial transform for transforming spatially high-dimensional data into low-dimensional data may be performed…a feature map may be three-dimensional data…may be transformed into two-dimensional data like an image by connecting all channels of a feature map into one channel).
Allowable Subject Matter
3. Claim 10 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
9. Claim(s) 1, 6 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by AHN et al. (US 2023/0421764) hereinafter “AHN”.
As per claim 1, AHN discloses a feature decoding method performed by a feature decoding apparatus (Figs. 32-33; paragraph 0245), the feature decoding method comprising:
dividing a current feature channel into feature blocks (paragraphs 0254 and 0256, a feature map may be transmitted to a feature map channel partition step. In a feature map channel partition step, a dequantization unit may partition a channel through transmitted channel partition information…a feature map block partition step may be performed. In a feature map block partition step, a dequantization unit may partition a feature map into various sizes and forms through block partition information transmitted from an entropy decoding unit) based on information for division of the current feature channel (paragraph 0243, Information on block partition may be transmitted to a decoder through an entropy encoding unit); and
reconstructing a current feature block (paragraph 0246-0247, a neural network feature map decoding unit may decode a bitstream transmitted from an encoder to generate a reconstructed feature map…An entropy decoding unit may decode an input bitstream, reconstruct a transform-quantized feature map) based on first transform information which is information for dimension reduction transform of the current feature block among the feature blocks (paragraph 0152, decode an input bitstream to generate a transform-quantized feature map and transmit it to an inverse transform quantization unit…An inverse transform quantization unit may dequantize and inversely transform a transform-quantized feature map; see also paragraph 0247, wherein the transform-quantized feature map is dimensionally reduced as taught in paragraphs 0106-0107, A transform quantization unit may transform and quantize an input feature map for encoding and transmit it to an entropy encoding unit. In this case, for transform, spatial transform for transforming spatially high-dimensional data into low-dimensional data may be performed…a feature map may be three-dimensional data…may be transformed into two-dimensional data like an image by connecting all channels of a feature map into one channel).
As per claim 6, AHN discloses wherein the information for division of the current feature channel comprises division mode information specifying a division mode for the current feature channel among at least one candidate division mode (paragraph 0233, partition information of merged and partitioned blocks may be transmitted to a decoder through an entropy encoding unit. In this case, partition information may exist hierarchically and may be partitioned into a variety of tree structures such as 8 partitions, 4 partitions, 2 partitions, etc).
As per claim 12, AHN discloses a feature encoding method performed by a feature encoding apparatus (fig. 24; paragraph 0203), the feature encoding method comprising:
dividing a current feature channel into feature blocks (Fig. 24; paragraph 0218, A feature map classification unit may spatially partition a feature map into blocks);
performing dimension reduction transform for a current feature block among the feature blocks (Fig. 24; paragraphs 0106-0107, A transform quantization unit may transform and quantize an input feature map for encoding and transmit it to an entropy encoding unit. In this case, for transform, spatial transform for transforming spatially high-dimensional data into low-dimensional data may be performed…a feature map may be three-dimensional data…may be transformed into two-dimensional data like an image by connecting all channels of a feature map into one channel; see also paragraph 0208, A transform quantization unit may perform transform quantization (or transform) to encode a transmitted quantized feature map); and
encoding first transform information, which is information for the dimension reduction transform of the current feature block, the transformed current feature block (paragraphs 0106-0107, A transform quantization unit may transform and quantize an input feature map for encoding and transmit it to an entropy encoding unit. In this case, for transform, spatial transform for transforming spatially high-dimensional data into low-dimensional data may be performed…a feature map may be three-dimensional data…may be transformed into two-dimensional data like an image by connecting all channels of a feature map into one channel. Paragraph 0208, A transform quantization unit may perform transform quantization (or transform) to encode a transmitted quantized feature map. Here, quantization in transform quantization may mean quantization for rate control. A transform quantization unit may reconfigure a feature map per classification index to transform it into two-dimensional data or may transform a form into one-dimensional data. Alternatively, frequency domain transform used for general image or video encoding may be applied. A coefficient quantized for rate control after transform into a frequency domain may be transmitted to an entropy encoding unit) and information for division of the current feature block (paragraph 0218, Partition information, a partition depth, a class index, etc. of a block may be transmitted to a decoder through an entropy encoding unit).
As per claim 13, AHN discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream generated by a feature encoding method (paragraph 0071, a bitstream generated by an encoder may be stored in a memory. The memory may include both a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. In this specification, a memory may be expressed as a recoding medium storing a bitstream), the feature encoding method comprising (the method steps do not carry patentable weight as the claim is a product-by-process claim in which only the bitstream (product), generated by the method steps (process), is given weight. MPEP §2113 recites “Product-by-Process claims are not limited to the manipulations of the recited steps, only the structure implied by the steps”. Thus, the scope of the claim is the storage medium storing the bitstream (with the structure implied by the method steps). The structure includes the information and samples manipulated by the steps.
“To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated”. MPEP §2111.05(I)(A). When a claimed “computer-readable medium merely serves as a support for information or data, no functional relationship exists. MPEP §2111.05(III). The storage medium storing the claimed bitstream in claim 13 merely services as a support for the storage of the bitstream and provides no fictional relationship between the stored bitstream and storage medium. Therefor the structure, which scope is implied by the method steps, is non-functional descriptive material and given no patentable weight. MPEP §2111.05(III). Thus, the claim scope is just a storage medium storing data and is anticipated by AHN which recites a storage medium storing a bitstream (¶0071).
As per claim 14, arguments analogous to those applied for claim 12 are applicable for claim 14; in addition, AHN discloses generating and transmitting the bitstream (paragraph 0071).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Claim(s) 2-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AHN et al. (US 2023/0421764) in view of Kim et al. (US 2023/0156212) hereinafter “Kim”.
As per claim 2, AHN discloses the feature decoding method of claim 1; however, AHN does not explicitly disclose wherein the first transform information specifies a transform mode for the current feature block among at least one candidate transform mode.
In the same field of endeavor, Kim discloses wherein the first transform information specifies a transform mode for the current feature block among at least one candidate transform mode (paragraph 0279, MTS index information (or tu_mts_idx syntax element) may be generated/encoded by the encoding apparatus and signaled to a decoding apparatus to indicate one of the transform kernel sets).
One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to combine the elements taught by AHN, with those of Kim, because both references are drawn to the same field of endeavor, because indeed both references are related to feature map encoding/decoding methods and apparatuses, and because such a combination represents a mere combination of prior art elements, according to known methods, to yield a predictable result. This rationale applies to all combinations of AHN and Kim used in this Office Action unless otherwise noted.
As per claim 3, Kim discloses determining whether the current feature channel is divided into the feature blocks, based on first information specifying whether the feature blocks are present, wherein the current feature channel is divided into the feature blocks based on the first information specifying that the feature blocks are present (paragraph 0122, the decoding apparatus 300 may derive units/blocks based on block partitioning related information acquired from the bitstream; paragraphs 0162, The decoder according to the embodiments may acquire information indicating whether a tile/tile group, a brick, a slice, or a CTU in a tile of the current picture are partitioned into multiple coding units).
As per claim 4, Kim discloses wherein the first information comprises at least one of second information indicating whether the feature blocks are present in a sequence including the current feature channel or third information specifying whether the feature blocks are present in the current feature channel (paragraphs 0122, 0162 and 0257-0261).
As per claim 5, arguments analogous to those applied for claim 4 are applicable for claim 5.
9. Claim(s) 7-9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AHN et al. (US 2023/0421764) in view of Kim et al. (US 2023/0156212) in further view of LIM et al. (US 2021/0344935) hereinafter “LIM”.
As per claim 7, AHN and Kim disclose the feature decoding method of claim 1, wherein the reconstructing comprises: generating a prediction feature block for the current feature block, based on at least one reference feature block located in a vicinity of the current feature block (Kim: Fig. 35; paragraph 0470); generating the current feature block based on a residual feature block for the current feature block and the prediction feature block (Kim: Fig. 35; paragraph 0471); and reconstructing the current feature block based on the first transform information (AHN: paragraph 0152, decode an input bitstream to generate a transform-quantized feature map and transmit it to an inverse transform quantization unit…An inverse transform quantization unit may dequantize and inversely transform a transform-quantized feature map; paragraph 0246-0247, a neural network feature map decoding unit may decode a bitstream transmitted from an encoder to generate a reconstructed feature map…An entropy decoding unit may decode an input bitstream, reconstruct a transform-quantized feature map. Kim: paragraph 0471).
However, AHN or Kim do not explicitly disclose generating a prediction…block…based on at least one reference…block located in the vicinity of the current…block.
In an analogous art, LIM discloses generating a prediction…based on at least one reference feature block located in the vicinity of the current feature block (paragraphs 0085-0086, the decoder may select a reference transform block for a decoding target block (S510). At this time, the decoder may select blocks other than the decoding target block as the reference transform block…The selected reference transform block may include scanning information. Therefore, the decoder may obtain the scanning information from the selected reference transform block. Here, the scanning information may include a position of a non-zero transform coefficient in the selected reference transform block, a value of the transform coefficient of the selected reference transform block, and the like).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of AHN and Kim by using a reference transform block in the encoding/encoding process, as taught by LIM, in order to improve the encoding/decoding efficiency (LIM; paragraphs 0075 and 0159). This rationale applies to all combinations of AHN, Kim and LIM used in this Office Action unless otherwise noted.
As per claim 8, AHN and LIM disclose wherein the current feature block is reconstructed based on the first transform information (AHN; paragraph 0152, decode an input bitstream to generate a transform-quantized feature map and transmit it to an inverse transform quantization unit…An inverse transform quantization unit may dequantize and inversely transform a transform-quantized feature map; paragraph 0247) and second transform information, and wherein the second transform information is information for dimension reduction transform of at least one reference feature block located in a vicinity of the current feature block (LIM; paragraphs 0085-0086, the decoder may select a reference transform block for a decoding target block (S510). At this time, the decoder may select blocks other than the decoding target block as the reference transform block…The selected reference transform block may include scanning information. Therefore, the decoder may obtain the scanning information from the selected reference transform block. Here, the scanning information may include a position of a non-zero transform coefficient in the selected reference transform block, a value of the transform coefficient of the selected reference transform block, and the like; wherein the transform information can be information for dimension reduction transform as taught in paragraphs 0106-0107 of AHN, A transform quantization unit may transform and quantize an input feature map for encoding and transmit it to an entropy encoding unit. In this case, for transform, spatial transform for transforming spatially high-dimensional data into low-dimensional data may be performed…a feature map may be three-dimensional data…may be transformed into two-dimensional data like an image by connecting all channels of a feature map into one channel).
As per claim 9, LIM disclose wherein the second transform information specifies a transform mode for the reference feature block among at least one candidate transform mode (paragraph 0108, The encoder may select blocks having an encoding parameter equal or similar to that of the encoding target block as the reference transform block for the encoding target block. Here, the reference transform block may be selected among reconstructed neighboring blocks by way of example. Here, the encoding parameter may include…whether or not a skip mode is used, a transform kind, and the like).
As per claim 11, Arguments analogous to those applied for claim 7 are applicable for claim 11.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED JEBARI whose telephone number is (571)270-7945. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 09:00am-06:00pm.
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/MOHAMMED JEBARI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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