DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This is in response to application no. 18/726,397 filed on 06/24/2025. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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, 9, 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 20220417511 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches the claim as follows:
An image decoding method performed by a decoding apparatus, the image decoding method comprising: receiving image information including at least one of decoder-side intra mode derivation (DIMD)-related information or template-based intra mode derivation (TIMD)-related information from a bitstream (¶0094-0095: a decoder-side intra prediction mode derivation (DIMD)…a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. ¶0103-0104: decoder-side intra prediction mode derivation method a template-based intra mode derivation (TIMD) using MPMs can be used…A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), a CU level flag is signaled to indicate whether the TIMD is used); deriving an intra prediction mode of a current block on the basis of at least one of the DIMD-related information or the TIMD-related information (¶0095: If the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), the DIMD mode is used for the current block. ¶0103: decoder-side intra prediction mode derivation method a template-based intra mode derivation (TIMD) using MPMs can be used); generating prediction samples of the current block on the basis of the intra prediction mode (¶0097: FIG. 7 illustrates exemplary samples used for calculating gradients in DIMD. ¶0103: FIG. 9 illustrates exemplary template and reference samples used in TIMD ... As shown in FIG. 9, the prediction samples of the template 910 are generated using the reference samples 920 of the template for each candidate mode); and generating reconstructed samples of the current block on the basis of the prediction samples of the current block (¶0097-0100, 0103: A value is calculated as a sum of absolute transformed differences (SATD) between the prediction and the reconstruction samples of the template. The intra prediction mode with a minimum value of the SATD is selected as the TIMD mode and used for intra prediction of the current CU), wherein the image information includes matrix-based intra prediction (MIP) flag information (¶0095, 0104: MIP (Matrix Weighted Intra Prediction) flag), the DIMD-related information includes DIMD flag information indicating whether a DIMD mode is applied to the current block (¶0095: a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. If the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), the DIMD mode is used for the current block…), the TIMD-related information includes TIMD flag information indicating whether a TIMD mode is applied to the current block (¶0103-0104: A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), a CU level flag is signaled to indicate whether the TIMD is used), and the DIMD flag information or the TIMD flag information is parsed after the MIP flag information (¶0104: The TIMD flag is signaled after a MIP flag). Note that this implies that the decoding order is first MIP flag followed by the TIMD flag.
Regarding claim 9, Li teaches the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein an intra prediction mode for the DIMD mode is derived on the basis of intra modes of the current block (¶0100-0102: If the current luma block selects the DIMD mode, the intra prediction mode of the current block is stored as M.sub.1 for a selection of the low-frequency non-separable transform (LFNST) sets of the current block…), and a number of intra modes of the current block is 131 (¶0103, 0105: 131 intra prediction modes).
Regarding claim 10, A decoding apparatus configured to perform the image decoding method of claim 1 (See the rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 11, Li teaches the claim as follows:
An image encoding method performed by an encoding apparatus, the image encoding method comprising: determining whether decoder-side intra mode derivation (DIMD) or template-based intra mode derivation (TIMD) is applied to a current block (¶0094-0095: a decoder-side intra prediction mode derivation (DIMD)…The DIMD mode is used as an alternative intra prediction mode and a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. ¶0103-0104: decoder-side intra prediction mode derivation method a template-based intra mode derivation (TIMD) using MPMs can be used…A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), a CU level flag is signaled to indicate whether the TIMD is used); generating DIMD-related information related to whether DIMD is applied to the current block or TIMD-related information related to whether TIMD is applied to the current block (¶0094-0095: a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. ¶0103-0104: A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), a CU level flag is signaled to indicate whether the TIMD is used); generating prediction samples of the current block on the basis of DIMD or TIMD being applied to the current block (¶0097: FIG. 7 illustrates exemplary samples used for calculating gradients in DIMD…¶0103: FIG. 9 illustrates exemplary template and reference samples used in TIMD…As shown in FIG. 9, the prediction samples of the template 910 are generated using the reference samples 920 of the template for each candidate mode); and encoding image information including at least one of the DIMD-related information or the TIMD-related information (¶0094-0095: a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. ¶0103-0104: A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), a CU level flag is signaled to indicate whether the TIMD is used), wherein the image information includes Matrix-based Intra Prediction (MIP) flag information (¶0095, 0104: MIP (Matrix Weighted Intra Prediction) flag), the DIMD-related information includes DIMD flag information indicating whether a DIMD mode is applied to the current block, the TIMD-related information includes TIMD flag information indicating whether a TIMD mode is applied to the current block(¶0094-0095: a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. ¶0103-0104: A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1), a CU level flag is signaled to indicate whether the TIMD is used), and the DIMD flag information or the TIMD flag information is signaled after the MIP flag information (¶0104: The TIMD flag is signaled after a MIP flag).
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.
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by RAMASUBRAMONIAN et al. (US 20200007870 A1).
Claim 19 is drawn to a computer-readable storage medium configured to store a bitstream generated according to the image encoding method of claim 11, is a product by process claim limitation where the product is the bit stream and the process is the method steps to generate the bitstream. 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 image block 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 19 merely serves as a support for the storage of the bitstream and provides no functional relationship between the stored bitstream and storage medium. Therefor the structure bitstream, 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 RAMASUBRAMONIAN which discloses a memory storing a bitstream (¶ 0236).
Regarding claim 20, the claim recites “A method of transmitting data of an image, the method comprising; generating a bitstream of the image, wherein the bitstream is generated based on…”
The BRI of the claimed method include embodiments where the generation of the bitstream is not performed by the claimed method. The impact on the limitations directed towards the generation of the bitstream only affect the scope of the contents of the bitstream, so those steps should only be considered in terms of what they would require the contents of the information in the bitstream to contain and not actual steps in the method.
The contents of the bitstream, defined by how the bitstream was generated, only describes the content of the information in the bitstream and as result are descriptive language. See MPEP §2111.05.
The bitstream has no functional relationship with the claimed method for transmitting the bitstream. The claim scope (in light of the specification) describes the generation of bitstream in terms of how the video gets encoded within the bitstream, there is provided no functional relationship between the bitstream’s contents once generated and the process for transmitting the bitstream. As result, the contents of the bitstream are non-functional descriptive language and will be given no patentable weight, and is anticipated by RAMASUBRAMONIAN which discloses generating an encoded video bitstream (¶0021).
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.
Claim(s) 2, 3, 6, 12, 13 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 20220417511 A1) in view of Wang et al. (US 20240236354 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Li does not teach the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the TIMD flag information is parsed after the DIMD flag information.
However, Wang teaches teach the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the TIMD flag information is parsed after the DIMD flag information (¶0165: when the initial parsing order is the DIMD mode, the TIMD mode and the TMP mode, it is determined that the first intra prediction mode parsed first is the DIMD mode, that the second intra prediction mode parsed subsequently is the TIMD mode…).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method by incorporating the teaching of Wang as noted above, in order to reduce energy consumption and overhead of software and hardware, thereby improving encoding and decoding performance (Wang: ¶0066).
Regarding claim 3, Li does not teach the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the DIMD flag information is parsed after the TIMD flag information.
However, Wang teaches the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the DIMD flag information is parsed after the TIMD flag information (¶0165: When the initial parsing order is the TIMD mode, the DIMD mode and the TMP mode, it is determined that the first intra prediction mode parsed first is the TIMD mode, that the second intra prediction mode parsed subsequently is the DIMD mode…).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method by incorporating the teaching of Wang as noted above, in order to reduce energy consumption and overhead of software and hardware, thereby improving encoding and decoding performance (Wang: ¶0066).
Regarding claim 6, Li does not teach the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the DIMD flag information is parsed to the current block on the basis of height and width of the current block, and the DIMD flag information is parsed to the current block on the basis of a product of the height and the width of the current block being smaller than 1024.
However, Wang teaches the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the DIMD flag information is parsed to the current block on the basis of height and width of the current block, and the DIMD flag information is parsed to the current block on the basis of a product of the height and the width of the current block being smaller than 1024 (¶0123: if an area of the current block is less than 1024, the DIMD mode may be parsed first…).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method by incorporating the teaching of Wang as noted above, in order to reduce energy consumption and overhead of software and hardware, thereby improving encoding and decoding performance (Wang: ¶0066).
Regarding claim 12, Li does not teach the image encoding method of claim 11, wherein the TIMD flag information is signaled after the DIMD flag information.
However, Wang teaches the image encoding method of claim 11, wherein the TIMD flag information is signaled after the DIMD flag information (¶0417-0418: The writing unit 605 is further configured to encode the value of the third mode usage identification information, and signal encoded bits into a bitstream…the first intra prediction mode is a DIMD mode; the second intra prediction mode is a TIMD mode).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method by incorporating the teaching of Wang as noted above, in order to reduce energy consumption and overhead of software and hardware, thereby improving encoding and decoding performance (Wang: ¶0066).
Regarding claim 13, Li does not teach the image encoding method of claim 11, wherein the DIMD flag information is signaled after the TIMD flag information.
However, Wang teaches the image encoding method of claim 11, wherein the DIMD flag information is signaled after the TIMD flag information (¶0417-0418: The writing unit 605 is further configured to encode the value of the third mode usage identification information, and signal encoded bits into a bitstream…Alternatively, the first intra prediction mode is the TIMD mode, the second intra prediction mode is the DIMD mode).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method by incorporating the teaching of Wang as noted above, in order to reduce energy consumption and overhead of software and hardware, thereby improving encoding and decoding performance (Wang: ¶0066).
Regarding claim 16, Li does not teach wherein the DIMD flag information is signaled to the current block on the basis of height and width of the current block, and the DIMD mode is signaled to the current block on the basis of a product of the height and the width of the current block being smaller than 1024.
However, Wang at ¶0123 discloses if an area of the current block is less than 1024, the DIMD mode may be parsed first.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method to arrive at the claimed invention “wherein the DIMD flag information is signaled to the current block on the basis of height and width of the current block, and the DIMD mode is signaled to the current block on the basis of a product of the height and the width of the current block being smaller than 1024” in order to convey information to the decoder on how the image data to be parsed to the decoder.
Claim(s) 4, 5, 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 20220417511 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 20130170546 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Li teaches the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the DIMD flag information and the TIMD flag information are coded on the basis of binary code, binary code for the DIMD flag information is “1,” (¶0095: The DIMD mode is used as an alternative intra prediction mode and a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. If the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1)…¶0104: The TIMD mode is used as an additional intra prediction method for a CU. A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1)…).. Li does not disclose the binary code for the TIMD flag information is “01.”
However, Kim at ¶0106 discloses MPM index may be coded to a flag of two bits of "00", "01", "10", and "11".
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method to arrive at the claimed invention “the binary code for the TIMD flag information is ‘01’” in order to increase the compression efficiency of the intra prediction mode encoding and decoding (Kim: ¶0002).
Regarding claim 5, Li teaches the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the image information includes DIMD type information, the DIMD type information having a value of 0 indicates DIMD flag information, the DIMD type information having a value of 1 indicates TIMD flag information, the DIMD flag information and the TIMD flag information are coded on the basis of binary code (¶0095: The DIMD mode is used as an alternative intra prediction mode and a flag is signaled for each block to indicate whether to use DIMD mode or not. If the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1)…¶0104: The TIMD mode is used as an additional intra prediction method for a CU. A flag is signaled in sequence parameter set (SPS) to enable/disable the TIMD. When the flag is true (e.g., the flag is equal to 1)…).
Li does not disclose the binary code for the DIMD flag information is “10,” and the binary code for the TIMD flag information is “11.”
However, Kim at ¶0106 discloses MPM index may be coded to a flag of two bits of "00", "01", "10", and "11".
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li’s image encoding/decoding method to arrive at the claimed invention “the binary code for the DIMD flag information is ‘10,’ and the binary code for the TIMD flag information is ‘11’ in order to increase the compression efficiency of the intra prediction mode encoding and decoding (Kim: ¶0002).
Regarding claim 14, the claim is drawn to an image encoding method claim and recites the limitation analogous to claim 4, and is rejected due to the same reason set forth above with respect to claim 4.
Regarding claim 15, the claim is drawn to an image encoding method claim and recites the limitation analogous to claim 5, and is rejected due to the same reason set forth above with respect to claim 5.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8, 17 and 18 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is the prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wang et al. (US 20220224922 A1) describes video encoding and decoding based on signaling for decoder-side intra-prediction mode derivation (DIMD). Wang ¶0001.
Conclusion
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/NATHNAEL AYNALEM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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