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 allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/01/2026 has been entered.
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)(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.
(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.
Claims 1-5, 9-14, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD et al. (US 20190325614 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 18, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD teaches a three-dimensional data encoding device and method that encodes point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions in a three-dimensional space ([0005]-[0007] and [0017]-[0019] for generating a bit sequence for the volume comprising a control code that is based on the sub-division technique; and an occupancy indicator that indicates whether or not each sub-volume is occupied by at least one point), the three-dimensional data encoding device and method comprising:
a processor; and memory, wherein using the memory (fig. 4, [0007] and [0067]-[0069] a CPU, memory, and storage), the processor ([0071] For example, encoding engine 420 may compress a point cloud by recursively sub-dividing a volume comprising the point cloud according to dynamically determined sub-division techniques (e.g., determined based on distributions of points within sub-volumes). Encoding engine 420 may generate bit sequences for volumes and sub-volumes that indicate whether sub-volumes of the volumes and sub-volumes are occupied. Encoding engine 420 may further include control codes in bit sequences, the control codes indicating sub-division techniques):
divides the point cloud data into pieces of sub point cloud data ([0005]-[0007] defining a volume that comprises a plurality of points of the point cloud, determining a sub-division technique for the volume based on one or more numbers derived from a distribution of points in the volume, dividing the volume into a number of sub-volumes according to the sub-division technique; [0016] a determination may be made as to whether a default sub-division technique or an alternative sub-division technique is likely to be more efficient based on a distribution of points in the sub-volume);
derives each of a plurality of reference points in a corresponding one of a plurality of spaces ([0005]-[0007] determining whether each sub-volume of the sub-volumes is occupied by at least one point; [0017] the volume may be sub-divided into a certain number of sub-volumes using the first sub-division technique (e.g., eight equally-sized sub-volumes according to an OctTree sub-division technique). It is then determined whether or not each sub-volume is occupied by at least one point of the point cloud (e.g., whether at least one point is located within the sub-volume); [0018] the points contained in a sub-volume are encoded; [0035] a control code that is based on the sub-division/quantization technique used to further represent the points within the volume or sub-volume), each of the plurality of spaces corresponding to a different one of the pieces of sub point cloud data ([0017] a number of sub-volumes); and
generates a bitstream by encoding the pieces of sub point cloud data using the reference points ([0005] to [0007] generating a bit sequence for the volume comprising a control code that is based on the sub-division technique; and an occupancy indicator that indicates whether or not each sub-volume is occupied by at least one point; [0018] an estimated number of bits needed to encode the points contained in a sub-volume using two or more different sub-division techniques may be compared, and a sub-division technique which minimizes the required bit description is chosen and signaled by setting an appropriate control code; [0030] The bit sequence for each sub-volume may further include a control code that is based on the sub-division technique used to encode the sub-volume),
wherein the bitstream includes first control information common to the pieces of sub point cloud data ([0017] the bit sequence for the volume further includes a control code that is based on the first sub-division technique; [0019] the bit sequence for each sub-volume may further include a control code chosen based on the sub-division technique for sub-volume and the control code for a sub-volume may indicate whether a default sub-division technique (e.g., the first sub-division technique, which may be OctTree sub-division) is used to encode the sub-volume or whether a different sub-division technique is used to encode the sub-volume; [0029] a control code that is based on the sub-division technique used to encode the sub-volume; [0035] control codes may be assigned to sub-division techniques such that the most commonly used sub-division techniques require the fewest number of bits) and
the first control information is commonly used for deriving each of the reference points for the corresponding one of the pieces of sub point cloud data ([0035] the control code indicates a particular sub-division technique that is selected from a pre-defined set of possible techniques. Control codes may be assigned to sub-division techniques such that the most commonly used sub-division techniques require the fewest number of bits).
Regarding claim 2, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD further teaches the three dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein each of the reference points includes an origin of the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data ([0043]-[0044]; [0054] each of the points contained in the sub-volume).
Regarding claim 3, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD further teaches the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein each of the reference points includes a coordinate included in the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data ([0054] x, y, and z dimensions for each of the points contained in the sub-volume).
Regarding claim 4, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD further teaches the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein the first control information includes first information including includes information common to a position shift amount for each of the pieces of sub-point cloud data([0022], [0023], and [0053] the said vertices may be encoded by allocating K-T bits to uniformly encode each of the three dimensions of the vectors drawn from the sub-volume origin to each vertex position within this sub-volume, the strategy is changed to uniform quantization of the residual vectors may in one embodiment be decided by computing A.sub.K-T and B.sub.K-T as described above and proceeding with the strategy which requires fewer bits to finalize, so the vectors indicate the position shift amount).
Regarding claim 5, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD further teaches the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 4, wherein the position shift amount is based on one of the pieces of sub point cloud data or one of subspaces including the sub point cloud data ([0022], [0023], and [0053] the said vertices may be encoded by allocating K-T bits to uniformly encode each of the three dimensions of the vectors drawn from the sub-volume origin to each vertex position within this sub-volume, the strategy is changed to uniform quantization of the residual vectors may in one embodiment be decided by computing A.sub.K-T and B.sub.K-T as described above and proceeding with the strategy which requires fewer bits to finalize, so the vectors indicate the position shift amount).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD further teaches a three-dimensional data decoding device and method ([0024] decoding volume and sub-volume of the point cloud and each point of the point cloud is contained within a separate sub-volume) comprising:
a processor; and memory, wherein using the memory (fig. 4, [0007] a non-transitory, computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon. Execution of the instructions by a computing system causes the computing system to carry out a method for compressing a point cloud, [0067]-[0069]),
the processor ([0071]):
obtains, from a bitstream ([0024] The bit sequences for the volume and each sub-volume are then sent to the client device. The client device decodes the bit sequences for the volume and each sub-volume according to the sub-division technique used for each (e.g., based on the control code of each) in order to reconstruct the point cloud), pieces of sub point cloud data divided from point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions ([0005]-[0007] defining a volume that comprises a plurality of points of the point cloud, determining a sub-division technique for the volume based on one or more numbers derived from a distribution of points in the volume, dividing the volume into a number of sub-volumes according to the sub-division technique, determining whether each sub-volume of the sub-volumes is occupied by at least one point; [0018] an estimated number of bits needed to encode the points contained in a sub-volume using two or more different sub-division techniques may be compared; [0035] a control code that is based on the sub-division/quantization technique used to further represent the points within the volume or sub-volume; [0040] the bit sequences (e.g., representing the compressed point cloud) for the volume and each sub-volume from the encoder);
obtains first control information ([0019] a control code chosen based on the sub-division technique for sub-volume) commonly used for deriving each of a plurality of reference points in a corresponding one of a plurality of spaces ([0030] and [0035] a control code that is based on the sub-division/quantization technique used to further represent the points within the volume or sub-volume), each of the plurality of spaces corresponding to a different one of the pieces of sub point cloud data ([0017] a number of sub-volumes; [0019] a number of second sub-volumes; [0035] the control code indicates a particular sub-division technique that is selected from a pre-defined set of possible techniques. Control codes may be assigned to sub-division techniques such that the most commonly used sub-division techniques require the fewest number of bits); and
restores the pieces of sub point cloud data using the first control information ([0024] and [0040] The client device decodes the bit sequences for the volume and each sub-volume according to the sub-division technique used for each (e.g., based on the control code of each) in order to reconstruct the point cloud; [0056] the client device reconstructs the point cloud by decoding the bit sequences in view of the control codes).
Regarding claim 10, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD teaches the three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 9, further comprising: decoding the pieces of sub point cloud data, wherein in the restoring, the pieces of sub point cloud data decoded are further used ([0024] The client device decodes the bit sequences for the volume and each sub-volume according to the sub-division technique used for each (e.g., based on the control code of each) in order to reconstruct the point cloud; [0040] decoding engine 132 may receive the bit sequences (e.g., representing the compressed point cloud) for the volume and each sub-volume from server 120, and may decode the bit sequences in order to reconstruct the point cloud. Decoding engine 132 may use control codes to determine a decoding method for each bit sequence. For example, if a control code of a bit sequence indicates that the sub-volume represented by the bit sequence was divided using a particular sub-division technique (e.g., OctTree, uniform quantization, or the like), decoding engine 132 decodes the bit sequence accordingly (e.g., according to OctTree decoding techniques, uniform quantization decoding techniques, or the like); [0056] Bit sequences 240, 250, and 260 (as well as any other bit sequences, not shown, that are subsequently generated) are sent to a client device, which reconstructs the point cloud by decoding the bit sequences in view of the control codes (e.g., control codes 252 and 262)).
Regarding claim 11, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD teaches the three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 9, wherein each of the reference points includes an origin of the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data ([0024] the client device decodes the bit sequences for the volume and each sub-volume according to the sub-division technique used for each (e.g., based on the control code of each) in order to reconstruct the point cloud).
Regarding claim 12, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD teaches three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 9, wherein each of the reference points includes a coordinate included in the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data ([0054] x, y, and z dimensions for each of the points contained in the sub-volume).
Regarding claim 13, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD further teaches the three-dimensional data decoding according to claim 9, wherein the first control information includes first information including including information common to a position shift amount for each of the pieces of sub-point cloud data([0022], [0023], and [0053] the said vertices may be encoded by allocating K-T bits to uniformly encode each of the three dimensions of the vectors drawn from the sub-volume origin to each vertex position within this sub-volume, the strategy is changed to uniform quantization of the residual vectors may in one embodiment be decided by computing A.sub.K-T and B.sub.K-T as described above and proceeding with the strategy which requires fewer bits to finalize, so the vectors represent the position shift amount).
Regarding claim 14, MELKOTE KRISHNAPRASAD further teaches the three-dimensional data decoding according to claim 13, wherein the position shift amount is based on one of the pieces of sub point cloud data or one of subspaces including the sub point cloud data ([0022], [0023], and [0053] the said vertices may be encoded by allocating K-T bits to uniformly encode each of the three dimensions of the vectors drawn from the sub-volume origin to each vertex position within this sub-volume, and the strategy is changed to uniform quantization of the residual vectors 274 may in one embodiment be decided by computing A.sub.K-T and B.sub.K-T as described above and proceeding with the strategy which requires fewer bits to finalize, so the vectors represent the position shift amount).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 and 15-17 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tourapis et al. (US 20190394496 A1) teaches a method, comprising, for an octree of a point cloud comprising a plurality of divisions and subdivisions at different levels of the octree: determining occupancy symbols indicating occupancy states of the subdivisions of the divisions at a given octree level, wherein the occupancy symbols indicate subdivisions of a division occupied with points of the point cloud and subdivisions of the division unoccupied with points of the point cloud.
SUGIO et al. (US 20210004993 A1) discloses a three-dimensional data encoding method includes: generating a bit sequence including N-bit information that is information of a current node included in an N-ary tree structure of three-dimensional points included in three-dimensional data and that indicates whether a three-dimensional point is present in each of child nodes belonging to the current node.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUNG T VO whose telephone number is (571)272-7340. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Brian Pendleton can be reached on 571-272-7527. 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.
TUNG T. VO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2425
/TUNG T VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425
Prosecution Insights