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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claim 1 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. US 12047603 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because instant claim 1 is anticipated by the conflicting patented claim 1 as shown in the table below. The difference between the instant examined claim and the conflicting patented claim is that the conflicting patented claim is narrower in scope and falls within the scope of the examined claim. Thus, the species or sub-genus claimed in the conflicting patent anticipates the examined claimed genus. Therefore, a patent to the examined claim genus would improperly extend the right to exclude granted by a patent to the species or sub-genus should the genus issue as a patent after the species or sub-genus. See MPEP §804(II)(B)(1).
Instant claims 4-9 are covered by the patent claims 2-6.
Instant claims 13-19 are covered by the patent claims 7-12.
Application 18/736,811
Patent US 12047603 B2
1. A three-dimensional data encoding method of encoding point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions in a three-dimensional space, the three-dimensional data encoding method comprising:
dividing the point cloud data into pieces of sub point cloud data;
deriving each of reference points for a corresponding one of the pieces of sub point cloud data; and
generating a bitstream by encoding the pieces of sub point cloud data using the reference points,
wherein the bitstream includes first control information common to the pieces of sub point cloud data, 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.
2. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, the three-dimensional data encoding method according to wherein each of the reference points includes an origin of the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data.
3. 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.
4. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein the first information includes information common to a position shift amount for each of the pieces of sub-point cloud data.
5. 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.
6. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to The three-dimensional data encoding method according to wherein the position shift amount includes higher-order bits and lower-order bits, the first information is common to the pieces of sub point cloud data and indicates a bit count of the lower-order bits, and each of the pieces of second control information includes second information indicating a value of the higher-order bits included in the position shift amount of one of the pieces of sub point cloud data corresponding to the second control information.
7. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to The three-dimensional data encoding method according to wherein the first control information includes a flag that indicates whether information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information or each of the pieces of second control information, when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count 191 of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information, the first control information includes the first information, and each of the pieces of second control information does not include the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits, and when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in each of the pieces of second control information, the second control information includes third information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits included in the position shift amount of one of the pieces of sub point cloud data corresponding to the second control information.
8. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to the three-dimensional data encoding method according to wherein all bits included in the lower-order bits have a value of zero, and the bitstream does not include information indicating a value of the lower-order bits.
9. A three-dimensional data decoding method, comprising:
obtaining, from a bitstream, pieces of sub point cloud data divided from point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions;
obtaining first information commonly used for deriving each of reference points for a corresponding one of the pieces of sub point cloud data; and
restoring the pieces of sub point cloud data using the first information.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. The 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.
13. The three-dimensional data decoding method according claim 9, wherein the first information includes information common to a position shift amount for each of the pieces of sub-point cloud data.
14. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 13, wherein the position shift amount is based on one of the pieces of sub point cloud data or one of the subspaces including the sub point cloud data.
15. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to The three-dimensional data decoding method according to wherein the position shift amount includes higher-order bits and lower-order bits,the first information is common to the pieces of sub point cloud data and indicates a bit count of the lower-order bits, the three-dimensional data decoding method further comprises: obtaining, from pieces of second control information for each of the pieces of sub point cloud data included in the bitstream, pieces of second information indicating a value of the higher-order bits of the position shift amount of each of the pieces of sub point cloud data, andin the calculating, the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data are calculated using the first information and the pieces of second information.
16. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to The three-dimensional data decoding method according to wherein the first control information includes a flag that indicates whether information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information or each of the pieces of second control information, and when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information, the first information is obtained from the first control information, and the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data are calculated using the first information and the pieces of second information; and when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in each of the pieces of second control information, pieces of third information are obtained from each of the pieces of second control information, the pieces of third information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits of the position shift amount of each of the pieces of sub point cloud data, and the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data are calculated using the pieces of second information and the pieces of third information.
17. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 15, wherein in the calculating, all bits included in the lower-order bits are set to a value of zero.
18. A three-dimensional data encoding device that encodes point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions in a three-dimensional space, the three-dimensional data encoding device comprising:
a processor; and memory,
wherein using the memory, the processor:
divides the point cloud data into pieces of sub point cloud data; derives each of reference points for a corresponding one of the pieces of sub point cloud data; and
generates a bitstream by encoding the pieces of sub point cloud data using the reference points,
wherein the bitstream includes first control information common to the pieces of sub point cloud data, 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.
19. A three-dimensional data decoding device, comprising:
a processor; and memory, wherein using the memory, the processor:
obtains, from a bitstream, pieces of sub point cloud data divided from point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions;
obtains first information commonly used for deriving each of reference points for a corresponding one of the pieces of sub point cloud data; and
restores the pieces of sub point cloud data using the first information.
1. A three-dimensional data encoding method of encoding point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions in a three-dimensional space, the three-dimensional data encoding method comprising:
dividing the point cloud data into pieces of sub point cloud data by dividing the three-dimensional space into subspaces;
shifting a position of each of the pieces of sub point cloud data in accordance with a predetermined position shift amount; and
generating a bitstream by encoding the pieces of sub point cloud data shifted,
wherein the bitstream includes first control information common to the pieces of sub point cloud data, and pieces of second control information for each of the pieces of sub point cloud data,
the first control information including first information indicating common information with respect to each of position shift amounts corresponding to a different one of the pieces of sub point cloud data.
See Claim 1
2. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, 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.
3. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1, wherein the position shift amount includes higher-order bits and lower-order bits, the first information is common to the pieces of sub point cloud data and indicates a bit count of the lower-order bits, and each of the pieces of second control information includes second information indicating a value of the higher-order bits included in the position shift amount of one of the pieces of sub point cloud data corresponding to the second control information.
4. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 3, wherein the first control information includes a flag that indicates whether information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information or each of the pieces of second control information, when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information, the first control information includes the first information, and each of the pieces of second control information does not include the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits, and when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in each of the pieces of second control information, the second control information includes third information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits included in the position shift amount of one of the pieces of sub point cloud data corresponding to the second control information.
5. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 3, wherein all bits included in the lower-order bits have a value of zero, and the bitstream does not include information indicating a value of the lower-order bits.
6. A three-dimensional data decoding method, comprising:
decoding, from a bitstream, pieces of sub point cloud data each shifted in accordance with a predetermined position shift amount, the pieces of sub point cloud data being pieces of data into which point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions is divided by dividing a three-dimensional space into subspaces;
obtaining first information indicating common information with respect to each of position shift amounts corresponding to a different one of the pieces of sub point cloud data from first control information that is included in the bitstream and is common to the pieces of sub point cloud data; calculating each of the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data using the first information; and
reproducing the pieces of sub point cloud data by shifting each of the pieces of sub point cloud data decoded and shifted, in accordance with one of the position shift amounts corresponding to the sub point cloud data.
7. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 6, wherein the position shift amount is based on one of the pieces of sub point cloud data or one of the subspaces including the sub point cloud data.
See Claim 6 and 7
8. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 6, wherein the position shift amount includes higher-order bits and lower-order bits, the first information is common to the pieces of sub point cloud data and indicates a bit count of the lower-order bits, the three-dimensional data decoding method further comprises: obtaining, from pieces of second control information for each of the pieces of sub point cloud data included in the bitstream, pieces of second information indicating a value of the higher-order bits of the position shift amount of each of the pieces of sub point cloud data, and in the calculating, the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data are calculated using the first information and the pieces of second information.
9. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 8, wherein the first control information includes a flag that indicates whether information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information or each of the pieces of second control information, and when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in the first control information, the first information is obtained from the first control information, and the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data are calculated using the first information and the pieces of second information; and when the flag indicates that the information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits is included in each of the pieces of second control information, pieces of third information are obtained from each of the pieces of second control information, the pieces of third information indicating the bit count of the lower-order bits of the position shift amount of each of the pieces of sub point cloud data, and the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data are calculated using the pieces of second information and the pieces of third information.
10. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 8, wherein in the calculating, all bits included in the lower-order bits are set to a value of zero.
11. A three-dimensional data encoding device that encodes point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions in a three-dimensional space, the three-dimensional data encoding device comprising:
a processor; and memory,
wherein using the memory, the processor:
divides the point cloud data into pieces of sub point cloud data by dividing the three-dimensional space into subspaces; shifts a position of each of the pieces of sub point cloud data in accordance with a predetermined position shift amount; and
generates a bitstream by encoding the pieces of sub point cloud data shifted,
wherein the bitstream includes first control information common to the pieces of sub point cloud data, and pieces of second control information for each of the pieces of sub point cloud data, the first control information including first information indicating common information with respect to each of position shift amounts corresponding to a different one of the pieces of sub point cloud data.
12. A three-dimensional data decoding device, comprising:
a processor; and memory,
wherein using the memory, the processor:
decodes, from a bitstream, pieces of sub point cloud data each shifted in accordance with a predetermined position shift amount, the pieces of sub point cloud data being pieces of data into which point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions is divided by dividing a three-dimensional space into subspaces;
obtains first information indicating common information with respect to each of position shift amounts corresponding to a different one of the pieces of sub point cloud data from first control information that is included in the bitstream and is common to the pieces of sub point cloud data; calculates each of the position shift amounts of the pieces of sub point cloud data using the first information; and
reproduces the pieces of sub point cloud data by shifting each of the pieces of sub point cloud data decoded and shifted, in accordance with one of the position shift amounts corresponding to the sub point cloud data.
Claims 2-3 and 10-12 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. US 12047603 B2 in view of Melkote Krishnaprasad et al. (US 20190325614 A1) (hereafter “Melkote”).
The difference between the instant and conflicting patent claim is the addition of limitations in the instant claims 2-3 and 10-12. See the table above.
Melkote teaches wherein each of the reference points includes an origin of the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data (202(O), 212 (O), and 218 (O) of fig. 2) in claim 2; wherein each of the reference points includes a coordinate included in the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data (202, 212, and 224 of fig. 2) in claim 3; decoding the pieces of sub point cloud data, wherein in the restoring, the pieces of sub point cloud data decoded are further used ([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) in claim 10; wherein each of the reference points includes an origin of the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data (212 (O), 224 (O), and 225 (O) of fig. 2) in claim 11; wherein each of the reference points includes a coordinate included in the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data ([0040] 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) in claim 12.
Taking the teachings of the Patent and Melkote together as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the encoding sub-point cloud data of Melkote into the Patent for performing improved techniques for compression of point clouds, as they allow for objects represented by point clouds to be encoded dynamically, and therefore more efficiently than do conventional techniques.
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 1-3, 9-12, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Melkote Krishnaprasad et al. (US 20190325614 A1) (hereafter “Melkote”).
Regarding claims 1 and 18, Melkote teaches a three-dimensional data encoding device (120 and 122 fig.1, fig. 4) that encodes point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions in a three-dimensional space (figures 2 and 3 show the process of encoding point cloud data), the three-dimensional data encoding device (fig. 4) comprising:
a processor (402 of fig. 4); and memory (408 of fig. 4),
wherein using the memory, the processor:
divides the point cloud data into pieces of sub point cloud data (202, 210, 220, and 230 of fig. 2; 310 and 320 of fig. 3, [0044], [0060]);
derives each of reference points for a corresponding one of the pieces of sub point cloud data (202 (O), 212 (O), 218 (O) of fig. 2, [0044] nodes 212 and 218 include an “(O)”, indicating that they are each occupied by at least one point, while the other nodes 211 and 213-217 are not occupied; [0061] occupancy of each sub-volume is determined. For example, it is determined whether or not each sub-volume is occupied by at least one point); and
generates a bitstream by encoding the pieces of sub point cloud data using the reference points (340 of fig. 3, [0062]),
wherein the bitstream includes first control information common to the pieces of sub point cloud data ([0062] a control code is treated as first control information common), 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 (350 of fig. 3, [0063]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 2, Melkote 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 (202(O), 212 (O), and 218 (O) of fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Melkote 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 (202, 212, and 224 of fig. 2).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Melkote further teaches a three-dimensional data decoding device (130 of fig. 1, fig. 4, [0041] encoding and decoding functions may alternatively be performed on the same device, comprising:
a processor (402 of fig. 4); and memory (408 and 410 of fig. 4), wherein using the memory, the processor:
obtains, from a bitstream, pieces of sub point cloud data divided from point cloud data indicating three-dimensional positions (130 of fig. 1, [0040]);
obtains first information commonly used for deriving each of reference points for a corresponding one of the pieces of sub point cloud data ([0040] 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)); and
restores the pieces of sub point cloud data using the first information ([0040] Once client 130 has fully reconstructed the point cloud by decoding the bit sequences, client 130 may perform rendering and warping (e.g., further based on texture information and/or connectivity information received separately from server 120) in order to display the graphical object).
Regarding claim 10, Melkote teaches the three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 9, Melkote teaches 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 ([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).
Regarding claim 11, Melkote teaches the three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 9, Melkote further teaches wherein each of the reference points includes an origin of the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data (212 (O), 224 (O), and 225 (O) of fig. 2).
Regarding claim 12, Melkote teaches the three-dimensional data decoding method according to claim 9, Melkote further teaches wherein each of the reference points includes a coordinate included in the corresponding one of the pieces of sub-point cloud data ([0040] 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).
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.
Claims 4-6, 8, 13-15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melkote Krishnaprasad et al. (US 20190325614 A1) (hereafter “Melkote”) in view of Kuma et al. (US 20200175726 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Melkote teaches the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 1. However, Melkote does not teach the three-dimensional data encoding method according to wherein the first information includes information common to a position shift amount for each of the pieces of sub-point cloud data.
Kuma teaches the three-dimensional data encoding method according to wherein the first information includes information common to a position shift amount for each of the pieces of sub-point cloud data ([0131] For example, the Cartesian coordinate system setting unit 212 defines the relative attitude by a shift amount (x, y, z) and angles (a roll, a pitch, and a yaw), and sets the shift amount and the angles as information indicating the relative attitude; SHIFT AMOUNT (X, Y, J) of fig. 9; figs. 20 and 21 illustrate offset voxel where shift amount is indicated).
Taking the teachings of Melkote and Kuma together as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the shift amount into the encoding device of Melkote for improvement in compression performance as shown in figure 9 of Kuma.
Regarding claim 5, Melkote and Kuma teach the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 4, Kuma further teaches 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 (Global Point Offset and Local Point Offset of figs. 20 and 21).
Regarding claim 6, Melkote and Kuma teach the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 4, Melkote further teaches wherein the position shift amount includes higher-order bits and lower-order bits (250 and 260 of fig. 2),
the first information is common to the pieces of sub point cloud data and indicates a bit count of the lower-order bits (260 of fig. 2, four bits 0010), and
each of the pieces of second control information includes second information indicating a value of the higher-order bits included in the position shift amount of one of the pieces of sub point cloud data corresponding to the second control information (262 of fig. 2, two bits 10).
Regarding claim 8, Melkote and Kuma teach the three-dimensional data encoding method according to claim 6, Melkote further teaches wherein all bits included in the lower-order bits have a value of zero ([0034]), and the bitstream does not include information indicating a value of the lower-order bits ([0037] In one embodiment, OctTree quantization is used as a default sub-division method and each sub-volume is further represented only using 8-bit occupancy pattern, whereas the alternative sub-division/quantization technique is encoded using a ‘00000000’ escape code, which is unique since there can be no all-zero occupancy indicator).
Regarding claims 13-15, see analysis in claims 4-6.
Regarding claim 17, see analysis in claim 8.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 16 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.
Contact Information
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TUNG T. VO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2425
/TUNG T VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425
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