DETAILED ACTION
The present Office action is in response to the amendments filed on 22 JUNE 2026.
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 .
Response to Amendment
Claims 1, 17, and 20 have been amended. No claim has been canceled or added. Claims 1-20 are pending and herein examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 22 JUNE 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 17, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of U.S. Publication No. 2016/0050436 A1 (hereinafter “Liu”) in view of U.S. Publication No. 2015/0124877 A1 (hereinafter “Choi”), and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2022/0038721 A1 (hereinafter “Li”).
The disclosure of Liu was previously relied upon and fails to disclose the newly amended limitations. The limitation “based at least on view position parameters for a first portion of the multi-view video bitstream with the first view and for a second portion of the multi-view video bitstream with the second view” is interpreted as utilizing frame identifiers for each view. Liu describes an SPS, PPS, and slice, which would include frame identifiers; however, the actual parameters are not disclosed and thus Choi is relied upon. The “delta quantization parameter” is a new limitation for which Li is relied upon.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-6 and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. 2016/0050436 A1 (hereinafter “Liu”) in view of U.S. Publication No. 2015/0124877 A1 (hereinafter “Choi”), and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2022/0038721 A1 (hereinafter “Li”).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses a method of video decoding performed at a computing system ([0011], “A method and apparatus of scaling list data signaling by sharing the scaling list data with a reference layer or a reference view for a scalable or three-dimensional video decoding system”) having memory and one or more processors ([0042], “program code to be executed on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to perform the processing […] a number of functions to be performed by a computer processor, a digital signal processor, a microprocessor, or field programmable gate array (FPGA).” [0038-0039] describes FIGS. 5 and 6 implemented with memory and processing units), the method comprising:
receiving a multi-view video bitstream comprising a plurality of pictures, wherein the plurality of pictures includes a first picture corresponding to a first view and a second picture corresponding to a second view ([0011], “receives coded data associated with a current block in a current layer or a current view from a current bitstream and determines whether a first flag exists in the current bitstream.” [0023], “multi-view coding system to share scaling lists of a reference view by dependent views.” Note, a current view is a first picture representing the first view and a reference view is a second picture representing the second view);
determining, based at least on view position parameters for a first portion of the multi-view video bitstream with the first view ([0023-0024] describes a “reference_layer_id” for identifying the view with the scaling list data. Note, the reference ID is a parameter for identifying the corresponding view to the current view; however, identification of the current view is not described), whether one or more quantization parameters for the first picture and the second picture are signaled jointly (FIG. 2, “sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 3, “pps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 6, step 640. [0021], “The sequence level list-data present flag indicates whether the scaling list data is incorporated in the sequence level or not. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a first specified value (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=1), the scaling list data is carried in the SPS. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a second specified value, (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=0), the scaling list data is not present in the SPS.” [0024], “Otherwise, the scaling list data of the reference layer is used.” Note, the scaling list data is another term for quantization matrix, see [0009], “the quantization matrices, also called scaling list data”); and
when the one or more quantization parameters for the first picture corresponding to the first view and the second picture corresponding to the second view are signaled jointly (FIG. 2, “sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 3, “pps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 6, step 640. [0021], “The sequence level list-data present flag indicates whether the scaling list data is incorporated in the sequence level or not. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a first specified value (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=1), the scaling list data is carried in the SPS. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a second specified value, (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=0), the scaling list data is not present in the SPS”), performing a first quantization process on the first picture and a second quantization process on the second picture based on a shared set of quantization parameters ([0039], “When the first flag exists and the first flag has a second value, the scaling list data for the current layer or the current view is determined from the current bitstream as shown in step 640. Decoding process is then applied to the coded data associated with the current block using the scaling list data determined as shown in step 650”)
Liu fails to expressly disclose view position parameters for a second portion of the multi-view video bitstream with the second view; and
a delta quantization parameter between luma and chroma components.
However, Choi teaches view position parameters for a second portion of the multi-view video bitstream with the second view (FIG. 3 discloses how multi-view pictures are referenced using view identifier (VID) and picture order count (POC). [0201] describes in multi-view the decoder extracts the picture parameter set from the bitstream, which is used in conjunction with the PPS and slice header for identifying pictures. Note, the combination of references relies on illustrating Liu’s parameter sets include picture identifiers when processing pictures, for which a first and second picture identifier will be known when determining for which pictures data is transmitted jointly).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have used picture identifiers when decoding pictures, as taught by Choi (FIG. 3), in Liu’s invention. One would have been motivated to modify Liu’s invention, by incorporating Choi’s invention, for improving coding efficiencies caused by the increase of video data in multi-view systems (Choi: [0007]).
Liu and Choi fail to expressly disclose a delta quantization parameter between luma and chroma components.
However, Li teaches a delta quantization parameter between luma and chroma components ([0087], “Parsing unit 501 parses one or more data units, for example, parameter set data unit, tile group data unit, in the bitstream to get parameters for chroma QP, includes a flag indicating whether default chroma delta QP is used, and, if not, a chroma delta QP which is a difference between the luma QP and the chroma QP.” [0083], “Entropy coding unit 215 sets a value of parameter set identifier in a header of a tile group equal to the identifier of the parameter set. In this way, the parameter set will be activated in decoding the tile group”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have transmitted a delta QP between luma and chroma components, as taught by Li ([0087]), in Liu and Choi’s invention. One would have been motivated to modify Liu and Choi’s invention, by incorporating Li’s invention, to improve coding efficiency of luma component and also the perceptual quality (Liu: [0022-0023]).
Regarding claim 2, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses wherein determining whether the quantization parameters for the first picture and the second picture are signaled jointly comprises parsing an indicator from a high-level syntax in the multi-view video bitstream (FIG. 2, “sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 3, “pps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 6, step 640. [0021], “The sequence level list-data present flag indicates whether the scaling list data is incorporated in the sequence level or not. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a first specified value (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=1), the scaling list data is carried in the SPS. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a second specified value, (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=0), the scaling list data is not present in the SPS.” [0024], “Otherwise, the scaling list data of the reference layer is used.” Note, using the same quantization matrices between the multiple views constitutes as “signaled jointly”).
Regarding claim 3, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses further comprising, when the quantization parameters for the first picture corresponding to the first view and the second picture corresponding to the second view are not signaled jointly, performing the first quantization process on the first picture using a first set of quantization parameters and performing the second quantization process on the second picture using a second set of quantization parameters, wherein the second set of quantization parameters are independent of the first set of quantization parameters (FIG. 2, “sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 3, “pps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 6, step 640. [0021], “The sequence level list-data present flag indicates whether the scaling list data is incorporated in the sequence level or not. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a first specified value (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=1), the scaling list data is carried in the SPS. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a second specified value, (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=0), the scaling list data is not present in the SPS.” Note, if the quantization matrices are indicated as signaled in each respective SPS, then it constitutes as not signaled jointly. FIG. 6, steps 630-650).
Regarding claim 4, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses wherein the quantization parameters for the first picture and the second picture are signaled jointly for the multi-view video bitstream (FIG. 2, “sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 3, “pps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 6, step 640. [0021], “The sequence level list-data present flag indicates whether the scaling list data is incorporated in the sequence level or not. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a first specified value (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=1), the scaling list data is carried in the SPS. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a second specified value, (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=0), the scaling list data is not present in the SPS.” [0024], “Otherwise, the scaling list data of the reference layer is used.” Note, using the same quantization matrices between the multiple views constitutes as “signaled jointly”).
Regarding claim 5, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses wherein determining whether the quantization parameters for the first picture and the second picture are signaled jointly comprises deriving whether the quantization parameters for the first picture and the second picture are signaled jointly based on coded information (FIG. 2, “sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 3, “pps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 6, step 640. [0021], “The sequence level list-data present flag indicates whether the scaling list data is incorporated in the sequence level or not. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a first specified value (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=1), the scaling list data is carried in the SPS. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a second specified value, (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=0), the scaling list data is not present in the SPS.” [0024], “Otherwise, the scaling list data of the reference layer is used.” Note, using the same quantization matrices between the multiple views constitutes as “signaled jointly”).
Regarding claim 6, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses wherein performing the second quantization process on the second picture based on the shared set of quantization parameters comprises deriving one or more quantization parameters for the second quantization process based on one or more signaled quantization parameters for the first quantization process (FIG. 4 depicts the scaling list data syntax elements derived for performing each quantization process, dependent on the SPS signaling in FIG. 3 or if signaled in the PPS as exemplified in FIG. 4).
Regarding claim 12, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses further comprising: for one or more quantization parameters, parsing respective indicators in the multi-view video bitstream to determine whether corresponding quantization parameters are shared for the first picture and the second pictures (FIGS. 2-4 depict syntax element for deriving quantization matrices for each view, in particular FIG. 2, “sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag” and FIG. 3, “pps_scaling_list_data_present_flag.” FIG. 6, step 640. [0021], “The sequence level list-data present flag indicates whether the scaling list data is incorporated in the sequence level or not. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a first specified value (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=1), the scaling list data is carried in the SPS. If the sequence level list-data present flag has a second specified value, (e.g., sps_scaling_list_data_present_flag=0), the scaling list data is not present in the SPS.” [0024], “Otherwise, the scaling list data of the reference layer is used”).
Regarding claim 13, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 12, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses wherein the respective indicators are signaled in high-level syntax (Each of FIGS. 2-4 depict high-level syntax).
Regarding claim 14, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses wherein the first quantization process is performed on the first picture using the shared set of quantization parameters and one or more additional quantization parameters (FIGS. 2-4 illustrate a plurality of parameters used for quantization processing).
Regarding claim 15, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses further comprising parsing a first indicator to identify which quantization parameters are signaled jointly for the first picture and the second picture (FIG. 4 discloses scaling list data syntax including ID parameters for identifying the scaling list data to be used).
Regarding claim 16, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as outlined above. Additionally, Liu discloses wherein the shared set of quantization parameters comprises one or more of: a quantization matrix, a block-level delta quantization parameter, a delta quantization parameter for different color components, and a delta quantization parameter for different temporal layers ([0009], “the quantization matrices, also called scaling list data.” [0020], “the scaling list (quantization matrix) information is signalled and processed independently in different spatial and quality layers. Due to the high correlation among the temporal collocated pictures among different spatial and quality layers, the same set of scaling lists (i.e. quantization matrices) may be used among different spatial and quality layers”).
Regarding claim 17, the limitations are the same as those in claim 1. Therefore, the same rationale of claim 1 applies equally as well to claim 17.
Regarding claim 18, the limitations are the same as those in claim 3. Therefore, the same rationale of claim 3 applies equally as well to claim 18.
Regarding claim 19, the limitations are the same as those in claim 8. Therefore, the same rationale of claim 8 applies equally as well to claim 19.
Regarding claim 20, the limitations are the same as those in claim 1. Therefore, the same rationale of claim 1 applies equally as well to claim 20.
Claim(s) 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. 2016/0050436 A1 (hereinafter “Liu”) in view of U.S. Publication No. 2015/0124877 A1 (hereinafter “Choi”), further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2022/0038721 A1 (hereinafter “Li”), and even further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2013/0071039 A1 (hereinafter “Sato”).
Regarding claim 7, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose every limitation of claim 6, as outlined above. Liu, Choi, and Li fail to expressly disclose wherein deriving the one or more quantization parameters for the second quantization process comprises applying a scaling factor to the one or more signaled quantization parameters.
However, Sato teaches wherein deriving the one or more quantization parameters for the second quantization process comprises applying a scaling factor to the one or more signaled quantization parameters ([0478], “When the multi-view image coding is performed, it is also possible to obtain the difference between the quantization parameters for each view (different views).” [0479-0480] describe how to calculate a delta QP (dQP) with a second, non-base view. FIG. 23 illustrates the process for inverse quantization by calculating the quantization value using a delta QP and the previous QP, because together they result in the actual QP).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have used a modification variable on the QP for obtaining the actual QP, as taught by Sato ([0479-0480]), in Liu, Choi, and Li’s invention. One would have been motivated to modify Liu, Choi, and Li’s invention, by incorporating Sato’s invention, to improve coding efficiency (Sato: [0481]) and inhibit image quality deterioration when quantizing (Sato: [0538]).
Regarding claim 8, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose every limitation of claim 6, as outlined above. Liu, Choi, and Li fail to expressly disclose wherein deriving the one or more quantization parameters for the second quantization process comprises applying a delta value to the one or more signaled quantization parameters.
However, Sato teaches wherein deriving the one or more quantization parameters for the second quantization process comprises applying a delta value to the one or more signaled quantization parameters ([0478], “When the multi-view image coding is performed, it is also possible to obtain the difference between the quantization parameters for each view (different views).” [0479-0480] describe how to calculate a delta QP (dQP) with a second, non-base view. FIG. 23 illustrates the process for inverse quantization by calculating the quantization value using a delta QP and the previous QP, because together they result in the actual QP).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have used a delta QP on a previous QP for obtaining the actual QP, as taught by Sato ([0479-0480]), in Liu, Choi, and Li’s invention. One would have been motivated to modify Liu, Choi, and Li’s invention, by incorporating Sato’s invention, to improve coding efficiency (Sato: [0481]) and inhibit image quality deterioration when quantizing (Sato: [0538]).
Regarding claim 9, Liu, Choi, Li and Sato disclose every limitation of claim 8, as outlined above. Additionally, Sato discloses further comprising determining the delta value based on a reference parameter for a block in a different view ([0478], “When the multi-view image coding is performed, it is also possible to obtain the difference between the quantization parameters for each view (different views).” [0479-0480] describe how to calculate a delta QP (dQP) with a second, non-base view. FIG. 23 illustrates the process for inverse quantization by calculating the quantization value using a delta QP and the previous QP, because together they result in the actual QP). The same motivation of claim 8 applies to claim 9.
Regarding claim 10, Liu, Choi, and Li and Sato disclose every limitation of claim 9, as outlined above. Additionally, Sato discloses wherein the block in the different view comprises a co-located block for a current block or a block identified using a disparity vector ([0478], “When the multi-view image coding is performed, it is also possible to obtain the difference between the quantization parameters for each view (different views).” [0479-0480] describe how to calculate a delta QP (dQP) with a second, non-base view. FIG. 23 illustrates the process for inverse quantization by calculating the quantization value using a delta QP and the previous QP, because together they result in the actual QP). The same motivation of claim 8 applies to claim 10.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. 2016/0050436 A1 (hereinafter “Liu”) in view of U.S. Publication No. 2015/0124877 A1 (hereinafter “Choi”), further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2022/0038721 A1 (hereinafter “Li”), and even further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2022/0368914 A1 (hereinafter “Misra”).
Regarding claim 11, Liu, Choi, and Li disclose every limitation of claim 1, as outlined above. Liu, Choi, and Li fail to expressly disclose wherein performing the second quantization process on the second picture based on the shared set of quantization parameters comprises deriving a context for entropy decoding one or more quantization parameters for the second quantization process based on one or more signaled quantization parameters for the first quantization process.
However, Misra teaches wherein performing the second quantization process on the second picture based on the shared set of quantization parameters comprises deriving a context for entropy decoding one or more quantization parameters for the second quantization process based on one or more signaled quantization parameters for the first quantization process ([0251-0253] describes adaptively initializing a context for entropy coding based on QP).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have derived context for entropy decoding based on quantization parameters, as taught by Misra ([0251-0253]), in Liu, Choi, and Li’s invention. One would have been motivated to modify Liu, Choi, and Li’s invention, by incorporating Misra’s invention, to improve coding efficiency of the entropy coder (Misra: [0062] and [0092]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
U.S. Publication No. 2014/0321539 A1 (hereinafter “Tanaka”) – Discloses sharing a quantization matrix among multiple views. See Tanaka, ¶ [0343].
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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