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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on August 16, 2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mammou et al. (U.S. Publication No. US 2020/0014953 A1) ("Mammou").
Regarding claim 1, Mammou discloses a method of mesh encoding (Fig. 2C, wherein element 250 is an inter point cloud frame compression encoder, and point clouds are used in mesh creation and therefore correspond to the broadest reasonable interpretation of "mesh"), comprising:
generating re-parameterization information of a current frame, the re-parameterization information indicating a re-parameterization transform (Fig. 2C; paragraphs 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein a point cloud resampling module 252 performs a re-sampling (i.e. a re-parameterization transform) that determines a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of a current frame and points in patches of a reference frame (i.e. re-parameterization information) by displacing the points of a reference frame so that its shape matches the shape of the current frame, and the resulting frame of this mapping is the re-sampled version of the current frame) of a color attribute map of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map, see that paragraphs 0076 and 0078 list color as an attribute) of the re-sampled points of the patches to transfer the color of the current frame to the re-sampled version of the current frame);
determining a corresponding region of the current frame in a color attribute map of a reference frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled patch points, and determines the motion vectors that identify the corresponding points of the current frame’s color patch image (i.e. corresponding region of the current frame) in the reference frame’s color patch image (i.e color attribute map of a reference frame), indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame).
encoding correspondence information of the current frame in a bitstream (Fig. 2C and 9; paragraph 0093, wherein module 254 encodes the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) in a patch image (see fig. 9, step 940), and images are bitstreams at its core) that indicates the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled patch points and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points of the current frame’s color patch image (i.e. corresponding region of the current frame) in the reference frame’s color patch image (i.e. color attribute map of the reference frame), indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame);
encoding the color attribute map of the current frame (Fig. 9; paragraph 0487, wherein the updated color patch image (i.e. color attribute map) encodes residual values indicating differences in colors of the points of the point cloud included in the patch between the reference point cloud frame and the current point cloud frame (i.e. current frame), which is video encoded in step 945) based on (i) the re-parameterization information of the current frame (Fig. 9, wherein the points of the current patch are first re-sampled; Fig. 2C and paragraphs 0093, wherein module 252 determines a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of a current frame and points in patches of a reference frame (i.e. re-parameterization information) from the re-sampling, ensuring each current frame point is compared to its correct reference frame counterpart to encode residual values) and (ii) the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Fig. 9; paragraph 0487, wherein in step 937, the set of reference frame color (i.e. color attribute map) patch points correspond to the current frame's re-sampled patch points (i.e. corresponding region of the current frame) via the determined motion vectors; paragraph 0261, wherein the residual color attribute values encoded in the updated color patch image (i.e. color attribute map) at step 938 are computed as the difference between the current frame’s color values and the motion-compensated color values at the corresponding region of the reference frame’s color patch).
Regarding claim 2, Mammou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the re-parameterization information of the current frame is encoded (Fig. 2C and 9; paragraphs 0093 and 0487, wherein the one-to-one point mapping (i.e. re-parameterization information) generated by module 252 flow into the generation of motion vectors by module 254 are encoded into the relative motion patch image in step 940) without stacking the color attribute map of the current frame in a color attribute map video (Fig. 9; paragraphs 0346-0347, wherein the encoder generates the relative motion patch image in step 940 based on the motion vectors derived from the one-to-one mapping of points (i.e. re-parameterization information) between frames and the updated color patch image in step 938 (i.e. color attribute map of the current frame) as distinct outputs of separate sub streams (see paragraph 0346), therefore, the re-parameterization information is therefore encoded without being stacked into the color attribute map video stream).
Regarding claim 3, Mammou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the encoding the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
encoding the re-parameterization information of the current frame that indicates the color attribute map of the current frame is predicted based on the color attribute map of the reference frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled points of the patches (i.e. re-parameterization information), requiring the mapping of the points of the reference frame to the current frame).
Regarding claim 4, Mammou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the encoding the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
encoding the re-parameterization information of the current frame that indicates the color attribute map of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled points (i.e. re-parameterization information) of the patches to transfer the color of the current frame to the re-sampled version of the current frame) is determined by copying the color attribute map of the reference frame (Paragraphs 0208 and 0247, the prediction of the current frame's color block (i.e. color attribute map) is determined to be identical to and therefore copied from the reference frame's corresponding block according to the skip mode (no residual is encoded because there is no difference between the current block and the reference block))
Regarding claim 5, Mammou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein:
the correspondence information indicates that the corresponding region in the reference frame corresponds to a connected component of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093, wherein module 252 determines a one-to-one mapping between points (i.e. connected component of the current frame), wherein the broadest reasonable interpretation of “connected component” corresponds to points in the current frame that are connected to points in the reference frame because they are the same) in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame (i.e. corresponding region in the reference frame) for the point cloud, and module 254 determines respective motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) for each of the points (i.e. connected component) indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame);
and the encoding the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
predicting a color attribute of the connected component of the current frame based on the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled patch points and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. connected component) of the current frame’s color patch (i.e. corresponding region) image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame).
Regarding claim 6, Mammou discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the correspondence information indicates a geometric transformation of the connected component, the geometric transformation including one of a translation (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. connected component) of the current frame’s color patch image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved (i.e. translated) from the reference frame to the current frame), a rotation, a reflection, a scaling, an orthogonal transform, a rigid transform, a similar transform, and a homography.
Regarding claim 7, Mammou discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the correspondence information indicates changes of uv coordinates in the connected component of the current frame (Paragraph 0093, wherein module 254 determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. connected component) of the current frame’s color patch image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame; and paragraphs 118-119, wherein H(u,v) is the set of points that get projected to the same pixel (a single point could be projected onto a pixel rather than a set of points), therefore, the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) indicating a translation of points (i.e. connected components) would also indicate the change of uv coordinates under broadest reasonable interpretation).
Regarding claim 8, Mammou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein:
the correspondence information indicates that the corresponding region in the reference frame corresponds to the color attribute map of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled patch points, to transfer the color of the current frame to the deformed reference frame, and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points of the current frame’s color patch (i.e. corresponding region) image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame), and
the encoding the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
predicting a color attribute of the current frame based on the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Paragraph 0261, wherein the color information (i.e. color attribute map) is temporally predicted by taking the motion compensated value of the current frame based on the reference frame; Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled patch points, to transfer the color of the current frame to the deformed reference frame, and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. corresponding region) of the current frame’s color patch image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame).
Regarding claim 9, Mammou discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the correspondence information indicates one of a geometric transformation of the color attribute map of the current frame (Paragraph 0093, wherein the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) indicate a translation geometric transformation of the current frame’s color patch image relative to the reference frame’s color patch image (motion vectors are encoded using different image parameters such as: changes in the X, Y, and Z direction for a point are represented by an amount of red, blue, and green, respectively, included at the point in a patch image that includes the point)) and changes of uv coordinates in the color attribute map of the current frame.
Regarding claim 10, Mammou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the encoding the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
when a skip mode is signaled in the bitstream (Paragraphs 0208 and 0247, wherein a skip mode is signaled),
determining the color attribute map of the current frame by copying the color attribute map of the reference frame according to the skip mode (Paragraphs 0208 and 0247, the prediction of the current frame's color block (i.e. color attribute map) is determined to be identical to and therefore copied from the reference frame's corresponding block according to the skip mode (no residual is encoded because there is no difference between the current block and the reference block)).
Regarding claim 11, Mammou discloses a method of mesh decoding (Fig. 2C and 2D; paragraph 0094, wherein the inter point cloud frame decoder 280 performs the inverse of the inter point cloud frame encoder 250’s operations, and point clouds are used in mesh creation and therefore correspond to the broadest reasonable interpretation of "mesh"), comprising:
receiving a bitstream (Fig. 2D, wherein decoder 280 receives the compressed point cloud information (i.e. a bitstream) that contains the information previously encoded) that includes re-parameterization information of a current frame, the re-parameterization information of the current frame indicating a re-parameterization transform (Fig. 2C; paragraphs 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein a point cloud resampling module 252 performs a re-sampling (i.e. a re-parameterization transform) that determines a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of a current frame and points in patches of a reference frame (i.e. re-parameterization information) by displacing the points of a reference frame so that its shape matches the shape of the current frame, and the resulting frame of this mapping is the re-sampled version of the current frame) of a color attribute map of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled points (i.e. color attribute map of the current frame) of the patches to transfer the color of the current frame to the re-sampled version of the current frame);
determining a corresponding region of the current frame in a color attribute map of a reference frame according to correspondence information of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled patch points and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points of the current frame’s color patch image (i.e. corresponding region of the current frame) in the reference frame’s color patch image (i.e. color attribute map of the reference frame), indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame);
and determining the color attribute map of the current frame based on (i) the re-parameterization information of the current frame (Fig. 9, wherein the points of the current patch are first re-sampled; Fig. 2C and paragraphs 0093, wherein module 252 determines a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of a current frame and points in patches of a reference frame (i.e. re-parameterization information) from the re-sampling, ensuring each current frame point is compared to its correct reference frame counterpart to encode residual values) and (ii) the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Fig. 9; paragraph 0487, wherein the set of reference frame color patch points (i.e. color attribute map of the reference frame) correspond to the current frame's re-sampled patch points (i.e. corresponding region of the current frame) via the determined motion vectors in step 937; paragraph 0261, wherein the residual color attribute values encoded in the updated color patch image (i.e. color attribute map) at step 938 are computed as the difference between the current frame’s color values and the motion-compensated color values at the corresponding region of the reference frame’s color patch).
Regarding claim 12, Mammou discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the determining the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises: predicting the color attribute map of the current frame based on the color attribute map of the reference frame according to the re-parameterization information of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled points of the patches (i.e. re-parameterization information), requiring the mapping of the points of the reference frame to the current frame).
Regarding claim 13, Mammou discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the determining the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
determining the color attribute map of the current frame by copying the color attribute map of the reference frame (Paragraphs 0208 and 0247, the current frame's color block (i.e. color attribute map), as predicted below, is determined to be identical to and therefore copied from the reference frame's corresponding block according to the skip mode (no residual is encoded because there is no difference between the current block and the reference block)) according to the re-parameterization information of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled points (i.e. re-parameterization information) of the patches to transfer the color of the current frame to the re-sampled version of the current frame (color of the points could be copies according to the skip mode above)).
Regarding claim 14, Mammou discloses the method of claim 11, wherein:
the correspondence information indicates that the corresponding region in the reference frame corresponds to a connected component of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093, wherein module 252 determines a one-to-one mapping between points (i.e. connected component of the current frame), wherein the broadest reasonable interpretation of “connected component” corresponds to points in the current frame that are connected to points in the reference frame because they are the same) in patches of the current image frame and points in patches of a reference image frame (i.e. corresponding region in the reference frame) for the point cloud, and module 254 determines respective motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) for each of the points (i.e. connected component) indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame);
and the determining the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
predicting a color attribute of the connected component of the current frame based on the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color (i.e. color attribute map) of the re-sampled patch points and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. connected component) of the current frame’s color patch (i.e. corresponding region) image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame).
Regarding claim 15, Mammou discloses the method of claim 14, wherein the correspondence information indicates a geometric transformation of the connected component, the geometric transformation including one of a translation (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. connected component) of the current frame’s color patch image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved (i.e. translated) from the reference frame to the current frame), a rotation, a reflection, a scaling, an orthogonal transform, a rigid transform, a similar transform, and a homography.
Regarding claim 16, Mammou discloses the method of claim 14, wherein the correspondence information indicates changes of uv coordinates in the connected component of the current frame (Paragraph 0093, wherein module 254 determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. connected component) of the current frame’s color patch image in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame; and paragraphs 118-119, wherein H(u,v) is the set of points that get projected to the same pixel (a single point could be projected onto a pixel rather than a set of points), therefore, the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) indicating a translation of points (i.e. connected components) would also indicate the change of uv coordinates under broadest reasonable interpretation).
Regarding claim 17, Mammou discloses the method of claim 11, wherein:
the correspondence information indicates that the corresponding region in the reference frame corresponds to the color attribute map of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled patch points, to transfer the color of the current frame to the deformed reference frame, and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points (i.e. corresponding region) of the current frame’s color patch image (i.e. color attribute map of the current frame) in the reference frame’s color patch image, indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame), and
the determining the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
predicting a color attribute of the current frame based on the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Paragraph 0261, wherein the color information (i.e. color attribute map) is temporally predicted by taking the motion compensated value of the current frame based on the reference frame; Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled patch points, to transfer the color of the current frame to the deformed reference frame, and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points of the current frame’s color patch image (i.e. corresponding region of the current frame) in the reference frame’s color patch image(i.e. color attribute map of the reference frame), indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame).
Regarding claim 18, Mammou discloses the method of claim 17, wherein the correspondence information indicates one of a geometric transformation of the color attribute map of the current frame (Paragraph 0093, wherein the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) indicate a translation geometric transformation of the current frame’s color patch image relative to the reference frame’s color patch image (motion vectors are encoded using different image parameters such as: changes in the X, Y, and Z direction for a point are represented by an amount of red, blue, and green, respectively, included at the point in a patch image that includes the point)) and changes of uv coordinates in the color attribute map of the current frame.
Regarding claim 19, Mammou discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the determining the color attribute map of the current frame further comprises:
when a skip mode is signaled in the bitstream (Paragraphs 0208 and 0247, wherein a skip mode is signaled),
determining the color attribute map of the current frame by copying the color attribute map of the reference frame according to the skip mode (Paragraphs 0208 and 0247, the prediction of the current frame's color block is determined to be identical to and therefore copied from the reference frame's corresponding block according to the skip mode (no residual is encoded because there is no difference between the current block and the reference block)).
Regarding claim 20, Mammou discloses a method of processing mesh data, the method comprising:
processing a bitstream of the mesh data according to a format rule (Paragraphs 0420-0428, wherein a Point Cloud Compression Network Abstraction Layer (PCCNAL) unit (i.e. formal rule) determines how the bitstream is structured and processed by the encoder/decoder, and point clouds are used in mesh creation and therefore point cloud data corresponds to the broadest reasonable interpretation of "mesh data"), wherein:
the bitstream includes re-parameterization information of a current frame, the re-parameterization information of the current frame indicating a re-parameterization transform (Fig. 2C; paragraphs 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein a point cloud resampling module 252 performs a re-sampling (i.e. a re-parameterization transform) that determines a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of a current frame and points in patches of a reference frame (i.e. re-parameterization information) by displacing the points of a reference frame so that its shape matches the shape of the current frame, and the resulting frame of this mapping is the re-sampled version of the current frame) of a color attribute map of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093 and 0246-0247, wherein module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled points of the patches (i.e. color attribute map of the current frame) to transfer the color of the current frame to the re-sampled version of the current frame);
and the format rule (Paragraphs 0420-0428, wherein a Point Cloud Compression Network Abstraction Layer (PCCNAL) unit (i.e. formal rule) determines how the bitstream is structured and processed by the encoder/decoder) specifies that:
a corresponding region of the current frame is determined in a color attribute map of a reference frame according to correspondence information of the current frame (Fig. 2C; paragraph 0093; module 254 applies a temporal prediction to the color of the re-sampled patch points and determines the motion vectors (i.e. correspondence information) that identify the corresponding points of the current frame’s color patch image (i.e. corresponding region of the current frame) in the reference frame’s color patch image (i.e. color attribute map of the reference frame), indicating how the points moved from the reference frame to the current frame);
and the color attribute map of the current frame is determined based on (i) the re-parameterization information of the current frame (Fig. 9, wherein the points of the current patch are first re-sampled; Fig. 2C and paragraphs 0093, wherein module 252 determines a one-to-one mapping between points in patches of a current frame and points in patches of a reference frame (i.e. re-parameterization information) from the re-sampling, ensuring each current frame point is compared to its correct reference frame counterpart to encode residual values) and (ii) the corresponding region of the current frame in the color attribute map of the reference frame (Fig. 9; paragraph 0487, wherein the set of reference frame color (i.e. color attribute map) patch points correspond (i.e. corresponding region) to the current frame's re-sampled patch points via the determined motion vectors in step 937; paragraph 0261, wherein the residual color attribute values encoded in the updated color patch image (i.e. color attribute map) at step 938 are computed as the difference between the current frame’s color values and the motion-compensated color values at the corresponding region of the reference frame’s color patch).
Conclusion
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/RACHEL Y DANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2661
/JOHN VILLECCO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2661
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