DETAILED ACTION
Preliminary Remarks
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
For purposes of 35 USC 101 discussions, the Examiner finds the recited claims as eligible under 35 USC 101, that is although they may recite elements that are ultimate performed via mathematical calculations, they also recite additional elements that integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. That is they recite elements that apply the mathematical calculations to the field of at least 3D computer graphics and satisfy the “significantly more” requirement of “Step 2B” since in part, they represent an improvement in the way digital 3D assets are processed, stored and specified.
Priority
This application is a 371 of PCT/CN2023/138815 filed 12/14/2023 which further claims priority to CN 202310018083.6 filed 01/06/2023.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: #1000 of paragraph 112. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In reference to claim 2, this claim comprises the term “and/or “ (see line 4) of which itself is an indefinite term as it is unclear which of “and” or “or” the term is meant to signify. In other words, does Applicant mean for the claim limitation to read, “determining a 3D vertex to be a seam vertex when the 3D vertex….and determining a 3D vertex to be a seam vertex when a first valence…” or does the Applicant mean, “determining a 3D vertex to be a seam vertex when the 3D vertex….or determining a 3D vertex to be a seam vertex when a first valence…” The answer to such a question cannot be determined from the current claim language thus, the claim is deemed indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim that which Applicant regards as the invention.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In reference to claim 1, the Examiner makes note of a term/concept which, in combination and integration with the other limitations of the claim, is seen as the major novel aspect of the invention and which was not found in the prior art of record. The Examiner makes note of the term/concept of the mesh processing performing a decoding of received coded information of a mesh by determining seam vertices from the plurality of 3D vertices, a seam vertex corresponding to two or more UV vertices in the UV space; performing a prediction of seam edges in the 3D space based on at least the seam vertices, at least an edge between two seam vertices being predicted to be a seam edge that corresponds to two or more UV edges in the UV space; cutting the reconstructed mesh into patch components according to the seam edges; and determining UV connectivity of the UV vertices according to the patch components.
In reference to claims 3-11, these claims depend upon claim 1 and are therefore also deemed allowable.
In reference to claim 12, the Examiner makes note of a term/concept which, in combination and integration with the other limitations of the claim, is seen as the major novel aspect of the invention and which was not found in the prior art of record. The Examiner makes note of the term/concept of the mesh processing performing an encoding coded mesh information by determining seam vertices from the plurality of 3D vertices, a seam vertex corresponding to two or more UV vertices in the UV space; performing a prediction of predicted seam edges in the 3D space based on the seam vertices, at least an edge between two seam vertices being predicted to be a seam edge that corresponds to two or more UV edges in the UV space; and encoding, in the coded information of the mesh, adjustment information for generating true seam edges from the predicted seam edges.
In reference to claims 13-19, these claims depend upon claim 12 and are therefore also deemed allowable.
In reference to claim 20, the Examiner makes note of a term/concept which, in combination and integration with the other limitations of the claim, is seen as the major novel aspect of the invention and which was not found in the prior art of record. The Examiner makes note of the term/concept processing mesh data by processing bitstream mesh data specifying a format rule that establishes a reconstructed mesh in the 3D space is reconstructed from the plurality of 3D vertices according to the position connectivity of the plurality of 3D vertices; seam vertices are determined from the plurality of 3D vertices, a seam vertex corresponding to two or more UV vertices in the UV space; a prediction of seam edges in the 3D space is performed based on at least the seam vertices, at least an edge between two seam vertices being predicted to be a seam edge that corresponds to two or more UV edges in the UV space; the reconstructed mesh is cut into patch components according to the seam edges; and UV connectivity of the UV vertices is determined according to the patch components.
References Cited
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
DeRose et al. (U.S. Publication 2010/0053172)
DeRose et al. discloses an invention that performs mesh transfer using UV space.
Hemmer et al. (U.S. Publication 2020/0265611)
Hemmer et al. discloses techniques for compressing level of detail data by sharing a texture image level of detail among different mesh level of details for single-rate encoding.
Mammou et al. (U.S. Publication 2021/0090301)
Mammou et al. discloses a system comprising an encoder configured to compress and encode data for a three-dimensional mesh using a video encoding technique.
Kim et al. (U.S. Publication 2023/0290011)
Kim et al. discloses a video dynamic mesh coding decoding system, that uses a V-mesh bitstream structure including syntax elements.
Rondao Alface et al. (U.S. Publication 2023/0316647)
Rondao Alface et al. discloses an apparatus performing an encoding process obtaining a mesh representation of a 3D object for curvature guided inter-patch dynamic mesh coding.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Antonio Caschera whose telephone number is (571) 272-7781. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday between 6:30 AM and 2:30 PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Said Broome, can be reached at (571) 272-2931.
Any response to this action should be mailed to:
Mail Stop ____________
Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
or faxed to:
571-273-8300 (Central Fax)
See the listing of “Mail Stops” at http://www.uspto.gov/patents/mail.jsp and include the appropriate designation in the address above.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the Technology Center 2600 Customer Service Office whose telephone number is (571) 272-2600.
/Antonio A Caschera/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2612
5/11/26
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