Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. The Office Action is in response to amendment filed on 02/19/2026.
Response to Amendment
3. The amendment filed on 02/19/2026, Claim 21, 23, 26, 29-39 have been amended; Claims 1 -20, 27, are canceled; therefore, 21-26, 28-39 are pending.
4. Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 02/19/2026, pages 11-23 have been fully considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §103
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim under 35 U.S.C. § 103 has been fully considered.
Basically, applicant argued that the prior arts (WEI et al. (CN 113873236) and in view of CHEN et al. (US 20210203971)) does not discloses the amended limitation of independent claims, since: “Wei et al. does not disclose or suggest determining whether to filter a first pixel as claimed in Claim 1".
“The combination of Wei et al. and Chen et al., if appropriate,
does not disclose or suggest determining whether to filter the
at least one first pixel based, at least partially, on at least
one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header,
signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header.”.
“Independent Claims 38-39 have been amended above similar to
Claim 21 and are also believed to be patentable and should be
allowed.”
Examiner’s Response:
After updating search, examiner believe that the current prior arts (WEI et al. (CN 113873236) and in view of CHEN et al. (US 20210203971) and further in view of PALURI et al. (WO 2021145728)) teach the aforementioned limitation. Follows are reason:
First, WEI discloses that “determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel based, at least partially, on some signal/flag” in page 31, as: “it also can carry loop filter mark information in the code stream of the current frame, the loop filter mark information indicates closing or allows the loop filter on the virtual boundary between the refresh area and the non-refresh area. through the loop filter mark information can indicate whether the decoding end needs the area near the virtual boundary for loop filtering”; in which, loop filter mark information is used to determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel. The loop filter mark information can be interpreted as some kinds of configuration information.
Second, PALURI discloses that the determination information is in at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header in page 26, as: “with respect to whether the in-loop filtering procedure is performed across the virtual boundary, the in-loop filtering-related information includes an SPS virtual boundary existence flag, a picture header virtual boundary existence flag, information about the number of virtual boundaries, a virtual boundary information about their locations, and the like”.
Therefore, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI discloses the limitations of: “determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel based, at least partially, on at least one of:a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header” in independent claims.
The applicant also argued that dependent claims should be allowed due to their dependency on independent claims.
Examiner’s Response:
As discussed above, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI discloses the limitations in independent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
6. Claim 21 and its dependent claims 22-26, 28-37 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
For claim 21, it recites “a configuration”, in “determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header”. However, it is not clear if the “configuration” includes the “signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header” since, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header can also be interpreted as configuration information, too.
Thus the scope of the claim and its dependent claims 22-26, 28-37 are unclear.
7. Independent claims 38 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the similar reason as for independent claim 21 and its dependent claims 22-26, 28-37
8. Independent claims 39 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the similar reason as for independent claim 21 and its dependent claims 22-26, 28-37.
Information Disclosure Statement
9. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/03/2025, is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. 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 of this title, 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.
11. Claims 21-26, 29-30, 37-39 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WEI et al. (CN 113873236) and in view of CHEN et al. (US 20210203971) and further in view of PALURI et al. (WO 2021145728)).
Regarding claim 21, WEI teaches an apparatus (fig. 8) comprising:
at least one processor (fig. 8, 802);
and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to (page 56, … may be implemented by a program instructing related hardware, and the program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, and the mentioned storage medium may be a read-only memory):
select at least one first pixel from a first region of a picture, wherein the first region is separated from a different, second region with a virtual boundary (fig. 1, the pixel in region 1 (left region) is selected; the first region (left) separated from second region (right) with a virtual boundary (the line); page 20, …the un-refresh area is also called dirty (dirty) area, the coding order of the previous frame of the refresh area and the current frame of the forced frame area after combining also can be collectively referred to as the current frame of clean (clean) area, the boundary line of the two is the boundary of FIG. 1. The virtual boundary involved in the embodiment of the invention is also used for distinguishing the boundary of the clean area and the area);
determine at least one second pixel for filtering of the at least one first pixel, wherein the at least one second pixel is located in the second region (page 47, … for the area to be filtered (i.e. one first pixel), determined based on the virtual boundary, based on the pixel in the updated area (i.e., second pixel)) ;
determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel (page 47, … for the area to be filtered determined based on virtual boundary, not executing the operation of loop filtering to the area to be filtered) based, at least partially, on at least one of information/flag/configuration (page 31, as: “it also can carry loop filter mark information in the code stream of the current frame, the loop filter mark information indicates closing or allows the loop filter on the virtual boundary between the refresh area and the non-refresh area. through the loop filter mark information can indicate whether the decoding end needs the area near the virtual boundary for loop filtering”; in which, loop filter mark information is used to determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel; The loop filter mark information can be interpreted as some kinds of configuration information).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region.
CHEN discloses of based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region (fig. 15, step 1506-1508, in which, the information of second region is the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; paragraph 0156, disable a loop … on a first pixel in the first region when filtering the first pixel uses information of a second pixel in the second region).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region as a modification to the apparatus for the benefit of that using information of second region to improve efficiency in filtering operations (paragraph 0156).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header.
PALURI discloses of determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header (page 26, as: “with respect to whether the in-loop filtering procedure is performed across the virtual boundary, the in-loop filtering-related information includes an SPS virtual boundary existence flag, a picture header virtual boundary existence flag, information about the number of virtual boundaries, a virtual boundary information about their locations, and the like”).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header as a modification to the apparatus for the benefit of effectively get the information to filter the pixels (page 26).
Regarding claim 38, WEI teaches a method (fig. 6) comprising:
select at least one first pixel from a first region of a picture, wherein the first region is separated from a different, second region with a virtual boundary (fig. 1, the pixel in region 1 (left region) is selected; the first region (left) separated from second region (right) with a virtual boundary (the line); page 20, …the un-refresh area is also called dirty (dirty) area, the coding order of the previous frame of the refresh area and the current frame of the forced frame area after combining also can be collectively referred to as the current frame of clean (clean) area, the boundary line of the two is the boundary of FIG. 1. The virtual boundary involved in the embodiment of the invention is also used for distinguishing the boundary of the clean area and the area);
determine at least one second pixel for filtering of the at least one first pixel, wherein the at least one second pixel is located in the second region (page 47, … for the area to be filtered (i.e. one first pixel), determined based on the virtual boundary, based on the pixel in the updated area (i.e., second pixel)) ;
determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel (page 47, … for the area to be filtered determined based on virtual boundary, not executing the operation of loop filtering to the area to be filtered) based, at least partially, on at least one of information/flag/configuration (page 31, as: “it also can carry loop filter mark information in the code stream of the current frame, the loop filter mark information indicates closing or allows the loop filter on the virtual boundary between the refresh area and the non-refresh area. through the loop filter mark information can indicate whether the decoding end needs the area near the virtual boundary for loop filtering”; in which, loop filter mark information is used to determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel; The loop filter mark information can be interpreted as some kinds of configuration information).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region.
CHEN discloses of based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region (fig. 15, step 1506-1508, in which, the information of second region is the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; paragraph 0156, disable a loop … on a first pixel in the first region when filtering the first pixel uses information of a second pixel in the second region).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region as a modification to the method for the benefit of that using information of second region to improve efficiency in filtering operations (paragraph 0156).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header.
PALURI discloses of determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header (page 26, as: “with respect to whether the in-loop filtering procedure is performed across the virtual boundary, the in-loop filtering-related information includes an SPS virtual boundary existence flag, a picture header virtual boundary existence flag, information about the number of virtual boundaries, a virtual boundary information about their locations, and the like”).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header as a modification to the method for the benefit of effectively get the information to filter the pixels (page 26).
Regarding claim 39, WEI teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon which, when executed with at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to (page 56, … may be implemented by a program instructing related hardware, and the program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, and the mentioned storage medium may be a read-only memory):
select at least one first pixel from a first region of a picture, wherein the first region is separated from a different, second region with a virtual boundary (fig. 1, the pixel in region 1 (left region) is selected; the first region (left) separated from second region (right) with a virtual boundary (the line); page 20, …the un-refresh area is also called dirty (dirty) area, the coding order of the previous frame of the refresh area and the current frame of the forced frame area after combining also can be collectively referred to as the current frame of clean (clean) area, the boundary line of the two is the boundary of FIG. 1. The virtual boundary involved in the embodiment of the invention is also used for distinguishing the boundary of the clean area and the area);
determine at least one second pixel for filtering of the at least one first pixel, wherein the at least one second pixel is located in the second region (page 47, … for the area to be filtered (i.e. one first pixel), determined based on the virtual boundary, based on the pixel in the updated area (i.e., second pixel)) ;
determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel (page 47, … for the area to be filtered determined based on virtual boundary, not executing the operation of loop filtering to the area to be filtered) based, at least partially, on at least one of information/flag/configuration (page 31, as: “it also can carry loop filter mark information in the code stream of the current frame, the loop filter mark information indicates closing or allows the loop filter on the virtual boundary between the refresh area and the non-refresh area. through the loop filter mark information can indicate whether the decoding end needs the area near the virtual boundary for loop filtering”; in which, loop filter mark information is used to determine whether to filter the at least one first pixel; The loop filter mark information can be interpreted as some kinds of configuration information).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region.
CHEN discloses of based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region (fig. 15, step 1506-1508, in which, the information of second region is the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; paragraph 0156, disable a loop … on a first pixel in the first region when filtering the first pixel uses information of a second pixel in the second region).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that based on a determination to filter the at least one first pixel, cause filtering of the at least one first pixel based on at least one of: coding information associated with the at least one second pixel; at least one predetermined value; or a version of the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel padded based on coding information of the first region as a modification to the non-transitory computer-readable medium for the benefit of that using information of second region to improve efficiency in filtering operations (paragraph 0156).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header.
PALURI discloses of determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header (page 26, as: “with respect to whether the in-loop filtering procedure is performed across the virtual boundary, the in-loop filtering-related information includes an SPS virtual boundary existence flag, a picture header virtual boundary existence flag, information about the number of virtual boundaries, a virtual boundary information about their locations, and the like”).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that determine whether to filter based, at least partially, on at least one of: a configuration, signaling in a sequence header, signaling in a picture header, or signaling in a slice header as a modification to the non-transitory computer-readable medium for the benefit of effectively get the information to filter the pixels (page 26).
Regarding claim 22, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that the at least one first pixel is adjacent to the virtual boundary (fig. 5, some pixels in left region is adjacent to the virtual boundary).
Regarding claim 23, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that wherein causing filtering of the at least one first pixel comprises the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least one in-loop filter, wherein the at least one in-loop filter comprises at least one of: a deblocking filter; a sample adaptive offset filter; or an adaptive loop filter (page 35, … the loop filtering of the embodiment of the invention comprises three loop filtering technologies: DBK (deblocking, deblocking) filtering, SAO (sample adaptive offset, sample point adaptive compensation), ALF (adaptive loop filter, adaptive loop filter).
Regarding claim 24, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that the picture comprises one of: a three-hundred and sixty degree picture; a gradual decoding refresh picture; a recovering picture; or a picture comprising of sub-pictures or tiles (page 22, … the GDR (GradualDecoding Refresh, progressive decoding refresh) technology in the VVC (Versatile Video Coding) standard gives an intra-frame refresh mechanism).
Regarding claim 25, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that the first region comprises a refreshed area of the picture, and wherein the second region comprises a non-refreshed area of the picture (fig. 7, the left region is clean region (i.e., refreshed area) and right region is a un-clean region (i.e. non-refreshed area)).
Regarding claim 26, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that the coding information associated with the at least one second pixel comprises at least one of: pixel information; a coding mode; a motion vector; or a quarter pixel (page 10, … , the updated area comprises a forced intra-frame area and an inter-frame area, the motion vector MV information of the image block in the inter-frame region carried in the code stream points to the refresh region in the reference frame of the image block and/or the unrefreshed region in the reference frame of the image block).
Regarding claim 29, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that causing filtering of the at least one first pixel comprises the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform deblocking filtering, wherein a block boundary for the deblocking filtering is aligned with the virtual boundary (fig. 4, step 401; page 35, the loop filter mark information indicates closing or allowing loop filter on the virtual boundary between the refresh area and the non-refresh area… three loop filtering technologies: DBK (deblocking, deblocking) filtering).
Regarding claim 30, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that causing filtering of the at least one first pixel comprises the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform sample adaptive offset edge filtering (page 35, … SAO (sample adaptive offset, sample point adaptive compensation); in which, SAO is also edge offset mode).
Regarding claim 37, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that based on a determination to not filter the at least one first pixel, not cause filtering of the at least one first pixel (page 47, … for the area to be filtered determined based on virtual boundary, not executing the operation of loop filtering to the area to be filtered).
12. Claims 28 is rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WEI et al. (CN 113873236) and in view of CHEN et al. (US 20210203971) and further in view of PALURI et al. (WO 2021145728)) and further in view of WANG et al. (KR 20220107201).
Regarding claim 28, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above.
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of the at least one predetermined value comprises two raised to a power comprising a bit depth of the picture minus one.
WANG discloses of the at least one predetermined value comprises two raised to a power comprising a bit depth of the picture minus one (page 24, the CC-ALF residual output is clipped to 2 BitDepthC .sup.-1 to 2 .sup.BitDepthC-1 -1).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that the at least one predetermined value comprises two raised to a power comprising a bit depth of the picture minus one as a modification to the apparatus for the benefit of that using bit depth to control the filtering process (page 24).
13. Claims 31-33 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WEI et al. (CN 113873236) and in view of CHEN et al. (US 20210203971) and further in view of PALURI et al. (WO 2021145728)) and further in view of LAI et al. (WO 2021046096).
Regarding claim 31, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that perform an adaptive loop filtering (page 35).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of the adaptive loop filtering comprises use of a seven-by-seven diamond shaped filter.
LAI discloses of the adaptive loop filtering comprises use of a seven-by-seven diamond shaped filter (paragraph 0009, 7x7 diamond filters).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that the adaptive loop filtering comprises use of a seven-by-seven diamond shaped filter as a modification to the apparatus for the benefit of that increase the efficiency of filtering (paragraph 0009).
Regarding claim 32, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that perform an adaptive loop filtering (page 35).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of perform bilateral filtering for luma samples, wherein the bilateral filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter.
LAI discloses of perform bilateral filtering for luma samples, wherein the bilateral filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a 7x7 diamond shaped filter (paragraph 0005, 7x7 diamond filters with 4x4 block-based classification are used for the luma component and 5x5 diamond filters are used for the chroma component).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that perform bilateral filtering for luma samples, wherein the bilateral filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a 7x7 diamond shaped filter as a modification to the apparatus for the benefit of that increase the efficiency of filtering (paragraph 0009).
The combination of WEI, CHEN and LAI does not disclose expressly filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter. Applicant has not disclosed that filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter provides an advantage, is used for a particular purpose or solves a stated problem. One of ordinary skill in the art, furthermore, would have expected Applicant’s invention to perform equally well with WEI, CHEN and LAI’ teaching.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine to one of ordinary skill in this art to modify filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter with to obtain the invention as specified in claim 32.
Regarding claim 33, the combination of WEI, CHEN and PALURI teaches the limitations recited in claim 21 as discussed above. In addition, WEI further discloses that perform an adaptive loop filtering (page 35).
It is noticed that WEI does not disclose explicitly of perform a bilateral filtering for chroma samples, wherein the bilateral filtering for the chroma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter.
LAI discloses of perform a bilateral filtering for chroma samples, wherein the bilateral filtering for the chroma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter (paragraph 0005, 7x7 diamond filters with 4x4 block-based classification are used for the luma component and 5x5 diamond filters are used for the chroma component).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that perform bilateral filtering for luma samples, wherein the bilateral filtering for the luma samples comprises use of a five-by-five diamond shaped filter as a modification to the apparatus for the benefit of that increase the efficiency of filtering (paragraph 0009).
14. Conclusion
. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
15. Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAIHAN JIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-1399. The examiner can normally be reached on flexible.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sath Perungavoor can be reached on (571)272-7455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-270-0655.
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/ZAIHAN JIANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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