DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to communications filed 03/21/2026. Claims 1-12 are pending. Claims 1-5 are withdrawn. Claims 6-12 are rejected.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-5 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected election there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 03/21/2026.
Claim Objections
Claims objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 12 recites “An apparatus for video coding, the apparatus comprising one or more electronics or processors arranged to: ..” The preamble of the claim includes the structural elements, the Office suggests clearly separating the preamble from the elements in the body.
The Office suggests:
an apparatus for video coding, the apparatus comprising:--------------------__________________
_____one or more electronics or processors arranged to:
Appropriate correction is required.
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 12 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.
Claim 12 recites “an apparatus for video coding, the apparatus comprising one or more electronics or processors arranged to:…” It is unclear if the applicant intended the language to be electronics as stated, or if there was a typographical error. Please review the specification for support of the limitations for Figure 12. No new matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 6-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) being anticipated by Chuang et al (US 2017/0374369 and hereafter referred to as “Chuang”).
Regarding Claim 6, Chuang discloses a method of video coding, the method comprising:
receiving pixel data associated with a current block at an encoder side or coded data associated with the current block to be decoded at a decoder side (Page 1, paragraph 0007, Page 2-3, paragraph 0010, 0013, Figure 4, pixels – receiving input data for current block);
determining an initial MPM (Most Probable Modes) list for the current block (Page 1, paragraph 0007, determining intra prediction modes in a set of three MPMs);
generating one or more DIMD (Decoder Side Intra Mode Derivation) candidate modes using a template of the current block (Page 2, paragraph 0010, Page 5, paragraph 0043- DIMD for template/candidate);
determining one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes associated with one or more neighbouring blocks of the current block (Page 5, paragraph 0043);
generating a final MPM list by adding one or more additional candidate modes to the initial MPM list, wherein said one or more additional candidate modes comprise said one or more DIMD candidate modes (Page 7, paragraph 0063, Page 5, paragraph 0043, Page 3, paragraph 0014, modes by DIMD is used to replace one of MPM set in existing set); and
encoding or decoding the current block by using information comprising the final MPM list (Figure 7).
Regarding Claim 7, Chuang discloses all the limitations of Claim 6. Chuang discloses wherein said one or more additional candidate modes comprise said one or more DIMD candidate modes, said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes, one or more derived modes of said one or more DIMD candidate modes, one or more derived modes of said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes, or a combination thereof (Page 2, paragraph 0010, Page 5, paragraph 0043, Page 1, paragraph 0007, Page 3, paragraph 0014).
Regarding Claim 8, Chuang discloses all the limitations of Claim 7. Chuang discloses wherein said one or more derived modes of said one or more DIMD candidate modes comprise a mode number corresponding to (one DIMD candidate mode + k), wherein the k is a non-zero integer (Page 2, paragraph 0010, Page 5, paragraph 0043, Page 1, paragraph 0007, 0008).
Regarding Claim 9, Chuang discloses all the limitations of Claim 7. Chuang discloses wherein said one or more derived modes of said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes comprise a mode number corresponding to (one neighbouring intra prediction mode + k), wherein the k is a non-zero integer (Page 5, paragraph 0043, Page 1, paragraph 0007, 0008, DIMD mode is mode to replace one the MPM modes which include non-zero integer).
Regarding Claim 10, Chuang discloses all the limitations of Claim 7. Chuang discloses wherein said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes comprise an above neighbouring intra prediction mode of an above neighbouring block, a top neighbouring intra prediction mode of a top neighbouring block, or both (Page 1, paragraph 0007).
Regarding Claim 11, Chuang discloses all the limitations of Claim 7. Chuang discloses wherein said one or more derived modes of said one or more DIMD candidate modes are including in the final MPM list after said one or more derived modes of said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes or after said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes (Page 5, paragraph 0043, Page 1, paragraph 0007).
Regarding Claim 12, Chuang discloses an apparatus for video coding, the apparatus comprising one or more electronics or processors arranged to:
receive pixel data associated with a current block at an encoder side or coded data associated with the current block to be decoded at a decoder side (Page 1, paragraph 0007, Page 2-3, paragraph 0010, 0013, Figure 4, pixels);
determine an initial MPM (Most Probable Modes) list for the current block (Page 1, paragraph 0007);
generate one or more DIMD (Decoder Side Intra Mode Derivation) candidate modes using a template of the current block (Page 2, paragraph 0010, Page 5, paragraph 0043);
determine one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes associated with one or more neighbouring blocks of the current block (Page 5, paragraph 0043);
generate a final MPM list by adding one or more additional candidate modes to the initial MPM list, wherein said one or more additional candidate modes comprise said one or more DIMD candidate modes, said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes, one or more derived modes of said one or more DIMD candidate modes, one or more derived modes of said one or more neighbouring intra prediction modes, or a combination thereof (Page 7, paragraph 0063, Page 5, paragraph 0043, Page 3, paragraph 0014 – candidate modes and replacing one of the MPM, DIMD can be added); and
encode or decode the current block by using information comprising the final MPM list (Figure 7).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FARZANA HOSSAIN whose telephone number is (571)272-5943. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Kelley can be reached at 571-272-7331. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FARZANA HOSSAIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
April 15, 2026
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