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 .
Status of the Claims
Currently, claims 1-13, 15 and 17-22 are pending in the application. Claims 1, 2-4, 8, 15 & 17 are amended. Claims 14 & 16 are cancelled.
Response to Arguments / Amendments
Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered but are rendered moot in view of the new ground of rejection necessitated by amendments initiated by the applicant.
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 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.
Claims 1-2, 5-13, 15 and 17-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EIFRIG et al. (EP0863673A2, hereinafter EIFRIG) in view of Chien et al. (US 20140355669, hereinafter Chien) and Secareanu (US 20230253982, hereinafter Secareanu).
Regarding Claim 1, EIFRIG discloses a method for encoding data defining an image, the method comprising the steps of:
- segmenting the image into image blocks, the image blocks having a uniform block size (Page 5, Lines 37 -40, number of macroblocks (MBs) which are coded individually using an intra-frame mode or an inter-frame mode; figure 3);
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- applying a frequency-based transform to each of the image blocks, thereby providing transformed image data in which the image data is represented as coefficients defining a linear combination of predetermined basis functions having different spatial frequencies (Page 5, Lines 34-36, apply Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT));
- grouping blocks of transformed image data into one or more sets, each set of blocks of transformed image data comprising a plurality of blocks of transformed image data (Page 6, Lines 4-9, FIG. 3, number of macroblocks (MBs): such as block X 310 is an 8x8 block of DCT coefficients in an INTRA macroblock 300 which is currently being coded, Block A 320 is an 8x8 block, block C 340 is an 8x8 block, and block B 330 is an 8x8);
- replacing the each of the coefficients in subsequent blocks of transformed image data in said each slice with a prediction, the prediction being based on a corresponding coefficient in the reference block (Page 5, Lines 37-42: The adaptive DC prediction method for a current block involves selection of either the quantized DC (QDC) value of a block which is to the left of the current block, or the block which is immediately above the current block, i.e., in the previous row);
- quantising the coefficients and the predictions (Page 5, Lines 40-42: quantized prediction coefficients); and
- converting the quantised coefficients and predictions into bits of binary code (Page 5, Lines 5-10: intra & inter entropy coding).
EIFRIG does not explicitly disclose partitioning each set of blocks of transformed image data into a plurality of distinct slices of blocks of transformed image data, each slice consisting of a number of consecutive blocks of transformed image data in the set; wherein each slice comprises a reference block of transformed image data.
Chien teaches partitioning each set of blocks of ([0141], FIG. 2, video encoder 20 receives video data, and partitioning unit 35 partitions the data into video blocks that includes partitioning into slices, tiles, or other larger units, as wells as video block partitioning, e.g., according to a quadtree structure of LCUs and CUs and encoding video blocks within a video slice); wherein each slice comprises a reference block of ([0040], determine a first prediction type for a block of video data in a P slice, represent the first prediction type as a P-slice prediction type syntax element, determine a second prediction type for a block of video data in a B slice, represent the second prediction type as a B-slice prediction type syntax element).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of partitioning each set of blocks into a plurality of slices of blocks as taught by Chien ([0141]) into the encoding & decoding system of EIFRIG in order to provide systems for reducing number of contexts required so as to reduce storage needs at an encoder and a decoder without materially affecting coding efficiency (Chien, [0068]).
EIFRIG and Chien do not explicitly disclose the transformed image data be partitioned into a plurality of distinct slices.
Secareanu teaches the transformed image data be partitioned into a plurality of distinct ([0598]-[0599], MPS scheme is formatted in the two constituent strings, the RI string and the detail string, are transformed using the RI pair standard assignment and then. The RI string, with the formed RI pairs, as received from block 2207, is partitioned in optimal IFDS slices, in block 2208 and the content of each slice, in term of RI pair class, is determined in this block as well )
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of the transformed image data be partitioned into a plurality of distinct slices as taught by Secareanu ([0599]) into the encoding & decoding system of EIFRIG & Chien in order to provide systems for providing the highest compression/decompression speed possible in a hardware implementation and allowing a software implementation to have a lower cost than the hardware implementation, thus enabling a low cost for a user (Secareanu, [0014]).
Regarding Claim 2, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 1,
EIFRIG discloses wherein the blocks of transformed image data are grouped into two or more sets of blocks of transformed image data, wherein each block of transformed image data in each slice of blocks of transformed image data represents transformed image data from a different spatial region of the image (Page 11, Lines 1-4, scheme for efficiently coding DC and AC DCT transform coefficients of an INTRA coded block).
Regarding Claim 5, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 1,
EIFRIG discloses wherein each block of transformed image data comprises one coefficient for a zero frequency basis function, and a plurality of coefficients for higher frequency basis functions, which plurality of coefficients for higher frequency basis functions are grouped into one or more sub-bands, each of the one or more sub-bands comprising a number of coefficients for a predetermined set of the higher frequency basis functions (Page 5, Lines 34-36, apply Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT));.
Regarding Claim 6, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 5,
Chien discloses wherein the coefficients for each of the one or more sub-bands are arranged in a predetermined order so as to form a vector, which vector has a gain and a direction, and wherein direction of the vector is quantised by constraining its component terms to be integers, and constraining a sum of those component terms to be equal to a predetermined value K ([0057], transform coefficients are quantized to possibly reduce the amount of data used to represent the coefficients, providing further compression The quantization process may reduce the bit depth associated with some or all of the coefficients. For example, an n-bit value may be rounded down to an m-bit value during quantization, where n is greater than m.\; [0058], utilize a predefined scan order to scan the quantized transform coefficients to produce a serialized vector that can be entropy encoded). The same reason or rational of obviousness motivation applied as used above in claim 1.
Regarding Claim 7, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 1,
EIFRIG discloses further comprising the step of transmitting the bits of binary code and applying a constraint to the number of bits to be transmitted, wherein the method includes the step of determining whether the constraint is to be breached, and, if the constraint is to be breached, transmitting only the bits representing coefficients for zero frequency basis functions (Page 5, Lines 37-41, FIG. 3, DC coefficient prediction for an INTRA coded block in accordance with the present invention. DC coefficient prediction is not affected by whether a block is frame mode or field mode. Before entropy coding, lossless prediction of quantized DC and some AC coefficients of the DCT is performed to concentrate the coefficient distribution around zero so that entropy coding can be more efficient).
Regarding Claim 8, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 1,
Chien discloses wherein the step of converting the quantised coefficients and predictions into bits of binary code comprises using binary arithmetic coding, and applying an allocation method to allocate bits associated with coefficients in each sub-band in a slice to a position in a -bitstream; the allocation method comprising:
(i) defining a number of bins in the bitstream, the bins each having a uniform size, and each of the bins having an associated one of the plurality of blocks of transformed image data ([0025] FIG. video encoding and decoding system 10 that may be configured to utilize techniques for context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC));
(ii) allocating bits representing a selected sub-band one of the one or more sub-bands of each of the plurality of blocks of transformed image data to the bin associated with said each of the plurality of blocks of transformed image data ([0042] In another example of the disclosure, video encoder 20 may be configured to determine a partition type for a prediction mode for a block of video data, encode a partition type bin of a prediction type syntax element for the block of video data using CABAC with a single context, wherein the single context is the same for any partition type, and encode a partition size bin of the prediction type syntax element for the block of video data using CABAC in bypass mode);
(iii) if the number of bits in a first of the bins is greater than the uniform size, transferring excess bits to a second of the bins, the second of the bins being selected according to a predetermined order; the allocation method being such that each bin starts with bits representing its associated block; and repeating the allocation method for all of the one or more sub-bands ([0043] In another example of the disclosure, video decoder 30 may be configured to receive a prediction type syntax element for a block of video data that has been coded using CABAC, the prediction type syntax element including a partition type bin representing a partition type and a partition size bin representing a partition size, decoding the partition type bin of the prediction type syntax element using CABAC with a single context, wherein the single context is the same for any partition type, and decoding the partition size bin of the prediction type syntax element using CABAC in bypass mode). The same reason or rational of obviousness motivation applied as used above in claim 1.
EIFRIG also discloses the term first_shape_code indicates whether a MB is in a bounding box of a VOP. CR indicates a conversion ratio for Binary Alpha Blocks. ST indicates a horizontal or vertical scan order. BAC refers to a binary arithmetic codeword (Page 10, Lines 39-40).
Regarding Claim 9, Method claim 9 of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1, and the rejections of which are incorporated herein for the same reasons as used above.
Regarding Claim 10, Method claim 10 of using the corresponding method claimed in claims 5-6, and the rejections of which are incorporated herein for the same reasons as used above.
Regarding Claim 11, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 10,
Chien discloses wherein, if the component terms do not sum to the predetermined value K, an error is identified ([0005], residual data may be transformed from the pixel domain to a transform domain, resulting in residual transform coefficients, which then may be quantized. The quantized transform coefficients, initially arranged in a two-dimensional array, may be scanned in order to produce a one-dimensional vector of transform coefficients, and entropy coding may be applied to achieve even more compression).
Regarding Claim 12, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 10,
Chien discloses wherein, if the component terms do not sum to the predetermined value K, the largest component term is adjusted such that the component terms sum to the predetermined value K ([0058], After scanning the quantized transform coefficients to form a one-dimensional vector, video encoder 20 may entropy encode the one-dimensional vector, e.g., according to context adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC), syntax-based context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (SBAC), Probability Interval Partitioning Entropy (PIPE) coding).
Regarding Claim 13, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 9,
Chien discloses further comprising the step of imposing a cap on a magnitude of predicted coefficients ([0058], After scanning the quantized transform coefficients to form a one-dimensional vector, video encoder 20 may entropy encode the one-dimensional vector, e.g., according to context adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC), context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC), syntax-based context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (SBAC), Probability Interval Partitioning Entropy (PIPE) coding).
Regarding Claim 15, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 13,
Chien discloses wherein the cap is dependent on a magnitude of a reference coefficient ([0005], quantized transform coefficients, initially arranged in a two-dimensional array, may be scanned in order to produce a one-dimensional vector of transform coefficients, and entropy coding may be applied to achieve even more compression).
Regarding Claim 17, Method claim 17 of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1, and the rejections of which are incorporated herein for the same reasons as used above.
Regarding Claims 18-22, Computer-readable medium processor claims 18-22 of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1, and the rejections of which are incorporated herein for the same reasons as used above.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EIFRIG et al. (EP0863673A2, hereinafter EIFRIG) in view of Chien et al. (US 20140355669, hereinafter Chien), Secareanu and Kondo et al. (US 6389562, hereinafter Kondo)
Regarding Claim 3, EIFRIG in view of Chien and Secareanu discloses the method of claim 2, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the step of grouping the blocks of transformed image data is performed such that the blocks of transformed image data in any one of the sets do not share any boundaries.
Kondo teaches wherein the step of grouping the blocks of transformed image data is performed such that the blocks of transformed image data in any one of the sets do not share any boundaries (Col. 10, ll. 23-25, (54) FIG. 5A, a shuffling pattern used to form 2D blocks in one embodiment of the image-to-block mapping process. An image is decomposed into two sub-images, sub-image 560 and sub-image 570, based on alternating pixels; FIGS. 6A-6D, alternative complementary and interlocking 2D block structures).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of grouping the blocks is performed such that the blocks in any one of the sets do not share any boundaries as taught by Kondo (FIG. 5A) into the encoding & decoding system of EIFRIG & Chien in order to provide systems to enhance subsequent recovery of lost or damage compression parameters of encoded data (Kondo, Col. 1, ll. 58-62).
Regarding Claim 4, EIFRIG in view of Chien, Secareanu and Kondo discloses the method of claim 3,
Kondo discloses wherein there are two sets of blocks of transformed image data, and the two sets of blocks of transformed image data interlock (Col. 10, ll. 3-9, (53), FIG. 5, an interlocking complementary block structure is used to reconstruct image 500, thereby forming image 550. In particular, 2D Blocks 510, 520, 530, and 540 are formed from a pixel selection which allows a complementary and/or interlocking pattern to be used when recombining the blocks to form image 550.
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The same reason or rational of obviousness motivation applied as used above in claim 2.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Samuel D Fereja whose telephone number is (469)295-9243. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-5PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DAVID CZEKAJ can be reached at (571) 272-7327. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMUEL D FEREJA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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