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 .
Claim Status
This Office Action responds to reply filed on 6/10/26 regarding application 18/929518 that was initially filed on 10/28/24. Claims 1-2 and 4-6 are pending.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/10/26 has been entered.
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 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.
1. Claims 1, 2, and 4 - 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McCarthy et al., WO 2025/006241 A1 (hereinafter McCarthy).
As for claim 1, McCarthy discloses a device comprising one or more processors configured to: receive a source picture timing information supplemental enhancement information message ([00038], e.g., source_picture_timing_info and SEI message); parse a first syntax element ([00039], e.g., spti_source_type) in the source picture timing information supplemental enhancement information message, wherein the first syntax element is 16-bits ([00038], e.g., spti_source_type and u(16), note that the u(16) means 16 bits) and indicates a timing relationship ([00039], e.g., timing information between source and corresponding decoded output pictures) between source pictures and corresponding decoded output pictures; and parse a second syntax element ([00039], e.g., spti_source_type with a bitMask of 0x10, i.e., the fifth LSB of the spti_source_type.) is 1-bit ([00039], e.g., spti_source_type with a bitMask of 0x10, i.e., the fifth LSB of the spti_source_type is 1 bit) and in the source picture timing information supplemental enhancement information message, wherein the second syntax element indicates a direction ([00039], e.g., reverse) of signaled source picture intervals, wherein the second syntax element equal to 0 ([00039], e.g., (spti_source_type & 0x10) ? 1:0, note 1 value) indicates that source picture intervals are expressed relative to previous output pictures and the second syntax element equal to 1 ([00039], e.g., (spti_source_type & 0x10) ? 1:0, note 0 value) indicates that source picture intervals are expressed relative to future output pictures.
As for claim 2, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 1. In addition, McCarthy further discloses the device includes a video decoder ([00011], e.g., decoder).
As for claim 4, the claim recites a device comprising one or more processors of the device of claim 1, and is similarly analyzed.
As for claim 5, the claim recites a device comprising one or more processors of the device of claim 2, and is similarly analyzed.
As for claim 6, the claim recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon of the device of claim 1, and is similarly analyzed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant 's arguments filed 6/10/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the first syntax element is distinct from the second syntax element. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim language does not clearly indicate that they are distinct. Thus, the argument is not commensurate to the claim language. Even if the claim language explicitly require that they are distinct, arguendo, the first syntax element is mapped to spti_source_type and the second syntax element is mapped to the fifth LSB of the spti_source_type. The former is 16 bit data and the latter is 1 bit data. They are not the same and, thus, distinct. Note that a definition of “distinct” in Merriam-Webster dictionary is “distinguishable to the … mind as being … not the same.”
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
1. US 2003/0108099 discloses picture encoding method and apparatus, picture decoding method and apparatus and furnishing medium.
2. US 2005/0053294 discloses techniques and tools for progressive and interlaced video coding and decoding.
3. US 2006/0126962 discloses methods and systems for reducing blocking artifacts with reduced complexity for spatially-scalable video coding.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH SUH whose telephone number is 571-270-7484. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM.
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/JOSEPH SUH/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2485
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