Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/945,493

IMAGE DECODING METHOD AND APPARATUS RELYING ON INTRA PREDICTION IN IMAGE CODING SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §DP
Filed
Nov 12, 2024
Examiner
HABIB, IRFAN
Art Unit
2485
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 2m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allow Rate
637 granted / 721 resolved
+30.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+7.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
36 currently pending
Career history
757
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.5%
-36.5% vs TC avg
§103
70.0%
+30.0% vs TC avg
§102
4.4%
-35.6% vs TC avg
§112
3.6%
-36.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 721 resolved cases

Office Action

§DP
DETAILED ACTION 1. This office action is in response to U.S. Patent Application No.: 18/945,493 filed on 10/28/2025 with effective filing date 10/11/2016. Claims 1-3 are pending. Double Patenting 2. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer. 3. Claims 1-3 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,838,546 B2 and claim 1-14 of U.S. Patent No. 10,924,762 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other. Current Application US 11,838,546 1. A method of decoding video performed by a decoding device, the method comprising: deriving an intra prediction mode of a current block; deriving neighboring samples including upper neighboring samples and left neighboring samples of the current block; and generating prediction samples of the current block based on the intra prediction mode and the neighboring samples of the current block, wherein the upper neighboring samples include upper neighboring samples of an n-th row located in an upward direction away from an uppermost row of the current block, wherein the left neighboring samples include left neighboring samples of an n-th column located in a left direction away from a leftmost column of the current block, wherein n is more than 1, wherein a number of the left neighboring samples of the n-th column is more than 2N based on a size of the current block being N×N, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein sample values of additional left neighboring samples located to downward of a 2N-th left neighboring sample among the left neighboring samples of the n-th column are derived to be equal to a sample value of the 2N-th left neighboring sample without determining whether the additional left neighboring samples are positioned at unavailable sample positions, and wherein coordinates of the 2N-th left neighboring sample is (−n,2N−1) based on coordinates of a top-left sample in the current block being (0, 0). 1. A method of decoding video performed by a decoding device, the method comprising: deriving an intra prediction mode of a current block from prediction mode information; deriving neighboring samples including upper neighboring samples and left neighboring samples of the current block; and generating prediction samples of the current block based on the intra prediction mode and the neighboring samples of the current block, wherein the upper neighboring samples include upper neighboring samples of an n-th row located in an upward direction away from an uppermost row of the current block, wherein the left neighboring samples include left neighboring samples of an n-th column located in a left direction away from a leftmost column of the current block, wherein n is positive integer more than 1, wherein a number of the upper neighboring samples of the n-th row is more than 2N based on a size of the current block being N×N, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein sample values of additional upper neighboring samples located to right of a 2N-th upper neighboring sample among the upper neighboring samples of the n-th row are derived to be equal to a sample value of the 2N-th upper neighboring sample without determining whether the additional upper neighboring samples are positioned at unavailable sample positions, and wherein coordinates of the 2N-th upper neighboring sample is (2N−1, −n) based on coordinates of a top-left sample in the current block being (0, 0). 2. A method of encoding video performed by an encoding device, the method comprising: determining an intra prediction mode of a current block; deriving upper neighboring samples and left neighboring samples of the current block; generating a prediction sample of the current block based on the intra prediction mode, the upper neighboring samples and the left neighboring samples; and encoding prediction information of the current block, wherein the upper neighboring samples include upper neighboring samples of an n-th row located in an upward direction away from an uppermost row of the current block, wherein the left neighboring samples include left neighboring samples of an n-th column located in a left direction away from a leftmost column of the current block, wherein n is more than 1, wherein a number of the left neighboring samples of the n-th column is more than 2N based on a size of the current block being N×N, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein sample values of additional left neighboring samples located to downward of a 2N-th left neighboring sample among the left neighboring samples of the n-th column are derived to be equal to a sample value of the 2N-th left neighboring sample without determining whether the additional left neighboring samples are positioned at unavailable sample positions, and wherein coordinates of the 2N-th left neighboring sample is (−n,2N−1) based on coordinates of a top-left sample in the current block being (0, 0). 8. A method of encoding video performed by an encoding device, the method comprising: determining an intra prediction mode of a current block; deriving neighboring samples including upper neighboring samples and left neighboring samples of the current block; generating prediction samples of the current block based on the intra prediction mode and the neighboring samples of the current block; and encoding prediction mode information of the current block, wherein the upper neighboring samples include upper neighboring samples of an n-th row located in an upward direction away from an uppermost row of the current block, wherein the left neighboring samples include left neighboring samples of an n-th column located in a left direction away from a leftmost column of the current block, wherein n is positive integer more than 1, wherein a number of the upper neighboring samples of the n-th row is more than 2N based on a size of the current block being N×N, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein sample values of additional upper neighboring samples located to right of a 2N-th upper neighboring sample among the upper neighboring samples of the n-th row are derived to be equal to a sample value of the 2N-th upper neighboring sample without determining whether the additional upper neighboring samples are positioned at unavailable sample positions, and wherein coordinates of the 2N-th upper neighboring sample is (2N−1, −n) based on coordinates of a top-left sample in the current block being (0, 0). 3. A non-transitory computer-readable digital storage medium storing thereon a computer program and a bitstream, wherein when processed by one or more processors, the computer program causes the one or more processors to implement an encoding method to generate the bitstream, the encoding method comprising: determining an intra prediction mode of a current block; deriving upper neighboring samples and left neighboring samples of the current block; generating a reduction sample of the current block based on the intra prediction mode, the upper neighboring samples and the left neighboring samples; and encoding prediction information of the current block, wherein the upper neighboring samples include upper neighboring samples of an n-th row located in an upward direction away from an uppermost row of the current block, wherein the left neighboring samples include left neighboring samples of an n-th column located in a left direction away from a leftmost column of the current block, wherein n is more than 1, wherein a number of the left neighboring samples of the n-th column is more than 2N based on a size of the current block being N×N, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein sample values of additional left neighboring samples located to downward of a 2N-th left neighboring sample among the left neighboring samples of the n-th column are derived to be equal to a sample value of the 2N-th left neighboring sample without determining whether the additional left neighboring samples are positioned at unavailable sample positions, and wherein coordinates of the 2N-th left neighboring sample is (−n,2N−1) based on coordinates of a top-left sample in the current block being (0, 0). 15. A non-transitory computer-readable digital storage medium storing encoded information generated by steps of: determining an intra prediction mode of a current block; deriving neighboring samples including upper neighboring samples and left neighboring samples of the current block; generating prediction samples of the current block based on the intra prediction mode and the neighboring samples of the current block; and encoding prediction mode information of the current block to output a bitstream, wherein the upper neighboring samples include upper neighboring samples of an n-th row located in an upward direction away from an uppermost row of the current block, wherein the left neighboring samples include left neighboring samples of an n-th column located in a left direction away from a leftmost column of the current block, wherein n is positive integer more than 1, wherein a number of the upper neighboring samples of the n-th row is more than 2N based on a size of the current block being N×N, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein sample values of additional upper neighboring samples located to right of a 2N-th upper neighboring sample among the upper neighboring samples of the n-th row are derived to be equal to a sample value of the 2N-th upper neighboring sample without determining whether the additional upper neighboring samples are positioned at unavailable sample positions, and wherein coordinates of the 2N-th upper neighboring sample is (2N−1, −n) based on coordinates of a top-left sample in the current block being (0, 0). Allowable Subject Matter 4. After analyzing the current application examiner concluded that the novelty of the current application involves drawing an intra prediction mode about a current block. Left side environmental samples and upper side environmental samples of multi-lines and multiple columns about the current block are drawn. A row of upper side reference samples is drawn based on the upper side environmental samples. A prediction sample about the current block is produced according to the intra prediction mode by using left side reference samples and the upper side reference samples. Weighted values about the upper side environmental samples are drawn. The prior art of record in particular, Jin et al. US 2018/034469 A1 in view of Wang et al. US 2012/0314767 A1 does not disclose, with respect to claim 16, wherein the left neighboring samples include left neighboring samples of an n-th column located in a left direction away from a leftmost column of the current block, wherein n is more than 1, wherein a number of the left neighboring samples of the n-th column is more than 2N based on a size of the current block being N×N, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein sample values of additional left neighboring samples located to downward of a 2N-th left neighboring sample among the left neighboring samples of the n-th column are derived to be equal to a sample value of the 2N-th left neighboring sample without determining whether the additional left neighboring samples are positioned at unavailable sample positions, and wherein coordinates of the 2N-th left neighboring sample is (−n,2N−1) based on coordinates of a top-left sample in the current block being (0, 0) as claimed. Rather, Jin et al. discloses the predictive sample value of the current block is obtained by using the sample among samples included in the neighboring reference area of multiple lines located in the intra-prediction direction indicated by the intra-prediction mode from the current block, thus enabling to predict the predictive sample value of the current block by using the samples, and hence enabling to improve the decoding efficiency. Similarly, Wang et al. teaches the method involves performing a padding operation that processes a set of border pixels according to an order that starts at a bottom-left border pixel and proceeds through the border pixels sequentially to a top-right border pixel, where the padding operation assigns a value to unavailable border pixel based on a value of a border pixel previously processed by the padding operation when the padding operation processes an unavailable border pixel. An intra-predicted video block is generated based on the border pixels. The same reasoning applies to claims 2 & 3. Conclusion 5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IRFAN HABIB whose telephone number is (571)270-7325. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th 9AM-7PM. 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, Jay Patel can be reached at 5712722988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Irfan Habib/Examiner, Art Unit 2485
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 12, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §DP (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+7.8%)
2y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 721 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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