DETAILED ACTION
1. This office action is in response to U.S. Patent Application No.: 18/963,170 filed on 2/7/2025
with effective filing date 1/12/2022. Claims 2-21 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.
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3. Claims 9-21 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12206861. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
Current Application
US 12206861
2. (New) A method for video decoding, the method comprising: determining motion information of a current block predicted with an inter prediction mode, the motion information indicating one or more reference blocks of the current block associated with respective one or more reference pictures, the inter prediction mode being a non- merge mode; when a motion information constraint indicates that the one or more reference blocks are within picture boundaries of the respective one or more reference pictures, reconstructing the current block based on the one or more reference blocks, the one or more reference blocks having a same size as the current block; and when a first motion vector (MV) indicated by the motion information points from a region in the current block to a first reference region that is outside a picture boundary of a first reference picture of the one or more reference pictures, the first reference region being a region of a first reference block in the one or more reference blocks, the picture boundaries including the picture boundary of the first reference picture, determining a first clipped MV pointing from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture; and reconstructing the region in the current block based on the updated first reference region.
1. A method for video decoding in a video decoder, the method comprising: determining motion information of a current block predicted with inter prediction, the motion information indicating one or more reference blocks of the current block associated with respective one or more reference pictures; when a motion information constraint indicates that the one or more reference blocks are within picture boundaries of the respective one or more reference pictures, reconstructing the current block based on the one or more reference blocks, wherein the one or more reference blocks have a same size as the current block; and when a first motion vector (MV) indicated by the motion information points from a region in the current block to a first reference region, the first reference region being a region of a first reference block in the one or more reference blocks and being outside a picture boundary of a first reference picture of the one or more reference pictures, the picture boundaries including the picture boundary of the first reference picture, determining a first clipped MV pointing from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture; and reconstructing the region in the current block based on the updated first reference region.
9. (New) A method for video encoding in a video encoder, the method comprising: determining motion information of a current block based on an inter prediction mode, the motion information indicating one or more reference blocks of the current block associated with respective one or more reference pictures, the inter prediction mode being a non-merge mode; when the motion information indicates that the one or more reference blocks are within picture boundaries of the respective one or more reference pictures, encoding the current block based on the one or more reference blocks, the one or more reference blocks having a same size as the current block; and when a first motion vector (MV) indicated by the motion information points from a region in the current block to a first reference region that is outside a picture boundary of a first reference picture of the one or more reference pictures, the first reference region being a region of a first reference block in the one or more reference blocks, the picture boundaries including the picture boundary of the first reference picture, determining a first clipped MV pointing from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture; and encoding the region in the current block based on the updated first reference region.
10. A method for video encoding in a video encoder, the method comprising: determining motion information of a current block based on inter prediction, the motion information indicating one or more reference blocks of the current block associated with respective one or more reference pictures; when a motion information constraint indicates that the one or more reference blocks are within picture boundaries of the respective one or more reference pictures, encoding the current block based on the one or more reference blocks, wherein the one or more reference blocks have a same size as the current block; and when a first motion vector (MV) indicated by the motion information points from a region in the current block to a first reference region, the first reference region being a region of a first reference block in the one or more reference blocks and being outside a picture boundary of a first reference picture of the one or more reference pictures, the picture boundaries including the picture boundary of the first reference picture, determining a first clipped MV pointing from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture; and encoding the region in the current block based on the updated first reference region.
16. (New) A method of processing visual media data, the method comprising: processing a bitstream that includes the visual media data according to a format rule, wherein the bitstream includes coded information of a current block; and the format rule specifies that: motion information of the current block predicted with an inter prediction mode is determined, the motion information indicating one or more reference blocks of the current block associated with respective one or more reference pictures, the inter prediction mode being a non- merge mode; when a motion information constraint indicates that the one or more reference blocks are within picture boundaries of the respective one or more reference pictures, the current block is reconstructed based on the one or more reference blocks, the one or more reference blocks having a same size as the current block; and when a first motion vector (MV) indicated by the motion information points from a region in the current block to a first reference region that is outside a picture boundary of a first
reference picture of the one or more reference pictures, the first reference region being a region of a first reference block in the one or more reference blocks, the picture boundaries including the picture boundary of the first reference picture, a first clipped MV pointing from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region is determined by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture; and the region in the current block is reconstructed based on the updated first reference region.
19. A method of processing visual media data, the method comprising: processing a bitstream that includes the visual media data according to a format rule, wherein the bitstream includes coded information of a current block; and the format rule specifies that: motion information of the current block predicted with inter prediction is determined, the motion information indicating one or more reference blocks of the current block associated with respective one or more reference pictures; when a motion information constraint indicates that the one or more reference blocks are within picture boundaries of the respective one or more reference pictures, the current block is processed based on the one or more reference blocks, wherein the one or more reference blocks have a same size as the current block; and when a first motion vector (MV) indicated by the motion information points from a region in the current block to a first reference region, the first reference region being a region of a first reference block in the one or more reference blocks and being outside a picture boundary of a first reference picture of the one or more reference pictures, the picture boundaries including the picture boundary of the first reference picture, a first clipped MV pointing from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region is determined by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture; and the region in the current block is processed based on the updated first reference region.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. After analyzing the current application examiner concluded that the novelty of the current application involves determining motion information of a current block predicted with inter prediction, where the motion information indicating a set of reference blocks of the current block associated with respective set of reference pictures. The current block is reconstructed based on the set of reference blocks in response to a motion information constraint indicating that the set of reference blocks are within picture boundaries of the respective set of reference pictures. A first clipped Motion Vector (MV) pointing is determined from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture. The region in the current block is reconstructed based on the updated first reference region.
The prior art of record in particular, XU et al. US 2021/0385464 A1 in view of Park et al. US 2022/0248028 A1 does not disclose, with respect to claim 1, when a first motion vector (MV) indicated by the motion information points from a region in the current block to a first reference region that is outside a picture boundary of a first reference picture of the one or more reference pictures, the first reference region being a region of a first reference block in the one or more reference blocks, the picture boundaries including the picture boundary of the first reference picture, determining a first clipped MV pointing from the region in the current block to an updated first reference region by clipping the first MV such that the updated first reference region is in an updated first reference block that is within the picture boundary of the first reference picture; and reconstructing the region in the current block based on the updated first reference region as claimed.
Rather, XU et al. discloses the method involves decoding prediction information of a current block from a bitstream, where the prediction information is indicative of an intra block copy mode. A flag that is signaled to select one resolution from two resolutions is decoded. A block vector difference and a block vector predictor are determined for the current block based on the information and the selected resolution. The block vector is determined by combining the predictor and the vector difference for the block. A sample of the block is reconstructed (S1040) according to the block vector, which is in the resolution selected by decoding the flag.
Similarly, Park et al. discloses involves determining a center motion vector of the current block by using the basic motion vector of the current block when an affine model-based inter prediction is performed in the current block. A reference range of a referenceable area of the current block based on the size of the current block is determined. When a reference region having a size of the reference range in the reference picture of the current block centered on a point which is indicated by the center motion vector of the current block is out of or has the boundary of the reference picture. The reference region is referred to as the current picture. The reference area by translating it inward is changed. The prediction samples of sub-blocks of the current block within the changed reference region of the reference picture are determined. The reconstructed samples of the current block using prediction samples of the current block is determined.
The same reasoning applies to claim 9 & 16 mutatis mutandis.
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.
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/Irfan Habib/ Examiner, Art Unit 2485