DETAILED ACTION
1. This office action is in response to U.S. Patent Application No.: 18/989,342 filed on 12/20/2024
with effective filing date 6/14/2019. 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).
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3. Claims 1-3 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3 of U.S. Patent No 12289444, claims 1-14 of U.S. Patent No. 11843771 & claim 1-3 of U.S. Patent No. 11445184. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
Current Application
US 12289444
1. An image decoding method performed by a decoding apparatus, the method comprising: obtaining, through a bitstream, image information comprising inter prediction mode information;
generating a merge candidate list for a current block based on the inter prediction mode information; deriving motion information for the current block based on a candidate selected from among candidates in the merge candidate list; generating L0 prediction samples and L1 prediction samples of the current block based on the motion information; and generating prediction samples of the current block based on the L0 prediction samples, the L1 prediction samples, and a weight index for the current block,
wherein the weight index for the current block is derived based on a weight index for the selected candidate, wherein the candidates comprise a constructed affine merge candidate, and the constructed affine merge candidate is constructed based on three control point motion vectors (CPMVs) for the current block and a weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate, wherein the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate are assigned from among four CPMVs including CPMV(0), CPMV(1), CPMV(2), and CPMV(3), wherein the CPMV(0) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-left corner of the current block, the CPMV(1) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-right corner of the current block, the CPMV(2) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a bottom-left corner of the current block, and the CPMV(3) is related to a neighbouring block which is related to a bottom-right corner of the current block,
wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate represents one of five weights, and wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index for the CPMV(i) with the smallest value of i among the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate, such that: based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(0),
the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(0), and based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(1), the CPMV(2), and the CPMV(3), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(1).
1. An image decoding method performed by a decoding apparatus, the method comprising: obtaining image information comprising inter prediction mode information through a bitstream;
generating a merge candidate list for a current block based on the inter prediction mode information; deriving motion information for the current block based on a candidate selected from among candidates in the merge candidate list; generating L0 prediction samples and L1 prediction samples of the current block based on the motion information; and generating prediction samples of the current block based on the L0 prediction samples, the L1 prediction samples, and a weight index for the current block,
wherein the weight index is derived based on a weight index for the selected candidate, wherein the candidates comprise a constructed affine merge candidate, and the constructed affine merge candidate comprises three control point motion vectors (CPMVs), wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate represents one of five weights, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on a CPMV0 for a control point 0 (CP0), a CPMV1 for a control point 1 (CP1), and a CPMV2 for a control point 2 (CP2), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to a weight index for the CP0, wherein the CP0 is related to a top-left corner of the current block, the CP1 is related to a top-right corner of the current block, and the CP2 is related to a bottom-left corner of the current block,
wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV0 for the CP0, the CPMV1 for the CP1, and a CPMV3 for a control point 3 (CP3), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to the weight index for the CP0, wherein the CP3 is related to a bottom-right corner of the current block, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV0 for the CP0, the CPMV2 for the CP2, and the CPMV3 for the CP3,
the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to the weight index for the CP0, and wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV1 for the CP1, the CPMV2 for the CP2 and the CPMV3 for the CP3, the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to a weight index for the CP1.
2. An image encoding method performed by an encoding apparatus, the method comprising: determining an inter prediction mode of a current block and generating inter prediction mode information indicating the inter prediction mode; generating a merge candidate list for the current block based on the inter prediction mode; generating selection information indicating one candidate among candidates included in the merge candidate list; and encoding image information comprising the inter prediction mode information and the selection information, wherein the candidates comprise a constructed affine merge candidate, and the constructed affine merge candidate is constructed based on three control point motion vectors (CPMVs) for the current block and a weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate, wherein the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate are assigned from among four CPMVs including CPMV(0), CPMV(1), CPMV(2), and CPMV(3), wherein the CPMV(0) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-left corner of the current block, the CPMV(1) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-right corner of the current block, the CPMV(2) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a bottom-left corner of the current block, and the CPMV(3) is related to a neighbouring block which is related to a bottom-right corner of the current block, wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate represents one of five weights, and wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index for the CPMV(i) with the smallest value of i among the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate, such that: based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(0), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(0), and based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(1), the CPMV(2), and the CPMV(3), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(1).
2. An image encoding method performed by an encoding apparatus, the method comprising: determining an inter prediction mode of a current block and generating inter prediction mode information indicating the inter prediction mode; generating a merge candidate list for the current block based on the inter prediction mode; generating selection information indicating one candidate among candidates included in the merge candidate list; and encoding image information comprising the inter prediction mode information and the selection information, wherein the candidates comprise a constructed affine merge candidate, and the constructed affine merge candidate comprises three control point motion vectors (CPMVs), wherein a weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate represents one of five weights, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on a CPMV0 for a control point 0 (CP0), a CPMV1 for a control point 1 (CP1), and a CPMV2 for a control point 2 (CP2), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to a weight index for the CP0, wherein the CP0 is related to a top-left corner of the current block, the CP1 is related to a top-right corner of the current block, and the CP2 is related to a bottom-left corner of the current block, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV0 for the CP0, the CPMV1 for the CP1, and a CPMV3 for a control point 3 (CP3), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to the weight index for the CP0, wherein the CP3 is related to a bottom-right corner of the current block, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV0 for the CP0, the CPMV2 for the CP2, and the CPMV3 for the CP3, the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to the weight index for the CP0, and wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV1 for the CP1, the CPMV2 for the CP2 and the CPMV3 for the CP3, the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to a weight index for the CP1.
3. A transmission method of data for an image, the method comprising: obtaining a bitstream for the image, wherein the bitstream is generated based on determining an inter prediction mode of a current block and generating inter prediction mode information indicating the inter prediction mode, generating a merge candidate list for the current block based on the inter prediction mode, generating selection information indicating one candidate among candidates included in the merge candidate list, and encoding image information comprising the inter prediction mode information and the selection information; and transmitting the data comprising the bitstream, wherein the candidates comprise a constructed affine merge candidate, and the constructed affine merge candidate is constructed based on three control point motion vectors (CPMVs) for the current block and a weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate, wherein the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate are assigned from among four CPMVs including CPMV(0), CPMV(1), CPMV(2), and CPMV(3), wherein the CPMV(0) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-left corner of the current block, the CPMV(1) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-right corner of the current block, the CPMV(2) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a bottom-left corner of the current block, and the CPMV(3) is related to a neighbouring block which is related to a bottom-right corner of the current block, wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate represents one of five weights, and wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index for the CPMV(i) with the smallest value of i among the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate, such that: based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(0), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(0), and based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(1), the CPMV(2), and the CPMV(3), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(1)
3. A transmission method of data for an image, the method comprising: obtaining a bitstream for the image, wherein the bitstream is generated based on determining an inter prediction mode of a current block and generating inter prediction mode information indicating the inter prediction mode, generating a merge candidate list for the current block based on the inter prediction mode, generating selection information indicating one candidate among candidates included in the merge candidate list, and encoding image information comprising the inter prediction mode information and the selection information; and transmitting the data comprising the bitstream, wherein the candidates comprise a constructed affine merge candidate, and the constructed affine merge candidate comprises three control point motion vectors (CPMVs), wherein a weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate represents one of five weights, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on a CPMV0 for a control point 0 (CP0), a CPMV1 for a control point 1 (CP1), and a CPMV2 for a control point 2 (CP2), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to a weight index for the CP0, wherein the CP0 is related to a top-left corner of the current block, the CP1 is related to a top-right corner of the current block, and the CP2 is related to a bottom-left corner of the current block, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV0 for the CP0, the CPMV1 for the CP1, and a CPMV3 for a control point 3 (CP3), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to the weight index for the CP0, wherein the CP3 is related to a bottom-right corner of the current block, wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV0 for the CP0, the CPMV2 for the CP2, and the CPMV3 for the CP3, the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to the weight index for the CP0, and wherein, based on a case that the constructed affine merge candidate constructed based on the CPMV1 for the CP1, the CPMV2 for the CP2 and the CPMV3 for the CP3, the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is set equal to a weight index for the CP1.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. After analyzing the current application examiner concluded that the novelty of the current application involves receiving image information including inter prediction mode information through a bitstream, and generating a merge candidate list of a current block based on the inter prediction mode information. The motion information of the current block is derived based on a candidate selected from the merge candidate list. The prediction samples of the current block are generated based on the motion information. The weight information is derived based on weight index information for the selected candidate. The weight index information for the affine merge candidate is derived based on the weight index information for the control point positioned at the upper right of the current block. The prediction samples of the current block are generated based on weight index.
The prior art of record in particular, Chen et al. US 2019/0230350 A1 in view of Alshin et al. US 2018/0295385 A1 does not disclose, with respect to claim 1, wherein the candidates comprise a constructed affine merge candidate, and the constructed affine merge candidate is constructed based on three control point motion vectors (CPMVs) for the current block and a weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate, wherein the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate are assigned from among four CPMVs including CPMV(0), CPMV(1), CPMV(2), and CPMV(3), wherein the CPMV(0) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-left corner of the current block, the CPMV(1) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a top-right corner of the current block, the CPMV(2) is related to neighbouring blocks which are related to a bottom-left corner of the current block, and the CPMV(3) is related to a neighbouring block which is related to a bottom-right corner of the current block, wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate represents one of five weights, and wherein the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index for the CPMV(i) with the smallest value of i among the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate, such that: based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(0), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(0), and based on the three CPMVs of the constructed affine merge candidate including the CPMV(1), the CPMV(2), and the CPMV(3), the weight index for the constructed affine merge candidate is determined as a weight index related to the CPMV(1) as claimed.
Rather, Chen et al. discloses the current block is predicted as a weighted sum of a first reference block in the first reference picture of the video and a second reference block in the second reference picture of the video. The first reference block is weighted by the first weight, while the second block is weighted by the second weight. A generalized multi-hypothesis prediction method that ensures improved prediction efficiency for weighted motion-compensated prediction, and uses motion compensated prediction and block-level weight values for combining multi-hypothesis prediction signals linearly.
Similarly, Alshin et al. discloses the method involves obtaining multiple prefixes included with a first counter value for indicating number of additional syntax elements among main syntax elements from a received bit-stream. The additional syntax elements are obtained with weight information and information about operation mode of a weight bidirectional prediction of prediction units for predicting a current block based on the prefixes. A prediction block is generated with a prediction value based on the main syntax elements and the additional syntax elements.
Conclusion
5. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu et al. US 2020/0382807 A1, e.g. methods of enabling and disabling a decoder-side motion vector refinement (DMVR) video decoder and/or encoder are described. One example method includes determining a width (W) and a height (H) of a video block, making a determination, based on a condition of the video block, between enabling and disabling a decoder side motion vector refinement step for a conversion between the video block and a coded representation of the video block, in a case that the determination is enabling, performing the conversion by enabling the decoder side motion vector refinement step; and in a case that the determination is disabling, performing the conversion by disabling the decoder side motion vector refinement step, wherein the decoder side motion vector refinement step includes refining value of a motion vector signaled in the coded representation and using the refined value during the conversion.
XU et al. US 2020/0228815 A1, e.g. aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for video encoding/decoding. In some examples, an apparatus for video decoding includes receiving circuitry and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry decodes prediction information of a current block in a current picture from a coded video bitstream. The prediction information is indicative of an inter prediction mode. Then, the processing circuitry determines a usage of a first DMVD process on the current block at least partially based on a second DMVD process not being used on the current block. Further, the processing circuitry reconstructs the current block according to the inter prediction mode with the first DMVD process.
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