DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on January 15, 2025. Claim 12 has been cancelled. Accordingly, Claims 1 – 11 and 13 are currently pending.
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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR10-2022-0094221, filed on July 28, 2023 and Application No. KR10-2023-0098083, filed on July 27, 2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on January 15, 2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: METHOD BASED ON REFERENCE SAMPLE DERIVATION FOR INTRA PERDICTION .
Claim Objections
In Claims 1, 11 and 13, they recite the limitation “wherein the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is a reference sample of an area located at at least one of a left bottom”. The Examiner has interpreted “wherein the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is a reference sample of an area located at at least one of a left bottom” to mean “wherein the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is a reference sample of an area located at [[at]] least one of a left bottom”, as there appears to be is a typographical error.
In Claim 16, it recites the limitation “a reference sample of an un reconstructed area corresponding to the bottom and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the right”. The Examiner has interpreted “a reference sample of an un reconstructed area corresponding to the bottom and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the right” to mean “a reference sample of an [[un reconstructed]] unreconstructed area corresponding to the bottom and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the right”, as there appears to be is a typographical error.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 10, 11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KANG et al., (US 2020/0059642 A1) referred to as KANG hereinafter.
Regarding Claim 1, KANG discloses an image decoding method (Fig. 11) comprising:
determining an intra prediction mode of a current block (Fig. 7, Par. [0202] the intra-prediction mode may include a prediction mode in all directions (omni-direction) Par. [0145] a coded block flag (CBF) Par. [0179] An intra-prediction mode of a current block may be entropy encoded/decoded by predicting (i.e. determining) an intra-prediction mode of a block present adjacent to the current block);
deriving a reference sample of an unreconstructed area (Par. [0196] the pixel (i.e. reference sample) of the unreconstructed area may be generated (i.e. deriving) using a pixel of a reference picture, Par, [0220] The decoder may determine, based on the additional information, whether the current block is predicted using the pixel of the similar area in the reference picture or is predicted using the pixel of the pre-reconstructed area (i.e. unreconstructed area) in the current picture at step S1120.); and
performing intra prediction according to the intra prediction mode based on at least one of the derived reference sample of the unreconstructed area (Fig. 11 Step 1140) or a reference sample of a reconstructed area (Fig. 11, Step 1130, Par. [0176] In order to intra-predict a current block (i.e. performing), a step of determining whether or not samples included in a reconstructed neighbor block may be used as reference samples of the current block may be performed. When a sample that is not usable as a reference sample of the current block is present, a value obtained by duplicating or performing interpolation on at least one sample value among samples included in the reconstructed neighbor block or both may be used to replace with a non-usable sample value of a sample, thus the replaced sample value is used as a reference sample of the current block), wherein the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is a reference sample of an area located at at least one of a left bottom, bottom, right bottom, right or right top of the current block (Par. [0195], The unreconstructed area may be, for example, at least one of the right, lower, lower left, and lower right neighbor areas of the current block).
Regarding Claim 3, KANG discloses claim 1. KANG further discloses wherein the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is derived (Par. [0211], intra prediction of the current block may be performed using the pixel of the similar area (i.e. matching block) in the reference picture in addition to the pre-reconstructed area (i.e. unreconstructed area) of the current picture, Step 1120 and Step 1140) based on neighboring samples of a matching block (Fig. 9(b) similar area of current block (i.e. .matching block)) in a current picture indicated by motion information of the current block (Par. [0210] The similar area in the reference picture may be specified based on prediction information (e.g., a motion vector) (i.e. motion information) of the current block).
Regarding Claim 5, KANG discloses claim 1. KANG further discloses wherein the intra prediction mode is determined to be any one of a planar mode, a vertical planar mode, a horizontal planar mode, a DC mode or an angular mode (Par. [0174], An intra-prediction mode may be a non-angular mode or an angular mode. The non-angular mode may be a DC mode or a planar mode, and the angular mode may be a prediction mode having a specific direction or angle).
Regarding Claim 10, KANG discloses claim 5. KANG further discloses wherein the determining the intra prediction mode comprises: parsing a planar flag (Par. [0318], The decoder may parse the Inter_Planar_flag (i.e. planar flag) included in the CU or the PU); and determining the intra prediction mode by parsing any one of planar mode information and intra prediction mode information according to the planar flag (Par. [0318] When the Inter_Planar_flag indicates false, Intra_Planar prediction is performed on the current block).
Regarding Claim 11, the limitations are similar to those treated in the above rejection of claim 1, and is met by the reference as discussed above. Claim 11 however recite an encoding method, rather than a decoding method, which is similar in structure expect in reverse operation. Therefore, Claim 11 is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used above.
Regarding Claim 12, it has been cancelled.
Regarding Claim 13, it has limitations similar to those treated in the above rejection of claim 1, and is met by the references as discussed above. Claim 13 however also recites transmitting the bitstream (See KANG, Par. [0003] Image data may be effectively compressed by using such image compression technology, and may be transmitted or stored. Par. [0133] encoding apparatus 100 may generate a bitstream through encoding the input image, and output the generated bitstream. The generated bitstream may be stored in a computer readable recording medium, or may be streamed through a wired/wireless transmission medium).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANG et al., (US 2020/0059642 A1), in view of SIM (US 2019/0158827 A1) referred to as SIM hereinafter.
Regarding Claim 2, KANG discloses claim 1. KANG further discloses the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is derived (Par. [0211], intra prediction of the current block may be performed using the pixel of the similar area in the reference picture in addition to the pre-reconstructed area (i.e. unreconstructed area) of the current picture, Step 1120 and Step 1140) based on neighboring samples of a matching block searched by performing matching (Par. [0210], the similar area in the reference picture may be searched by comparing similarity of the neighbor pixel of the current block and the pixel in the reference picture).
KANG does not specifically teach template matching. Therefore, KANG fails to explicitly teach the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is derived based on neighboring samples of a matching block searched by performing template matching.
However, SIM teaches the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is derived based on neighboring samples of a matching block searched by performing template matching (Par. [0146] the motion vector may be determined on the basis of template matching. The template matching is a process of specifying the nearby region (hereinafter, referred to as “a template”) of the current block and searching for a block having a most similar template to the template of the current block. The search may be performed on the entire or a part of a pre-reconstructed region (i.e. unreconstructed area) within the current picture).
References KANG and SIM are considered to be analogous art because they relate to video coding. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specifying template matching as taught by SIM in the invention of KANG in order to specify the nearby region of the current block for the most similar block (See SIM, Par. [0146]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANG et al., (US 2020/0059642 A1), in view of NA et al., (US 2021/0021823 A1) referred to as NA hereinafter.
Regarding Claim 4, KANG discloses claim 1. KANG does not specifically teach a neural network model. Therefore, KANG fails to explicitly teach the reference sample of the unreconstructed area is derived based on a neural network model having the reference sample of the reconstructed area as input.
However, NA teaches the reference sample of the unreconstructed area (Par. [0369], The intra-predictor may select a reference region to be used for intra-prediction of the current block according to the determined intra-prediction mode. As described above with reference to FIG. 29, the reference region may include a pre-reconstructed neighboring region (i.e. unreconstructed area) adjacent to the current block) is derived based on a neural network model having the reference sample of the reconstructed area as input (Par. [0337] Referring to FIG. 29, in operation S2910, the video encoding apparatus may set input data of the CNN (convolutional neural network). The input data may include a reference region encoded before the current block).
References KANG and NA are considered to be analogous art because they relate to video coding. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specifying using neural network as taught by NA in the invention of KANG. As intra-prediction is performed based on the CNN, prediction accuracy may be improved with complexity of the decoding operation maintained (See NA, Par. [0015]).
Claims 6 - 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANG et al., (US 2020/0059642 A1), in view of RACAPE et al., (US 2022/0021871 A1) referred to as RACAPE hereinafter.
Regarding Claim 6, KANG discloses claim 5. While KANG further discloses planar mode in Par. [0178] using a weighted sum of an upper and left side reference sample of a current sample, and a right upper side and left lower side reference sample of the current block, KANG does not explicitly teach a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the bottom and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the right.
However, RACAPE teaches when the intra prediction mode is determined to be a planar mode (Par. [0041] The PLANAR mode (indexed as mode 0) consists of averaging of two interpolations: a horizontal interpolation between the reference samples on the left and the top-right reference sample (that is, the reference sample at (W,−1)), and a vertical interpolation between the reference samples on the top and the bottom-left reference sample (that is, the reference sample at (−1,H))), intra prediction is performed based on a reference sample of a reconstructed area corresponding to the top of a current pixel, a reference sample of a reconstructed area corresponding to the left, a reference sample of an un reconstructed area corresponding to the bottom and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the right (Par. [0049], in the PLANAR mode, using the reference samples on the top and the left (i.e. reconstructed area), and the “estimated” reference samples on the right and the bottom (i.e. unreconstructed area), of the block)).
References KANG and RACAPE are considered to be analogous art because they relate to video coding. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specifying planar mode using a reference sample corresponding to the bottom and the right sides as taught by RACAPE in the invention of KANG in order that the estimated or extrapolated reference pixels from right and below a block can be used based on other pixels around the block (See RACAPE, Abstract).
Regarding Claim 7, KANG discloses claim 5. While KANG further discloses planar mode in Par. [0178] using a weighted sum of an upper and left side reference sample of a current sample, and a right upper side and left lower side reference sample of the current block, KANG does not explicitly teach a vertical planar mode using a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the bottom.
However, RACAPE teaches when the intra prediction mode is determined to be a vertical planar mode (Fig. 5, Par. [0046] The planar_vertical mode), intra prediction is performed based on a reference sample of a reconstructed area corresponding to the top of a current pixel and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the bottom (Par. [0045], In the planar_vertical mode, using the bottom_left reference sample R(−1,H) (i.e. unreconstructed bottom), and the reference samples on the top of the target block R(x,−1) (i.e. reconstructed top)).
References KANG and RACAPE are considered to be analogous art because they relate to video coding. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specifying vertical planar mode using a reference sample corresponding to the bottom as taught by RACAPE in the invention of KANG in order that the estimated or extrapolated reference pixels from the below a block can be used based on other pixels around the block (See RACAPE, Abstract).
Regarding Claim 8, KANG discloses claim 5. While KANG further discloses planar mode in Par. [0178] using a weighted sum of an upper and left side reference sample of a current sample, and a right upper side and left lower side reference sample of the current block, KANG does not explicitly teach a horizontal planar mode using a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the right.
However, RACAPE teaches when the intra prediction mode is determined to be a horizontal planar mode (Fig. 4, Par. [0043] The planar_horizontal mode), intra prediction is performed based on a reference sample of a reconstructed area corresponding to the left of a current pixel and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area corresponding to the right (Par. [0042], using the top-right reference sample R(W,−1) (i.e. unreconstructed right), and the reference samples on the left of the target block, R(−1,y) (i.e. reconstructed left)).
References KANG and RACAPE are considered to be analogous art because they relate to video coding. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specifying planar mode using a reference sample corresponding to the right side as taught by RACAPE in the invention of KANG in order that the estimated or extrapolated reference pixels from the right of a block can be used based on other pixels around the block (See RACAPE, Abstract).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANG et al., (US 2020/0059642 A1), in view of JEON et al., (US 2019/0089980 A1) referred to as JEON hereinafter.
Regarding Claim 9, KANG discloses claim 5. While KANG further discloses DC mode in Par. [0178] using an average value of upper side and left side reference samples of the current block and further in Par. [0222] In a DC mode (hereinafter, referred to as “intra DC” or “Intra_DC”) using the pixel of the pre-reconstructed area in the current picture, left and upper neighbor pixels of the current block are used, KANG does not specifically teach a location of the samples. Therefore, KANG fails to explicitly teach a DC mode using a reference sample of a reconstructed area located at the top of the current block, a reference sample of a reconstructed area located at the left, a reference sample of an unreconstructed area located at the bottom and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area located at the right.
However, JEON teaches when the intra prediction mode is determined to be a DC mode (Fig. 5, Par. [0115], an intra prediction method using an advanced DC mode), intra prediction is performed based on a reference sample of a reconstructed area located at the top of the current block, a reference sample of a reconstructed area located at the left, a reference sample of an unreconstructed area located at the bottom and a reference sample of an unreconstructed area located at the right (Par. [0119] The predicted values of the pixels included in the remaining prediction unit other than the n-th row and the n-th column are derived by performing bidirectional linear prediction on the basis of the top reference pixels 545 (i.e. a reconstructed area located at the top) located on the top in the vertical direction, the left reference pixels 550 (i.e. a reconstructed area located at the left), the generated predicted values of the pixels 555 (i.e. a reference sample of an unreconstructed area located at the bottom) included in the n-th row, and the generated predicted values of the pixels 557 (i.e. a reference sample of an unreconstructed area located at the right) included in the n-th column (560)).
References KANG and JEON are considered to be analogous art because they relate to video coding. Therefore, it would be obvious to one possessing ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specifying DC mode using reconstructed reference samples corresponding to the top and left sides and reference samples corresponding to the right and bottom sides as taught by JEON in the invention of KANG so that when a reference pixel is not available, the reference pixel information not available can be replaced with at least one reference pixel of the available reference pixels (See JEON, [0064]).
Conclusion
The prior art references made of record are not relied upon but are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. LIM et al. (US 2017/0316276 A1) teaches planar prediction mode. LEE (US 2022/0191470 A1) teaches a method and apparatus for effectively performing intra prediction on an encoding/decoding target block.
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to SUSAN E HODGES whose telephone number is (571)270-0498. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday from 8:00 am (EST) to 4:00 pm (EST).
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor, Brian T. Pendleton, can be reached on (571) . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Susan E. Hodges/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425