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 .
Claims 1-8 are pending for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/01/2025; 06/09/2025; 06/04/2025; 01/02/2025; 12/23/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
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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Claims 1-8 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-9 of U.S. Patent No. US 12052415 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because see table below.
Instant application
U.S. Patent No. US 12052415 B2
[claims 1 7 8]. An image encoding/decoding method performed by an image encoding/decoding apparatus (30) having a encoding/decoding unit (305) and a prediction unit (310), the image encoding/decoding method having steps of:
[claim 1] An image decoding method comprising:
determining, with the decoding unit (305), an intra prediction mode of a target block;
determining an intra prediction mode of a target block;
generating, with the prediction unit (310), a prediction block of the target block based on the intra prediction mode; and
[claim 1] generating a prediction block of the target block based on the intra prediction mode; and
modifying, with the prediction unit (310), the prediction block,
[claim 1] modifying the prediction block,
wherein the intra prediction mode of the target block is determined as a mode within a prediction mode candidate group,
[claim 1] wherein the intra prediction mode of the target block is determined as a mode within a prediction mode candidate group according to state information of the target block,
wherein when a color component of the target block is a luma component, the prediction mode candidate group has a directional mode and a non-directional mode,
[claim 2] The method of claim 1, wherein when a color component of the target block is a luma component, the prediction mode candidate group comprises the directional mode and the non-directional mode.
wherein, when the color component of the target block is a chroma component, the prediction mode candidate group has the directional mode, the non-directional mode, a color mode and a color copy mode,
[claim 1] wherein when the color component of the target block is a chroma component, the prediction mode candidate group comprises a directional mode, a non-directional mode, a color mode and a color copy mode.
wherein, when the color component of the target block is a chroma component, the prediction mode candidate group is classified into a first category having the non-directional mode, the directional mode and the color mode and a second category having the color copy mode, and
[claim 4] The method of claim 2, wherein the prediction mode candidate group is classified into a first category including the non-directional mode and the directional mode and a second category including the color copy mode.
wherein the determining the intra prediction mode of the target block comprises in case the color component of the target block is a chroma component,
[claim 1] and wherein when the color component of the target block is a chroma component
obtaining first information specifying any one of the first category and the second category;
[claim 5] The method of claim 3, further comprising: obtaining first information specifying any one of the plurality of categories;
obtaining second information specifying the intra prediction mode of the target block in the category specified by the first information; and
[claim 5] and obtaining second information specifying the intra prediction mode of the target block in the category according to the first information,
determining, based on the second information, the intra prediction mode of the target block from the category specified by the first information.
[claim 5] wherein the intra prediction mode of the target block is determined from the specified category based on the first information and the second information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prediction mode candidate group is classified into more than one categories by considering a maximum number or a priority of a prediction mode for each category.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the prediction mode candidate group is classified into a plurality of categories by considering a maximum number or a priority of a prediction mode which is capable of being included in each category.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second information is not obtained when only one prediction mode is present in the category according to the first information.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second information is not obtained when only one prediction mode is included in the category according to the first information.
4. The method of claim 1, further having a step of constructing, with the prediction unit (310), a reference pixel used for the intra prediction,
wherein the reference pixel belongs to all or part of more than one reference pixel lines supported in a decoding apparatus.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, constructing a reference pixel used for the intra prediction, wherein the reference pixel belongs to all or part of a plurality of reference pixel lines supported in a decoding apparatus.
5. The method of claim 4, further having a step of performing, with the prediction unit (310), one or more of a weighted filter or an interpolation filter for the constructed reference pixel.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, performing at least one of a weighted filter or an interpolation filter for the constructed reference pixel.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying, with the prediction unit (310), the prediction block is selectively performed based on predetermined coding information, wherein the coding information has one or more of an image type, a color component, state information, a coding mode, an intra prediction mode, whether intra prediction in units of sub- blocks is applied or a reference pixel line.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifying the prediction block is selectively performed based on predetermined coding information, wherein the coding information includes at least one of an image type, a color component, state information, a coding mode, an intra prediction mode, whether intra prediction in units of sub-blocks is applied or a reference pixel line.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The present invention is directed to an image decoding/encoding method for generating a prediction block of a target block based on a intra prediction mode.
The combination of the prior art does not teach or suggest a specific implementation with the following distinct properties that include:
wherein when the color component of the target block is a chroma component, the prediction mode candidate group comprises a directional mode, a non-directional mode, a color mode and a color copy mode.
Closest prior art listed below either singularly or in combination, fail to anticipate or render the above limitations obvious.
Kim (KR20140093869A) teaches a method for intra prediction comprises a step of calculating difference value between pixels neighboring blocks; a step of determining the block type based on the calculated difference value of the pixels; a step of determining candidate intra prediction modes by selecting some intro prediction modes depending on the block type; and a step of determining a intra prediction mode among the selected modes to be used for encoding the block.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HESHAM K ABOUZAHRA whose telephone number is (571)270-0425. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jamie Atala can be reached at 57127227384. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HESHAM K ABOUZAHRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2486