8DETAILED ACTION
1. The Office Action is in response to Application 18999088 filed on 02/19/2025. Claim 17-36 are pending.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/23/2024, 08/07/2025, 01/30/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
5. Claim 17 and its dependent claims 18-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
For claim 17, it recites limitations of “decode the block based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition”. However, since the block is partitioned into a first and second sub-partitions, as it recites, and each sub-partition has many samples, it is not clear how the whole block can be decoded based on just two predicted samples in the second sub-partition. For example, how to decode other samples in the second sub-partition and how to decode samples in the first sub-partition? Thus the scope of the claim and its dependent claims 18-26 are unclear.
6. Claim 27 and its dependent claims 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
For claim 27, it recites limitations of “encode the block based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition”. However, since the block is partitioned into a first and second sub-partitions, as it recites, and each sub-partition has many samples, it is not clear how the whole block can be encoded based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition. For example, how to encode other samples in the second sub-partition and how to encode samples in the first sub-partition? Thus the scope of the claim and its dependent claims 28-30 are unclear.
7. Claim 31 and its dependent claims 32-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention, for the similar reason as for Claim 17 and its dependent claims 18-26.
8. Claim 34 and its dependent claims 35-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention, for the similar reason as for Claim 27 and its dependent claims 28-30.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
13. 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.
14. Claims 17-36 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHEN et al. (WO 2020163535) and in view of Zhao et al. (US 11533506).
Regarding claim 17, CHEN teaches a device for video decoding (fig. 2), comprising:
a processor (fig. 2, component 202, entropy decoding) configured to:
determine that a block is partitioned into a first and second sub-partitions (fig 8A/8B/8C);
predict a first sample of the second sub-partition using a reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 12, a first sample of second sub-partition is predicted using reference sample 1007);
predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the other sub-partition (fig. 12, second sample of the second sub-partition is predicted using sample in other reconstructed sample in other sub-partition 1003; paragraph 0100, this process may use the reconstructed samples of the previous sub-partition to generate the intra predictor samples for a non-first sub-partition (i.e., the second sub-partition 1002));
and decode the block based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition (as shown in fig. 2, after intra prediction 208, which based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition, it decodes the block).
It is noticed that CHEN does not disclose explicitly predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition.
Zhao disclose of predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition (as shown in fig. 20, second sub-partition is predicted using sample in the first sub-partition; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition, the third sub-partition and the fourth sub-partition).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition as a modification to the device for the benefit of using first partition sample to predict when some neighboring sample is not available (column 23, line 10-30).
Regarding claim 27, CHEN teaches a device for video encoding (fig. 1), comprising:
a processor (fig. 1, component 106, entropy coding) configured to:
determine that a block is partitioned into a first and second sub-partitions (fig 8A/8B/8C);
predict a first sample of the second sub-partition using a reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 12, a first sample of second sub-partition is predicted using reference sample 1007);
predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the other sub-partition (fig. 12, second sample of the second sub-partition is predicted using sample in other reconstructed sample in other sub-partition 1003; paragraph 0100, this process may use the reconstructed samples of the previous sub-partition to generate the intra predictor samples for a non-first sub-partition (i.e., the second sub-partition 1002));
encode the block based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition (as shown in fig. 1, after intra prediction 112, which based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition, it encodes the block).
It is noticed that CHEN does not disclose explicitly predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition.
Zhao disclose of predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition (as shown in fig. 20, second sub-partition is predicted using sample in the first sub-partition; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition, the third sub-partition and the fourth sub-partition).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition as a modification to the device for the benefit of using first partition sample to predict when some neighboring sample is not available (column 23, line 10-30).
Regarding claim 31, CHEN teaches a method for video decoding (fig. 2), comprising:
determine that a block is partitioned into a first and second sub-partitions (fig 8A/8B/8C);
predict a first sample of the second sub-partition using a reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 12, a first sample of second sub-partition is predicted using reference sample 1007);
predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the other sub-partition (fig. 12, second sample of the second sub-partition is predicted using sample in other reconstructed sample in other sub-partition 1003; paragraph 0100, this process may use the reconstructed samples of the previous sub-partition to generate the intra predictor samples for a non-first sub-partition (i.e., the second sub-partition 1002));
and decode the block based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition (as shown in fig. 2, after intra prediction 208, which based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition, it decodes the block).
It is noticed that CHEN does not disclose explicitly predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition.
Zhao disclose of predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition (as shown in fig. 20, second sub-partition is predicted using sample in the first sub-partition; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition, the third sub-partition and the fourth sub-partition).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition as a modification to the method for the benefit of using first partition sample to predict when some neighboring sample is not available (column 23, line 10-30).
Regarding claim 34, CHEN teaches a method for video encoding (fig. 1), comprising:
determine that a block is partitioned into a first and second sub-partitions (fig 8A/8B/8C);
predict a first sample of the second sub-partition using a reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 12, a first sample of second sub-partition is predicted using reference sample 1007);
predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the other sub-partition (fig. 12, second sample of the second sub-partition is predicted using sample in other reconstructed sample in other sub-partition 1003; paragraph 0100, this process may use the reconstructed samples of the previous sub-partition to generate the intra predictor samples for a non-first sub-partition (i.e., the second sub-partition 1002));
encode the block based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition (as shown in fig. 1, after intra prediction 112, which based on the predicted first and second samples of the second sub- partition, it encodes the block).
It is noticed that CHEN does not disclose explicitly predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition.
Zhao disclose of predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition (as shown in fig. 20, second sub-partition is predicted using sample in the first sub-partition; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition, the third sub-partition and the fourth sub-partition).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology predict a second sample of the second sub-partition using a sample in the first sub-partition as a modification to the method for the benefit of using first partition sample to predict when some neighboring sample is not available (column 23, line 10-30).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 17 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that predict a plurality of samples of the second sub-partition using a line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples (fig. 12, 1007 is the line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples), where the plurality of samples comprises the first sample (as shown in fig. 12, 1002);
Zhao further discloses that predict one or more remaining samples of the second sub-partition using the first sub-partition, wherein the one or more remaining samples comprise the second sample (as shown in fig. 20; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 17’s rejection.
Regarding claim 19, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 18 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that determine the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, 1007), wherein the line of samples comprises the reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 11, reference samples for intra prediction 1007); and predict the first sub-partition using the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, sub-partition 1 1001 is predicted using the line of samples adjacent to the block).
Regarding claim 20, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 17 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that the block is partitioned in a vertical direction, the first sub- partition is to the left the second sub-partition (fig. 8C, vertical partition),
Zhao further discloses that the processor is further configured to: predict a rightmost column of samples of the second sub-partition using a column of reference samples to the left of the block (fig. 20, rightmost column of samples of the second sub-partition is predicted using 2020, the column of reference samples to the left of the block), wherein the rightmost column of samples of the second sub-partition comprises the first sample (fig. 20), and wherein the column of reference samples to the left of the block comprises the reference sample of the block (fig. 20, 2020).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 17’s rejection.
Regarding claim 21, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 17 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses the block is partitioned in a horizontal direction, the first sub- partition is above the second sub-partition (fig. 8C, horizontal partition),
Zhao further discloses that the processor is further configured to: predict a bottom row of samples of the second sub-partition using a row of reference samples above the block (fig. 21, bottom row of samples of the second sub-partition is predicted using 2020, the row of reference samples above the block), wherein the bottom row of samples of the second sub-partition comprises the first sample (fig. 21), and wherein the row of reference samples above the block comprises the reference sample of the block (fig. 21, 2120).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 17’s rejection.
Regarding claim 22, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 21 as discussed above, In addition, Zhao further discloses the bottom row of samples of the second sub-partition is predicted further using a column of adjacent samples to the left of the block (fig. 21, bottom row of samples of the second sub-partition is predicted using a column of adjacent samples to the left of the block 2140).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 17’s rejection.
Regarding claim 23, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 17 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses determine an intra-prediction mode associated with the block (fig. 4; paragraph 0037, prediction mode, are also fed through the Entropy Coding) wherein the first sample of the second sub-partition is predicted using the intra-prediction mode associated with the block (fig. 10).
Regarding claim 24, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 17 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses predict a plurality of sub-partitions of the block (fig. 10, sub-partition 1-4), wherein the plurality of sub-partitions comprises the first and second sub-partitions (as shown in fig. 10);
and obtain a residual associated with the block (as shown in fig. 2, output of 214 is residual; paragraph 0037, … A prediction residual, representing the difference between a current video block and its predictor, is sent to a Transform 102 circuitry) , wherein the block is decoded based on the plurality of sub-partitions and the residual (fig. 2).
Regarding claim 25, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 17 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses predict a plurality of sub-partitions of the block (fig. 10, sub-partition 1-4), wherein the plurality of sub-partitions comprises the first and second sub-partitions (as shown in fig. 10);
and obtain a residual associated with the first sub-partition (as shown in fig. 2, output of 200 is residual; since the first sub-partition belongs to the block, it is associated with the residual; paragraph 0037, A prediction residual, representing the difference between a current video block and its predictor, is sent to a Transform 102 circuitry) , reconstruct the first sub-partition based on the residual and the first sub-partition (fig. 2); wherein the block is decoded based on the reconstructed first sub-partition (fig. 10; when the sub-partition 1 and other sub-partitions are predicted and reconstructed, the block is decoded).
Regarding claim 26, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 17 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses the block is partitioned using intra sub-partitions (ISP) (paragraph 0002, … performing video coding using intra sub-partition coding mode).
Regarding claim 28, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 27 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that predict a plurality of samples of the second sub-partition using a line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples (fig. 12, 1007 is the line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples), where the plurality of samples comprises the first sample (as shown in fig. 12, 1002);
Zhao further discloses that predict one or more remaining samples of the second sub-partition using the first sub-partition, wherein the one or more remaining samples comprise the second sample (as shown in fig. 20; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 27’s rejection.
Regarding claim 29, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 28 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that determine the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, 1007), wherein the line of samples comprises the reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 11, reference samples for intra prediction 1007); and predict the first sub-partition using the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, sub-partition 1 1001 is predicted using the line of samples adjacent to the block).
Regarding claim 30, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 27 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that the block is partitioned in a vertical direction, the first sub- partition is to the left the second sub-partition (fig. 8C, vertical partition),
Zhao further discloses that the processor is further configured to: predict a rightmost column of samples of the second sub-partition using a column of reference samples to the left of the block (fig. 20, rightmost column of samples of the second sub-partition is predicted using 2020, the column of reference samples to the left of the block), wherein the rightmost column of samples of the second sub-partition comprises the first sample (fig. 20), and wherein the column of reference samples to the left of the block comprises the reference sample of the block (fig. 20, 2020).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 27’s rejection.
Regarding claim 32, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 31 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that predict a plurality of samples of the second sub-partition using a line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples (fig. 12, 1007 is the line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples), where the plurality of samples comprises the first sample (as shown in fig. 12, 1002);
Zhao further discloses that predict one or more remaining samples of the second sub-partition using the first sub-partition, wherein the one or more remaining samples comprise the second sample (as shown in fig. 20; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 31’s rejection.
Regarding claim 33, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 31 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that determine the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, 1007), wherein the line of samples comprises the reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 11, reference samples for intra prediction 1007); and predict the first sub-partition using the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, sub-partition 1 1001 is predicted using the line of samples adjacent to the block).
Regarding claim 35, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 34 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that predict a plurality of samples of the second sub-partition using a line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples (fig. 12, 1007 is the line of samples adjacent to the block as reference samples), where the plurality of samples comprises the first sample (as shown in fig. 12, 1002);
Zhao further discloses that predict one or more remaining samples of the second sub-partition using the first sub-partition, wherein the one or more remaining samples comprise the second sample (as shown in fig. 20; column 23, line 10-30, the bottom-left neighboring samples 2050 of the first sub-partition are used as the bottom left neighboring samples for the second sub-partition).
The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 34’s rejection.
Regarding claim 36, the combination of CHEN and Zhao teaches the limitations of claim 34 as discussed above, In addition, CHEN further discloses that determine the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, 1007), wherein the line of samples comprises the reference sample of the block (as shown in fig. 11, reference samples for intra prediction 1007); and predict the first sub-partition using the line of samples adjacent to the block (fig. 11, sub-partition 1 1001 is predicted using the line of samples adjacent to the block).
Conclusion
15 The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form 892.
16. Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAIHAN JIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-1399. The examiner can normally be reached on flexible.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sath Perungavoor can be reached on (571)272-7455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-270-0655.
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/ZAIHAN JIANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488