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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on 12/23/2024. Claims 1-20 have been examined.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)- (d), which have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/18/2024 and 12/23/2024 has been reviewed by the examiner and is considered in accordance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
Specification coop
The specification has not been reviewed in detail to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's attention is directed to the specification, and applicant is requested to make any necessary corrections of which applicant is aware.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35
U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness
Claims 1, 7-8, 10-11, 17-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuo et al (US-20240007652-A1) hereinafter “Kuo” in view of HSIANG SHIH-TA (WO-2015007200-A1) hereinafter “Hsiang”.
Regarding Claim 1 Kuo-Hsiang
Kuo discloses A data processing method, (Kuo, [0006]) performed by a computer device (Kuo, [0010] “The programs, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the electronic apparatus to perform the method of coding video signal as described.”) the method comprising:
acquiring video data; (Kuo, [0071] “Video data memory 40 may store video data to be encoded by the components of video encoder 20. The video data in video data memory 40 may be obtained, for example, from video source 18,…”)
determining classification mode information corresponding to a first block to be encoded in the video data, (Kuo, [0116] discloses classifying chroma samples using collocated and neighboring luma samples “the current chroma sample 602 is first classified using collocated 604 and neighboring (white) luma samples 606…” see [0129]-[0131] obtaining a classification category and using it for processing) the classification mode information comprising:
a first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel, (Kuo, [0116], [0121] “collocated 604 and neighboring (white) luma samples 606” and “the collocated luma samples (Y0) and neighboring 8 luma samples are used”) and
. . .
determining an edge class corresponding to the first color component pixel based on the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel and the first target classification mode; (Kau, ¶[0110]-[0111] discloses SAO edge offset classification (edge classes) [0140] “In some embodiments, the characteristic measurement is derived based on the direction and strength of the edge information of a sample in the first component. In some embodiments, the characteristic measurement is derived from Edge Offset (E0).”)
offsetting a reconstructed pixel of the first color component pixel based on the edge class to obtain an offset reconstructed pixel; (Kuo, [0135] “…a first offset from the plurality of offsets for the second component according to the classification category (940)…” [0136] “…additionally modifies the second component based on the selected first offset..” [0215] “…a sample processing is described below. Let R(x, y) be the input luma or chroma sample value before CCSAO, R’(x, y) be the output luma or chroma sample value after CCSAO: offset = ccsao offset [class_index of R(x, y)]” R’(x, y) = Clip3( 0, (1 « bit_depth) — 1, R(x, y) + offset )
) and
encoding the first block based on the offset reconstructed pixel, wherein the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel belongs to a first target region centered on a first true co-located luma reconstructed pixel of the first color component pixel. (Kuo, [0069],[0070] “video encoder 20 in accordance … may perform … coding of video blocks” and “…encoder…includes .. entropy encoding unit” see also [0110]-[0111] “ the sample values…are modified by adding…band offsets”)
Kuo does not explicitly disclose
a first target classification mode corresponding to a first color component pixel in the first block;
However, in the same field of endeavor Hsiang discloses more explicitly the following:
a first target classification mode corresponding to a first color component pixel in the first block; (Hsiang, ¶¶[0009],[0012], [0015] “Each CTB can select …one of SAO types or classes,” and “the syntax sao type idx represents the selected SAO type … for luma component and chroma component respectively,” and “for each color component (luma or chroma), .. each region can select one SAO type …”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before
the effective filing date of the application to modify the teachings of Kuo in view of Hsiang to include applying classification-based processing to reconstructed pixel values corresponding to color component samples.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate the teachings of Hsiang into Kuo based on “improving the coding efficiency of both luma and chroma components, including improving the coding efficiency by exploring a cross-component relationship between the luma component and the chroma component.” (Kuo, [0008])
Note: The motivation that was utilized in the rejection of claim 1, applies equally as well to claims 7-8, 10-11, 17-18 and 20
Regarding claim 7 Kuo-Hsiang
Kuo-Hsiang discloses 7. The method according to claim 1,
wherein the first color component pixel comprises a luma component pixel or a chroma component pixel. (Kuo, [0270] “the first component is a luma component and the second component is a first chroma component, the first component is a first chroma component and the second component is a luma component,....”)
Regarding claim 8 Kuo-Hsiang
Kuo-Hsiang discloses 8. The method according to claim 1,
wherein the first color component pixel comprises a luma component pixel, (Kuo, [0270] “the first component is a luma component…” and wherein the determining the edge class comprises:
determining a first adjacent pixel and a second adjacent pixel corresponding to the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel based on the first target classification mode; (Kuo, [0111] “.. The four gradient patterns 502, 504, 506, and 508 are for the respective sao-eo-class in the edge offset mode. Sample labelled “p” indicates a center sample to be considered. Two samples labelled “n0” and “n1” specify two neighboring samples along…
acquiring a first difference between the first adjacent pixel and the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel; (Kuo, [0111]”…classified into one of five EdgeIdx categories by comparing the sample value p located at some position with the values n0 and n1 of two samples located at neighboring positions as …”)
acquiring a second difference between the second adjacent pixel and the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel; (Kuo, [0111] “Each sample in the CTB is classified into one of five EdgeIdx categories by comparing the sample value p located at some position with the values n0 and n1 of two samples located at neighboring positions as shown in FIG. 5...”)
acquiring a first co-located chroma pixel and a second co-located chroma pixel corresponding to the first true co-located luma reconstructed pixel; ([0137] “…wherein the respective sample of the first component is a respective collocated sample of the first component to the respective each sample of the second component. For example, the current chroma sample classification … class, and category of the collocated luma sample.” See also [0138])
determining a band class to which the luma component pixel belongs based on the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel, the first co-located chroma pixel, and the second co-located chroma pixel; (Kuo[0110] “…In this mode, the full sample amplitude range is uniformly split into 32 segments called bands, and the sample values belonging to four of these bands (which are consecutive within the 32 bands) are modified ..”) and
determining the edge class based on the band class, the first difference, and the second difference. (Kuo, [0110] “…a syntax element …signals whether a horizontal, vertical or one of two diagonal gradient directions is used...”[0111] “…classified into one of five categories by comparing the sample value p located at some position with the values n0 and n1 of two samples located at neighboring positions.”)
Regarding claim 10 Kuo-Hsiang
Kuo-Hsiang discloses 10. The method according to claim 1,
wherein the first color component pixel comprises a luma component pixel, (Kuo, [0270] “the first component is a luma component and the second component is a first chroma component, the first component is a first chroma component and the second component is a luma component,....”) and wherein the determining the edge class comprises:
determining a first adjacent pixel and a second adjacent pixel corresponding to the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel based on the first target classification mode; (Kuo,[0183] “… a classifier example (C4) uses the difference of CCSAO input values and to-be-compensated sample values for …., if CCSAO is applied in the ALF stage, the difference of the current component pre-ALF and post-ALF sample values are used for classification..”)
acquiring a first difference between the first adjacent pixel and the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel; (Kuo, [0183] “…uses the difference of CCSAO input values and to-be-compensated sample values for classification …”)
acquiring a second difference between the second adjacent pixel and the first extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel; (Kuo, [0183] “…uses the difference of CCSAO input values and to-be-compensated sample values for classification …”)
acquiring a first co-located chroma pixel and a second co-located chroma pixel corresponding to the first true co-located luma reconstructed pixel; (Kuo, ”[0148] “…the cross-component collocated chroma sample is 1102, and the collocated luma sample is 1106.”)
determining a band class to which the luma component pixel belongs based on the first true co-located luma reconstructed pixel, the first co-located chroma pixel, and the second co-located chroma pixel; (Kuo, [0110]”...the full sample amplitude range is uniformly split into 32 segments called bands, and the sample values belonging to four of these bands (which are consecutive within the 32 bands) are modified by adding transmitted values denoted as band offsets,...”) and
determining the edge class based on the band class, the first difference, and the second difference. (Kuo, [0111] “Each sample in the CTB is classified into one of five EdgeIdx categories by comparing the sample value p .. with the values of two samples located at neighboring positions”)
Regarding Claim 11 Kuo-Hsiang
Kuo discloses 11. A computer device, comprising: at least one memory configured to store computer program code; and at least one processor configured to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code, (Kuo, [0292] (“…provided a computing device comprising one or more processors (for example, the processor 3320); ,,, the memory 3330 having stored therein a plurality of programs executable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors, upon execution of the plurality of programs, are configured to perform…” [0296] “ ….the functions may be stored on or transmitted over, as one or more instructions or code, a computer-readable medium and executed by a hardware-based processing unit…”) the program code comprising:
The remaining limitations of independent claim 11 recite features that are substantially similar to those set forth in independent claim 1. Accordingly, the reasoning and analysis provided with respect to claim 1 apply equally to claim 11.
Regarding Claim 20 Kuo-Hsiang
Kuo discloses 20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing computer code which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to at least: (Kuo, [0068] “ an electronic device may store instructions for the software in a suitable, non-transitory computer-readable medium and execute the instructions in hardware using one or more processors to perform the video coding/decoding operations ...”)
The remaining limitations of independent claim 20 recite features that are substantially similar to those set forth in independent claim 1. Accordingly, the reasoning and analysis provided with respect to claim 1 apply equally to claim 20.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 2, 5-6, 12, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Kuo-Hsiang and further in view of Zhang et al. (US-20230206602-A1) hereinafter “Zhang”.
Regarding claim 2 Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang
Kuo-Hsiang discloses 2. The method according to claim 1,
wherein the determining classification mode information comprises:
acquiring a second color component pixel comprised in the first block; (Kuo,[0132] “…a first component and a second component … first component is a luma component, and the second component is a chroma component of the video signal.”)
acquiring a second true co-located luma reconstructed pixel corresponding to the second color component pixel; (Kuo, [0116] “…the current chroma sample 602 is first classified using collocated 604 and neighboring (white) luma samples 606,…” [0137]”…the respective sample of the first component is a respective collocated sample of the first component to the respective each sample of the second component. For example, the current chroma sample classification is .. the collocated luma sample.” see [0148])
determining a second target region with a target size by using the second true co-located luma reconstructed pixel as a region center; (Kuo, [0154] “…the number of luma candidates must be horizontal and vertical symmetric relative to the chroma sample (in the center)..” (Kuo, [0121] “…the collocated luma samples (Y0) and neighboring 8 luma samples are used, …” [0156] “the collocated luma sample value (Y0) is replaced by a value (Yp) obtained by weighing collocated and neighboring luma samples…”)
determining a second extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel in the second target region corresponding to the second color component pixel; (Kuo, [0156] “the collocated luma sample value (Y0) is replaced by a value (Yp) obtained by weighing collocated and neighboring luma samples…”[0157]”…different Yp is applied on different chroma formats…”[0127] “Max Y0=max(Y0_DBF_V,Y0_DBF_H,Y0_DBF)” and “Max Yi=max(Yi_DBF_V,Yi_DBF_H,Yi_DBF)” and feed them to classification”)
Kuo-Hsiang does not explicitly disclose
acquiring a candidate classification mode set corresponding to the second color component pixel;
determining a second target classification mode in the candidate classification mode set corresponding to the second color component pixel; and
adding the second extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel and the second target classification mode to the classification mode information.
However, in the same field of endeavor Zhang discloses more explicitly the following:
acquiring a candidate classification mode set corresponding to the second color component pixel; (Zhang, [0011] “…determining, from a plurality of candidate classification modes, one candidate classification mode corresponding to …” [0069] “…a plurality of candidate classification modes may be obtained. The plurality of candidate classification modes may include the first classification mode, the second classification mode, and a combination of the first classification mode and the second classification mode” see also [0087]) and
determining a second target classification mode in the candidate classification mode set corresponding to the second color component pixel; (Zhang, [0011] “one candidate classification mode corresponding to an optimal value of a plurality of optimal compensation values that correspond to the plurality of candidate classification modes as the primary classification manner.” [0069] “A candidate classification mode among the plurality of candidate classification modes corresponding to the optimal value may be the primary classification manner…” [0087] “An optimal classification sub-mode … may be selected from the first classification sub-mode.”)
adding the second extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel (Kuo, [0116] discloses classifying chroma samples using collocated and neighboring luma samples “the current chroma sample 602 is first classified using collocated 604 and neighboring (white) luma samples 606…”[0156] “the collocated luma sample value (Y0) is replaced by a value (Yp) obtained by weighing collocated and neighboring luma samples…”) and the second target classification mode to the classification mode information. ; (Zhang, [0011] “one candidate classification mode corresponding to an optimal value of a plurality of optimal compensation values that correspond to the plurality of candidate classification modes as the primary classification manner.” [0069] “A candidate classification mode among the plurality of candidate classification modes corresponding to the optimal value may be the primary classification manner…” [0087] “An optimal classification sub-mode … may be selected from the first classification sub-mode.”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art
to modify Kuo-Hsiang in view of Zhang to include determining and applying classification mode information corresponding to the color component pixel, including incorporating extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel values, to improve correction of pixel values and coding efficiency of the reconstructed image frame. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate the teachings of Zhang into Kuo-Hsiang to improve compensation performance and coding efficiency as described (Zhang, ¶[0101])
Note: The motivation that was utilized in the rejection of claim 2, applies equally as well to claims 5-6, 12, and 15-16.
Regarding claim 6 Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang
Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang discloses 6. The method according to claim 2,
wherein based on the second extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel being a luma reconstructed pixel in the second target region, the candidate classification mode set comprises:
a first classification mode and a second classification mode, or the second classification mode, wherein the first classification mode (Zhang,[0069] “…a plurality of candidate classification modes may be obtained. The plurality of candidate classification modes may include the first classification mode, the second classification mode, and a combination of the first classification mode and the second classification mode…”) comprises:
a horizontal classification mode, a vertical classification mode, a diagonal classification mode, and an anti-diagonal classification mode, (Kuo discloses classifying samples based on gradient direction, including horizontal vertical, and one or two diagonal direction is used [0110] “… the design choice of using four offsets is unified with the edge offset mode of operation which also uses four offset values. In the edge offset mode specified by sao-type-idx equal to 2, a syntax element sao-eo-class with values from 0 to 3 signals whether a horizontal, vertical or one of two diagonal gradient directions is used for the edge offset classification in the CTB.” further [0111] “…(a) horizontal (sao-eo-class=0), (b) vertical (sao-eo-class=1), (c) 135° diagonal (sao-eo-class=2), and (d) 45° (sao-eo-class=3) gradient patterns. )
) and wherein the second classification mode comprises a classification mode other than the first classification mode. (Zhang, [0066] “…, the first classification sub-mode, the second classification sub-mode, and the third classification sub-mode may…”)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim 5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang and further in view of BRANDENBURG JENS (EP-3818713-B1) hereinafter “Brandenburg”.
Regarding claim 5 Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang-Brandenburg
Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang 5. The method according to claim 2,
wherein the second extended co-located luma reconstructed pixel a second luma reconstructed pixel in the second target region, wherein the method further comprises, based on the candidate classification mode set having a classification mode… (Zhang, [0069] “…a plurality of candidate classification modes may be obtained. The plurality of candidate classification modes may include the first classification mode, the second classification mode, and a combination of the first classification mode and the second classification mode…”)
. . .
Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang does not explicitly disclose
…whose coverage range is greater than the second target region, filling an edge pixel in the second target region into an adjacent region of the second target region to obtain a mode coverage range, and wherein the second target classification mode is determined based on the mode coverage range.
However, in the same field of endeavor Brandenburg discloses more explicitly the following:
…whose coverage range is greater than the second target region, filling an edge pixel in the second target region into an adjacent region of the second target region to obtain a mode coverage range, (Brandenburg, [0012] “…to extend the reference frame area… at the picture boundary, such that all pixels referenced are within the reference frame area [0016] “…, the area outside the picture boundaries is filled … from neighboring blocks on the picture boundaries…. the area outside the picture boundary until a certain distance threshold N…”) and wherein the second target classification mode is determined based on the mode coverage range. (Zhang, [0011] “…determining, from a plurality of candidate classification modes, one candidate classification mode corresponding to …” [0069] “…a plurality of candidate classification modes may be obtained. The plurality of candidate classification modes may include the first classification mode, the second classification mode, and a combination of the first classification mode and the second classification mode”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before
the effective filing date of the application, to modify Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang in view of Brandenburg to create the system of Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang to arrive the claimed invention by providing a classification mode “whose coverage range is greater than the second target region, filling an edge pixel in the second target region into an adjacent region of the second target region to obtain a mode coverage range,” as suggested by Brandenburg.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate the teachings of Brandenburg into Kuo-Hsiang-Zhang to improve boundary handling by “perform an alternative boundary padding to fill the portion to obtain a specific filling of the portion and use the specific filling for determining the picture. (Brandenburg, Abs)
Regarding claim 12, 15-18
Claims 12, and 15-18 recite limitations that are substantially similar to those of dependent claims 2, and 5-8, respectively, except that claims 12, and 15-18 are directed to a computer device rather than a method. Accordingly, the reasoning and rejection set forth with respect to claims 2, and 5-8 apply equally to claims 12, and 15-18.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, and 9, and corresponding computer device claims 13,14, and 19, are objected to as depending from a rejected base claim. However, these claims would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/ASTEWAYE GETTU ZEWEDE/Examiner, Art Unit 2481 /WILLIAM C VAUGHN JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2481
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