Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s amendments/remarks received on March 30, 2026.
3. Claims 1, 3, 5-8, 10, 12-16, 18, 20-23, 25 and 27-34 are pending in this application.
4. Claims 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 16, 18, 23 and 25 have been amended. Claims 2, 4, 9, 11, 17, 19, 24 and 26 have been canceled. New claims 31-34 are presented for examination.
Response to Arguments
4. Applicant's arguments filed March 30, 2026 have been fully considered but they are deemed moot in view of a necessitated new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Claims 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bross et al.(US 2021/0368176 A1)(hereinafter Bross) in view of JHU et al.(US 2022/0256199 A1)(hereinafter Jhu).
Regarding claims 1 and 8, Bross discloses a method of decoding video data[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 regarding method for video decoder 20] and an apparatus configured to decode video data[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 regarding video decoder 20], the method and the apparatus comprising:
a memory[See Bross: at least par. 440-452 regarding The implementation can be performed using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disk, a DVD, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, having electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which cooperate (or are capable of cooperating) with a programmable computer system]; and processing circuitry in communication with the memory[See Bross: at least par. 440-452 regarding The implementation can be performed using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disk, a DVD, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, having electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which cooperate (or are capable of cooperating) with a programmable computer system. In some embodiments, a programmable logic device (for example a field programmable gate array) may be used to perform some or all of the functionalities of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, a field programmable gate array may cooperate with a microprocessor in order to perform one of the methods.], the processing circuitry configured to:
receiving / receive a transform unit of video data[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 and par. 8, 114, 154-167 regarding FIG. 4 shows an apparatus 100 for decoding a picture 12a using predictive coding and block-based transform residual coding. The apparatus is configured to subdivide the picture 12a into transform bocks 84 of different sizes and to select 110, for a predetermined transform block 84c, a selected transformation 112 by checking whether a size of the predetermined transform block exceeds a predetermined threshold size 11. If the size of the predetermined transform block 84c exceeds the predetermined threshold size 110, a default way 114 is used for selecting the selected transformation 112. If the size of the predetermined transform block 84c does not exceed the predetermined threshold size 111, a transformation which is pointed to out of a predetermined list 116 of transformations by an index transmitted in the data stream 14 for the predetermined transform block 84c is used as the selected transformation 112. The predetermined list 116 of transformations comprising an identity transformation 117 and non-identity transformations 118. Furthermore the apparatus 100 is configured to decode 120, for the predetermined transform block 84c, a block of coefficients (c-block) from the data stream 14…];
determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process [See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25, par. 11-23, Tables 2-3, 5 regarding QState is the current quantization state QState for dependend quantization, which depends on the previous state and the parity of the previously coded levels… The context models for sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag syntax are selected by an index or offset into a context set which is derived from the diagonal d and, additionally for sig_coeff_flag, also from the quantization state QState…].
Bross does not explicitly disclose determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process and a sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels of previously coded bins from neighboring scan positions relative to a scan position of a syntax element, wherein the syntax element is indicative of a level value of a transform coefficient in the transform unit of the video data.
However, Jhu teaches determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process and a sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels of previously coded bins from neighboring scan positions relative to a scan position of a syntax element, wherein the syntax element is indicative of a level value of a transform coefficient in the transform unit of the video data[See Jhu: at least par. 104-113 regarding The selection of probability models for the syntax elements related to absolute values of transform coefficient levels depends on the values of the absolute levels or partially reconstructed absolute levels in a local neighbourhood. The selected probability models depend on the sum of the absolute levels (or partially reconstructed absolute levels) in a local neighbourhood and the number of absolute levels greater than 0 (given by the number of sig_coeff_flags equal to 1) in the local neighbourhood. The context modelling and binarization depends on the following measures for the local neighbourhood: numSig: the number of non-zero levels in the local neighbourhood; sumAbs1: the sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels (absLevel1) after the first pass in the local neighbourhood; sumAbs: the sum of reconstructed absolute levels in the local neighbourhood diagonal position (d): the sum of the horizontal and vertical coordinates of a current scan position inside the transform block. Based on the values of numSig, sumAbs1, and d, the probability models for coding sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag are selected. The Rice parameter for binarizing abs remainder and dec abs level is selected based on the values of sumAbs and numSig. In current VVC, reduced 32-point MTS (also called RMTS 32) is based on skipping high frequency coefficients and used to reduce computational complexity of 32-point DST-7/DCT-8. And, it accompanies coefficient coding changes including all types of zero-out (i.e., RMTS32 and the existing zero out for high frequency components in DCT2). Specifically, binarization of last non-zero coefficient position coding is coded based on reduced TU size, and the context model selection for the last non-zero coefficient position coding is determined by the original TU size. In addition, 60 context models are used to code the sig_coeff_flag of transform coefficients. The selection of context model index is based on a sum of a maximum of five previously partially reconstructed absolute level called locSumAbsPass1 and the state of dependent quantization QState: If cIdx is equal to 0, ctxInc is derived as follows:
ctxInc=12*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?8:(d<5?4:0)) Otherwise (cIdx is greater than 0), ctxInc is derived as follows: ctxInc=36+8*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?4:0)…].
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Bross with Jhu teachings by including “determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process and a sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels of previously coded bins from neighboring scan positions relative to a scan position of a syntax element, wherein the syntax element is indicative of a level value of a transform coefficient in the transform unit of the video data” because this combination has the benefit of providing an alternate method for determining the quantization index.
Further on, when combined, Bross and Jhu teach determining / determine, based on the quantization index, a context for decoding the syntax element [See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 and par. 10-22, 177, 248 regarding The context models for sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag syntax are selected by an index or offset into a context set which is derived from the diagonal d and, additionally for sig_coeff_flag, also from the quantization state QState. For the sig_coeff_flag syntax, the context offset within the context set is derived by the absolute sum locSumAbsPass1. The context offset derivation for abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag is the same: the number of significance positions locNumSig is subtracted from the absolute sum locSumAbsPass1. As a special feature, a dedicated context model is used for the syntax elements of the last significant scanning position…See Jhu: at least Figs. 1-10, par. 101-113, 135-144 regarding The selection of probability models for the syntax elements related to absolute values of transform coefficient levels depends on the values of the absolute levels or partially reconstructed absolute levels in a local neighbourhood. The selected probability models depend on the sum of the absolute levels (or partially reconstructed absolute levels) in a local neighbourhood and the number of absolute levels greater than 0 (given by the number of sig_coeff_flags equal to 1) in the local neighbourhood… The selection of context model index is based on a sum of a maximum of five previously partially reconstructed absolute level called locSumAbsPass1 and the state of dependent quantization QState: If cIdx is equal to 0, ctxInc is derived as follows:
ctxInc=12*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?8:(d<5?4:0)) Otherwise (cIdx is greater than 0), ctxInc is derived as follows: ctxInc=36+8*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?4:0)…], and
decoding / decode the syntax element based on the context[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25, par. 154, 162, 166-172, 199, 208-210, 215, 218, 225, 265-266, 274-275 regarding Furthermore the apparatus 100 is configured to decode 120, for the predetermined transform block 84c, a block of coefficients (c-block) from the data stream 14… the apparatus 100 is configured to decode 120, for the predetermined transform block, a block of coefficients 122 from the data stream 14 by decoding 121 the coefficients of the block of coefficients from the data stream in sub-blocks into which the block of coefficients is partitioned, by inferring coefficients within sub-blocks for which a sub-block flag in the data stream signals zeroness, to be zero, and decoding coefficients within sub-blocks for which a sub-block flag in the data stream 14 signals non-zeroness from the data stream, with decoding 200 a currently decoded sub-block flag from the data stream by context adaptive entropy decoding and using a context 300 which depends on a logical disjunction 310 of sub-block flags relating to sub-blocks neighboring the currently decoded sub-block flag if the selected transformation is one of the at least one non-identity transformation, and depends on a arithmetic sum 320 of sub-block flags relating to sub-blocks neighboring the currently decoded sub-block flag if the selected transformation is the identity transformation… See Jhu: at least Figs. 1-10, par. 101-113, 135-144 regarding video coder 30 determines a first binarization parameter (e.g., the Exp-Golomb parameter of Exp-Golomb binarization scheme) value according to the one or more syntax elements (e.g., QP values and threshold values) (920). The video coder 30 then decodes, from the video data, a first codeword for an escape sample within the coding unit (930). After decoding the first codeword, the video decoder 30 converts the first codeword into a value for the escape sample within the coding unit by applying the first binarization parameter to a predefined binarization scheme (e.g., Exp-Golomb binarization scheme) (940)…].
Regarding claims 16 and 23, Bross discloses a method of encoding video data [See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 and par. 110 regarding method for video encoder 10] and an apparatus configured to encode video data[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 and par. 110 regarding The apparatus, or encoder 10], the method and apparatus comprising:
a memory[See Bross: at least par. 440-452 regarding The implementation can be performed using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disk, a DVD, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, having electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which cooperate (or are capable of cooperating) with a programmable computer system]; and processing circuitry in communication with the memory[See Bross: at least par. 440-452 regarding The implementation can be performed using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disk, a DVD, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, having electronically readable control signals stored thereon, which cooperate (or are capable of cooperating) with a programmable computer system. In some embodiments, a programmable logic device (for example a field programmable gate array) may be used to perform some or all of the functionalities of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, a field programmable gate array may cooperate with a microprocessor in order to perform one of the methods.], the processing circuitry configured to:
receiving /receive a transform unit of video data [See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 and par. 8, 110-114, 154-167 regarding The encoder 10 then further comprises a transformer 28 which subjects the prediction residual signal 24 to a spatial-to-spectral transformation to obtain a spectral-domain prediction residual signal 24′ which is then subject to quantization by a quantizer 32, also comprised by the encoder 10. The thus quantized prediction residual signal 24″ is coded into bitstream 14. This can be performed by a transform type dependent transform coefficient level coding according to embodiments described with the subsequent FIG. 4 and following. To this end, encoder 10 may optionally comprise an entropy coder 34 which entropy codes the prediction residual signal as transformed and quantized into data stream 14…IN Fig. 4, the apparatus is configured to subdivide the picture 12a into transform bocks 84 of different sizes and to select 110, for a predetermined transform block 84c, a selected transformation 112 by checking whether a size of the predetermined transform block exceeds a predetermined threshold size 11…];
determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process [See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25, par. 11-23, Tables 2-3, 5 regarding QState is the current quantization state QState for dependend quantization, which depends on the previous state and the parity of the previously coded levels… The context models for sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag syntax are selected by an index or offset into a context set which is derived from the diagonal d and, additionally for sig_coeff_flag, also from the quantization state QState…].
Bross does not explicitly disclose determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process and a sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels of previously coded bins from neighboring scan positions relative to a scan position of a syntax element, wherein the syntax element is indicative of a level value of a transform coefficient in the transform unit of the video data.
However, Jhu teaches determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process and a sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels of previously coded bins from neighboring scan positions relative to a scan position of a syntax element, wherein the syntax element is indicative of a level value of a transform coefficient in the transform unit of the video data[See Jhu: at least par. 104-113 regarding The selection of probability models for the syntax elements related to absolute values of transform coefficient levels depends on the values of the absolute levels or partially reconstructed absolute levels in a local neighbourhood. The selected probability models depend on the sum of the absolute levels (or partially reconstructed absolute levels) in a local neighbourhood and the number of absolute levels greater than 0 (given by the number of sig_coeff_flags equal to 1) in the local neighbourhood. The context modelling and binarization depends on the following measures for the local neighbourhood: numSig: the number of non-zero levels in the local neighbourhood; sumAbs1: the sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels (absLevel1) after the first pass in the local neighbourhood; sumAbs: the sum of reconstructed absolute levels in the local neighbourhood diagonal position (d): the sum of the horizontal and vertical coordinates of a current scan position inside the transform block. Based on the values of numSig, sumAbs1, and d, the probability models for coding sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag are selected. The Rice parameter for binarizing abs remainder and dec abs level is selected based on the values of sumAbs and numSig. In current VVC, reduced 32-point MTS (also called RMTS 32) is based on skipping high frequency coefficients and used to reduce computational complexity of 32-point DST-7/DCT-8. And, it accompanies coefficient coding changes including all types of zero-out (i.e., RMTS32 and the existing zero out for high frequency components in DCT2). Specifically, binarization of last non-zero coefficient position coding is coded based on reduced TU size, and the context model selection for the last non-zero coefficient position coding is determined by the original TU size. In addition, 60 context models are used to code the sig_coeff_flag of transform coefficients. The selection of context model index is based on a sum of a maximum of five previously partially reconstructed absolute level called locSumAbsPass1 and the state of dependent quantization QState: If cIdx is equal to 0, ctxInc is derived as follows:
ctxInc=12*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?8:(d<5?4:0)) Otherwise (cIdx is greater than 0), ctxInc is derived as follows: ctxInc=36+8*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?4:0)…].
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Bross with Jhu teachings by including “determining / determine a quantization index based on a state of a quantization process and a sum of partially reconstructed absolute levels of previously coded bins from neighboring scan positions relative to a scan position of a syntax element, wherein the syntax element is indicative of a level value of a transform coefficient in the transform unit of the video data” because this combination has the benefit of providing an alternate method for determining the quantization index.
Further on, when combined, Bross and Jhu teach determining / determine, based on the quantization index, a context for encoding a syntax element[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 and par. 10-22, 177, 248 regarding The context models for sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag syntax are selected by an index or offset into a context set which is derived from the diagonal d and, additionally for sig_coeff_flag, also from the quantization state QState. For the sig_coeff_flag syntax, the context offset within the context set is derived by the absolute sum locSumAbsPass1. The context offset derivation for abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag is the same: the number of significance positions locNumSig is subtracted from the absolute sum locSumAbsPass1. As a special feature, a dedicated context model is used for the syntax elements of the last significant scanning position… See Jhu: at least Figs. 1-10, par. 101-113, 135-144 regarding The selection of probability models for the syntax elements related to absolute values of transform coefficient levels depends on the values of the absolute levels or partially reconstructed absolute levels in a local neighbourhood. The selected probability models depend on the sum of the absolute levels (or partially reconstructed absolute levels) in a local neighbourhood and the number of absolute levels greater than 0 (given by the number of sig_coeff_flags equal to 1) in the local neighbourhood… The selection of context model index is based on a sum of a maximum of five previously partially reconstructed absolute level called locSumAbsPass1 and the state of dependent quantization QState: If cIdx is equal to 0, ctxInc is derived as follows: ctxInc=12*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?8:(d<5?4:0)) Otherwise (cIdx is greater than 0), ctxInc is derived as follows: ctxInc=36+8*Max(0, QState−1)+Min((locSumAbsPass1+1)>>1, 3)+(d<2?4:0)…]; and
encoding / encode the syntax element based on the context[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25 and par. 110-117, 248 regarding The prediction signal 26 is generated by a prediction stage 36 of encoder 10 on the basis of the prediction residual signal 24″ encoded into, and decodable from, data stream 14…. in addition to the residual signal coding comprised by data stream 14, such as the entropy-coded transform coefficient levels representing the quantized spectral-domain prediction residual signal 24″, data stream 14 may have encoded thereinto coding mode parameters for assigning the coding modes to the various blocks, prediction parameters for some of the blocks, such as motion parameters for inter-coded segments, and optional further parameters such as parameters for controlling and signaling the subdivision of picture 12 and 12′, respectively, into the segments. The decoder 20 uses these parameters to subdivide the picture in the same manner as the encoder did, to assign the same prediction modes to the segments, and to perform the same prediction to result in the same prediction signal… In order to illustrate the just-outlined concept for limiting the number of context-adaptively encoded/decoded flags, reference is made to FIG. 20. FIG. 20 illustrates the initial value domain for the absolute value domain of the transform coefficient's quantization indexes at 90. See Jhu: at least Figs. 1-10, par. 101-113, 147-154 regarding The context modeling provides estimates of conditional probabilities of the coding symbols. Utilizing suitable context models, a given inter-symbol redundancy can be exploited by switching between different probability models according to already-coded symbols in the neighborhood of the current symbol to encode… Arithmetic encoding: An arithmetic coder encodes each bin according to the selected probability model. Note that there are just two sub-ranges for each bin (corresponding to “0” and “1”)..].
Regarding claims 3, 10, 18 and 25, Bross and Jhu teach all of the limitations of claims 1, 8, 16 and 23, and are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims. Further on, Bross discloses wherein the quantization process is dependent quantization or trellis-coded quantization[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25, par. 10-22, 112, 114 , 134, 138 regarding the encoder 10 then further comprises a transformer 28 which subjects the prediction residual signal 24 to a spatial-to-spectral transformation to obtain a spectral-domain prediction residual signal 24′ which is then subject to quantization by a quantizer 32, also comprised by the encoder 10. The thus quantized prediction residual signal 24″ is coded into bitstream 14. This can be performed by a transform type dependent transform coefficient level coding according to embodiments described with the subsequent FIG. 4 and following…The decoding performed by the decoder 20 can be a transform type dependent transform coefficient level decoding according to embodiments described with the subsequent FIG. 4 and following…].
Regarding claims 5, 12, 20 and 27, Bross and Jhu teach all of the limitations of claims 1, 8, 16 and 23, and are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims. Further on, when combined with Jhu, Bross teaches wherein determining / to determine, based on the quantization index, the context further comprises / the context, the processing circuitry is further configured to: determining / determine, based on the quantization index, a context offset; and determining / determine, based on the context offset, the context for decoding / encoding the syntax element indicative of the level value of the transform coefficient[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25, par. 11-23, 217, 229-230, Tables 2-3, 5 regarding The context models for sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag syntax are selected by an index or offset into a context set which is derived from the diagonal d and, additionally for sig_coeff_flag, also from the quantization state QState. For the sig_coeff_flag syntax, the context offset within the context set is derived by the absolute sum locSumAbsPass1. The context offset derivation for abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag is the same: the number of significance positions locNumSig is subtracted from the absolute sum locSumAbsPass1… See Jhu: at least ].
Regarding claims 6, 13, 21 and 28, Bross and Jhu teach all of the limitations of claims 1, 8, 16 and 23, and are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims. Further on, Bross and Jhu teach wherein the syntax element is one or more of a significance flag, a gt1 flag, a gt3 flag, or a parity flag[See Bross: at least Figs. 1-25, par. 245-249, 290-291 regarding Furthermore the apparatus 100 is configured to decode, for the predetermined transform block, a block of coefficients from the data stream by decoding, in a sequence of passes which traverse the coefficients of the block, one or more predetermined flags, e.g. a sig_flag 92, a par_flag 96 (parity_flag), a gt1_flag 98 (greater than X flag for X=1) and/or a gt2_flag 104 (greater than X flag for X=2) as shown in FIG. 20 and/or a parity flag and/or additional greater than X flags, for each coefficient from the data stream using context adaptively binary entropy decoding, each predetermined flag reducing an absolute value domain 90 of the respective coefficient (e.g. parity bit 96 reduces the absolute value domain 90 to one half by excluding every even or uneven absolute value, and greater than X flags, e.g. gt1_flag 98 and gt2_flag 104, reduce the domain 90 of possible absolute values by either excluding one of the possible absolute values or leaving only this one of the possible absolute values and excluding all others) within which an absolute value of the respective coefficient is positioned (e.g. the absolute value domain starts at the beginning of the one or more passes, for instance, from a general absolute value domain of the coefficients 0 . . . 2X-1 in case of X bit representation)… See Jhu: at least par. 104-113 regarding Based on the values of numSig, sumAbs1, and d, the probability models for coding sig_coeff_flag, abs_level_gt1_flag, par_level_flag, and abs_level_gt3_flag are selected.].
8. Claims 7, 14, 22 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bross et al.(US 2021/0368176 A1)(hereinafter Bross) in view of JHU et al.(US 2022/0256199 A1)(hereinafter Jhu) in further view of Guo et al.(US 2013/0114691 A1)(hereinafter Guo).
Regarding claims 7, 14, 22 and 29, Bross and Jhu teach all of the limitations of claims 1, 8, 16 and 23, and are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Bross and Jhu do not explicitly disclose further comprising / wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determining / determine a scan pattern for the transform unit based on a transform unit shape; and scanning / scan transform coefficients in the transform unit using the scan pattern.
However, determining or defining scan pattern or scan order based on the transform unit shape and scanning the transform coefficients based on the scan pattern or scan order was well known in the art at the time of the invention was filed as evident from the teaching of Guo [See Guo: at least par. 45, 53-55 regarding In some examples, video encoder 20 may utilize a predefined scan order to scan the quantized transform coefficients to produce a serialized vector that can be entropy encoded. The predefined scanning orders may vary based on factors such as the coding mode or transform size or shape used in the coding process. Furthermore, in other examples, video encoder 20 may perform an adaptive scan, e.g., using a scanning order that is periodically adapted. The scanning order may adapt differently for different blocks, e.g., based on the coding mode or other factors. In any case, after scanning the quantized transform coefficients to form the serialized "one-dimensional" vector, video encoder 20 may further entropy encode the one-dimensional vector, e.g., according to CAVLC, CABAC, SBAC, PIPE, or another context adaptive entropy encoding methodology…].
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Bross and Jhu with Guo teachings by including “further comprising / wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determining / determine a scan pattern for the transform unit based on a transform unit shape; and scanning / scan transform coefficients in the transform unit using the scan pattern” because this combination has the benefit of providing adaptive scanning order or scanning pattern for different blocks [See Guo: at least par. 53-55].
9. Claims 15 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bross et al.(US 2021/0368176 A1)(hereinafter Bross) in view of JHU et al.(US 2022/0256199 A1)(hereinafter Jhu) in further view of Lai et al.(US 2021/0218966 A1)(hereinafter Lai).
Regarding claim 15, Bross and Jhu teach all of the limitations of claim 8, and are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to that claim.
Bross and Jhu do not explicitly disclose further comprising: a display configured to display a picture reconstructed based on the transform unit of video data.
However, providing a display device as an output device for displaying a picture reconstructed based on the transform unit of video data using dependent quantization was well known in the art at the time of the invention was filed as evident from the teaching of Lai[See Lai: at least Figs. 9 and 12 and par. 107-112, 138, 142 regarding the video decoder 900 is an image-decoding or video-decoding circuit that receives a bitstream 995 and decodes the content of the bitstream into pixel data of video frames for display… The inverse quantization module 911 de-quantizes the quantized data (or quantized coefficients) 912 to obtain transform coefficients, and the inverse transform module 910 performs inverse transform on the transform coefficients 916 to produce reconstructed residual signal 919. The reconstructed residual signal 919 is added with predicted pixel data 913 from the intra-prediction module 925 or the motion compensation module 930 to produce decoded pixel data 917. The decoded pixels data are filtered by the in-loop filter 945 and stored in the decoded picture buffer 950. In some embodiments, the content of the decoded picture buffer 950 is used for display. A display device 955 either retrieves the content of the decoded picture buffer 950 for display directly, or retrieves the content of the decoded picture buffer to a display buffer. In some embodiments, the display device receives pixel values from the decoded picture buffer 950 through a pixel transport…].
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Bross and Jhu with Lai teachings by including “further comprising: a display configured to display a picture reconstructed based on the transform unit of video data” because this combination has the benefit of providing an alternate output device configuration to the video coding system.
Regarding claim 30, Bross and Jhu teach all of the limitations of claim 23, and are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to that claim.
Bross and Jhu do not explicitly disclose further comprising: a camera configured to capture a picture of the video data.
However, providing a camera as input device to capture a picture of the video data when using dependent quantization was well known in the art at the time of the invention was filed as evident from the teaching of Lai[See Lai: at least par. 138 regarding . The input devices 1240 include alphanumeric keyboards and pointing devices (also called “cursor control devices”), cameras (e.g., webcams), microphones or similar devices for receiving voice commands, etc…].
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Bross and Jhu with Lai teachings by including “further comprising: a camera configured to capture a picture of the video data” because this combination has the benefit of providing an alternate input device configuration to the video coding system.
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claims 31-34 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
11. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANA J PICON-FELICIANO whose telephone number is (571)272-5252. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Kelley can be reached at 571 272 7331. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Ana Picon-Feliciano/Examiner, Art Unit 2482
/CHRISTOPHER S KELLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2482
Prosecution Insights