DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/4/26 have been fully read and considered but they are not persuasive.
The double patenting rejection of claims 1-3 is withdrawn due to submission of terminal disclaimer filed 5/4/26.
As a result, claims 1-2 are allowed for the reasons as stated below.
With regards to amendment to claim 3, claim 3 is still not patentable under Kadono (US 2004/0076237) because bitstream claims are not considered to be patentable subject matter. Claim 3 is still considered to be a bitstream claim since it still directed to a “non-transitory computer readable medium storing a bitstream…”.
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium without functional relationship between the computer-readable storage medium and the rest of recited features of the claim “…storing a bitstream, the bitstream comprising: buffer descriptions; buffer description selecting information; reference list descriptions; and an index for identifying one of the reference pictures, the bitstream being decoded by a decoding apparatus performing a decoding method, the decoding method including: obtaining, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a coded bitstream, the buffer descriptions, each of the buffer descriptions specifying the reference pictures to be held in a buffer for decoding pictures; obtaining, from the sequence parameter set, the reference list descriptions, which correspond one-to-one with the buffer descriptions each of the reference list descriptions indicating a correspondence relationship between the one of the reference pictures that is specified by a corresponding one of the buffer descriptions and the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; obtaining, from a header of one of slices in one of the pictures the buffer description selecting information indicating one of the buffer descriptions; obtaining, from the one of the slices, the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; and specifying one of the reference pictures held in the buffer using (i) the reference list description which corresponds to the buffer description indicated by the buffer description selecting information and (ii) the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures”. When determining the scope of the claim, the above features of claim 3 were not given patentable weight. See MPEP 2111.05 (III). Thus, the computer-readable data recording medium such as CD-ROM, floppy disk, or a hard disk drive disclosed in Kadono’s paragraph [257] meets Applicant’s claim 3.
Thus, the rejection is maintained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (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 the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claim 3 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Kadono (US 2004/0076237).
Regarding claim 3, Kadono discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a bitstream (paragraph [257], Kadono discloses a computer readable data medium such as CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard disk drive, etc.), the bitstream comprising: buffer descriptions; buffer description selecting information; reference list descriptions; and an index for identifying one of reference pictures, the bitstream being decoded by a decoding apparatus performing a decoding method, the decoding method including: obtaining, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a coded bitstream, the buffer descriptions, each of the buffer descriptions specifying the reference pictures to be held in a buffer for decoding pictures; obtaining, from the sequence parameter set, the reference list descriptions, which correspond one-to-one with the buffer descriptions, each of the reference list descriptions indicating a correspondence relationship between the one of the reference pictures that is specified by a corresponding one of the buffer descriptions and the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; obtaining, from a header of one of slices in one of the pictures, the buffer description selecting information indicating one of the buffer descriptions; obtaining, from the one of the slices, the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; and specifying one of the reference pictures held in the buffer using (i) the reference list description which corresponds to the buffer description indicated by the buffer description selecting information and (ii) the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures (paragraph [257], Kadono discloses a computer readable data medium such as CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard disk drive, etc.).
Note claim 3 is directed to “a non-transitory computer-readable medium’'. The non-transitory computer-readable medium without functional relationship between the computer readable medium and the rest of recited features of the claim “…storing a bitstream, the bitstream comprising: buffer descriptions; buffer description selecting information; reference list descriptions; and an index for identifying one of reference pictures, the bitstream being decoded by a decoding apparatus performing a decoding method, the decoding method including: obtaining, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a coded bitstream, the buffer descriptions, each of the buffer descriptions specifying the reference pictures to be held in a buffer for decoding pictures; obtaining, from the sequence parameter set, the reference list descriptions, which correspond one-to-one with the buffer descriptions, each of the reference list descriptions indicating a correspondence relationship between the one of the reference pictures that is specified by a corresponding one of the buffer descriptions and the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; obtaining, from a header of one of slices in one of the pictures, the buffer description selecting information indicating one of the buffer descriptions; obtaining, from the one of the slices, the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; and specifying one of the reference pictures held in the buffer using (i) the reference list description which corresponds to the buffer description indicated by the buffer description selecting information and (ii) the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures”. When determining the scope of the claim, the above features of claim 3 were not given patentable weight. See MPEP 2111.05 (III). Thus, the computer-readable data recording medium such as CD-ROM, floppy disk, or a hard disk drive disclosed in Kadono meets Applicant’s claim 3.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the present invention pertains to high efficiency compression and decompression of video image data.
With regards to claim 1, Jeon (US 7,782,943) discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing therein a computer program (col.4, ln.50-57), which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations including (col.4, ln.50-57):
generating, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a bitstream (col.8, ln.9-22), buffer description defining information for defining a plurality of buffer descriptions (col.8, ln.9-22);
generating, from the sequence parameter set, reference list description defining information for defining a plurality of reference list descriptions corresponding to the buffer descriptions (col.8, ln.22-24);
generating, from a first header of a processing unit that is a picture or a slice, buffer description selecting information for specifying one of the buffer descriptions, the first header being included in the coded bitstream (col.5, ln.46-52);
encoding the bitstream (col.4, ln.50-57).
Chen (US 2010/0189173) discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing therein a computer program (paragraph 19), which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations including (paragraph 19):
generating, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a coded bitstream (paragraph 36);
generating a reference picture list (paragraph 38); and
encoding the bitstream (paragraph 19).
The prior art, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose the limitation “…writing, into a sequence parameter set, (i) buffer descriptions, each of the buffer descriptions specifying reference pictures to be held in a buffer for encoding the pictures and (ii) reference list descriptions which correspond one-to-one with the buffer descriptions, each of the reference list descriptions indicating a correspondence relationship between one of the reference pictures that is specified by a corresponding one of the buffer descriptions and an index for identifying the reference picture; writing, into a header of one of slices in one of the pictures, selecting information indicating one of the buffer descriptions; and (i) specifying one of the reference pictures held in the buffer using the buffer description indicated by the selecting information, (ii) encoding the one of the slices using the specified reference picture, and (iii) writing, into the encoded sequence, the encoded slice and the index that identifies the specified reference picture in the reference list description that corresponds to the buffer description indicated by the selecting information” of claim 1.
Note that prior arts were found and applied above for claim 1. However, in view of further consideration of the prior art teachings, it is determined that there is no strong motivation or reasoning to combine the references to arrive at the claimed invention of claim 1.
Thus, the prior art does not disclose the aforementioned limitation of claim 1.
With regards to claim 2, Jeon (US 7,782,943) discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing therein a computer program (col.4, ln.50-57), which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations including (col.4, ln.50-57):
obtaining, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a coded bitstream (col.8, ln.9-22), buffer description defining information for defining a plurality of buffer descriptions (col.8, ln.9-22);
obtaining, from the sequence parameter set, reference list description defining information for defining a plurality of reference list descriptions corresponding to the buffer descriptions (col.8, ln.22-24);
obtaining, from a first header of a processing unit that is a picture or a slice, buffer description selecting information for specifying one of the buffer descriptions, the first header being included in the coded bitstream (col.5, ln.46-52); and
decoding the processing unit using (i) a buffer description specified in the buffer description selecting information and (ii) one of the reference list descriptions which corresponds to the specified buffer description (col.5, ln.46 to col.6, ln.3).
Chen (US 2010/0189173) discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing therein a computer program (paragraph 19), which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations including (paragraph 19):
obtaining, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a coded bitstream (paragraph 36);
obtaining a reference picture list (paragraph 38); and
decoding the coded bitstream (paragraph 130).
The prior art, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose the limitation “…obtaining, from a sequence parameter set corresponding to a coded bitstream, buffer descriptions, each of the buffer descriptions specifying reference pictures to be held in a buffer for decoding pictures; obtaining, from the sequence parameter set, reference list descriptions, which correspond one-to-one with the buffer descriptions, each of the reference list descriptions indicating a correspondence relationship between one of the reference pictures that is specified by a corresponding one of the buffer descriptions and an index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; obtaining, from a header of one of slices in one of the pictures, buffer description selecting information indicating one of the buffer descriptions; obtaining, from the one of the slices, the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures; and specifying one of the reference pictures held in the buffer using (i) the reference list description which corresponds to the buffer description indicated by the buffer description selecting information and (ii) the index for identifying the one of the reference pictures” of claim 2.
Note that prior arts were found and applied above for claim 2. However, in view of further consideration of the prior art teachings, it is determined that there is no strong motivation or reasoning to combine the references to arrive at the claimed invention of claim 2.
Thus, the prior art does not disclose the aforementioned limitation of claim 2.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 5/4/26 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of the full statutory term of US Patent Nos. 11533488, 11956440, 12348725, 11019342 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALLEN C WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-7341. The examiner can normally be reached on Flex Monday-Thursday 9:30am-7:30pm.
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, Sath V Perungavoor can be reached on 571-272-7455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALLEN C WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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