DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to application 19/015,534 filed on 01/09/2025.
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 .
Double Patenting
3. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
4. Claims 1-15 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 12,231,688 B2 in view of Nalci et al. (US Pub. No.: 2020/0396487 A1).
Furthermore, although the conflicting claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because U.S. Patent No.: 12,231,688 B2 claims:
Instant Application: 19/015,534
Note: bold and underlined fonts means same features between instant application and conflicting appl.
Conflicting Application: 18/232,287
→ now US Patent No.: 12,231,688 B2
Claim [1]: An image decoding apparatus, comprising: a memory; and at least one processor connected to the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: obtain residual information from a bitstream; derive a position of a last significant coefficient in a current block and transform coefficients for the current block based on the residual information; determine whether an index of a subblock including the last significant coefficient is 0 and the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock is greater than 0; determine whether a significant coefficient exists in a second region other than a first region at a top-left of the current block; parse a low-frequency non-separable transform (LFNST) index from the bitstream when it is determined that the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 is greater than 0 and the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region; derive modified transform coefficients by applying an LFNST matrix derived based on the LFNST index to the transform coefficients in the first region; derive residual samples for the current block based on an inverse primary transform for the modified transform coefficients; and generate a reconstructed picture based on the residual samples for the current block, wherein based on a width and a height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is a 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block and based on the significant coefficient existing in the second region other than the 4×4 area at the top-left, the LFNST index is not parsed.
Claim [1]: An image decoding method performed by a decoding apparatus, the method comprising: obtaining residual information from a bitstream; deriving transform coefficients for the current block based on the residual information; deriving modified transform coefficients based on a low-frequency non-separable transform (LFNST) for the transform coefficients; deriving residual samples for the current block based on an inverse primary transform for the modified transform coefficients; and generating a reconstructed picture based on the residual samples for the current block, wherein deriving transform coefficients comprises, determining whether a last significant coefficient is present at (0, 0) of the current block; and determining whether a significant coefficient is present in a second region other than a first region at a top-left of the current block, wherein the LFNST is performed based on parsing an LFNST index, wherein LFNST index is parsed from the bitstream when it is determined that the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 is greater than 0 and the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region, and wherein based on a width and a height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is a 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block, and based on the significant coefficient being present in the second region other than the 4×4 area at the top-left, the LFNST index is not parsed.
Claim [2]: The image decoding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to set first flag information related to whether the position of the last significant coefficient is greater than 0 in the subblock having the index 0 to 1, and wherein based on the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 being greater than 0, changing the first flag information to 0 and parsing the LFNST index.
Claim [2]: The image decoding method of claim 1, further comprising setting first flag information related to whether the last significant coefficient is present at (0, 0) of the current block to 1, and wherein based on the last significant coefficient not being present at (0, 0) of the current block, changing the first flag information to 0 and parsing the LFNST index.
Claim [3]: The image decoding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to set second flag information related to whether a significant coefficient exists in the second region except for the first region to 1, and wherein when there is no significant coefficient in the second region, maintaining the second flag information as 1 and parsing the LFNST index.
Claim [3]: The image decoding method of claim 1, further comprising setting second flag information related to whether the significant coefficient is present in the second region to 1, and wherein when there is no significant coefficient in the second region, maintaining the second flag information as 1 and parsing the LFNST index.
Claim [4]: The image decoding apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second flag information is derived as 0 based on the index of the sub-block including the last significant coefficient in the current block being greater than 0 and the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more, and wherein the LFNST index is not parsed based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [4]: The image decoding method of claim 3, wherein the second flag information is derived as 0 based on an index of a sub-block including the last significant coefficient in the current block being greater than 0 and the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more, and wherein the LFNST index is not parsed based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [5]: The image decoding apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second flag information is derived as 0 based on a size of the current block being 4×4 or 8×8 and the position of the last significant coefficient being greater than or equal to 8, and wherein the LFNST index is not parsed based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [5]: The image decoding method of claim 3, wherein the second flag information is derived as 0 based on a size of the current block being 4×4 or 8×8 and a position of the last significant coefficient being greater than or equal to 8, and wherein the LFNST index is not parsed based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [6]: The image decoding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first region is derived based on a size of the current block, wherein based on the size of the current block being 4×4 or 8×8, the first region is from the top-left of the current block to an 8th sample position in a scan direction, and wherein based on the size of the current block being not 4×4 or 8×8, the first region is a 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block.
Claim [6]: The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the first region is derived based on a size of the current block, wherein based on the size of the current block being 4×4 or 8×8, the first region is from the top-left of the current block to an 8th sample position in a scan direction, and wherein based on the size of the current block being not 4×4 or 8×8, the first region is the 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block.
Claim [7]: The image decoding apparatus of claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of the modified transform coefficients are derived based on a size of the current block, wherein based on the height and the width of the current block being greater than or equal to 8, 48 modified transform coefficients are derived, and wherein based on the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, 16 modified transform coefficients are derived.
Claim [7]: The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of the modified transform coefficients are derived based on a size of the current block, wherein based on the height and the width of the current block being greater than or equal to 8, 48 modified transform coefficients are derived, and wherein based on the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, 16 modified transform coefficients are derived.
Claim [8]: The image decoding apparatus of claim 7, wherein 48 modified transform coefficients are arranged in top-left, top-right, and bottom-left 4×4 areas among a top-left 8×8 area of the current block, and wherein 16 modified transform coefficients are arranged in the top-left 4×4 area of the current block.
Claim [8]: The image decoding method of claim 7, wherein the 48 modified transform coefficients are arranged in top-left, top-right, and bottom-left 4×4 areas among a top-left 8×8 area of the current block, and wherein the 16 modified transform coefficients are arranged in the top-left 4×4 area of the current block.
Claim [9]: An image encoding apparatus, comprising: a memory; and at least one processor connected to the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: derive prediction samples for a current block; derive residual samples for the current block based on the prediction samples; derive transform coefficients for the current block based on a primary transform for the residual samples; derive modified transform coefficients for the current block based on the transform coefficients of a first region at a top-left of the current block and a predetermined low-frequency non-separable transform (LFNST) matrix; zero out a second region of the current block in which the modified transform coefficients do not exist; construct image information so that an LFNST index related to the LFNST matrix is transmitted when an index of a subblock including a last significant coefficient in the current block is 0, a position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock is greater than 0, and the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region, and output the image information including residual information derived through quantization of the modified transform coefficients and the LFNST index, wherein based on a width and a height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is a 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block and based on the significant coefficient existing in the second region other than the 4×4 area at the top-left, the LFNST index is not encoded.
Claim [9]: An image encoding method performed by an image encoding apparatus, the method comprising: deriving prediction samples for a current block; deriving residual samples for the current block based on the prediction samples; deriving transform coefficients for the current block based on a primary transform for the residual samples; deriving modified transform coefficients for the current block based on a low-frequency non-separable transform (LFNST) for the transform coefficients of a first region at a top-left of the current block; constructing image information so that an LFNST index related to the LFNST is signaled based on a last significant coefficient not being present at (0, 0) of the current block and a significant coefficient not being present in a second region of the current block, and outputting the image information including residual information related to the modified transform coefficients and the LFNST index, wherein LFNST index is encoded into a bitstream when it is determined that the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 is greater than 0 and the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region, and wherein based on a width and a height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is a 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block, and based on the significant coefficient being present in the second region other than the 4×4 area at the top-left, the LFNST index is not encoded.
Claim [10]: The image encoding apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: set first flag information related to whether the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 is greater than 0 to 1; change the first flag information to 0 based on the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 being greater than 0; and encode the LFNST index.
Claim [10]: The image encoding method of claim 9, wherein constructing image information comprises: setting first flag information related to whether the last significant coefficient is present at (0, 0) of the current block to 1; changing the first flag information to 0 based on the last significant coefficient not being present at (0, 0) of the current block; and encoding the LFNST index.
Claim [11]: The image encoding apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: set second flag information related to whether the significant coefficient exists in the second region excluding the first region to 1; maintain the second flag information as 1 when there is no significant coefficient in the second region; and encode the LFNST index.
Claim [11]: The image encoding method of claim 9, wherein constructing image information comprises: setting second flag information related to whether the significant coefficient is present in the second region to 1; maintaining the second flag information as 1 when there is no significant coefficient in the second region; and encoding the LFNST index.
Claim [12]: The image encoding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second flag information is changed to 0 based on the index of the sub-block including the last significant coefficient in the current block being greater than 0 and the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more, and wherein the image information is configured so that the LFNST index is not transmitted based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [12]: The image encoding method of claim 11, wherein the second flag information is changed to 0 based on an index of a sub-block including the last significant coefficient in the current block being greater than 0 and the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more, and wherein the image information is configured so that the LFNST index is not transmitted based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [13]: The image encoding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second flag information is changed as 0 based on a size of the current block being 4×4 or 8×8 and the position of the last significant coefficient being greater than or equal to 8, and wherein the image information is configured so that the LFNST index is not transmitted based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [13]: The image encoding method of claim 11, wherein the second flag information is changed as 0 based on a size of the current block being 4×4 or 8×8 and a position of the last significant coefficient being greater than or equal to 8, and wherein the image information is configured so that the LFNST index is not transmitted based on the second flag information being 0.
Claim [14]: The image encoding apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first region is derived based on a size of the current block, wherein based on the height and the width of the current block being greater than or equal to 8, the first region is the top-left, top-right, and bottom-left 4×4 areas within a top-left 8×8 area of the current block, and wherein based on the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is the top-left 4×4 area of the current block.
Claim [14]: The image encoding method of claim 9, wherein the first region is derived based on a size of the current block, wherein based on the height and the width of the current block being greater than or equal to 8, the first region is the top-left, top-right, and bottom-left 4×4 areas within a top-left 8×8 area of the current block, and wherein based on the width and the height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is the top-left 4×4 area of the current block.
Claim [15]: An apparatus for transmitting data for image information, comprising: at least one processor configured to generate a bitstream for the image information, wherein the bitstream is generated based on deriving prediction samples for a current block, deriving residual samples for the current block based on the prediction samples, deriving transform coefficients for the current block based on a primary transform for the residual samples, deriving modified transform coefficients for the current block based on the transform coefficients of a first region at a top-left of the current block and a predetermined low-frequency non-separable transform (LFNST) matrix, zeroing out a second region of the current block in which the modified transform coefficients do not exist, constructing image information so that an LFNST index related to the LFNST matrix is transmitted when an index of a subblock including a last significant coefficient in the current block is 0, a position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock is greater than 0, and the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region, and outputting the image information including residual information derived through quantization of the modified transform coefficients and the LFNST index to generate the bitstream; and a transmitter configured to transmit the data including the bitstream, wherein based on a width and a height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is a 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block and based on the significant coefficient existing in the second region other than the 4×4 area at the top-left, the LFNST index is not encoded.
Claim [16]: A transmission method of data for an image, the method comprising: obtaining a bitstream for the image, wherein the bitstream is generated based on deriving prediction samples for a current block; deriving residual samples for the current block based on the prediction samples; deriving transform coefficients for the current block based on a primary transform for the residual samples; deriving modified transform coefficients for the current block based on a low-frequency non-separable transform (LFNST) for the transform coefficients of a first region at a top-left of the current block; constructing image information so that an LFNST index related to the LFNST is transmitted based on a last significant coefficient not being present at (0, 0) of the current block and a significant coefficient not being present in a second region of the current block, and outputting the image information including residual information related to the modified transform coefficients and the LFNST index to generate the bitstream, and transmitting the data comprising the bitstream, wherein LFNST index is encoded into the bitstream when it is determined that the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 is greater than 0 and the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region, and wherein based on a width and a height of the current block being 4 or more and the width or the height of the current block being less than 8, the first region is a 4×4 area at the top-left of the current block, and based on the significant coefficient being present in the second region other than the 4×4 area at the top-left, the LFNST index is not encoded.
However, examiner notes that Nalci et al. (US Pub. No.: 2020/0396487 A1) teaches the unique limitations in the instant application regarding Nalci discloses image decoding (see fig. 9) and encoding apparatus (see fig. 8) and an apparatus for transmitting data for an image information (see paragraphs [0046-0047]), comprising: residual samples and prediction samples (see paragraphs [0149] and [0223]); deriving transform coefficients for the current block (see fig. 14 unit 504); determining whether a significant coefficient exists in a second region (see fig. 6 unit 160 or unit 164, paragraph [0090]) other than a first region at the top-left (see fig. 5 unit 152) of the current block (see fig. 5 unit 150); parsing an LFNST index (see paragraph [0220]) when it is determined that the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region (see fig. 4 unit 140, e.g. “bottom-left region of 140”, paragraph [0088]).
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 which the claimed invention pertains could recognize the advantage of providing a method of decoding, encoding, and transmitting video data based on transform by modifying Koo’s teachings in the present US Patent No.: 12,231,688 B2 for the purpose of determining whether a last significant coefficient is present at (0, 0) of the current block; and wherein LFNST index is parsed from the bitstream when it is determined that the position of the last significant coefficient in the subblock having the index 0 is greater than 0 and the significant coefficient does not exist in the second region, thereby improving compression efficiency.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 1-15 of the instant application would be allowable provided obviousness type double patenting rejection above is overcome.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chiang et al. (US Pub. No.: 2018/0302631 A1) discloses secondary transform kernel size selection.
Zhao et al. (US Pub. No.: 2019/0281321 A1) discloses method and apparatus for video coding.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Richard Carter whose telephone number is (571)270-1220. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/R.B.C/Examiner, Art Unit 2485
/JAYANTI K PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2485
June 25, 2026
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