Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 19/022,620

IMAGE ENCODING/DECODING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR UTILIZING SIMPLIFIED MPM LIST GENERATION METHOD, AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING BITSTREAM

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 15, 2025
Examiner
FINDLEY, CHRISTOPHER G
Art Unit
2482
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Nokia Technologies Oy
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 7m
To Grant
89%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allow Rate
580 granted / 752 resolved
+19.1% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+11.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
780
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.1%
-35.9% vs TC avg
§103
52.6%
+12.6% vs TC avg
§102
25.5%
-14.5% vs TC avg
§112
5.0%
-35.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 752 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . 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 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 – (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhao et al. (US 20210385477 A1). Re claim 1, Zhao discloses an image decoding method performed by an image decoding apparatus (Zhao: Figs. 3 and 6; paragraph [0011]), the image decoding method comprising: identifying a prediction mode of a current block (Zhao: paragraph [0087], each CU is analyzed to determine a prediction type for the CU, such as an inter prediction type or an intra prediction type); identifying whether an intra prediction mode of the current block is an MIP (matrix-based intra prediction) mode, based on the prediction mode of the current block being the intra prediction mode (Zhao: paragraph [0012], prediction information indicates whether the current block is coded in affine linear weighted intra prediction (ALWIP); paragraph [0125], for each CU in intra mode, a flag indicating whether ALWIP is applied on a corresponding PU is sent in the bitstream; paragraph [0115], ALWIP can be also referred to as matrix based intra prediction (MIP)); determining a candidate intra prediction mode for the current block based on a prediction mode of a neighboring block located around the current block, based on the intra prediction mode of the current block not being the MIP mode (Zhao: paragraph [0145]); generating a candidate intra prediction mode list of the current block based on the candidate intra prediction mode (Zhao: paragraph [0145], constructing MPM list); determining the intra prediction mode of the current block based on the candidate intra prediction mode list (Zhao: paragraph [0145], when constructing an MPM list of a current block that is coded using a non-ALWIP intra prediction mode, a prediction mode of a neighboring block of the current block is marked as one of Planar, DC, Horizontal, or Vertical intra prediction mode); generating prediction samples of the current block based on the intra prediction mode of the current block (Zhao: paragraphs [0115]-[0121]); and reconstructing the current block based on the prediction samples (Zhao: Fig. 6, reconstruction unit 674 receives intra prediction result and outputs reconstructed pictures), wherein the candidate intra prediction mode is determined to be a predetermined intra prediction mode, based on the prediction mode of the neighboring block being the MIP mode (Zhao: paragraph [0145]), wherein the candidate intra prediction mode list is determined to have a predetermined candidate intra prediction mode, based on both a prediction mode of a first neighboring block and a prediction mode of a second neighboring block being the MIP mode (Zhao: paragraph [0145]), and wherein, based on the intra prediction mode of the current block being the MIP mode, the intra prediction mode of the current block is determined based on information specifying an MIP intra prediction mode (Zhao: paragraph [0150]). Re claim 2, Zhao discloses that the predetermined intra prediction mode is a planar mode (Zhao: paragraph [0145]). Re claim 3, Zhao discloses wherein whether the prediction mode of the neighboring block is the MIP mode is determined based on an MIP mode indicator for the neighboring block (Zhao: paragraph [0125], for each CU in intra mode, a flag indicating whether ALWIP is applied on a corresponding PU is sent in the bitstream), and wherein the MIP mode indicator is obtained from a bitstream (Zhao: paragraph [0125], for each CU in intra mode, a flag indicating whether ALWIP is applied on a corresponding PU is sent in the bitstream). Re claim 4, Zhao discloses that, based on a first candidate intra prediction mode determined based on the prediction mode of the first neighboring block and a second candidate intra prediction mode determined based on the prediction mode of the second neighboring block being the same and the first candidate intra prediction mode being an intra prediction mode having a greater value than a prediction mode value specifying a DC mode, the candidate intra prediction mode list is determined to include the value of the first candidate intra prediction mode (Zhao: paragraph [0108]). Re claim 5, Zhao discloses that the predetermined candidate intra prediction mode comprises at least one of a DC mode or a vertical mode (Zhao: paragraph [0145]). Re claim 6, Zhao discloses that the determining the intra prediction mode of the current block based on the candidate intra prediction mode list is performed by determining any one of candidate intra prediction modes included in the candidate intra prediction mode list to be an intra prediction mode of the current block based on an intra prediction mode indicator obtained from a bitstream (Zhao: paragraph [0125], for each CU in intra mode, a flag indicating whether ALWIP is applied on a corresponding PU is sent in the bitstream). Re claim 7, Zhao discloses determining a reference mode for determining an intra prediction mode of a chroma block corresponding to the current block (Zhao: paragraph [0114]); and determining the intra prediction mode of the chroma block based on the reference mode (Zhao: paragraph [0114]), wherein the current block is a luma block (Zhao: paragraphs [0155]-[0158]), and wherein the reference mode is determined to be a planar mode based on the intra prediction mode of the current block being the MIP mode (Zhao: paragraphs [0155]-[0158]). Re claim 8, Zhao discloses that the intra prediction mode of the chroma block is determined to be the reference mode (Zhao: paragraphs [0155]-[0158]). Re claim 9, Zhao discloses that the reference mode is determined based on the intra prediction mode of the current block, based on the intra prediction mode of the current block not being the MIP mode (Zhao: paragraph [0145]). Claim 10 recites the corresponding encoding method for generating the data that is decoded by the decoding method of claim 1. Encoding and decoding are understood within the art to be inverse operations. Therefore, arguments analogous to those presented for claim 1 are applicable to claim 10. Additionally, Zhao discloses both encoding (Zhao: Figs. 4 and 5; paragraph [0011]) and decoding (Zhao: Figs. 3 and 6; paragraph [0011]). Accordingly, claim 10 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 1 above. Claim 11 recites the corresponding method of transmitting a bitstream generated by the method of claim 10. Therefore, arguments analogous to those presented for claim 10 are applicable to claim 11. Additionally, Zhao discloses both encoding (Zhao: Figs. 4 and 5; paragraph [0011]) and decoding (Zhao: Figs. 3 and 6; paragraph [0011]). Additionally, FIG. 4 of Zhao shows a block diagram of a video encoder (403) included in an electronic device (420), wherein the electronic device (420) includes a transmitter (440) (e.g., transmitting circuitry) (Zhao: paragraph [0064]). The transmitter (440) may buffer the coded video sequence(s) as created by the entropy coder (445) to prepare for transmission via a communication channel (460), which may be a hardware/software link to a storage device which would store the encoded video data (Zhao: paragraph [0076]). The transmitter (440) may merge coded video data from the video coder (403) with other data to be transmitted, for example, coded audio data and/or ancillary data streams (sources not shown) (Zhao: paragraph [0076]). Accordingly, claim 11 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 10 above. Contact Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER G FINDLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-1199. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM. 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, Chris 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. /CHRISTOPHER G FINDLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 15, 2025
Application Filed
Apr 04, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12604018
CONVENTIONAL AND NEURAL NETWORK CODECS FOR RANDOM ACCESS VIDEO CODING
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12590799
Systems and Methods for Estimating Depth from Projected Texture using Camera Arrays
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12593031
IMAGE ENCODING/DECODING METHOD, DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM HAVING BITSTREAM STORED THEREIN
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12574546
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENCODING OR DECODING IMAGE ON BASIS OF INTER MODE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Patent 12574504
IMAGE ENCODING/DECODING METHOD, DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM HAVING BITSTREAM STORED THEREIN
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
77%
Grant Probability
89%
With Interview (+11.8%)
2y 7m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 752 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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