Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 19/023,013

SELECTIVE TRANSFORM SET BASED ON PREDICTION MODE

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Jan 15, 2025
Priority
Jan 17, 2024 — provisional 63/622,058
Examiner
BECK, LERON
Art Unit
2487
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
OA Round
2 (Final)
80%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 80% — above average
80%
Career Allowance Rate
700 granted / 876 resolved
+21.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
929
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
8.8%
-31.2% vs TC avg
§103
52.2%
+12.2% vs TC avg
§102
12.5%
-27.5% vs TC avg
§112
12.4%
-27.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 876 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 2. This is a final action on the merits in response to the reply received 5/1/2026. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejections. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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. Claim(s) 1-8, 13, 18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210195245 A1-Li et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Li”), in view of US 20170374369 A1-Chuang et al (Hereinafter referred toa s “Chu”). Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a method of video decoding performed at a computing system having memory and one or more processors (fig. 8-9, 16-17, 19, 21, 27-30, 32, 35-40, 42-43, 51, 53) the method comprising: receiving a video bitstream comprising a current block encoded using a first prediction mode ([0149], receives a bitstream); identifying a first prediction mode for the current block ([0166]); mapping the first prediction mode to a corresponding intra prediction mode ([0304], wherein IMTS may be used only for intra prediction blocks, or may be used for both intra prediction blocks and inter prediction block); selecting a first transform set from a plurality of transform sets based on the corresponding intra prediction mode ([0305], wherein selection process for selectively switching transform types); and reconstructing the current block using the first transform set ([0379]). Li fails to disclose mapping the first prediction mode to a corresponding intra prediction mode using a decoder side intra mode derivation (DIMD) process However, in the same field of endeavor, Chu discloses mapping the first prediction mode to a corresponding intra prediction mode using a decoder side intra mode derivation (DIMD) process ([011], wherein intra prediction mode selected from the 131 modes for a DIMD coded block is first mapped back to one of the 67 modes, and the mapped mode is stored in an intra mode buffer for MPM derivation) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Li to disclose mapping the first prediction mode to a corresponding intra prediction mode using a decoder side intra mode derivation (DIMD) process as taught by Chu, to improve coding efficiency by improving the quality of the intra predictor ([0006], Chu). Regarding claim 2, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first prediction mode is an inter prediction mode ([0376], inter prediction). Regarding claim 3, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first prediction mode is an intra block copy (IBC) mode ([0650], intra block copy). Regarding claim 4, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first prediction mode comprises a template-matching prediction mode ([0661], template matching). Regarding claim 5, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first prediction mode comprises a combined inter-intra prediction mode ([0304], both intra and inter are being used; [0415], combined inter merge/intra prediction (CIIP) mode), and wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is based on intra portion of the combined inter-intra prediction mode ([0438]). Regarding claim 6, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first prediction mode comprises a geometric partitioning mode (GPM) ([0743]). Regarding claim 7, Li discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is based on a split direction of the GPM ([0610], wherein intra prediction is based on splitting pattern). Regarding claim 8, Li discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is based on an intra prediction portion of the GPM ([0295]). Regarding claim 13, Li discloses he method of claim 1, further comprising deriving a transform set index for the current block based on the corresponding intra prediction mode, wherein the first transform set is selected using the transform set index ([0304]). Regarding claim 18, analyses are analogous to those presented for claim 1 and are applicable for claim 18, encode ([0006]) Regarding claim 20, analyses are analogous to those presented for claim 1 and are applicable for claim 20. Claim(s) 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210195245 A1-Li et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Li”), in view of US 20170374369 A1-Chuang et al (Hereinafter referred toa s “Chu”), in view of US 20130089145 A1-Guo et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Guo”). Regarding claim 9, Li discloses the method of claim 1, Li fails to disclose parsing a syntax element from the video bitstream to determine whether to adjust the corresponding intra prediction, wherein the first transform set is selected based on the corresponding intra prediction mode and the syntax element. However, in the same field of endeavor, Guo discloses parsing a syntax element from the video bitstream to determine whether to adjust the corresponding intra prediction ([0028]), wherein the first transform set is selected based on the corresponding intra prediction mode and the syntax element ([0023]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Li to disclose parsing a syntax element from the video bitstream to determine whether to adjust the corresponding intra prediction, wherein the first transform set is selected based on the corresponding intra prediction mode and the syntax element as taught by Guo, to improve coding efficiency ([0058], Guo). Regarding claim 19, analyses are analogous to those presented for claim 9 and are applicable for claim 19. Claim(s) 14 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210195245 A1-Li et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Li”), in view of US 20170374369 A1-Chuang et al (Hereinafter referred toa s “Chu”), in view of US 20240171752 A1-Kidani. Regarding claim 14, Li discloses the method of claim 1, Li fails to disclose wherein the first prediction mode maps to a set of two or more corresponding intra prediction modes, and wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is selected according to a syntax element in the video bitstream. However, in the same field of endeavor, Kidani discloses wherein the first prediction mode maps to a set of two or more corresponding intra prediction modes (fig. 13), and wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is selected according to a syntax element in the video bitstream ([0066]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Li to disclose wherein the first prediction mode maps to a set of two or more corresponding intra prediction modes, and wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is selected according to a syntax element in the video bitstream as taught by Kidani, to improve coding efficiency ([0059], Kidani). Claim(s) 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210195245 A1-Li et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Li”), in view of US 20170374369 A1-Chuang et al (Hereinafter referred toa s “Chu”), in view of US 20240171752 A1-Kidani, in further view of US 20200304782 A1-Zhaoo et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Zhao”). Regarding claim 15, Kidani discloses the method of claim 14, Kidani fails to disclose wherein the syntax element indicates an index for the set of two or more corresponding intra prediction modes. Zhao discloses wherein the syntax element indicates an index for the set of two or more corresponding intra prediction modes ([0107]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Li and Kidani to disclose wherein the syntax element indicates an index for the set of two or more corresponding intra prediction modes as taught by Zhao, to improve visual quality ([0111). Claim(s) 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210195245 A1-Li et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Li”), in view of US 20170374369 A1-Chuang et al (Hereinafter referred toa s “Chu”), in view of US 20200304782 A1-Zhaoo et al (Hereinafter referred to as “Zhao”). Regarding claim 16, Li discloses the method of claim 1, Li fails to disclose wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is in a range of [-15, 81] inclusive. However, in the same field of endeavor, Zhao discloses wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is in a range of [-15, 81] inclusive ([0186]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Li to disclose wherein the corresponding intra prediction mode is in a range of [-15, 81] inclusive as taught by Zhao, to improve visual quality ([0111). Regarding claim 17, Zhao discloses the method of claim 16, wherein each intra prediction mode is mapped to a corresponding transform set of the plurality of transform sets (fig. 38), and wherein at least one transform set in the plurality of transform sets is a transpose of another transform set in the plurality of transform sets ([0137]). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 10-12 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 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LERON BECK whose telephone number is (571)270-1175. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-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, David Czekaj can be reached at (571) 272-7327. 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. LERON . BECK Examiner Art Unit 2487 /LERON BECK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 15, 2025
Application Filed
Feb 06, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Mar 20, 2026
Interview Requested
May 01, 2026
Response Filed
Jul 15, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
80%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+11.0%)
2y 7m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 876 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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