DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/09/25 and 09/17/25 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lim et al. US 2014/0226717.
As to claim 1, Lim teaches an image decoding method performed by a decoding apparatus, the method comprising: obtaining image information including intra prediction mode information of a current block indicating an intra prediction mode of the current block; [fig. 2; fig. 4; fig. 7; ¶ 0049; ¶ 0063-0064; ¶ 0078; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0106-0110] determining an intra prediction mode candidate of the current block based on a top neighboring block of the current block; [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0112-0122] determining an intra prediction mode of the current block based on the intra prediction mode candidate and the intra prediction mode information; [¶ 0063-0064; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0106-0110] and deriving a prediction sample of the current block based on the intra prediction mode of the current block; [¶ 0078; ¶ 0089-0093] deriving a residual sample of the current block based on a quantization parameter of the current block; [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0047-0053; ¶ 0065-0078] and generating a reconstructed picture based on the prediction sample and the residual sample, [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0056-0059; ¶ 0068-0074; ¶ 0089] wherein the intra prediction mode candidate of the current block is determined based on whether the top neighboring block of the current block is out of a row boundary of a current coding tree block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] wherein based on the top neighboring block of the current block being out of the current coding tree block row of the current block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] the quantization parameter of the current block is derived based on a quantization parameter of a previous coded block of the current block, and wherein the current block belongs to the current coding tree block. [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0048-0052; ¶ 0070-0071; ¶ 0081-0084]
As to claim 2, Lim teaches an image encoding method performed by an encoding apparatus, the method comprising: determining an intra prediction mode candidate of a current block based on a top neighboring block of the current block; [fig. 2; fig. 4; fig. 7; ¶ 0049; ¶ 0063-0064; ¶ 0078; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0106-0110] determining an intra prediction mode of the current block based on the intra prediction mode candidate; [¶ 0063-0064; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0106-0110] deriving a prediction sample of the current block based on the intra prediction mode of the current block; [¶ 0078; ¶ 0089-0093] deriving a residual sample of the current block based on the prediction sample; [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0056-0059; ¶ 0068-0074; ¶ 0089] deriving a transform coefficient based on the residual sample and a quantization parameter of the current block; [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0047-0056] and encoding image information including residual information for the transform coefficient and intra prediction mode information of the current block indicating the intra prediction mode of the current block, [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0047-0059; ¶ 0068-0074; ¶ 0089] wherein the intra prediction mode candidate of the current block is determined based on whether the top neighboring block of the current block is out of a row boundary of a current coding tree block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] wherein based on the top neighboring block of the current block being out of the current coding tree block row of the current block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] the quantization parameter of the current block is derived based on a quantization parameter of a previous coded block of the current block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] an wherein the current block belongs to the current coding tree block. [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0048-0052; ¶ 0070-0071; ¶ 0081-0084]
As to claim 3, Lim teaches a transmission method for image data, the method comprising: obtaining a bitstream of encoded image information, [fig. 1; ¶ 0047-0054] wherein the encoded image information is generated based on determining an intra prediction mode candidate of a current block based on a top neighboring block of the current block, [fig. 2; fig. 4; fig. 7; ¶ 0049; ¶ 0063-0064; ¶ 0078; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0106-0110] determining an intra prediction mode of the current block based on the intra prediction mode candidate, [¶ 0063-0064; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0106-0110] deriving a prediction sample of the current block based on the intra prediction mode of the current block, [¶ 0078; ¶ 0089-0093] deriving a residual sample of the current block based on the prediction sample, [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0056-0059; ¶ 0068-0074; ¶ 0089] deriving a transform coefficient based on the residual sample and a quantization parameter of the current block, [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0047-0056] and encoding the image information including residual information for the transform coefficient and intra prediction mode information of the current block indicating the intra prediction mode of the current block; [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0047-0059; ¶ 0068-0074; ¶ 0089] and transmitting the image data comprising the bitstream, [¶ 0052-0053] wherein the intra prediction mode candidate of the current block is determined based on whether the top neighboring block of the current block is out of a row boundary of a current coding tree block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] wherein based on the top neighboring block of the current block being out of the current coding tree block row of the current block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] the quantization parameter of the current block is derived based on a quantization parameter of a previous coded block of the current block, [¶ 0012; ¶ 0089-0093; ¶ 0135-0149] and wherein the current block belongs to the current coding tree block. [fig. 1; fig. 3; ¶ 0048-0052; ¶ 0070-0071; ¶ 0081-0084]
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNER HOLDER whose telephone number is (571)270-1549. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4.
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, Joseph Ustaris can be reached at 571.272.7383. 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.
/ANNER HOLDER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483