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 § 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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasai et al. (US patent 9191683 B2; hereinafter “Sasai”) in further view of Heo et al. (US publication 20160249066 A1; hereinafter Heo) and Zhang et al. (applicant provided US publication 20160353113 A1; hereinafter “Zhang”).
In re to claim 1, Sasai teaches wherein: A data encoding method of encoding data (abstract lines 1-2 discloses that the system performs both encoding and decoding in relation to its arithmetic coding methodology. See also Figs. 13 and 16, which shows the coding apparatus), the data encoding method comprising: calculating a predicted value of a current value to be encoded included in the data (Fig. 16 shows the generation of prediction signals and intra prediction signals utilized to code an input signal. It is understood that the predicted values (being the predicted signals) derived from the input signal are predicted values of a current value to be encoded (being the input signal values));
calculating a prediction residual which is a difference between the current value and the predicted value (prediction error; col. 28 lines 12-13 discloses the generation of a prediction error as a difference between the input signal and the prediction signal);
binarizing the prediction residual to generate binary data (Fig. 16 shows that the prediction error undergoes a process of transformation, quantization, and subsequent entropy coding (as is performed in Fig. 16 (420)). See also col. 28 lines 29-32 discloses that the apparatus 300 of Fig. 13 is part of Fig. 16 (420). As such, the prediction error is understood to undergo binarization due to Fig. 13 performing binarization on its input information (see Fig. 13 (310))) including a prefix and a suffix (Figs. 3A-3D exemplifies the binarization that occurs for the system binarizes both a prefix and suffix portion. See also Fig. 14A which shows binarization outputting a prefix and suffix (the steps of Fig. 14A are described as the operation of coding apparatus 300 per col. 24 lines 7-9));
Sasai does not explicitly teach wherein: coding of three-dimensional data.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Heo teaches wherein: coding of three-dimensional data (Fig. 1 shows the encoding of video data that comprises three-dimensional data).
Heo, like Sasai, performs entropy coding in relation to input data. Further performing coding with the ability to leverage context based adaptive binary arithmetic coding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sasai to code three-dimensional data, as taught by Heo, to arrive at the claimed invention discussed above. The motivation for the proposed modification would be to enable application of the coding methodologies to three-dimensional data, thereby enabling Sasai to market to three-dimensional data coding markets.
Sasai, in view of Heo, does not explicitly teach wherein: selecting a first context to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the suffix bit;
selecting a second context to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the prefix; and
arithmetic encoding the binary data, wherein in the arithmetic encoding of the binary data, (i) the first context is applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second context is applied to the current bit of the prefix.
selecting a first context to be used to arithmetic encode (MPS value applied to suffix; [0074], discloses the usage of context modeling for arithmetic coding. Further, per [0076] the context in the model (based on CABAC (context based arithmetic coding)) utilizes a most probable symbol value (MPS). This value represents the probability between a bit being 0 or 1 per [0076] lines 5-7, and is further used to entropy code data using an arithmetic coder. Additionally, the current bit is understood as the bit being coded) a current bit of the suffix bit ([0076], discloses coding of binary bits of data, thus, disclosing application per bit of data. Further, this data contains both a prefix and suffix bits as suggested by [0294] denoting the encoding of prefix and suffix binarized data. As such, the MPS value is understood to be applied to the suffix (thus making it the selected context used to encode said suffix));
selecting a second context to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the prefix(MPS value applied to prefix; [0076], discloses coding of binary bits of data, thus, disclosing application per bit of data. Further, this data contains both a prefix and suffix bits as suggested by [0294] denoting the encoding of prefix and suffix binarized data. As such, the MPS value is understood to be applied to the prefix (thus making it the selected context used to encode said prefix)); and
arithmetic encoding the binary data, wherein in the arithmetic encoding of the binary data, (i) the first context is applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second context is applied to the current bit of the prefix ([0074], discloses the usage of context modeling for arithmetic coding. Further, it is stated in [0076] that the context in the model, (based on CABAC (context based arithmetic coding)) utilizes the most probable symbol value (MPS) to encode the prefix and suffix data (and as such does so using the first and second contexts, correspondent to the claims)).
Zhang, like Sasai, teaches a system for encoding and decoding data comprising prefix and suffix data, with both capable of leveraging the use of context adaptive coding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sasai, in view of Heo, to utilize context when coding, as taught by Zhang, to arrive at the claimed invention discussed above. The motivation for the proposed modification would be to increase the effectiveness of arithmetically coding binary data and achieve higher coding efficiency as is suggested by Zhang [0094] due to the use of context modeling. While also allowing adaptability for the coding process due to the updating of the context model based on previously coded values (Zhang, [0094]), better fitting the coding of values per bit.
In re to claim 2 [dependent on claim 1], Sasai, in view of Heo and Zhang, teaches wherein: the first context and the second context each determine a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data ([0076] discloses utilizing a most probable symbol value (MPS). This value representing the probability between a bit being 0 or 1 per [0076] lines 5-7).
The reasons for combination are the same as provided above.
In re to claim 3, Sasai teaches wherein: A data decoding method of decoding data (abstract lines 1-2 discloses that the system performs both encoding and decoding in relation to its arithmetic coding methodology), the data decoding method comprising: calculating a predicted value of a current value to be decoded included in the three-dimensional data (Fig. 12 shows the generation of prediction signals and intra prediction signals utilized to decode an input signal. It is understood that the predicted values (being the predicted signals) derived from the input signal are predicted values of a current value to be decoded (being the input signal values));
arithmetic decoding (Fig. 4, as per col. 3 lines 28-29 and col. 5 lines 33-40, discloses the arithmetic nature of the decoding process) encoded data (prediction error; col. 22 lines 39-46 discloses the generation of a prediction error as a result of the decoding operations performed in Fig. 12) included in a bitstream to generate binary data including a prefix and a suffix (Figs. 8A-8B shows the decoding operations include the decoding of prefix and suffix data regarding decoding. See also Fig. 2 and col. 5 lines 33-51, which discuss decoding of prefix/suffix data and the binary nature of said data. Additionally, );
debinarizing the binary data to generate a prediction residual (col. 14 line 63-col. 15 line 3 discloses debinarizing data with respect to apparatus 100 of Fig. 7. See also col. 22 lines 35-38, which indicate apparatus 100 of Fig. 7 is a part of the entropy decoding unit. Thus, the prediction error shown in Fig. 12 is the result of debinarizing); and
calculating the current value by adding the predicted value and the prediction residual (Fig. 12 (225) shows combination of the prediction error and the prediction signal (understood to be the prediction value)).
Sasai does not explicitly teach wherein: coding of three-dimensional data.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Heo teaches wherein: coding of three-dimensional data (Fig. 1 shows the encoding of video data that comprises three-dimensional data).
Heo, like Sasai, performs entropy coding in relation to input data. Further performing coding with the ability to leverage context based adaptive binary arithmetic coding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sasai to code three-dimensional data, as taught by Heo, to arrive at the claimed invention discussed above. The motivation for the proposed modification would be to enable application of the coding methodologies to three-dimensional data, thereby enabling Sasai to market to three-dimensional data coding markets.
Sasai, in view of Heo, does not explicitly teach wherein: selecting a first context to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the suffix (MPS value applied to suffix; [0074], discloses the usage of context modeling for arithmetic coding. Further, per [0076] the context in the model (based on CABAC (context based arithmetic coding)) utilizes a most probable symbol value (MPS). This value represents the probability between a bit being 0 or 1 per [0076] lines 5-7, and is further used to entropy code data using an arithmetic coder. Additionally, the current bit is understood as the bit being coded. This coding is extended to the decoder by virtue of it decoding encoded data as suggested by Fig. 1, see also [0219] which denotes the entropy decoding of corresponding encoding bins of data); and
selecting a second context to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the prefix (MPS value applied to prefix; [0076], discloses coding of binary bits of data, thus, disclosing application per bit of data. Further, this data contains both a prefix and suffix bits as suggested by [0294] denoting the encoding of prefix and suffix binarized data. As such, the MPS value is understood to be applied to the prefix (thus making it the selected context used to encode said prefix). This coding is extended to the decoder by virtue of it decoding encoded data as suggested by Fig. 1, see also [0219] which denotes the entropy decoding of corresponding encoding bins of data), and in the arithmetic decoding of the encoded data, (i) the first context is applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second context is applied to the current bit of the prefix ([0074], discloses the usage of context modeling for arithmetic coding. Further, it is stated in [0076] that the context in the model, (based on CABAC (context based arithmetic coding)) utilizes the most probable symbol value (MPS) to encode the prefix and suffix data (and as such does so using the first and second contexts, correspondent to the claims)) .
Zhang, like Sasai, teaches a system for encoding and decoding data comprising prefix and suffix data, with both capable of leveraging the use of context adaptive coding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sasai, in view of Heo, to utilize context when coding, as taught by Zhang, to arrive at the claimed invention discussed above. The motivation for the proposed modification would be to increase the effectiveness of arithmetically coding binary data and achieve higher coding efficiency as is suggested by Zhang [0094] due to the use of context modeling. While also allowing adaptability for the coding process due to the updating of the context model based on previously coded values (Zhang, [0094]), better fitting the coding of values per bit.
In re to claim 4 [dependent on claim 3], Sasai, in view of Heo and Zhang, teaches wherein: the first context and the second context each determine a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data ([0076] discloses utilizing a most probable symbol value (MPS). This value representing the probability between a bit being 0 or 1 per [0076] lines 5-7).
As to claims 5-6, by virtue of Sasai col. 21 lines 39-49 teaches application of processing and memory (due to usage of a CPU and memory, they are the device that performs the method of claim 1-2. As such, it recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons as provided above.
As to claims 7-8, by virtue of Sasai col. 21 lines 39-49 teaches application of processing and memory (due to usage of a CPU and memory, they are the device that performs the method of claims 3-5. As such, it recites similar limitations and is rejected for the same reasons as provided above.
Double Patenting
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 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); 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 nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-4 and 5-8 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 8, and 15-16 of Sugio (US publication 20210082153 A1; hereinafter “Sugio”). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other Sugio incorporates the limitations of the respective claims under more narrow claim limitations, or recites the same limitations with different but synonymous wording.
19/023,892 (pub US 20250157086 A1)
US 20210082153 A1
1. A three-dimensional data encoding method of encoding three- dimensional data, the three-dimensional data encoding method comprising: calculating a predicted value of a current value to be encoded included in the three-dimensional data;
calculating a prediction residual which is a difference between the current value and the predicted value;
binarizing the prediction residual to generate binary data including a prefix and a suffix;
selecting a first context to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the suffix;
selecting a second context to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the prefix; and
arithmetic encoding the binary data, wherein in the arithmetic encoding of the binary data, (i) the first context is applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second context is applied to the current bit of the prefix.
2. The three-dimensional data encoding method according to wherein the first context and the second context each determine a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data.
1. A three-dimensional data encoding method of encoding a three- dimensional point having attribute information, the three-dimensional data encoding method comprising: calculating a predicted value of the attribute information of the three-dimensional point;
calculating a prediction residual which is a difference between the attribute information of the three-dimensional point and the predicted value;
binarizing the prediction residual to generate binary data including a prefix and a suffix;
selecting a first occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the suffix;
selecting a second occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the prefix; and
arithmetic encoding the binary data, wherein in the arithmetic encoding of the binary data, (i) the first occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the prefix, and the first occurrence probability value and the second occurrence probability value each indicate a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data.
3. A three-dimensional data decoding method of decoding three- dimensional data, the three-dimensional data decoding method comprising: calculating a predicted value of a current value to be decoded included in the three-dimensional data;
arithmetic decoding encoded data included in a bitstream to generate binary data including a prefix and a suffix; debinarizing the binary data to generate a prediction residual; and
calculating the current value by adding the predicted value and the prediction residual, wherein the three-dimensional data decoding method further comprises: selecting a first context to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the suffix; and
selecting a second context to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the prefix, and in the arithmetic decoding of the encoded data, (i) the first context is applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second context is applied to the current bit of the prefix.
4. The three-dimensional data decoding method according to The three-dimensional data decoding method according to wherein the first context and the second context each determine a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data.
8. A three-dimensional data decoding method of decoding a three- dimensional point having attribute information, the three-dimensional data decoding method comprising: calculating a predicted value of the attribute information of the three-dimensional point;
arithmetic decoding encoded data included in a bitstream to generate binary data including a prefix and a suffix; debinarizing the binary data to generate a prediction residual; and
calculating a decoded value of the attribute information of the three-dimensional point by adding the predicted value and the prediction residual, wherein the three-dimensional data decoding method further comprises: selecting a first occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the suffix; and
selecting a second occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the prefix, in the arithmetic decoding of the encoded data, (i) the first occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the prefix, and the first occurrence probability value and the second occurrence probability value each indicate a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data.
6.A three-dimensional data encoding device which encodes three- dimensional data, the three-dimensional data encoding device comprising: a processor; and
memory, wherein, using the memory, the processor: calculates a predicted value of a current value to be encoded included in the three-dimensional data;
calculates a prediction residual which is a difference between the current value and the predicted value;
binarizes the prediction residual to generate binary data including a prefix and a suffix;
selects a first context to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the suffix; selects a second context to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the prefix; and
arithmetic encodes the binary data, and in the arithmetic encoding of the binary data, (i) the first context is applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second context is applied to the current bit of the prefix.
6. The three-dimensional data encoding device according to The three-dimensional data encoding device according to wherein the first context and the second context each determine a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data.
15. A three-dimensional data encoding device which encodes a three- dimensional point having attribute information, the three-dimensional data encoding device comprising: a processor; and
memory, wherein, using the memory, the processor: calculates a predicted value of the attribute information of the three-dimensional point;
calculates a prediction residual which is a difference between the attribute information of the three-dimensional point and the predicted value;
binarizes the prediction residual to generate binary data including a prefix and a suffix;
selecting a first occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the suffix; selecting a second occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic encode a current bit of the prefix; and
arithmetic encodes the binary data, in the arithmetic encoding of the binary data, (i) the first occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the prefix, and the first occurrence probability value and the second occurrence probability value each indicate a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data.
A three-dimensional data decoding device which decodes three- dimensional data, the three-dimensional data decoding device comprising: a processor; and
memory, wherein, using the memory, the processor: calculates a predicted value of a current value to be decoded included in the three-dimensional data;
arithmetic decodes encoded data included in a bitstream to generate binary data, the binary data including a prefix and a suffix;
debinarizes the binary data to generate a prediction residual; and
calculates the current value by adding the predicted value and the prediction residual, the processor further: selects a first context to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the suffix; and
selects a second context to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the prefix, and in the arithmetic decoding of the encoded data, (i) the first context is applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second context is applied to the current bit of the prefix.
8. The three-dimensional data decoding device according to The three-dimensional data decoding device according to wherein the first context and the second context each determine a probability of occurrence of 0 or 1 in the binary data.
16. A three-dimensional data decoding device which decodes a three- dimensional point having attribute information, the three-dimensional data decoding device comprising: a processor; and
memory, wherein, using the memory, the processor: calculates a predicted value of the attribute information of the three-dimensional point;
arithmetic decodes encoded data included in a bitstream to generate binary data, the binary data including a prefix and a suffix;
debinarizes the binary data to generate a prediction residual; and
calculating a decoded value of the attribute information of the three-dimensional point by adding the predicted value and the prediction residual, wherein the binary data includes a prefix and a suffix, and the processor further: selects a first occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the suffix; and
selects a second occurrence probability value to be used to arithmetic decode a current bit of the prefix, in the arithmetic decoding of the encoded data, (i) the first occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the suffix, and (ii) the second occurrence probability value is independently applied to the current bit of the prefix, and the first occurrence probability value and the second occurrence probability value each indicate
Conclusion
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/KEVIN M COOMBER/Examiner, Art Unit 2663
/GREGORY A MORSE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2698
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