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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 – 4, 6, 8, 10 – 14, 16, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (WO2019/229682) (hereinafter Zhang), as cited by applicant, in view of Sikora et al. (WO2011/050997) (hereinafter Sikora).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Zhang teaches a method of video decoding and a method of video encoding, the methods comprising:
receiving a video bitstream including coded information of a current block in a current picture and of a plurality of reference pictures of the current picture in a reference list, the current block including a plurality of subblocks (e.g. Fig. 9, element 1902, and par. 145: depicting and describing that the system receives compressed video, the compressed video including a block including a plurality of subblocks and a plurality of reference pictures of the current picture in a reference list [see, e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53 and 98: depicting and describing that the current picture includes a current block [CU], the CU including a plurality of subblocks [sub-CU], and the current picture further including a reference picture list containing a plurality of reference pictures for the current picture], wherein the compressed video is the equivalent of the bitstream including coded information);
determining a reference block of the current block, the reference block including a plurality of reference subblocks corresponding to the plurality of subblocks of the current block (e.g. Figs. 6 and 13, and pars. 49 – 53, and 86 – 87: depicting and describing that the system determines a reference block, the reference block containing a plurality of sub-CUs, wherein the sub-CUs are the equivalent of the plurality of subblocks) ;
determining a subblock-level motion vector (MV) for a subblock of the plurality of subblocks of the current block, the subblock-level MV being associated with a sum of a plurality of intermediate vectors (e.g. Figs. 6 and 13, and pars. 49 – 53, 86 – 92, and 96 - 100: depicting and describing that the system determines a subblock level motion vector for a subblock of the plurality of subblocks of the current block as a sum of a plurality of motion vectors [see, e.g. pars. 86 – 92: describing that a prediction for each subblock is determined based on a sum of prediction blocks identified by a number of different motion vectors for each subblock]); and
encoding/reconstructing the subblock of the plurality of subblocks of the current block based on the subblock-level MV (e.g. Figs. 6 and 13, and pars. 49 – 53, 86 – 92, and 96 - 100: depicting and describing that the encodes and/or reconstructs the subblocks of the current CU based on the determined motion).
Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein each of the plurality of intermediate vectors are defined between two different respective pictures of the plurality of reference pictures.
Sikora, however, teaches a method of decoding and a method of encoding:
wherein each of the plurality of intermediate vectors are defined between two different respective pictures of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. Fig. 3 and pg. 10, line 9 – pg. 11, line 18: depicting and describing that each of the plurality of motion vectors [elements MV10, Mv11 MV12, MV13, and MV14] are defined between two different reference pictures [elements C1-C5 with element P10 in Frame 0 being the current block in a current picture to be coded]).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Sikora in order for each of the plurality of intermediate vectors to be defined between two different respective pictures of the plurality of reference pictures. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification reduces noise in a predicted pixel value (Sikora, e.g. pg. 9, lines 11 – 26: describing a desire to reduce noise in predicted pixel values).
Turning to claims 2 and 12, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 11, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang further teaches:
wherein the plurality of intermediate vectors includes a first intermediate MV from a first one of the plurality of reference subblocks positioned in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures to a first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a second one of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53: depicting and describing that the system retrieves a motion vector from a corresponding sub-CU in the corresponding block, the motion vector being a vector between the corresponding sub-CU and a prediction sub-CU in a reference picture from the reference picture list, wherein the corresponding CU is the equivalent of the reference block, and wherein sub-CU is the equivalent of subblock).
Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein the plurality of intermediate vectors further includes a second intermediate MV from the first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in the second one of the plurality of reference pictures to a second intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a third one of the plurality of reference pictures.
Sikora, however, teaches an encoding method and a decoding method:
wherein the plurality of intermediate vectors further includes a second intermediate MV from the first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in the second one of the plurality of reference pictures to a second intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a third one of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. Fig. 3 and pg. 10, line 9 – pg. 11, line 18: depicting and describing a second motion vector [element MV12] from the first prediction block in the second reference picture [element P12 in reference picture C2] to a second prediction block [element P13] in a third reference picture [element C3]).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Sikora in order for the plurality of intermediate vectors to include a second intermediate MV from the first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in the second one of the plurality of reference pictures to a second intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a third one of the plurality of reference pictures. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification reduces noise in a predicted pixel value (Sikora, e.g. pg. 9, lines 11 – 26: describing a desire to reduce noise in predicted pixel values).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 2, and claims 11 and 12, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang further teaches:
wherein the first intermediate prediction block is an intermediate prediction subblock of the first one of the plurality of reference subblocks (e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53: depicting and describing that the first prediction block is a prediction subblock of the corresponding sub-CU of the plurality of corresponding sub-CUs, wherein the corresponding sub-CU is the equivalent of the plurality of reference subblocks).
Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein the second intermediate prediction subblock is a prediction subblock of the first intermediate prediction subblock.
Sikora, however, teaches an image encoding method and an image decoding method:
wherein the second intermediate prediction subblock is a prediction subblock of the first intermediate prediction subblock (e.g. Fig. 3 and pg. 10, line 9 – pg., 11, line 18: depicting and describing that the first prediction block [element P12] is a reference block of a first reference block [element P11], and the second prediction block [element P13] is a prediction block of the first prediction block [element P12]).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Sikora in order for the second intermediate prediction subblock to be a prediction subblock of the first intermediate prediction subblock. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification reduces noise in a predicted pixel value (Sikora, e.g. pg. 9, lines 11 – 26: describing a desire to reduce noise in predicted pixel values).
Turning to claims 4 and 14, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 11, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang further teaches:
wherein the determining the reference block includes determining the reference block in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures according to a first intermediate MV (e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53: depicting and describing that the reference block is determined as a reference block in a reference picture according to a first motion vector [ATMVP step one]).
Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein the plurality of intermediate vectors includes (i) the first intermediate MV from the current block to the reference block in the first one of the plurality of reference pictures, and (ii) a second intermediate MV from a first one of the plurality of reference subblocks to a first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a second one of the plurality of reference pictures.
Sikora, however, teaches an image encoding method and an image decoding method:
wherein the plurality of intermediate vectors includes (i) the first intermediate MV from the current block to the reference block in the first one of the plurality of reference pictures, and (ii) a second intermediate MV from a first one of the plurality of reference subblocks to a first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a second one of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. Fig. 3 and pg. 10, line 9 – pg. 11, line 18: depicting and describing that the system combines a plurality of motion vectors, the plurality of motion vectors including a first vector from the current block to the reference block in a first reference picture [motion vector MV10 from current block P10 to a first reference block P11 in a first reference picture C1], and a second vector from the reference block to a second reference block in a second reference picture [motion vector MV11 from the first reference block P11 to a second reference block P12 in a second reference picture C2]).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Sikora in order for the plurality of intermediate vectors to include (i) the first intermediate MV from the current block to the reference block in the first one of the plurality of reference pictures, and (ii) a second intermediate MV from a first one of the plurality of reference subblocks to a first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a second one of the plurality of reference pictures. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification reduces noise in a predicted pixel value (Sikora, e.g. pg. 9, lines 11 – 26: describing a desire to reduce noise in predicted pixel values).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 11, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang further teaches:
wherein the reference list is one of a forward reference list and a backward reference list with respect to the current picture (e.g. par. 98: describing that the reference list is one of a forward reference list and a backward reference list).
Turning to claims 8 and 18, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 11, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang further teaches:
determining a spatial neighboring coded block of the current block (e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53: depicting and describing that the system determines a spatial neighbor of the current block);
determining a motion vector from the spatial neighboring coded block to a reference block of the spatial neighboring coded block in one of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53: depicting and describing that the system obtains a motion vector and an associated reference index for the reference list from the spatial neighboring block);
determining a collocated block of the current block in the one of the plurality of reference pictures based on the motion vector, the collocated block including a plurality of collocated subblocks corresponding to the plurality of subblocks of the current block (e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53: depicting and describing that the system determines a corresponding block to the current block, the corresponding block including a plurality of sub-CUs corresponding to the sub-CUs of the current block); and
determining a subblock-based MV for the subblock of the plurality of subblocks of the current block based on a MV of one of the plurality of collocated subblocks that corresponds to the subblock of the current block (e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53: depicting and describing that the system determines motion information for each sub-CU of the current CU based on motion information of the corresponding sub-CU in the corresponding block).
Regarding claim 10, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claim 1, as discussed above. Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein a total number of the plurality of intermediate vectors is defined according to a maximum trace depth.
Sikora, however, teaches a decoding method:
wherein a total number of the plurality of intermediate vectors is defined according to a maximum trace depth (e.g. pg. 11, line 4 – pg. 12, line 20: describing that the number of motions vectors used in the chain of motion vectors is defined according to a maximum length, wherein each motion vector in the chain of motion vectors is the equivalent of the plurality of intermediate vectors, and wherein the maximum length is the equivalent of the maximum trace depth).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Sikora in order for a total number of the plurality of intermediate vectors to be defined according to a maximum trace depth. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification reduces noise in a predicted pixel value (Sikora, e.g. pg. 9, lines 11 – 26: describing a desire to reduce noise in predicted pixel values).
Turning to claim 20, Zhang teaches a method of processing visual media data, the method comprising:
processing a bitstream of the visual media data according to a format rule (e.g. Fig. 9 and par. 145: depicting and describing that the system processes compressed video data, wherein compressed video data is the equivalent of the bitstream of visual media data),
wherein:
the bitstream includes coded information of a current block in a current picture and of a plurality of reference pictures of the current picture in a reference list, the current block including a plurality of subblocks (e.g. Fig. 9, element 1902, and par. 145: depicting and describing that the system receives compressed video, the compressed video including a block including a plurality of subblocks and a plurality of reference pictures of the current picture in a reference list [see, e.g. Fig. 6 and pars. 49 – 53 and 98: depicting and describing that the current picture includes a current block [CU], the CU including a plurality of subblocks [sub-CU], and the current picture further including a reference picture list containing a plurality of reference pictures for the current picture], wherein the compressed video is the equivalent of the bitstream including coded information); and
the format rule specifies that:
a reference block of the current block is determined, the reference block including a plurality of reference subblocks corresponding to the plurality of subblocks of the current block (e.g. Figs. 6 and 13, and pars. 49 – 53, and 86 – 87: depicting and describing that the system determines a reference block, the reference block containing a plurality of sub-CUs, wherein the sub-CUs are the equivalent of the plurality of subblocks);
a subblock-level motion vector (MV) is determined for a subblock of the plurality of subblocks of the current block, the subblock-level MV being associated with a sum of a plurality of intermediate vectors (e.g. Figs. 6 and 13, and pars. 49 – 53, 86 – 92, and 96 - 100: depicting and describing that the system determines a subblock level motion vector for a subblock of the plurality of subblocks of the current block as a sum of a plurality of motion vectors [see, e.g. pars. 86 – 92: describing that a prediction for each subblock is determined based on a sum of prediction blocks identified by a number of different motion vectors for each subblock]); and
the subblock of the plurality of subblocks of the current block is processed based on the subblock-level MV (e.g. Figs. 6 and 13, and pars. 49 – 53, 86 – 92, and 96 - 100: depicting and describing that the encodes and/or reconstructs the subblocks of the current CU based on the determined motion).
Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein each of the plurality of intermediate vectors are defined between two different respective pictures of the plurality of reference pictures.
Sikora, however, teaches a method of decoding and a method of encoding:
wherein each of the plurality of intermediate vectors are defined between two different respective pictures of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. Fig. 3 and pg. 10, line 9 – pg. 11, line 18: depicting and describing that each of the plurality of motion vectors [elements MV10, Mv11 MV12, MV13, and MV14] are defined between two different reference pictures [elements C1-C5 with element P10 in Frame 0 being the current block in a current picture to be coded]).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Sikora in order for each of the plurality of intermediate vectors to be defined between two different respective pictures of the plurality of reference pictures. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification reduces noise in a predicted pixel value (Sikora, e.g. pg. 9, lines 11 – 26: describing a desire to reduce noise in predicted pixel values).
Claim(s) 5 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (WO2019/229682) (hereinafter Zhang), as cited by applicant, in view of Sikora et al. (WO2011/050997) (hereinafter Sikora) as applied to claims 1 and 11, respectively, above, and further in view of Xu et al. (US 2020/0128266) (hereinafter Xu).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 11, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein the determining the reference block includes determining the reference block as a reconstructed block in the current picture indicated by a block vector (BV), and
wherein the plurality of intermediate vectors includes (i) the BV from the current block to the reference block in the current picture, and (ii) a first intermediate MV from a first one of the plurality of reference subblocks to a first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures.
Xu, however, teaches an image decoding method and an image encoding method:
wherein the determining the reference block includes determining the reference block as a reconstructed block in the current picture indicated by a block vector (BV) (e.g. Fig. 18 and pars. 183 – 191: depicting and describing that the system determines a reference block for a current block as a reconstructed block in the current picture indicated by a block vector [see, e.g. par. 186: describing that a block vector is used to determine a reference block in the same picture as the current block] ), and
wherein the plurality of intermediate vectors includes (i) the BV from the current block to the reference block in the current picture, and (ii) a first intermediate MV from a first one of the plurality of reference subblocks to a first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. Fig. 18 and pars. 183 – 191: depicting and describing that the system determines subblock motion [see, e.g. pars. 146 – 147: describing that the system obtains motion for subblocks of a current block] using the block vector of the current block to the reference block in a current picture and motion information of a corresponding subblock in the reference block).
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Xu in order to determine the reference bock according to a block vector and for the plurality of intermediate vectors to include (i) the BV from the current block to the reference block in the current picture, and (ii) a first intermediate MV from a first one of the plurality of reference subblocks to a first intermediate prediction subblock positioned in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures . One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification allows inter prediction tools to be used when the reference picture is the current picture (Xu, e.g. par. 99: describing a desire to use inter prediction tools when the current picture is also used as a reference picture).
Claim(s) 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (WO2019/229682) (hereinafter Zhang), as cited by applicant, in view of Sikora et al. (WO2011/050997) (hereinafter Sikora) as applied to claims 1 and 11, respectively, above, and further in view of Lee et al. (US2017/0332099) (hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 11, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang does not explicitly teach:
wherein the determining the reference block further comprises:
deriving a displacement vector (DV) based on a MV of a spatial neighboring coded block of the current block; and
determining the reference block indicated by the DV in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures.
Lee, however, teaches an image encoding method and an image decoding method:
wherein the determining the reference block further comprises:
deriving a displacement vector (DV) based on a MV of a spatial neighboring coded block of the current block (e.g. par. 288: describing that the system determines a motion vector difference based on a motion vector of a spatial neighboring block, wherein the motion vector difference is the equivalent of the displacement vector); and
determining the reference block indicated by the DV in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures (e.g. par. 288: describing that the system determines a motion reference block indicated by the motion vector difference [describing that the MVD is used to determine the ATMVP reference, the ATMVP reference being a reference block in a reference picture, see, e.g. Fig. 12 and par. 229: depicting and describing that motion information from a spatial neighbor is used to determine a motion reference block in a reference picture]) .
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Lee in order for determining the reference block to include deriving a displacement vector (DV) based on a MV of a spatial neighboring coded block of the current block and determining the reference block indicated by the DV in a first one of the plurality of reference pictures. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification allows for improved efficiency, simplicity, and flexibility of coding systems (Lee, e.g. par. 33: describing a desire to provide higher efficiency, lower implementation complexity, and flexibility in coding systems).
Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (WO2019/229682) (hereinafter Zhang), as cited by applicant, in view of Sikora et al. (WO2011/050997) (hereinafter Sikora) as applied to claims 1 and 8, and claims 11 and 18, respectively, above, and further in view of Zhang et al. (US 2024/0179342) (hereinafter Zhang 2).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Zhang and Sikora teach all of the limitations of claims 1 and 8, and claims 11 and 18, respectively, as discussed above. Zhang further teaches:
constructing a merge candidate list including merge candidates indicated by the subblock- level MV and the subblock-based MV (e.g. par. 108: describing sub-block merge candidates generated are inserted into a merge candidate list).
Zhang does not explicitly teach:
reordering the merge candidates based on template costs of the merge candidates.
Zhang 2, however, teaches an image encoding method and an image decoding method:
reordering the merge candidates based on template costs of the merge candidates (e.g. pars. 126 – 130: describing that the system reorders the merge candidates based on template costs of the candidates)
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Zhang by adding the teachings of Lee in order to reorder the merge candidates based on template costs of the merge candidates. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification because the modification improves coding efficiency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANIKA M BRUMFIELD whose telephone number is (571)270-3700. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 - 5 PM AWS.
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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.
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SHANIKA M. BRUMFIELD
Examiner
Art Unit 2487
/SHANIKA M BRUMFIELD/Examiner, Art Unit 2487
/Dave Czekaj/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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