Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 26, 2026
Application No. 19/026,157

METHOD FOR ENCODING/DECODING IMAGE SIGNAL, AND DEVICE FOR SAME

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Jan 16, 2025
Priority
Apr 17, 2019 — RE 10-2019-0044682 +5 more
Examiner
CHIO, TAT CHI
Art Unit
2486
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Apple Inc.
OA Round
2 (Final)
73%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1y 5m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 73% — above average
73%
Career Allowance Rate
632 granted / 866 resolved
+15.0% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+17.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
913
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
9.6%
-30.4% vs TC avg
§103
55.3%
+15.3% vs TC avg
§102
18.8%
-21.2% vs TC avg
§112
5.5%
-34.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 866 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed 7/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the earliest possible priority date for Kang (US 2021/0274176 A1) is September 18, 2019, and the effective filing date for the application is 4/17/2019. In response, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Kang has foreign application priority date: 9/19/2018, 9/28/2018, and 12/31/2018. Each of them is earlier than 4/17/2019. Thus, Kang is prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). See MPEP 2154. Claim Objections Claims 1-2 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 1-2 recite, “…determining, based on the bitstream, and a current picture….” The word “and” appears to be a typographical error. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 3 recites, “a representation of the plurality of files….” The word “files” appears to be a typographical error. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 Kang et al. (US 2021/0274176 A1). Consider claim 2, Kang teaches a system comprising: at least one processor (hardware devices. [0525]); and at least one computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor (computer-readable recording medium. [0525]), the computer-readable medium storing instructions (program instructions. [0525]) which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: accessing a bitstream representing a video (decoding apparatus receives a bitstream. [0177]); determining, based on the bitstream, and a current picture of the video has been partitioned into a plurality of tiles (The picture may be partitioned into one or more tile rows and one or more tile columns. [0113]; An indicator (flag, index, tiles_enabled_flag, etc.) representing whether or not a single picture is configured with at least two tiles may be signaled through a slice header, a tile group header, a parameter set such as a picture parameter set, and a sequence parameter set. For example, when an indicator has a first value (for example, 0), it may represent that a single picture is configured with a single tile. When an indicator has a second value (for example, 1), it may represent that a single picture is configured with at least two tiles. [0378]), wherein the plurality of tiles are signaled in the bitstream in raster-scan order (An order between tiles included in a tile group may be an order of signaling tiles within a tile group or encoding and decoding orders of the tiles. The order may be a predefined order, and the predefined order may be, for example, a raster scan order. [0291]; see also [0298] – [0300], [0325], [0421] – [0422]); parsing, from the bitstream (the entropy decoding unit generates symbols by entropy decoding the bitstream according to a probability distribution. [0180]; parsing means determination of a value of a syntax element by performing entropy decoding. [0118]; symbol means at least one of a syntax element, a coding parameter, and a transform coefficient value of an encoding/decoding target unit. [0119]): a first syntax signaling a number of tile columns of the current picture minus one (as information representing a number of tiles in a horizontal direction, num_tile_columns_minus1 corresponding to (a number of tiles in a horizontal direction−1) may be signaled. [0418]), a second syntax signaling a number of tile rows of the current picture minus one (as information representing a number of tiles in a vertical direction, num_tile_rows_minus1 corresponding to (a number of tiles in a vertical direction−1) may be signaled. [0418]), determining that a height and a width of each of the tiles is the same as a height and a width, respectively, of a preceding tile (An indicator (index, flag, uniform_spacing_flag, etc.) representing whether or not a picture is configured with tiles with the same size may be signaled. When the corresponding indicator has a first value (for example, 0), it may represent that tiles within a picture are not identical in size. When the corresponding indicator has a second value (for example, 1), information representing a number of tiles in a horizontal direction and information representing a number of tiles in a vertical direction may be signaled. [0418]; In examples of FIGS. 27 to 29, signaling efficiency is improved by signaling information on whether a picture is configured with tiles with the same size when a picture is configured with tiles with the same. Uniform_spacing_flag. [0438] – [0441]; Fig. 27-29); and decoding the video from the bitstream based on the first syntax, the second syntax, and the determination the height and the width of each of the tiles is the same as the height and the width, respectively, of the preceding tile (reconstructed picture is generated by the filter unit based on the processing performed by the entropy decoding unit. [0180] – [0185]). Consider claim 1, claim 1 recites the method implemented by the system recited in claim 2. Thus, it is rejected for the same reasons. Consider claim 3, Kang teaches a method of encoding a video, the method comprising: partitioning a current picture of the video into a plurality of tiles (a tile may be obtained by partitioning a picture in horizontal and vertical directions by an identical interval. Herein, tiles within a picture may have the same size (width and height). [0274], [0377] – [0379]), wherein a height and a width of each of the tiles is the same as a height and a width, respectively, of a preceding tile (a tile may be obtained by partitioning a picture in horizontal and vertical directions by an identical interval. Herein, tiles within a picture may have the same size (width and height). [0274], [0377] – [0379]; An indicator (index, flag, uniform_spacing_flag, etc.) representing whether or not a picture is configured with tiles with the same size may be signaled. When the corresponding indicator has a first value (for example, 0), it may represent that tiles within a picture are not identical in size. When the corresponding indicator has a second value (for example, 1), information representing a number of tiles in a horizontal direction and information representing a number of tiles in a vertical direction may be signaled. [0418]; In examples of FIGS. 27 to 29, signaling efficiency is improved by signaling information on whether a picture is configured with tiles with the same size when a picture is configured with tiles with the same. Uniform_spacing_flag. [0438] – [0441]; Fig. 27-29); and encoding, in the bitstream (The entropy encoding unit generates a bitstream…. [0162] – [0166]): a first syntax signaling a number of tile columns of the current picture minus one (as information representing a number of tiles in a horizontal direction, num_tile_columns_minus1 corresponding to (a number of tiles in a horizontal direction−1) may be signaled. [0418]), a second syntax signaling a number of tile rows of the current picture minus one (as information representing a number of tiles in a vertical direction, num_tile_rows_minus1 corresponding to (a number of tiles in a vertical direction−1) may be signaled. [0418]), and a representation of the plurality of files are encoded in the bitstream in raster-scan order (An order between tiles included in a tile group may be an order of signaling tiles within a tile group or encoding and decoding orders of the tiles. The order may be a predefined order, and the predefined order may be, for example, a raster scan order. [0291]; see also [0298] – [0300], [0325], [0421] – [0422]). Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 TAT CHI CHIO whose telephone number is (571)272-9563. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 10am-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, JAMIE J ATALA can be reached at 571-272-7384. 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. /TAT C CHIO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2486
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 16, 2025
Application Filed
Apr 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Jul 17, 2026
Response Filed
Oct 01, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102 (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
73%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+17.5%)
3y 2m (~1y 5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 866 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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