Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant’s Communication received on January 17, 2025 and May 27, 2025 for application number 19/028,209. This Office hereby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Oath/Declaration, Abstract and Claims.
3. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 17, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
5. 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 §§ 706.02(l)(1) - 706.02(l)(3) 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 USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to
www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
6. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 5, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-20 are just claims 1, 5, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2 with minor English language syntax differences. Thus claims 1-20 of the present application are anticipated by claims 1, 5, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2. Still further, please refer to the following table for the correspondence of claims between the present application and U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2:
Instant application
U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2
Note: bold means difference
1. A system comprising: a memory configurable to store data for a picture; and an encoder coupled to the memory and configurable to:
determine that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode; and
skip an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
perform a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skip a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
perform a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skip a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
perform a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a size of a third coding unit is 32x32 or 64x64; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the size of the third coding unit is 32x32 or 64x64.
8. A system comprising: a memory to store instructions; one or more processors to execute the instructions stored in the memory, wherein the execution of the instructions by the one or more processors cause the system to:
select a best mode for encoding a block of video data in a video stream by:
computing an inter-prediction coding cost for the block;
computing an intra-prediction coding cost for the block;
determining whether or not a minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold;
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold:
computing an intra block copy (IntraBC) coding cost of the block with a one dimensional (1D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search; and
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is not less than a cost threshold:
determining whether or not a parent block of the block was predicted in IntraBC mode;
when the parent block was predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search; and
when the parent block was not predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing activity of the block;
determining whether the activity of the block is less than an activity threshold;
when the activity is not less than the activity threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search; and
when the activity is less than the activity threshold: computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a one dimensional (1D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the block has a size of N×N and the parent block has a size of 2N×2N.
9. A method comprising:
determining that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
skipping an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a size of a third coding unit is 32x32 or 64x64; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the size of the third coding unit is 32x32 or 64x64.
1. A method for selecting a best mode for encoding a block of video data in a video stream, the method comprising:
computing an inter-prediction coding cost for the block;
computing an intra-prediction coding cost for the block;
determining whether or not a minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold;
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold:
computing an intra block copy (IntraBC) coding cost of the block with a one dimensional (1D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the
intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search; and
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is not less than a cost threshold:
determining whether or not a parent block of the block was predicted in IntraBC mode;
when the parent block was predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the
intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search; and
when the parent block was not predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing activity of the block;
determining whether the activity of the block is less than an activity threshold;
when the activity is not less than the activity
threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search; and
when the activity is less than the activity threshold: computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a one dimensional (1D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the block has a size of N×N and the parent block has a size of 2N×2N.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, configured to be executable by processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to:
determine that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode; and
skip an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the instructions are executable by the processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to:
determine that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the instructions are executable by the processing circuitry for further causing the processing circuitry to:
determine that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the instructions are executable by the processing circuitry for further causing the processing circuitry to:
determine that a size of a third coding unit is 32x32 or 64x64; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the size of the third coding unit is 32x32 or 64x64.
8. A system comprising: a memory to store instructions; one or more processors to execute the instructions stored in the memory, wherein the execution of the instructions by the one or more processors cause the system to:
select a best mode for encoding a block of video data in a video stream by:
computing an inter-prediction coding cost for the block;
computing an intra-prediction coding cost for the block;
determining whether or not a minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold;
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold:
computing an intra block copy (IntraBC) coding cost of the block with a one dimensional (1D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search; and
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is not less than a cost threshold:
determining whether or not a parent block of the block was predicted in IntraBC mode;
when the parent block was predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search; and
when the parent block was not predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing activity of the block;
determining whether the activity of the block is less than an activity threshold;
when the activity is not less than the activity threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search; and
when the activity is less than the activity threshold: computing an IntraBC coding cost of the block with a one dimensional (1D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the block based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the block has a size of N×N and the parent block has a size of 2N×2N.
Claims 1, 5, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2 is much more specific and claims 1-20 of the present application are broader in scope than claims that are already issued. Claims 1-20 of the present application are anticipated by claims 1, 5, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2 with the only variant of the use of the terms such as “non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, configured to be executable by processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to” instead of the term “system”; “child coding unit”, “parent coding unit”, “first coding unit”, “ second coding unit” and “third coding unit” instead of the term “block”; “32 x 32” instead of the term “N x N”; and “64 x 64” instead of the term “2N x 2N” as used in claims 1, 5, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,104,395 B2. A double patenting rejection is needed to prevent two claims to the same invention.
7. Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,652,574 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 9-13 of the instant application are just claims 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,652,574 B2 with minor English language syntax differences. Therefore, claims 9-13 of the present application are anticipated by claims 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,652,574 B2 because they are broader than the issued claims. Still further, please refer to the following table for the correspondence of claims between the present application and U.S. Patent No. 10,652,574 B2:
Instant application
U.S. Patent No. 10,652,574 B2
Note: bold means difference
9. A method comprising:
determining that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
skipping an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for t-he third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
1. A method for encoding video data, the method comprising:
determining that a parent coding unit of a coding unit of the video data was not predicted in an intra-prediction block copy (IntraBC) mode; and
in response to the determining that the parent coding unit was not predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing activity of the coding unit;
determining an IntraBC coding cost of
the coding unit by:
computing the IntraBC coding cost of the coding unit using a two dimensional (2D) search when the activity of the coding unit is not less than an activity threshold;
computing the IntraBC coding cost of the coding unit using a one dimensional (1D) search when the activity of the coding unit is less than the activity threshold;
using the IntraBC coding cost to select an encoding mode from one of a plurality of encoding modes; and
encoding the coding unit using the selected encoding mode.
3. The method of claim 2, comprising: determining an inter-prediction coding cost of the coding unit; and determining an intra-prediction coding cost of the coding unit.
6. The method of claim 1, comprising, when it is determined that the parent coding unit was predicted in the IntraBC mode:
computing the IntraBC coding cost of the coding unit using a 2D search;
using the IntraBC coding cost to select an encoding mode from one of a plurality of encoding modes; and encoding the coding unit using the selected encoding mode.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein, when it is determined that the parent coding unit was predicted in the IntraBC mode, the plurality of encoding modes includes the IntraBC mode, an intra-prediction mode, and an inter-prediction mode, and the method further comprises: determining an inter-prediction coding cost of the coding unit; and determining an intra-prediction coding cost of the coding unit.
9. The method of claim 1, comprising, prior to determining whether or not the parent coding unit of the coding unit was predicted in the IntraBC mode:
determining an inter-prediction coding cost of the coding unit; and determining an intra-prediction coding cost of the coding unit;
wherein determining whether or not the parent coding unit of the coding unit was predicted in the IntraBC mode is not performed when a minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a predetermined cost threshold.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,652,574 B2 are much more specific and claims of the present application are broader in scope than claims that are already issued. Claims 9-13 of the present application are anticipated by claims 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,652,574 B2. A double patenting rejection is needed to prevent two claims to the same invention.
8. Claims 9-15 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,102,507 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 9-15 are just claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,102,507 B2 with minor English language syntax differences. Thus claims 9-15 of the present application are anticipated by claims 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,102,507 B2. Still further, please refer to the following table for the correspondence of claims between the present application and U.S. Patent No. 11,102,507 B2:
Instant application
U.S. Patent No. 11,102,507 B2
Note: bold means difference
9. A method comprising:
determining that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
skipping an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
15. A method for selecting a best mode for encoding a coding unit (CU) of video data in a video stream, the method comprising:
computing an inter-prediction coding cost for the CU;
computing an intra-prediction coding cost for the CU;
determining whether a minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold;
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is less than a cost threshold:
computing an intra block copy (IntraBC) coding cost of the CU using a one dimensional (1D) search; and
selecting a best mode for encoding the CU based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search; and
when the minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is not less than a cost threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the CU using a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the CU based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search; and
when the parent CU was not predicted in IntraBC mode:
computing activity of the CU;
determining whether the activity of the CU is less than an activity threshold;
when the activity is not less than the activity threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the CU using a 2D search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the CU based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search;
and when the activity is less than the activity threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the CU using a 1D search; and
selecting the best mode for encoding the CU based the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search.
Claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,102,507 B2 is much more specific and claims 9-15 of the present application are broader in scope than claims that are already issued. Claims 9-15 of the present application are anticipated by claim 15 of U.S. Patent No. 11,102,507 B2 . A double patenting rejection is needed to prevent two claims to the same invention.
9. Claims 9-15 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 15-19 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,006 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 9-15 are just claims 15-19 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,006 B2 with minor English language syntax differences. Thus claims 9-15 of the present application are anticipated by claims 15-19 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,006 B2. . Still further, please refer to the following table for the correspondence of claims between the present application and U.S. Patent No. 11,910,006 B2:
Instant application
U.S. Patent No. 11,910,006 B2
Note: bold means difference
9. A method comprising:
determining that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
skipping an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
15. A method comprising:
computing an inter-prediction coding cost for a coding unit (CU);
computing an intra-prediction coding cost for the CU;
determining whether a minimum of the inter-prediction coding cost and the intra-prediction coding cost is greater than a cost threshold;
when a parent CU was not predicted in an intra block copy (IntraBC) mode:
computing activity of the CU;
determining whether the activity of the CU is less than an activity threshold;
when the activity is not less than the activity threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the CU using a two dimensional (2D) search; and
selecting a mode for encoding the CU based on the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 2D search.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: determining that a second parent coding unit of a second coding unit was predicted in an intra-prediction block copy (IntraBC) mode; and in response to the determining that the second parent coding unit was predicted in IntraBC mode:
determining a second IntraBC coding cost of the second coding unit using the two dimensional (2D) search;
selecting the encoding mode of the second coding unit as one of the IntraBC mode, the intra-prediction mode, and the inter-prediction mode based on the coding cost of each of these encoding modes; and
encoding the second coding unit using the selected encoding mode for the second coding unit.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining of the second IntraBC coding cost, the selecting of the encoding mode of the second coding unit, and the encoding of the second coding unit are performed without computing activity of the second coding unit.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: when the parent CU was not predicted in the IntraBC mode and when the activity is less than an activity threshold:
computing an IntraBC coding cost of the CU using a 1D search; and
selecting the encoding mode for encoding the CU based on the inter-prediction coding cost, the intra-prediction coding cost, and the IntraBC coding cost computed with the 1D search.
19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: when the parent CU is predicted in an IntraBC mode, computing the IntraBC coding cost of the CU using the 2D search.
Claims 15-19 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,006 B2 are much more specific and claims 9-15 of the present application are broader in scope than claims that are already issued. Claims 9-15 of the present application are anticipated by claims 15-19 of U.S. Patent No. 11,910,006 B2 . A double patenting rejection is needed to prevent two claims to the same invention.
10. Claims 1-7, 9-15 and 17-19 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-9 and 11-19 of U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-7, 9-15 and 17-19 are just claims 1-9 and 11-19 of U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2 with minor English language syntax differences. Thus claims 1-7, 9-15 and 17-19 of the present application are anticipated by claims 1-9 and 11-19 of U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2. . Still further, please refer to the following table for the correspondence of claims between the present application and U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2:
Instant application
U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2
Note: bold means difference
1. A system comprising: a memory configurable to store data for a picture; and an encoder coupled to the memory and configurable to:
determine that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode; and
skip an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
perform a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skip a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
perform a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skip a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoder is configurable to:
determine that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
perform a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
1. A system comprising: a memory configured to store data for a picture; and an encoder coupled to the memory and configured to:
determine that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
determine that an activity level of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode and in response to determining that the activity level is less than the threshold level.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoder is configured to perform the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein to perform the intra-block copy search, the encoder is configured to perform a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the encoder is configured to: compute an intra-block copy cost for the child coding unit based on the intra-block copy search;
select an encoding mode for the child coding unit based on the intra-block copy cost; and encode the child coding unit based on the selected encoding mode.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoder is configured to perform the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode and in response to determining that the activity level is not less than the threshold level.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein to perform the intra-block copy search, the encoder is configured to perform a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode and in response to determining that the activity level is not less than the threshold level.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the encoder is configured to: compute an intra-block copy cost for the child coding unit based on the intra-block copy search;
select an encoding mode for the child coding unit based on the intra-block copy cost; and encode the child coding unit based on the selected encoding mode.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level is a first threshold level, and wherein the encoder is configured to:
determine that an inter-prediction cost or an intra-prediction cost is not less than a second threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode, in response to determining that the activity level is less than the first threshold level, and in response to determining that the inter-prediction cost or the intra-prediction cost is not less than the second threshold level.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level is a first threshold level, and wherein the encoder is configured to:
determine that an inter-prediction cost or an intra-prediction cost is less than a second threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the inter-prediction cost or the intra-prediction cost is less than the second threshold level.
9. A method comprising:
determining that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
skipping an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit,
wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level;
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level; and
skipping a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining that an activity measure of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
performing a one-dimensional intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the activity measure of the child coding unit is less than the threshold level.
11. A method comprising:
determining that a parent coding unit of a first child coding unit is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
determining that an activity level of the first child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skipping an intra-block copy search for the first child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode and in response to determining that the activity level is less than the threshold level.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing the intra-block copy search for a second child coding unit in response to determining that a parent coding unit of the second child coding unit is predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein performing the intra-block copy search comprises performing a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the second child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit of the second child coding unit is predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: computing an intra block copy cost for the second child coding unit based on the intra-block copy search;
selecting an encoding mode for the second child coding unit based on the intra-block copy cost; and encoding the second child coding unit based on the selected encoding mode.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing the intra-block copy search for a second child coding unit in response to determining that a parent coding unit of the second child coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode and in response to determining that the activity level is not less than the threshold level.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein performing the intra-block copy search comprises performing a two-dimensional intra-block copy search for the second child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit of the second child coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode and in response to determining that the activity level is not less than the threshold level.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: computing an intra block copy cost for the first child coding unit based on the intra-block copy search;
selecting an encoding mode for the first child coding unit based on the intra-block copy cost; and encoding the first child coding unit based on the selected encoding mode.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the threshold level is a first threshold level, the method further comprising:
determining that an inter-prediction cost or an intra-prediction cost is not less than a second threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for the first child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode, in response to determining that the activity level is less than the first threshold level, and in response to determining that the inter-prediction cost or the intra-prediction cost is not less than the second threshold level.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the threshold level is a first threshold level, the method further comprising:
determining that an inter-prediction cost or an intra-prediction cost is less than a second threshold level; and
skipping the intra-block copy search for a second child coding unit in response to determining that the inter-prediction cost or the intra-prediction cost is less than the second threshold level.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, configured to be executable by processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to:
determine that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode; and
skip an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the instructions are executable by the processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to:
determine that a cost of inter-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of inter-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the parent coding unit is a first coding unit, wherein the child coding unit is a second coding unit, and
wherein the instructions are executable by the processing circuitry for further causing the processing circuitry to:
determine that a cost of intra-prediction for a third coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the third coding unit in response to determining that the cost of intra-prediction for the third coding unit is less than the threshold level.
1. A system comprising: a memory configured to store data for a picture; and an encoder coupled to the memory and configured to:
determine that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode;
determine that an activity level of the child coding unit is less than a threshold level; and
skip an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode and in response to determining that the activity level is less than the threshold level.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level is a first threshold level, and wherein the encoder is configured to:
determine that an inter-prediction cost or an intra-prediction cost is not less than a second threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode, in response to determining that the activity level is less than the first threshold level, and in response to determining that the inter-prediction cost or the intra-prediction cost is not less than the second threshold level.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level is a first threshold level, and wherein the encoder is configured to:
determine that an inter-prediction cost or an intra-prediction cost is less than a second threshold level; and
skip the intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the inter-prediction cost or the intra-prediction cost is less than the second threshold level.
Claims 1-9 and 11-19 of U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2 are much more specific and claims 1-7, 9-15 and 17-19 of the present application are broader in scope than claims that are already issued. Claims 17-19 of the present application are anticipated by claims 1, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2 with the only variant of the use of the terms such as “non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, configured to be executable by processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to” instead of the term “system” as used in claims 1, 8 and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 12,267,524 B2. A double patenting rejection is needed to prevent two claims to the same invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Claims 1, 9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pang et al.(US 2015/0071357 A1)(hereinafter Pang).
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Pang discloses a system and a method [See Pang: abstract, Figs. 1-10] comprising:
a memory configurable to store data for a picture [See Pang: at least Figs. 1-2, and par. 29 regarding encoded data may be output from output interface 22 to a storage device. Similarly, encoded data may be accessed from the storage device by input interface. The storage device may include any of a variety of distributed or locally accessed data storage media such as a hard drive, Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CD-ROMs, flash memory, volatile or non-volatile memory, or any other suitable digital storage media for storing encoded video data.] ; and an encoder coupled to the memory [See Pang: at least Figs. 1-2, and par. 29-41 regarding video encoder 20. Further, the encoded data may be output from output interface 22 to a storage device…] and configurable to:
determine / determining that a parent coding unit of a child unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode [See Pang: Fig. 4, par. 0054-0057, regarding for a current coding unit (CU) (e.g., current video block 102 of FIG. 4) coded using Intra BC, video encoder 20 may obtain a prediction signal (e.g., prediction block 104 of FIG. 4) (which may also be referred to as a "prediction block") from an already reconstructed region (e.g., reconstructed region 108 of FIG. 4) in the same picture. Accordingly, the encoder may determine whether or not a parent block of the block of video data was predicted as IntraBC mode]; and
skip / skipping an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode [See Pang: Fig. 4, par. 0042-0045, 0054-0057, regarding for a current coding unit (CU) (e.g., current video block 102 of FIG. 4) coded using Intra BC, video encoder 20 may obtain a prediction signal (e.g., prediction block 104 of FIG. 4) (which may also be referred to as a "prediction block") from an already reconstructed region (e.g., reconstructed region 108 of FIG. 4) in the same picture. In a process described in JCT-VC N0256, the search region (i.e., the region from which the prediction block may be selected) may be restricted to be in the reconstructed region of a coding tree unit (CTU) to the left of the current CTU, potentially without in-loop filtering. Video encoder 20 may determine a search region that can be used for Intra BC such that the search region may be inside the same slice/tile in which the current CU resides. For example, with this restriction, when the possible search region is set to be the reconstructed region of the left CTU and current CTU as in JCT-VC N0256, the left CTU may be used only when this left CTU is in the same slice/tile as that of the current CTU. In other words, when the left CTU and the current CTU are in different slices/tiles, the video encoder 20 may only determine that the current CTU without in-loop filtering is used for Intra BC. In this respect, video encoder 20 may be configured to perform the Intra BC process to encode a current block of a picture such that pixels from a different slice or a different tile than that in which the current block resides are excluded from a search region used for the Intra BC process. In this way, video encoder 20 may ensure that the pixels of the prediction block are available for use when predicting the current CU…(Accordingly, if a parent block is not determined to be predicted with Intra BC, the Intra BC search for a child block is skipped)].
Regarding claim 17, Pang discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, configured to be executable by processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry picture [See Pang: at least Figs. 1-2, and par. 11, 27-37, 162-166 regarding encoded data may be output from output interface 22 to a storage device. Similarly, encoded data may be accessed from the storage device by input interface. The storage device may include any of a variety of distributed or locally accessed data storage media such as a hard drive, Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CD-ROMs, flash memory, volatile or non-volatile memory, or any other suitable digital storage media for storing encoded video data… Destination device 14 may receive the encoded video data to be decoded via computer-readable medium 16. Computer-readable medium 16 may comprise any type of medium or device capable of moving the encoded video data from source device 12 to destination device 14…] to:
determine that a parent coding unit of a child coding unit of the picture is not predicted in an intra-block copy mode[See Pang: Fig. 4, par. 0054-0057, regarding for a current coding unit (CU) (e.g., current video block 102 of FIG. 4) coded using Intra BC, video encoder 20 may obtain a prediction signal (e.g., prediction block 104 of FIG. 4) (which may also be referred to as a "prediction block") from an already reconstructed region (e.g., reconstructed region 108 of FIG. 4) in the same picture. Accordingly, the encoder may determine whether or not a parent block of the block of video data was predicted as IntraBC mode]; and
skip an intra-block copy search for the child coding unit in response to determining that the parent coding unit is not predicted in the intra-block copy mode[See Pang: Fig. 4, par. 0042-0045, 0054-0057, regarding for a current coding unit (CU) (e.g., current video block 102 of FIG. 4) coded using Intra BC, video encoder 20 may obtain a prediction signal (e.g., prediction block 104 of FIG. 4) (which may also be referred to as a "prediction block") from an already reconstructed region (e.g., reconstructed region 108 of FIG. 4) in the same picture. In a process described in JCT-VC N0256, the search region (i.e., the region from which the prediction block may be selected) may be restricted to be in the reconstructed region of a coding tree unit (CTU) to the left of the current CTU, potentially without in-loop filtering. Video encoder 20 may determine a search region that can be used for Intra BC such that the search region may be inside the same slice/tile in which the current CU resides. For example, with this restriction, when the possible search region is set to be the reconstructed region of the left CTU and current CTU as in JCT-VC N0256, the left CTU may be used only when this left CTU is in the same slice/tile as that of the current CTU. In other words, when the left CTU and the current CTU are in different slices/tiles, the video encoder 20 may only determine that the current CTU without in-loop filtering is used for Intra BC. In this respect, video encoder 20 may be configured to perform the Intra BC process to encode a current block of a picture such that pixels from a different slice or a different tile than that in which the current block resides are excluded from a search region used for the Intra BC process. In this way, video encoder 20 may ensure that the pixels of the prediction block are available for use when predicting the current CU…(Accordingly, if a parent block is not determined to be predicted with Intra BC, the Intra BC search for a child block is skipped)].
Conclusion
14. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANA J PICON-FELICIANO whose telephone number is (571)272-5252. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Kelley can be reached at 571 272 7331. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ana Picon-Feliciano/Examiner, Art Unit 2482
/CHRISTOPHER S KELLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2482