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 .
Priority
This application discloses and claims only subject matter disclosed in prior application, and names the inventor or at least one joint inventor named in the prior application. Accordingly, this application may constitute a continuation or divisional. Should applicant desire to claim the benefit of the filing date of the prior application, attention is directed to 35 U.S.C. 120, 37 CFR 1.78, and MPEP § 211 et seq. The presentation of a benefit claim may result in an additional fee under 37 CFR 1.17(w)(1) or (2) being required, if the earliest filing date for which benefit is claimed under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) and 1.78(d) in the application is more than six years before the actual filing date of the application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS)s submitted on 09/26/2025, 02/07/2025 and 01/17/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual 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/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Instant Application (US19/029594)
US12267513
Claim 1: A method of encoding video data, comprising: determining a quantized residual of a pixel; determining a remainder of the pixel, a sign for the remainder, and an initial level value based on the quantized residual; converting the remainder of the pixel into a first codeword for a pixel within a transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with a predefined mapping relationship that is generated using a Rice parameter, the Rice parameter is set to 1 according to the transform-skip mode; determining a second codeword for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with the sign for the remainder; determining a first group of codewords for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with the initial level value; encoding the first codeword, the second codeword and the first group of codewords into video data corresponding to the transform-skip mode coded block; and inserting the video data corresponding to the transform-skip mode coded block into a bitstream.
Claim 1: a method of decoding video data, comprising: receiving, from bitstream, video data corresponding to a transform-skip mode coded block; determining, from the video data, a first codeword, a second codeword and a first group of codewords for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block; deriving an initial level value from the first group of codewords; converting the first codeword into a remainder of the pixel in accordance with a predefined mapping relationship that is generated using a constant Rice parameter for the transform-skip mode coded block, wherein the constant Rice parameter is fixed to a value of 1 according to the transform-skip mode coded block; determining a sign for the remainder according to the second codeword; and deriving a quantized residual of the pixel from the remainder, the sign and the initial level value; and obtaining a reconstructed sample of the pixel based on the quantized residual.
Claim 6: An electronic apparatus comprising: one or more processing units; memory coupled to the one or more processing units; and a plurality of programs stored in the memory that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the electronic apparatus to perform a method of encoding video data comprising: determining a quantized residual of a pixel; determining a remainder of the pixel, a sign for the remainder and an initial level value based on the quantized residual; converting the remainder of the pixel into a first codeword for a pixel within a transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with a predefined napping relationship that is generated using a Rice parameter, the Rice parameter is set to 1 according to the transform-skip mode; determining a second codeword for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with the sign for the remainder; determining a first group of codewords for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with the initial level value; encoding the first codeword, the second codeword and first group of codewords into video data corresponding to the transform-skip mode coded block; and inserting the video data corresponding to the transform-skip mode coded block into a bitstream.
Claim 8: An electronic apparatus comprising: one or more processing units; memory coupled to the one or more processing units; and a plurality of programs stored in the memory that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the electronic apparatus to perform the steps of: receiving, from bitstream, video data corresponding to a transform-skip mode coded block; determining, from the video data, a first codeword, a second codeword and a first group of codewords for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block; deriving an initial level value from the first group of codewords; converting the first codeword into a remainder of the pixel in accordance with a predefined mapping relationship that is generated using a constant Rice parameter for a transform-skip mode coded block, wherein the constant Rice parameter is fixed to a value of 1according to the transform-skip mode coded block; determining a sign for the remainder according to the second codeword; and deriving a quantized residual of the pixel from the remainder, the sign and the initial level value; and obtaining a reconstructed sample of the pixel based on the quantized residual.
Claim 13: A method of decoding video data, comprising: receiving, from bitstream, video data corresponding to a transform-skip mode coded block, wherein the bitstream includes video data corresponding to a plurality of coding units; determining, from the video data, a first codeword, a second codeword and a first group of codewords for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block; deriving an initial level value from the first group of codewords; converting the first codeword into a remainder of the pixel in accordance with a predefined napping relationship that is generated using a constant Rice parameter for the transform-skip mode coded block, wherein the constant Rice parameter is fixed to a value of 1 according to the transform-skip mode coded block; determining a sign for the remainder according to the second codeword; deriving a quantized residual of the pixel from the remainder, the sign and the initial level value; and obtaining a reconstructed sample of the pixel based on the quantized residual.
Claim 15: A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a bitstream to be decoded by the steps of: receiving, from bitstream, video data corresponding to a transform-skip mode coded block; determining, from the video data, a first codeword, a second codeword and a first group of codewords for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block; deriving an initial level value from the first group of codewords; converting the first codeword into a remainder of the pixel in accordance with a predefined mapping relationship that is generated using a constant Rice parameter for the transform-skip mode coded block, wherein the constant Rice parameter is fixed to a value of 1according to the transform-skip mode coded block; determining a sign for the remainder according to the second codeword; and deriving a quantized residual of the pixel from the remainder, the sign and the initial level value; and obtaining a reconstructed sample of the pixel based on the quantized residual.
Claims 1-20 rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12267513. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the encoder side function with the same decoder side functions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Sarwer et al. (US20210084303) (hereinafter Sarwer).
Regarding claim 12, claim 12 claims a product by process claim limitation where the product is the bitstream and the process is the method steps to generate the bitstream. MPEP §2113 recites “Product-by-Process claims are not limited to the manipulations of the recited steps, only the structure implied by the steps”. Thus, the scope of the claim is the storage medium storing the bitstream (with the structure implied by the method steps). The structure includes the information and samples manipulated by the steps.
“To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated”. MPEP §2111.05(I)(A). When a claimed “computer-readable medium merely serves as a support for information or data, no functional relationship exists. MPEP §2111.05(III).
The memory storing the claimed bitstream in claim 12 merely services as a support for the storage of the bitstream and provides no functional relationship between the stored bitstream and storage medium. Therefore, the bitstream, which scope is implied by the method steps, is non-functional descriptive material and given no patentable weight. MPEP §2111.05(III). Thus, the claim scope is just a storage medium storing data and is anticipated by Sarwer which recites a storage medium storing a bitstream.
Sarwer discloses, a bitstream of compressed video data, including a computer readable storage medium storing the compressed non-transitory video data (0077-0083; CRM storing video bitstream).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 6 and 13 would be allowable if rewritten to resolve pending 35 USC 112, 35 USC 101, 35 USC 102 and/or any double patenting matters.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art of record is Sarwer et al. (US20210084303) (hereinafter Sarwer). Sarwer discloses a method of encoding video data, comprising: determining a quantized residual of a pixel; determining a remainder of the pixel, a sign for the remainder, and an initial level value based on the quantized residual; converting the remainder of the pixel into a first codeword for a pixel within a transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with a predefined mapping relationship that is generated using a Rice parameter, the Rice parameter is set to 1 according to the transform-skip mode (Figs. 18-21, 0126-0135, 0141-0154; dynamic determination of Rice values according to a variety of parameters and performing coding operations in bitstream).
However, the prior arts of record individually nor in combination do not explicitly disclose determining a second codeword for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with the sign for the remainder, determining a first group of codewords for a pixel within the transform-skip mode coded block in accordance with the initial level value, encoding the first codeword, the second codeword and the first group of codewords into video data corresponding to the transform-skip mode coded block and inserting the video data corresponding to the transform-skip mode coded block into a bitstream, when taken in the environment of the independent claims.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TALHA M NAWAZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5439. The examiner can normally be reached Flex, M-R 6:30am-3:30pm; F 8:30am-12:30pm.
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, Joe G Ustaris can be reached at 571-272-7383. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TALHA M NAWAZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483