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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection to claims 1, 9, 12, 18-19, 22-24, and 25 has been withdrawn in view of the approval of the terminal disclaimer on July 16, 2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12, 14, 18-25 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 12, 14, 18, 20, 23-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (US 2014/0192895).
Regarding claim 1 Deshpande discloses a method performed by a video decoder, the method comprising:
receiving a bitstream (encoded video bitstream received by decoder 30 in Figure 6); and
decoding, from the bitstream, Network Abstraction Layer (NAL) unit presence information, wherein the NAL unit presence information indicates i) that NAL units of a first NAL unit type shall not be present in a portion of the bitstream or ii) that NAL units of the first NAL unit type may be present in the portion of the bitstream (a picture is instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_W_DLP or IDR_N_LP – [0165]; a picture is broken link access (BLA) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to BLA_W_LP, BLA_W_DLP, or BLA_N_LP – [0166]).
Examiner’s Note: Claim 1 is written in an alternative form. The Examiner has chosen the alternative wherein the NAL unit presence information indicates that NAL units of the first NAL unit type may be present in the portion of the bitstream.
Regarding claim 2 Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the NAL unit presence information indicates i) that NAL units of the first NAL unit type shall not be present in one or more layers of the bitstream or ii) that NAL units of the first NAL unit type may be present in the one or more layers of the bitstream (a picture is instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_W_DLP or IDR_N_LP – [0165]; a picture is broken link access (BLA) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to BLA_W_LP, BLA_W_DLP, or BLA_N_LP – [0166]).
Regarding claim 3 Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the NAL unit presence information further indicates i) that NAL units of a second NAL unit type shall not be present in the portion of the bitstream or ii) that NAL units of the second NAL unit type may be present in the portion of the bitstream (a picture is instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_W_DLP or IDR_N_LP – [0165]; a picture is broken link access (BLA) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to BLA_W_LP, BLA_W_DLP, or BLA_N_LP – [0166]).
Claim 5 further limits the alternative limitation from claim 1 not chosen by the Examiner. Therefore, the rejection of claim 1 meets the limitations of claim 5.
Regarding claim 12 Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the NAL units are video coding layer (VCL) NAL units, and the VCL NAL units comprise one of: TRAIL NAL units, STSA NAL units, RASL NAL units, RADL NAL units, IDR NAL units, CRA NAL units, and GDR NAL units (a picture is instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_W_DLP or IDR_N_LP – [0165]; a picture is broken link access (BLA) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to BLA_W_LP, BLA_W_DLP, or BLA_N_LP – [0166]).
Claim 14 further limits the alternative limitation from claim 1 not chosen by the Examiner. Therefore, the rejection of claim 1 meets the limitations of claim 14.
Regarding claim 18 Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first NAL unit type is one of: TRAIL_NUT, STSA_NUT, RASL_NUT, RADL_NUT, IDR_W_RADL, IDR_N_LP, CRA_NUT, GDR_NUT, APS_NUT, and AUD_NUT (a picture is instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_W_DLP or IDR_N_LP – [0165]; a picture is broken link access (BLA) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to BLA_W_LP, BLA_W_DLP, or BLA_N_LP – [0166]).
Regarding claim 20 Chen discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising allocating memory, storing certain data, and/or parsing certain parts of the bitstream, based on the NAL unit presence information (syntax nal_unit_type being parsed by decoder – [0165-0166]).
Claim 22 corresponds to the non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions which when executed by processing circuitry causes the processing circuitry to perform the method of claim 1. Therefore, claim 22 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 1.
Claim 23 corresponds to the video decoding apparatus that perform the decoding method of claim 1. Therefore, claim 23 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 1.
In regards to claim 24, any decoder technology except the parsing/entropy decoding that is present in a decoder also necessarily needs to be present, in substantially identical form in a corresponding encoder. The description of encoder technologies can be abbreviated as they are the inverse of the comprehensively described decoder technologies. Therefore, claim 24 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 1.
In regards to claim 25, any decoder technology except the parsing/entropy decoding that is present in a decoder also necessarily needs to be present, in substantially identical form in a corresponding encoder. The description of encoder technologies can be abbreviated as they are the inverse of the comprehensively described decoder technologies. Therefore, claim 25 is being rejected on the same basis as claims 1/23.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 4, 6-7, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2014/0192895) in view of Sharman et al. (“AHG 5 and 18: Profiles for Range Extensions”, Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T SG 16 WP 3 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11, 15th Meeting: Geneva, CH, 23 Oct. – 1 Nov. 2013, Document: JCTVC-O0082).
Regarding claim 4 Chen discloses the method of claim 3. However, fails to explicitly disclose the NAL unit presence information is a single bit.
In his disclosure Sharman teaches it is known in the art for signaling information related to NAL unit presence using a single bit (general_intra_constraint_flag equal to 1 specifies that all pictures have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_N_LP (or CRA_NUT or BLA_N_LP) – p.7, section 7.4.4 Profile, tier and level semantics).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Sharman into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Regarding claim 6 Chen discloses the method of claim 1. However, fails to explicitly disclose the NAL unit presence information is decoded from one or more general constraint information syntax elements.
In his disclosure Sharman teaches the NAL unit presence information is decoded from one or more general constraint information syntax elements (general_intra_constraint_flag equal to 1 specifies that all pictures have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_N_LP (or CRA_NUT or BLA_N_LP) – p.7, section 7.4.4 Profile, tier and level semantics).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Sharman into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Regarding claim 7 Chen discloses the method of claim 6. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the one or more general constraint information syntax elements are comprised in one or more parameter sets.
In his disclosure Sharman teaches the one or more general constraint information syntax elements are comprised in one or more parameter sets (general_intra_constraint_flag equal to 1 specifies that all pictures have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_N_LP (or CRA_NUT or BLA_N_LP) – p.7, section 7.4.4 Profile, tier and level semantics; it is noted that a person with ordinary skill in the art would know that profile, level and tier information is carried in the video parameter set or in the sequence parameter set).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Sharman into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Regarding claim 19 Chen discloses the method of claim 1. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein decoding the NAL unit presence information from the bitstream comprises: decoding an indicator value from a syntax element in the bitstream; wherein the indicator value being equal to a first value indicates that NAL units of the first NAL unit type shall not be present in the portion of the bitstream; and the indicator value being equal to a second value indicates that NAL units of the first NAL unit type may be present in the portion of the bitstream.
In his disclosure Sharman teaches decoding an indicator value from a syntax element in the bitstream; wherein the indicator value being equal to a first value indicates that NAL units of the first NAL unit type shall not be present in the portion of the bitstream; and the indicator value being equal to a second value indicates that NAL units of the first NAL unit type may be present in the portion of the bitstream (general_intra_constraint_flag equal to 1 specifies that all pictures have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_N_LP (or CRA_NUT or BLA_N_LP) – p.7, section 7.4.4 Profile, tier and level semantics).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Sharman into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Claim(s) 8, 13, 15, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2014/0192895) in view of Sharman et al. (“AHG 5 and 18: Profiles for Range Extensions”, Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T SG 16 WP 3 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11, 15th Meeting: Geneva, CH, 23 Oct. – 1 Nov. 2013, Document: JCTVC-O0082) further in view of Wang et al. (US 2014/0301484).
Regarding claim 8 Chen discloses the method of claim 7. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein each of the one or more parameter sets is a decoder parameter set (DPS), a video parameter set (VPS), or a sequence parameter set (SPS).
In his disclosure Wang teaches it is known in the art for one or more parameter sets to be a decoder parameter set (DPS), a video parameter set (VPS), or a sequence parameter set (SPS) (a video coder may code all profile, tier, and/or level information in the VPS – [0007]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Regarding claim 13 Chen discloses the method of claim 1. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the portion of the bitstream comprises one or more layers of a coded video sequence (CVS).
In his disclosure Wang teaches the portion of the bitstream comprises one or more layers of a coded video sequence (CVS) (CVS – [0037]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Regarding claim 15 Chen discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising decoding, from the bitstream, information identifying i) the portion of the bitstream shall not contain any NAL units of the first NAL unit type, or ii) the portion of the bitstream may contain NAL units of the first NAL unit type, as indicated by the NAL unit presence information (a picture is instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to IDR_W_DLP or IDR_N_LP – [0165]; a picture is broken link access (BLA) if all layer components have nal_unit_type equal to BLA_W_LP, BLA_W_DLP, or BLA_N_LP – [0166]).
However, fails to explicitly disclose decoding, from the bitstream, information identifying one or more layers of a coded video sequence (CVS).
In his disclosure Wang teaches the portion of the bitstream comprises one or more layers of a coded video sequence (CVS) (CVS – [0037]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Regarding claim 16 Chen discloses the method of claim 15. However, fails to explicitly disclose the information identifying one or more layers is comprised in a video parameter set (VPS) or in a sequence parameter set (SPS).
In his disclosure Wang teaches the information identifying one or more layers is comprised in a video parameter set (VPS) or in a sequence parameter set (SPS) (a video coder may code all profile, tier, and/or level information in the VPS – [0007]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2014/0192895) in view of Sharman et al. (“AHG 5 and 18: Profiles for Range Extensions”, Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T SG 16 WP 3 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11, 15th Meeting: Geneva, CH, 23 Oct. – 1 Nov. 2013, Document: JCTVC-O0082) further in view of Wang (US 2015/0373346).
Regarding claim 11 Chen discloses the method of claim 7. However, fails to explicitly disclose the portion of the bitstream consists of NAL units that refer to a first parameter set of the one or more parameter sets.
In his disclosure Wang teaches the portion of the bitstream consists of NAL units that refer to a first parameter set of the one or more parameter sets (reading PTL syntax structure from SPS and VPS – [0107-0108]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Chen because such incorporation improves the coding/decoding process.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2014/0192895) in view of Wang (US 2014/0016708).
Regarding claim 21 Chen discloses the method of claim 1. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the NAL units are adaptation parameter set (APS) NAL units.
In his disclosure Wang teaches the NAL units are adaptation parameter set (APS) NAL units (NAL unit types in HEVC WD7 include CRA picture, BLA picture, IDR picture, VPS, SPS, PPS, and APS NAL units types – [0068]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Chen because the use of APS NAL units is a known technique from the video compression standard).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9-10, and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIA E VAZQUEZ COLON whose telephone number is (571)270-1103. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 AM-3:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHRISTOPHER S 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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/MARIA E VAZQUEZ COLON/Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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