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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on February 28, 2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Status
Currently, claims 1-10 and 12 are pending. Claim 11 is canceled.
Claim Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: The terms that represent the acronyms for with “LU decomposition” and “LDL decomposition” recited in the claim should be spelled out in the claim. The Examiner has interpreted the “LU decomposition” and “LDL decomposition” to be synonymous with Lower-Upper Decomposition and Lower-Diagonal-Lower Decomposition, respectively. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 12 (Currently Amended) recites:
A method of transmitting a bitstream generated by an image encoding method, the method comprising:
transmitting the bitstream, wherein the image encoding method comprises:
deriving a cross-component non-linear model factor using a reference sample;
deriving a cross-component non-linear model based on the cross-component non-linear model factor; and
generating a chroma prediction block based on the cross-component non-linear model.
The bitstream, defined by how the bitstream was generated (i.e., “generated by an image encoding method”), only describes the content of the information in the bitstream and as result is descriptive language. See MPEP §2111.05.
The bitstream has no functional relationship with the “method of transmitting a bitstream.” The claim scope (in light of the specification) describes the generation of bitstream in terms of how the video gets encoded within the bitstream, there is provided no functional relationship between the bitstream’s contents once generated and the process for transmitting the bitstream. As result, claim language directed to the contents of the bitstream is considered non-functional descriptive language and will be given not patentable weight. See Id.
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)(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.
Claims 1-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choi US 20250267285 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Choi”).
Regarding claim 1 (Currently Amended), An image decoding method (Choi: “An image encoding/decoding method and apparatus are provided.” Abstract) comprising: deriving a cross-component non-linear model factor using a reference sample (Choi: The “image decoding apparatus may comprise deriving a convolutional cross- component model (CCCM)” ¶ [0014]. CCCM is a nonlinear model. “Calculation of CCCM Filter Coefficients.” ¶ [0170]- [0172]); deriving a cross-component non-linear model based on the cross-component non-linear model factor (Choi: “[T]he apparatus may comprise deriving a convolutional cross- component model (CCCM)” ¶ [0014]. “Calculation of CCCM Filter Coefficients.” ¶ [0170]- [0172]); and generating a chroma prediction block based on the cross-component non-linear model (Choi: “[T]he image decoding apparatus 200 may generate a prediction sample of the current chroma sample based on…the CCCM coefficient.” ¶ [0187], [0014]).
Regarding claim 2 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the cross- component non-linear model is any one of a top left cross-component non-linear model, a top cross-component non-linear model and a left cross-component non-linear model (Choi: Figs. 8, 11 and 13)
Regarding claim 3 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 2, wherein when the cross- component non-linear model is a top left cross-component non-linear model, the reference sample includes a reference sample located on the top left of the chroma prediction block and a reference sample located on the top left of a corresponding luma block of the chroma prediction block (Choi: Figs. 8, 11 and 13).
Regarding claim 4 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 2, wherein when the cross- component non-linear model is a top cross-component non-linear model, the reference sample includes a reference sample located on the top of the chroma prediction block and a reference sample located on the top of a corresponding luma block of the chroma prediction block (Choi: Figs. 8, 11 and 13).
Regarding claim 5 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 2, wherein when the cross- component non-linear model is a left cross-component non-linear model, the reference sample includes a reference sample located on the left of the chroma prediction block and a reference sample located on the left of a corresponding luma block of the chroma prediction block (Choi: Figs. 8, 11 and 13).
Regarding claim 6 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the reference sample includes a reference sample neighboring the chroma prediction block and a down- sampled neighboring reference sample of a luma block corresponding to the chroma prediction block (Choi: Figs. 12-13 and ¶ [0185]- [0187]).
Regarding claim 7 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining model information indicating any one of a cross-component linear model and a cross- component non-linear model from a bitstream (Choi: The “image decoding apparatus may comprise deriving a convolutional cross- component model (CCCM)” ¶ [0014]. CCCM is a nonlinear model. “Calculation of CCCM Filter Coefficients.” ¶ [0170]- [0172]).
Regarding claim 8 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the cross- component non-linear model is derived based on the cross-component non-linear model factor, a bit depth and a mid value (Choi: “bit depth” and “mid value” disclosed in Equation 2, page 13; Equation 4, page 14; and Equations 6-8, page 15).
Regarding claim 9 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the cross- component non-linear model factor is derived based on any one decomposition method among LU decomposition, LDL decomposition and Cholesky decomposition (Choi: performing “LDL decomposition” and/or “Cholesky decomposition.” ¶ [0172]).
Regarding claim 10 (Currently Amended), claim 1 is sustainably similar to claim 10. Therefore claim 10 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1. (Choi: “An image encoding/decoding method and apparatus are provided.” Abstract)
Regarding 12 (Currently Amended), Choi discloses a method of transmitting a bitstream generated by an image encoding method (Choi: “a method of transmitting a bitstream generated by an image encoding method.” ¶ [0028]), the method comprising: transmitting the bitstream (Choi: “a method of transmitting a bitstream generated by an image encoding method.” ¶ [0028]), wherein the image encoding method comprises: deriving a cross-component non-linear model factor using a reference sample; deriving a cross-component non-linear model based on the cross-component non-linear model factor; and generating a chroma prediction block based on the cross-component non-linear model (The wherein clause recited in the claim does not does not give meaning and purpose to the claimed method of transmitting a bitstream. That said, the wherein clause is not given patentable weight. MPEP 2111.04).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEIRDRE L BEASLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-0452. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8 a.m. -5 p.m.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chris 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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/DLB/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2482
/CHRISTOPHER S KELLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2482
