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.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/16/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
The claims are drawn to a “computer readable medium”. The specification is silent regarding the meaning of this term. Thus, applying the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification and taking into account the meaning of the words in their ordinary usage they would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art (MPEP 2111), the claim as a whole covers both the transitory and non-transitory media. A transitory medium does not fall into any of the 4 categories of invention (Process, Machine, Manufacture, or composition of matter). The applicants are respectfully suggested to amend claims to read as “a non-transitory” computer readable medium…” to over the 35 USC 101 rejection.
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 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Deng et al. (US20220303533) (hereinafter Deng).
Regarding claim 16, claim 16 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 16 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 Deng which recites a storage medium storing a bitstream.
Deng discloses, a computer readable recording medium storing a bitstream (1001-1009; storing and transmitting coded video data via bitstream).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 7-8, 11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Deng et al. (US20220303533) (hereinafter Deng) in view of Lim et al. (US20230370614) (hereinafter Lim).
Regarding claim 1, Deng discloses a method of reconstructing a current chroma block by a video decoding device, the method comprising:
obtaining a prediction mode of the current chroma block based on whether a spatial geometric partitioning mode is applied to the corresponding luma region, an intra-prediction mode of the corresponding luma region, and block partition structures of the luma component and a chroma component [Figs. 18-24, 0247-0278, 0308-0322, 0349-0367; determining applicability of geometric partitioning mode based on coding characteristics of the block and of applicable rules accorded to determined mode].
generating a prediction block of the current chroma block based on the prediction mode of the current chroma block [Figs. 18-24, 0247-0278, 0308-0322, 0349-0367; generating coded blocks based on applicability of geometric partitioning mode and applicable rules accorded to determined mode].
Deng discloses the limitations of the claim. However, Deng does not explicitly disclose establishing a corresponding luma region of the current chroma block from a reconstructed region of a luma component, the corresponding luma region being an intra- predicted region and representing a luma block or a luma region co-located with the current chroma block.
Lim more explicitly discloses establishing a corresponding luma region of the current chroma block from a reconstructed region of a luma component, the corresponding luma region being an intra- predicted region and representing a luma block or a luma region co-located with the current chroma block [Figs. 3-8, 13-17, 0089-0100, 0122-0134, 0226-0233; dynamic partitioning of image data based on a variety of parameters including color components and regions].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Deng with the teachings of Lim as stated above. By incorporating the teachings as such, enhanced compression efficiency is achieved (see Lim 0007-0013).
Regarding claim 7, Deng discloses wherein obtaining the prediction mode of the current chroma block comprises, when the block partition structures of the luma component and the chroma component are different, and when the corresponding luma region comprises a block that is predicted according to the spatial geometric partitioning mode: partitioning the current chroma block into chroma subregions by using a color format of a current picture and a geometric partitioning mode of the block predicted according to the spatial geometric partitioning mode; and obtaining a prediction mode of each of the chroma subregions [Figs. 3-8, 13-17, 0089-0100, 0122-0134, 0226-0233; mode dependent parameter acquisition during coding including color components, geometric partitioning and format].
Regarding claim 8, Deng discloses wherein obtaining the prediction mode of the current chroma block comprises, when the block partition structures of the luma component and the chroma component are different, and when the corresponding luma region is partitioned into a plurality of blocks: partitioning the current chroma block into chroma subregions by using a color format of a current picture and partitioning information of the corresponding luma region; and obtaining a prediction mode of each of the chroma subregion [Figs. 3-8, 13-17, 0089-0100, 0122-0134, 0226-0233; mode dependent parameter acquisition during coding including color components, geometric partitioning and format].
Regarding claim 11, Deng discloses a method of encoding a current chroma block by a video encoding device, the method comprising:
determining a prediction mode of the current chroma block based on whether a spatial geometric partitioning mode is applied to the corresponding luma region, an intra- prediction mode of the corresponding luma region, and block partition structures of the luma component and a chroma component [Figs. 18-24, 0247-0278, 0308-0322, 0349-0367; determining applicability of geometric partitioning mode based on coding characteristics of the block and of applicable rules accorded to determined mode].
generating a prediction block of the current chroma block based on the prediction mode of the current chroma block [Figs. 18-24, 0247-0278, 0308-0322, 0349-0367; generating coded blocks based on applicability of geometric partitioning mode and applicable rules accorded to determined mode].
Deng discloses the limitations of the claim. However, Deng does not explicitly disclose establishing a corresponding luma region of the current chroma block from a reconstructed region of a luma component, the corresponding luma region being an intra- predicted region and representing a luma block or a luma region co-located with the current chroma block.
Lim more explicitly discloses establishing a corresponding luma region of the current chroma block from a reconstructed region of a luma component, the corresponding luma region being an intra- predicted region and representing a luma block or a luma region co-located with the current chroma block [Figs. 3-8, 13-17, 0089-0100, 0122-0134, 0226-0233; dynamic partitioning of image data based on a variety of parameters including color components and regions].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Deng with the teachings of Lim as stated above. By incorporating the teachings as such, enhanced compression efficiency is achieved (see Lim 0007-0013).
Regarding claim 16, Deng discloses a computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream generated by a video encoding method, wherein the video encoding method comprises (Figs. 1-2; CRM).
determining a prediction mode of the current chroma block based on whether a spatial geometric partitioning mode is applied to the corresponding luma region, an intra- prediction mode of the corresponding luma region, and block partition structures of the luma component and a chroma component [Figs. 18-24, 0247-0278, 0308-0322, 0349-0367; determining applicability of geometric partitioning mode based on coding characteristics of the block and of applicable rules accorded to determined mode].
generating a prediction block of the current chroma block based on the prediction mode of the current chroma block [Figs. 18-24, 0247-0278, 0308-0322, 0349-0367; generating coded blocks based on applicability of geometric partitioning mode and applicable rules accorded to determined mode].
Deng discloses the limitations of the claim. However, Deng does not explicitly disclose establishing a corresponding luma region of the current chroma block from a reconstructed region of a luma component, the corresponding luma region being an intra- predicted region and representing a luma block or a luma region co-located with the current chroma block.
Lim more explicitly discloses establishing a corresponding luma region of the current chroma block from a reconstructed region of a luma component, the corresponding luma region being an intra- predicted region and representing a luma block or a luma region co-located with the current chroma block [Figs. 3-8, 13-17, 0089-0100, 0122-0134, 0226-0233; dynamic partitioning of image data based on a variety of parameters including color components and regions].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Deng with the teachings of Lim as stated above. By incorporating the teachings as such, enhanced compression efficiency is achieved (see Lim 0007-0013).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 9-10 and 12-15 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 including the resolution of any and all matters of form, 35 USC 112 and/or 35 USC 101 matters.
The prior arts of record individually nor in combination do not explicitly disclose when the block partition structures of the luma component and the chroma component are equal, and when the corresponding luma region is predicted according to the spatial geometric partitioning mode: partitioning the current chroma block into chroma subregions by using a color format of a current picture and a geometric partitioning mode of the corresponding luma region and obtaining a prediction mode of each of the chroma subregions, when taken in the environment of the independent claims.
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.
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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.
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/TALHA M NAWAZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483
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