DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Status of the Application
Claim 1 has been cancelled. Claims 2-13 have been added. Claims 2-13 are currently pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/12/2025 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/19/2025 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/18/2025 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/26/2025 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/06/2026 was filed. The submission is 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.
Claims 2-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3, 7, and 25 of U.S. Patent No. 9,591,335 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Kondo et al. (Hereafter, “Kondo”) [US 6,408,097 A1] in further view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1] in even further view of Shi et al. (Hereafter, “Shi”) [US 2011/0170595 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 9,591,335
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 9,591,335 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub- regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract a maximum region size and multi-tree subdivision information from a data stream representing an encoded video sequence; a sub-divider configured to spatially divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video sequence into tree root regions of the maximum region size and subdividing, in accordance with a multi-tree subdivision information, at least a subset of the tree root regions into smaller simply connected regions of different sizes by recursively multi-partitioning the subset of tree root regions; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of samples from the data stream using the subdivision into the smaller simply connected regions; wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a prediction of the array of information samples at a granularity which depends on the subdivision into smaller simply connected regions and the extractor is configured to extract subordinate multi-tree subdivision information from the data stream, and wherein the decoder further comprises: a further subdivider configured to subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information, at least a subset of the smaller simply connected regions into even smaller simply connected regions by recursively multi-partitioning the subset of the smaller simply connected regions, wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a retransformation from spectral to spatial domain in units of the even smaller simply connected regions, and wherein the extractor is configured to extract a further maximum region size from the data stream, and wherein the further sub-divider is configured to divide each smaller simply connected region exceeding the further maximum region size into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size and subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information, at least the subset of the tree root sub-regions into the even smaller simply connected regions, wherein the further sub-divider is configured to, in subdividing the subset of smaller simply connected regions, check, for each smaller simply connected region, as to whether the respective smaller simply connected region exceeds the further maximum region size, and, if the respective smaller simply connected region does exceed the further maximum region size, divide the respective smaller simply connected region into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size; for each tree root sub-region, check the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information as to whether the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, and if the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, partition the respective tree root sub-region into sub-sub-regions, and recursively repeat the check and partitioning for the sub-sub regions until no further partition is to be performed according to the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information or a further maximum hierarchy level is reached, and wherein for smaller simply connected region not exceeding the further maximum region size, the division into tree root sub-regions is skipped.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of information samples is divided into the first set of root regions such that: the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, and the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
3. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the sub-divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into tree root regions such that the tree root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the maximum region size, regularly arranged in order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition
indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the leaf regions of the subset of tree root regions in a depth-first traversal order from the data stream.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order.
7. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the leaf regions of the subset of tree root regions in a depth-first traversal order from the data stream.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract a maximum region size and multi-tree subdivision information from a data stream representing an encoded video sequence; a sub-divider configured to spatially divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video sequence into tree root regions of the maximum region size and subdividing, in accordance with a multi-tree subdivision information, at least a subset of the tree root regions into smaller simply connected regions of different sizes by recursively multi-partitioning the subset of tree root regions; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of samples from the data stream using the subdivision into the smaller simply connected regions; wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a prediction of the array of information samples at a granularity which depends on the subdivision into smaller simply connected regions and the extractor is configured to extract subordinate multi-tree subdivision information from the data stream, and wherein the decoder further comprises: a further subdivider configured to subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information, at least a subset of the smaller simply connected regions into even smaller simply connected regions by recursively multi-partitioning the subset of the smaller simply connected regions, wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a retransformation from spectral to spatial domain in units of the even smaller simply connected regions, and wherein the extractor is configured to extract a further maximum region size from the data stream, and wherein the further sub-divider is configured to divide each smaller simply connected region exceeding the further maximum region size into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size and subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information, at least the subset of the tree root sub-regions into the even smaller simply connected regions, wherein the further sub-divider is configured to, in subdividing the subset of smaller simply connected regions, check, for each smaller simply connected region, as to whether the respective smaller simply connected region exceeds the further maximum region size, and, if the respective smaller simply connected region does exceed the further maximum region size, divide the respective smaller simply connected region into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size; for each tree root sub-region, check the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information as to whether the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, and if the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, partition the respective tree root sub-region into sub-sub-regions, and recursively repeat the check and partitioning for the sub-sub regions until no further partition is to be performed according to the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information or a further maximum hierarchy level is reached, and wherein for smaller simply connected region not exceeding the further maximum region size, the division into tree root sub-regions is skipped.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the leaf regions of the subset of tree root regions in a depth-first traversal order from the data stream.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium; the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; inserting, into the data stream; wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.); the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); inserting, into the data stream ([0101] Following the entropy coding by entropy coding unit 46, the encoded video may be transmitted to another device or archived for later transmission or retrieval through a bitstream.); wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks); a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Kondo discloses partition indication flags ([Col. 2] division determination flag for determining the way of division of a block).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the use of division determination flags for the blocks as taught by Kondo. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the coding of the inputted picture signal [See Kondo].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Shi discloses wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique ([0151] partitioning into a quad-tree data structure); wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique ([0151] partitioning into a quad-tree data structure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the explicit teachings of quad tree partitioning as taught by Shi. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding or decoding of videos [See Shi].
Claims 2-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 2, and 6 of U.S. Patent No. 9,596,488 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Kondo et al. (Hereafter, “Kondo”) [US 6,408,097 A1] in further view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1] in even further view of Shi et al. (Hereafter, “Shi”) [US 2011/0170595 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 9,596,488
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 9,596,488 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub- regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract a maximum region size and multi-tree subdivision information from a data stream representing an encoded video sequence; a sub-divider configured to spatially divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video sequence into tree root regions of the maximum region size and subdividing, in accordance with a multi-tree subdivision information, at least some of the tree root regions into smaller simply connected regions of different sizes by recursively multi-partitioning said some tree root regions; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of samples from the data stream using the subdivision into the smaller simply connected regions, wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a prediction of the array of information samples at a granularity which depends on the subdivision into smaller simply connected regions and the extractor is configured to extract subordinate multi-tree subdivision information of a subordinate multi-tree-subdivision from the data stream, and wherein the decoder further comprises a further subdivider configured to subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information, at least some of the smaller simply connected regions into even smaller simply connected regions by recursively multi-partitioning said some of the smaller simply connected regions, wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a retransformation from spectral to spatial domain in units of the even smaller simply connected regions, wherein the extractor is configured to extract a further maximum region size from the data stream, and wherein the further sub-divider is configured to divide each smaller simply connected region exceeding the further maximum region size into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size and subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree- subdivision information, at least some of the tree root sub-regions into the even smaller simply connected regions, wherein the further sub-divider is configured to, in subdividing said some of smaller simply connected regions, check, for each smaller simply connected region, as to whether the respective smaller simply connected region exceeds the further maximum region size, and, if the respective smaller simply connected region does exceed the further maximum region size, divide the respective smaller simply connected region into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size; for each tree root sub-region, check the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information as to whether the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, and if the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, partition the respective tree root sub-region into sub-sub-regions, and recursively repeat the check and partitioning for the sub-sub regions until no further partition is to be performed according to the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information or a maximum hierarchy level of the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision is reached, and wherein for smaller simply connected region not exceeding the further maximum region size, the division into tree root sub-regions is skipped.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of information samples is divided into the first set of root regions such that: the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, and the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
2. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the sub-divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into tree root regions such that the tree root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the maximum region size, regularly arranged in order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition
indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
6. The decoder according to claim 3, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the leaf regions of said at least some of tree root regions to be subdivided, in a depth-first traversal processing order starting from first hierarchy level, from the data stream.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order.
6. The decoder according to claim 3, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the leaf regions of said at least some of tree root regions to be subdivided, in a depth-first traversal processing order starting from first hierarchy level, from the data stream.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract a maximum region size and multi-tree subdivision information from a data stream representing an encoded video sequence; a sub-divider configured to spatially divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video sequence into tree root regions of the maximum region size and subdividing, in accordance with a multi-tree subdivision information, at least some of the tree root regions into smaller simply connected regions of different sizes by recursively multi-partitioning said some tree root regions; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of samples from the data stream using the subdivision into the smaller simply connected regions, wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a prediction of the array of information samples at a granularity which depends on the subdivision into smaller simply connected regions and the extractor is configured to extract subordinate multi-tree subdivision information of a subordinate multi-tree-subdivision from the data stream, and wherein the decoder further comprises a further subdivider configured to subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information, at least some of the smaller simply connected regions into even smaller simply connected regions by recursively multi-partitioning said some of the smaller simply connected regions, wherein the reconstructor is configured to perform a retransformation from spectral to spatial domain in units of the even smaller simply connected regions, wherein the extractor is configured to extract a further maximum region size from the data stream, and wherein the further sub-divider is configured to divide each smaller simply connected region exceeding the further maximum region size into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size and subdivide, in accordance with the subordinate multi-tree- subdivision information, at least some of the tree root sub-regions into the even smaller simply connected regions, wherein the further sub-divider is configured to, in subdividing said some of smaller simply connected regions, check, for each smaller simply connected region, as to whether the respective smaller simply connected region exceeds the further maximum region size, and, if the respective smaller simply connected region does exceed the further maximum region size, divide the respective smaller simply connected region into tree root sub-regions of the further maximum region size; for each tree root sub-region, check the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information as to whether the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, and if the respective tree root sub-region is to be partitioned, partition the respective tree root sub-region into sub-sub-regions, and recursively repeat the check and partitioning for the sub-sub regions until no further partition is to be performed according to the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision information or a maximum hierarchy level of the subordinate multi-tree-subdivision is reached, and wherein for smaller simply connected region not exceeding the further maximum region size, the division into tree root sub-regions is skipped.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
6. The decoder according to claim 3, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the leaf regions of said at least some of tree root regions to be subdivided, in a depth-first traversal processing order starting from first hierarchy level, from the data stream.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; inserting, into the data stream, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.), wherein: the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); inserting, into the data stream ([0101] Following the entropy coding by entropy coding unit 46, the encoded video may be transmitted to another device or archived for later transmission or retrieval through a bitstream.), wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks); a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Kondo discloses partition indication flags ([Col. 2] division determination flag for determining the way of division of a block).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the use of division determination flags for the blocks as taught by Kondo. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the coding of the inputted picture signal [See Kondo].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Shi discloses wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique; wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique ([0151] partitioning into a quad-tree data structure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the explicit teachings of quad tree partitioning as taught by Shi. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding or decoding of videos [See Shi].
Claims 2-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, and 13 of U.S. Patent No. 10,250,913 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 3 below.
Table 3: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,250,913
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,250,913 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract, from a data stream representing encoded video information, information related to first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and a maximum hierarchy level wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding; a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, and determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided; responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of information samples is divided into the first
set of root regions such that: the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, and the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
3. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into the first set of root regions such that the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition
indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to, in sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions, determine whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide that root region into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeat the determination and sub-division for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determination and sub-division is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision information or another maximum hierarchy level is reached.
6. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
11. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract, from a data stream representing encoded video information, information related to first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and a maximum hierarchy level wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding; a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, and determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided; responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
11. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
13. An encoder comprising: a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of video information into a first set of root regions based on a first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on first subdivision information, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds a second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub- regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub- divided, and responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on second subdivision information and a maximum hierarchy level; and a data stream generator configured to: encode the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub- regions, and insert into a data stream the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the maximum hierarchy level, and the first and second subdivision information, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.), wherein: the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 2-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 19 of U.S. Patent No. 10,681,390 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 4 below.
Table 4: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,681,390
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,681,390 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract, from a data stream representing video information, information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding; a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, and responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of information samples is divided into the first
set of root regions such that: the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, and the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
3. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into the first set of root regions such that the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition
indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided.
6. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
10. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
11. A method comprising: extracting, from a data stream representing video information, information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding; dividing an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size; sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information; determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, dividing at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size; determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided; responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information; and reconstructing the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising extracting syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.), wherein: the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream ([0101] Following the entropy coding by entropy coding unit 46, the encoded video may be transmitted to another device or archived for later transmission or retrieval through a bitstream.), a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; wherein: wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 2-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 11 of U.S. Patent No. 10,687,086 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 5 below.
Table 5: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,687,086
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10, 687,086 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract, from a data stream representing video information, information related to a maximum hierarchy level, information related to a first maximum region size associated with prediction coding and a second maximum region size associated with transform coding; a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, and responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the maximum hierarchy level; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract, from the data stream, first subdivision information, and the divider is configured to, in sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions, determine whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide that root region into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeat the determination and sub-division for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determination and sub-division is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision information or another maximum hierarchy level is reached.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of information samples is divided into the first
set of root regions such that: the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, and the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
3. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into the first set of root regions such that the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition
indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided.
6. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
11. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract, from a data stream representing video information, information related to a maximum hierarchy level, information related to a first maximum region size associated with prediction coding and a second maximum region size associated with transform coding; a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, and responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the maximum hierarchy level; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract, from the data stream, first subdivision information, and the divider is configured to, in sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions, determine whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide that root region into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeat the determination and sub-division for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determination and sub-division is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision information or another maximum hierarchy level is reached.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
11. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.), wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks), the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information ([0101] Following the entropy coding by entropy coding unit 46, the encoded video may be transmitted to another device or archived for later transmission or retrieval through a bitstream.); a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 2-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 11 of U.S. Patent No. 10,708,628 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 6 below.
Table 6: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,708,628
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,708,628 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract, from a data stream representing video information, information related to a first maximum region size associated with prediction coding and a second maximum region size associated with transform coding; a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, and responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract, from the data stream, first subdivision information, and the divider is configured to, in sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions, determine whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide that root region into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeat the determination and sub-division for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determination and sub-division is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision information or a maximum hierarchy level is reached.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of information samples is divided into the first
set of root regions such that: the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, and the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
3. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into the first set of root regions such that the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition
indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided.
6. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
11. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to extract, from a data stream representing video information, information related to a first maximum region size associated with prediction coding and a second maximum region size associated with transform coding; a divider configured to: divide an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-divide at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, determine whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determine, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, and responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract, from the data stream, first subdivision information, and the divider is configured to, in sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions, determine whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide that root region into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeat the determination and sub-division for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determination and sub-division is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision information or a maximum hierarchy level is reached.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
11. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.), wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks), the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information ([0101] Following the entropy coding by entropy coding unit 46, the encoded video may be transmitted to another device or archived for later transmission or retrieval through a bitstream.); a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks), the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4, 5, 8, and 11 of U.S. Patent No. 10,721,495 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 7 below.
Table 7: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,721,495
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,721,495 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to: extract, from a data stream representing a video, first subdivision flags associated with prediction coding and second subdivision flags associated with transform coding, wherein each of the first subdivision flags is associated with one of a first set of regions or one of a first set of sub-regions thereof in a multi-tree structure associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, and each of the second subdivision flags is associated with one of a second set of regions or one of a second set of sub-regions thereof in the multi-tree structure, wherein the first sets of regions and sub-regions are obtained using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision flags, and the second sets of regions and sub-regions are obtained using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision flags, entropy decode each of the first subdivision flags using a first probability estimation context, which is determined based on a hierarchy level of a first region in the first set of regions or a sub-region in the first set of sub-regions associated with the respective first subdivision flag, and entropy decode each of the second subdivision flags using a second probability estimation context, which is determined based on a size of a region in the second set of regions or a sub-region in the second set of sub-regions associated with the respective second subdivision flag; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding for the first sets of regions and sub-regions and transform coding for the second sets of regions and sub-regions.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, further comprising a divider configured to: divide the array of information samples into the first set of regions, sub-divide at least some of the first set of regions into the first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision flags, divide at least one of the first set of sub-regions into the second set of regions, determine, for each of the second set of regions, whether the respective region of the second set of regions is to be sub-divided, and responsive to a determination that the respective region of the second set of regions is to be sub-divided, sub-divide the respective region of the second set of regions into the second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision flags.
5. The decoder according to claim 4, wherein the divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into the first set of regions such that the first set of regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by a first maximum region size, wherein the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
11. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided; wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).), the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks); wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 11, 15, 17, and 19 of U.S. Patent No. 10,764,608 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 8 below.
Table 8: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,764,608
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,764,608 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi- tree partitioning.
11. A method comprising: extracting, from a data stream representing a video, first subdivision flags associated with prediction coding, wherein each of the first subdivision flags is associated with one of a first set of regions or one of a first set of sub-regions thereof in a multi-tree structure, and second subdivision flags associated with transform coding, wherein each of the second subdivision flags is associated with one of a second set of regions or one of a second set of sub-regions thereof in the multi-tree structure; entropy decoding each of the first subdivision flags using a first probability estimation context, which is determined based on a hierarchy level within the multi-tree structure of a first region in the first set of regions or a sub-region in the first set of sub-regions associated with the respective first subdivision flag; entropy decoding each of the second subdivision flags using a second probability estimation context, which is determined based on a size of a region in the second set of regions or a sub-region in the second set of sub-regions associated with the respective second subdivision flag; dividing an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video into the first set of regions; sub-dividing at least some of the first set of regions into the first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision flags; dividing at least one of the first set of sub-regions into the second set of regions; determining, for each of the second set of regions, whether the respective region of the second set of regions is to be sub-divided based on a respective one of the second subdivision flags; responsive to a determination that the respective region of the second set of regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective region of the second set of regions into the second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the respective second subdivision flag; and reconstructing the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sub-dividing of at least some of the first set of regions includes: determining whether a respective first subdivision flag indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing that region into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level within the multi-tree structure according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeating the determination and sub-division for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determination and sub-division is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision flags or a maximum hierarchy level is reached.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising extracting syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).), the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 2, 3, and 9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 60 of U.S. Patent No. 10,771,822 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 9 below.
Table 9: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,771,822
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10, 771,822 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
60. A data stream stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the data stream comprising an encoded plurality of arrays of information samples, wherein each of the plurality of arrays of information samples is divided by determining, with respect to the array of information samples, a first maximum region size, multi-tree subdivision information, a second maximum region size, and subordinate multi-tree subdivision information for the array of information sample, wherein the first maximum region size and the multi-tree subdivision information are associated with regions of the array of information samples in a spatial domain, and the second maximum region size and the subordinate multi-tree subdivision information are associated with regions of the array of information samples in a spectral domain, determining a maximum hierarchy level for the array of information samples, wherein the maximum hierarchy level is associated with regions of the array of information samples in the spectral domain, partitioning the array of information samples into a first set of regions in the spatial domain based on the first maximum region size, sub-partitioning at least a subset of the first set of regions into a first set of sub-regions in the spatial domain based on the multi-tree subdivision information associated therewith, responsive to a determination that a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, partitioning the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of regions in the spectral domain, and responsive to a determination that at least one of the second set of regions of the second maximum size is to be sub-divided, sub-partitioning the at least one of the second set of regions into a second set of sub-regions in the spectral domain based on the subordinate multi-tree subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level associated therewith, wherein each of the arrays of information samples is encoded by encoding, into the data stream, information related to first subdivision information, second subdivision information, and the maximum hierarchy level for the array of information samples, wherein the first subdivision information includes the first maximum region size and the multi-tree subdivision information and the second subdivision information includes the second maximum region size and the subordinate multi-tree subdivision information.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
60. A data stream stored in a non-transitory storage medium, the data stream comprising an encoded plurality of arrays of information samples, wherein each of the plurality of arrays of information samples is divided by determining, with respect to the array of information samples, a first maximum region size, multi-tree subdivision information, a second maximum region size, and subordinate multi-tree subdivision information for the array of information sample, wherein the first maximum region size and the multi-tree subdivision information are associated with regions of the array of information samples in a spatial domain, and the second maximum region size and the subordinate multi-tree subdivision information are associated with regions of the array of information samples in a spectral domain, determining a maximum hierarchy level for the array of information samples, wherein the maximum hierarchy level is associated with regions of the array of information samples in the spectral domain, partitioning the array of information samples into a first set of regions in the spatial domain based on the first maximum region size, sub-partitioning at least a subset of the first set of regions into a first set of sub-regions in the spatial domain based on the multi-tree subdivision information associated therewith, responsive to a determination that a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, partitioning the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of regions in the spectral domain, and responsive to a determination that at least one of the second set of regions of the second maximum size is to be sub-divided, sub-partitioning the at least one of the second set of regions into a second set of sub-regions in the spectral domain based on the subordinate multi-tree subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level associated therewith, wherein each of the arrays of information samples is encoded by encoding, into the data stream, information related to first subdivision information, second subdivision information, and the maximum hierarchy level for the array of information samples, wherein the first subdivision information includes the first maximum region size and the multi-tree subdivision information and the second subdivision information includes the second maximum region size and the subordinate multi-tree subdivision information.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.), wherein: the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples ([0101] Following the entropy coding by entropy coding unit 46, the encoded video may be transmitted to another device or archived for later transmission or retrieval through a bitstream.); a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), wherein: the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Claims 2-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3, 5, 7, and 9 of U.S. Patent No. 10,805,645 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 10 below.
Table 10: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,805,645
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,805,645 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
2. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of a video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations comprising: dividing the array of information samples representing the spatially sampled portion into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information, determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information, and encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
3. The method of claim 2, the operations further comprising: inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the first and second subdivision information.
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing data associated with a video, comprising: a data stream stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the data stream comprising encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information including information related to first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and a maximum hierarchy level, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations including: dividing the array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size; sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information; determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size; determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided; responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level; generating the encoded information based on the first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and the maximum hierarchy level; and inserting the encoded information into the data stream.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the array of information samples is divided into the first
set of root regions such that: the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first maximum region size, and the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
2. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the dividing of the array of information samples into the first set of root regions is performed such that the first set of root regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by the first region size, the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition
indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions is sub-divided.
3. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions includes: determining whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing each of the at least some of the first set of root regions into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeating the determining and sub-dividing for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determining and sub-dividing is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision information or another maximum hierarchy level is reached.
5. The computer-readable medium according to claim 3, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order.
7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing data associated with a video, comprising: a data stream stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the data stream comprising encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information including information related to first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and a maximum hierarchy level, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the encoded information is coded into the data stream by operations including: dividing the array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size; sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information; determining whether a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions exceeds the second maximum region size; responsive to a determination that the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions does exceed the second maximum region size, dividing the at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size; determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided; responsive to a determination that the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level; generating the encoded information based on the first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and the maximum hierarchy level; and inserting the encoded information into the data stream.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
3. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions includes: determining whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least some of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing each of the at least some of the first set of root regions into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeating the determining and sub-dividing for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determining and sub-dividing is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision information or another maximum hierarchy level is reached.
5. The computer-readable medium according to claim 3, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are inserted into the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
9. The computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium, wherein: encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions; inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples; wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream on a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.), wherein: encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and using transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).); inserting, into the data stream, the encoded array of information samples ([0101] Following the entropy coding by entropy coding unit 46, the encoded video may be transmitted to another device or archived for later transmission or retrieval through a bitstream.); a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein the syntax elements are transmitted in the depth-first traversal order; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 11, 16, 17, and 20 of U.S. Patent No. 10,856,013 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 11 below.
Table 11: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,856,013
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,856,013 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
11. A method for decoding comprising: extracting, from a data stream representing encoded video information, information related to first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and a maximum hierarchy level, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding; dividing an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size; sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information; based on the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions and the second maximum region size, dividing at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, wherein the second subdivision information includes flag syntax elements encoded in the data stream and different from the information related to second maximum region size, each flag syntax element being associated with a corresponding root region of the second set of root regions and having a binary value; determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided based on the corresponding flag syntax element; responsive to a determination that the corresponding flag syntax element is equal to the binary value of 1, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level; and reconstructing the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising extracting syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 11, 16, 17, and 20 of U.S. Patent No. 10,893,301 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 12 below.
Table 12: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 10,893,301
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 10,893,301 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
11. A method for decoding comprising: extracting, from a data stream representing encoded video information, information related to first and second maximum region sizes, first and second subdivision information, and a maximum hierarchy level, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding; dividing an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video information into a first set of root regions based on the first maximum region size; sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the first subdivision information; based on the size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions and the second maximum region size, dividing at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, wherein the second subdivision information includes flag syntax elements encoded in the data stream and different from the information related to second maximum region size, each flag syntax element being associated with a corresponding root region of the second set of root regions and having a binary value; determining, for each of the second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, whether the respective root region of the second set of root regions is to be sub-divided based on the corresponding flag syntax element; responsive to a determination that the corresponding flag syntax element is equal to the binary value of 1, sub-dividing the respective root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level; and reconstructing the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising extracting syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4, 7, and 10 of U.S. Patent No. 11,102,518 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Kondo et al. (Hereafter, “Kondo”) [US 6,408,097 A1] in further view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 13 below.
Table 13: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 11,102,518
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 11,102,518 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to: extract, from a data stream representing a video, first subdivision flags and second subdivision flags, wherein the first subdivision flags are associated with prediction coding, each of the first subdivision flags is associated with one of a first set of regions in a multi-tree structure, the second subdivision flags are associated with transform coding, and each of the second subdivision flags is associated with one of a second set of regions in the multi-tree structure, entropy decode each of the first subdivision flags using a first probability estimation context, which is determined based on a hierarchy level within the multi-tree structure of a region in the first set of regions associated with the first subdivision flag, and entropy decode each of the second subdivision flags using a second probability estimation context, which is determined based on a size of a region in the second set of regions associated with the second subdivision flag; a divider configured to: divide, based on one or more of the first subdivision flags, an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video into the first set of regions of the multi-tree structure, and divide, based on one or more of the second subdivision flags, at least a portion of the array of information samples into the second set of regions of the multi-tree structure; and a reconstructor configured to reconstruct the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of regions.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into the first set of regions such that the first set of regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by a first maximum region size, wherein the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
10. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided; wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks), the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Kondo discloses partition indication flags ([Col. 2] division determination flag for determining the way of division of a block).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the use of division determination flags for the blocks as taught by Kondo. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the coding of the inputted picture signal [See Kondo].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 19, 22, 24, and 25 of U.S. Patent No. 11,546,642 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1] in further view of Shi et al. (Hereafter, “Shi”) [US 2011/0170595 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 14 below.
Table 14: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 11,546,642
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 11,546,642 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
19. An encoder comprising: a divider configured for: dividing an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of video information into a first set of root regions based on a first maximum region size, sub-dividing at least one of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on first subdivision information, based on a size of at least one of the first set of sub-regions and a second maximum region size, dividing at least one of the first set of sub-regions into a second set of root regions of the second maximum region size, and sub-dividing a root region of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning based on the second subdivision information and the maximum hierarchy level, wherein the second subdivision information includes a binary flag, different from the information related to second maximum region size, and associated with the root region of the second set of root regions; and a data stream generator configured for: encoding the array of information samples using prediction coding in accordance with the first set of sub-regions and transform coding in accordance with the second set of sub-regions, and inserting into a data stream the encoded array of information samples, information related to the first and second maximum region sizes and the maximum hierarchy level, and the first and second subdivision information, wherein the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, and the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding.
22. The encoder according to claim 19, wherein the divider is configured for, in sub-dividing at least some of the first set of root regions, determining whether the first subdivision information indicates that each of the at least one of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, based on a determination that each of the at least one of the first set of root regions is to be sub-divided, sub-dividing that root region into sub-regions of a first hierarchy level according to a partition rule associated with the first hierarchy level, and recursively repeating the determination and sub-division for the sub-regions of the first hierarchy level in order to obtain regions of higher-order hierarchy levels using respective partition rules associated therewith, wherein the determination and sub-division is performed until no further division is to be performed according to the first subdivision.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
24. The encoder according to claim 22, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the sub-regions at the first or higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
25. The encoder according to claim 19, wherein the data stream generator is configured to insert syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order; wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
Shi discloses wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique ([0151] partitioning into a quad-tree data structure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the explicit teachings of quad tree partitioning as taught by Shi. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding or decoding of videos [See Shi].
Claims 9-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4, 7, and 10 of U.S. Patent No. 11,778,241 in view of Chen et al. (Hereafter, “Chen”) [US 2010/0086031 A1] in view of Kondo et al. (Hereafter, “Kondo”) [US 6,408,097 A1] in further view of Wan [US 2004/0028049 A1]. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they cover mutually associated subject matter. Thus, a terminal disclaimer is required. An analysis of the claims can be seen in Table 15 below.
Table 15: Instant Application No. 19/191,124 vs. U.S. Patent No. 11,778,241
Instant Application No. 19/191,124 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
U.S. Patent No. 11, 778,241 Claims (Difference Emphasis Added)
9. A method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the data stream comprises encoded information associated with an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video, the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the first maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a first set of root regions into which the array of information samples is divided, the first subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least some of the first set of root regions into a first set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, and the second subdivision information indicates, to the decoder, a subdivision of at least one of the second set of root regions into a second set of sub-regions using recursive multi-tree partitioning.
1. A decoder comprising: an extractor configured to: extract, from a data stream representing a video, first subdivision flags and second subdivision flags, wherein the first subdivision flags are associated with prediction coding, each of the first subdivision flags is associated with one of a first set of regions in a multi-tree structure, the second subdivision flags are associated with transform coding, and each of the second subdivision flags is associated with one of a second set of regions in the multi-tree structure, entropy decode at least one of the first subdivision flags using a first probability estimation context, which is determined based on a hierarchy level within the multi-tree structure of a region in the first set of regions associated with the at least one first subdivision flag, and entropy decode at least one of the second subdivision flags using a second probability estimation context, which is determined based on a size of a region in the second set of regions associated with the at least one second subdivision flag; and a divider configured to: divide, based on one or more of the first subdivision flags, an array of information samples representing a spatially sampled portion of the video into the first set of regions of the multi-tree structure, and divide, based on one or more of the second subdivision flags, at least a portion of the array of information samples into the second set of regions of the multi-tree structure, wherein the array of information samples is reconstructed in accordance with the first set of regions and the second set of regions.
4. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the divider is configured to perform the division of the array of information samples into the first set of regions such that the first set of regions are rectangular blocks of a size determined by a first maximum region size, wherein the rectangular blocks are arranged in an order to gaplessly cover the array of information samples.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
7. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the extractor is configured to extract syntax elements associated with the first or second set of regions from the data stream in a depth-first traversal order.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first subdivision information and the second
subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
10. The decoder according to claim 1, wherein the recursive multi-tree partitioning includes a quadtree partitioning technique.
Some of the differences in the claim limitations in the U.S. Patent are narrower than the instant application, and thus it would have been obvious to make the claim limitations in the instant application broader by removing the specific language found in the U.S. Patent.
The U.S. Patent fails to explicitly disclose a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder, wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information, the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding, the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding, the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided, wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication flag indicating whether any of the first set of root regions or the first set of sub-regions at a first hierarchy level or a higher-order hierarchy level is sub-divided, wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order, wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order.
Chen discloses a method for transmitting a data stream, comprising: transmitting the data stream over a transmission medium ([0069] As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 includes a source device 12 that transmits encoded video to a destination device 14 via a communication channel 16.) for decoding the data stream into a video by a decoder ([0070] In the example of FIG. 1, source device 12 may include a video source 18, video encoder 20, a modulator/demodulator (modem) 22 and a transmitter 24. Destination device 14 may include a receiver 26, a modem 28, a video decoder 30, and a display device 32.), wherein: the encoded information includes information related to first and second maximum region sizes and first and second subdivision information regions ([0109] Summer 64 sums the residual blocks with the corresponding prediction blocks generated by motion compensation unit 54 or intra-prediction unit to form decoded blocks. If desired, a deblocking filter may also be applied to filter the decoded blocks in order to remove blockiness artifacts. The decoded video blocks are then stored in reference frame store 62, which provides reference blocks for subsequent motion compensation and also produces decoded video for presentation on a display device (such as device 32 of FIG. 1).), the first maximum region size and the first subdivision information are associated with prediction coding ([0082] predictive coding (intra or inter) occur prior to the transform coding), the second maximum region size and the second subdivision information are associated with transform coding ([0082] the transforms are considered the 4x4 or 8x8 blocks), the second maximum region size indicates, to the decoder, a region size of a second set of root regions into which at least one of the first set of sub-regions is divided ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks), wherein the first subdivision information includes a partition indication ([0133] encoders and/or decoders utilize hierarchical CBP values to represent various partition levels of blocks).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the teachings of Chen. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the encoding and decoding methods and processes [See Chen].
Kondo discloses partition indication flags ([Col. 2] division determination flag for determining the way of division of a block).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the use of division determination flags for the blocks as taught by Kondo. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the coding of the inputted picture signal [See Kondo].
Wan discloses wherein syntax elements associated with the first or second set of sub-regions are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order, wherein the first subdivision information and the second subdivision information are transmitted in a depth-first traversal order ([0043] the encoding of the tree hierarchy can be performed in a depth-first manner).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention with the depth-first manner as taught by Wan. The motivation behind this modification would have been to improve the compression of the data [See Wan].
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kaitlin A Retallick whose telephone number is (571)270-3841. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
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/KAITLIN A RETALLICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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