DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5, 7, 14-17, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pan (CN 114598867 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses a method for processing video data (video coding [68]), comprising:
during a conversion (video coding [68]) between a video and a bitstream (binary code stream for transmission or storage [71]) of the video (video [71]), reusing filters (the coefficients are adjusted differently [121]) of an adaptive loop filter (ALF) (video coding includes filtering [72]), which are signaled in the bitstream (the ALF technology trains a few filter coefficients at the encoding end and transmits them to the decoding end [118]), for the current ALF processing unit (pixels in the region to be filtered [121]) after modification of the filters (coefficients are scaled, a value is added or subtracted [140]);
and performing the conversion (video coding includes filtering [72]) based on the ALF (to filter the reconstructed image sequence [118]).
Regarding Claim 2, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising scaling one or more coefficients of a first filter of the filters by a weight (w) (some coefficients are scaled [140]).
Regarding Claim 4, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising scaling all coefficients of a first filter of the filters by a weight (w) (all coefficients are scaled [140]), wherein the weight is identical for all of the coefficients (the scaling factor is a fixed value [143]).
Regarding Claim 5, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising adding an offset (k) to one or more coefficients of a first filter of the filters (a value is added or subtracted from the original coefficients [140]).
Regarding Claim 7, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising adding an offset (k) to all coefficients of a first filter of the filters (value is added or subtracted from the original coefficients, fine-tuning all of the filter coefficients [140]), wherein the offset is identical for all of the coefficients (the value is a fixed value [142]).
Regarding Claim 14, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1, wherein information for the method is included in the bitstream as one or more syntax elements (SE) (filter coefficients at the encoding end and transmits them to the decoding end [118]; a value carried by a code stream [142]).
Regarding Claim 15, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the conversion includes encoding (video coding [72]) the video into the bitstream (convert a series of element symbols into a binary code stream for transmission or storage [71]).
Regarding Claim 16, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the conversion includes decoding (video decoding [72]) the video from the bitstream (entropy decoding [72] binary code stream [71]).
Regarding Claim 17, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses an apparatus for processing media data (video coding [68]) comprising:
one or more processors (processor 1501 [687]); and
a non-transitory memory with instructions thereon (a machine-readable storage medium 1502 having machine-executable instructions stored thereon [687]), wherein the instructions upon execution by the one or more processors cause the apparatus (reading and executing machine-executable instructions [687]).
The remainder of Claim 17 is rejected on the grounds provided in Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 19, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a processor (processor 1501, a machine-readable storage medium 1502 having machine-executable instructions stored thereon, reading and executing machine-executable instructions [687]). The remainder of Claim 19 is rejected on the grounds provided in Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 20, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a bitstream (code stream for storage [71]). The remainder of Claim 20 does not have patentable weight as the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium does not store the recited method. See MPEP 2111.05.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 3, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pan (CN 114598867).
Regarding Claim 3, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 2.
Pan does not disclose, but renders obvious wherein the weight w is 0.5 or 1.5 (the claimed weight is a design choice).
Where the prior art encompasses the claimed subject matter but not a claimed value, differences in values will not support patentability unless the value is critical, and the value is optimized by more-than-routine experimentation. MPEP 2144.05. Applicant’s specification makes a perfunctory declaration of the weight value without any disclosure of whether, why, or how the value is critical, or whether or how the value has been optimized. Therefore, the claimed value is obvious in view of the prior art.
Regarding Claim 6, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 5.
Pan does not disclose, but renders obvious wherein the offset k is 10 or -10 (the offset selection is a design choice).
Where the prior art encompasses the claimed subject matter but not a claimed value, differences in values will not support patentability unless the value is critical, and the value is optimized by more-than-routine experimentation. MPEP 2144.05. Applicant’s specification makes a perfunctory declaration of the offset value without disclosure of whether, why, or how the value is critical, or whether or how the value has been optimized. Therefore, the claimed value is obvious in view of the prior art.
Claim(s) 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pan (CN 114598867) in view of Hu (US PG Publication 2020/0314423).
Regarding Claim 8, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1.
Pan does not disclose but Hu (US PG Publication 2020/0314423) teaches further comprising adding an offset (t) to one or more clipping parameters of a first filter of the filters (add the delta values to clipping parameters of one or more of the predefined clipping parameter sets to reconstruct the clipping parameters [0076]).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed would have been motivated to predict the clipping parameters of the adaptive loop filter of Pan because Hu teaches that doing so enables fixed filter sets to be used in an adaptable manner using all parameters in the bitstream [0073]-[0074], improving the compressed and reconstructed video quality [0067].
Regarding Claim 9, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 8.
Pan does not disclose but Hu (US PG Publication 2020/0314423) renders obvious wherein the offset t is +1 or -1 (the offset selection is a design choice).
Where the prior art encompasses the claimed subject matter but not a claimed value, differences in values will not support patentability unless the value is critical, and the value is optimized by more-than-routine experimentation. MPEP 2144.05. Applicant’s specification makes a perfunctory declaration of the offset value without disclosure of whether, why, or how the value is critical, or whether or how the value has been optimized. Therefore, the claimed value is obvious in view of the prior art.
Regarding Claim 10, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1.
Pan does not disclose but Hu (US PG Publication 2020/0314423) teaches further comprising adding an offset (t) to all clipping parameters of a first filter of the filters (fixed filter set [0073-[0074]), wherein the offset is identical for all of the clipping parameters (add the delta values to clipping parameters of one or more of the predefined clipping parameter sets to reconstruct the clipping parameters [0076]; i.e., there is no indication that there is more than one clipping parameter).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed would have been motivated to predict the clipping parameters of the adaptive loop filter because Hu teaches that doing so enables fixed filter sets to be used in an adaptable manner [0073]-[0074], improving coding and reconstructed video quality [0067].
Claim(s) 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pan (CN 114598867) in view of Misra (US Patent 11,979,566).
Regarding Claim 11, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1.
Pan does not disclose, but Misra (US Patent 11,979,566) teaches further comprising scaling an output of a first filter of the filters by a weight (scaling of output of cross-component filtering, Col. 33 lines 5-10).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed would have been motivated to use CCALF in Pan to filter coding tree blocks because Misra teaches that using a color component to predict another component provides improved coding efficiency, and the fidelity of the color channel is increased, improving the video (Column 24 lines 60-end).
Regarding Claim 12, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 1.
Pan does not disclose, but Misra (US Patent 11,979,566) teaches wherein the ALF comprises a cross component ALF (CCALF) and the current ALF processing unit comprises a CCALF processing unit (cross-component filtering, Fig. 11D, Col. 33 lines 5-10).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed would have been motivated to use CCALF in Pan to filter coding tree blocks because Misra teaches that using a color component to predict another component provides improved coding efficiency, and the fidelity of the color channel is increased, improving the video (Column 24 lines 60-end).
Regarding Claim 13, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the method of claim 12.
Pan does not disclose, but Misra (US Patent 11,979,566) teaches further comprising adding (adding, Col. 33 lines 5-10) an offset (corresponding chroma ALF output, Col. 33 lines 5-10) to an output of a first filter of the CCALF (output of cross-component filtering, Col. 33 lines 5-10).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed would have been motivated to use CCALF in Pan to filter coding tree blocks because Misra teaches that using a color component to predict another component provides improved coding efficiency, and the fidelity of the color channel is increased, improving the video (Column 24 lines 60-end).
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pan (CN 114598867) in view of Hu (US PG Publication 2020/0314423) and Misra (US Patent 11,979,566).
Regarding Claim 18, Pan (CN 114598867) discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to:
scale one or more coefficients of a first filter of the filters by a weight (w); or scale all coefficients of the first filter of the filters by the weight (w), wherein the weight is identical for all of the one or more coefficients (some or all coefficients are scaled [140]; scaling factor is a fixed value [143]);
add an offset (k) to the one or more coefficients of the first filter of the filters; or add the offset (k) to all coefficients of the first filter of the filters, wherein the offset is identical for all of the coefficients (value is added or subtracted from the original coefficients, fine-tuning all of the filter coefficients [140]; the value is a fixed value [142]);
wherein information for reuse of the filters is included in the bitstream as one or more syntax elements (SEs) (filter coefficients at the encoding end and transmits them to the decoding end [118]; a value carried by a code stream [142]).
Pan does not disclose, but renders obvious wherein the weight w is 0.5 or 1.5 (the weight selection is a design choice); wherein the offset k is 10 or -10 (the offset selection is a design choice).
Pan does not disclose but Hu (US PG Publication 2020/0314423) teaches add an offset (t) to one or more clipping parameters of the first filter of the filters; or add the offset (t) to all clipping parameters of the first filter of the filters, wherein the offset is identical for all of the clipping parameters (add the delta values to clipping parameters of one or more of the predefined clipping parameter sets to reconstruct the clipping parameters [0076]).
Pan does not disclose but Hu (US PG Publication 2020/0314423) renders obvious wherein the offset t is +1 or -1 (the offset selection is a design choice).
Pan does not disclose, but Misra (US Patent 11,979,566) teaches scale an output of the first filter of the filters by a weight (scaling of output of cross-component filtering, Col. 33 lines 5-10),
wherein the ALF comprises a cross component ALF (CCALF) (cross component filter Cr or Cb, Fig. 11D, Col. 33 lines 5-10) and the current ALF processing unit comprises a CCALF processing unit (cross component filter Cr or Cb, Fig. 11D, Col. 33 lines 5-10), and
wherein the one or more processors are further caused to add the offset to the output of the first filter of the CCALF (scaling of output of cross-component filtering prior to adding the output to another output, Col. 33 lines 5-10).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed would have been motivated to predict the clipping parameters of the adaptive loop filter of Pan because Hu teaches that doing so enables fixed filter sets to be used in an adaptable manner considering all filter parameters [0073]-[0074], improving compressed and reconstructed video quality [0067].
One of ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed would have been motivated to use CCALF in Pan to filter coding tree blocks because Misra teaches that using a color component to predict another component provides improved coding efficiency, and the fidelity of the color channel is increased, improving the video (Column 24 lines 60-end).
Where the prior art encompasses the claimed subject matter but not a claimed value or range, differences in values will not support patentability unless the value is critical, and the value is optimized by more-than-routine experimentation. MPEP 2144.05. Applicant’s specification makes a perfunctory declaration of the weight and offset values without a disclosure of whether, why, or how the values are critical, or whether or how the values have been optimized. Therefore, the claimed values are obvious in view of the prior art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s remarks filed 811/2026 have been considered but are unpersuasive. The non-final office action at pages 3-4 includes citations to Pan which indicates that some or all filter coefficients are scaled or offset. Pan at [140]. Further describing the implementation, Pan at [121] explains that there is typically only one set of filter coefficients for a region, but to generate multiple sets of coefficients without increasing bitrate, the filter coefficients are adjusted based on the relationship between current and surrounding pixels. As a result, a single set of filter coefficients can engender multiple different filter coefficient sets. In conclusion, Pan does modify the filter coefficients, and does reuse them.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20170238020 A1 – adding an offset to filter coefficients
US 20170237981 A1 – predicting a filter coefficient from an index to a set of fixed filters
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHADAN E HAGHANI whose telephone number is (571)270-5631. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM - 5PM.
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/SHADAN E HAGHANI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2485
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