CTNF 19/193,459 CTNF 90255 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Status This Office Action responds to application 19/193459 filed on 4/29/25. Claims 1-20 are pending. Priority Applicant's claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 - 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 1. Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. as being anticipated by Raber, US 2005/0206741 A1 (hereinafter Raber). As for claim 20, Raber discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ([0051], e.g., CD), having stored a bitstream (the medium is utilized merely as a support for the bitstream, thus, the bitstream has no patentable weight. See MPEP 2111.05.) … Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-20-aia AIA 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 of this title, 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. 1. Claims 1 - 11 and 14 - 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Du et al., US 2024/0048776 A1 (hereinafter Du) in view of Haskell, US 2012/0082217 A1 (hereinafter Haskell). As for claim 1, Du discloses a video decoding method, comprising: determining whether to use a temporal interpolated prediction (TIP) frame ([0031], e.g., TIP frame) corresponding to a current picture as an output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture; in response to that it is determined that the TIP frame is not used ([0031], e.g., When TIP_frame_mode equals 1) as the output picture of the current picture, decoding a first information ([0031], e.g., normally coded, note an information related to the TIP additional reference frame) . Du does not explicitly disclose, but Haskell teaches wherein the first information ([0070], e.g., interpolation filter index) is used to indicate a first interpolation filter ([0070], e.g., interpolation filter) , and the first interpolation filter is used to perform interpolation filtering ([0070], e.g., interpolation filter) on a reference block ([0070], e.g., reference frame) of a current block in the current picture; determining the first interpolation filter ([0070], e.g., interpolation filter) of the current block based on the first information; and decoding ([0070], e.g., decoder) the current block based on the first interpolation filter. Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Du and Haskell before him/her to modify the reducing blockiness for codecs of Du with the teaching of method and apparatus of video coding of Haskell with a motivation to obtain a better quality and/or efficiency in processing of the image data by using the interpolation filter and/or index. As for claim 2, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 1. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the temporal interpolated prediction (TIP) frame corresponding to the current picture as the output picture of the current picture comprises: decoding second information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) corresponding to the current picture from a bitstream, wherein the second information is used to indicate that the current picture is not encoded using a first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) , the first TIP mode is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture; and determining that the TIP frame is not used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture based on the second information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) . As for claim 3, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 1. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the temporal interpolated prediction (TIP) frame corresponding to the current picture as the output picture of the current picture comprises: decoding third information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) from a bitstream, wherein the third information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) is used to determine whether the current picture is decoded using a TIP manner; and determining whether to use the TIP frame as the output picture of the current picture based on the third information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) . As for claim 4, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 3. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the TIP frame as the output picture of the current picture based on the third information comprises: in response to that it is determined that the current picture is decoded using the TIP manner based on the third information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) , determining a TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP mode) corresponding to the current picture; and determining whether to use the TIP frame as the output picture of the current picture based on the TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP mode) corresponding to the current picture. As for claim 5, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 4. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the TIP frame as the output picture of the current picture based on the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture comprises: in response to that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is a first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) , determining that the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture, wherein the first TIP mode is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture. As for claim 6, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 4. In addition, Du further discloses the method further comprises: in response to that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is a first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) , creating the TIP frame; and using the TIP frame as the output picture of the current picture and outputting the TIP frame ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) . As for claim 7, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 4. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the TIP frame as the output picture of the current picture based on the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture comprises: in response to that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is not ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 0 or TIP_frame_mode equals 1) a first TIP mode, determining that the TIP frame is not used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture, wherein the first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture. As for claim 8, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 7. In addition, Du further discloses the method further comprises: in response to that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is a second TIP mode ([0031], e.g., When TIP_frame_mode equals 1) , creating the TIP frame, wherein the second TIP mode is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as an additional reference frame ([0031], e.g., additional reference frame) of the current picture; and using the TIP frame as the additional reference frame ([0031], e.g., additional reference frame) of the current picture, and determining a reconstructed picture ([0049], e.g., reconstruction) of the current picture. As for claim 9, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 1. In addition, Du further discloses the method further comprises: in response to that it is determined that the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture, skipping decoding the first information ([0031], e.g., normally coded, note an information related to the TIP additional reference frame) . As for claim 10, the claim recites a video encoding method of the method of claim 1, and is similarly analyzed. As for claim 11, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 10. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the temporal interpolated prediction (TIP) frame corresponding to the current picture as the output picture of the current picture comprises: in response to that it is determined that the current picture is not encoded using a TIP manner ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 0) , determining that the TIP frame is not used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture; and in response to that it is determined that the current picture is encoded using the TIP manner ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 1 or TIP_frame_mode equals 2) , determining a TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP mode) corresponding to the current picture; and determining whether to use the TIP frame as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture based on the TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP mode) corresponding to the current picture. As for claim 14, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 11. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the TIP frame as the output picture of the current picture based on the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture comprises: in response to that the TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP mode) corresponding to the current picture is a first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) , determining that the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture, wherein the first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture; and in response to that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is not a first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) , determining that the TIP frame is not used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture, wherein the first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture. As for claim 15, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 11. In addition, Du further discloses the method further comprises: encoding ([0026], e.g., encoder) the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture into a bitstream ([0031], e.g., TIP mode) . As for claim 16, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 10. In addition, Du further discloses determining whether to use the temporal interpolated prediction (TIP) frame corresponding to the current picture as the output picture of the current picture comprises: in response to that it is determined that the current picture is not ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 0 or TIP_frame_mode equals 1) encoded using a first TIP mode, determining that the TIP frame is not used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture, wherein the first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture, wherein the method further comprises: encoding second information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) into a bitstream, wherein the second information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) is used to indicate that a TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP mode) corresponding to the current picture is not ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 0 or TIP_frame_mode equals 1) the first TIP mode; and encoding third information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) into a bitstream, wherein the third information ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode) is used to indicate whether the current picture is encoded using a TIP manner. As for claim 17, the claim recites a method of the method of claim 9, and is similarly analyzed. As for claim 18, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 17. In addition, Du further discloses determining first information ([0031], e.g., normally coded, note an information related to the TIP additional reference frame) ; and encoding ([0026], e.g., encoder) the first information ([0031], e.g., normally coded, note an information related to the TIP additional reference frame) into a bitstream. Du does not explicitly teach, but Haskell teaches wherein the first information ([0070], e.g., interpolation filter index) is used to indicate the first interpolation filter ([0070], e.g., interpolation filter) . Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Du and Haskell before him/her to modify the reducing blockiness for codecs of Du with the teaching of method and apparatus of video coding of Haskell with a motivation to obtain a better quality and/or efficiency in processing of the image data by using the interpolation filter and/or index. As for claim 19, the claim recites a video decoding apparatus of the method of claim 1, and is similarly analyzed. As for claim 20, the claim recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored a bitstream of the method of claim 10, and is similarly analyzed. 2. Claims 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Du in view of Haskell, and further in view of He et al., US 2014/0010282 A1 (hereinafter He). As for claim 12, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 11. In addition, Du further discloses determining the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture comprises: creating the TIP frame ([0031], e.g., TIP frame) . Du as modified by Haskell does not explicitly teach, but He teaches determining a first cost when encoding the current picture, in a case where the TIP frame is used as an additional reference frame of the current picture; determining a second cost when the TIP frame is used as the output picture of the current picture; and determining the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture based on the first cost and the second cost ([0079], e.g., select an appropriate encoding mode in order to minimize the cost) . Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Du, Haskell, and He before him/her to modify the reducing blockiness for codecs of Du with the teaching of reducing blockiness for codecs of He with a motivation to provide an efficient processing by using the most cost effective approach. As for claim 13, most of limitations of this claim have been noted in the rejection of Claim 12. In addition, Du further discloses determining that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is a first TIP mode ([0031], e.g., TIP_frame_mode equals 2) , wherein the first TIP mode is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture ([0031], e.g., output) of the current picture; and determining that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is a second TIP mode ([0031], e.g., When TIP_frame_mode equals 1) , wherein the second TIP mode is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as an additional reference frame ([0031], e.g., additional reference frame) of the current picture. Du as modified by Haskell does not explicitly teach, but He teaches determining the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture based on the first cost and the second cost comprises: in response to that the first cost is greater than the second cost, determining that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is a first TIP mode, wherein the first TIP mode is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as the output picture of the current picture; and in response to that the first cost is less than the second cost, determining that the TIP mode corresponding to the current picture is a second TIP mode, wherein the second TIP mode is a mode in which the TIP frame is used as an additional reference frame of the current picture ([0079], e.g., select an appropriate encoding mode in order to minimize the cost) . Therefore, given the teachings as a whole, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the references of Du, Haskell, and He before him/her to modify the reducing blockiness for codecs of Du with the teaching of reducing blockiness for codecs of He with a motivation to provide an efficient processing by using the most cost effective approach. Citation of Pertinent Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : 1. US 2003/0108099 discloses picture encoding method and apparatus, picture decoding method and apparatus and furnishing medium. 2. US 2005/0053294 discloses techniques and tools for progressive and interlaced video coding and decoding. 3. US 2006/0126962 discloses methods and systems for reducing blocking artifacts with reduced complexity for spatially-scalable video coding. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH SUH whose telephone number is 571-270-7484. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jay Patel can be reached on 571-272-2988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /JOSEPH SUH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 2 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 3 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 4 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 5 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 6 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 7 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 8 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 9 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 10 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 11 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 12 Art Unit: 2485 Application/Control Number: 19/193,459 Page 13 Art Unit: 2485
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