DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Objections
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, “a first flag relating to availability of Luna Mapping with Chroma Scaling(LMCS)”, “a second flag”, “a third flag, related to LMCS”, “a fourth flag relating to use of a scaling list”, “a fifth flag, related to a scaling list” must be shown or the feature(s) must be canceled from the claims 1-8. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 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.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (EP Patent Application Publication EP 4 503 604 A2), (“Wang”), in view of Zhang et al. (EP Patent EP 3 906 681 B1), (“Zhang”).
Regarding claim 1, Wang meets the claim limitations as follow.
A method of decoding video data from a bitstream, wherein the bitstream (In an embodiment, the disclosure includes a method implemented in a decoder, the method comprising: receiving, by a receiver of the decoder, a bitstream comprising a luma mapping with chroma scaling (LMCS) adaptation
parameter set (APS) including LMCS parameters associated with a coded slice) [Wang: para. 0003] comprises a picture header syntax structure comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding one or more slices, and a slice header comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding a slice (The picture 521 and/or the slice 523 may refer, directly or indirectly, to an ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing relevant parameters. For example, a slice 523 may refer to a slice header 515. Further, a picture 521 may refer to a corresponding picture header. The slice header 515 and/or picture header may refer to the ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing parameters used in coding the relevant slice 523 and/or picture 521. In this way, a decoder can obtain the coding tool parameters that are relevant to a slice 523 and/or picture 521 according header references related to the corresponding slice 523 and/or picture 521) [Wang: para. 0087; Please see more details of the picture header and the slice header in Fig. 5], the method comprising (a method implemented in a decoder) [Wang: para. 0003]:parsing syntax elements ((the decoder employs an entropy decoding scheme to convert the bitstream into corresponding syntax and video data) [Wang: para. 0057]; (decoding LMCS parameters) [Wang: para. 0003]), anddecoding said video data from said bitstream using said parsed syntax elements (receiving, by a receiver of the decoder, a bitstream comprising a luma mapping with chroma scaling (LMCS) adaptation parameter set (APS) including LMCS parameters associated with a coded slice; determining, by the processor, that the
LMCS APS is referenced in data related to the coded slice; decoding, by the processor, the coded slice using LMCS parameters from the LMCS APS; and forwarding, by the processor, the decoding results for display as part of a decoded video sequence. An APS is used to maintain data that relates to multiple slices over multiple pictures) [Wang: para. 0003],
wherein a first flag relating to availability of Luna Mapping with Chroma Scaling (LMCS) (a flag set to indicate LMCS is enabled for an encoded video sequence including the picture/slice) [Wang: para. 0016] is parsed from the slice header depending on a value of a second flag ((By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]; (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011]; (The picture 521 and/or the slice 523 may refer, directly or indirectly, to an ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing relevant parameters. For example, a slice 523 may refer to a slice header 515. Further, a picture 521 may refer to a corresponding picture header. The slice header 515 and/or picture header may refer to the ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing parameters used in coding the relevant slice 523 and/or picture 521. In this way, a decoder can obtain the coding tool parameters that are relevant to a slice 523 and/or picture 521 according header references related to the corresponding slice 523 and/or picture 521) [Wang: para. 0087]), the second flag being in the slice header (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011] and indicating whether the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein parsing of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag, related to LMCS (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the LMCS flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein a fourth flag relating to use of a scaling list (a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0012] for a slice is parsed from the slice header depending on a value of the second flag ((further comprising encoding, by the processor, a slice header into the bitstream, wherein the coded slice references the slice header, and wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS. Optionally, in any of the preceding aspects, another implementation of the aspect provides, further comprising encoding into the bitstream, by the processor, an ALF APS containing ALF parameters and a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0011-0012]; (Further, an APS of type scaling list, referred to as a scaling list APS, can contain scaling list parameters. In addition, an APS of type LMCS, referred to as an LMCS APS, can contain LMCS/reshaper parameters. The ALF APS, scaling list APS, and the LMCS APS may each be coded as separate NAL types, and hence included in different NAL units) [Wang: para. 0047]), andwherein parsing of the fourth flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the fourth flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a fifth flag, related to a scaling list (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the scaling list flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]).
In the same field of endeavor Zhang further discloses the claim limitations as follows:
wherein parsing of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag (When tile_group lmcs enable flag is not present, it is inferred to be equal to 0) [Zhang: para. 0167] - Note: In video coding, a slice can have only one tile. Hence, data structure for the slice and the tile are equivalent. Zhang discloses that when the LMCS enable flag is not present in the slice header, its value can be inferred as 0).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Wang with Zhang to program the system to implement of Zhang’s method.
Therefore, the combination of Wang with Zhang will enable the system to improve compression performance [Zhang: para. 0049].
Regarding claims 2, 4, 6, and 8, Wang meets the claim limitations as set forth in claims 1, 3, 5, and 7. Wang further meets the claim limitations as follow.
wherein the bitstream further comprises an adaptation parameter set (APS) having an aps_params_type (Optionally, in any of the preceding aspects, another implementation of the aspect provides, wherein each APS includes an APS parameter type (aps_params_type) code set to a predefined value indicating a type of parameters included in the each APS) [Wang: para. 0006] syntax element equal to SCALING_APS (Disclosed herein are various mechanisms to modify the APS to support increased coding efficiency. In a first example, multiple types of APSs are disclosed. Specifically, an APS of type ALF, referred to as an ALF APS, can contain ALF parameters. Further, an APS of type scaling list, referred to as a scaling list APS, can contain scaling list parameters) [Wang: para. 0047], and wherein if a value of the fourth flag for the slice is 1, scaling list data contained in the adaptation parameter set (APS) is capable of being used for the slice (A scaling list APS 513 is an APS of type scaling list that includes scaling list parameters. As discussed above, a current block is coded according to inter-prediction or intra-prediction which results in a residual. The residual is the difference between the luma and/or chroma values of the block and corresponding values of the prediction block. A transform is then applied to the residual to convert the residual into transform coefficients (which are smaller than the residual values). Encoding high definition and/or ultra high definition content may result in increased residual data. A simple transform process may result in significant quantization noise when applied to such data. As such, scaling list parameters included in an scaling list APS 513 may include weighting parameters that can be applied to scale the transform matrices to account for variations in display resolutions and/or acceptable levels of quantization noise in a resulting decoded video image.) [Wang: para. 0084].
Regarding claim 3, Wang meets the claim limitations as follow.
A device for decoding video data (a decoder) [Wang: para. 0003] from a bitstream, the device being configured to perform a method of decoding video data from a bitstream (In an embodiment, the disclosure includes a method implemented in a decoder, the method comprising: receiving, by a receiver of the decoder, a bitstream comprising a luma mapping with chroma scaling (LMCS) adaptation parameter set (APS) including LMCS parameters associated with a coded slice) [Wang: para. 0003], wherein the bitstream comprises a picture header syntax structure comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding one or more slices, and a slice header comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding a slice (The picture 521 and/or the slice 523 may refer, directly or indirectly, to an ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing relevant parameters. For example, a slice 523 may refer to a slice header 515. Further, a picture 521 may refer to a corresponding picture header. The slice header 515 and/or picture header may refer to the ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing parameters used in coding the relevant slice 523 and/or picture 521. In this way, a decoder can obtain the coding tool parameters that are relevant to a slice 523 and/or picture 521 according header references related to the corresponding slice 523 and/or picture 521) [Wang: para. 0087; Please see more details of the picture header and the slice header in Fig. 5], the method comprising (a method implemented in a decoder) [Wang: para. 0003]:parsing syntax elements ((the decoder employs an entropy decoding scheme to convert the bitstream into corresponding syntax and video data) [Wang: para. 0057]; (decoding LMCS parameters) [Wang: para. 0003]), anddecoding said video data from said bitstream using said parsed syntax elements (receiving, by a receiver of the decoder, a bitstream comprising a luma mapping with chroma scaling (LMCS) adaptation parameter set (APS) including LMCS parameters associated with a coded slice; determining, by the processor, that the
LMCS APS is referenced in data related to the coded slice; decoding, by the processor, the coded slice using LMCS parameters from the LMCS APS; and forwarding, by the processor, the decoding results for display as part of a decoded video sequence. An APS is used to maintain data that relates to multiple slices over multiple pictures.) [Wang: para. 0003],
wherein a first flag relating to availability of Luna Mapping with Chroma Scaling (LMCS) (a flag set to indicate LMCS is enabled for an encoded video sequence including the picture/slice) [Wang: para. 0016] is parsed from the slice header depending on a value of a second flag ((By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]; (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011]; (The picture 521 and/or the slice 523 may refer, directly or indirectly, to an ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing relevant parameters. For example, a slice 523 may refer to a slice header 515. Further, a picture 521 may refer to a corresponding picture header. The slice header 515 and/or picture header may refer to the ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing parameters used in coding the relevant slice 523 and/or picture 521. In this way, a decoder can obtain the coding tool parameters that are relevant to a slice 523 and/or picture 521 according header references related to the corresponding slice 523 and/or picture 521) [Wang: para. 0087]), the second flag being in the slice header (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011] and indicating whether the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein parsing of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag, related to LMCS (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the LMCS flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein a fourth flag relating to use of a scaling list (a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0012] for a slice is parsed from the slice header depending on a value of the second flag ((further comprising encoding, by the processor, a slice header into the bitstream, wherein the coded slice references the slice header, and wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS. Optionally, in any of the preceding aspects, another implementation of the aspect provides, further comprising encoding into the bitstream, by the processor, an ALF APS containing ALF parameters and a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0011-0012]; (Further, an APS of type scaling list, referred to as a scaling list APS, can contain scaling list parameters. In addition, an APS of type LMCS, referred to as an LMCS APS, can contain LMCS/reshaper parameters. The ALF APS, scaling list APS, and the LMCS APS may each be coded as separate NAL types, and hence included in different NAL units) [Wang: para. 0047]), andwherein parsing of the fourth flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the fourth flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a fifth flag, related to a scaling list (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the scaling list flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]).
In the same field of endeavor Zhang further discloses the claim limitations as follows:
wherein parsing of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag (When tile_group lmcs enable flag is not present, it is inferred to be equal to 0) [Zhang: para. 0167] - Note: In video coding, a slice can have only one tile. Hence, data structure for the slice and the tile are equivalent. Zhang discloses that when the LMCS enable flag is not present in the slice header, its value can be inferred as 0).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Wang with Zhang to program the system to implement of Zhang’s method.
Therefore, the combination of Wang with Zhang will enable the system to improve compression performance [Zhang: para. 0049].
Regarding claim 5, Wang meets the claim limitations as follow.
A method of encoding video data from a bitstream, wherein the bitstream (In an embodiment, the disclosure includes a method implemented in an encoder, the method comprising: determining, by a processor of the encoder, LMCS parameters for application to a slice; encoding, by the processor, the slice into a bitstream as a coded slice) [Wang: para. 0010] comprises a picture header syntax structure comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding one or more slices, and a slice header comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding a slice (The picture 521 and/or the slice 523 may refer, directly or indirectly, to an ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing relevant parameters. For example, a slice 523 may refer to a slice header 515. Further, a picture 521 may refer to a corresponding picture header. The slice header 515 and/or picture header may refer to the ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing parameters used in coding the relevant slice 523 and/or picture 521. In this way, a decoder can obtain the coding tool parameters that are relevant to a slice 523 and/or picture 521 according header references related to the corresponding slice 523 and/or picture 521) [Wang: para. 0087; Please see more details of the picture header and the slice header in Fig. 5], the method comprising (a method implemented in a decoder) [Wang: para. 0003]:encoding syntax elements (encoding LMCS parameters) [Wang: para. 0010], andencoding said video data into said bitstream ((encoding, by the processor, the
slice into a bitstream as a coded slice; encoding, by the processor, the LMCS parameters into the bitstream in a LMCS APS; encoding into the bitstream, by the processor, data related to the coded slice that references the LMCS APS; and storing, by a memory coupled to the processor, the bitstream for communication toward a decoder. An APS is used to maintain data that relates to multiple slices over multiple pictures) [Wang: para. 0010]; (encoding, by the processor, a slice header into the bitstream, wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011]),
wherein a first flag relating to availability of Luna Mapping with Chroma Scaling (LMCS) (a flag set to indicate LMCS is enabled for an encoded video sequence including the picture/slice) [Wang: para. 0016] is encoded into the slice header depending on a value of a second flag ((By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]; (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011]; (a flag set to indicate LMCS is enabled for an encoded video sequence including the picture/slice) [Wang: para. 0016]), the second flag being in the slice header (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011] and indicating whether the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein encoding of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag, related to LMCS (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the LMCS flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein a fourth flag relating to use of a scaling list (a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0012] for a slice is parsed from the slice header depending on a value of the second flag ((further comprising encoding, by the processor, a slice header into the bitstream, wherein the coded slice references the slice header, and wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS. Optionally, in any of the preceding aspects, another implementation of the aspect provides, further comprising encoding into the bitstream, by the processor, an ALF APS containing ALF parameters and a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0011-0012]; (Further, an APS of type scaling list, referred to as a scaling list APS, can contain scaling list parameters. In addition, an APS of type LMCS, referred to as an LMCS APS, can contain LMCS/reshaper parameters. The ALF APS, scaling list APS, and the LMCS APS may each be coded as separate NAL types, and hence included in different NAL units) [Wang: para. 0047]), andwherein encoding of the fourth flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the fourth flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a fifth flag, related to a scaling list (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the scaling list flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]).
In the same field of endeavor Zhang further discloses the claim limitations as follows:
wherein encoding of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag (When tile_group lmcs enable flag is not present, it is inferred to be equal to 0) [Zhang: para. 0167] - Note: In video coding, a slice can have only one tile. Hence, data structure for the slice and the tile are equivalent. Zhang discloses that when the LMCS enable flag is not present in the slice header, its value can be inferred as 0).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Wang with Zhang to program the system to implement of Zhang’s method.
Therefore, the combination of Wang with Zhang will enable the system to improve compression performance [Zhang: para. 0049].
Regarding claim 7, Wang meets the claim limitations as follow.
A device for encoding video data from a bitstream, wherein the bitstream (In an embodiment, the disclosure includes a method implemented in an encoder, the method comprising: determining, by a processor of the encoder, LMCS parameters for application to a slice; encoding, by the processor, the slice into a bitstream as a coded slice) [Wang: para. 0010] comprises a picture header syntax structure comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding one or more slices, and a slice header comprising syntax elements to be used when decoding a slice (The picture 521 and/or the slice 523 may refer, directly or indirectly, to an ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing relevant parameters. For example, a slice 523 may refer to a slice header 515. Further, a picture 521 may refer to a corresponding picture header. The slice header 515 and/or picture header may refer to the ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing parameters used in coding the relevant slice 523 and/or picture 521. In this way, a decoder can obtain the coding tool parameters that are relevant to a slice 523 and/or picture 521 according header references related to the corresponding slice 523 and/or picture 521) [Wang: para. 0087; Please see more details of the picture header and the slice header in Fig. 5], the method comprising (a method implemented in a decoder) [Wang: para. 0003]:encoding syntax elements (encoding LMCS parameters) [Wang: para. 0010], andencoding said video data into said bitstream ((encoding, by the processor, the
slice into a bitstream as a coded slice; encoding, by the processor, the LMCS parameters into the bitstream in a LMCS APS; encoding into the bitstream, by the processor, data related to the coded slice that references the LMCS APS; and storing, by a memory coupled to the processor, the bitstream for communication toward a decoder. An APS is used to maintain data that relates to multiple slices over multiple pictures) [Wang: para. 0010]; (encoding, by the processor, a slice header into the bitstream, wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011]),
wherein a first flag relating to availability of Luna Mapping with Chroma Scaling (LMCS) (a flag set to indicate LMCS is enabled for an encoded video sequence including the picture/slice) [Wang: para. 0016] is encoded into the slice header depending on a value of a second flag ((By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]; (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011]; (The picture 521 and/or the slice 523 may refer, directly or indirectly, to an ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing relevant parameters. For example, a slice 523 may refer to a slice header 515. Further, a picture 521 may refer to a corresponding picture header. The slice header 515 and/or picture header may refer to the ALF APS 512, the scaling list APS 513, and/or the LMCS APS 514 containing parameters used in coding the relevant slice 523 and/or picture 521. In this way, a decoder can obtain the coding tool parameters that are relevant to a slice 523 and/or picture 521 according header references related to the corresponding slice 523 and/or picture 521) [Wang: para. 0087]), the second flag being in the slice header (wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS) [Wang: para. 0011] and indicating whether the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein encoding of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag, related to LMCS (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the LMCS flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]),wherein a fourth flag relating to use of a scaling list (a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0012] for a slice is parsed from the slice header depending on a value of the second flag ((further comprising encoding, by the processor, a slice header into the bitstream, wherein the coded slice references the slice header, and wherein the slice header contains the data related to the coded slice and references the LMCS APS. Optionally, in any of the preceding aspects, another implementation of the aspect provides, further comprising encoding into the bitstream, by the processor, an ALF APS containing ALF parameters and a scaling list APS containing APS parameters) [Wang: para. 0011-0012]; (Further, an APS of type scaling list, referred to as a scaling list APS, can contain scaling list parameters. In addition, an APS of type LMCS, referred to as an LMCS APS, can contain LMCS/reshaper parameters. The ALF APS, scaling list APS, and the LMCS APS may each be coded as separate NAL types, and hence included in different NAL units) [Wang: para. 0047]), andwherein encoding of the fourth flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the fourth flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a fifth flag, related to a scaling list (When only one APS related coding tool is enabled for a bitstream (e.g., LMCS, ALF, or scaling list), APS parameters type information may be not present and may instead be inferred) [Wang: para. 0098] – Note: Wang disclose that if the scaling list flag is not present, it can be inferred), in the picture header syntax structure if the second flag indicates that the picture header syntax structure is present in the slice header ((The bitstream may also comprise a picture header and/or a slice header associated with the picture and one of the slices, respectively) [Wang: para. 0128; Fig. 5]; (By including the reference in the slice header/picture parameter header, to the LMCS APS, the bitstream includes sufficient information for the decoder to obtain LMCS parameters to decode the encoded slice) [Wang: para. 0016]).
In the same field of endeavor Zhang further discloses the claim limitations as follows:
wherein encoding of the first flag from the slice header is omitted and a value of the first flag is inferred to be equal to a value of a third flag (When tile_group lmcs enable flag is not present, it is inferred to be equal to 0) [Zhang: para. 0167] - Note: In video coding, a slice can have only one tile. Hence, data structure for the slice and the tile are equivalent. Zhang discloses that when the LMCS enable flag is not present in the slice header, its value can be inferred as 0).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Wang with Zhang to program the system to implement of Zhang’s method.
Therefore, the combination of Wang with Zhang will enable the system to improve compression performance [Zhang: para. 0049].
Reference Notice
Additional prior arts, included in the Notice of Reference Cited, made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Philip Dang whose telephone number is (408) 918-7529. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday between 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (PST).
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, Sath Perungavoor can be reached on 571-272-7455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000./Philip P. Dang/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
