CTNF 19/197,212 CTNF 90177 DETAILED ACTION This office action is in response to an application filed 5/2/2025, wherein claims 1-3 are pending and being examined. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement 06-52 The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 5/2/2025. 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 08-33 AIA 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. 08-36 AIA Claim s 1-3 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim s 1-3 of U.S. Patent No. 11,973,932 in view of Tsukuba (US 2021/0092413) . In regard to claim 1 , Instant Application US Patent No. 11,973,932 1. An encoder comprising: 1. An encoder comprising: circuitry; and memory coupled to the circuitry, wherein in operation, the circuitry: circuitry; and memory coupled to the circuitry, wherein in operation, the circuitry: determines whether a format includes a chroma component or not; determines whether an image format of a video is a format including a chroma component; in response to determining that the format includes the chroma component, signals, into a header of a stream, a flag which indicates whether joint coding of chroma residuals (JCCR) is allowed or not, wherein in the JCCR, one of two chroma components is transformed to derive the other of the two chroma components; and when it is determined that the image format is a format including a chroma component, signals a flag indicating whether application of joint coding of chroma residuals (JCCR) is allowed or not in a header of a stream, and (i) encodes the video with application of the JCCR allowed, or (ii) encodes the video with application of the JCCR not allowed, the JCCR being a process of transforming one of two chroma components to derive the other of the two chroma components; and in response to determining that the format does not include the chroma component, does not signal, into the header of the stream, the flag which indicates whether the JCCR is allowed or not, when it is determined that the image format is a format including no chroma component, does not signal the flag indicating whether application of the JCCR is allowed or not in the header of the stream, and encodes the video with application of the JCCR not allowed. wherein the header of the stream is a sequence parameter set (SPS) which is a header of a sequence. As outlined above, claim 1 of the instant application includes limitations rendered obvious by corresponding limitations in US Patent No. 11,973,932. However, claim 1 of US Patent No. 11,973,932 does not explicitly disclose wherein the header of the stream is a sequence parameter set (SPS) which is a header of a sequence . However Tsukuba discloses, wherein the header of the stream is a sequence parameter set (SPS) which is a header of a sequence [¶0161; header information Hinfo includes, for example, header information such as VPS (Video Parameter Set)/SPS (Sequence Parameter Set)/PPS (Picture Parameter Set)/SH (slice header). ¶0283. ¶0541] . It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine claim 1 of US Patent No. 11,973,932 with the sequent parameter set header disclosed by Tsukuba in order to allow for efficient signaling of syntax information in a bitstream [Tsukuba ¶0145, ¶0161]. As known in the art of video coding, sequence parameter sets may be used to efficiently signal syntax information for a video stream. In regard to claim 2 , this claim is drawn to a decoder corresponding to the decoder of claim 2 of US Patent No. 11,973,932, wherein claim 2 is rejected for being obvious over claim 2 of US. Patent No. 11,973,932 in view of Tsukuba for the same reasons noted in the rejection of claim 1. In regard to claim 3 , this claim is drawn to a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a stream and computer-executable instructions corresponding to the non-transitory computer readable medium storing a stream and computer-executable instructions of claim 3 of US Patent No. 11,973,932, wherein claim 3 is rejected for being obvious over claim 3 of US. Patent No. 11,973,932 in view of Tsukuba for the same reasons noted in the rejection of claim 1 . 08-36 AIA Claim s 1-3 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim s 1-3 of U.S. Patent No. 12,323,577 in view of Tsukuba (US 2021/0092413) . In regard to claim 1 , Instant Application US Patent No. 12,323,577 1. An encoder comprising: 1. An encoder comprising: circuitry; and memory coupled to the circuitry, wherein in operation, the circuitry: circuitry; and memory coupled to the circuitry, wherein in operation, the circuitry: determines whether a format includes a chroma component or not; determines whether a format includes a chroma component or not; in response to determining that the format includes the chroma component, signals, into a header of a stream, a flag which indicates whether joint coding of chroma residuals (JCCR) is allowed or not, wherein in the JCCR, one of two chroma components is transformed to derive the other of the two chroma components; and in response to determining that the format includes the chroma component, signals, into a stream, a flag which indicates whether joint coding of chroma residuals (JCCR) is allowed or not, wherein in the JCCR, one of two chroma components is transformed to derive the other of the two chroma components; and in response to determining that the format does not include the chroma component, does not signal, into the header of the stream, the flag which indicates whether the JCCR is allowed or not, in response to determining that the format does not include the chroma component, does not signal, into the stream, the flag which indicates whether the JCCR is allowed or not. wherein the header of the stream is a sequence parameter set (SPS) which is a header of a sequence. As outlined above, claim 1 of the instant application includes limitations rendered obvious by corresponding limitations in US Patent No. 12,323,577. However, claim 1 of US Patent No. 12,323,577 does not explicitly disclose wherein the header of the stream is a sequence parameter set (SPS) which is a header of a sequence . However Tsukuba discloses, wherein the header of the stream is a sequence parameter set (SPS) which is a header of a sequence [¶0161; header information Hinfo includes, for example, header information such as VPS (Video Parameter Set)/SPS (Sequence Parameter Set)/PPS (Picture Parameter Set)/SH (slice header). ¶0283. ¶0541] . It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine claim 1 of US Patent No. 12,323,577 with the sequent parameter set header disclosed by Tsukuba in order to allow for efficient signaling of syntax information in a bitstream [Tsukuba ¶0145, ¶0161]. As known in the art of video coding, sequence parameter sets may be used to efficiently signal syntax information for a video stream. In regard to claim 2 , this claim is drawn to a decoder corresponding to the decoder of claim 2 of US Patent No. 12,323,577, wherein claim 2 is rejected for being obvious over claim 2 of US. Patent No. 12,323,577 in view of Tsukuba for the same reasons noted in the rejection of claim 1. In regard to claim 3 , this claim is drawn to a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a stream and computer-executable instructions corresponding to the non-transitory computer readable medium storing a stream and computer-executable instructions of claim 3 of US Patent No. 12,323,577, wherein claim 3 is rejected for being obvious over claim 3 of US. Patent No. 12,323,577 in view of Tsukuba for the same reasons noted in the rejection of claim 1. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-3 would be allowable if terminal disclaimer(s) are filed to overcome the double patenting rejections noted herein. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REBECCA A VOLENTINE whose telephone number is (571)270-7261. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm. 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, Joe Ustaris can be reached at (571)272-7383. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /REBECCA A VOLENTINE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483 April 30, 2026 Application/Control Number: 19/197,212 Page 2 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/197,212 Page 3 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/197,212 Page 4 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/197,212 Page 5 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/197,212 Page 6 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/197,212 Page 7 Art Unit: 2483
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