DETAILED ACTION
1. This communication is being filed in response to the submission having a mailing date of (05/07/2025) in which a (3) month Shortened Statutory Period for Response has been set.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Acknowledgements
3. Upon entry, claims (1 -20) appear pending in the patent application, of which (1, 16, 19) being the three (3) parallel-running independent claims on record.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) that was/were submitted on (07/28/2025) is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
5. The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine
the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting
any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Drawings
6. The submitted Drawings on date (05/07/2025) has been accepted and considered under the 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
Claim Rejection Section
35 USC 112(a)
6. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.- The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
6.1. Independent claims (1, 16, 19) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim contains subject matter which was not specifically described in the specification, as following:
6.2. The Claim(s) recite limitation – “derive a primary/secondary reference frame from a set of reference frames for a current frame” where the “reference frame” was already available in the group (emphasis added), and therefore failing to explain how the inventor envisioned the “deriving functionality” to be perform, so that the written description does not show that the inventor had possession of the invention. For the purpose of examination, the cited above “deriving feature” will be limited to – select a reference frame from a plurality of reference frames associated with the target frame. Proper clarification is required moving forward.
35 USC § 103
7. This is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained through the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negative by the manner in which the invention was made.
7.1. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966) that applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 USC 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 non-obviousness
7.2. Claims (1 -20) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Han; et al. (US 8,340,181; hereafter “Han”), in view of Kim; et al. (US 12,506,881, hereafter “Kim”).
Claim 1. Han discloses the invention substantially as claimed - A method of video decoding performed at a computing system having memory and one or more processors, the method comprising: (e.g. a codec ecosystem of the same (encoder/decoder in Figs. (4 -6), employing entropy coding and prediction techniques (intra/inter), to extract/identify reference frame(s) from plurality of “reference frames” and texture data (i.e. size, position, QP, etc); [Summary]).
Han specifically teaches - receiving a video bitstream comprising a plurality of frames; (e.g. see incoming data (610), at decoder 600, Fig. 6; [Han; 8: 15]);
deriving a primary reference frame from a set of reference frames for a current frame of the plurality of frames; (e.g. see reference frame from prediction at decoder 600, as shown in Figs. (6-8); [Han; 6: 06; 6:37; 8: 52]);
deriving a secondary reference frame from the set of reference frames for the current frame; (e.g. see second reference frame from prediction at decoder 600, Figs. (6-8); [Han; 6: 06; 6:37; 8: 52]);
obtaining respective contexts for the derived primary reference frame and the derived secondary reference frame; (e.g. see index and context texture data (i.e. number, size, position, etc); [Han; 3: 01; 8: 25]);
initializing a current frame context for the current frame by performing a weighted average of the respective contexts; (e.g. see context initiation of the same by performing weighted average technique; Figs. (4 -6); [Kim; 8: 58; 9: 32]);
entropy decoding one or more syntax elements for the current frame using the current frame context; (e.g. entropy decoder (610) implementation, Figs. (4 -6); [8: 25] of the bitstream and syntax signaled data (i.e. expressed as an index [8: 31]);
and reconstructing the current frame using information of the one or more syntax elements; (e.g. image reconstruction (660) of the same, Figs. (4 -6); [8: 56; 9: 32]).
It is note however that the system of Han, very briefly discloses the “initialization process by performing weighted average” technique as claimed.
For the purpose of additional clarification and in the same filed of endeavor, Kim teaches a similar ecosystem (encoder/decoder of Figs. (1 -2); [Cols. 5 -11]), able to provide high efficiency via CABAC with multiple context probability model techniques [Kim; 8: 50], and by applying intra/inter prediction(s) to CU/slice/tail (as reference frames) of the target frame [10: 20; 12: 20; 49: 35], wherein weights between two prediction reference blocks are similarly used, also providing initialization of the frame context using weighted average [Kim; 8: 58; 9: 05], and information signaling via BCW_IDX; as illustrated in at least Fig. 14; [19: 10 – 19: 60].
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to combine the codec implementation of Han, with the probability model of Kim, in order to provide (e.g. plurality of highly efficient probability models, supporting context initialization, to pre-determine the info-type associated with the selected block(s), in according with VVC; [Kim; 8: 50 -8: 65]).
Claim 2. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 1, further comprising parsing an indicator from the video bitstream (e.g. see parsing of the selected elements, and check if process enabled, Figs (1 -2); [Kim; 2: 58]); to determine whether to use the derived primary reference frame to initialize the current frame context, (e.g. see initialization of the frame context using weighted average [Kim; 8: 58; 9: 05]); wherein the respective context for the derived primary reference frame is obtained when the indicator indicates that the derived primary reference frame is to be used; (e.g. weight information of the selected references similarly signaled; [Kim; 9: 10; 19: 60]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 3. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 2, further comprising, (e.g. entropy decoder (610) implementation, Figs. (4 -6); [8: 25] of the bitstream and syntax signaled data (i.e. expressed as index [8: 31]); when the indicator indicates that a signaled primary reference frame is to be used: obtaining a respective context for signaled primary reference frame; (e.g. see index and context texture data (i.e. number, size, position, etc); [Han; 3: 01; 8: 25]);
and initializing a current frame context for the current frame by performing a weighted average of the respective contexts for the signaled primary reference frame and the derived secondary reference frame; initialization of the frame context using weighted average [Kim; 8: 58; 9: 05] and signaling via BCW_IDX; as shown in at least Fig. 14; [Kim; 19: 10 –19: 60]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 4. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 2, wherein the indicator is signaled in a sequence-level syntax or frame-level syntax; (e.g. high-level syntax supported; [Kim; 26: 45]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 5. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 1, further comprising parsing an indicator from the video bitstream (e.g. see parsing of the selected elements, and check if process enabled, Figs (1 -2); [Kim; 2: 58]); to determine whether to use the derived secondary reference frame to initialize the current frame context, (e.g. see initialization of the frame context using weighted average [Kim; 8: 58; 9: 05]); wherein the respective context for the derived secondary reference frame is obtained when the indicator indicates that the derived secondary reference frame is to be used; (e.g. weight information of the selected references similarly signaled; [Kim; 9: 10; 19: 60]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 6. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 5, wherein the indicator is conditionally signaled based on whether a reference frame buffer contains more than two reference frames; (e.g. see analogous reference frame buffer unit (156) implemented; [Kim; 7: 36]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 7. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 5, wherein the indicator is signaled in a sequence-level syntax or frame-level syntax; (e.g. see similar high-level syntax supported; [Kim; 26: 45]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 8. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 1, further comprising parsing an indicator indicating whether to perform the weighted average of the respective contexts to initialize the current frame context, (e.g. see initialization of the frame context using weighted average [Kim; 8: 58; 9: 05]); wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average of the respective contexts in accordance with the indicator; (e.g. see context initialization, in accordance to pre-determine info-type indication, associated with the selected block(s); [Kim; 8: 60]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 9. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 8, further comprising, when the indicator indicates that the weighted average of the respective contexts is not to be used to initialize the current frame context, initializing the current frame context for the current frame without performing the weighted average of the respective contexts; (e.g. see reference information, signaling via BCW_IDX (i.e. including used/not used); as illustrated in at least Fig. 14; [Kim; 19: 10 – 19: 60]; the same motivation applies herein.).
Claim 10. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 8, wherein the indicator indicates whether a primary reference frame or secondary reference frame may be signaled; (e.g. see reference information, signaling via BCW_IDX; as illustrated in Fig. 14; [Kim; 19: 10 – 19: 60]; the same motivation applies herein.).
Claim 11. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the primary reference frame and the secondary reference frame is derived based on respective quantization parameter values for the current frame and reference frames of the set of reference frames; (e.g. see context info-type indication (i.e. including QP), associated with the selected block(s); [Kim; 8: 60]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 12. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the primary reference frame and the secondary reference frame is derived based on respective frame distances between the current frame and reference frames of the set of reference frames; (e.g. distance information between frames taken into account, when using one or both inter/intra prediction; [Kim; 7: 48; 21: 04; 29: 62]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 13. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the primary reference frame and the secondary reference frame is derived based on respective temporal layer ids of the current frame and reference frames of the set of reference frames; (e.g. see similar temporal layer implementation based on reference and hierarchy information; [Kim; 49: 41]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 14. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 13, wherein deriving the primary reference frame comprises: identifying a subset of the set of reference frames, the subset having a same quantization parameter value as the current frame; (e.g. see context info-type indication (i.e. including QP), associated with the selected block(s); [Kim; 8: 60]; and identifying the primary reference frame from the subset of reference frames as having a closest temporal layer id to the current frame; (e.g. see temporal layer implementation based on reference and hierarchy information; [Kim; 49: 41]; the same motivation applies herein.)
Claim 15. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 1, further comprising entropy decoding one or more second syntax elements for the current frame without using the current frame context; (e.g. see similar entropy decoding technique implemented in both references Han/Kim).
Claim 16. Han/Kim, discloses - A method of video encoding performed at a computing system having memory and one or more processors, the method comprising: receiving video data comprising a plurality of frames; deriving a primary reference frame from a set of reference frames for a current frame of the plurality of frames; deriving a secondary reference frame from the set of reference frames for the current frame; obtaining respective contexts for the derived primary reference frame and the derived secondary reference frame; initializing a current frame context for the current frame by performing a weighted average of the respective contexts; and entropy encoding one or more parameters for the current frame using the current frame context. (Current lists all the same elements as recite in Claim 1 above, but in “Method for encoding form” instead, and is/are therefore on the same premise.)
Claim 17. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 16, further comprising signaling an indicator in a video bitstream to indicate whether to use the derived primary reference frame to initialize the current frame context. (The same rationale and motivation apply herein, as given to Claim 2 above.)
Claim 18. Han/Kim, discloses - The method of claim 16, further comprising signaling an indicator in a video bitstream to indicate whether to use the derived secondary reference frame to initialize the current frame context. (The same rationale and motivation apply herein, as given to Claim 2 above.)
Claim 19. Han/Kim, discloses - A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a video bitstream that is generated by a video encoding method, the video encoding method comprising: receiving video data comprising a plurality of frames; deriving a primary reference frame from a set of reference frames for a current frame of the plurality of frames; deriving a secondary reference frame from the set of reference frames for the current frame; obtaining respective contexts for the derived primary reference frame and the derived secondary reference frame; initializing a current frame context for the current frame by performing a weighted average of the respective contexts; and entropy encoding one or more parameters for the current frame using the current frame context; and wherein the video bitstream comprises the one or more entropy-encoded parameters and encoding information for the current frame. (Current lists all the same elements as recite in Claim 1 above, but in “CRM for encoding form” instead, and is/are therefore on the same premise.)
Claim 20. Han/Kim, discloses - The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the video bitstream further comprises an indicator to indicate whether to use the derived secondary reference frame to initialize the current frame context. (The same rationale and motivation apply herein, as given to Claim 2 above.)
Prior Art Citations
8. The following List of prior art, made of record and not relied upon, is/are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
8.1. Patent documentation:
US 8,340,181 B2 Han; et al. H04N19/105; H04N19/44; H04N19/139;
US 11,323,710 B2 Jani; et al. H04N19/157; H04N19/186; H04N19/124;
US 11,102,501 B2 Zhang; Hong et al. H04N19/52; H04N19/513; H04N19/573;
US 12,413,759 B2 Zhao; Liang et al. H04N19/105; H04N19/44; H04N19/139;
US 12,506,881 B2 Kim; Kyungyong et al. H04N19/105; H04N19/107; H04N19/11;
US 12,598,291 B2 Kim; Kyungyong et al. H04N19/105; H04N19/11; H04N19/119;
US 12,108,087 B2 Bordes; Philippe et al. H04N19/517; H04N19/80; H04N19/105;
US 12,418,651 B2 Li; Xiang et al. H04N19/13; H04N19/105; H04N19/172;
US 20260082087 A1 Zhao; Liang et al. H04N19/91; H04N19/70;
US 20260122287 A1 Perringassery; et al. H04N19/13; H04N19/91; H04N19/105;
US 20260136012 A1 Zhao; Liang et al. H04N19/13; H04N19/91; H04N19/105;
US 20260136022 A1 Zheng; Lin et al. H04N19/172; H04N19/105;
US 20260136026 A1 Zheng; Lin et al. H04N19/174; H04N19/105;
8.2. Non-Patent Literature:
_ Weighted angular prediction; Panusopone - April-2017;
_ Enhanced bi-directional motion compensation; Chen - Jan-2022;
CONCLUSIONS
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUIS PEREZ-FUENTES (luis.perez-fuentes@uspto.gov) whose telephone number is (571) 270 -1168. The examiner can normally be reached on
Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, WILLIAM VAUGHN can be reached on (571) 272-3922. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)
272 -3922. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published Applic. 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 (USA OR CANADA) or (571) 272 -1000.
/LUIS PEREZ-FUENTES/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2481.
Prosecution Insights