CTNF 19/201,840 CTNF 102129 DETAILED ACTION Claims 1-20 are pending for examination. 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. Information Disclosure Statement 06-52 The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 12/19/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claims 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 9 and dependent claims 10-14 contain the word optimal. Claim 9 claims the following: deriving an optimal primary reference frame for the current frame, wherein the optimal primary reference frame is different than the derived primary reference frame; obtaining respective contexts for the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame. The claim nor the specification define what optimal means within this context. Is it associated with a frame having lowest cost? For the purposes of applying prior art to this rejection, I will be interpreting this language as reducing the data needed to encode an image. Claim 15 and dependent claims 17-20 contain the word optimal. Claim 15 claims the following: deriving an optimal primary reference frame for the current frame, wherein the optimal primary reference frame is different than the derived primary reference frame; obtaining respective contexts for the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame. Similar to the rejection for Claim 9, the claim nor the specification define what optimal means within this context. For the purposes of applying prior art to this rejection, I will be interpreting this language as reducing the data needed to encode an image. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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 – 07-12-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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim s 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Wang et al, WO 2025/085657 A1 (Wang) . Regarding claims 15-20, Claim 15 claims a product by process claim limitation where the product is the bitstream and the process is the method steps to generate the bitstream. MPEP §2113 recites “Product-by-Process claims are not limited to the manipulations of the recited steps, only the structure implied by the steps”. Thus, the scope of the claim is the storage medium storing the bitstream (with the structure implied by the method steps). The structure includes the information and samples manipulated by the steps. “To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated”. MPEP §2111.05(I)(A). When a claimed “computer-readable medium” merely serves as a support for information or data, no functional relationship exists. MPEP §2111.05(III). The memory storing the claimed bitstream in Claim 15 merely services as a support for the storage of the bitstream and provides no functional relationship between the stored bitstream and storage medium. Therefore, the bitstream, which scope is implied by the method steps, is non-functional descriptive material and given no patentable weight. MPEP §2111.05(III). Thus, the claim scope is just a storage medium storing data and is anticipated by Wang which recites a storage medium storing a bitstream. Wang discloses, a bitstream of compressed video data, including a computer readable storage medium storing the compressed non-transitory video data ( Wang [0009]– According to an implementation of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer readable medium has stored thereon an encoded bitstream...) . 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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, 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1, 3, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chong et al, WO 2024/254037 A1 (Chong), in view of Sato et al, (WO 2023/173025 A2) (Sato) . Regarding Claim 1, Chong teaches a method of video decoding performed at a computing system having memory and one or more processors ( Chong Fig. 2 ), the method comprising: receiving a video bitstream comprising a plurality of frames ( Chong Fig. 3 ); deriving a derived primary reference frame from a set of reference frames for a current frame of the plurality of frames ( Chong Fig. 7; [0015]– the generated reference frame is a temporally interpolated picture reference frame generated using a backward reference frame of the current frame and a forward reference frame of the current frame.); parsing a signaled primary reference frame for the current frame ( Chong [0036]– In particular, a reference frame may be a forward reference frame (i.e., a frame used for forward prediction relative to the sequence) or a backward reference frame (i.e., a frame used for backward prediction relative to the sequence).); for the signaled primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame ( Chong [0036]– In particular, a reference frame may be a forward reference frame (i.e., a frame used for forward prediction relative to the sequence) or a backward reference frame (i.e., a frame used for backward prediction relative to the sequence); Chong [0015]– the generated reference frame is a temporally interpolated picture reference frame generated using a backward reference frame of the current frame and a forward reference frame of the current frame.); reconstructing the current frame using information of the one or more syntax elements ( Fig. 18– Reconstruct the frame of the video based on the decoded partition). However, Chong does not explicitly disclose obtaining respective contexts; initializing a current frame context for the current frame by performing a weighted average of the respective contexts; entropy decoding one or more syntax elements for the current frame using the current frame context. Sato teaches obtaining respective contexts ( Sato [0036]– In one embodiment, a syntax element can be used to indicate the CTU location for obtaining the initial context value from the previous slice or frame.); initializing a current frame context for the current frame by performing a weighted average of the respective contexts ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average. [Examiner's Interpretation: Sato is taking the weighted average to determine the context value]); entropy decoding one or more syntax elements for the current frame using the current frame context ( Sato [0005]– decoding the slice by decoding at least a portion of the binary string according to the entropy coding model with the initial context value; Sato [0128]– At block 1810, the process 1800 involves decoding the partition by decoding the entropy coded portion of the binary'- string using the entropy coding model with the determined initial context value.). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate obtaining respective contexts, performing a weighted average, and entropy decoding one or more syntax elements for the current frame using the current frame context as taught by Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding ( Sato [0003]– To reduce the storage space for storing a video and/or the network bandwidth consumption for transmitting a video, it is desired to improve the efficiency of the video coding scheme). Regarding Claim 3 , Chong, in combination, further discloses the method of Claim 1 wherein when the signaled primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are within a threshold distance of the current frame ( Chong Fig. 7; [0015]– the generated reference frame is a temporally interpolated picture reference frame generated using a backward reference frame of the current frame and a forward reference frame of the current frame). However, Chong does not explicitly disclose wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average. Sato teaches wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average); Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong by incorporating the weighted average initialization as taught by Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1. Regarding Claim 4 , Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 1, as outlined above. Chong does not explicitly disclose wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average when respective quantization parameters for the signaled primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are within a threshold difference of one another. However, Sato teaches wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average) when respective quantization parameters for the signaled primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are within a threshold difference of one another ( Sato [0037]– The quantization parameter (QP) value of the previous slice or frame can be compared with the threshold value). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong by incorporating the use of the QP threshold as a criterion for determining when weighted average should be performed as taught by Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 2, 7, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chong, in view of Sato, and further in view of Zhao et al, US 20230126552 A1 (Zhao) . Regarding Claim 2, Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 1, as outlined above. However, Chong does not explicitly disclose wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average when the signaled primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are on a same side of the current frame. Sato teaches wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average); Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate the weighted average technique as taught by Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1. Zhao teaches when the signaled primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are on a same side of the current frame. ( Zhao [0159]– Uni-directional inter-prediction may be either in the single-reference mode, or in the compound-reference mode when the multiple references for generation of prediction block by weighted average in the compound prediction mode are on a same side of the block to be predicted); Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate the same side limitation of Zhao. One would be motivated to incorporate Zhao’s same side reference frame limitation to utilize compound prediction by weighted averaging, thereby improving compression efficiency and reducing bandwidth and/or storage requirements ( Zhao [0005]– Compression can help reduce the aforementioned bandwidth and/or storage space requirements…). Regarding Claim 7, Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 1, as outlined above. However, Chong does not explicitly disclose wherein the derived primary reference frame comprises a plurality of tiles; and the method further comprises parsing an indicator indicating a tile of the plurality of tiles; wherein obtaining the respective context for the derived primary reference frame comprises obtaining a context for the tile of the plurality of tiles. Sato teaches wherein obtaining the respective context for the derived primary reference frame comprises obtaining a context for the tile of the plurality of tiles ( Sato Fig. 7– process for determining the initial context value of the entropy coding model for the slice). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate obtaining tile context of Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1. Zhao teaches wherein the derived primary reference frame comprises a plurality of tiles ( Zhao Figs. 9-13– shows partitioned coding regions); and the method further comprises parsing an indicator indicating a tile of the plurality of tiles ( Zhao Figs. 9-13– shows partitioned coding regions). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate the indication of a plurality of tiles to enable tile-based processing of reference frames as taught by Zhao. One would be motivated to incorporate Zhao’s indication of a plurality of tiles to enable tile-based processing of reference frames to improve compression efficiency and reduce bandwidth and/or storage requirements. Please see the motivation of Claim 2. Regarding Claim 8, Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 1, as outlined above. However, Chong does not explicitly disclose wherein the signaled primary reference frame comprises a plurality of tiles; and the method further comprises parsing an indicator indicating a tile of the plurality of tiles; wherein obtaining the respective context for the signaled primary reference frame comprises obtaining a context for the tile of the plurality of tiles. Sato teaches wherein obtaining the respective context for the signaled primary reference frame comprises obtaining a context for the tile of the plurality of tiles ( Sato Fig. 7– process for determining the initial context value of the entropy coding model for the slice). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate obtaining tile context of Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1. Zhao teaches wherein the signaled primary reference frame comprises a plurality of tiles; ( Zhao Figs. 9-13– shows partitioned coding regions); and the method further comprises parsing an indicator indicating a tile of the plurality of tiles ( Zhao Figs. 9-13– shows partitioned coding regions). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate the indication of a plurality of tiles to enable tile-based processing of reference frames as taught by Zhao. One would be motivated to incorporate Zhao’s indication of a plurality of tiles to enable tile-based processing of reference frames to improve compression efficiency and reduce bandwidth and/or storage requirements. Please see the motivation of Claim 2 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chong, in view of Sato, and further in view of Ahn et al, US 2024/0422321 A1 (Ahn) . Regarding Claim 5, Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 1, as outlined above. Chong does not explicitly disclose further comprising parsing an indicator indicating whether to perform the weighted average of the respective contexts to initialize the current frame content, 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. However, Ahn teaches further comprising parsing an indicator indicating whether to perform the weighted average of the respective contexts to initialize the current frame content, 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 ( Ahn Fig. 15; [0152]– The video decoding device uses the context initialization-enabling information to determine an initialization method of the context model (S1502); Ahn Fig. 15; [0048]– In addition, the prediction block for the current block is generated by averaging or weighted-averaging the first reference block and the second reference block). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate the adaptive indicator using weighted average technique as taught by Ahn. One would be motivated to incorporate Ahn’s adaptive indicator using weighted average technique to improve coding performance ( Ahn [0007]– To improve the coding performance of CABAC, there is a need to provide an efficient method for initial value setting for the context model.) Regarding Claim 6, Chong, Sato and Ahn teach the method of Claim 5 as outlined above. However, Chong does not explicitly disclose 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. Ahn teaches 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 ( Ahn Fig. 15; [0152]– The video decoding device uses the context initialization-enabling information to determine an initialization method of the context model (S1502). Here, the initialization method may be a reference-based context initialization method or a QP-based context initialization method; Ahn Fig. 15; [0048]– In addition, the prediction block for the current block is generated by averaging or weighted-averaging the first reference block and the second reference block). Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate the adaptive indicator not using weighted average technique as taught by Ahn. One would be motivated to incorporate Ahn’s adaptive indicator not using weighted average technique to improve coding performance. Please see motivation of Claim 5 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 9-11, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al, WO 2025/085657 A1 (Wang) , in view of Chong, in further view of Sato . Regarding Claim 9, Wang teaches a method of video encoding performed at a computing system having memory and one or more processors ( Wang Fig. 2 ), the method comprising: receiving video data comprising a plurality of frames ( Wang Fig. 3 ); deriving an optimal primary reference frame for the current frame, wherein the optimal primary reference frame ( Wang [0003]– determine a list of reference frames available for predicting a current frame to decode from an encoded bitstream; determine, based on a first symbol signaled within the encoded bitstream, whether a primary reference frame of the current frame is an optimal reference frame of the current frame. Wang [0004]– In some implementations of the apparatus, the first symbol is a binary symbol indicating a first value where the primary reference frame is the optimal reference frame or a second value where the primary reference frame is other than the optimal reference frame) [please see 35 USC 112(b) rejection above for the word optimal. Examiner is interpreting the optimal term being met with optimal reference frame language in Wang [0003] ]; obtaining respective contexts for the optimal primary reference frame; ( Wang [0035]– the frame contexts of the reference frame used to predict the current frame are adopted as the initial frame contexts for the current frame ; Wang [0003]– determine a list of reference frames available for predicting a current frame to decode from an encoded bitstream; determine, based on a first symbol signaled within the encoded bitstream, whether a primary reference frame of the current frame is an optimal reference frame of the current frame) [please see Claim 9 limitation above for the discussion regarding the word optimal]; However, Wang does not explicitly disclose deriving a derived primary reference frame from a set of reference frames for a current frame of the plurality of frames; 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. Chong teaches deriving a derived primary reference frame from a set of reference frames for a current frame of the plurality of frames ( Chong Fig. 7; [0015]– the generated reference frame is a temporally interpolated picture reference frame generated using a backward reference frame of the current frame and a forward reference frame of the current frame); and the derived primary reference frame ( Chong [0015]– the generated reference frame is a temporally interpolated picture reference frame generated using a backward reference frame of the current frame and a forward reference frame of the current frame) [Examiner is interpreting the derived primary reference in Chong as being different from the optimal reference in Wang because the derived reference frame in Chong is synthesized from forward and backward reference frames, whereas Wang’s optimal reference frame is selected from the existing list of reference frames]. Therefore, it 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 to modify Wang to incorporate a generated reference frame as taught by Chong. One would be motivated to incorporate Chong’s generated reference frame to improve the quality of prediction ( Chong [0036]– Bi-directional prediction using forward and backward reference frames has been shown to substantially improve the quality of prediction and thus the overall compression performance for the subject video stream). Sato teaches initializing a current frame context for the current frame by performing a weighted average of the respective contexts ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average. [Examiner's Interpretation: Sato is taking the weighted average to determine the context value]); and entropy encoding one or more parameters for the current frame using the current frame context ( Sato [0005]– decoding the slice by decoding at least a portion of the binary string according to the entropy coding model with the initial context value ( Sato [0128]– At block 1810, the process 1800 involves decoding the partition by decoding the entropy coded portion of the binary'- string using the entropy coding model with the determined initial context value). Therefore, it 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 to modify Wang by incorporating the weighted average initialization and entropy encoding one or more parameters for the current frame using the current frame context as taught by Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1. Regarding Claim 10, Wang, in combination, further discloses the method of Claim 9, further comprising signaling the optimal primary reference frame in a video bitstream ( Wang [0003]– determine a list of reference frames available for predicting a current frame to decode from an encoded bitstream; determine, based on a first symbol signaled within the encoded bitstream, whether a primary reference frame of the current frame is an optimal reference frame of the current frame...) [please see Claim 9 limitation above for the discussion regarding the word optimal]. Regarding Claim 11, Wang, in combination, further discloses the method of Claim 9, further comprising signaling, via a syntax element, that the optimal primary reference frame is not the derived primary reference frame ( Wang [0004]– In some implementations of the apparatus, the first symbol is a binary symbol indicating a first value where the primary reference frame is the optimal reference frame or a second value where the primary reference frame is other than the optimal reference frame) [please see Claim 9 limitation above for the discussion regarding the word optimal]. Regarding Claim 13, Wang, Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 9, as outlined above. However, Wang does not explicitly disclose wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average when the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are within a threshold distance of the current frame. Chong teaches when the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are within a threshold distance of the current frame. ( Chong Fig. 7; [0015]– the generated reference frame is a temporally interpolated picture reference frame generated using a backward reference frame of the current frame and a forward reference frame of the current frame) [please see Claim 9 limitation above for the discussion regarding the word optimal]. Therefore, it 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 to modify Wang by incorporating the threshold distance limitation of Chong. One would be motivated to incorporate Chong’s threshold distance limitation to improve the quality of prediction. Please see the motivation of Claim 9. Sato teaches wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average); Therefore, it 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 to modify Wang by incorporating the weighted average initialization of Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1. Regarding Claim 14, Wang, Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 9, as outlined above. Wang does not explicitly disclose wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average when respective quantization parameters for the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are within a threshold difference of one another. However, Sato teaches wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average) when respective quantization parameters for the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are within a threshold difference of one another ( Sato [0037]– The quantization parameter (QP) value of the previous slice or frame can be compared with the threshold value) [please see Claim 9 limitation above for the discussion regarding the word optimal]. Therefore, it 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 to modify Wang by incorporating the use of the QP threshold as a criterion for determining when weighted average should be performed as taught by Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang , in view of Chong and Sato, and in further view of Zhao . Regarding Claim 12, Wang, Chong and Sato teach the method of Claim 9, as outlined above. However, Chong does not explicitly disclose wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average when the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are on a same side of the current frame. Sato teaches wherein the current frame context for the current frame is initialized by performing the weighted average ( Sato [0090]– In addition, the context value may inherit from multiple frames when multiple reference frames are involved in motion prediction and compensation. In this case, the context value initialization may be a combination of these inherited values such as an average or a weighted average); Therefore, it 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 to modify Wang by incorporating the use of the QP threshold as a criterion for determining when weighted average should be performed as taught by Sato. One would be motivated to combine Sato’s context initialization techniques to enhance coding efficiency by generating more suitable initial context values for entropy coding. Please see the motivation of Claim 1. Zhao teaches when the optimal primary reference frame and the derived primary reference frame are on a same side of the current frame. ( Zhao [0159]– Uni-directional inter-prediction may be either in the single-reference mode, or in the compound-reference mode when the multiple references for generation of prediction block by weighted average in the compound prediction mode are on a same side of the block to be predicted) [please see Claim 9 limitation above for the discussion regarding the word optimal]; Therefore, it 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 to modify Chong to incorporate the same side limitation of Zhao. One would be motivated to incorporate Zhao’s same side reference frame limitation to utilize compound prediction by weighted averaging, thereby improving compression efficiency and reducing bandwidth and/or storage requirements. Please see the motivation of Claim 2. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTIAN P MCFALL whose telephone number is (571)270-0773. The examiner can normally be reached Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m. ET.. 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, Joseph G. 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. 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. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /C.P.M./ Examiner, Art Unit 2483 /AMIR SHAHNAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 2 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 3 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 4 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 5 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 6 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 7 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 8 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 9 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 10 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 11 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 12 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 13 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 14 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 15 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 16 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 17 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 18 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 19 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 20 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 21 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 22 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/201,840 Page 23 Art Unit: 2483
Prosecution Insights