CTNF 19/249,639 CTNF 90179 DETAILED ACTION This Office Action is a response to an application filed on 06/25/2025, in which claims 1-20 are pending and ready 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 The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 02/19/2026 and 05/26/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Terminal Disclaimer The terminal disclaimer filed on 05/26/2026 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of Patent No. 11,979,600, and Patent No. 11,595,679 has been reviewed, but is not accepted. Some of the required applications and patents has not been disclaimed in the Terminal Disclaimer filed on 05/26/2026. More specifically, Patent No. 12,375,711, Copending Application No. 19/249,745, and Copending Application No. 19/249,787 are not identified in the Terminal Disclaimer filed on 05/26/2026. 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 USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The 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/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp. 08-34 AIA Claim s 1, 16, and 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim s 21, 35, and 38 of U.S. Patent No. 12,375,711 . Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1, 16, and 20 of the current application are obvious variation of claims 21, 35, and 38 of U.S. Patent No. 12,375,711. That is, claims 1, 16, and 20 of the instant application are related to a method for video encoding and decoding that is similar to a decoding method of the claims 21, 35, and 38 of the Patented No. 12,375,711 . Claims 1, 16, and 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 16, and 20 of U.S. Application No. 19/249,745. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1, 16, and 20 of the current application are obvious variation of claims 1, 16, and 20 of U.S. Application No. 19/249,745. That is, claims 1, 16, and 20 of the instant application are related to a method for video encoding and decoding that is similar to a decoding method of the claims 1, 16, and 20 of the U.S. Application No. 19/249,745. Claims 1, 16, and 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 16, and 20 of U.S. Application No. 19/249,787. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1, 16, and 20 of the current application are obvious variation of claims 1, 16, and 20 of U.S. Application No. 19/249, 787. That is, claims 1, 16, and 20 of the instant application are related to a method for video encoding and decoding that is similar to a decoding method of the claims 1, 16, and 20 of the U.S. Application No. 19/249, 787 . Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-20 would be allowed over the prior art of record upon overcoming the Double Patenting rejection shown above. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ogura (US 6,249,612 B1) Suzuki (US 2005/0226333 A1) Kobayashi (US 2018/0063547 A1) Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARYAM A NASRI whose telephone number is (571)270-7158. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-8:00 M-T. 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 Ustaris can be reached on 5712727383. 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. /MARYAM A NASRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/249,639 Page 2 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/249,639 Page 3 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/249,639 Page 4 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/249,639 Page 5 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/249,639 Page 6 Art Unit: 2483 Application/Control Number: 19/249,639 Page 7 Art Unit: 2483
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