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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 07/02/2025. The submission are 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 § 102
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 –
(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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 8-11 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (2) as being anticipated by ZHANG et al. (US 20240323436, hereinafter ZHANG)
Regarding Claim 1, ZHANG discloses a point cloud decoding method, comprising:
determining N neighboring nodes of a current node, N being a positive integer ([0008]-[0009], a point cloud decoding method is provided and includes: obtaining a to-be-decoded node in a point cloud sequence and m decoded reference nodes in the point cloud sequence, where m is a positive integer); and
performing predictive decoding on planar structure information of the current node based on occupancy information of the N neighboring nodes ([0010] the decoder determines a context of a to-be-decoded subnode based on occupancy information of the m reference nodes and a position of the to-be-decoded subnode in the to-be-decoded node, where the to-be-decoded subnode is any subnode obtained by partitioning the to-be-decoded node based on a structure tree; [0050] FIG. 3a, in a z-axis direction of a coordinate system, subnodes in the low planar area of the reference node are occupied, while subnodes (unfilled subnodes in FIG. 3a) in the high planar area are unoccupied).
Regarding Claim 2, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the planar structure information of the current node comprises planar position information of the current node, and performing the predictive decoding on the planar structure information of the current node based on the occupancy information of the N neighboring nodes comprises:
determining planar structure information of the N neighboring nodes based on the occupancy information of the N neighboring nodes, wherein planar structure information of the neighboring node comprises at least one of: planar identification information of the neighboring node or planar position information of the neighboring node; and performing the predictive decoding on the planar position information of the current node based on the planar structure information of the N neighboring nodes ([0052] For example, refer to FIG. 3a. In FIG. 3a, a dashed-line box identifies the to-be-encoded node, and a solid-line box represents a reference node. There are three reference nodes in FIG. 3a. A filled part represents occupied subnodes. It is assumed that eight subnodes are obtained by partitioning these nodes based on the octree. In the z-axis direction, four lower subnodes are subnodes in the low planar area, and four upper nodes are subnodes in the high planar area. If the occupancy information of the reference node is the occupancy case in the low planar area and the occupancy case in the high planar area of the reference node, the occupied subnodes of the three reference nodes in FIG. 3a are all located in the low planar area, and the unoccupied subnodes are all located in the high planar area. Based on the occupancy information of the three reference nodes, it can be predicted that occupied subnodes of the to-be-encoded node may also be located in the low planar area. In this way, a prediction result about the occupancy information of the to-be-encoded node is obtained.
Regarding Claim 3, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein performing the predictive decoding on the planar position information of the current node based on the planar structure information of the N neighboring nodes comprises:
determining first context information and/or second context information corresponding to an i-th coordinate axis based on the planar structure information of the N neighboring nodes, the i-th coordinate axis being an X coordinate axis, a Y coordinate axis or a Z coordinate axis; and performing the predictive decoding on planar position information of the current node on the i-th coordinate axis based on the first context information and/or the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis ([0064] Optionally, the target planar feature may mean: n subnodes obtained by partitioning a node based on an n-ary tree are divided into two planes in a direction of a target coordinate axis, and occupied subnodes are all located in one of the planes, while none of subnodes in the other plane is occupied, and this node is a node having the target planar feature. For example, eight subnodes are obtained by partitioning a node in FIG. 3b based on the octree, where subnodes numbered 0, 2, 4, and 6 constitute a first plane, and subnodes numbered 1, 3, 5, and 7 constitute a second plane. If at least one of the four subnodes in the first plane is occupied, while none of the four subnodes in the second plane is occupied, or if none of the four subnodes in the first plane is occupied, while at least one of the four subnodes in the second plane is occupied, the node is a node having the target planar feature.
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Regarding Claim 4, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein determining the first context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis based on the planar structure information of the N neighboring nodes comprises:
determining the first context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis based on planar structure information of P neighboring nodes that are coplanar with the current node in the N neighboring nodes, P being a positive integer ([0117], obtains neighboring subnodes of the to-be-encoded subnode in three directions: left, front, and lower, where the neighboring subnodes include three coplanar neighboring subnodes, three collinear neighboring subnodes, and one co-point neighboring subnode of the to-be-encoded subnode of the current node).
Regarding Claim 6, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein determining the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis based on the planar structure information of the N neighboring nodes comprises:
determining the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis based on planar structure information of Q neighboring nodes that are coedge and/or covertex with the current node in the N neighboring nodes, Q being a positive integer ([0118] A context for a subnode level is designed as follows: For a to-be-encoded subnode, the encoder finds occupancy cases of three coplanar neighboring subnodes, three collinear neighboring subnodes, and one co-point neighboring subnode in the left, front, and lower directions on the same level as the to-be-encoded subnode, and a neighboring subnode that is two subnode side lengths away from the current to-be-encoded subnode in a negative direction in a dimension with a shortest subnode side length. A shortest subnode side length in the x-axis direction is used as an example. A reference node selected for each subnode is shown in FIG. 4a, where a dashed-line box represents the current to-be-encoded node, a filled box represents the current to-be-encoded subnode, and a solid-line box represents a neighboring subnode selected for each subnode).
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Regarding Claim 8, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein performing the predictive decoding on the planar position information of the current node on the i-th coordinate axis based on the first context information and/or the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis comprises:
performing the predictive decoding on the planar position information of the current node on the i-th coordinate axis based on the first context information and/or the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis, and preset context information ([0010] the decoder determines a context of a to-be-decoded subnode based on occupancy information of the m reference nodes and a position of the to-be-decoded subnode in the to-be-decoded node, where the to-be-decoded subnode is any subnode obtained by partitioning the to-be-decoded node based on a structure tree; [0050] FIG. 3a, in a z-axis direction of a coordinate system, subnodes in the low planar area of the reference node are occupied, while subnodes (unfilled subnodes in FIG. 3a) in the high planar area are unoccupied).
Regarding Claim 9, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 8, wherein the preset context information comprises at least one of following:
the planar position information of the current node being obtained as three elements through predicting by using the occupancy information of the neighboring node: predicted to be a low plane, predicted to be a high plane, or unpredictable; a spatial distance between a node at a same partition depth and a same coordinate as the current node and the current node being “close” or “far”; a planar position of a node at a same partition depth and a same coordinate as the current node in response to that it is a plane; or a coordinate dimension i being equal to 0, 1 or 2 ([0052] For example, refer to FIG. 3a. In FIG. 3a, a dashed-line box identifies the to-be-encoded node, and a solid-line box represents a reference node. There are three reference nodes in FIG. 3a. A filled part represents occupied subnodes. It is assumed that eight subnodes are obtained by partitioning these nodes based on the octree. In the z-axis direction, four lower subnodes are subnodes in the low planar area, and four upper nodes are subnodes in the high planar area. If the occupancy information of the reference node is the occupancy case in the low planar area and the occupancy case in the high planar area of the reference node, the occupied subnodes of the three reference nodes in FIG. 3a are all located in the low planar area, and the unoccupied subnodes are all located in the high planar area. Based on the occupancy information of the three reference nodes, it can be predicted that occupied subnodes of the to-be-encoded node may also be located in the low planar area. In this way, a prediction result about the occupancy information of the to-be-encoded node is obtained; [0064] Optionally, the target planar feature may mean: n subnodes obtained by partitioning a node based on an n-ary tree are divided into two planes in a direction of a target coordinate axis, and occupied subnodes are all located in one of the planes, while none of subnodes in the other plane is occupied, and this node is a node having the target planar feature. For example, eight subnodes are obtained by partitioning a node in FIG. 3b based on the octree, where subnodes numbered 0, 2, 4, and 6 constitute a first plane, and subnodes numbered 1, 3, 5, and 7 constitute a second plane. If at least one of the four subnodes in the first plane is occupied, while none of the four subnodes in the second plane is occupied, or if none of the four subnodes in the first plane is occupied, while at least one of the four subnodes in the second plane is occupied, the node is a node having the target planar feature).
Regarding Claim 10, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 8, wherein performing the predictive decoding on the planar position information of the current node on the i-th coordinate axis based on the first context information and/or the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis, and the preset context information comprises:
determining a target context model based on the first context information and/or the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis, and the preset context information; and performing the predictive decoding on the planar position information of the current node on the i-th coordinate axis based on the target context model ([0010] the decoder determines a context of a to-be-decoded subnode based on occupancy information of the m reference nodes and a position of the to-be-decoded subnode in the to-be-decoded node, where the to-be-decoded subnode is any subnode obtained by partitioning the to-be-decoded node based on a structure tree; [0050] FIG. 3a, in a z-axis direction of a coordinate system, subnodes in the low planar area of the reference node are occupied, while subnodes (unfilled subnodes in FIG. 3a) in the high planar area are unoccupied).
Regarding Claim 11, ZHANG discloses the method according to claim 10, wherein determining the target context model based on the first context information and/or the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis, and the preset context information comprises:
determining, according to the first context information and/or the second context information corresponding to the i-th coordinate axis, and the preset context information, primary information and minor information; and determining the target context model according to the primary information of the current node and a part or all of the minor information of the current node ([0010] the decoder determines a context of a to-be-decoded subnode based on occupancy information of the m reference nodes and a position of the to-be-decoded subnode in the to-be-decoded node, where the to-be-decoded subnode is any subnode obtained by partitioning the to-be-decoded node based on a structure tree; [0050] FIG. 3a, in a z-axis direction of a coordinate system, subnodes in the low planar area of the reference node are occupied, while subnodes (unfilled subnodes in FIG. 3a) in the high planar area are unoccupied).
Regarding Claims 18-19, Encoding method claims 18-19 of using the corresponding decoding method claimed in claims 1-2, and the rejections of which are incorporated herein for the same reasons as used above.
Regarding Claim 20, Computer-readable storage medium 20 of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 18, and the rejections of which are incorporated herein for the same reasons as used above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5,7 & 12-17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claims but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Samuel D Fereja whose telephone number is (469)295-9243. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DAVID CZEKAJ can be reached at (571) 272-7327. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMUEL D FEREJA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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