DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to an application filed 7/2/2025, wherein claims 1-20 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
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 7/2/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 9-12, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Martin-Cocher et al. (US 2022/0351423) (hereinafter Martin-Cocher).
In regard to claim 1, Martin-Cocher discloses a decoding method, applied to a decoder [¶0096; point cloud decoder… receives the input bitstream of compressed data and entropy decodes the data to produce an output sequence of decompressed bits] and comprising:
determining nodes in a level obtained after octree partitioning as one node group [Fig.9; node group of data after octree partitioning. ¶0063; point cloud may be located within a volumetric space recursively split into sub-volumes and containing points of the point cloud. ¶0088; volumes/sub-volumes are all cubes and each split of a sub-volume results in eight further sub-volumes/sub-cubes ¶0105; Volume 300 is shown partitioned in to eight sub-volumes];
decoding a bitstream to determine mode flag information corresponding to a current node group among at least one node group [¶0126; decoder decodes the planar mode flag. The decoded planar mode flag indicates whether the volume is planar or not]; and
determining a prediction value of a node in the current node group according to a decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information [¶0130; If planar, then the coder infers the bits of the unoccupied plane to be zero and codes the other four bits knowing that at least one of the occupancy bits is 1.. ¶0107; multiple planar modes possible, e.g. with respect to the z-axis, y-axis, and x-axis, there may be multiple flags: isZPlanar, isYPlanar, isXPlanar. ¶0119; planar mode may be signaled for the horizontal plane (z-axis) or vertical planes (x-axis or y-axis), or for any two or all three. ¶0127; If the decoded planar mode flag indicates that the volume is planar, then in operation 612 the decoder decodes a plane position flag… decoder then infers the value of the four occupancy bits in the unoccupied half as zero].
In regard to claim 2, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 1. Martin-Cocher further discloses, further comprising:
in response to a value of the mode flag information being a first value, determining that the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information is octree decoding [¶0121-¶0123; planar coding mode is not eligible, then the occupancy pattern for the volume is encoded without using planar coding mode, as indicted by operation 504… planar mode flag, e.g. isPlanar=0]; or
in response to a value of the mode flag information being a second value, determining that the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information is planar decoding [¶0124-¶0126; If planar mode is enabled and the volume is planar, then in operation 512 the planar mode flag is encoded, e.g. isPlanar=1].
As disclosed by Martin-Cocher, a planar flag is signalled, wherein if the planar flag has a first value, at least some of the occupancy bits for 8 sub-volumes may be inferred. If the planar flag has a second value, the occupancy bits for the 8 sub-volumes have to be determined individually and thus represents an octree decoding configuration.
In regard to claim 7, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 2. Martin-Cocher further discloses, further comprising:
in response to the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information being the octree decoding, decoding geometry information for each node in the current node group using octree [¶0121-¶0123]; or
in response to the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information being the planar decoding, decoding geometry information for each node in the current node group using planar decoding [¶0124-¶0126].
In regard to claim 9, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 1. Martin-Cocher further discloses, further comprising:
decoding the bitstream to determine first flag information [¶0124-¶0128]; and
in response to a value of the first flag information being a fifth value, performing a partitioning procedure of the at least one node group and a determining procedure of the mode flag information [¶0124; planar mode flag is encoded, e.g. isPlanar=1. Because the volume is planar, the encoder then also encodes the plane position flag… planePosition=0 may correspond to the lower half (i.e. lower z-axis position) and planePosition=1 may correspond to the upper half. ¶0220; planar volume is a volume, partitioned into a plurality of sets of child sub-volumes in respective parallel planes, for which all child sub-volumes containing at least one point are positioned in the same plane]; or
in response to a value of the first flag information being a sixth value, determining prediction values of the nodes to be processed according to a preset decoding mode [¶0123; If not, then in operation 508 it encodes the planar mode flag, e.g. isPlanar=0. ¶0092; uniformly partitioned tree structure, like an octree, each node may be represented by a sequence of occupancy bits, where each occupancy bit corresponds to one of the sub-volumes in the node and signals whether than sub-volume contains at least one point or no].
In regard to claim 10, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 9. Martin-Cocher further discloses,
wherein the fifth value is 1 [¶0124], and the sixth value is 0 [¶0123].
In regard to claim 11, Martin-Cocher discloses an encoding method, applied to an encoder [¶0093; sequence of bits may then be encoded using an entropy encoder 16 to produce a compressed bitstream] and comprising:
determining nodes in a level obtained after octree partitioning as one node group [Fig.9; node group of data after octree partitioning. ¶0063; point cloud may be located within a volumetric space recursively split into sub-volumes and containing points of the point cloud. ¶0088; volumes/sub-volumes are all cubes and each split of a sub-volume results in eight further sub-volumes/sub-cubes ¶0105; Volume 300 is shown partitioned in to eight sub-volumes];
determining a coding mode corresponding to a current node group among at least one node group [¶0102; planar coding mode… volume is planar if all of its occupied sub-volumes are positioned or located in a common plane];
determining a prediction value of a node in the current node group according to the coding mode [¶0136; two planar mode flags that indicate the volume is planar in two directions and, if so, then all occupancy bits may be inferred in operation 804. ¶0111; if the first three coded bits of that plane are zero (unoccupied), then the last (fourth) bit in the coding order may be inferred to be one (occupied) since the planar signaling indicated that the plane was occupied]; and
determining mode flag information corresponding to the current node group according to the coding mode [¶0107-¶0108; Planarity may be signaled with respect to a volume through a planar mode flag, e.g. isPlanar. In the case where there are multiple planar modes possible, e.g. with respect to the z-axis, y-axis, and x-axis, there may be multiple flags: isZPlanar, isYPlanar, isXPlanar… a second syntax element, a plane position flag, planePosition, may be used to signal the position of the plane within the volume], and
signalling the mode flag information into a bitstream [¶0124; If planar mode is enabled and the volume is planar, then in operation 512 the planar mode flag is encoded, e.g. isPlanar=1. Because the volume is planar, the encoder then also encodes the plane position flag, planePosition. ¶0107-¶0108, ¶0144].
In regard to claim 12, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 11. Martin-Cocher further discloses, further comprising:
in response to determining that the coding mode indicated by the mode flag information is octree coding, setting a value of the mode flag information to a first value [¶0121-¶0123]; or
in response to determining that the coding mode indicated by the mode flag information is planar coding, setting a value of the mode flag information to a second value [¶0124-¶0126].
In regard to claim 20, this claim is drawn to a decoder comprising memory and a processor configured to perform the method of claim 1, wherein claim 20 contains the same limitations as claim 1 and is therefore rejected upon the same basis. Furthermore, Martin-Cocher discloses implementing the method via a processor and memory in at least ¶0333-¶0335.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3, 8, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin-Cocher (US 2022/0351423) in view of Hur (US 2023/0045663).
In regard to claim 3, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 1. Martin-Cocher does not explicitly disclose, further comprising: in response to a value of the mode flag information being a third value, determining that the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information is first context decoding; or in response to a value of the mode flag information being a fourth value, determining that the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information is second context decoding. However Hur discloses,
in response to a value of the mode flag information being a third value, determining that the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information is first context decoding [¶0502; neighbour_context_restriction_flag field equal to 0 indicates that octree occupancy coding uses contexts determined from six neighboring parent nodes]; or
in response to a value of the mode flag information being a fourth value, determining that the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information is second context decoding [¶0502; neighbour_context_restriction flag field equal to 1 indicates that octree occupancy coding uses contexts determined from sibling nodes only. ¶0504-¶0508].
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 the method disclosed by Martin-Cocher with the context selection disclosed by Hur in order to meet an appropriate level of compression efficiency and complexity when encoding and decoding point clouds [Hur ¶0003-¶0010, ¶0150]. As disclosed by Hur, context selection allows for point clouds to be encoded and decoded such that efficiency and complexity is optimized.
In regard to claim 8, Martin-Cocher in view of Hur discloses the method according to claim 3. Martin-Cocher in view of Hur further discloses, further comprising:
in response to the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information being the first context decoding, decoding geometry information for each node in the current node group using first context [Hur ¶0502-¶0508]; or
in response to the decoding mode indicated by the mode flag information being second context decoding, decoding geometry information for each node in the current node group using second context [Hur ¶0502-¶0508].
See claim 3 for motivation to combine.
In regard to claim 13, Martin-Cocher disclose the method according to claim 11. Martin-Cocher does not explicitly disclose further comprising: in response to determining that the coding mode indicated by the mode flag information is first context encoding, setting a value of the mode flag information to a third value; or in response to determining that the coding mode indicated by the mode flag information is second context encoding, setting a value of the mode flag information to a fourth value. However Hur discloses,
in response to determining that the coding mode indicated by the mode flag information is first context encoding, setting a value of the mode flag information to a third value [¶0502-¶0508]; or
in response to determining that the coding mode indicated by the mode flag information is second context encoding, setting a value of the mode flag information to a fourth value [¶0502-¶0508].
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 the method disclosed by Martin-Cocher with the context selection disclosed by Hur in order to meet an appropriate level of compression efficiency and complexity when encoding and decoding point clouds [Hur ¶0003-¶0010, ¶0150]. As disclosed by Hur, context selection allows for point clouds to be encoded and decoded such that efficiency and complexity is optimized.
Claim(s) 4 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin-Cocher (US 2022/0351423) in view of Zhang et al. (WO 2024/082145) (hereinafter Zhang).
In regard to claim 4, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 1. Martin-Cocher does not explicitly disclose, wherein a number of nodes in each different node group among the at least one node group is less than or equal to a preset threshold. However Zhang discloses,
wherein a number of nodes in each different node group among the at least one node group is less than or equal to a preset threshold [¶0022-¶0024; total number of the occupied child node is 1 and it is less than the first threshold value… second occupied node count is less than the second threshold value].
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 the method disclosed by Martin-Cocher with the threshold disclosed by Zhang in order to avoid an unnecessary time-consuming predictive process and improve coding efficiency [Zhang ¶0023-¶0025].
In regard to claim 14, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 11. Martin-Cocher does not explicitly disclose, wherein a number of nodes in each different node group among the at least one node group is less than or equal to a preset threshold. However Zhang discloses,
wherein a number of nodes in each different node group among the at least one node group is less than or equal to a preset threshold [¶0022-¶0024; total number of the occupied child node is 1 and it is less than the first threshold value… second occupied node count is less than the second threshold value].
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 the method disclosed by Martin-Cocher with the threshold disclosed by Zhang in order to avoid an unnecessary time-consuming predictive process and improve coding efficiency [Zhang ¶0023-¶0025].
Claim(s) 5, 6, 15 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin-Cocher (US 2022/0351423) in view of Oh (US 2025/0133233).
In regard to claim 5, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 1, Martin-Cocher does not explicitly disclose, wherein numbers of nodes in different node groups among the at least one node group are not all identical. However Oh discloses,
wherein numbers of nodes in different node groups among the at least one node group are not all identical [¶0506; number of nodes… number of nodes included in the sub-group. ¶0321; slice may contain partial data from octree layer level 5 and data from octree layer level 6 or octree layer level 7 corresponding to the child nodes of that data. ¶0345-¶0347; subgroup may represent a set of neighboring nodes based on position information for one layer group. Fig.22; groups with different number of nodes. ¶0595].
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 the method disclosed by Martin-Cocher with the node groupings of different numbers as disclosed by Oh in order to potentially improve the efficiency of compression of a bitstream by using information related to the reference layer group, the reference subgroup, or the reference slice [Oh ¶0265-¶0266, ¶0374-¶0375]. As disclosed by Oh, associating the nodes within groups containing different numbers of nodes can improve signaling and efficiency for point cloud coding.
In regard to claim 6, Martin-Cocher in view of Oh discloses the method according to claim 5. Martin-Cocher in view of Oh further discloses, further comprising:
decoding the bitstream to determine length information corresponding to the current node group among the at least one node group [Oh ¶0506, ¶0517]; and
determining a number of nodes in the current node group according to the length information [Oh ¶0506, ¶0517].
See claim 5 for motivation to combine.
In regard to claim 15, Martin-Cocher discloses the method according to claim 11. Martin-Cocher does not explicitly disclose, wherein numbers of nodes in different node groups among the at least one node group are not all identical. However Oh discloses,
wherein numbers of nodes in different node groups among the at least one node group are not all identical [¶0506; number of nodes… number of nodes included in the sub-group. ¶0321; slice may contain partial data from octree layer level 5 and data from octree layer level 6 or octree layer level 7 corresponding to the child nodes of that data. ¶0345-¶0347; subgroup may represent a set of neighboring nodes based on position information for one layer group. Fig.22; groups with different number of nodes. ¶0595].
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 the method disclosed by Martin-Cocher with the node groupings of different numbers as disclosed by Oh in order to potentially improve the efficiency of compression of a bitstream by using information related to the reference layer group, the reference subgroup, or the reference slice [Oh ¶0265-¶0266, ¶0374-¶0375]. As disclosed by Oh, associating the nodes within groups containing different numbers of nodes can improve signaling and efficiency for point cloud coding.
In regard to claim 16, Martin-Cocher in view of Oh discloses the method according to claim 15. Martin-Cocher in view of Oh further discloses, further comprising:
determining length information corresponding to the current node group according to a number of nodes in the current node group among the at least one node group [Oh ¶0506, ¶0517]; and
signalling the length information into the bitstream [Oh ¶0506, ¶0517].
See claim 15 for motivation to combine.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lasserre et al. (US 10,693,492) – Discloses coding point cloud data using a planar coding mode [Abstract], wherein a planar mode flag indicating whether a volume is planar is encoded and decoded [Col 10, lines 1-15], and a context for encoding and decoding a planar mode flag is determined based on a plurality of conditions [Col 16, lines 21-46].
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.
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/REBECCA A VOLENTINE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483 May 29, 2026
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