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 .
Status of Claims
The following is a Non-Final Office Action in response to the correspondence filed on 08/15/2025.
Claims 1-17 are considered in this Office Action. Claims 1-17 are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS(s) received on date 08/15/2025, and 04/20/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, being reviewed and considered by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1, 5- 6, 9 and 13- 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Satoshi Shimada (US 20070217508 A1) (hereinafter Shimada) in view of Jeongnam Youn (US 20080151999 A1) (hereinafter Youn):
Regarding Claim 1, Shimada teaches an image processing method (a method image processing [0031]), comprising:
determining a quantized coefficient block obtained by quantizing a transform unit of an image (quantized results obtained by quantizing the DCT coefficients of each transformed block of the picture [0065]- [0066]; fig 1-3; fig. 1 showing 1 orthogonal transformer, 2 quantizer, and 20a transformation coefficient/qp controller);
when quantized coefficients in the quantized coefficient block are all zeros (determining whether all of the quantized DCT coefficients of the block are zero [0060]; [0066]; the quantized result by the quantizer 2 is inputted into the coefficient adder 51, and the coefficient adder 51, in order to cause at least any one of rows of DCT coefficients all of them being zero to be not zero, adds a predetermined coefficient a (a< >O) [0074] ( refer to ( 1) and ( 2) in FIG. 3: controlling step ),
adjusting quantized coefficients at the M locations (adjusting the all zero quantized coefficients by setting the DC component of color difference Cb to 1 [0062]; [0074]), wherein the adjusted quantized coefficients at the M locations are non-zero (changing any one of the DCT coefficients to a non-zero value [0062]), and residual coefficients in a reconstructed residual coefficient block obtained by dequantizing and inversely transforming an adjusted quantized coefficient block are all zeros (the results of inversely quantizing and inversely transforming being all zero even when the coefficient is set to 1. all of the rows of the DCT coefficients are zero by the inverse orthogonal transformer 4, between the cases when the coefficient addition is performed and when the coefficient addition is not performed. [0068]; [0075]- [0076]).
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches determining quantized coefficient thresholds at M locations in the quantized coefficient block (threshold values computed for each coefficient position of the block [0022]; [0059]) based on a base coefficient matrix (the maximum coefficient thresholds derived from the transform matrix [0043]; [0047]), wherein the base coefficient matrix is used to transform the transform unit (the transform matrix C used to transform the transform block [0012]; [0043]); and
performing the adjusting based on the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations (per-position threshold values that indicate when a coefficient is quantized to zero [0053]; [0060]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Regarding Claim 5, Shimada in view of Youn teach the method according to claim 1. Youn further teaches wherein the transform unit comprises a first transform unit in a first column of coding units or a last transform unit in a last column of coding units in multi-row and multi-column coding units corresponding to the image (the non-zero coefficient inserted at a transform unit of the first coding block of each row. The frame is partitioned into multiple rows of LCUs with first and last LCUs in each row [0005]; [0045]; [0100]; [0114]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Regarding Claim 6, Shimada in view of Youn teach the method according to claim 1. Shimada further teaches wherein when M is 1 (a single one of the DCT coefficients changed to a non-zero value [0062]), adjusting the quantized coefficients at the M locations based on the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the AP determination performed after the coefficient adder changes the all-zero quantized coefficients to non-zero [0063]; [0074]), comprises:
adjusting a quantized coefficient in a first column of a first row in the quantized coefficient block (the DC component of the color difference block set to 1 [0062]; [0074])
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches based on a quantized coefficient threshold in the first column of the first row in the quantized coefficient block (the threshold value determined for the first row, first column position of the coefficient block [0059]- [0060]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Regarding Claim 9, Shimada teaches an encoder (encoder [0050])
determine a quantized coefficient block obtained by quantizing a transform unit of an image (quantized results obtained by quantizing the DCT coefficients of each transformed block of the picture [0065]- [0066]; fig 1-3; fig. 1 showing 1 orthogonal transformer, 2 quantizer, and 20a transformation coefficient/qp controller); and
when quantized coefficients in the quantized coefficient block are all zeros (determining whether all of the quantized DCT coefficients of the block are zero [0060]; [0066]; the quantized result by the quantizer 2 is inputted into the coefficient adder 51, and the coefficient adder 51, in order to cause at least any one of rows of DCT coefficients all of them being zero to be not zero, adds a predetermined coefficient a (a< >O) [0074] ( refer to ( 1) and ( 2) in FIG. 3: controlling step ), and adjust quantized coefficients at the M locations (adjusting the all zero quantized coefficients by setting the DC component of color difference Cb to 1 [0062]; [0074]), wherein none of the adjusted quantized coefficients at the M locations is 0 (changing any one of the DCT coefficients to a non-zero value [0062]), and residual coefficients in a reconstructed residual coefficient block obtained by dequantizing and inversely transforming an adjusted quantized coefficient block are all zeros (the results of inversely quantizing and inversely transforming being all zero even when the coefficient is set to 1. all of the rows of the DCT coefficients are zero by the inverse orthogonal transformer 4, between the cases when the coefficient addition is performed and when the coefficient addition is not performed. [0068]; [0075]- [0076]).
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (the processor and memory storing instruction executed by the processor [0068]- [0069]; [0073]), cause the encoder to:
determine quantized coefficient thresholds at M locations in the quantized coefficient block (threshold values computed for each coefficient position of the block [0022]; [0059]) based on a base coefficient matrix (the maximum coefficient thresholds derived from the transform matrix [0043]; [0047]), performing the adjusting based on the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations (per-position threshold values that indicate when a coefficient is quantized to zero [0053]; [0060]).
wherein the base coefficient matrix is used to transform the transform unit (the transform matrix C used to transform the transform block [0012]; [0043]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Regarding Claim 13, Shimada in view of Youn teach the encoder according to claim 9. Youn further teaches wherein the transform unit comprises a first transform unit in a first column of coding units or a last transform unit in a last column of coding units in multi-row and multi-column coding units corresponding to the image (the non-zero coefficient inserted at a transform unit of the first coding block of each row. The frame is partitioned into multiple rows of LCUs with first and last LCUs in each row [0005]; [0045]; [0100]; [0114]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Regarding Claim 14, Shimada in view of Youn teach the encoder according to claim 9. Shimada further teaches wherein when M is 1 (a single one of the DCT coefficients changed to a non-zero value [0062]), and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the encoder to:
adjust a quantized coefficient in a first column of a first row in the quantized coefficient block (the DC component of the color difference block set to 1 [0062]; [0074])
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches based on a quantized coefficient threshold in the first column of the first row in the quantized coefficient block (the threshold value determined for the first row, first column position of the coefficient block [0059]- [0060]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Claims 2- 4, 7, 10- 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Satoshi Shimada (US 20070217508 A1) (hereinafter Shimada) in view of Jeongnam Youn (US 20080151999 A1) (hereinafter Youn) further in view of Pohsiang Hsu (US 20070237221 A1) (hereinafter Hsu):
Regarding Claim 2, Shimada in view of Youn teach the method according to claim 1. Shimada further teaches the quantized coefficients at the M locations in the adjusted quantized coefficient block are not greater than the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the adjusted coefficient set to 1 within the range where the result of the inverse DCT becomes zero [0074]- [0075]), and dequantized transform coefficients of the quantized coefficients at the M locations in the adjusted quantized coefficient block are not greater than the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the dequantized value of the adjusted coefficient yielding the all zero inverse DCT result [0068]; [0076]).
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches determining transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations based on the base coefficient matrix (maximum transform coefficient values derived from the transform matrix for each position [0043]; [0047]); and
determining the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations based on the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the final zero quantization thresholds determined from equation (12) maximum transform coefficient values [0052]- [0053]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Youn does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Hsu teaches determining the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations based on a dequantization formula (the zero cut-off threshold selected based on the reconstructed value of quantized coefficient level 1 [0253]), a minimum quantized parameter (the threshold determination using a minimum QP for the quantizer [0254]; [0257]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada in view of Youn to further add the teachings of Hsu as above, in order to reduce blocking artifacts and improve visual quality (Hsu [0248]).
Regarding Claim 3, Shimada in view of Youn and Hsu teach the method according to claim 2. Shimada further teaches wherein after adjusting the quantized coefficients at the M locations based on the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the AP determination performed after the coefficient adder changes the all-zero quantized coefficients to non-zero [0063]; [0074]), the method further comprises:
determining a quantized parameter threshold of the quantized coefficient block (determining the maximum quantization parameter value where the result of the inverse DCT becomes zero by the table lookup [0075]) based on a minimum quantized coefficient (the coefficient set to 1, the minimum non-zero value, as the basis for the maximum QP determination [0074]- [0074]); and
determining a second quantized parameter based on the quantized parameter threshold and a first quantized parameter (the coded QP determined by comparing the threshold derived QP with the original QP and selecting the smaller one [0063]; [0076]), wherein the first quantized parameter is used to quantize a transform coefficient block of the transform unit (the DCT coefficients of the transform block quantized using a quantization parameter [0051]; [0065]), the second quantized parameter is used to dequantize the adjusted quantized coefficient block (the adjusted quantized results inputted to the inverse quantizer and inversely quantized [0061]; [0068]), and a value of the second quantized parameter does not exceed the quantized parameter threshold (the coded QP set within the range where the inversely transformed results are zero by selecting the smaller value [0028]; [0076]).
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches determining a quantized parameter threshold of the quantized coefficient block based on the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the per position maximum transform coefficient thresholds determined for each quantization parameter [0047]; [0059]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Youn does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Hsu teaches determining a quantized parameter threshold of the quantized coefficient block based on the dequantization formula (the threshold QP determined based on the reconstructed value of the quantized coefficient level 1 [0253]- [0254]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada in view of Youn to further add the teachings of Hsu as above, in order to reduce blocking artifacts and improve visual quality (Hsu [0248]).
Regarding Claim 4, Shimada in view of Youn and Hsu teach the method according to claim 3. Youn further teaches wherein the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations comprise values at the M locations in the base coefficient matrix (the per position threshold values comprising the maximum transform matrix values in the i and j directions [0047]; [0057]; [0060]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Regarding Claim 7, Shimada in view of Youn and Hsu teach the method according to claim 3. Shimada further teaches obtaining a bitstream of the image based on the adjusted quantized coefficient block (entropy coding the adjusted coefficient block and outputting it as the encoder’s compressed stream [0061]; [0067]) and the second quantized parameter (the smaller QP value is set as the QP value to be coded and entropy coded into the output [0059]; [0059]; the obtained quantization parameter value (qpc), a quantization parameter value (qp1) of brightness corresponding to the quantization parameter value (qpc) is further obtained from the following Table 2 by means of table lookup, and by comparing the value of the quantization parameter of the brightness (qp1) and the value of the quantization parameter with respect to the former MB (qpA), the smaller one (either value can be naturally selected in the case of having the same value) is set as the QP value to be coded [0076]).
Regarding Claim 10, Shimada in view of Youn teach the encoder according to claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor. Shimada further teaches the quantized coefficients at the M locations in the adjusted quantized coefficient block are not greater than the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the adjusted coefficient set to 1 within the range where the result of the inverse DCT becomes zero [0074]- [0075]), and dequantized transform coefficients of the quantized coefficients at the M locations in the adjusted quantized coefficient block are not greater than the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the dequantized value of the adjusted coefficient yielding the all zero inverse DCT result [0068]; [0076]).
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches determine transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations based on the base coefficient matrix (maximum transform coefficient values derived from the transform matrix for each position [0043]; [0047]); and
determine the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations based on the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the final zero quantization thresholds determined from equation (12) maximum transform coefficient values [0052]- [0053]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Youn does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Hsu teaches determine the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations based on a dequantization formula (the zero cut-off threshold selected based on the reconstructed value of quantized coefficient level 1 [0253]), a minimum quantized parameter (the threshold determination using a minimum QP for the quantizer [0254]; [0257]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada in view of Youn to further add the teachings of Hsu as above, in order to reduce blocking artifacts and improve visual quality (Hsu [0248]).
Regarding Claim 11, Shimada in view of Youn and Hsu teach the encoder according to claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor. Shimada further teaches after adjusting the quantized coefficients at the M locations based on the quantized coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the AP determination performed after the coefficient adder changes the all-zero quantized coefficients to non-zero [0063]; [0074]),
determine a quantized parameter threshold of the quantized coefficient block (determining the maximum quantization parameter value where the result of the inverse DCT becomes zero by the table lookup [0075]) based on a minimum quantized coefficient (the coefficient set to 1, the minimum non-zero value, as the basis for the maximum QP determination [0074]- [0074]); and
determine a second quantized parameter based on the quantized parameter threshold and a first quantized parameter (the coded QP determined by comparing the threshold derived QP with the original QP and selecting the smaller one [0063]; [0076]), wherein the first quantized parameter is used to quantize a transform coefficient block of the transform unit (the DCT coefficients of the transform block quantized using a quantization parameter [0051]; [0065]), the second quantized parameter is used to dequantize the adjusted quantized coefficient block (the adjusted quantized results inputted to the inverse quantizer and inversely quantized [0061]; [0068]), and a value of the second quantized parameter does not exceed the quantized parameter threshold (the coded QP set within the range where the inversely transformed results are zero by selecting the smaller value [0028]; [0076]).
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Youn teaches determine a quantized parameter threshold of the quantized coefficient block based on the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations (the per position maximum transform coefficient thresholds determined for each quantization parameter [0047]; [0059]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Youn does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Hsu teaches determining a quantized parameter threshold of the quantized coefficient block based on the dequantization formula (the threshold QP determined based on the reconstructed value of the quantized coefficient level 1 [0253]- [0254]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada in view of Youn to further add the teachings of Hsu as above, in order to reduce blocking artifacts and improve visual quality (Hsu [0248]).
Regarding Claim 12, Shimada in view of Youn and Hsu teach the encoder according to claim 11. Youn further teaches wherein the transform coefficient thresholds at the M locations comprise values at the M locations in the base coefficient matrix (the per position threshold values comprising the maximum transform matrix values in the i and j directions [0047]; [0057]; [0060]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Youn as above, in order to reduce computations of coefficients quantized to zero (Youn [0003]).
Regarding Claim 15, Shimada in view of Youn and Hsu teach encoder according to claim 11. Shimada further teaches obtain a bitstream of the image based on the adjusted quantized coefficient block (entropy coding the adjusted coefficient block and outputting it as the encoder’s compressed stream [0061]; [0067]) and the second quantized parameter (the smaller QP value is set as the QP value to be coded and entropy coded into the output [0059]; [0059]; the obtained quantization parameter value (qpc), a quantization parameter value (qp1) of brightness corresponding to the quantization parameter value (qpc) is further obtained from the following Table 2 by means of table lookup, and by comparing the value of the quantization parameter of the brightness (qp1) and the value of the quantization parameter with respect to the former MB (qpA), the smaller one (either value can be naturally selected in the case of having the same value) is set as the QP value to be coded [0076]).
Claims 8, and 16- 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Satoshi Shimada (US 20070217508 A1) (hereinafter Shimada) in view of Xue Fang (US 20190238849 A1)(hereinafter Fang):
Regarding Claim 8, Shimada teaches an image processing method (a method image processing [0031]), comprising:
, wherein the quantized coefficient block comprises a non-zero quantized coefficient (the coefficient block comprising a DCT coefficient changed to non-zero value [0062]); and
, wherein residual coefficients in the reconstructed residual coefficient block are all zeros (the results of inversely quantizing and inversely transforming being all zero even when the coefficient is set to 1. all of the rows of the DCT coefficients are zero by the inverse orthogonal transformer 4, between the cases when the coefficient addition is performed and when the coefficient addition is not performed. [0068]; [0075]- [0076]).
Shimada does not explicitly teach the following limitations; however, in an analogous art, Fang teaches obtaining a quantized coefficient block and a second quantized parameter based on a bitstream of an image (the decoding device entropy decoding the bitstream to generate the quantized coefficients and determining the final QP value from delta QP value [0115]; [0176]); and
dequantizing the quantized coefficient block based on the second quantized parameter, to obtain a reconstructed transform coefficient block (the decoder decodes the quantization parameter, producing the reconstructed transform coefficient block [0115]; [0180]);
inversely transforming the reconstructed transform coefficient block, to obtain a reconstructed residual coefficient block (inverse transform applied to transform coefficients to produce residual blocks [0180]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Fang as above, in order to reduce the amount of data used to represent the coefficients (Fang [0062]).
Regarding Claim 16, Shimada in view of Fang teach the method according to claim 8. Fang further teaches wherein the quantized coefficient block is obtained by performing entropy decoding on the bitstream of the image (the quantized coefficients generated by entropy decoding the bitstream [0176]; [0180]]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Fang as above, in order to reduce the amount of data used to represent the coefficients (Fang [0062]).
Regarding Claim 17, Shimada in view of Fang teach the method according to claim 8. Fang further teaches wherein the second quantized parameter is parsed from the bitstream of the image (the delta QP value encoded for the LCU parsed from the bitstream and the final QP value is determined and used to perform inverse quantization [0115]; [0176]).
It would have been obvious to the person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings disclosed by Shimada to add the teachings of Fang as above, in order to reduce the amount of data used to represent the coefficients (Fang [0062]).
Conclusion
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/MAHMOUD KAMAL ABOUZAHRA/Examiner, Art Unit 2486
/JAMIE J ATALA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2486
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