Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 19/303,093

METHOD, APPARATUS, AND MEDIUM FOR VIDEO PROCESSING

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Aug 18, 2025
Priority
Feb 17, 2023 — CN PCT/CN2023/076731 +7 more
Examiner
ABDOU TCHOUSSOU, BOUBACAR
Art Unit
2482
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Bytedance Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
69%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 5m
Est. Remaining
82%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 69% — above average
69%
Career Allowance Rate
311 granted / 453 resolved
+10.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+13.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
19 currently pending
Career history
481
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.8%
-35.2% vs TC avg
§103
54.2%
+14.2% vs TC avg
§102
19.9%
-20.1% vs TC avg
§112
17.1%
-22.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 453 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Claim Interpretation Non-Functional Descriptive Material Claim 20 recites “A non-transitory computer readable medium storing bitstream generated by a method”. There is no recitation of instruction stored on the CRM and when the instructions are executed by processor perform the method—merely data content (bitstream of video data generated by a recited method). Under MPEP 2111.05/(III), these claims are merely machine- readable media. The Examiner finds that there is no disclosed or claimed functional relationship between the stored data and medium. Instead, the medium is merely a support or carrier for the data being stored. Therefore, the data stored and the way such data is generated should not be given patentable weight. See MPEP 2111.05 applying n re Lowry, 32 F.3d 1579, 1583-84, 32 USPQ2d 1031, 1035 (Fed. Cir. 1994) and In re Ngai, 367 F.3d 1336, 70 USPQ2d 1862 (Fed. Cir. 2004). As such, claim 20 is subject to a prior art rejection based on any non- transitory computer readable medium known before the earliest effective filing date of the present application. 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)(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. (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. Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by He et al (US 20170289566). As to claim 1, He discloses a method for video processing, comprising: applying, for a conversion between a current video block of a video and a bitstream of the video (FIGS. 1-2), an intra prediction scheme on the current video block based on at least one temporal candidate for the current video block (see [0160], [0167] and [0171]: IntraBC mode and temporal BV candidates; see FIGS. 24A-25); and performing the conversion based on the applying (FIGS. 1-2). As to claim 2, He further discloses wherein the intra prediction scheme comprises one of the following: a cross-component merge (CCMerge) mode, a non-local cross component prediction (CCP) mode, a CCP mode, a template-based intra mode derivation (TIMD) mode, a geometric partitioning mode (GPM) mode, a spatial GPM (SGPM) mode, a multiple reference line (MRL) intra prediction mode, a template-based MRL (TMRL) intra prediction mode, an intra most probable mode (MPM) list generation, an intra prediction mode (IPM) list generation, an intraTMP mode, a direct block vector (DBV) mode, an intra block copy (IBC) mode, or a reconstruction-reordered IBC (RRIBC) (see [0160], IntraBC mode). As to claim 3, He further discloses wherein the non-local CCP mode comprises a history based CCP mode or a non-adjacent based CCP mode, or wherein the intra MPM list generation or the IPM list generation is used for one of the following: an intra mode, the SGPM mode, the TMRL mode, the TIMD mode, the MRL mode, or a GPM inter-intra mode (not required since it is not part of BRI from the rejection of claim 2). As to claim 4, He further discloses wherein intra coding information for coding the current video block is determined based on the at least one temporal candidate (see [0103], block vector (BV)). As to claim 5, He further discloses wherein the intra coding information comprises at least one of the following: a luma intra mode, a chroma intra mode, at least one CCP parameter for a CCP mode, a partition mode index for a GPM mode or an SGPM mode, a mapped intra mode based on the partition mode index, a block vector, or a motion vector (see [0103], block vector (BV)). As to claim 6, He further discloses wherein the at least one CCP parameter comprises at least one of the following: a CCP model, a CCP type, a luma offset, or a threshold for classifying training samples for the CCP mode, the CCP mode being multi-model based, or wherein the CCP mode comprises one of the following: a cross-component linear model (CCLM) mode, a multi-model linear model (MMLM) mode, a convolutional cross-component model (CCCM) mode, a gradient and location based convolutional cross-component model (GL-CCCM), a non-downsampled CCCM mode, a CCCM using multiple downsampling filters (CCCM-MDF) mode, a gradient linear model (GLM) mode, or an intra chroma fusion mode (not required since it is not part of BRI from the rejection of claim 5). As to claim 7, He further discloses wherein one of the at least one temporal candidate is determined based on a temporal reference block in a temporal reference picture for the current video block (FIGS. 23A-23B; see [0006]-[0007] and [0171]). As to claim 8, He further discloses wherein the temporal reference block is determined based on a motion vector of a neighboring block of the current video block that is inter coded, or wherein the temporal reference block a collocated block of the current video block, or wherein the temporal reference block is determined based on a motion shift (FIGS. 23A-23B). As to claim 9, He further discloses wherein the neighboring block is adjacent to the current video block, or the neighboring block is non-adjacent to the current video block, or the neighboring block is determined based on history-based motion vector, or wherein the motion shift is determined based on template cost (FIGS. 23A-23B). As to claim 10, He further discloses wherein the temporal reference block is coded with an intra mode or a CCP mode (see [0153], [0067], [0171]), or wherein the temporal reference block is coded with an IBC mode, and a reference block for the temporal reference block is coded with an intra mode or a CCP mode (see [0153], [0067], [0171]), or wherein the temporal reference block is coded with an intraTMP mode, and a reference block for the temporal reference block is coded with an intra mode or a CCP mode, or wherein the temporal reference block is coded with an inter mode, and a reference block for the temporal reference block is coded with an intra mode or a CCP mode (see [0153], [0067], [0171]). As to claim 11, He further discloses wherein one of the at least one temporal candidate is determined based on a first video block in a current picture comprising the current video block, and the first video block is coded before the current video block (FIG. 8 and [0072]; FIG. 15; see [0160]). As to claim 12, He further discloses wherein the first video block is inter coded and indicated by a block vector relative to the current video block (FIG. 8 and [0072]; see [0103]; FIG. 15), or wherein the first video block is inter coded and indicated by a block vector from a neighboring block of the current video block that is coded with an IBC mode (FIG. 8 and [0072]; see [0103]; FIG. 13; [0160]), or wherein the first video block is inter coded and indicated by a block vector from a neighboring block of the current video block that is coded with an intraTMP mode, or wherein a temporal reference block associated with the temporal candidate is determined based on a derived inter coded block in the current picture (FIG. 8 and [0072]; FIG. 15), or wherein a temporal reference block associated with the temporal candidate is code with an intra mode or a CCP mode (see [0103], [0160]). As to claim 13, He further discloses wherein intra coding information for coding the current video block is determined based on a temporal reference block for the current video block (see [0103], block vector (BV); FIG. 15; [0160]), or wherein one of the at least one temporal candidate is determined based on historical propagated intra information or historical propagated CCP information. As to claim 14, He further discloses wherein the historical propagated intra information or the historical propagated CCP information is determined associated with a neighboring block of the current video block (not required since it is not part of BRI from the rejection of claim 13). As to claim 15, He further discloses wherein whether to and/or how to apply the method is indicated at one of the following: a sequence level, a group of pictures level, a picture level, a slice level, or a tile group level (see [0005], [0074], [0210]), or wherein whether to and/or how to apply the method is indicated in one of the following: a sequence header, a picture header, a sequence parameter set (SPS), a video parameter set (VPS), a dependency parameter set (DPS), a decoding capability information (DCI), a picture parameter set (PPS), an adaptation parameter sets (APS), a slice header, or a tile group header (see [0005], [0074], [0210]), or wherein whether to and/or how to apply the method is indicated at a region containing more than one sample or pixel (see [0005], [0074], [0210]), or wherein whether to and/or how to apply the method is dependent on coded information (see [0005], [0074], [0210]). As to claim 16, He further discloses wherein the conversion includes encoding the current video block into the bitstream (FIG. 2). As to claim 17, He further discloses wherein the conversion includes decoding the current video block from the bitstream (FIG. 3). As to claim 18, He discloses an apparatus for video processing comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory with instructions thereon, wherein the instructions upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising (FIG. 11 and [0222]): applying, for a conversion between a current video block of a video and a bitstream of the video (FIGS. 1-2), an intra prediction scheme on the current video block based on at least one temporal candidate for the current video block (see [0160], [0167] and [0171]: IntraBC mode and temporal BV candidates; see FIGS. 24A-25); and performing the conversion based on the applying (FIGS. 1-2). As to claim 19, He discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a processor to perform acts comprising (FIG. 11 and [0222]): applying, for a conversion between a current video block of a video and a bitstream of the video (FIGS. 1-2), an intra prediction scheme on the current video block based on at least one temporal candidate for the current video block (see [0160], [0167] and [0171]: IntraBC mode and temporal BV candidates; see FIGS. 24A-25); and performing the conversion based on the applying (FIGS. 1-2). As to claim 20, a bitstream generated by a method, the method comprising… is a product by process claim limitation where the product is the bit stream 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 storage medium storing the claimed bitstream in claim 20 merely services as a support for the storage of the bitstream and provides no fictional relationship between the stored bitstream and storage medium. Therefor the structure 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 He which recites a storage medium storing a bitstream (see [0083], [0222]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BOUBACAR ABDOU TCHOUSSOU whose telephone number is (571)272-7625. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-4pm. 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, Chris Kelley can be reached at 5712727331. 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. /BOUBACAR ABDOU TCHOUSSOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 18, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 10, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
69%
Grant Probability
82%
With Interview (+13.6%)
2y 7m (~1y 5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 453 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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