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 July 6, 2026, May 6, 2026, and October 17, 2025. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are 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)(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.
1. Claims 1-4, 6-8, 11 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen et al. US 20240031567 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Chen”).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a method for processing video data, comprising:
determining to use at least one extended tap in an adaptive loop filter (ALF) (The offline-filtering taps can be extended for an ALF. Offline-filtered taps can provide additional information for ALF luma filtering. In an example, an extension of offline-filtered taps is used to enhance the performance of an ALF. FIG. 8 shows an example of an extended filter including filtering taps (or filtering coefficients). The extended filter in FIG. 8 can be an adaptive filter (e.g., an ALF) that is extended.” Chen, ¶ [0091]; Fig. 9); and
performing a conversion between a visual media data and a bitstream based on the ALF (Encoding and Decoding using ALF filters. Chen, Figs. 12 and 13).
Regarding claim 2, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the ALF comprises the at least one extended tap and at least one spatial tap, and wherein the at least one extended tap is different from the at least one spatial tap (“FIG. 8 shows an example of an extended filter including filtering taps (or filtering coefficients). The extended filter in FIG. 8 can be an adaptive filter (e.g., an ALF) that is extended, for example, from a filter in the adaptive filter set FA described above. The filtering taps in the adaptive filter shown in FIG. 8 can include first taps or first coefficients (e.g., also referred to as spatial taps).” ¶ [0091]- [0092]).
Regarding claim 3, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the ALF uses information of spatial neighbor samples, and wherein the spatial neighbor samples are obtained from reconstruction after a deblocking filter (DBF), a sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, a cross component SAO (CCSAO), or a bilateral filter (BF) (Deblocking filter. Chen, ¶ [0069]. SAO filter. Chen, Fig. 5 ¶ [0073]).
Regarding claim 4, Chen discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the at least one spatial tap uses only spatial neighbor luma samples to filter a central luma sample inside the ALF, or wherein the at least one spatial tap uses only spatial neighbor chroma samples to filter a central chroma sample inside the ALF (ALF luma and ALF chroma. Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein either a) the ALF with the at least one extended tap is only applied to process a luma component (“Offline-filtered taps can provide additional information for ALF luma filtering.” Chen, ¶ [0091]), or b) the ALF with the at least one extended tap is only applied to process one chroma component, wherein the one chroma component is a blue difference chroma component (Cb) or a red difference chroma component (Cr).
Regarding claim 7, Chen discloses the method of claim 2, wherein either c) a first filter shape used for the at least one spatial tap inside the ALF comprising the at least one extended tap and the at least one spatial tap is a symmetrical shape, wherein the symmetrical shape comprises a diamond shape or a cross shape, or d) a second filter shape used for the at least one extended tap is a symmetrical shape, wherein the symmetrical shape comprises a diamond shape or a cross shape (Symmetrical diamond shape. Chen, Figs. 8 and 9).
Regarding claim 8, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a filter size used for the at least one extended tap is M x N, wherein M is equal to N, and wherein M=N=3 or M=N=5 (Fixed filter where M=N=5, Chen, Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 11, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein one or more coefficients of the at least one extended tap of the ALF are included in an adaptation parameter set (APS), and/or clipping parameters of the at least one extended tap of the ALF are included in the APS (“APS (e.g., an ALF_APS) that includes ALF filter coefficients.” Chen, ¶ [0089]. “[C]oefficients of the multiple adaptive filters (e.g., multiple ALF filters) F.sub.A are signaled in header(s), such as N.sub.A APS(s).” Chen, ¶ [0105]).
Regarding claim 17, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the conversion includes encoding the visual media data into the bitstream (Encoding and Decoding using ALF filters. Chen, Abstract, Figs. 12 and 13).
Regarding claim 18, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the conversion includes decoding the visual media data from the bitstream (Encoding and Decoding using ALF filters. Chen, Abstract, Figs. 12 and 13).
Regarding claim 19, claim 1 is substantially similar to claim 1. Therefore, claim 19 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1.
Regarding claim 20, claim 1 is substantially similar to claim 1. Therefore, claim 20 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1.
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.
1. Claims 5, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in further view of Ikonin et al., US 20180220148 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Ikonin”).
Regarding claim 5, Chen does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, wherein one or more input sources used by the at least one extended tap are based on an intermediate filtering result of one or more pre-defined filters, wherein the one or more pre-defined filters comprise a low-pass filter, and wherein the low-pass filter comprises a Gaussian filter.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Ikonin discloses one or more input sources used by the at least one extended tap are based on an intermediate filtering result of one or more pre-defined filters, wherein the one or more pre-defined filters comprise a low-pass filter, and wherein the low-pass filter comprises a Gaussian filter ( A blurring interpolation filter is a “pre-calculated set of Gaussian filters” ¶ [0036]-[0039]. Figure 4 illustrates interpolation filters applied before loop filtering. Ikonin, Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify Chen with by adding that one or more input sources used by the at least one extended tap are based on an intermediate filtering result of one or more pre-defined filters, wherein the one or more pre-defined filters comprise a low-pass filter, and wherein the low-pass filter comprises a Gaussian filter, as disclosed by Ikonin, in order to improve image quality by reducing ringing. Ikonin, ¶ [0112].
Regarding claim 12, Chen does not disclose the method of claim 1, wherein an intermediate filtering result is used as an input for the at least one extended tap, and wherein the intermediate filtering result is generated by a reconstruction before the ALF and offline trained filters of the ALF, or wherein the intermediate filtering result is generated by a reconstruction before a deblocking filter (DBF) and the offline trained filters of the ALF, or wherein the intermediate filtering result is from a pre-defined filter, wherein the pre-defined filter is a filter with a low-pass property or a filter with a high-pass property, and wherein the low-pass property comprises a Gaussian filter.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Ikonin discloses wherein an intermediate filtering result is used as an input for the at least one extended tap (A blurring interpolation filter is a “pre-calculated set of Gaussian filters” ¶ [0036]- [0039]. Figure 4 illustrates interpolation filters applied before loop filtering. Ikonin, Fig. 4), and wherein the intermediate filtering result is generated by a reconstruction before the ALF and offline trained filters of the ALF, or wherein the intermediate filtering result is generated by a reconstruction before a deblocking filter (DBF) and the offline trained filters of the ALF, or wherein the intermediate filtering result is from a pre-defined filter, wherein the pre-defined filter is a filter with a low-pass property or a filter with a high-pass property, and wherein the low-pass property comprises a Gaussian filter (Figure 4 illustrates interpolation filters applied before loop filtering. Ikonin, Fig. 4. ¶ [0037]. Encoder Fig. 2, paragraph [0111]).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify Chen with by adding wherein an intermediate filtering result is used as an input for the at least one extended tap, and wherein the intermediate filtering result is generated by a reconstruction before the ALF and offline trained filters of the ALF, or wherein the intermediate filtering result is generated by a reconstruction before a deblocking filter (DBF) and the offline trained filters of the ALF, or wherein the intermediate filtering result is from a pre-defined filter, wherein the pre-defined filter is a filter with a low-pass property or a filter with a high-pass property, and wherein the low-pass property comprises a Gaussian filter, as taught by from Ikonin, in order to improve image quality by reducing ringing. Ikonin, ¶ [0112].
Regarding claim 13, Chen does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 12, wherein an input for generating the intermediate filtering result comprises reconstruction samples before a first filter for a current frame, reconstruction samples after the first filter for a current frame, reconstruction samples before the first filter for a reference frame, or reconstruction samples after the first filter for a reference frame, and wherein the first filter comprises at least one of the ALF, a sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, a cross component SAO (CCSAO) filter, a bilateral filter (BF), or a deblocking filter (DBF).
However, in the same field of endeavor, Ikonin discloses wherein an input for generating the intermediate filtering result comprises reconstruction samples before a first filter for a current frame, reconstruction samples after the first filter for a current frame, reconstruction samples before the first filter for a reference frame, or reconstruction samples after the first filter for a reference frame, and wherein the first filter comprises at least one of the ALF, a sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, a cross component SAO (CCSAO) filter, a bilateral filter (BF), or a deblocking filter (DBF) (Gaussian filter on reconstructed frame and Loop filtering unit (i.e., ALF). Ikonin, ¶ ¶ [0036]- [0038]; Figs 1, 2 and 4).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify Chen with by adding wherein an input for generating the intermediate filtering result comprises reconstruction samples before a first filter for a current frame, reconstruction samples after the first filter for a current frame, reconstruction samples before the first filter for a reference frame, or reconstruction samples after the first filter for a reference frame, and wherein the first filter comprises at least one of the ALF, a sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, a cross component SAO (CCSAO) filter, a bilateral filter (BF), or a deblocking filter (DBF), as taught by Ikonin, order to improve image quality by reducing blurring. Ikonin, ¶ [0036].
2. Claims 9, 10, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in further view of Jhu et al., US 20250280120 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Jhu”).
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a first syntax element indicates whether the ALF with the at least one extended tap is enabled, and wherein the first syntax element is signaled only when the at least one extended tap is available, wherein when the first syntax element is signaled, it is signaled in a sequence parameter set (SPS), a picture parameter set (PPS), a picture header, a slice header, an adaptation parameter set (APS), a coding tree unit (CTU), or a coding unit (CU) (“an APS (e.g., an ALF_APS) that includes ALF filter coefficients, up to 4 luma filter sets can be signaled, and each set may have up to 25 filters.” Chen, ¶¶ [0089], [0091], [0105]- [0106]).
Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein the first syntax element is coded by bypass coding, wherein the first syntax element is binarized by unary code, truncated unary code, fixed length code, exponential Golomb code, or truncated exponential Golomb code.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Jhu discloses a first syntax element is coded by bypass coding, wherein the first syntax element is binarized by unary code, truncated unary code, fixed length code, exponential Golomb code, or truncated exponential Golomb code (Fixed length coding ¶¶ [0305]- [0306]. Bypass coded and exponential-golomb code ¶ ¶ [0381]- [0382]).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify Chen with by adding a first syntax element is coded by bypass coding, wherein the first syntax element is binarized by unary code, truncated unary code, fixed length code, exponential Golomb code, or truncated exponential Golomb code, as taught by Jhu, in order to coding efficiency of the image/video blocks which applies cross-component prediction technology. Jhu, ¶ [0002].
Regarding claim 10, Chen does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, wherein when the second syntax element is signaled, it is signaled in a sequence parameter set (SPS), a picture parameter set (PPS), a picture header, a slice header, an adaptation parameter set (APS), a coding tree unit (CTU), or a coding unit (CU) (APS syntax, Chen, ¶ [0105]).
Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein a second syntax element indicates which input sources are used for the at least one extended tap in the ALF, wherein the second syntax element is coded by bypass coding, wherein the second syntax element is binarized by unary code, truncated unary code, fixed length code, exponential Golomb code, or truncated exponential Golomb code, and wherein the second syntax element is signaled only when the at least one extended tap is available.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Jhu discloses wherein a second syntax element indicates which input sources are used for the at least one extended tap in the ALF (Jhu, ¶ [0286], [0314]), wherein the second syntax element is coded by bypass coding, wherein the second syntax element is binarized by unary code, truncated unary code, fixed length code, exponential Golomb code, or truncated exponential Golomb code, and wherein the second syntax element is signaled only when the at least one extended tap is available (fixed length code, truncated unary code, EGk represents exponential-golomb. Jhu, ¶ [0305]), wherein when the second syntax element is signaled, it is signaled in a sequence parameter set (SPS), a picture parameter set (PPS), a picture header, a slice header, an adaptation parameter set (APS), a coding tree unit (CTU), or a coding unit (CU) (sequence parameter set, Jhu, ¶ [0103]).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify Chen with by adding wherein a second syntax element indicates which input sources are used for the at least one extended tap in the ALF, wherein the second syntax element is coded by bypass coding, wherein the second syntax element is binarized by unary code, truncated unary code, fixed length code, exponential Golomb code, or truncated exponential Golomb code, and wherein the second syntax element is signaled only when the at least one extended tap is available from Jhu, in order to improve image quality by smoothing and image portions.
Regarding claim 14, Chen does not explicitly discloses the method of claim 2, further comprising: determining to apply a shape switch to the ALF, wherein either e) the shape switch is only applied to a shape of the at least one spatial tap or a shape of the at least one extended tap, or f) the shape switch is applied jointly to the shape of the at least one spatial tap and the shape of the at least one extended tap, wherein the shape of the at least one extended tap is a diamond shape with a size of N, a cross shape with a size of N, or a square shape with a size of N, and wherein N is 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Jhu discloses determining to apply a shape switch to the ALF, wherein either e) the shape switch is only applied to a shape of the at least one spatial tap or a shape of the at least one extended tap, or f) the shape switch is applied jointly to the shape of the at least one spatial tap and the shape of the at least one extended tap, wherein the shape of the at least one extended tap is a diamond shape with a size of N, a cross shape with a size of N, or a square shape with a size of N, and wherein N is 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 (Shape switching. Jhu, ¶ [0242]; Fig. 25).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify Chen with determining to apply a shape switch to the ALF, as taught by Jhu in order to improve the coding efficiency of the image/video blocks which applies cross-component prediction technology. Jhu, ¶ [0002].
3. Claims 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in further view of Jhu and Lim et al., US 20220248006 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Lim”).
Regarding claim 15, Chen and Jhu do not explicitly disclose the method of claim 14, wherein the shape switch is based on a setting of configurations, wherein the configurations comprise an all-intra, a random-access, or a low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P), wherein the all-intra uses a shape of the at least one extended tap that is different from other configurations, wherein the random-access uses a shape of the at least one extended tap that is different from other configurations, wherein either g) the low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P) uses a shape of the at least one extended tap that is different from other configurations, or h) the random-access and the low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P) uses an identical shape of the at least one extended tap, and wherein the shape of the at least one extended tap in the all-intra is a 5x5 cross shape and the shape of the at least one extended tap in the random-access and the low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P) is a 1x1 diamond shape.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Lim discloses wherein the shape switch is based on a setting of configurations, wherein the configurations comprise an all-intra, a random-access, or a low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P), wherein the all-intra uses a shape of the at least one extended tap that is different from other configurations, wherein the random-access uses a shape of the at least one extended tap that is different from other configurations, wherein either g) the low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P) uses a shape of the at least one extended tap that is different from other configurations, or h) the random-access and the low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P) uses an identical shape of the at least one extended tap, and wherein the shape of the at least one extended tap in the all-intra is a 5x5 cross shape and the shape of the at least one extended tap in the random-access and the low-delay bi-directional (B)/uni-directional (P) is a 1x1 diamond shape (“Different filter shapes selected from among a rhombus, a rectangle, a square, a trapezoid, a diagonal shape, a snowflake shape, a number sign shape, a clover shape, a cross shape, a triangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, a decagon, and a dodecagon. For example, square-shaped, octagon-shaped, snowflake-shaped, rhombic filters having 5×5 filter taps are illustrated in FIG. 34.” Lim, ¶ [0586] “Adaptive in-loop filtering is performed using one filter shape when the slice or tile group type of the current picture is at least one of an I slice, a B slice, a P slice, an I tile group, a B tile group, and a P tile group.” Lim, ¶ [01261])
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify Chen and Jhu with wherein the shape switch is based on a setting of configurations, as taught by Lim, in order to reduce computational complexity, memory capacity requirement, and memory access bandwidth of a video encoder/decoder. Lim, ¶ [0047].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 16 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
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/DLB/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2482
/CHRISTOPHER S KELLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2482
