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 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.
Claim(s) 75-88 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (U.S. 2025/0211738), hereinafter Wang.
Regarding claims 75 and 82, Wang discloses an apparatus comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (Wang [0249]), cause the apparatus at least to perform:
defining an activation message for processing, wherein an invocation of the processing results into multiple output pictures (Wang [0195]-[0196]); and
including, in the activation message, information indicating which set of the multiple output pictures is suggested to be processed further (Wang [0195]-[0196]).
Regarding claims 76 and 83, Wang discloses the apparatus of claim 75, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform: signaling the activation message to a decoder (Wang [0195]-[0196]).
Regarding claims 77 and 84, Wang discloses the apparatus of claim 75, wherein the processing comprises a filtering process of one or more reconstructed pictures (Wang [0195]-[0196] and [0051]).
Regarding claims 78 and 85, Wang discloses the apparatus of claim 75, wherein the activation message comprises a neural network post filter activation (NNPFA) supplemental enhancement information (SEI) message (Wang [0195]-[0196]).
Regarding claims 79 and 86, Wang discloses an apparatus comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (Wang [0249]), cause the apparatus at least to perform:
receiving an activation message for processing (Wang [0257], figs. 3 and 6), wherein an invocation of the processing results into multiple output pictures and the activation message comprises information indicating which set of the multiple output pictures is suggested to be processed further (Wang [0195]-[0196]);
invoking the processing according to the activation message (Wang [0257]); and
further processing the set of the multiple output pictures based on the information (Wang [0257]).
Claims 79 and 86 recite analogous limitations to claims 75 and 82 above, and is therefore rejected on the same premise. Furthermore, claims 79 and 86 disclose an inverse of encoding and Wang discloses both encoding and decoding methods (Wang figs. 1-3 and 6).
Regarding claims 80 and 87 Wang discloses the apparatus of claim 79, wherein the processing comprises a filtering process of one or more reconstructed pictures (see claim 77).
Regarding claims 81 and 88, Wang discloses the apparatus of claim 79, wherein the activation message comprises a neural network post filter activation (NNPFA) supplemental enhancement information (SEI) message (see claim 78).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Li et al. (U.S. 2025/0337899) discloses a NNPFA SEI message for output pictures ([0211] and [0214]).
Deshpande (U.S. 2024/0121443) discloses a neural-network post-filter activation message ([0421]).
Wang et al. (U.S. 2025/0380007) discloses activating NNPF for multiple output pictures ([0356]).
MCCARTHY et al ,"°Improvements Under Consideration for Neural Network Post Filter SEI Messages". Joint Video Experts Team (JVET) of ITU-T SG 16 WNP 3 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29, JVET-AC2032-v2, 29th Meeting, January 11-20, 2023, which was cited on the Applicant’s IDS dated 11/19/25 with a copy provided by the Applicant on the same date, discloses an NNPFA SEI message and nnfpfaTargetPictures (p. 22, paragraph above section 8.30).
MCCARTHY et al , "Additional SEI messages for VSEI (Draft 3)", Joint Video Experts Team (JVET) of ITU-T SG 16 WNP 3 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29, JVET-AB2006-v1, 28th Meeting, October 20-28, 2022, which was cited on the Applicant’s IDS dated 11/19/25 with a copy provided by the Applicant on the same date, discloses Neural-network post-filter activation SEI message semantics (pgs. 18-19).
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/MATTHEW K KWAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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