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 .
This office action is in response to application filed 03/20/2026 in which the claims 1-8 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/20/2026, 06/03/2026, 08/17/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
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Claims 1-8 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4-10 of copending Application No. 19/569,334 .
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because instant claim 1 is anticipated by the conflicting copending claim 1 as shown in the table below. The difference between the instant examined claim and the conflicting patented claim is that the conflicting copending claim is narrower in scope and falls within the scope of the examined claim.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection.
Co-pending application:19/569,334
Instant application: 19/573,609
1. An image decoding method, comprising: obtaining, from a bitstream, transform information for a picture; determining a transform type based on the transform information; and performing a transform on the picture based on the transform type, wherein the transform type includes a flipping transform type for flipping the picture and mixed transform type for rotating and flipping the picture, and wherein the bitstream includes projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system.
1. An image decoding method, comprising: obtaining, from a bitstream, transform information for a picture; determining a transform type based on the transform information; and performing a transform on the picture based on the transform type, wherein the transform type includes
a mixed transform type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture, and wherein the bitstream includes projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system.
4. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the mixed transform type indicates a transform type for rotating the picture after flipping the picture.
2. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the mixed transform type indicate a transform type for rotating the picture after flipping the picture.
5. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the mixed transform type indicate a transform type for flipping the picture after rotating the picture.
3. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the mixed transform type indicate a transform type for flipping the picture after rotating the picture.
6. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a direction of the flipping of the mixed transform type is at least one of a vertical direction or a horizontal direction of the picture.
4. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a direction of the flipping is at least one of a vertical direction or a horizontal direction of the picture.
7. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a direction of the rotating is a counter-clockwise direction.
5. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a direction of the rotating is a counter-clockwise direction.
8. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the transform type further indicates a no-transform type.
6. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the transform type further includes a no-transform type.
9. An image encoding method, comprising: encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture; encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; and generating a bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information, wherein the transform type includes a flipping transform type for flipping the picture and mixed transform type for rotating and flipping the picture.
7. An image encoding method, comprising: encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture; encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; and generating a bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information, wherein the transform type includes
a mixed type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture.
10. A method for transmitting a bitstream, comprising: encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture; encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; generating the bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information; and transmitting the bitstream, wherein the transform type includes a flipping transform type for flipping the picture and mixed transform type for rotating and flipping the picture.
8. A method for transmitting a bitstream, comprising: encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture; encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; generating the bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information; and transmitting the bitstream, wherein the transform type includes
a mixed type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture.
Claims 1, 5, 7-8 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1, 4-6 of copending Application No. 19/569,355 in view of Hanhart (US 2019/0200023 A1). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the examined application claim is obvious over the conflicting copending claim
The difference between the instant and conflicting patent claim is the addition of limitation “wherein the transform type includes a mixed transform type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture,” in the instant claim. However Hanhart discloses the above limitation in para[0103] [0105] teaches specifies the mapping index in Table 6 of the rotation between the face coordinate system and the picture coordinate system of the face located at the i-th row and j-th column in the frame packed picture. table 6 teaches face_rotation_idc syntax element. face_vertical_flip_flag Para[0112] teaches rotation that may be combined with a horizontal flip in some embodiments,. See the table below.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize limitation in the method of the conflicting copending claim, since specifying the rotation of the geometry coordinate system relatively to an absolute coordinate system are introduced. These systems and methods may be used to rotate the 3D geometry such that the object or region of interest is projected into a face or set of faces that may be encoded with higher quality.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection.
Co-pending application:19/569,355
Instant application: 19/573,609
1. An image decoding method, comprising: generating a prediction block by predicting a current block from a bitstream; decoding a picture including the current block based on the prediction block; obtaining, from the bitstream, reconstruction information for the decoded picture; and rearranging samples in the decoded picture based on the reconstruction information,
wherein the rearranging is performed by flipping or rotating the samples,
and wherein the bitstream includes projection information for mapping the decoded picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system.
1. An image decoding method, comprising:
obtaining, from a bitstream, transform information for a picture; determining a transform type based on the transform information; and performing a transform on the picture based on the transform type, wherein the transform type includes a mixed transform type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture, and wherein the bitstream includes projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system.
4. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the rotating rotates the samples in a counter-clockwise direction.
5. The image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a direction of the rotating is a counter-clockwise direction.
5. An image encoding method, comprising: generating a prediction block of a current block; encoding a picture including the current block based on the prediction block; encoding reconstruction information related to rearranging samples of the picture;
encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; and generating a bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information, wherein the rearranging is performed by flipping or rotating the samples.
7. An image encoding method, comprising: encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture;
encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; and generating a bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information, wherein the transform type includes a mixed type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture.
6. A method for transmitting a bitstream, comprising: generating a prediction block of a current block; encoding a picture including the current block based on the prediction block; encoding reconstruction information related to rearranging samples of the picture; encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; and generating the bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information; and transmitting the bitstream, wherein the rearranging is performed by flipping or rotating the samples.
8. A method for transmitting a bitstream, comprising: encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture;
encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; generating the bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information; and transmitting the bitstream, wherein the transform type includes a mixed type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture..
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.
Claims 1, 3-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hanhart et al. (US 2019/0200023 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hanhart discloses an image decoding method, comprising:; obtaining, from the bitstream, transform information for a picture (claim 1 teaches receiving a bitstream encoding a 2D planar video, the bitstream including parameters identifying a projection geometry type having a plurality of faces, the parameters including, for at least one of the faces, an indication of an amount of rotation of the respective face; and mapping the 2D planar video to a 360-degree video using the identified projection geometry format); determining a transform type based on the transform information (Para[0076] teaches rotate the 3D geometry such that the object or region of interest is projected into a face or set of faces that may be encoded with higher quality. Similarly, if an object or region of interest is split over several faces, which may reduce the redundancy within each face, the geometry rotation may be used to define a different orientation such that one or more important objects can be placed within one face such that better compression efficiency may be achieved), and performing a transform on the picture based on the transform type, wherein the transform type includes a mixed transform type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture (Para[0103] [0105], teaches specifies the mapping index in Table 6 of the rotation between the face coordinate system and the picture coordinate system of the face located at the i-th row and j-th column in the frame packed picture. table 6 teaches face_rotation_idc syntax element. face_vertical_flip_flag Para[0112] teaches rotation that may be combined with a horizontal flip in some embodiments), and wherein the bitstream includes projection information for mapping the decoded picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system (Para[0017] FIG. 2A illustrates cubemap projection on a 3D geometry structure & Para[0070] teaches decoder to unpack the data and project it back from the 2D space to the 3D space).
Regarding claim 3, Hanhart discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the mixed transform type indicate a transform type for flipping the picture after rotating the picture. (Para[0112] & Table 6, 7, 8teaches rotation may be combined with a vertical flip (or, in some embodiments, a horizontal flip, Table face_idx[0][2] = 1 // face #1 face_rotation_idc[0][2] = 2 face_vertical_flip_flag[0][2] = 1 // 180 + vertical flip).
Regarding claim 4, Hanhart discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a direction of the flipping is at least one of a vertical direction or a horizontal direction of the picture (Para[0112] teaches using horizontal flip)).
Regarding claim 5, Hanhart discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein a direction of the rotating is a counter-clockwise direction (Table 6 teaches Rotation indices Index Rotation in counter-clockwise, Para[0111] teaches Faces may be arranged with different orientations. For example, as illustrated for the cubemap projection, faces “2”, “1”, and “3” are rotated by 90-degree counter-clockwise in the 2×3 grid of FIG. 9B).
Regarding claim 6, Hanhart discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, wherein the transform type further includes a no-transform type (Para[0103] Table 6, face_rotation_idc of 0 specifies no rotation).
Regarding claim 7, Hanhart discloses an image encoding method, comprising (FIG. 6 video encoding system): encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture; (Para[0034] FIGS. 10A-10H illustrate the definitions of face rotation for triangular faces: FIG. 10A: 0° rotation; FIG. 10B: 90° rotation; FIG. 10C: 180° rotation; FIG. 10D: 270° rotation; FIG. 10E: 0° rotation followed by vertical flip; FIG. 10F: 90° rotation followed by vertical flip; FIG. 10G: 180° rotation followed by vertical flip; FIG. 10H: 270° rotation followed by vertical flip); encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; (para[0072] teaches to achieve better compression efficiency, advanced 360-video coding tools may take advantage of the full 3D representation, but these tools may benefit from information about the geometry and frame packing as the coding is performed on the projected 2D planar video. Therefore, information regarding the geometry and frame packing parameters may be made available to both the encoder and the decoder to be able to properly and more efficiently encode and decode the 360-video); and generating a bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information (Abstract teaches encoder selects a projection format and maps the 360-degree video to a 2D planar video using the selected projection format. The encoder encodes the 2D planar video in a bitstream and further signals, in the bitstream, parameters identifying the projection format), wherein the transform type includes a mixed type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture. (Para[0103] [0105], [0112] teaches specifies the mapping index in Table 6 of the rotation between the face coordinate system and the picture coordinate system of the face located at the i-th row and j-th column in the frame packed picture).
Regarding claim 8, Hanhart discloses a method for transmitting a bitstream (claim 14 teaches encoding the 2D planar video in a bitstream; and signaling, in the bitstream, parameters identifying the projection geometry type, the parameters including, for at least one of the faces, an indication of an amount of rotation of the respective face.), encoding transform information related to a transform type of a picture; (Para[0034] teaches FIGS. 10A-10H illustrate the definitions of face rotation for triangular faces: FIG. 10A: 0° rotation; FIG. 10B: 90° rotation; FIG. 10C: 180° rotation; FIG. 10D: 270° rotation; FIG. 10E: 0° rotation followed by vertical flip; FIG. 10F: 90° rotation followed by vertical flip; FIG. 10G: 180° rotation followed by vertical flip; FIG. 10H: 270° rotation followed by vertical flip); encoding projection information for mapping the picture to a three-dimensional coordinate system; Abstract teaches encoder selects a projection format and maps the 360-degree video to a 2D planar video using the selected projection format. The encoder encodes the 2D planar video in a bitstream and further signals, in the bitstream, parameters identifying the projection format); generating the bitstream comprising the transform information and the projection information; (Abstract teaches encoder selects a projection format and maps the 360-degree video to a 2D planar video using the selected projection format. The encoder encodes the 2D planar video in a bitstream and further signals, in the bitstream, parameters identifying the projection format),; and transmitting the bitstream, wherein the transform type includes a mixed type for transform the picture by rotating and flipping the picture. (Para[0103] [0105], [0112] teaches specifies the mapping index in Table 6 of the rotation between the face coordinate system and the picture coordinate system of the face located at the i-th row and j-th column in the frame packed picture).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanhart et al. (US 2019/0200023 A1) in view of Yeung et al. (US 2010/0104221 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Hanhart discloses the image decoding method of claim 1, Hanhart does not explicitly disclose wherein, the mixed transform type indicates a transform type for rotating the picture after flipping the picture. However Yeung discloses wherein, the mixed transform type indicates a transform type for rotating the picture after flipping the picture (Fig, 12 -13 & Para [0045] teaches an example of an image that is rotated by 90.degree. is illustrated in FIG. 12. For an image that is to be rotated 90.degree., the acquired image is output by the image sensor 210 with both horizontal and vertical flipping). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method of one or more transformation which include rotation, flipping (horizontally or vertically) of the encoded image facet to produce a transformed encoded image facet of Hanhart with the method of rotating a digital image to a desired rotation of either 90, 180 or 270 degrees and vertical/horizontal flip in a digital camera of Yeung in order to provide a rotation of image data for decompression and recompression.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROWINA J CATTUNGAL whose telephone number is (571)270-5922. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30am-6pm.
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/ROWINA J CATTUNGAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425
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