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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/120,995
`
`12/14/2020
`
`Hideo SAITOU
`
`2020-3087A
`
`1765
`
`iP
`Lind&
`Wenderoth,
`Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
`1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW
`Suite 500
`Washington, DC 20036
`
`RAHMAN, MOHAMMAD J
`
`2487
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`10/28/2021
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`eoa@ wenderoth.com
`kmiller@wenderoth.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-18 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-18 is/are rejected.
`S)
`) © Claim(s)____is/are objected to.
`Cj) Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`S)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)() The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11) The drawing(s) filed on 12/14/2020 is/are: a)[¥) accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)Z) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`_—_c)L) None ofthe:
`b)L) Some**
`a)X) All
`1.2 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.2.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 12/14/2020.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) (J Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20211023
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/120,995
`SAITOU etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`MOHAMMAD J RAHMAN
`2487
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133}.
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 12/14/2020.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)L) This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3)02 An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\0) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/120,995
`Art Unit: 2487
`
`Page 2
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first
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`inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Detailed Action
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`2.
`
`This office Action is in response to an application filed on 12/14/2020 claiming priority to
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`62/948 ,431 filed on 12/16/2019, in which claims 1-18 are pending and are being examined.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`3.
`
`This information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/14/2020. The submission is in
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`compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure
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`statementis being considered by the examiner.
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`Examiner’s Note
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`4.
`
`Claims 1-8 refer to "An encoder”, Claims 9-16 refer to "A decoder”, Claim 17 refers to "An
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`encoding method’, and, Claim 18 refers to "A decoding method’. Claims 9-18 are similarly rejected in light
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`of rejection of claims 1-8, any obvious combination of the rejection of claims 1-8, or the differences are
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`obvious to the ordinary skill in the art. It is well Known in the art that encoding and decoding are reverse
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`processesof video coding method/system.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`5.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousnessrejections
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`setforth 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
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/120,995
`Art Unit: 2487
`
`Page 3
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`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.
`
`6.
`
`Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsiang et al. (US
`
`20210281846 A1), hereinafter Hsiang, hereinafter Hsiang, in view of Lee et al. (US 5,960,120),
`
`hereinafter Lee, further in in view of Lu et al. (US 20150039779 A1), hereinafter Lu.
`
`Regarding claim 1, Hsiang discloses an encoder comprising (Abstract): circuliry; and memory
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`coupled fo the croufiry, wherein the circultry, in operation (00321: generates () a first quantization malrix
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`for trarisiorm: coefficients included ina current block to be processed and (i) a second quantization matrix
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`for transiorm coefficients included in the current block (Fig. 2, Quantization matrix set corresponding
`
`to difieren? Block types, [Q007]); and quantizes the trarisiorm coefficients included in the currani black,
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`in accordance with a size of the current block (7007), block types could be block sizes).
`
`Hsiang discloses all the glernents of clairn 1 but Hsiang does not appear to explicitly diselase in
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`ihe cited secilon inciuded in a low frequency domain among tne transform coefficients.
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`However, Lee irom ihe same or similar endeavor teaches included in a low frequency domain
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`among the transform coefficients (Fig. 2, Column 3, ine 23-39).
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`iiwould have been obvious to one of ordinary Skil in the art before the effective Hing date of the
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`claimed invention to modify Hsiang to incorporate the teachings of Lee to efficiently quantizing for iow
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`trarismission rate (Lee, Column 7, fine 8-91}. Similar reascning/motivation of modification can be
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`appledc/extended to the other related/dependent claims.
`
`Hsiang in view of Lee discloses allihe elements of claim 1 but they do not appear to explicitly
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`disclose in the cited section using at least one of the first quantization matrix or the second quantization
`
`matrix,
`
`However, Lu from the sarne or similar endeavor teaches using at least one of the first
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`quanization matrix or tne second quantization matrix (POG4d7Dp.
`
`iiwould have been obvious fo one of ordinary skill in the arf before the effective Hing date of the
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`claimed invention to modify Hsiang in view af Lee to incorporate the teachings of Lu to improve system
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/120,995
`Art Unit: 2487
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`Page 4
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`performance (Lu, [0088h. Simllar rsasoning/mativation of modification can be applied/extended to the
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`olher related/dependent claims.
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`Regarding claim 2, Haiang in view of Lee in view of Lu discloses the encoder according to claim
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`1, wherein the crcoullry: quariizes the transform coefficients incluged in the current block using the first
`
`Quantization matrix and ine second quantization matrix when ine size of the currant block is at least a first
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`size; and quantizes the transform coefficients inclucted in the current block using the first quantization
`
`matix when the size of the currant block is srnailer than the first size (Hsiang, Fig. 2, Quantization
`
`matrix set corresponding to different block types, [0007], block types could be block sizes, Lee,
`
`Columm 1, line 8-4, Fig. 4, Cohumm 4, line 14-47, Lu, fOO@?], sa, His obvious to the ordinary skill in
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`the art that to have different quantization for different sizes}.
`
`Regarding claim 3, Hsiang in view of Lee in view of Lu disclases the encoder according to claim
`
`2, wherein ins first size is 64 pixels x 64 pixcis (Hsiang, Fig. 2, Quantization matrix sei corresponding
`
`to different block types, [0007], block types could be block sizes, Lee, Column 1, line 8-1, Fig. 4,
`
`Column 4, line 14-47, iu, (OO171, so, i is obvious to the ordinary skifl in the art).
`
`Rederding claim 4, Hsiang in view of Lee in view of Lu discloses ihe encoder according to claim
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`1, wherein the crculiry furiher, generates a thid cuaniization matrix for a direct currant (DC) component
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`of the current block: quantizes the transforrmn coefficients included in the current block using the third
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`Guaniization matrix in acdition to the first quantization matrix and the second quantization matrix when the
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`size of the current block is atleast a frst size; quartizes the transform coelficients included in the current
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`Glock using ihe first quaniization matrix when the size of the current block is al most a second size
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`smaller than ihe first size; and quantizes the transiormncoefficients included in the current block using the
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`second quantization matrix wher the size of ihe currerdt block is larger han the second size and smaller
`
`than thefirst size (Hsiang, Fig. 2, Quantization matrix set corresponding to different block types,
`
`P0071], block types could be block sizes, Lee, Cohunn 1, Hine 8-1, Fig. 4, Column 4, tne 14-47,
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/120,995
`Art Unit: 2487
`
`Page 5
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`Cohimn 2, line 614, four band classification, Lu, (0017), se, # is obvious to the ordinary skill in the
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`art}.
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`Regarding claim 5, Haiang in view of Lee in view of Lu discloses the encoder according to claim
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`4, wherein the isi sive is 64 pixels x 64 pixels, the second size is 8 pixels x 8 pixels, and ihe thira
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`Quantization matrix is a quantization matrix having a size of one coefficient for the DG cornponent
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`fHsiang, Fig. 2, Quantization matrix set corresponding to different block types, [0007], block types
`
`could be block sizes, Lee, Colunin 1, line &1, Fig. 4, Column 4, line 14-47, Column 2, line S-14, four
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`hand classification, Lu, [0047], so, B is obvious to the ordinary skill in the art).
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`Redarding claim 6, Heiang in view of Lee in view of Lu disclases the encoder according to claim
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`1, wherein the circuliry: generates the first quantization matrix using matrix clements corresponding to the
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`traristorm coefficients included in the current block: anc generates the secand quariization matrix using
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`matrix elements corresponding to transform coefficients in a predetermined range in the low frequency
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`domain (Hsiang, Fig. 2, Quantization matrix set corresponding to different black types, (00071,
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`block types could be block sizes, Lee, Column 1, ne 81, Fig. 4, Cohummn 4, line 14-47, Column 2,
`
`line G-14, four band classHication, Lu, [G0171, sa, # is obvious to the ordinary skill in the art).
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`Rederding claim 7, Hsiang in view of Lee in view of Lu discloses ihe encoder according to claim
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`6, wherein the circuitry generates a quantization matrix for each of four regions using a corresponding
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`one of four matrix elements, the four regions being obtained by dividing the low frequency domain in the
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`current block into four, the four matrix elements corresponding to the transiorm ceefiicients in the
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`predetermined range (Hsiang, Fig. 2, Quantization matrix set corresponding to diferent block
`
`types, [GO07], block types could be block sizes, Lee, Column 1, line 81, Fig. 4, Column 4, line 74-
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`47, Cohaumn 2, Hine 6-14, four band classification, Lu, [QG17], se, itis obvious toe the ordinary skilin
`
`the art.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/120,995
`Art Unit: 2487
`
`Page 6
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`Redarding claim 6, Hsiang in view of Lee in view of Lu discloses the encoder according te claim
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`6, wherein the cuculiry @) Generates a quaniization matrix for each of three regions of an upper left
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`region, an upper right region, and a lower left region among four regions using a corresponding one ai
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`ihree matrix elements, the four regions being obtained by divicing ine low frequency domain in the current
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`bleck info four, ine ihree mainx elemeris corresponding fo the transiorm coefficients in the predetermined
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`range, and GP generates a quantization matrix for a lower right region among the four regions using
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`matrix elements corresponding to the lower right region arnong matrix elements included in the first
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`Quantization matrix (Hsieng, Fig. 2, Quantization matrix set corresconding ta different block types,
`
`POOuy], block types could be block sizes, Lee, Cohumin 1, Hne 8-1, Fig. 4, Column 4, ne 14-47,
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`Column 2, line 6-14, four band classHioation, Lu, (0017), so, Ris obvious to the ordinary skill in the
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`art and known in the technology, ¢.q., Koo et al, US 2021027134 Al, (O2O4]-fO236h}.
`
`Regarding claim 9-18, See Examiner’s Note.
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`Conclusion
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`7.
`
`The examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior arts of record in the
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`body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are
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`representative of the teachingsin the prior art and are applied to the specific limitations within the
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`individual claims, other passages and figures may apply to the claims as well. Further, references that
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`have been mentioned but not asserted have been presented to provide further evidencethat certain
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`limitations in Applicants claims were known and alsoso that Applicant in making arguments against the
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`asserted references can keep the teachings of the non-asserted references in mind to support compact
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`prosecution.
`
`8.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should
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`be directed to MOHAMMAD J RAHMANwhosetelephone number is (571)270-7190. The examiner can
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`normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/120,995
`Art Unit: 2487
`
`Page 7
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`
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`
`David Czekaj can be reached on (571) 272-7327. The fax phone number for the organization wherethis
`
`application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
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`1000.
`
`/Mohammad J Rahman/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
`
`