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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
`
`17/173,024
`
`02/10/2021
`
`Yusuke KATO
`
`735256.454C1
`
`5780
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`RETALLICK,KAITLIN A
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2482
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/11/2022
`
`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):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`23-30 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`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.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) 23-30 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.
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`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)( The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11){¥} The drawing(s)filed on 10 February 2021 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 02/10/2021.
`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 20220308
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/173,024
`KATOetal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`Kaitlin A Retallick
`2482
`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 10 February 2021 and 06 December 2021.
`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: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
`
`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Status of the Application
`
`Claims 1-22 have been cancelled. Claims 23-30 have been added. Claims 23-30 are
`
`currently pendingin this application.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/10/2021 was filed. The
`
`submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information
`
`disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
`
`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-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction
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`of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the
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`prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under
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`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.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
`
`Page 3
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`The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under
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`35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
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`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.
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`4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousnessor
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`nonobviousness.
`
`Claims 23-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karczewicz et
`
`al. (Hereafter, “Karczewicz”) [US 2020/0077117 A1] in view ofJ. Sole et al., "Transform
`
`Coefficient Coding in HEVC," in IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video
`
`Technology (Hereafter, “Sole”).
`
`In regards to claim 23, Karczewicz discloses an encoder ([Fig. 7] video encoder 200)
`
`comprising: memory([Fig. 7] video data memory 230); and a processor coupled to the memory
`
`and which, in operation, performs Context-Based Adaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding (CABAC)
`
`([0018] a device for encoding video data includes a memory configured to store video data
`
`and one or more processors implementedin circuitry [0032] FIG. 11 is a block diagram
`
`illustrating a context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) coder in a video encoder.
`
`[0080] To perform CABAC, video encoder 200 mayassign a context within a context model to
`
`a symbol to be transmitted. The context mayrelate to, for example, whether neighboring
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`values of the symbol are zero-valued or not. The probability determination may be based on
`
`a context assigned to the symbol. Entropy encoding unit 220 may perform one or more
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`entropy encoding operations on the syntax elements, which are another example of video
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
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`Page 4
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`data, to generate entropy-encoded data. For example, entropy encoding unit 220 may
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`perform a context-adaptive variable length coding (CAVLC) operation, a CABAC operation, a
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`variable-to-variable (V2V) length coding operation, a syntax-based context-adaptive binary
`
`arithmetic coding (SBAC) operation, a Probability Interval Partitioning Entropy (PIPE) coding
`
`operation, an Exponential-Golomb encoding operation, or another type of entropy encoding
`
`operation on the data.), wherein in prediction residual coding of a current block ([0062] This
`
`disclosure may generally refer to coding (e.g., encoding and decoding) of pictures to include
`
`the process of encoding or decoding dataof the picture. Similarly, this disclosure may refer to
`
`codingof blocks of a picture to include the process of encoding or decoding data for the
`
`blocks, e.g., prediction and/or residual coding. [0072] Video encoder 200 encodesvideo data
`
`for CUs representing prediction and/or residual information, and other information. The
`
`prediction information indicates how the CU is to be predicted in order to form a prediction
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`block for the CU. The residual information generally represents sample-by-sample differences
`
`between samples of the CU prior to encoding and the prediction block.), the processor, in
`
`operation, encodes a plurality of flags by CABAC, each of the plurality of flags relating to a
`
`coefficient included in the current block ({0104] For the current scan position (see the black
`
`square with theX in FIG. 4), video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may determine the
`
`contextindices for the SIG, Par, Gt1, and Gt2 flags, denoted as ctxldxSig, ctxldxPar, ctxldxGt1,
`
`and ctxldxGt2, based on the Y positions. To determining ctxldxSig, ctxldxPar, ctxldxGt1, and
`
`ctxldxGt2, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 first determine three variables, numSig,
`
`sumAbs1, and d.); determines a base level according to whether a number of encoded flags has
`
`reached a limit ([0120] FIG. 5A shows an example scan order for syntax elements. In the
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
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`Page 5
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`example of FIG. 5A,in a first pass, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 code SIG,Par,
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`and Gt1 flags until a threshold number of regular codedbins is reached. In the example of
`
`FIG. 5A, the threshold number of regular codedbins is represented as C1 and occursat
`
`coefficient K. Once the threshold number of regular coded bins is reached, then video
`
`encoder 200 and video decoder 300 maycode the remainingflags for coefficient K, such as
`
`Par and Gt1 if present for coefficient K, using regular coded bins and then the first passis
`
`complete. In a second pass, video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 code Gt2 flags until a
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`second threshold number of regular codedbins is reached. In the example of FIG. 5A, the
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`second threshold number of regular coded bins is represented as C2 and occursat coefficient
`
`j. Depending on the particular coding scenario, coefficient j may be anyof coefficients 1
`
`through N. After coding the Gt2 flag for coefficient j, the second pass is complete.); calculates
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`an estimated absolute value of the coefficient based on a sum of absolute values offive
`
`neighboring coefficients of the coefficient in the current block ([0103] FIG. 4 shows an
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`illustration of a template that can used for selecting probability models. Block 150 represents
`
`a transform unit. Position X in block 150 represents a current scan position, and positionsY in
`
`block 150 represent the local neighbourhood used for determining a probability model for
`
`the current scan position. [0126] This disclosure describes techniques for a modified ricePar
`
`derivation that depends on the sum of absolute values of neighboring coefficients. The
`
`neighboring coefficients may, for example, be the same neighboring coefficients identified in
`
`FIG. 4 or maybedifferent coefficients. [0128] Video encoder 200 and video decoder 300 may
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`be configured to derive a ricePar as follows. Video encoder 200 and video decoder 300
`
`calculate a sum of absolute values(i.e., absolute coefficient values) of the coefficients in the
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
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`Page 6
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`context template. [0126] This disclosure describes techniques for coding remLevel values for
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`coefficients that are not regular bin codedin the first pass, that is, the remaining coefficients
`
`of a CG after reaching the C1 regular coded bin threshold. This disclosure describes
`
`techniquesfor a modified ricePar derivation that depends on the sum of absolute valuesof
`
`neighboring coefficients. The neighboring coefficients may, for example, be the same
`
`neighboring coefficients identified in FIG. 4 or may be different coefficients.); derives a rice
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`parameter based on the estimated absolute value and the baselevel ([0121] Video encoder
`
`200 and video decoder 300 may code the remLevel part of the coefficients, whose prefix bins
`
`are coded as regular bins in the first and second passes, using the scheme described in JVET-
`
`K0072 where a Rice Parameter (ricePar) is determined following the following rule: [0122] If
`
`sumAbs-numSigis less than 12, ricePar is set equal to 0; [0123] Otherwise, if sumAbs—numSig
`
`is less than 25, ricePar is set equal to 1; [0124] Otherwise, ricePar is set equal to 2.); and
`
`encodes a remainder value of the coefficient using the derived rice parameter ([0125] The
`
`ricePar is used to derive the threshold to switch between bypass coded Golomb-Rice code
`
`and the Exponential-Golomb code JVET-K0072asillustrated in FIG. 6. [0126] This disclosure
`
`describes techniques for coding remLevel values for coefficients that are not regular bin
`
`codedin the first pass, that is, the remaining coefficients of a CG after reaching the C1 regular
`
`coded bin threshold. This disclosure describes techniques for a modified ricePar derivation
`
`that depends on the sum of absolute values of neighboring coefficients. The neighboring
`
`coefficients may, for example, be the same neighboring coefficients identified in FIG. 4 or
`
`maybedifferent coefficients. [0134] In some examples, the g_auiGoRiceParsCoeff[32] table
`
`above mayalso beused to derive the ricePar for template based coding of remLevel coding
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
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`Page 7
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`for coefficients that were partially coded in the first and second passes, or morespecifically,
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`for partially context coded coefficients in the third pass that are half of the remainder oflevel
`
`after coding sig+gt1+par+(gt2<<1) in the first and second passes. As half of the remainder
`
`level is coded, the output of the ricePar lookup table that is used for full absolute coefficient
`
`coding of completely bypass coded bins may be reduced by 1 to code thehalf of remainder
`
`valuesin the third pass.).
`
`Sole discloses an encoder ([Section |] encoder) comprising: a processor ([Section 1]
`
`processing units) and which, in operation, performs Context-Based Adaptive Binary Arithmetic
`
`Coding (CABAC) ([Page 1766, Section II] HEVC has a single entropy coding mode based on the
`
`context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) engine that was also used in H.264/AVC.),
`
`wherein in prediction residual coding of a current block ([Section I] Prediction and residual
`
`coding), the processor, in operation, encodes a plurality of flags by CABAC,each of the plurality
`
`of flags relating to a coefficient included in the current block ([Page 1768, Section III, Section B]
`
`Each scan passFig. 2. Coefficient groups for 8 x 8 TB. codes a syntax elementfor the
`
`coefficients within a CG, as follows. 1) significant-coeff-flag: significance of a coefficient
`
`(zero/nonzero). 2) coeff-abs—level-greater1-flag: flag indicating whether the absolute value
`
`of a coefficient level is greater than 1. 3) coeff-abs—level-greater2-flag: flag indicating
`
`whether the absolute value of a coefficient level is greater than 2. 4) coeff-sign-flag: sign of a
`
`significant coefficient (0: positive, 1: negative). 5) coeff-abs—level-remaining: remaining
`
`value for absolute value of a coefficient level (if value is larger than that coded in previous
`
`passes).); determines a base level according to whether a number of encoded flags has reached
`
`a limit ([Page 1771, Section B] Let the baseLevel of a coefficient be defined as baseLevel =
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
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`Page 8
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`significant_coeff_flag + coeff_abs_level_greater1_flag + coeff_abs_level_greater2_flag (6)
`
`wherea flag has a value of 0 or 1 andis inferred to be 0 if not present).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinaryskill in the art before the effectivefiling
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Karczewicz with the teachingsof Sole.
`
`The motivation behind this modification would have been to allow for greater efficiency [See
`
`Sole].
`
`In regards to claim 24,the limitations of claim 23 have been addressed. Karczewicz
`
`discloses wherein the plurality of flags includes: a first flag indicating whether the coefficient is
`
`zero or not ([0091] the significance flag (SIG) of a coefficient indicating the coefficient is zero
`
`or non-zero [0094] “sig_coeff_flag”); a second flag indicating whether the coefficient is an odd
`
`number or an even number ([0094] The syntax element “par_level_flag” is equal to0if
`
`absLevel is an odd number and is equal to 1 if absLevel is an even number.); a third flag
`
`indicating whether an absolute value of the coefficient is equal to or larger than a first
`
`threshold value ([0094] The syntax element “rem_abs_gt1_flag” is equal to 1 if absLevel is
`
`greater than 2; otherwise,this flag is equal to 0.); and a fourth flag indicating whether the
`
`absolute value of the coefficient is equal to or larger than a second threshold value that is
`
`larger than the first threshold value ([0094] The syntax element “rem_abs_gt2_flag” is equal
`
`to 1 if absLevel is greater than 4; otherwise, the flag is equal to 0.).
`
`In regards to claim 25, the limitations of claim 23 have been addressed. Karczewicz
`
`discloses wherein the five neighboring coefficients ([0126] This disclosure describes techniques
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
`
`Page 9
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`for coding remLevel values for coefficients that are not regular bin codedin the first pass, that
`
`is, the remaining coefficients of a CG after reaching the C1 regular coded bin threshold. This
`
`disclosure describes techniques for a modified ricePar derivation that depends on the sum of
`
`absolute values of neighboring coefficients. The neighboring coefficients may, for example,
`
`be the sameneighboring coefficients identified in FIG. 4 or may be different coefficients.)
`
`include: a first neighboring coefficient located next to a right side of the coefficient ([Fig. 4] Y
`
`located to the right of the X); a second neighboring coefficient located next to a right side of
`
`the first neighboring coefficient ([Fig. 4] Y located to the right of the Y located to the right of
`
`the X); a third neighboring coefficient located below the coefficient ([Fig. 4] Y located below
`
`the X); a fourth neighboring coefficient located below the third neighboring coefficient ([Fig. 4]
`
`Y located below the Y belowthe X); and a fifth neighboring coefficient located next to a right
`
`side of the third neighboring coefficient ([Fig. 4] Y located to the right of the Y below the X).
`
`In regards to claim 26, the limitations of claim 23 have been addressed. Karczewicz
`
`discloses wherein the encoding of the plurality of flags and the encoding of the remainder value
`
`are repeated for each ofa plurality of coefficients included in the current block until the
`
`number of encoded flags reach the limit ([0096] FIG. 3 shows an example order for the five
`
`syntax elementsforall the absLevels values in a CG. The order in FIG. 3 showsthe order of
`
`the syntax elements representing absLevels in a CG as in WET-K0072. [0097] The positions in
`
`a CG are scannedin up to three passes. In the first pass (labeled Pass #1 in FIG. 3), the flags
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`SIG, Par, and Gt1 are parsed for each of coefficients 0 through 15. If the SIG flag for a
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`particular coefficient is zero, then that coefficient does not have an associated Par or Gt1 flag.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
`
`Page 10
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`Thus,in the first pass, only non-zero SIG flags are followed by corresponding Par and Gt1
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`flags. After the first pass, a partial absLevel, denoted as absLevel1, for each position can be
`
`determined as shownin (2). [0098]If there is at least one non-zero Gt1 in the first pass, then
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`the secondpass (Pass #2 in FIG. 3) is scanned. In the second pass, Gt2 flags for the coefficients
`
`with non-zero Gt1s are parsed. The bins in the first and second passes mayall be regular
`
`coded, meaningthe probability distribution of the bin is modeled by a properly selected
`
`context model as described in more detail below. If there is at lease one non-zero Gt2 in the
`
`second pass, then a third pass (Pass #3 in FIG. 3) is scanned, and rem valuesof the coefficients
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`with non-zero Gt2s are parsed. As a rem value is not binary, the bins of the binarized version
`
`of a rem value mayall be bypass-coded, meaning the bins are assumed to be uniformly
`
`distributed and no context selection is needed.).
`
`Claim 27lists all the same elements of claim 23, but in method form rather than
`
`encoder form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 23 applies equally
`
`as well to claim 27.
`
`Claim 28lists all the same elements of claim 24, but in method form rather than
`
`encoder form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 24 applies equally
`
`as well to claim 28.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
`
`Page 11
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`Claim 29lists all the same elements of claim 25, but in method form rather than
`
`encoder form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 25 applies equally
`
`as well to claim 29.
`
`Claim 30lists all the same elements of claim 26, but in method form rather than
`
`encoder form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 26 applies equally
`
`as well to claim 30.
`
`Contact Information
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to Kaitlin A Retallick whose telephone number is (571)270-3841.
`
`The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone,in-person, and video conferencing
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`http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Chris Kelley can be reached on (571) 272-7331. The fax phone number for the
`
`organization wherethis application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be
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`obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available
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`https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for
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`Application/Control Number: 17/173,024
`Art Unit: 2482
`
`Page 12
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`more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for
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`information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic
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`
`/KAITLIN A RETALLICK/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
`
`