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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/863,740
`
`07/13/2022
`
`Takahiro NISHI
`
`2022-1350A
`
`5763
`
`CP
`Lind&
`Wenderoth,
`Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
`1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW
`Suite 500
`Washington, DC 20036
`
`BELAI, NAOD W
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`2481
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/28/2024
`
`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)
`
`

`

`
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/863,740
`NISHI etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`NAOD W BELAI
`2481
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof 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 7/13/2022.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)() This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3) 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)(2) 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.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-15 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) 1-15 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* 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)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J 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)7) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a)C All
`1.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) 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)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`4)
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date7/13/2022,11/29/2022.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240323
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/863, 740
`Art Unit: 2481
`
`Page 2
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`1.
`
`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 § 112
`
`2.
`
`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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on
`sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
`
`3.
`
`Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi etal.
`
`(US 2021/0092358 A1) hereinafter “Choi”.
`
`Regarding claim 1, 7, 13, 14, 15 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 1. An encoder (Encoder 203, Fig. 4 Decoder 210, [0040]) comprising:
`
`circuitry; and
`
`Memory(Reference Picture memory 434) coupled to the circuitry (coupled to elements
`
`of the encoder in Fig. 4), wherein, in operation, the circuitry:
`
`switches whether to encode a first flag (inter_layer_ref_pics_flag), according to
`
`whether a multilayer coding scheme is used to encode one or morepictures,the first flag
`
`(inter_layer_ref_pics_flag) indicating whether use of one or moreinterlayer reference pictures
`
`for interlayer prediction is allowed. (Choi, [0121] In the same or other embodiments,a flag in
`
`VPS (or another parameter set) may indicate whether ILRP lists are signaled or not for the
`
`currentslice (or picture). For example, referring to the example (800) in FIG. 8,
`
`an inter layer ref pics present flag equal to 0 may specify that no ILRP is used for inter
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/863, 740
`Art Unit: 2481
`
`Page 3
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`prediction of any codedpicture in the CVS. inter_layer_ref_pics_flag equal to 1 may specify that
`
`ILRPs may be usedfor inter prediction of one or more coded pictures in the CVS.)
`
`Regarding claim 2 and 8 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 2. The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry:
`
`encodesthe first flag when the multilayer coding scheme is used to encode the one or
`
`morepictures ([0121] inter_layer_ref_pics_flag equal to 1 may specify that ILRPs may be used
`
`for inter prediction of one or more coded pictures in the CVS.); and
`
`does not encode the first flag when the multilayer coding schemeis not used to
`
`encode the one or morepictures (Choi, [0121]“inter_layer_ref_pics_flag equal to 1 mayspecify
`
`that ILRPs may be used for inter prediction of one or more coded pictures in the CVS.”).
`
`[0121] In the same or other embodiments,a flag in VPS (or another parameter set) may
`
`indicate whether ILRP lists are signaled or not for the currentslice (or picture). For example,
`
`referring to the example (800) in FIG. 8, an inter_layer_ref_pics_present_flag equal to 0 may
`
`specify that no ILRP is used for inter prediction of any coded picture in the CVS.
`
`inter_layer_ref_pics_flag equal to 1 may specify that ILRPs may be used for inter prediction of
`
`one or more coded pictures in the CVS.
`
`Regarding claim 3 and 9 Choi
`
`Choi discloses Choi 3. The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the use of the one or
`
`moreinterlayer reference pictures is allowed when (i) the first flag is encoded and (ii) the first
`
`flag indicates that the use of the one or moreinterlayer reference pictures is allowed, the use
`
`of the one or more interlayer reference pictures is not allowed when (i) the first flag is
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/863, 740
`Art Unit: 2481
`
`Page 4
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`encoded([0121] FIG. 8, an inter_layer_ref_pics_present_flag equal to 0 may specify that no
`
`ILRP is used for inter prediction of any coded picture in the CVS. See also [0122] ) and
`
`(ii) the first flag indicates that the use of the one or moreinterlayer reference pictures
`
`is not allowed, and the use of the one or moreinterlayer reference pictures is not allowed
`
`when the first flag is not encoded. (FIG. 8, an inter_layer_ref_pics_present_flag equal to 0 may
`
`specify that no ILRP is used for inter prediction of any coded picture in the CVS.
`
`inter_layer_ref_pics_flag equal to 1 may specify that ILRPs may be used for inter prediction of
`
`one or more coded pictures in the CVS. See also [0122]).
`
`Regarding claim 4 and 10 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 4. The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry encodes a
`
`second flag which indicates whether anyof the one or moreinterlayer referencepicturesis
`
`used as a referencepicturethatis included in a reference picture list, when the use of the one
`
`or moreinterlayer reference pictures is allowed. (Choi The value
`
`of inter_layer_ref_pics_present_flag may be set equal to 0,
`
`when sps_video_parameter_set_id is equal to 0, when nuh_layer_id is equal to 0, or when
`
`vps_independent_layer_flag[GeneralLayerldx[nuh_layer_id]] is equal to 1.)
`
`Regarding claim 5 and 11 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 5. The encoder according to claim 4, wherein a reference picture
`
`different from any of the one or moreinterlayer reference pictures is used as the reference
`
`picture that is included in the reference picturelist (“[0098] In the same or other
`
`embodiments, the inter-layer reference picture (ILRP) list may be explicitly signaled with the
`
`inter-prediction reference picture (IPRP) list in a slice header (or a parameter set). Both ILRP
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/863, 740
`Art Unit: 2481
`
`Page 5
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`lists and IPRP lists may be used for construction of the forward and
`
`backwardprediction reference picturelists.”) when (I-i) the second flag is encodedand (I-ii)
`
`the secondflag indicates that any of the one or moreinterlayer reference pictures is not used
`
`as the reference picture that is included in the reference picture list ([(0098][0099]), or (II) the
`
`second flag is not to be encoded ([0021] an inter_layer_ref_pics_present_flag equal to O may
`
`specify that no ILRP is used for inter prediction of any coded picture in the CVS).
`
`Regarding claim 6 and 12 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 6. The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry switches
`
`whether to encode the first flag, according to a video parameter set ID
`
`(sps_video_parameter_set_id) corresponding to whether the multilayer coding schemeis
`
`used to encode the one or morepictures, the video parameter set ID is 0 or
`
`greater(sps_video_parameter_set_id),
`
`when the video parameter setID is 0, the multilayer coding schemeis not used to
`
`encode the one or morepictures ([0122] “The value of inter_layer_ref_pics_present_flag may
`
`be set equal to 0, when sps_video_parameter_set_id is equal to 0”), and when the video
`
`parameter set ID is greater than 0, the multilayer coding schemeis used to encode the one or
`
`morepictures, and the video parameter set ID indicates an identifier of a video parameter set
`
`for encoding the one or morepictures using the multilayer coding scheme. (Choi, “[0122] In
`
`the same or other embodiments, the inter-layer reference picture (ILRP) list for a picture in the
`
`k-th layer may or may not be signaled, when the k-th layer is a dependent layer. However, the
`
`ILRP list for a picture in the k-th layer shall not be signaled and any ILRP shall not be included in
`
`the reference picture list, when the k-th layer is an independentlayer. The value
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/863, 740
`Art Unit: 2481
`
`Page 6
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`of inter layer ref pics present flag may be set equal to 0,
`
`when sps video parameter set_id is equal to 0, when nuh_layer_id is equal to 0, or when
`
`vps_independent_layer_flag[GeneralLayerldx[nuh_layer_id]] is equal to 1.”).
`
`Regarding claim 7 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 7. A decoder comprising: circuitry; and memory coupled to the circuitry
`
`
`(Fig. 3, Decoder 210 including [0035] processingcircuitry (e.g., one or more processors or one
`
`
`or more integrated circuits)), wherein, in operation, the circuitry:
`
`The remaining limitations of the decoder are substantially the same as the Encoder in
`
`claim 1, therefore the rational used to reject claim 1 applies to claim 7.
`
`Regarding claim 13 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 13. An encoding method which is performed by an encoder, the
`
`encoding method ([0010] Thereis included a method and apparatus comprising memory
`
`configured to store computer program code and a processor or processors configured to access
`
`the computer program code and operateas instructed by the computer program
`
`code). comprising:
`
`The remaining limitations of the encoding method are substantially the same as the
`
`Encoder in claim 1, therefore the rational used to reject claim 1 applies to claim 13.
`
`Regarding claim 14 Choi
`
`Choi discloses 14. A decoding method whichis performed by a decoder, the decoding
`
`method1. (A method for video decoding of a scalable bitstream, claim 1) comprising:
`
`The remaining limitations of the decoding method are substantially the same as the
`
`Encoder in claim 1, therefore the rational used to reject claim 1 applies to claim 14.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/863, 740
`Art Unit: 2481
`
`Regarding claim 15 Choi
`
`Page 7
`
`Choi discloses 15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a bitstream ,
`
`the bitstream comprising: ([0124] The techniques for signaling adaptive resolution parameters
`
`described above, can be implemented as computer software using computer-readable
`
`instructions and physically stored in one or more computer-readable media. For example, FIG.
`
`10 shows a computer system (1000) suitable for implementing certain embodiments of the
`
`disclosed subject matter. See also [0039])
`
`The remaining limitations of the decoding method are substantially the same as the
`
`Encoder in claim 1, therefore the rational used to reject claim 1 applies to claim 15.
`
`Conclusion
`
`4.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to NAOD W BELAI whosetelephone number is (571)272-4166. The
`
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`
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`
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`
`supervisor, William Vaughn can be reached on (571)2723922. The fax phone number for the
`
`organization wherethis application or proceedingis assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be
`
`obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/863, 740
`Art Unit: 2481
`
`Page 8
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`
`/NAODW BELAI/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2481
`
`/MICHAEL J HESS/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2481
`
`