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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
`
`17/034,825
`
`09/28/2020
`
`Kiyofumi ABE
`
`735256.438C1
`
`8910
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`MAHMUD, FARHAN
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2483
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`12/22/2021
`
`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):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-12 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`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.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) 1-12 is/are rejected.
`(1 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)1) 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
`1.2 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) 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)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`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 20211217
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/034,825
`ABE etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`FARHAN MAHMUD
`2483
`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 09/10/2021.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)¥) This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J 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: 17/034,825
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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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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`inventorto file provisions of the AIA.
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`Response to Amendment
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`2.
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`Applicant previously filed claims 1-10. New claims 11 and 12 have been added. Claims 1,5, and
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`9-10 have been amended. Accordingly, claims 1-12 are pending in the current application.
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`Response to Arguments
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`3.
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`4.
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`Applicant's argumentsfiled 09/10/2021 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
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`Some of applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot
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`because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of
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`record for any teaching or matter specifically challengedin the argument.
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`5.
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`Applicant arguesthat Tanaka et al. does not teach performing an up-conversion and a down-
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`conversion during encoding. However, examiner respectfully disagrees. More detail from Tanaka is
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`provided to further clarify that Tanaka et al. indeed performs both conversions in the encoder side. In
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`Paragraph 140, Tanaka et al. teaches “The prediction matrix size transformation section 181 transforms
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`(hereinafter also referred to as converts) the size of the prediction matrix supplied from the prediction
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`matrix generation section 172 so as to match the size of the quantization matrix input to the matrix
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`processing section 150.” In Paragraph 142, Tanaka et al. teaches “Further, for example,if the size of the
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`prediction matrix is smaller than the size of the quantization matrix, the prediction matrix size
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`transformation section 181 increases the size of (hereinafter also referred to as up-converts) the
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`prediction matrix. More specifically, for example, when the prediction matrix has an 8.times.8 size and
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`the quantization matrix has a16.times.16 size, the prediction matrix size transformation section 181 up-
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`converts the prediction matrix to a 16.times.16 prediction matrix. Note that any up-conversion method
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/034,825
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 3
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`may be used.” In Paragraph 146, Tanaka et al. teaches “The difference matrix size transformation
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`section 163 converts the size of the difference matrix (quantized data) supplied from the difference
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`matrix generation section 162 (the quantization section 183) to a size less than or equal toa maximum
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`size allowed for transmission (hereinafter also referred to as a transmission size), if necessary. The
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`maximum size is arbitrary and may be, for example, 8.times.8.” In Paragraph 148, Tanaka et al. teaches
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`“If the size of the difference matrix is larger thanthe maximum size, the difference matrix size
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`transformation section 163 down-converts the difference matrix so that the size of the difference matrix
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`becomesless than or equal to the maximum size.”All of these teachings reference Figure 4, which is
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`clearly implemented encoder side.
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`6.
`
`Applicant is reminded that although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification,
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`limitations from the specification are not readinto the claims. See /n re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26
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`USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`7.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections
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`set forth in this Office action:
`
`A patent fora claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed inventionis
`notidentically disclosed as set forth ins ection 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 ofthe claimed invention to a person having ordinary skillinthe art to which the
`claimed invention pertains. Pa tentability s hall not be negated by the mannerin which the invention
`was made.
`
`8.
`
`Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (US
`
`20140321539 A1) in view of Gharavi(US 5235420 A).
`
`9.
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`Regarding Claim 1, Tanaka et al. teachesan encoder (Paragraph 385) comprising:
`
`10.
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`circuitry; and memory coupled to the circuitry, wherein using the memory (Paragraphs 374-
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`376), the circuitry, in operation:
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/034,825
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 4
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`11.
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`performs anup-conversion and adown-conversion on a first quantization matrix to generate a
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`second quantization matrix (Paragraphs 15-22; Paragraphs 139-152; Paragraphs 292-295),
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`12.
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`the first quantization matrix having a first number of rows and a first number of columns equal
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`to the first number of rows to form a square matrix (Paragraphs 15-22),
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`13.
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`the second quantization matrix having a second number of rows and a second number of
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`columnsdifferent from the second number of rows to forma rectangular matrix (Paragraphs 15-22);
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`and
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`14.
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`quantizes transform coefficients of a current block using the second quantization matrix
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`(Paragraph 2; Paragraph 24; Paragraphs 292-295),
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`15.
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`the up-conversion is performed such that one of the second number of rows and the second
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`number of columns is larger than thefirst number of rows (Paragraphs 15-22); and
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`16.
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`the down-conversion is performed such that the other of the second number of rows and the
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`second number of columnsis smaller than the first number of rows (Paragraphs 15-22; Paragraphs 292-
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`295).
`
`17.
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`However, Tanaka et al. does not explicitly teach that the up-conversion is performed in a first
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`direction; and the down conversion is performed ina second direction, the second direction being
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`different from the first direction.
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`18.
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`Gharavi, however, teaches that the up-conversion is performed in a first direction; and the
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`down conversion is performed ina second direction, the second direction being different from the first
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`direction (Column 6,Line 48 — Column 7, Line 6).
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`19.
`
`It would have been obvious to any person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing
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`of the invention to have modified the encoder of Tanaka et al. to include the specific directionality of up
`
`and down conversion as taught in Gharavi above,in order to code higher quality video signals (See
`
`Gharavi Column 1, Lines 54 - Column 2, Line 4)
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/034,825
`Art Unit: 2483
`
`Page5S
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`20.
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`Regarding Claim 2, Tanaka et al. and Gharavi teach the encoder according to claim 1, Tanaka et
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`al. further teaches wherein the circuitry, in operation, encodes, into a bitstream, only information
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`relating to the first quantization matrix out of the information relating tothe first quantization matrix
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`and information relating to the second quantization matrix (Paragraph 300).
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`21.
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`Regarding Claim 3, Tanaka et al. and Gharavi teach the encoder according to claim 1, Tanaka et
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`al. further teaches wherein in the down-conversion, the circuitry divides matrix elements in the first
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`quantization matrix into a number of groups equal to a number of matrix elements in the second
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`quantization matrix, in each of the groups, matrix elements included in the group are sequentially
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`arrangedina horizontal direction or a vertical direction of the square matrix, and for each of the groups,
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`the circuitry determinesas a matrix element that is in the second quantization matrix and corresponds
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`to the group (i) a matrix element located at a lowest frequency domain among the matrix elements
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`included in the group,(ii) a matrix element located at a highest frequency domain among the matrix
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`elements included in the group,or (iii) an average value of the matrix elements included in the group
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`(Paragraphs 189-198).
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`22.
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`Regarding Claim 4, Tanaka et al. and Gharavi teach the encoder according to claim 1, Tanaka et
`
`al. further teaches wherein in the up-conversion, the circuitry (i) divides matrix elements in the second
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`quantization matrix into a number of groups equal to a number of matrix elements in the first
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`quantization matrix, and determines, for each of the groups, matrix elements included in the group in
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`the second quantization matrix by repeating the matrix elements included in the group,or (ii)
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`determines the matrix elements in the second quantization matrix by performing linear interpolation
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`between neighboring matrix elements among the matrix elements in the second quantization matrix
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`(Paragraphs 189-198).
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`23.
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`Regarding Claim 11, Tanaka et al. and Gharavi teachthe encoder according to claim 1, however,
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`Tanaka et al. does not explicitly teach wherein thefirst direction is a horizontal direction and the second
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/034,825
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 6
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`direction is a vertical direction, the up-conversion is performed in the horizontal direction such that the
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`second number of rowsis larger than thefirst number of rows, and the down-conversion is performed
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`in the vertical direction such that the second number of columns is smaller than the first number of
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`rows.
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`24.
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`Gharavi, however, teaches wherein the first direction is a horizontal direction and the second
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`direction is a vertical direction, the up-conversion is performed in the horizontal direction such that the
`
`second number of rowsis larger than thefirst number of rows, and the down-conversion is performed
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`in the vertical direction such that the second number of columns is smaller than the first number of rows
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`(Column 6, Line 48 — Column 7,Line 6).
`
`25.
`
`It would have been obvious to any person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing
`
`of the invention to have modified the encoder of Tanaka et al. to include the specific directionality of up
`
`and down conversion as taught in Gharavi above,in order to code higher quality video signals (See
`
`Gharavi Column 1, Lines 54 - Column 2, Line 4)
`
`26.
`
`Claims 5-8, and 12 aredrawn to the decoder associated with the encoder claimed in claims 1-4,
`
`and 11. These claims have limitations which are substantially similar to the limitations rejected in the
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`claims above, and are performedin inverse to the encoding process above and as such are rejected
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`using the rejection above. Tanakaetal. further teachesa decoder associated with the encoder
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`(Paragraph 11).
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`27.
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`Method claims 9 and 10 are drawn to the method of using corresponding apparatus claims1,
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`and 5 respectively, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons of anticipation as used above.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/034,825
`Art Unit: 2483
`
`Page 7
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`Conclusion
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`28.
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`Applicant's amendmentnecessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office
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`action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the
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`extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`
`29.
`
`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from
`
`the mailing date of this action.
`
`In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date
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`of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH
`
`shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory
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`action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing
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`date of the advisory action.
`
`In no event, however,will the statutory period for reply expire later than
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`SIX MONTHS from the date ofthis final action.
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`30.
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
`
`should be directed to FARHAN MAHMUD whosetelephone number is (571)272-7712. The examiner can
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`normally be reached on 10-7.
`
`31.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a
`
`USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use
`
`the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`32.
`
`If attempts to reachthe examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
`
`Joseph Ustaris can be reached on 5712727383. The fax phone number for the organization wherethis
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`application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`33.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application
`
`Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained
`
`from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available
`
`through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/034,825
`Art Unit: 2483
`
`Page 8
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`my.uspto. gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on accessto the Private PAIR system, contact
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`the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
`
`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-
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`9199 (IN USA OR CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/FARHAN MAHMUD/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2483
`
`