Intel Corporation

Patent Trials and Appeals Board

May 13, 2020

2019002724 (P.T.A.B. May. 13, 2020)

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
www.uspto.gov
APPLICATION NO. FILING DATE FIRST NAMED INVENTOR ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. CONFIRMATION NO.
14/341,481 07/25/2014 Douglas L. Li P64262/1020P64262 8850
57035 7590 05/13/2020
KACVINSKY DAISAK BLUNI PLLC
2601 Weston Parkway
Suite 103
Cary, NC 27513
EXAMINER
NASRI, MARYAM A
ART UNIT PAPER NUMBER
2483
NOTIFICATION DATE DELIVERY MODE
05/13/2020 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):
docketing@kdbfirm.com
intel@kdbfirm.com
kpotts@kdbfirm.com
PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
____________

BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
____________

Ex parte DOUGLAS L. LI
____________

Appeal 2019-002724
Application 14/341,481
Technology Center 2400
____________

Before ERIC S. FRAHM, JOYCE CRAIG, and MATTHEW J. McNEILL,
Administrative Patent Judges.

FRAHM, Administrative Patent Judge.

DECISION ON APPEAL
Appellant1 appeals under 35 U.S.C. § 134(a) from the Examiner’s
rejection of claims 1–25, which are all the claims pending and rejected in the
application. We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b).
We REVERSE.

1 We use the word “Appellant” to refer to “applicant” as defined in
37 C.F.R. § 1.42. “The word ‘applicant’ when used in this title refers to the
inventor or all of the joint inventors, or to the person applying for a patent as
provided in §§ 1.43, 1.45, or 1.46.” 37 C.F.R. § 1.42(a). Appellant
identifies the real party in interest as Intel Corporation (Appeal Br. 2).
Appeal 2019-002724
Application 14/341,481

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STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Introduction
Because “full-motion video displays based upon digital video signals
are becoming more widely available” (Spec. ¶ 2), and “the amount of raw
digital information in video is massive, takes up a large amount of storage,
and uses a significant amount of bandwidth when being transmitted” (Spec.
¶ 3), “video encoders are used to take the video data and to encode it in a
format which takes up less space. As a result, the bandwidth consumed
between devices that transmit and receive the video information may be used
more efficiently or more data can be transmitted between those devices in
the same time” (Spec. ¶ 4). Appellant’s invention, entitled “Techniques for
Performing a Forward Transformation by a Video Encoder Using a Forward
Transform Matrix” (Title), “generally relate[s] to techniques for processing a
raw video stream. More specifically, techniques may include applying a
forward transformation for encoding one or more video frames of the raw
video stream” (Spec. ¶ 1). Appellant discloses:
The forward transform matrices for particular transform unit
sizes and types may be generated by converting each stage of a
linear transformation algorithm into intermediate matrices and
summing the intermediate matrices to create a final forward
transform matrix. As will be discussed in more detail below,
various improvements may be realized by deferring rounding
that normally occurs after each intermediate stage until the
final stage or when the final forward transform matrix is
generated. These forward transform matrices with deferred
rounding may produce better results than when the actual
linear transformation algorithms or processes are used.

(Spec. ¶ 22 (emphases added); see also claims 1, 12, 19 (last clause of each
claim)). Independent claim 1 is exemplary, and is reproduced below with
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emphases, formatting, and bracketed lettering added to disputed portions of
the claim:
1. An apparatus, comprising:
processing circuitry;
a memory coupled with the processing circuitry, the
memory to store at least one master forward transform
matrix comprising signed constants having a defined number
of precision bits and a sign bit, and
the processing circuitry to perform the transformation
on residuals of pixel values of a frame using one of the at
least one master forward transform matrix or a forward
transform matrix derived from one of the at least master
forward transform matrix, and determine which forward
transform matrix to use to perform the transformation based
on at least a transform unit size, [A] the processing circuitry
to defer a rounding operation until a final forward transform
matrix is generated.

Appeal Br. 10, Claims Appendix (emphases, formatting, bracketed lettering
added). Remaining independent claims 12 and 19 recite limitations commensurate
in scope with limitation A, regarding deferring a rounding operation until a final
forward transform matrix is generated. The Specification (see Spec. ¶ 36) also
supports performing the rounding operation after each intermediate matrix
operation (vertical or horizontal matrix).
Examiner’s Rejections
(1) Claims 1, 3–7, 10, 12, 14–16, 19, and 21–23 are rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Sadafale et al. (US
2012/0082212 A1; published April 5, 2012) (hereinafter, “Sadafale”) and
Yoneoka et al. (US 2009/0172506 A1; published July 2, 2009). Final Act.
4–11; Ans. 3–10.
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Application 14/341,481

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(2) Claims 2, 8, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20, 24, and 25 are rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Sadafale, Yoneoka, and Han
et al. (US 9,544,596 B1; issued Jan. 10, 2017) (hereinafter, “Han”). Final
Act. 11–15; Ans. 11–14.
Appellant’s Contentions
With regard to the obviousness rejections of claims 1–25, Appellant
primarily argues the merits of independent claim 1 (see Appeal Br. 5–7), and
makes similar arguments as to the patentability of remaining independent
claims 12 and 19, as well as dependent claims 2–11, 13–18, and 20–25 (see
Appeal Br. 5, 9). As to independent claim 1, Appellant contends (Appeal
Br. 5–7) that the Examiner erred in rejecting claim 1 under
35 U.S.C. § 103(a), because the base combination of Sadafale and Yoneoka,
and specifically Yoneoka, fails to teach or suggest limitation A, as recited in
claim 1.
Principal Issue on Appeal
Based on Appellant’s arguments in the Appeal Brief (Appeal Br. 5–9),
the following issue is presented on appeal:
Did the Examiner err in rejecting claims 1–25 as being unpatentable
over the base combination of Sadafale and Yoneoka, because Yoneoka fails
to teach or suggest limitation A, as recited in claim 1, and commensurately
recited in claims 12 and 19?

ANALYSIS
We have reviewed the Examiner’s rejections (Final Act. 4–15; Ans.
3–14) in light of Appellant’s contentions (Appeal Br. 5–9), and evidence of
record, in light of the Examiner’s response to Appellant’s arguments in the
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Appeal Brief (Ans. 15–17). With regard to claims 1, 12, and 19, we concur
with Appellant’s contentions (see Appeal Br. 5–7) that the Examiner erred in
finding the cited portions of Yoneoka teach or suggest deferring rounding
operations “until a final forward transform matrix is generated,” as recited
in limitation A (see e.g., claim 1, limitation A).
The USPTO “must examine the relevant data and articulate a
satisfactory explanation for its action including a rational connection
between the facts found and the choice made.” Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass’n
v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983) (internal
quotation marks and citation omitted); see Synopsys, Inc. v. Mentor
Graphics Corp., 814 F.3d 1309, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (stating that, as an
administrative agency, the PTAB “must articulate logical and rational
reasons for [its] decisions” (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)).
Here, the Examiner has stated that the basis for finding that Yoneoka
teaches deferring a rounding operation until a final forward transform matrix
is generated is that:
given the broadest reasonable interpretation, the horizontal
transform matrix generated by [Yoneoka’s] butterfly/post-
processing unit 14 is considered to be a final transform matrix,
and the round-off process is perform[ed] (as a post-process
operation for the horizontal component of the transform matrix)
after completing the calculation of [the] horizontal matrix
operation. Hence, the limitation of ‘the processing circuitry to
defer a rounding operation until a final forward transform matrix
is generated’ has been disclosed by the combination of Sadafale
and Yoneoka.

Ans. 16. The Examiner also speculates in the Answer that “if we consider
the horizontal transform matrix generated by the butterfly/post-processing
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unit 14 as the final transform matrix, the round-off operation would be
performed after the final transform matrix is generated” (Ans. 17).
Under the broadest reasonable interpretation standard, and absent any
special definition, claim terms are given their ordinary and customary
meaning, as would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art in
the context of the entire disclosure. In re Translogic Tech., Inc., 504 F.3d
1249, 1257 (Fed. Cir. 2007). Any special definition for a claim term must
be set forth with reasonable clarity, deliberateness, and precision. In re
Paulsen, 30 F.3d 1475, 1480 (Fed. Cir. 1994). “Under a broadest reasonable
interpretation, words of the claim must be given their plain meaning, unless
such meaning is inconsistent with the specification and prosecution history.”
Trivascular, Inc. v. Samuels, 812 F.3d 1056, 1062 (Fed. Cir. 2016).
Here, we conclude the Examiner’s interpretation of the “final forward
transform matrix” (claims 1, 12, 19) as being the horizontal transform matrix
operation, which is described by Sadafale (see ¶ 73), Yoneoka (see ¶¶ 27,
35, 64, 100), and Appellant (see Spec. ¶ 22, 36) as being an intermediate
stage operation, and not a final transform matrix operation, is unreasonable.
Specifically, Sadafale describes performing rounding after each
butterfly (i.e., intermediate, horizontal or vertical matrix operation) stage as
follows:
Some fast DCT algorithms implement DCT using a
butterfly decomposition approach in multiple stages. For
example, the DCT and IDCT implementations in TMuC-0.
7 .3 use several stages of butterfly decomposition. The multiple
stages introduce serial dependency and cascaded multipliers.
Also, after each butterfly stage involving multiplication, a
rounding/truncation operation is carried out to prevent bit-
width increase of data resulting from the cascaded
multiplication. These factors lead to increased delay in a
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hardware implementation and limit the maximum frequency at
which a DCT or IDCT can be executed.

Sadafale ¶ 73 (emphasis added). Similarly, Yoneoka performs the
rounding operation of Equation 10 after each horizontal and vertical
(i.e., intermediate) matrix operation in paragraphs 64 and 100:
The process disclosed above (Or Operations 1 to 3) is
carried out twice, that is, as a horizontal inverse transform
process and a vertical inverse transform process, before and
after an operation performed by the trans-position RAM 16.
A portion of multiplication (such as, Axf [OJ) in Equation
(8) in the calculation of Operation 1 is carried out by the
multiplication circuit units 12 and 18. A portion of addition
or subtraction (such as, Axf10]+Exf14]+Cxf12]+Gx f16]) in
Equation (8) in the calculation of Operation 1 is carried out
by the cumulative addition units 13 and 19. Calculations of
Operation 2 are carried out in the butterfly/post-processing
units 14 and 20. A calculation process mode goes to a
round-off process mode in the end of a horizontal matrix
operation in the butterfly/post-processing unit 14 again, and
a round-off process represented by Equation (10) shown
below is performed on a result of the calculations in
Operation 2.

P[O]-(P[Oj+x)»y

P[l]-(P[lj+x)»y

P[2]-(P[2j+x)»y

P[3]-(P[3j+x)»y

P[4]-(P[4j+x)»y

P[5]-(P[5j+x)»y

P[6]-(P[6j+x)»y

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P[1]-(P[1]+x)»y (10)

Yoneoka ¶ 64, including Equation 10 (emphases added); see also ¶ 27; Fig.
1 (butterfly/post-processing units 14 and 20). And, paragraph 100 describes
specifically that “[a]fter completion of the butterfly calculations, the round-
off process represented by Equation (10) is performed, as the post-process,
by the butterfly/post-processing units 14 and 20 in FIG. 1” (Yoneoka ¶ 100).
Finally, Appellant’s disclose deferring rounding that normally occurs
after each intermediate stage until the final stage or when the final forward
transform matrix is generated (see Spec. ¶ 22). One of ordinary skill in the
art, upon reading Sadafale, Yoneoka, and Appellant’s Specification, would
understand the horizontal and vertical transform matrix operations to be
intermediate stages, and not a final forward transform matrix operation as
claimed.
Because the Examiner erred in interpreting the recited “final forward
transform matrix” (see claims 1, 12, 19) as encompassing Yoneoka’s
horizontal matrix operation, there is not sufficient evidence or reasoning to
support the rejection. Therefore, we are constrained by the record to reverse
the Examiner’s rejection of claims 1, 12, and 19, as well as claims 2–11, 13–
18, and 20–25 depending respectively therefrom.

CONCLUSION
Based on the record before us, we are constrained to reverse the
Examiner’s decision rejecting claims 1–25 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as
being unpatentable over the base combination of Sadafale and Yoneoka.

Appeal 2019-002724
Application 14/341,481

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DECISION SUMMARY
In summary:
Claims
Rejected
35 U.S.C. § Reference(s)/Basis Affirmed Reversed
1, 3–7, 10,
12, 14–16,
19, 21–23
103(a) Sadafale, Yoneoka 1, 3–7, 10,
12, 14–16,
19, 21–23
2, 8, 9, 11,
13, 17, 18,
20, 24, 25
103(a) Sadafale, Yoneoka,
Hall
2, 8, 9, 11,
13, 17, 18,
20, 24, 25
Overall
Outcome
1–25

REVERSED