DETAILED ACTION
This office action is responsive to the request for continued examination filed 11/26/2025. The application contains claims 1, 3, 9-10, 13-20, all examined and rejected.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/26/2025 has been entered.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 3, 9-10, 13-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Independent claims 1 and 16. The claims disclose that a synchronization signal “include a limit value that sets an upper threshold for the respective counter to define a time window”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. Examiner was not able to find a support that the signal that sets an upper threshold for the respective counter to define a time window is included in the synchronization signal. Dependent claims inherit the independent claim deficiency.
Claims 1, 3, 9-10, 13-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Independent claims 1 and 16. The claims disclose that a synchronization signal “include a limit value that sets an upper threshold for the respective counter to define a time window”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. Although the specification disclose resetting and incrementing a counter and terminating communication when a predetermined value is reached. However it does not disclose including a limit value that sets an upper threshold for the respective counter to define a time window. In particular, the teaching does not describe a limit value as an explicit parameter, does not disclose setting a per counter threshold, and does not define a bounded time window within operations are executed. The counter is used only as a termination condition, not a mechanism for defining time window. Dependent claims inherit the independent claim deficiency.
Claim 17 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Dependent claim 17. The claims disclose “compressed spin value comprises a block-based transform code stream that encodes only spin values of spins adjacent across device boundaries”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. The specification disclose that compression is applied to full spin maps, update maps, and difference maps. However there is no restriction that compression is only to boundary spins.
Claim 17 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Dependent claim 17. The claims disclose “parent device decodes the code stream to reconstruct boundary spins from each respective annealing machine prior to obtaining a solution state”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. The specification disclose that server collects final spin values (¶93) and the decompression occurs at receiving device. However there is no disclosure for parent side decoding of compressed boundary spins prior to solution (i.e. decoding occurs on the annealing machine not the parent).
Claim 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Dependent claim 18. The claims disclose “parent device determines the limit value included in the synchronization signal based on a measured inter-device transmission time and a measured update processing time from a preceding time window, and sets the limit value so that transmitting, receiving, updating, and compressing complete before the counter reaches the limit value”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. The specification disclose dynamic adjustment to balance accuracy and speed (e.g. ¶128). However, the specification does not disclose that the server measure actual transmission time between child devices.
Claim 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Dependent claim 18. The claims disclose “parent device determines the limit value included in the synchronization signal based on a measured inter-device transmission time and a measured update processing time from a preceding time window, and sets the limit value so that transmitting, receiving, updating, and compressing complete before the counter reaches the limit value”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. The specification disclose dynamic adjustment to balance accuracy and speed (e.g. ¶128). However, the specification does not disclose recording or tracking per-cycle communication duration associated with transmission, reception, update, or compression operation.
Claim 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Dependent claim 18. The claims disclose “parent device determines the limit value included in the synchronization signal based on a measured inter-device transmission time and a measured update processing time from a preceding time window, and sets the limit value so that transmitting, receiving, updating, and compressing complete before the counter reaches the limit value”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. The specification disclose dynamic adjustment to balance accuracy and speed (e.g. ¶128). However, the specification does not disclose determining the synchronization limit value based on measure communication time from a preceding time window so as to ensure completion of transmission, reception, updating, and compression before the counter reaches the limit.
Claim 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Dependent claim 19. The claims disclose “data compression unit of each respective annealing machine selects between (i) transmitting update maps and/or differences from a previous state when a proportion of changed spins within the time window is below a threshold, and (ii) applying the block-transform coding including a discrete cosine transform with quantization when the proportion is at or above the threshold, and further scales a quantization parameter to satisfy a target bit-rate for transmission to the parent device”. Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. The specification disclose transmitting update information and applying transform based compression as optional alternative techniques without any threshold based selection logic. However, the specification does not disclose selecting between update map transmission and block based transform coding based on a measured proportion of changed spins relative to a threshold, also does not disclose evaluating the proportion of changed spins within a defined time window, and does not disclose scaling a quantization parameters to satisfy a target transmission bit rate to parent device.
Possible Allowable subject matter
Based on the amended claims if the applicant overcome the current 35 USC 112(a) rejection the claims would be allowable because :
Upon review of the evidence at hand, it is hereby concluded that the evidence obtained and made of record, alone or in combination, neither anticipates, reasonably teaches, nor renders obvious the below noted features of applicant's invention as the noted features amount to more than a predictable use of elements in the prior art. The disclosed features include “An information processing method for improving real-time data processing and system control, the information processing method comprising: receiving, by a respective annealing machine among a plurality of annealing machines, a synchronization signal that is broadcast by a parent device to each of the plurality of annealing machines, wherein the synchronization signal resets a respective counter of the respective annealing machine and includes a limit value that sets an upper threshold for the respective counter to define a time window; incrementing, by the respective annealing machine, the respective counter based on a respective internal clock of the respective annealing machine; switching, by the respective annealing machine, each operation performed by the respective annealing machine based on a value of the respective counter; transmitting, by the respective annealing machine, a respective spin value of the respective annealing machine to other annealing machines in the plurality of annealing machines; receiving, by the respective annealing machine, other respective spin values from the other annealing machines in the plurality of annealing machines, wherein the transmitting and the receiving comprise exchanging only spin values that correspond to spins adjacent across device boundaries of the plurality of annealing machines; performing, by the respective annealing machine, an update process for the respective spin value to form an updated respective spin value based on the other respective spin values, wherein the update process is executed in accordance with a predefined time window defined by the counter, and wherein the parent device dynamically adjusts the limit value to trade off processing speed and accuracy; performing, by the respective annealing machine, a compression process on the updated respective spin value to form a compressed spin value the compression comprising (i) mapping a two-dimensional array of spin values to an image and applying block- transform coding including a discrete cosine transform with quantization to produce an irreversibly compressed bitstream, or (ii) transmitting update maps and/or differences from a previous state; and transmitting, by the respective annealing machine, the compressed spin value to the parent device”
A remarkable art in this area, Tamura (US 2017/0351947 A1), that disclose bus connected Ising chips where a control device sets mode set values, chips addresses, weights, and update signals when neurons states change. However Tamura does not disclose a synchronization signal that include a limit value that sets an upper threshold for a per device counter to define a time window. In addition Tamura does not disclose counter reset on sync, counter based time expiry, or terminating transmit, receive, update, compression when the counter reaches a limit.
Another remarkable art in this area, Colmant (US 2006/0251124 A1) that disclose synchronization packets and local measurements of delay difference between data control paths. However Colmant does not disclose a synchronization signal that include a limit value that sets an upper threshold for a per device counter to define a time window. In addition Colmant does not disclose counter reset on sync, counter based time expiry, or terminating transmit, receive, update, compression when the counter reaches a limit.
In addition to the above, the Examiner emphasizes the interrelation of the above distinguishing elements with the remainder of each respective claim element, and further notes that it is the interrelation that truly distinguishes Applicant's invention from the evidence at hand.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argue that none of the cited references disclose or suggest such a broadcast-based synchronization mechanism. Tamura describes signal propagation among neuron circuits, but it does not disclose centralized coordination via synchronization signals, nor resetting or maintaining counters at each processing device. Similarly, there is no teaching in any of the references of incrementing a counter based on a local internal clock within each annealing machine. The claims further recite that each machine switches its operational state based on the value of this counter, thereby enabling time-controlled operation across a distributed network. This form of synchronized, counter-driven state switching is entirely absent from the prior art.
Examiner respectfully disagrees,
Upon reviewing the disclosure in the application represented in the published application (US 20220101099A1) does not support the requirements for example ¶¶49-51, disclose that the system include a parent server and child machines devices including annealing machines through wired or unwired communication and that the number of DNNs, reservoirs, and annealing machines is flexible, ¶55, describe that the system enable dynamic control of large scale systems, ¶58 disclose wireless communication ability, ¶93, describe a cycle of synchronization, transmission, update, and compression until convergence and the sending of final spin values, ¶96, explain parallel transmission to save time, ¶97, code-division multiplexing enables simultaneous transmission, ¶¶98-101 disclose the compression usage and importance, ¶¶102-103 disclose error tolerance from lossy compression and how filtering can further increase compression, ¶104, ability to combine multiple compression, ¶¶106-107 regarding communication between annealing machines, ¶¶108-109 linking annealing machines and the ability to operate independently in parallel, ¶118 broadcasting synchronizations signals, ¶128 server can adjust a counter limit to trade speed and accuracy, ¶129 collecting outputs and produce final results, ¶¶206-207 data reordering, ¶208 evaluating and adjusting speed to accuracy, ¶209 selecting best data-flow configuration from multiple options. These paragraphs disclosed does not support independent claim and dependent claims 17-19 as clarified in the provided rejection under 35 USC 112(a) header. Examiner refer the applicant to the rejection for more details.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 11/26/2025, with respect to claims 1, 3, 9-10, and 13-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1, 3, 9-10, and 13-20 under 35 USC 103 has been withdrawn.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure.
US Patent Application Publication No. 20200249651 filed by Lee disclose the ability to reorder received data See at least 81, “determining a subset of the plurality of time-series sensor data that correlate to the fault condition; and rearranging the 2D data array to place the subset of plurality of time-series sensor data in a vicinity to each other”
US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0349325 A1 filed by Okuyama et al. that disclose an annealing machine See at least the abstract
Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior arts of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and Figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the response, to consider fully the entire references as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior arts or disclosed by the examiner. It is noted that any citation to specific pages, columns, figures, or lines in the prior art references any interpretation of the references should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331-33, 216 USPQ 1038-39 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 USPQ 275, 277 (CCPA 1968)).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMED ABOU EL SEOUD whose telephone number is (303)297-4285. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 9:00am-6:00pm MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michelle Bechtold can be reached at (571) 431-0762. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMED ABOU EL SEOUD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2148