DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-17 are currently presented for examination.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted has been considered by the Examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 1006, 1401, 1402, 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, 1410. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because it contains an embedded hyperlink and/or other form of browser-executable code. Applicant is required to delete the embedded hyperlink and/or other form of browser-executable code; references to websites should be limited to the top-level domain name without any prefix such as http:// or other browser-executable code. See MPEP § 608.01.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 11 and 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The term “faster” in claim 11 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “faster” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Neither the specification nor the claims define a standard for ascertaining what is “faster than real-time” rendering the metes and bounds of the claim unclear.
All claims dependent on a 112 rejected base claim are rejected based on their dependency.
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-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under 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.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brebner USPPN 2020/0285855 in view of Mathis et al. USPAT 5,490,272.
Regarding claim 1, Brebner teaches creating a source digital twin for the loT network, (Figure 39, [0651], digital twins are created; [0658] for a system of IOT sensors that are connected to pieces of equipment)
driven by real-time sensed data from objects fed to models of the objects, (Figure 39, [0651], [0658]-[0659] The digital twins are fed real-time data streams from the pieces of equipment; See also [0065] and [0486])
the source digital twin outputting a state of one or more of the objects in real time; (Figure 39, [0658]-[0659], results of the workflow containing conditions of the equipment is output in real time; See also [0064]-[0067])
forming a main digital twin sequence by: creating one or more clone digital twins, each including the same models and interconnections as the source digital twin, ([0394], server and data structures, including the digital twins are cloned; See also [0064]-[0067])
connecting an input of one clone digital twin, among the one or more clone digital twins, with an output of the source digital twin via a data stream synthesizer node, (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system)
connecting an input of any further clone digital twin, among the one or more clone digital twins, with an output of a preceding clone digital twin in the main digital twin sequence via a further data stream synthesizer node, (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system, this includes all digital twin instances)
creating an exploratory digital twin, which includes the same models and interconnections as the source digital twin; (Figure 39, [0651], [0658]-[0659] multiple digital twins are created with the same models and interconnections; See also [0064]-[0067])
connecting an input of the exploratory digital twin with an output of one of: the source digital twin, the one clone digital twin, and any further clone digital twin, to initialize the exploratory digital twin; (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system, this includes all digital twin instances)
modifying an aspect of the exploratory digital twin to simulate an action taken on the exploratory digital twin; ([0480], content of the system changes the digital twins; Figure 39, [0650]-[0659] the digital twins are updated based on changes to the system)
connecting an output of the exploratory digital twin with an input of the exploratory digital twin via an additional data stream synthesizer node, (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system)
Brebner doesn’t explicitly teach wherein the data stream synthesizer node adds a time increment to the output of the source digital twin so that the source digital twin drives the one clone digital twin at the incremented time, and wherein the further data stream synthesizer node adds a further time increment to the output of the preceding clone digital twin so that the preceding clone digital twin drives the further clone digital twin at the further time increment; wherein the additional data stream synthesizer node adds an additional time increment to the output of the exploratory digital twin to drive the exploratory digital twin at the additional time increment; and executing the source digital twin, any clone digital twin, and the exploratory digital twin to provide an evolved modified state of one or more of the objects at the additional time increment as the output of the exploratory digital twin.
Mathis teaches wherein the data stream synthesizer node adds a time increment to the output of the source digital twin so that the source digital twin drives the one clone digital twin at the incremented time, and (Figure 1, Table A Column 5 Line 33 to Column 6 Line 4, the data sources are time incremented such that one data source can drive the rate the other operates at, at the incremented time; See also Column 1 lines 21-67 and Column 2 Lines 1-9)
wherein the further data stream synthesizer node adds a further time increment to the output of the preceding clone digital twin so that the preceding clone digital twin drives the further clone digital twin at the further time increment; (Figure 1, Table A, Column 5 Line 33 to Column 6 Line 4, the data sources are time incremented such that one data source can drive the rate the other operates at, at the incremented time; See also Column 1 lines 21-67 and Column 2 Lines 1-9)
wherein the additional data stream synthesizer node adds an additional time increment to the output of the exploratory digital twin to drive the exploratory digital twin at the additional time increment; and(Figure 1, Table A, Column 5 Line 33 to Column 6 Line 4, the data sources are time incremented such that one data source can drive the rate the other operates at, at the incremented time; See also Column 1 lines 21-67 and Column 2 Lines 1-9)
executing the source digital twin, any clone digital twin, and the exploratory digital twin to provide an evolved modified state of one or more of the objects at the additional time increment as the output of the exploratory digital twin. (Column 1 lines 21-67, Column 2 Lines 1-9, Column 5 Line 33 to Column 6 Line 4, the system is executed so that the three programs can run at the time increment)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to combine the teachings of Brebner with Mathis as the references deal with multiple data streams, in order to implement a system that synchronized multiple data sources and operated them at the time increment. Mathis would modify Brebner by synchronizing the multiple data sources and operating them at the time increment. The benefit of doing so is the system provides the user with very fine control over data synchronization. (Mathis Column 6 Lines 1-4)
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein the models of objects in the source digital twin are interconnected as object nodes in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) with interconnections representing flow of data, and ([0486],[0509], [0682], [0742], the system can be represented in a tree structure, including a directed acyclic graph)
wherein: the source digital twin includes event nodes modelling events which affect the loT network; or the source digital twin includes system information nodes modelling information about the loT network. ([0007], [0143]-[0144], [0151], [0775], events which effect the components of the system are modeled)
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein the models of objects in the source digital twin are interconnected as object nodes in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) with interconnections representing flow of data, and ([0486],[0509], [0682], [0742], the system can be represented in a tree structure, including a directed acyclic graph)
the method further comprising: creating a service node as part of the overall DAG at any of the following: the output of the source digital twin; the output of the exploratory digital twin; and the output of any clone digital twin, the service node producing a data service based on the state of an object in the loT network. (Figure 39, [0659], [0663], the services of reading a meter and providing a digital avatar to guide a user are used at the output of all of the digital twins; SEE also [0664])
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 3. Brebner also teaches wherein the service node is provided in parallel with the data stream synthesizer at the source digital twin or with the additional data stream synthesizer at the exploratory digital twin, and ([0321], [0630], [0803], [0805], the system facilitates parallel processing)
the method further comprising: feeding the output of the source digital twin to both the service node and the data stream synthesizer or feeding the output of the exploratory digital twin to both the service node and the additional data stream synthesizer. (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system, this includes all digital twin instances and additional data sources)
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein the exploratory digital twin is a first exploratory digital twin and the method further comprises: creating a second exploratory digital twin, which includes the same models and interconnections as the source digital twin; (Figure 39, [0651], [0658]-[0659] multiple digital twins are created with the same models and interconnections; See also [0064]-[0067]; Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system, this includes all digital twin instances)
connecting an input of the second exploratory digital twin with an output of one of: the source digital twin, the clone digital twin, and any further clone digital twin, to initialize the second exploratory digital twin; (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system, this includes all digital twin instances)
modifying an aspect of the second exploratory digital twin to simulate an action taken on the second exploratory digital twin; ([0480], content of the system changes the digital twins; Figure 39, [0650]-[0659] the digital twins are updated based on changes to the system)
connecting an output of the second exploratory digital twin to an input of the second exploratory digital twin via another additional data stream synthesizer node, (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system, this includes all digital twin instances)
comparing the output of the exploratory digital twin and the output of the second exploratory digital twin. ([0296], [0631], [0649], the output of each element of the system is compared)
Brebner does not explicitly recite wherein the another additional data stream synthesizer node adds another additional time increment to the output of the second exploratory digital twin so that the second exploratory digital twin drives the second exploratory digital twin at the another additional incremented time; executing the second exploratory digital twin to provide an evolved state of one or more of the objects at the another additional incremented time as the output of the second exploratory digital twin; and
Mathis teaches wherein the another additional data stream synthesizer node adds another additional time increment to the output of the second exploratory digital twin so that the second exploratory digital twin drives the second exploratory digital twin at the another additional incremented time; (Figure 1, Table A, Column 5 Line 33 to Column 6 Line 4, the data sources are time incremented such that one data source can drive the rate the other operates at, at the incremented time; See also Column 1 lines 21-67 and Column 2 Lines 1-9
executing the second exploratory digital twin to provide an evolved state of one or more of the objects at the another additional incremented time as the output of the second exploratory digital twin; and (Column 1 lines 21-67, Column 2 Lines 1-9, Column 5 Line 33 to Column 6 Line 4, the system is executed so that the three programs can run at the time increment)
See motivation of claim 1
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 4. Brebner also teaches the input of the second exploratory digital twin is connected to the same output as connected to the input of the exploratory digital twin; and (Figure 39, [0479], the processes are connected to synthesize a representation based on the connected instances to adjust the representation; [0480] digital twins are inputs to the system; [0658]-[0659] as well as outputs of the system)
the action taken on the second exploratory digital twin is different from the action taken on the exploratory digital twin. ([0653]-[0654], [0659], the digital twins are used to model different pieces of equipment with different sensors, that have different thresholds for triggering a display, where the display causes the system to display a different color)
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 4. Brebner also teaches wherein the input of the second exploratory digital twin is connected to a different output from the input of the exploratory digital twin. (Figure 39, [0653]-[0654], [0659], the digital twins can be used to model different sensors which would have different outputs and inputs)
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 7. Brebner also teaches wherein the action taken on the second exploratory digital twin is the same as the action taken on the exploratory digital twin. ([0658]-[0659], similar sensor data is output from the digital twin sensors including sensors who output the same data that is fused)
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein context information from an external data source is additionally input into any of the following: the source digital twin; any exploratory digital twin; and any clone digital twin. ([0130], input comes from internal and external sources; [0651], [0656]-[0657], data from maps, blue prints, floor plans, CAD drawings, LIDAR scans, building related data, location based services and additional data streams are input into the digital twins)
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein executing any exploratory digital twin comprises executing repeatedly to provide a plurality of evolved modified states of one or more of the objects at repeatedly incremented times as the output of the exploratory digital twin. ([0656]-[0660], the digital twin is updated at periodic times based on the set time interval)
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein executing the source digital twin and any clone digital twin occurs following real-time, and executing any exploratory digital twin occurs in faster than real-time. Figure 39, [0658]-[0659], results of the workflow containing conditions of the equipment is output in real time; See also [0064]-[0067])
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein creating the exploratory digital twin and any clone digital twin comprises: using the same code as for the source digital twin; ([0394], server and data structures, including the digital twins are cloned; See also [0064]-[0067])
inputting a state into the code which corresponds to a current state of the digital twin; ([0651]-[0654], [0662], the state of the digital twin is included in the clone)
executing the digital twin; and ([0651]-[0660], the digital twin is updated at periodic times based on the set time interval)
replacing the current state of the digital twin with the resultant state after execution. ([0650], [0653]-[0660], the states of the digital twins is updated during execution)
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein the loT network is a traffic network, and the object nodes include any of the following: vehicle nodes; one or more infrastructure nodes; and one or more event nodes. ([0142], the io t network is a traffic network; [0658] for a system of IOT sensors that are connected to pieces of equipment; [0661], the objects include vehicles)
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 1. Brebner also teaches wherein the state of one or more of the objects includes one or more of: position of the object and speed of the object. ([0480], [0657], [0660], the location of the object is determined with GPS)
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Brebner and Mathis teaches the limitations of claim 11. Brebner also teaches wherein the traffic network is a public transport network, and ([0486], [0487], [0661], a car traffic network is simulated)
the nodes in the source digital twin, any exploratory digital twin, and any clone digital twin include: vehicle nodes; ([0487], [0661], vehicle nodes are simulated)
incident nodes representing events that may have an effect on the public transport network; ([0487], [0661], a police incident node has an effect on the transportation network)
stop nodes representing a section of the public transport network infrastructure; and ([0487], [0661], stop sign nodes are used)
system information nodes representing the path of the vehicle. ([0487], [0661], the path of the vehicle is represented in the nodes)
In regards to claim 16, it is the system embodiment of claim 1 with similar limitations to claim 1, and is such rejected using the same reasoning found in claim 1.
In regards to claim 17, it is the method embodiment of claim 1 with similar limitations to claim 1, and is such rejected using the same reasoning found in claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
SACHS et al. USPPN 2019/0294975: Also teaches the use of connected digital twins that simulate the movement of traffic.
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/MICHAEL EDWARD COCCHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2188