CTNF 17/979,016 CTNF 82548 DETAILED ACTION 1. Claims 1-7 are pending in the application. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Specification 06-11 AIA 3. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 4. 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-03-aia AIA 5. Claim(s) 1, 4, 6, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yatabe (US Pub. 2025/0036712) . 6. As to claims 1, 6, and 7, Yatabe discloses an information processing method implemented by a computer of obtaining a solution to a problem in which predetermined constraint that includes two-way one-hot constraint is given, by using an objective function that has a predetermined number of variables (abstract and [0060]), the information processing method comprising: excluding, when determining sets of candidates that have values which are to be changed on the basis of the predetermined constraint from expanded variables obtained by adding a plurality of redundant variables to the predetermined number of variables, one of the sets of the candidates in which values of the redundant variables are exchanged with each other ([0083] excluding the two-way one-hot condition (i.e., the objective function part). For example, TSP has more zero components in the matrix excluding the two-way one-hot condition (i.e., the objective function part) than QAP); changing, according to the predetermined constraint, the values of the sets of the candidates to perform a search on the basis of the objective function ([0144]-[0147]); and determining the solution on the basis of a result of the search ([0072] and [0093] optimal solutions). 7. As to claim 4, Yatabe discloses wherein the search unit calculates an energy change, by using the objective function for each of the sets of the candidates determined by the candidate determination processing, to perform the search ([0132] and [0150] …This energy can also be used as an indicator that a smaller number is considered a better solution.) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 8. Claim s 2-3 and 5 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Dependent claim 2 recites at least determining the sets of the candidates that have the values which are to be changed, by changing assignments of the expanded variables, to respective components of two groups each of which includes the expanded variables and the same number of the components, performed according to a condition other than the two-way one-hot constraint included in the predetermined constraint without duplication allowed, and excluding one of the assignments, to the components, of the expanded variables in which the redundant variables of the expanded variables are exchanged with each other, and the search unit performs the search on the basis of the assignments to the components of the expanded variables determined by the candidate determination processing; and dependent claim 5 recites at least to perform an upper limit calculation processing that includes calculating an upper limit number of elements capable of being included in each of a plurality of divided groups generated by dividing one of constraint groups on the basis of constraint other than the two-way one- hot constraint included in the predetermined constraint for two constraint groups, each of which includes the predetermined number of elements and satisfies the two-way one-hot constraint when the variables are assigned to the elements without duplication allowed, wherein the candidate determination processing includes determining the number of redundant variables according to the upper limit number obtained by the upper limit calculation processing. The closest prior art of record US Pub. 20250036712 teaches obtaining a solution to a problem in which predetermined constraint that includes two-way one-hot constraint is given, by using an objective function that has a predetermined number of variables as in independent claim 1, however, the prior art of record does not teach or suggest at least determining the sets of the candidates that have the values which are to be changed, by changing assignments of the expanded variables, to respective components of two groups each of which includes the expanded variables and the same number of the components, performed according to a condition other than the two-way one-hot constraint included in the predetermined constraint without duplication allowed, and excluding one of the assignments, to the components, of the expanded variables in which the redundant variables of the expanded variables are exchanged with each other, and the search unit performs the search on the basis of the assignments to the components of the expanded variables determined by the candidate determination processing; and at least to perform an upper limit calculation processing that includes calculating an upper limit number of elements capable of being included in each of a plurality of divided groups generated by dividing one of constraint groups on the basis of constraint other than the two-way one- hot constraint included in the predetermined constraint for two constraint groups, each of which includes the predetermined number of elements and satisfies the two-way one-hot constraint when the variables are assigned to the elements without duplication allowed, wherein the candidate determination processing includes determining the number of redundant variables according to the upper limit number obtained by the upper limit calculation processing . Conclusion 07-96 AIA 9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Pub. 20200278385 – related to an optimization device and a control method of the optimization device. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D YAARY whose telephone number is (571)270-1249. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9-5:30. 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. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Trujillo can be reached at (571)272-3677. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MICHAEL D. YAARY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2151 Application/Control Number: 17/979,016 Page 2 Art Unit: 2151 Application/Control Number: 17/979,016 Page 3 Art Unit: 2151 Application/Control Number: 17/979,016 Page 4 Art Unit: 2151 Application/Control Number: 17/979,016 Page 5 Art Unit: 2151 Application/Control Number: 17/979,016 Page 6 Art Unit: 2151 Application/Control Number: 17/979,016 Page 7 Art Unit: 2151 Application/Control Number: 17/979,016 Page 8 Art Unit: 2151
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