DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 1, 5, 7-9, and 12-13 are pending in the application.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
3. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
4. Claims 1, 5, 7-9, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
5. Claim 1 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. As analyzed under the current 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance; first, the claim is directed to a proper statutory category, a method. Second, under step 2A prong 1, the claim is directed to abstract ideas; specifically mathematical concepts such as concepts and/or mental processes, that can be performed by pen and paper. They are highlighted below (underlined, italicized):
1. A method of generating matrix index information, the method comprising:
identifying elements of a target matrix; and
generating a bit string including one or more bits each allocated to one of the elements and representing position information of the elements in the target matrix,
wherein the bit string includes:
a first bit string representing information about the number of non-zero elements among the elements; and
a second bit string representing the position information, wherein the second bit string includes:
bits each corresponding to one of positions of the elements in the target matrix; and in the second bit string, a bit value corresponding to a position of a zero element in the target matrix and a bit value corresponding to a position of the non-zero elements are different from each other.
6. As currently recited, under the broadest reasonable interpretation, these highlighted limitations can be interpreted as mathematical concepts and/or mental processes performed by pen and paper.
Next, under step 2A prong 2, are there additional elements or combination of elements that apply or integrate the judicial exception into a practical application? No, there are no additional elements or combination of elements that apply or integrate the judicial exception into a practical application.
Lastly, under step 2B are there limitations indicative of an inventive concept (i.e. significantly more)? No, there are no additional limitations that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. The claim is not patent eligible.
7. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. As analyzed under the current 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance; first, the claim is directed to a proper statutory category, a method. Second, under step 2A prong 1, the claim is directed to abstract ideas; specifically mathematical concepts such as concepts and/or mental processes, that can be performed by pen and paper. They are highlighted below (underlined, italicized):
5. A method of processing a matrix using matrix index information, the method comprising:
loading a non-zero element value of a first target matrix from a memory using matrix index information of the first target matrix; and transferring the loaded data to a processing element, wherein the matrix index information includes information about the number of non-zero elements of the first target matrix and position information of the non-zero elements in the first target matrix, and wherein the loading of the non-zero element value from the memory includes loading an element, among elements of a second target matrix, which is to be multiplied by the non-zero elements of the first target matrix from the memory, using the matrix index information.
8. As currently recited, under the broadest reasonable interpretation, these highlighted limitations can be interpreted as mathematical concepts and/or mental processes that can be performed by pen and paper.
Next, under step 2A prong 2, are there additional elements or combination of elements that apply or integrate the judicial exception into a practical application? The additional limitations of “from a memory” and “processing element” are recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., generic machine) such that they amount no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. Accordingly, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea.
Lastly, under step 2B are there limitations indicative of an inventive concept (i.e. significantly more)? No, the additional limitations do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements are no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. See MPEP 2106.05(f). The claim is not patent eligible.
9. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. As analyzed under the current 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance; first, the claim is directed to a proper statutory category, a method. Second, under step 2A prong 1, the claim is directed to abstract ideas; specifically mathematical concepts such as concepts and/or mental processes, that can be performed by pen and paper. They are highlighted below (underlined, italicized):
12. A method of processing a matrix using matrix index information, the method comprising:
loading a non-zero element value of a first target matrix from a memory using matrix index information of the first target matrix; and transferring the loaded data to a processing element, wherein the matrix index information includes information about the number of non-zero elements of the first target matrix and position information of the non-zero elements in the first target matrix wherein the matrix index information includes information about the number of non-zero elements of the first target matrix and position information of the non-zero elements in the first target matrix wherein the transferring of the loaded data to the processing element includes: comparing the number of the processing elements with the number of the non-zero elements; and transferring the loaded data to the processing elements according to a result of the comparison.
10. As currently recited, under the broadest reasonable interpretation, these highlighted limitations can be interpreted as mathematical concepts and/or mental processes that can be performed by pen and paper.
Next, under step 2A prong 2, are there additional elements or combination of elements that apply or integrate the judicial exception into a practical application? The additional limitations of “from a memory” and “processing element” are recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., generic machine) such that they amount no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. Accordingly, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea.
Lastly, under step 2B are there limitations indicative of an inventive concept (i.e. significantly more)? No, the additional limitations do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements are no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. See MPEP 2106.05(f). The claim is not patent eligible.
11. Dependent claims 7-9 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as non- statutory for at least the reason stated above, as they do not add any feature or subject matter that would solve the non-statutory deficiencies of the independent claims from which they depend. The claims depend from claim 1, but fail to include any additional elements sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. The claims recite further limitations that abstract mathematical concepts and/or mental steps without reciting any additional limitations that make the claim any less abstract or that impose meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Accordingly, the claims are not patent-eligible under 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
12. 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 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 –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
13. Claim(s) 1, 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al (hereafter Zhao)(US Pub. 20150242484).
Zhao was cited in the IDS filed 12/19/2022
14. As to claim 1, Zhao discloses method of generating matrix index information (abstract), the method comprising:
identifying elements of a target matrix ([0005] elements of the matrix); and
generating a bit string including one or more bits each allocated to one of the elements and representing position information of the elements in the target matrix ([0005]-[0009] character strings representing info of the elements),
wherein the bit string includes:
a first bit string representing information about the number of non-zero elements among the elements ([0005], [0041], and [0061]-[0064] bit string); and
a second bit string representing the position information, wherein the second bit string includes:
bits each corresponding to one of positions of the elements in the target matrix; and in the second bit string, a bit value corresponding to a position of a zero element in the target matrix and a bit value corresponding to a position of the non-zero elements are different from each other ([0063]-[0067]).
15. As to claim 12, Zhao discloses a method of processing a matrix using matrix index information (abstract and [0005]), the method comprising:
loading a non-zero element value of a first target matrix from a memory using matrix index information of the first target matrix; and transferring the loaded data to a processing element ([0005] elements indexable by row and column index and [0053] data transfer),
wherein the matrix index information includes information about the number of non-zero elements of the first target matrix and position information of the non-zero elements in the first target matrix wherein the matrix index information includes information about the number of non-zero elements of the first target matrix and position information of the non-zero elements in the first target matrix ([0005] and [0089]-[0091]), wherein the transferring of the loaded data to the processing element includes: comparing the number of the processing elements with the number of the non-zero elements; and transferring the loaded data to the processing elements according to a result of the comparison ([0054] and [0063] comparison).
16. As to claim 13, wherein the transferring of the loaded data to the processing element includes, when the number of the loaded non-zero element values is less than the number of the processing elements, transferring, to the processing elements, non-zero element values loaded from the memory subsequent to the non-zero element values of the first target matrix together with the non-zero element values of the first target matrix ([0054] and [0063]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
17. 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.
18. Claim(s) 5 and 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of Chen et al (hereafter Chen)(US Pub. 20210286860).
19. As to claim 5, Zhao discloses method of processing a matrix using matrix index information (abstract), the method comprising:
loading a non-zero element value of a first target matrix from a memory using matrix index information of the first target matrix; and transferring the loaded data to a processing element ([0005] elements indexable by row and column index and [0053] data transfer),
wherein the matrix index information includes information about the number of non-zero elements of the first target matrix and position information of the non-zero elements in the first target matrix ([0005] and [0089]-[0091]).
20. Zhao does not disclose wherein the loading of the non-zero element value from the memory includes loading an element, among elements of a second target matrix, which is to be multiplied by the non-zero elements of the first target matrix from the memory, using the matrix index information.
However, Chen discloses wherein the loading of the non-zero element value from the memory includes loading an element, among elements of a second target matrix, which is to be multiplied by the non-zero elements of the first target matrix from the memory, using the matrix index information ([0061]-[0062] multiplying).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Zhao, by loading an element, among elements of a second target matrix, which is to be multiplied by the non-zero elements of the first target matrix from the memory, using the matrix index information, as taught in Chen, for the benefit of more efficient matrix processing, as in multiplication (Chen, [0017]).
21. As to claim 7, the combination of Zhao and Chen discloses wherein the first target matrix is a matrix including a weight value of an artificial neural network (Chen [0014]-[0018] weight elements, [0001] artificial neural network), and the second target matrix includes an activation value of the artificial neural network (Chen [0001] artificial neural network and [0050] activation data).
22. As to claim 8, the combination of Zhao and Chen discloses wherein the loading of the non-zero element value from the memory includes: determining an address value for the non-zero element value of the first target matrix using the matrix index information; and loading the non-zero element value of the first target matrix using the address value (Zhao [0041], [0062], and [0066]).
23. As to claim 9, the combination of Zhao and Chen discloses wherein address values of the memory allocated to non- zero element values are provided in a continuous form according to a preset rule, and the loading of the non-zero element value from the memory includes: determining address values for non-zero element values of the first target matrix using the number of non-zero element values loaded from the memory earlier than the non-zero element values of the first target matrix; and loading the non-zero element value of the first target matrix using the address value (Zhao [0041], [0062], and [0066]).
Conclusion
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.
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/MICHAEL D. YAARY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2151
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