DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Amendment
The Examiner has reevaluated the prior art in view of the amendment. The Examiner has found that the prior art still does not anticipate or make obvious the claimed invention. U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2002/0085561 by Choi et al. was the closest prior art found but the system of Choi uses a gatekeeper to interact through the NAT device to establish the private channel (see Figure 8) whereas the applicant’s claimed invention uses a client that interacts with a NAT device and a media gateway separately to manage a private channel. However, the applicant’s invention is not indicated as patentable because the original disclosure does not provide a coherent description of the invention.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/19/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argues that paragraphs 42-46 provide support for the amended Figure 6. The applicant has not fully explained where they are deriving such support for each element shown in Figure 6, including the comments outside of the boxes and the arrows between boxes. The applicant must present a clear explanation of how paragraphs 42-46 support the new Figure. The written description rejection has been reconsidered and rewritten based on the applicant’s amendments.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 3/13/2025. These drawings are unacceptable.
The drawings are objected to because they contain new matter. The applicant has added Figure 6. Figure 6 features a series of named boxes that are connected with arrows and there are descriptions to the right of the boxes with the arrows. The descriptions appear to uses language pasted from paragraphs 42-50 of the applicant’s disclosure. The boxes are listed as “client”, “NAT device”, “media gateway”, and “target platform”.
It is not clear how these boxes, arrows, and actions that are written near boxes are supposed to correspond to the disclosure. The applicant has not fully explained where they are deriving such support for each element shown in Figure 6, including the comments outside of the boxes and the arrows between boxes. The applicant must present a clear explanation of how paragraphs 42-46 support the new Figure. For these reasons, Figure 6 is does not appear not supported by the original disclosure and constitutes new matter.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “network address translation (NAT) device” which converts “a local transmission resource of the client” to obtain “the public network transmission resource” of claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). Although a NAT device itself is conventional, in this case it provides a vital feature of converting a local transmission resource of the client to a user public network transmission resource. Therefore, pasting the text of a “wherein” clause of the claim into a flowchart box, as the applicant has done with claim 1 does not show how the NAT device, which is vital to the invention interacts with the other elements of the invention. One viewing the drawings will not understand how the applicant’s invention is carried out. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 amendment filed 3/13/2025 is objected to under 35 U.S.C. 132(a) because it introduces new matter into the disclosure. 35 U.S.C. 132(a) states that no amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention. The added material which is not supported by the original disclosure is as follows: The applicant has amended the specification to include references to a new Figure 6 that is not supported by the original disclosure and thus not entered.
Applicant is required to cancel the new matter in the reply to this Office Action.
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, 5, 6, and 12-14 are 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.
Written Description Issue #1
Claims 1 features the following limitation:
wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained based on conversion of a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device
Claim 14 features the following limitation:
wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained based on conversion of a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device,
The applicant does not provide a description of what a “local transmission resource” is. Paragraphs 5 and 19 use the term but they do not define the term in any manner. There is no description of what is actually done do perform the claimed conversion. The applicant has disclosed in paragraphs 5 and 19 a function whose output is “the user public network transmission resource”, which is defined in paragraph 43 as including “a NAT public network address and a NAT public network media port corresponding to the NAT public network address”. The output of the conversion referenced in paragraphs 5 and 19 is clear but the input is not clear, as the “local transmission resource” is not defined in the specification in any manner. Therefore, it is impossible to infer what the conversion in paragraphs 5 and 19 is actually doing.
Paragraph 46 references how “the network environment is complex” and “the client may exist in a variety of environments”. Given the admitted complexity of network environments referenced by the applicant, one would expect a description of what the applicant is referring to by a “local transmission resource”. Paragraph 44 references a client “itself within an internal network” converting a “private network address to the public address of the NAT device and the public network media port of the NAT device via the NAT device” but there is no description of either the “internal network” or the “private network address”. So even if the “private network address” is supposed to be somehow related to “the local transmission resource”, neither term is adequately described.
Written Description Issue #2
Claim 1 features the following limitation:
wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained based on conversion of a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device, and the conversion is determined by the media gateway in response to a NAT packet being sent by the client;
Claim 14 features the following limitation:
wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained based on conversion of a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device, and the conversion is determined by the media gateway in response to a NAT packet being sent by the client;
The applicant discloses the following regarding conversion:
[0005] Embodiments of the present application provide a method for accessing a network, applied to a media gateway, including: establishing a private media channel between a client and a target platform; and binding the private media channel to a user public network transmission resource corresponding to the client, and obtaining a media link between the client and the target platform to perform media communication between the target platform and the client via the media link; wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained after converting a local transmission resource of the client by a network address translation (NAT) device.
[0019] Operation 102: binding the private media channel to a user public network transmission resource corresponding to the client, and obtaining a media link between the client and the target platform to perform media communication between the target platform and the client via the media link, wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained after converting a local transmission resource of the client by a network address translation (NAT) device.
[0043] The NAT packet can be a STUN packet, and the client sends the STUN packet to the media gateway via the browser, so that the media gateway can obtain the user public network transmission resources of the client. The user public network transmission resources include a NAT public network address and a NAT public network media port corresponding to the NAT public network address.
[0044] It can be understood that the client itself is within the internal network, and when the client accesses the public network, it converts the private network address to the public network address of the NAT device and the public network media port of the NAT device via the NAT device, and accesses the public network via the converted public network address and the public network media port of the NAT device. The NAT public network address in the embodiment is the public network address and the public network media port obtained after converting the private network address of the client by the NAT device.
[0045] The media gateway performs operation S18: obtaining the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by the client; and returning the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port to the client.
[0046] The network environment is complex, and the client may exist in a variety of network environments, if the user is in the intranet network, the public network is accessed via the NAT device, if the user is behind a two-level NAT device, the public network is accessed via the NAT device; if the client needs real-time media communication, NAT traversal is required, i.e., the client needs to be informed of the converted public network address and port.
[0047] When the media gateway receives the NAT packets from the client, that is, it can obtain the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port of the client. The NAT public network address and NAT public network media port of the client are returned to the client, and the client receives the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port and can send and receive media packets with the media server.
There is no support for having the media gateway determine any conversion. Paragraph 5 describes a method “applied to a media gateway” that features a wherein clause that states that a user public network transmission resource is obtained after converting a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device. Paragraph 5 does not specify that the media gateway is determining a conversion in response to a NAT packet being sent by the client, as now claimed. Paragraph 19 states that “the user public network transmission resource is obtained after converting a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device” and thus does not support determining a conversion by a media gateway. Paragraph 44 states that when the client accesses the public network, it converts a private network address to the public network address of the NAT device and the public network media port of the NAT device via the NAT device. Paragraph 45 states that the media gateway receives this converted information, referred to in paragraph 44, from the client and therefore the media gateway is not involved in determining a conversion, as presently claimed. Paragraph 46 states that “the network environment is complex, and the client may exist in a variety of network environments. Paragraph 46 then references examples of different network environments without addressing the complexity referred to in any manner. There is no suggestion in the applicant’s disclosure that supports a limitation covering “the conversion is determined by the media gateway in response to NAT packet being sent by the client”. The media gateway is not disclosed as being involved in “conversion” in any manner; it only receives information which has previously been disclosed as being converted either by a NAT device (paragraphs 5 and 19) or the client (paragraph 44).
Written Description Issue #3
Claim 1 features the following limitations:
wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained based on conversion of a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device, and the conversion is determined by the media gateway in response to a NAT packet being sent by the client;
before the binding the NAT public network media port to the user private media communication port to form the media link, the method further comprises: obtaining, at the media gateway, the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by the client; and returning the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port to the client.
Claim 14 features the following limitations:
wherein the user public network transmission resource is obtained based on conversion of a local transmission resource of the client by a NAT device, and the conversion is determined by the media gateway in response to a NAT packet being sent by the client;
before the binding the NAT public network media port to the user private media communication port to form the media link, the method further comprises: obtaining, at the media gateway, the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by the client; and returning the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port to the client.
The applicant did not disclose a process with redundant obtaining steps as claimed. As pointed out above, paragraphs 5 and 19 describe obtaining a user public network transmission resource, which in paragraph 43 is described as including “a NAT public network address and a NAT public network media port corresponding to the NAT public network address”. Paragraph 43 appears to be describing the same action as described in paragraphs 5 and 19. It appears that the description in paragraph 19 of the process shown in Figure 1 and the description in paragraph 45 of the process shown in Figure 3 are describing the same process, just with different breadths. There is no description of how these processes would be combined in any way that would support the redundant obtaining limitations claimed.
Written Description Issue #4
Claim 1 features the following limitations:
before the binding the NAT public network media port to the user private media communication port to form the media link, the method further comprises: obtaining, at the media gateway, the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by the client; and returning the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port to the client.
Claim 14 features the following limitations:
before the binding the NAT public network media port to the user private media communication port to form the media link, the method further comprises: obtaining, at the media gateway, the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by the client; and returning the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port to the client.
The applicant discloses the following:
[0042] The client performs operation S17: sending a NAT packet to the media gateway.
[0043] The NAT packet can be a STUN packet, and the client sends the STUN packet to the media gateway via the browser, so that the media gateway can obtain the user public network transmission resources of the client. The user public network transmission resources include a NAT public network address and a NAT public network media port corresponding to the NAT public network address.
[0044] It can be understood that the client itself is within the internal network, and when the client accesses the public network, it converts the private network address to the public network address of the NAT device and the public network media port of the NAT device via the NAT device, and accesses the public network via the converted public network address and the public network media port of the NAT device. The NAT public network address in the embodiment is the public network address and the public network media port obtained after converting the private network address of the client by the NAT device.
[0045] The media gateway performs operation S18: obtaining the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by the client; and returning the NAT public network address and the NAT public network media port to the client.
[0046] The network environment is complex, and the client may exist in a variety of network environments, if the user is in the intranet network, the public network is accessed via the NAT device, if the user is behind a two-level NAT device, the public network is accessed via the NAT device; if the client needs real-time media communication, NAT traversal is required, i.e., the client needs to be informed of the converted public network address and port.
[0047] When the media gateway receives the NAT packets from the client, that is, it can obtain the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port of the client. The NAT public network address and NAT public network media port of the client are returned to the client, and the client receives the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port and can send and receive media packets with the media server.
The applicant has not disclosed how the media gateway obtains the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by a client. Paragraphs 42, 43, 45 and 47 reference the NAT packet but they do not provide a description of what the NAT packet actually comprises. This referenced “NAT” packet is sent from the client so it is not clear how it is a “NAT” packet. Paragraph 46 provides an alternative disclosure where the NAT device converts information from the client into the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port. The applicant has not provided a coherent description of how what is described in paragraph 46 fits in with the sending of “NAT” packet by the client to the media server. There is no description of what the media gateway does to obtain the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port in response to a NAT packet sent by a client and it cannot be inferred what is happening because the applicant has not provided any description of what is in the “NAT” packet sent by the client.
Paragraph 46 of the disclosure describes the complexity and variety of network environments in which a NAT device may operate but the applicant fails to provide any description of how the client, a NAT device, and the media gateway actually interact together. Paragraphs 45 and 47 reference a NAT packet sent to the media gateway from the client but paragraph 46 is describing completely different actions where the client interacts with the NAT device in order to obtain the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port. This lack of coherence does not provide any adequate description of what the media gateway is actually doing to a NAT packet in order to obtain the NAT public network address and NAT public network media port.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS B BLAIR whose telephone number is (571)272-3893. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Glenton Burgess can be reached at 571-272-3949. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DOUGLAS B BLAIR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2454