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
This communication is in response to amendment filed on 6/5/2026. Claims 8-27 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 8-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Singh et al. (US Pub. No. 2019/0149472).
Regarding claims 8, 15, and 21, Singh discloses a method network device (figure 2) comprising processing circuitry (see figure 2) a non-transitory computer-readable storage device (figure 2 system memory 240) in a network device, the non- transitory computer-readable storage device having stored thereon computer executable instructions (figure 2 program instructions 245), which when executed, cause the network device configured to:
receive a data packet comprising an IP address (paragraphs 27 and 48: IPv6 packet); and
sequentially process the data packet at each (current) lookup table in a plurality of chained lookup tables (see figure 4: segment evaluation stages 440, 450, 460… are chained/pipelined together; paragraph 59) including:
search the lookup table using (1) a portion of the IP address of the data packet that is selected based on the lookup table being searched (figure 4 and figure 5; paragraphs 49, 50, 59 and 60: segment 532 is selected based on segment evaluation stage/table 440, segment 534 is selected based on segment evaluation stage/table 450, segment 536 is selected based on segment evaluation stage/table 460…) and (2) a segment index value contained in a matched entry found in a previously searched lookup table (paragraphs 60 and 61: match indication 442 for stage 450, match indication 452 for stage 460, etc.); wherein the segment index value provides a link chaining a first segment of the IP address processed in the previously searched lookup table to a second, distinct, segment of the IP address in the current lookup table (figure 4 match indication 442 in view of paragraphs 49, 50, 59 and 60: match indication 442 provides a link chaining/pipeline IP address segment 532/table segment evaluation stage 440 to segment 534/table segment evaluation stage 450); and
perform any actions associated with a matched entry found in the lookup table (paragraphs 60: produce match indication for the subsequent stage).
Regarding claims 9 and 27, all limitations of claims 8 and 21 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches processing the data packet in a forwarding engine for egress to a next hop device (see figure 4 next hop pointer lookup; paragraphs 21 and 22).
Regarding claim 10, all limitations of claim 8 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches the IP address is segmented in equal-sized portions (see figure 5: 32 bits segments and paragraph 50).
Regarding claims 11, 17, and 23, all limitations of claims 8, 15, and 21 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches the IP address is an IPv6 address (see figure 5: 32 bits segments of IPv6 destination address, and paragraph 50).
Regarding claims 12, 18, and 24, all limitations of claims 8, 15, and 21 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches the IP address is of a first kind, the method further comprising receiving a second data packet comprising an IP address of a second kind and searching at least a first lookup table among the plurality of lookup tables using the entirety of the second IP address (figure 5 and paragraph 51: IPv6 and IPv4 at 32 bits).
Regarding claims 13, 19, 25, all limitations of claims 8, 15, 21 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches wherein the IP address is of a first kind, the method further comprising receiving a second data packet comprising an IP address of a second kind and searching only a first lookup table using the entirety of the second IP address (figure 5 and paragraph 51: IPv6 and IPv4 at 32 bits which only need one lookup table/stage).
Regarding claims 14, all limitations of claims 8 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches searching said each lookup table further comprises using the segment index value contained in the matched entry found in the previously searched lookup table and data contained in another matched entry found in another previously searched lookup table (see figure 5: stages 450, 460, and 470 each has three data/arrows, one is match indication from previous search table, and another data/arrow comes from another previously searched lookup table, elements 424 and 432 for stage 450).
Regarding claims 16 and 22, all limitations of claims 15 and 21 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches the IP address is segmented in equal-sized portions (see figure 5 and paragraph 51), wherein a unique segment of the IP address is used in the search of said each lookup table (paragraph 59).
Regarding claims 20 and 26, all limitations of claims 18 are disclosed above. Singh further teaches wherein an IP address of the first kind is an IPv6 address and an IP address of the second kind is an IPv4 address (paragraphs 50 and 51).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/5/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In pages 7-8 of Remark, regarding independent claims 8, 15, and 21, the Applicant argues that stage 410, 420, 430, or 440-470 does not sequentially search a plurality of chained lookup tables.
Examiner notes that device or L3 forwarding engine 400 in figure 4 performs sequentially search a plurality of chained/pipelined lookup tables/engines 440-470.
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 TITO Q PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-4122. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9AM-6PM EST.
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/TITO Q PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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