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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 11/25/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of the claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Zhou et al. U.S. Patent 11,088,937.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 2, it appears “the control device” should be --each control device--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 3, it appears “the control device” should be --each control device--. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-8 are 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the control device" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear which control device is being referred to.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the control device" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear which control device is being referred to.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the control device" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear which control device is being referred to.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the control device" in lines 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear which control device is being referred to.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhou et al. U.S. Patent 11,088,937 (hereinafter “Zhou”).
Regarding claims 1, 2, 7 and 8, Zhou discloses a control system comprising a plurality of control devices configured to perform nth-order transmission, wherein each control device of the plurality of control devices includes: a storage device configured to store (via centralized controller), in relation to the plurality of control devices, a distribution source list (e.g. path table) that stores a list of the plurality of control devices (e.g. routers) to be passed through from a most upstream control device (e.g. source user node/computer) to the control device and a distribution destination list (e.g. path table) that stores a list of the plurality of control devices (e.g. routers) to be passed through from the control device to a most downstream control device (e.g. destination user node/computer) (e.g. col. 2-4, lines 49-29; col. 5, lines 56-63; col. 6-7, lines 29-41; col. 8, lines 27-34; Fig. 1, 2 and 5); and a processor (e.g. controller of the server; Fig. 3, #60) coupled to the storage device (e.g. col. 2-4, lines 49-29; col. 5, lines 56-63; col. 6-7, lines 29-41; col. 8, lines 27-34; Fig. 1, 2 and 5), the processor being configured to perform control processing including: in a case where an update request in which a first distribution source list of a first control device being any one of the plurality of control devices is set is received (e.g. col. 2-4, lines 49-29; col. 8-9, lines 27-67 and 1-30), updating the distribution source list based on the update request (e.g. col. 2-4, lines 49-29; col. 8-9, lines 27-67 and 1-30), in a case where the distribution destination list is not an empty set, generating a new update request based on the updated distribution source list (e.g. col. 2-4, lines 49-29; col. 8-9, lines 27-67 and 1-30), transmitting the new update request to a second control device being a control device in the distribution destination list (e.g. col. 2-4, lines 49-29; col. 8-9, lines 27-67 and 1-30); and in a case where an update completion response in which a second distribution destination list of the second control device is set is received from the second control device, updating the distribution destination list based on the update completion response (e.g. col. 2-4, lines 49-29; col. 8-9, lines 27-67 and 1-30).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, the prior art of record does not disclose transmitting the update completion response to the first control device when the distribution destination list is an empty set.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art of record does not disclose generating a new cancellation request in which identification information of the control device is set at an end of the list of the cancellation request, to transmit the generated new cancellation request to a fourth control device of the plurality of control devices other than the third control device.
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 CHARLES R KASENGE whose telephone number is (571)272-3743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4pm EST.
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CK
February 27, 2026
/CHARLES R KASENGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116