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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/10/2025 has been entered.
Claims 1-4, 6, 8-11, 13, 15-18 and 20 are pending and being considered.
Claims 1, 8 and 15 have been amended.
Claims 5, 7, 12, 14 and 19 have been amended.
Response to 103
Applicant’s arguments filed on 10/16/2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive but are moot in view new grounds of rejections. The arguments do not apply to the current art being used.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 8-11, 13, 15-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU et al (hereinafter WU) (CN 108833607) (attached English translation is used for examination) in view of Liu et al (hereinafter Liu) (US 20150281245) and further in view of Hou et al (hereinafter Hou) (US 20210248107).
Regarding claim 1 WU teaches a method performed by an access point management server, the method comprising: (WU on [page 1] teaches method performed by management server);
acquiring a physical address of at least one device to be accessed; (WU on [page 4 last 2 lines and page 5 line 1-7] teaches the management server receives MAC address of the terminal device, wherein the MAC address is physical address responsible for the terminal network access);
generating (WU on [page 5 last para] teaches receiving MAC address of all connected devices and the management device generates temporary key (i.e., access key) and send the temporary key to the corresponding device. See on [page 10 step 307] teaches the management server sends unique temporary key to the terminal generated based on the physical address of the terminal. See on [page 15 last 2 lines] teaches generating by the management server independent key (i.e., also an access key) based on the MAC address of the terminal);
generating, after the access key is generated an association relationship between at least one physical address and the access key; (WU on [page 11 step 312 and page 15 step 417] teaches the management server determines association relationship between the temporary key and the MAC address. See on [page 14 line 1-10] teaches the independent key is used to generate association relationship with the MAC address and the independent key. See on [page 16 Table 1] teaches generating corresponding relationship between MAC address and the independent key);
and transmitting the association relationship to an access point device (WU on [page 16 Table 1] teaches generating corresponding relationship between MAC address and the independent key storing the relationship in the wireless network device (i.e., transmitting the associations relationship). See on [page 4 2nd last para] the network device is access point);
and transmitting the access key specified in the association relationship to a corresponding device to be accessed (WU on [page 10 step 307] teaches the management server sends temporary key to the terminal).
WU teaches generating temporary key based on address information but fails to explicitly teach generating the key after physical address is acquired and wherein the access point device verifies, based on the association relationship, an access request initiated by the corresponding device to be accessed based on the access key, however Liu from analogous art teaches
generating after the physical address is acquired an access key corresponding to the physical address of the at least one device (Liu Fig 2 block 202, 207 and text on [0028 and 0046-0048] teaches the DLNA server obtains a MAC address of the client device and generates a key corresponding to the MAC address i.e., the key is generated after the physical address is acquired);
wherein the access point device verifies, based on the association relationship, an access request initiated by the at least one device to be accessed based on the access key (Liu Fig 2 block 201, 206 and text on [0026] teaches DLNA server receives an access request from DLNA client. Further on [0040-0043] teaches the DLNA server searches for the MAC address in pre-stored corresponding relationships to determine if the MAC address exists in the pre-stored corresponding relationships and the DLNA server provides a corresponding key for a MAC address of each DLNA client which has successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server. See on [0049] teaches if the MAC address exists in the pre-stored corresponding relationships, the DLNA server determines whether to authorize the access of the DLNA client according to the key corresponding to the MAC address included in the pre-stored corresponding relationships. See also on [0061] teaches a corresponding key is provided for a MAC address of each DLNA client which has successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server, and a corresponding relationship between the MAC address and the key is added into pre-stored corresponding relationships).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Liu into the teaching of WU by having access point device verifying access request based on associations relationships. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access using association relationship between MAC address and key thereby preventing malicious access of and potential security risks (Liu [0005-0008]).
The combinations fail to explicitly teach generating, based on the association relationship, a Hash table for representing the association relationship to query the access key, however Hou from analogous art teaches
generating, based on the association relationship, a Hash table for representing the association relationship to query the access key (Hou on [0046-0050 and 0060] teaches accessing a hash table with the hash key (HPK) as an index, to obtain the address corresponding to the physical key (PK). Further teaches wherein the first hash table is queried according to a first part (HPK1) of the hash key; and if the entry corresponding to the first part (HPK1) of the hash key in the first hash table records a physical address corresponding to the value (V) of the logical key (LK), first data is read from a storage medium according to the physical address. See on [0116-0120] teaches The KV storage device receives the key (K) and the sorted index (SK) (420) in the read operation interface command, queries a sorted table by using the sorted index (SK), and obtains a corresponding L1 hash table according to the obtained L1 hash table address (425). Moreover, the L1 hash table is queried using the key in the read operation interface command to obtain a corresponding logical address or physical address. See on [0143] teaches a conflict table 640 is created to record the association relationship between the key (K1) or RK1 and the physical address/logical address thereof, and also to record the association relationship between the key (K2) or RK2 and the physical address/logical address thereof.).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Hou into the teaching of WU and Liu by generating hash table representing the association relationship to query access key. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access to the address corresponding to physical key based on hash table and identify whether the acquired physical key matches the access key (Hou [0048-0053]).
Regarding claim 8 WU teaches a apparatus comprising: (Wu on [page 23 3rd last para] an apparatus);
at least one non-transitory memory configured to store program code; and processor circuitry configured to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code comprising: (Wu on [page 23 3rd last para] a processor executing instructions stored in memory);
first acquisition code configured to the processor circuitry to acquire a physical address of at least one device to be accessed (WU on [page 4 last 2 lines and page 5 line 1-7] teaches the management server receives MAC address of the terminal device, wherein the MAC address is physical address responsible for the terminal network access);
first generation code configured to cause the processor circuitry to generate (WU on [page 5 last para] teaches receiving MAC address of all connected devices and the management device generates temporary key (i.e., access key) and send the temporary key to the corresponding device. See on [page 10 step 307] teaches the management server sends unique temporary key to the terminal generated based on the physical address of the terminal. See on [page 15 last 2 lines] teaches generating by the management server independent key (i.e., also an access key) based on the MAC address of the terminal);
second generation code configured to cause the processor circuitry to generate, after the access key is generated an association relationship between at least one physical address and the access key (WU on [page 11 step 312 and page 15 step 417] teaches the management server determines association relationship between the temporary key and the MAC address. See on [page 14 line 1-10] teaches the independent key is used to generate association relationship with the MAC address and the independent key. See on [page 16 Table 1] teaches generating corresponding relationship between MAC address and the independent key);
and first transmission code configured to cause the processor circuitry to transmit the association relationship to an access point device (WU on [page 16 Table 1] teaches generating corresponding relationship between MAC address and the independent key storing the relationship in the wireless network device (i.e., transmitting the associations relationship). See on [page 4 2nd last para] the network device is access point);
second transmission code configured to cause the processor circuitry to transmit the access key included in the association relationship to a corresponding device to be accessed (WU on [page 10 step 307] teaches the management server sends temporary key to the terminal).
WU teaches generating temporary key based on address information but fails to explicitly teach generating the key after physical address is acquired and wherein the access point device verifies, based on the association relationship, an access request initiated by the corresponding device to be accessed based on the access key, however Liu from analogous art teaches
first generation code configured to cause the processor circuitry to generate after the physical address acquired an access key corresponding to each physical address the at least one device (Liu Fig 2 block 202, 207 and text on [0028 and 0046-0048] teaches the DLNA server obtains a MAC address of the client device and generates a key corresponding to the MAC address i.e., the key is generated after the physical address is acquired);
wherein the access point device verifies, based on the association relationship, an access request initiated by the at least one device to be accessed based on the access key (Liu Fig 2 block 201, 206 and text on [0026] teaches DLNA server receives an access request from DLNA client. Further on [0040-0043] teaches the DLNA server searches for the MAC address in pre-stored corresponding relationships to determine if the MAC address exists in the pre-stored corresponding relationships and the DLNA server provides a corresponding key for a MAC address of each DLNA client which has successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server. See on [0049] teaches if the MAC address exists in the pre-stored corresponding relationships, the DLNA server determines whether to authorize the access of the DLNA client according to the key corresponding to the MAC address included in the pre-stored corresponding relationships. See also on [0061] teaches a corresponding key is provided for a MAC address of each DLNA client which has successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server, and a corresponding relationship between the MAC address and the key is added into pre-stored corresponding relationships).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Liu into the teaching of WU by having access point device verifying access request based on associations relationships. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access using association relationship between MAC address and key thereby preventing malicious access of and potential security risks (Liu [0005-0008]).
The combinations fail to explicitly teach generating, based on the association relationship, a Hash table for representing the association relationship to query the access key, however Hou from analogous art teaches
third generation code configured to cause the processor circuitry to generate, based on the association relationship, a Hash table for representing the association relationship to query the access key (Hou on [0046-0050 and 0060] teaches accessing a hash table with the hash key (HPK) as an index, to obtain the address corresponding to the physical key (PK). Further teaches wherein the first hash table is queried according to a first part (HPK1) of the hash key; and if the entry corresponding to the first part (HPK1) of the hash key in the first hash table records a physical address corresponding to the value (V) of the logical key (LK), first data is read from a storage medium according to the physical address. See on [0116-0120] teaches The KV storage device receives the key (K) and the sorted index (SK) (420) in the read operation interface command, queries a sorted table by using the sorted index (SK), and obtains a corresponding L1 hash table according to the obtained L1 hash table address (425). Moreover, the L1 hash table is queried using the key in the read operation interface command to obtain a corresponding logical address or physical address. See on [0143] teaches a conflict table 640 is created to record the association relationship between the key (K1) or RK1 and the physical address/logical address thereof, and also to record the association relationship between the key (K2) or RK2 and the physical address/logical address thereof).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Hou into the teaching of WU and Liu by generating hash table representing the association relationship to query access key. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access to the address corresponding to physical key based on hash table and identify whether the acquired physical key matches the access key (Hou [0048-0053]).
Regarding claim 15 WU teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer code which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to at least (Wu on [page 23 3rd last para] a processor executing instructions stored in memory);
acquire a physical address of at least one device to be accessed; (WU on [page 4 last 2 lines and page 5 line 1-7] teaches the management server receives MAC address of the terminal device, wherein the MAC address is physical address responsible for the terminal network access);
generate (WU on [page 5 last para] teaches receiving MAC address of all connected devices and the management device generates temporary key (i.e., access key) and send the temporary key to the corresponding device. See on [page 10 step 307] teaches the management server sends unique temporary key to the terminal generated based on the physical address of the terminal. See on [page 15 last 2 lines] teaches generating by the management server independent key (i.e., also an access key) based on the MAC address of the terminal);
generate, after the access key is generated an association relationship between at least one physical address and the access key; (WU on [page 11 step 312 and page 15 step 417] teaches the management server determines association relationship between the temporary key and the MAC address. See on [page 14 line 1-10] teaches the independent key is used to generate association relationship with the MAC address and the independent key. See on [page 16 Table 1] teaches generating corresponding relationship between MAC address and the independent key);
transmit the association relationship to an access point device (WU on [page 16 Table 1] teaches generating corresponding relationship between MAC address and the independent key storing the relationship in the wireless network device (i.e., transmitting the associations relationship). See on [page 4 2nd last para] the network device is access point);
and transmit the access key specified in the association relationship to a corresponding device to be accessed (WU on [page 10 step 307] teaches the management server sends temporary key to the terminal).
WU teaches generating temporary key based on address information but fails to explicitly teach generating the key after physical address is acquired and wherein the access point device verifies, based on the association relationship, an access request initiated by the corresponding device to be accessed based on the access key, however Liu from analogous art teaches
generate after the physical address is acquired an access key corresponding to the physical address of the at least one device (Liu Fig 2 block 202, 207 and text on [0028 and 0046-0048] teaches the DLNA server obtains a MAC address of the client device and generates a key corresponding to the MAC address i.e., the key is generated after the physical address is acquired);
wherein the access point device verifies, based on the association relationship, an access request initiated by the at least one device to be accessed based on the access key (Liu Fig 2 block 201, 206 and text on [0026] teaches DLNA server receives an access request from DLNA client. Further on [0040-0043] teaches the DLNA server searches for the MAC address in pre-stored corresponding relationships to determine if the MAC address exists in the pre-stored corresponding relationships and the DLNA server provides a corresponding key for a MAC address of each DLNA client which has successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server. See on [0049] teaches if the MAC address exists in the pre-stored corresponding relationships, the DLNA server determines whether to authorize the access of the DLNA client according to the key corresponding to the MAC address included in the pre-stored corresponding relationships. See also on [0061] teaches a corresponding key is provided for a MAC address of each DLNA client which has successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server, and a corresponding relationship between the MAC address and the key is added into pre-stored corresponding relationships).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Liu into the teaching of WU by having access point device verifying access request based on associations relationships. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access using association relationship between MAC address and key thereby preventing malicious access of and potential security risks (Liu [0005-0008]).
The combinations fail to explicitly teach generating, based on the association relationship, a Hash table for representing the association relationship to query the access key, however Hou from analogous art teaches
generating, based on the association relationship, a Hash table for representing the association relationship to query the access key (Hou on [0046-0050 and 0060] teaches accessing a hash table with the hash key (HPK) as an index, to obtain the address corresponding to the physical key (PK). Further teaches wherein the first hash table is queried according to a first part (HPK1) of the hash key; and if the entry corresponding to the first part (HPK1) of the hash key in the first hash table records a physical address corresponding to the value (V) of the logical key (LK), first data is read from a storage medium according to the physical address. See on [0116-0120] teaches The KV storage device receives the key (K) and the sorted index (SK) (420) in the read operation interface command, queries a sorted table by using the sorted index (SK), and obtains a corresponding L1 hash table according to the obtained L1 hash table address (425). Moreover, the L1 hash table is queried using the key in the read operation interface command to obtain a corresponding logical address or physical address. See on [0143] teaches a conflict table 640 is created to record the association relationship between the key (K1) or RK1 and the physical address/logical address thereof, and also to record the association relationship between the key (K2) or RK2 and the physical address/logical address thereof).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Hou into the teaching of WU and Liu by generating hash table representing the association relationship to query access key. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access to the address corresponding to physical key based on hash table and identify whether the acquired physical key matches the access key (Hou [0048-0053]).
Regarding claim 2, 9 and 16 the combination of WU, Liu and Hou teaches all the limitations of claims 1, 8 and 15 respectively, Wu further teaches wherein the acquiring comprises: receiving the physical address of the at least one device to be accessed from an application client running on the at least one device to be accessed through an application server (Wu on [page 4 last 2 lines and page 5 line 1-7] teaches the management server receives MAC address of the terminal device, wherein the MAC address is physical address responsible for the terminal network access. See on [page 2] teaches terminal running a target application program).
Regarding claim 3, 10 and 17 the combination of WU, Liu and Hou teaches all the limitations of claims 2, 9 and 16 respectively, Liu further teaches wherein transmitting the access key to the corresponding device to be accessed comprises: transmitting the association relationship between the at least one physical address and the access key to the application server, wherein, based on the association relationship, the application server transmits the access key to the at least one device to be accessed that corresponds to a physical address associated with the access key (Liu Fig 2 block 208 and text on [0048-0053] teaches the DLNA server generates the key corresponding to the MAC address, adds the MAC address and the key corresponding to the MAC address into the pre-stored corresponding relationships, and sends the key to the DLNA client corresponding to the MAC address. For example, the DLNA server may send an authorization response to the DLNA client, and the authorization response can carry the generated key. Further teaches since the relationships between keys and MAC addresses of the DLNA clients which have ever successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server are stored in the pre-stored corresponding relationships, when the MAC address of the DLNA client currently sending the access request is in the pre-stored corresponding relationships, the DLNA server obtains the key corresponding to the MAC address from the pre-stored corresponding relationships. See on [0082] teaches a corresponding key is provided for an MAC address of each DLNA client which has successfully established an access connection with the DLNA server, and a relationship between the MAC address and the key is added into pre-stored corresponding relationships. In addition, the key is sent to the DLNA client corresponding to the MAC address, and the DLNA client is requested to include the key in subsequent access requests).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Liu into the teaching of WU by having access point device verifying access request based on associations relationships. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access using association relationship between MAC address and key thereby preventing malicious access of and potential security risks (Liu [0005-0008]).
Regarding claim 4, 11 and 18 the combination of WU, Liu and Hou teaches all the limitations of claims 1, 8 and 15 respectively, Wu further teaches wherein access keys for physical addresses of different devices to be accessed are different (Wu on [page 5] teaches plurality of terminal devices 110-111. See on [page 10 step 307] teaches a unique key is generated for each terminal).
Regarding claim 6, 13 and 20 the combination of WU, Liu and Hou teaches all the limitations of claims 1, 8 and 15 respectively, Liu further teaches wherein generating the access key comprises: generating the access key according to a predetermined rule based on a location of the at least one device to be accessed or a type of device of the at least one device to be accessed (Liu on [0029] teaches the DLNA server firstly obtains an Internet Protocol (IP) address (i.e., location of the device) of the DLNA client, and then performs a reverse query to identify a MAC address corresponding to the IP address based on an address resolution protocol (ARP), as the MAC address used by the DLNA client. See on [0043] teaches the DLNA server generates a key (i.e., the key is generated once the DLNA server obtains IP address of client device at step 202) corresponding to a MAC address of the DLNA client, and adds a corresponding relationship between the MAC address and the key into the pre-stored corresponding relationships).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the teaching of Liu into the teaching of WU by generating access key based on location information of the device. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable secure access using association relationship between MAC address and key thereby preventing malicious access of and potential security risks (Liu [0005-0008]).
Conclusion
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/MOEEN KHAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2436