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 .
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 1-20 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.
Regarding claims 1, 9, and 16, for example see claim 1, lines 2-5, the claim recites configuring at least one input for an OPCIM to receive a control signal to the OPCIM, the OPCIM being inserted between the at least one input and one or more routers associated with a plurality of line cards. The manner in which the OPCIM comprises an input to receive a control signal to the OPCIM is unclear from the context of the claim. The claim limitation recites an OPCIM inserted between the input and router(s) in association with line cards. The manner in which the OPCIM receives a control signal to the OPCIM is unclear from the context of the claim as the amended claim explicitly recites the OPCIM inserted between the input and router(s). It is unclear from the context of the claim whether the OPCIM receives the control signal or the input port receives the control signal. The specification describes first and second input ports configured “towards” OPCIM. See Figure 2 and paragraphs 0043. Further regarding claim 9, the claim recites an OPCIM comprising an input, output, and switching component, but the claim amendment recites that the OPCIM is inserted between at least one client that provides the at least one input and one more routers. It is unclear as to whether the OPCIM comprises the input or the client comprises the input. Appropriate clarification and correction is required.
Regarding claims 1 and 16, for example see claim 1, lines 14-16, the claim recites to prevent a service interruption in sending of the control signal from the at least one input to an output of either the first output or the second output to the second Line Card coupled to the outputs of the OPCIM. The meaning of the claim limitation is unclear from the context of the claim. The manner in which “prevention of a service interruption in sending of the control signal” is performed according to the entire claim limitation is unclear. Appropriate clarification and correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sareen et al. (US 2018/0007147 A1), hereinafter referred to as D1, in view of Sandler et al. (US 2020/0304427 A1), hereinafter referred to as D2
Regarding claims 1, 9, 14, and 16, D1 discloses control plane routing systems and methods for pervasive maintenance, which comprises:
configuring at least one input for an omnidirectional programmable client interface module (OPCIM) to receive a control signal to the OPCIM; configuring a set of outputs of the OPCIM comprising at least a first output and a second output of the OPCIM (Referring to Figures 1-4, node 30 comprising output ports from line modules 34 via interface 42, the interface 42 can be a backplane (multiple outputs), midplane, a bus, optical or electrical connectors, or the like, to common equipment 32 (OPCIM). See paragraphs 0023-0027.);
programming the OPCIM for routing the control signal from the at least one input of the OPCIM to the first output and the second output of the OPCIM to output a first output signal and a second output signal to at least a first Line Card and a second Line Card coupled to ethe first output signal and the second output signal respectively (Referring to Figures 1-4, the common equipment 32, comprising port (at least one input of the OPCIM) to data communication network 40, can connect to a management system 38 through a data communication network 40 (as well as a Path Computation Element (PCE), SDN controller, OpenFlow controller, etc. Common equipment comprising controller 50 to provide control plane processing (processing) for the node 30 via interface 42 (first and second output of the OPCIM as the interface connects to multiple line cards) to output control signals to line modules 34 (a first and second output signal to first and second line cards coupled to each output). See paragraphs 0023-0030.); and
in response to a failure of the first Line Card, automatically reprogramming the OPCIM and routing the control signal to the second Line Card that is still operational to prevent a service interruption in sending of the control signal from the at least one input to an output of either the first output or the second output to the second Line Card coupled to outputs of the OPCIM (Referring to figures 1-6, the local node 202 is designated for maintenance on some of its resources, i.e., line cards (interpreted as failure of at least either line card), line modules, optical modules, switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, ports, etc. This is determined based on a user request marking a resource for maintenance (step 210). First, the process 100, at the local node 202, attempts local recovery (to accommodate the connections associated with the resources and to block the resources during the maintenance) (step 212). Responsive to the network resource carrying traffic, attempting local recovery on all connections of the traffic to move the connections off of the network resource based on action at the local node, and, for the connections unable to locally recover, performing a network action through a control plane in the network to move the connections unable to locally recover off of the network resource (step 306). The network resource can include one or more devices in a node in the network with the traffic associated therewith, and wherein the one or more devices include one or more of line cards, line modules, optical modules, switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, and ports (interpreted as routing the control signal to a first line card and second line card to prevent service interruption in sending of the control signal from the at least one input to an output of either the first output or the second output to a line card coupled to outputs of the OPCIM). See paragraph 0041-0050.)
D1 does not disclose the OPCIM being inserted between the at least one input and one or more routers associated with a plurality of Line Cards.
D2 teaches a communication routing system, which comprises a couple of servers (110 and 110′) which function as Routing Engines (“RE”)/Management Engines (“ME”) (routers associated with line cards) that are configured to be used as a focal point for all inband control and management of traffic. Each of these two engines are also operative as an SDN controller adapted to configure the line cards (130.sub.1 to 130.sub.K) (plurality of line cards) and the routing tables of fabric switching units (120.sub.1 to 120.sub.N+1). In addition, they may also be used to maintain the router structure and coherency by health checking and monitoring all other elements associated therewith. In addition, routing system 100 further comprises two control and management ToR (Top of Rack) switches (140 and 140′), each used as an out-of-band (“OOB”) fabric switching unit that is capable of connecting the switching elements of the routing system (e.g. the line cards and fabric switching units) to the RE/ME servers for management, provisioning, forwarding information base (“FIB”) programming and control of traffic that has originated from the routing system or from one or more neighboring network elements. Each of the fabric switching units (120.sub.1 to 120.sub.N+1) (switching fabric, OPCIM, inserted between the at least one input, inputs to switching fabric, from Control and Management ToR 1 and 2, and one or more routers associated with a plurality of line cards, routing engines associated with the line cards) comprised in routing system 100 is configured to be used as a temporary junction that enables communications to be carried out between the various line cards, which in turn is needed for packet forwarding purposes. On the other hand, each of the fabric switching units (120.sub.1 to 120.sub.N+1) is also configured in such a set up as a temporary junction that enables communications to be carried out between the RE/ME (110 and 110′), allowing line cards' management, provisioning, FIB programming and traffic control. See paragraphs 0040-0051 and Figure 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement the switching fabric of D2 in the system of D1. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have been motivated to do so to reduce system costs by utilizing white boxes for system switching.
Regarding claims 2, 10, and 17, the primary reference further teaches wherein the OPCIM is auto-programmable by at least one of a Path Computation Element (PCE), a controller, or a co-located networking device (Referring to Figures 1-4, the common equipment 32, comprising port (at least one input of the OPCIM) to data communication network 40, can connect to a management system 38 through a data communication network 40 (as well as a Path Computation Element (PCE), SDN controller, OpenFlow controller, etc (PCE programming the common equipment). Common equipment comprising controller 50 to provide control plane processing (processing) for the node 30 via interface 42 to output control signals to line modules 34. See paragraphs 0023-0030.)
Regarding claims 3, 11, 12, and 18, the primary reference further teaches wherein the PCE, the controller, or the co-located networking device is configured to reprogram a port connection map for using an alternate path configured to send the control signal via the OPCIM to an available Line Card (Referring to figures 1-6, the local node 202 is designated for maintenance on some of its resources, i.e., line cards, line modules, optical modules, switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, ports, etc. This is determined based on a user request marking a resource for maintenance (step 210). First, the process 100, at the local node 202, attempts local recovery (to accommodate the connections associated with the resources and to block the resources during the maintenance) (step 212). Responsive to the network resource carrying traffic, attempting local recovery on all connections of the traffic to move the connections off of the network resource based on action at the local node, and, for the connections unable to locally recover, performing a network action through a control plane in the network to move the connections unable to locally recover off of the network resource (step 306). The network resource can include one or more devices in a node in the network with the traffic associated therewith, and wherein the one or more devices include one or more of line cards, line modules, optical modules, switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, and ports (interpreted as reprogram port connection map for using alternative path configured to send the control signal vail the ). See paragraph 0041-0050.)
Regarding claims 4 and 19, the primary reference further teaches updating, a programmable port connection map, after the PCE, the controller, or the co-located networking device evaluates a feasible alternate path (Referring to figures 1-6, the network action can be initiated through control plane messages to originating nodes for all of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the control plane messages indicate the network resource for avoidance in computing a new path. The network action can be performed by originating nodes associated with each of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the originating nodes are configured to compute alternative routes for the connections unable to locally recover exclusive of the local node (updating programmable port connection map after a feasible alternate path evaluated). The network action can include Make-Before-Break (MBB) connections which are set up first for all of the connections unable to locally recover and then initiated via a selector switch after all of the MBB connections are setup. The local recovery can include, for ports of the network resources not carrying traffic, locking these ports to avoid traffic during the maintenance, for ports of the network resources carrying traffic over an aggregated link, performing one of local span mesh restoration and protection switching, and, for switch modules of the network resources in the local node, rebalancing the traffic in the local node such that the switch modules are free of the traffic. The blocking, the attempting, and the performing can each be automatically performed based on the request. See paragraph 0041-0050.)
Regarding claim 5, the primary reference further teaches wherein the OPCIM is auto-programmable to optically reprogram alternate connections between one or more inputs to one or more outputs coupled to one or more components that are subject to interruptions to enable service protection between multiple components, and wherein the OPCIM is enabled in an event of a failure to cause one or more connections to be rerouted to a different Line Card of a router which is configured to provide a make-before-break process to mitigate traffic impact (Referring to figures 1-6, the network action can be initiated through control plane messages to originating nodes for all of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the control plane messages indicate the network resource for avoidance in computing a new path. The network action can be performed by originating nodes associated with each of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the originating nodes are configured to compute alternative routes for the connections unable to locally recover exclusive of the local node. The network action can include Make-Before-Break (MBB) connections which are set up first for all of the connections unable to locally recover and then initiated via a selector switch after all of the MBB connections are setup. The local recovery can include, for ports of the network resources not carrying traffic, locking these ports to avoid traffic during the maintenance, for ports of the network resources carrying traffic over an aggregated link, performing one of local span mesh restoration and protection switching, and, for switch modules of the network resources in the local node, rebalancing the traffic in the local node such that the switch modules are free of the traffic. The blocking, the attempting, and the performing can each be automatically performed based on the request. The network resource can include one or more devices in a node in the network with the traffic associated therewith, and wherein the one or more devices include one or more of line cards, line modules, optical modules, switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, and ports. See paragraph 0041-0050. An operator can designate the specific maintenance at a specified time via a Network Management System (NMS), Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, or the like. At or before the specified time, the network element(s) affected by the specific maintenance can use this designation to signal automatically (e.g., using Make-Before-Break (MBB)) and compute paths to accommodate any traffic affected by the specific maintenance. In an exemplary aspect, the systems and methods include specifying the maintenance with respect to a resource (again, equipment such as line cards, line modules, optical modules (optical), switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, etc.). The connections associated with the resource are moved prior to the maintenance and the systems and methods deal with the resource as a whole as opposed to individual connections. See paragraphs 0041-0050 and 0017-0019.)
Regarding claims 6 and 13, the primary reference further teaches wherein the PCE, the controller, or co-located networking device comprises at least one device of a router or switch that is configured to maintain or to reprogram a programmable port connection map between one or more inputs and one or more outputs associated with one or more OPCIMs that include the OPCIM (Referring to Figures 1-6, see switching modules in Figure 3, the network action can be initiated through control plane messages to originating nodes for all of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the control plane messages indicate the network resource for avoidance in computing a new path. The network action can be performed by originating nodes associated with each of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the originating nodes are configured to compute alternative routes for the connections unable to locally recover exclusive of the local node. The network action can include Make-Before-Break (MBB) connections which are set up first for all of the connections unable to locally recover and then initiated via a selector switch after all of the MBB connections are setup. The local recovery can include, for ports of the network resources not carrying traffic, locking these ports to avoid traffic during the maintenance, for ports of the network resources carrying traffic over an aggregated link, performing one of local span mesh restoration and protection switching, and, for switch modules of the network resources in the local node, rebalancing the traffic in the local node such that the switch modules are free of the traffic. The blocking, the attempting, and the performing can each be automatically performed based on the request. The network resource can include one or more devices in a node in the network with the traffic associated therewith, and wherein the one or more devices include one or more of line cards, line modules, optical modules, switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, and ports. See paragraph 0041-0050. An operator can designate the specific maintenance at a specified time via a Network Management System (NMS), Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, or the like. At or before the specified time, the network element(s) affected by the specific maintenance can use this designation to signal automatically (e.g., using Make-Before-Break (MBB)) and compute paths to accommodate any traffic affected by the specific maintenance. In an exemplary aspect, the systems and methods include specifying the maintenance with respect to a resource (again, equipment such as line cards, line modules, optical modules (optical), switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, etc.). The connections associated with the resource are moved prior to the maintenance and the systems and methods deal with the resource as a whole as opposed to individual connections (thereby configured to reprogram the programmable port connection map between inputs and outputs with the at least one OPCIM). 0041-0050 and 0017-0019.)
Regarding claims 7, 15, and 20, the primary reference further teaches discloses wherein the OPCIM is auto-programmable to enable protection of an event associated with failure in a programmed path that comprises a set of one or more conditions associated with a Line Card, an ASIC, a clock, a pluggable device, a controller signal error or failure, a fabric, resource condition, a CPU control failure, a router breakdown, an unidirectional link, and a failure caused by a rerouting of a path between an input and an output (Referring to Figures 1-6, see switching modules in Figure 3, the network action can be initiated through control plane messages to originating nodes for all of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the control plane messages indicate the network resource for avoidance in computing a new path. The network action can be performed by originating nodes associated with each of the connections unable to locally recover, wherein the originating nodes are configured to compute alternative routes for the connections unable to locally recover exclusive of the local node. The network action can include Make-Before-Break (MBB) connections which are set up first for all of the connections unable to locally recover and then initiated via a selector switch after all of the MBB connections are setup. The local recovery can include, for ports of the network resources not carrying traffic, locking these ports to avoid traffic during the maintenance, for ports of the network resources carrying traffic over an aggregated link, performing one of local span mesh restoration and protection switching, and, for switch modules of the network resources in the local node, rebalancing the traffic in the local node such that the switch modules are free of the traffic. The blocking, the attempting, and the performing can each be automatically performed based on the request. The network resource can include one or more devices in a node in the network with the traffic associated therewith, and wherein the one or more devices include one or more of line cards, line modules, optical modules, switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, and ports. See paragraph 0041-0050. An operator can designate the specific maintenance at a specified time via a Network Management System (NMS), Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, or the like. At or before the specified time, the network element(s) affected by the specific maintenance can use this designation to signal automatically (e.g., using Make-Before-Break (MBB)) and compute paths to accommodate any traffic affected by the specific maintenance. In an exemplary aspect, the systems and methods include specifying the maintenance with respect to a resource (again, equipment such as line cards, line modules, optical modules (optical), switching fabrics, switching modules, fibers, etc.). The connections associated with the resource are moved prior to the maintenance and the systems and methods deal with the resource as a whole as opposed to individual connections (thereby failure caused by a rerouting of a path between an input and an output). 0041-0050 and 0017-0019.)
Regarding claim 8, the primary reference further teaches discloses balancing a number of control signals received by the OPCIM to a proportional number of output signals generated by the OPCIM to balance usage of one or more outputs configured with the OPCIM to one or more Line Cards in use (Referring to Figures 1-6, The local recovery can include, for ports of the network resources not carrying traffic, locking these ports to avoid traffic during the maintenance, for ports of the network resources carrying traffic over an aggregated link, performing one of local span mesh restoration and protection switching, and, for switch modules of the network resources in the local node, rebalancing the traffic in the local node such that the switch modules are free of the traffic (interpreted as claimed balancing as the local recovery manages control signaling for the node as the PCE signals to the common element according to management of the system and the node manages its local recovery thereby reducing and balancing control signaling to the PCE). The blocking, the attempting, and the performing can each be automatically performed based on the request. See paragraphs 0024, 0025, and 0034-0036.)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection is necessitated by the amendments to the claims. The grounds for the rejections is presented above. The Examiner suggests amending the claims to more clearly recite, the structural and functional relationship between the OPCIM, input, and line cards. Although, the instant invention differs from the prior art, the claims as amended present a number of different broad literal reasonable claim interpretations which are taught in light of the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jiang et al. (US 2021/0111925 A1) - A controller for the first network may provide control signals and configuration data to the network connector circuitry to form the connection to the second network and may configure the switch to forward external network traffic to and from the connector endpoint via a switch port directly coupled to the connector endpoint.
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 DONALD L MILLS whose telephone number is (571)272-3094. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9-5 PM EST.
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DONALD L. MILLS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2462
/Donald L Mills/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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