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 .
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 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.
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
No information disclosure statement (IDS) is submitted.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 02/26/2024 are accepted by the examiner.
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
1. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown et al. (US Pub No. 2008/0178300, hereinafter “Brown”) in view of Wang et al. (US Pub No. 2023/0188358, hereinafter “Wang”).
Regarding claim 1, Brown does disclose, an apparatus for a computer system, the apparatus comprising interface circuitry, machine-readable instructions, and processor circuitry to execute the machine-readable instructions to: provide, via an interface of a firmware of the computer system, an option to erase user data of the computer system (Brown, (para. [0068]), administrator is also provided with the option of selecting a subset of the predetermined set of data types to be made the subject of a wipe command); and erase, after the option has been triggered, the user data of the computer system, wherein erasing the user data of the computer system comprises erasing user data managed by a non-operating system component of the computer system (Brown, (para. [0068]), the administrator may select one user, such as the user 610, and select an option to "Erase Data and Disable Handheld" from a listing of options; (para. [0063]), the currently logged-in administrator has permission to wipe message data, calendar data, address book data, user-created data, …).
Brown does not explicitly disclose but the analogous art Wang discloses, erasing user data managed by an operating system of the computer system (Wang, (para. [0119-0120]), the sensitive data usage user interface can include, for each application that accessed data, or sensitive data, a menu option that, upon selection, causes the operating system to send a request to the application that instructs the application to delete all data received from the computing device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Brown by including erasing user data managed by an operating system of the computer system taught by Wang for the advantage of providing improve data security, data privacy, or both (Wang, (para. [0009])).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the option is provided by one of a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, UEFI, of the computer system, a Basic Input/Output System, BIOS, of the computer system, and a remote management firmware of the computer system (Wang, (para. [0157]), the apparatus can optionally include, in addition to hardware, code that generates an execution environment for computer programs, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of one or more of them).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to provide, via a user interface of the firmware of the computer system, the option for a user of the computer system to erase the user data as a menu option, and to erase, after the user has triggered the menu option, the user data of the computer system (Brown, (para. [0068]), the administrator may select one user, such as the user 610, and select an option to "Erase Data and Disable Handheld" from a listing of options; (para. [0063]), the currently logged-in administrator has permission to wipe message data, calendar data, address book data, user-created data, …).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to provide, via the interface of the firmware of the computer system, the option to erase the user data of the computer system via an operating system of the computer system, and to erase, after the option has been triggered via the operating system, the user data of the computer system (Wang, (para. [0119-0120]), the sensitive data usage user interface can include, for each application that accessed data, or sensitive data, a menu option that, upon selection, causes the operating system to send a request to the application that instructs the application to delete all data received from the computing device).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to provide, via the interface of the firmware of the computer system, the option to erase the user data of the computer system via a remote erasure server or a remote management system, and to erase, after the option has been triggered via the remote erasure server or the remote management system, the user data of the computer system (Brown, (para. [0019]), the client device may comprise a mobile communications device, and the command may be received over the air, or received from input at the client device, or received as detection of a predetermined action, condition or trigger for the execution of the wipe command at the client device. In yet a further aspect, prior to receiving the command at the client device, the method may comprise defining, at a location remote from the client device, a plurality of predefined rules associated with an authorization level; and transmitting to the client device the plurality of predefined rules thus defined).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein erasing the user data managed by a non-operating system component of the computer system includes erasing and/or restoring to a default at least one of user data stored in a trusted platform module of the computer system, user data stored in a trusted execution environment of the computer system, user stored in a security engine of the computer system, user configuration settings stored in a non-volatile memory of the computer system, user configuration settings stored by a firmware or firmware application of the computer system, and user data related to one or more authentication variables (Wang, (para. [0119]), the sensitive data usage user interface can include, for each application that accessed data, or sensitive data, an option to customize the data privilege settings for the application. The operating system can receive, while the sensitive data usage user interface is presented, user input that indicates a request for custom data access settings for the application. In response, the operating system can update data access settings for the application using the request for custom data access settings for the application).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein erasing the user data managed by a non-operating system component of the computer system comprises restoring factory settings of the computer system (Wang, (para. [0121]), the operating system can use a twice-signed data usage token for an application until the operating system receives data privilege settings for the application. For example, when an application is first installed on the computing device, e.g., as part of a factory installation process or after being sold to an end user, the computing device can receive a twice-signed data usage token for the application. While the computing device uses the twice-signed data usage token for the application, the computing device can include one or more default data privilege settings, e.g., for the application or for another application).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein erasing user data managed by the operating system of the computer system comprises triggering the operating system of the computer system to erase the user data managed by the operating system (Wang, (para. [0120]), the sensitive data usage user interface can include, for each application that accessed data, or sensitive data, a menu option that, upon selection, causes the operating system to send a request to the application that instructs the application to delete all data received from the computing device).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, in case the trigger is obtained from the operating system of the computer system, erasing the user data managed by the operating system of the computer system is triggered and performed by the operating system (Wang, (para. [0120]), the sensitive data usage user interface can include, for each application that accessed data, or sensitive data, a menu option that, upon selection, causes the operating system to send a request to the application that instructs the application to delete all data received from the computing device).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein erasing the user data comprises performing one or more user data erasure operations defined by a vendor of the computer system (Brown, (para. [0068]), the user or administrator is also provided with the option of selecting a subset of the predetermined set of data types to be made the subject of a wipe command).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to provide, via the interface, an option to select which user data is to be erased (Brown, (figure 8a – figure 8b])).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating system of the computer system is preserved or reset to a factory default when the user data is erased (Wang, (para. [0121]), the operating system can use a twice-signed data usage token for an application until the operating system receives data privilege settings for the application. For example, when an application is first installed on the computing device, e.g., as part of a factory installation process or after being sold to an end user, the computing device can receive a twice-signed data usage token for the application. While the computing device uses the twice-signed data usage token for the application, the computing device can include one or more default data privilege settings, e.g., for the application or for another application).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to determine the user data to be erased based on information on a proposal of user data to be erased by a platform vendor of the computer system (Brown, (para. [0068]), the user or administrator is also provided with the option of selecting a subset of the predetermined set of data types to be made the subject of a wipe command).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to write a persistent record of a timestamp of when the user data has been erased to a storage circuitry of the computer system (Wang, (para. [0020]), in response to controlling the application's access to the data, storing, by the device and in memory, a control record that indicates whether the device enabled or prevented the application's access to the data and a timestamp; receiving, by the device and for the application, a second request for access to data collected by the device).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to verify that the user data has been erased (Brown, (para. [0068]), the wipe command may further comprise the authorization level of the party issuing the authorization level, so that the client device 10, 100 may also verify that the issuer possesses sufficient authority to issue the command to wipe the data types indicated at the authentication step 510).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the machine-readable instructions to provide information on the verification that the user data has been erased (Brown, (para. [0068]), the user interface may then comprise a pop-up dialog box, such as dialog box 680, which provides the help desk administrator with a listing of available data types that may be erased, including "Message Data", "Calendar Data", "Address Book data", "Other user-created data", "PIM/messaging applications", and "Third-party applications").
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Brown-Wang does disclose, the apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the information on the verification that the user data has been erased indicates that the user data has been purged in alignment with NIST 800-88r1 (well known in the art).
Regarding claim 18, the substance of the claimed invention is similar to that of claim 1. Accordingly, this claim is rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding claim 19, the substance of the claimed invention is similar to that of claim 1. Accordingly, this claim is rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding claim 20, the substance of the claimed invention is similar to that of claim 1. Accordingly, this claim is rejected under the same rationale.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent No. 9,537,894, “the system includes a memory storing executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the executable instructions stored in the memory to receive, at a computing device, user account credentials associated with an online user account. The processor is further configured to send the user account credentials to a server. The processor is further configured to receive, in response to sending the user account credentials to a server, a user operating system profile associated with the user account, wherein the user operating system profile comprises user settings and files associated with an operating system. The processor is further configured to configure an operating system session on the device based on the user profile. The processor is further configured to receive an indication to terminate the operating system session. The processor is further configured to erase, upon termination of the operating system session, the received user profile and data stored locally on the computing device during the operating system session”.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MORSHED MEHEDI whose telephone number is (571) 270-7640. The examiner can normally be reached on M - F, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Linglan Edwards can be reach on (571) 270-5440. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/MORSHED MEHEDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2408
