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 .
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.
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, 6-8, 14, 15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ALI et al. (US 2007/0058812) in view of STICKLE et al. (US 9,853,949).
Regarding claim 1, Ali discloses a method for establishing timing and synchronization services comprising:
sending, by a local device, a request to a first source of timing and synchronization services and a second source of timing and synchronization services (abstract; the device establishes a secure communications channel to one or more network attached time sources (i.e., first source and second source) and inquires each of the network attached time sources as to the current time using the secure communication channel), wherein the local device is connected to the first source and the second source (abstract; the device establishes a secure communications channel to one or more network attached time sources);
receiving, by the local device, a first offer for timing and synchronization services from the first source and a second offer for timing and synchronization services from the second source (abstract; the device receives the current time (i.e., offers) from the network-attaches time sources).
But, Ali does not particularly disclose comparing, by the local device, the first offer and the second offer to predetermined metrics;
requesting, by the local device, that the first source provide the timing and synchronization services; and
receiving, by the local device, the timing and synchronization services from the first source.
However, Stickle teaches comparing, by the local device, the first offer and the second offer to predetermined metrics (col. 13, lines 36-42; if multiple time servers (i.e., time sources) are available, the endpoint may select a particularly time server based on various factors such as workload, cost/pricing considerations, etc.);
requesting, by the local device, that the first source provide the timing and synchronization services (col. 13, lines 44-48; the endpoint transmit an internal timestamp request to the selected time server (i.e., first source)); and
receiving, by the local device, the timing and synchronization services from the first source (col. 13, lines 55-65; the endpoint receives an encrypted timestamp from the time server).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ali with the teachings of Stickle, since such a modification would allow to select a particular time server (i.e., timer and synchronization source) that is the most appropriate to handle the service request.
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Ali and Stickle disclose the method of claim 1, Stickle discloses wherein the predetermined metrics comprise price and quality-of-service requirements (col. 13, lines 36-42; if multiple time servers (i.e., time sources) are available, the endpoint may select a particularly time server based on various factors such as workload, cost/pricing considerations, and/or latency measured). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ali with the teachings of Stickle, since such a modification would allow to select a particular time server (i.e., timer and synchronization source) that is the most appropriate to handle the service request.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Ali and Stickle disclose the method of claim 1, Ali discloses wherein the local device is connected to the first source and the second source via wired or optical connections (p. [0030]).
Regarding claim 8, Ali discloses a local device connected to one or more 5G base stations, the local device comprising, comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the one or more processors that stores instructions operable when executed by the one or more processors (p. [0037]) to cause the local device to perform a method for establishing timing and synchronization services comprising:
sending, by a local device, a request to a first source of timing and synchronization services and a second source of timing and synchronization services (abstract; the device establishes a secure communications channel to one or more network attached time sources (i.e., first source and second source) and inquires each of the network attached time sources as to the current time using the secure communication channel), wherein the local device is connected to the first source and the second source (abstract; the device establishes a secure communications channel to one or more network attached time sources);
receiving, by the local device, a first offer for timing and synchronization services from the first source and a second offer for timing and synchronization services from the second source (abstract; the device receives the current time (i.e., offers) from the network-attaches time sources).
But, Ali does not particularly disclose comparing, by the local device, the first offer and the second offer to predetermined metrics;
requesting, by the local device, that the first source provide the timing and synchronization services; and
receiving, by the local device, the timing and synchronization services from the first source.
However, Stickle teaches comparing, by the local device, the first offer and the second offer to predetermined metrics (col. 13, lines 36-42; if multiple time servers (i.e., time sources) are available, the endpoint may select a particularly time server based on various factors such as workload, cost/pricing considerations, etc.);
requesting, by the local device, that the first source provide the timing and synchronization services (col. 13, lines 44-48; the endpoint transmit an internal timestamp request to the selected time server (i.e., first source)); and
receiving, by the local device, the timing and synchronization services from the first source (col. 13, lines 55-65; the endpoint receives an encrypted timestamp from the time server).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ali with the teachings of Stickle, since such a modification would allow to select a particular time server (i.e., timer and synchronization source) that is the most appropriate to handle the service request.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Ali and Stickle disclose the local device of claim 8, Ali discloses wherein the local device is connected to the first source and the second source via wired or optical connections (p. [0030]).
Regarding claim 15, Ali discloses one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying instructions that, when executed by a processor (p. [0037]), cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
sending, by a local device, a request to a first source of timing and synchronization services and a second source of timing and synchronization services (abstract; the device establishes a secure communications channel to one or more network attached time sources (i.e., first source and second source) and inquires each of the network attached time sources as to the current time using the secure communication channel), wherein the local device is connected to the first source and the second source (abstract; the device establishes a secure communications channel to one or more network attached time sources);
receiving, by the local device, a first offer for timing and synchronization services from the first source and a second offer for timing and synchronization services from the second source (abstract; the device receives the current time (i.e., offers) from the network-attaches time sources).
But, Ali does not particularly disclose comparing, by the local device, the first offer and the second offer to predetermined metrics;
requesting, by the local device, that the first source provide the timing and synchronization services; and
receiving, by the local device, the timing and synchronization services from the first source.
However, Stickle teaches comparing, by the local device, the first offer and the second offer to predetermined metrics (col. 13, lines 36-42; if multiple time servers (i.e., time sources) are available, the endpoint may select a particularly time server based on various factors such as workload, cost/pricing considerations, etc.);
requesting, by the local device, that the first source provide the timing and synchronization services (col. 13, lines 44-48; the endpoint transmit an internal timestamp request to the selected time server (i.e., first source)); and
receiving, by the local device, the timing and synchronization services from the first source (col. 13, lines 55-65; the endpoint receives an encrypted timestamp from the time server).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ali with the teachings of Stickle, since such a modification would allow to select a particular time server (i.e., timer and synchronization source) that is the most appropriate to handle the service request.
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Ali and Stickle disclose the one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, Stickle discloses wherein the predetermined metrics comprise price and quality-of-service requirements (col. 13, lines 36-42; if multiple time servers (i.e., time sources) are available, the endpoint may select a particularly time server based on various factors such as workload, cost/pricing considerations, and/or latency measured). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ali with the teachings of Stickle, since such a modification would allow to select a particular time server (i.e., timer and synchronization source) that is the most appropriate to handle the service request.
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ALI et al. (US in views of STICKLE et al., and SANTUKA et al. (US 2016/0277262).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Ali and Stickle disclose the local device of claim
8, but does not particularly disclose wherein the local device comprises a router or switch.
However, Santuka teaches wherein the local device comprises a router or switch (p. [0015]; the network may include network devices such as routers, switches, controllers etc.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combination of Ali and Stickle with the teachings of Santuka, since these are well-known example of local devices that are conventionally found in local networks.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Ali and Stickle disclose the local device of claim 8, but does not particularly disclose wherein the local device comprises a wireless controller.
However, Santuka teaches wherein the local device comprises a wireless controller
(p. [0015]; the network may include network devices such as routers, switches, controllers etc.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combination of Ali and Stickle with the teachings of Santuka, since these are well-known example of local devices that are conventionally found in local networks.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 11-13, and 16-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARISOL FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-7840. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8:00am-4:30pm.
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/MARISOL FIGUEROA/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2643