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 § 103
1. 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.
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.
2. Claims 1-7, 9-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Levy et al. (US Pub. No. US2019/0042504) in view of Wright (US Patent No. US6,976,105) and further in view of Huang (US Pub. No. US20210178260)
As per claim 1, Levy discloses a method performed by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller (fig.2, USB manager 204), the method comprising:
retrieving a plurality of descriptors (paragraph 31, line 9, configuration descriptors from the USB device 108) from a plurality of USB devices (fig.2, USB devices 108) coupled to the USB controller, wherein each of the plurality of USB devices is associated with at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors (paragraph 33, lines 8-9, an entry in the USB configuration data includes some or all of the device descriptor, the configuration descriptor, one or more interface descriptors, and one or more endpoint descriptors); and
outputting a first address associated with the first virtual USB device to a computing device. (paragraph 30, lines 18-20, the addresses assigned to the USB devices 108 by the virtual enumeration manager 206 during the virtual enumeration process)
Levy discloses all limitations as the above but does not explicitly disclose “modifying at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors; generating a first virtual USB device based at least in part on modifying the at least one descriptor.” However, Wright discloses this (Col.8, lines 10-23, once configuration information is received from the new downstream device, the concentrator combines the configuration information from the attached downstream devices into a single virtual meta-peripheral device. The host may then initiate an enumeration process, upon receiving the combined configuration information, the enumeration process allows the host to obtain information about the single virtual meta-peripheral device and configure the concentrator into normal operating mode.)
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Wright with the teaching of Levy so as to abstract complexity and enable programmatic, efficient, or cost-effective solutions and so as to yield the predicatable result so as to control efficiently, thus enhance the system performance.
Levy in view of Wright disclose all the limitations as the above but do not explicitly disclose “wherein each of one or more first USB devices of the plurality of USB devices comprises a human interface device (HID); modifying at least one of the plurality of descriptors wherein modifying the at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors comprises modifying a report descriptor and the modified report descriptor is associated with each of the one or more first USB devices comprising a HID.” However, Huang discloses this, (paragraph 63, the report descriptor of a non-touch event outputted by the keyboard or the mouse is needed to be modified to be a report descriptor corresponding to a HID of a touch panel connector).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Huang with the teaching of Levy in view of Wright so as to provide a simulatively-touch method for improving the convenience of use of touch control devices, efficient, or cost-effective solutions and so as to yield the predicatable result so as to control efficiently, thus enhance the system performance.
As per claims 13 and 20, Levy discloses a Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller (fig.2, USB manager 204) comprising:
a processing system (fig.1, processor 110); and
a memory (fig.1, memory 112) storing instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the USB controller to: retrieve a plurality of descriptors from a plurality of USB devices (fig.2, USB devices 108) coupled to the USB controller (paragraph 31, line 9, configuration descriptors from the USB device 108), wherein each of the plurality of USB devices is associated with at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors(paragraph 33, lines 8-9, an entry in the USB configuration data 212 may include some or all of the device descriptor, the configuration descriptor, one or more interface descriptors, and one or more endpoint descriptors.);
modify at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors (paragraph 39, lines 10-12, identify any changes or configuration of the USB devices 108 from the last known configuration and update the USB configuration data 310 accordingly as well as update the host compute device 102 of any changes.);
generate a first virtual USB device based at least in part on modifying the at least one descriptor (paragraph 30, lines 21-22, If there is a change in the USB topology and/or configuration data, the virtual enumeration manager 206 change the configuration of the USB devices 108 on the host compute device); and
output a first address associated with the first virtual USB device to a computing device. (paragraph 30, lines 18-20, the addresses assigned to the USB devices 108 by the virtual enumeration manager 206 during the virtual enumeration process)
Levy discloses all limitations as the above but does not explicitly disclose “modify at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors; generate a first virtual USB device based at least in part on modifying the at least one descriptor.” However, Wright discloses this (Col.8, lines 10-23, once configuration information is received from the new downstream device, the concentrator combines the configuration information from the attached downstream devices into a single virtual meta-peripheral device. The host may then initiate an enumeration process, upon receiving the combined configuration information, the enumeration process allows the host to obtain information about the single virtual meta-peripheral device and configure the concentrator into normal operating mode.)
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Wright with the teaching of Levy so as to abstract complexity and enable programmatic, efficient, or cost-effective solutions and so as to yield the predicatable result so as to control efficiently, thus enhance the system performance.
Levy in view of Wright disclose all the limitations as the above but do not explicitly disclose “wherein each of one or more first USB devices of the plurality of USB devices comprises a human interface device (HID); modifying at least one of the plurality of descriptors wherein modifying the at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors comprises modifying a report descriptor and the modified report descriptor is associated with each of the one or more first USB devices comprising a HID.” However, Huang discloses this, (paragraph 63, the report descriptor of a non-touch event outputted by the keyboard or the mouse is needed to be modified to be a report descriptor corresponding to a HID of a touch panel connector).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Huang with the teaching of Levy in view of Wright so as to provide a simulatively-touch method for improving the convenience of use of touch control devices, efficient, or cost-effective solutions and so as to yield the predicatable result so as to control efficiently, thus enhance the system performance.
As per claims 2 and 14, Levy discloses wherein the first virtual USB device is associated with each of the plurality of USB devices. (paragraph 30, lines 18-20, the addresses assigned to the USB devices 108 by the virtual enumeration manager 206 during the virtual enumeration process)
As per claims 3 and 15, Levy discloses wherein the modifying of the at least one descriptor comprises renumbering the at least one descriptor. (paragraph 39, lines 11-12, configuration and update the USB configuration data 310 accordingly as well as update the host compute device 102 of any changes.)
As per claims 4 and 16, Levy discloses wherein the at least one descriptor comprises an interface descriptor. (paragraph 31, line 10, et interface descriptors from the USB device 108)
As per claims 5 and 17, Levy discloses wherein the at least one descriptor comprises an endpoint descriptor. (paragraph 44, line 6, the endpoint descriptor)
As per claim 6, Levy discloses the method further comprising: detecting that a first USB device of the plurality of USB devices is decoupled from the USB controller and that one or more second USB devices of the plurality of USB devices are still coupled to the USB controller (paragraph 42, lines 7-9, the USB manager determine which USB devices 108 are connected to the MAUSB device 106 and perform a full enumeration of the USB devices 108 using the stored USB configuration data 310 when the MAUSB device 106 is turned on);and
outputting a second address associated with the second virtual USB device to the computing device (paragraph 30, lines 18-20, the addresses assigned to the USB devices 108 by the virtual enumeration manager 206 during the virtual enumeration process).
modifying at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors associated with the one or more second USB devices still coupled to the USB controller (paragraph 39, lines 10-12, identify any changes or configuration of the USB devices 108 from the last known configuration and update the USB configuration data 310 accordingly as well as update the host compute device 102 of any changes); and
generating a second virtual USB device based at least in part on modifying the at least one descriptor of the plurality of descriptors associated with the one or more second USB devices still coupled to the USB controller. However, Wright discloses this (Col.8, lines 10-23, once configuration information is received from the new downstream device, the concentrator combines the configuration information from the attached downstream devices into a single virtual meta-peripheral device. The host may then initiate an enumeration process, upon receiving the combined configuration information, the enumeration process allows the host to obtain information about the single virtual meta-peripheral device and configure the concentrator into normal operating mode.)
As per claim 7, Levy discloses wherein the retrieving of the plurality of descriptors from the plurality of USB devices comprises enumerating each of the plurality of USB devices. (paragraph 19, lines 1-3, the MAUSB device 106 may perform an enumeration of the USB devices 108, which may also be based on the USB configuration data.)
As per claim 9, Levy discloses wherein the modified report descriptor includes a plurality of report identifiers (IDs) (paragraph 47, lines 5-6, the MAUSB device 106 reports the presence of a new USB device 108 to the host compute device 102), and wherein each of the one or more first USB devices comprising a HID is associated with at least one report ID of the plurality of report IDs. (paragraph 53, lines 10-11, the host compute device 102 may infer the USB configuration data to use based on an identification of the MAUSB device 106, such as a serial number or media access control (MAC) address of the MAUSB device 106.)
As per claim 10, Levy discloses wherein the plurality of report IDs is sequentially numbered. (paragraph 53, lines 10-11, the host compute device 102 may infer the USB configuration data to use based on an identification of the MAUSB device 106, such as a serial number or media access control (MAC) address of the MAUSB device 106.)
As per claim 11, Levy discloses wherein the USB controller comprises a media agnostic USB (MA-USB) device. (paragraph 115, lines 1-3, the host compute device comprising an MAUSB session manager to establish a media agnostic USB (MAUSB) session with an MAUSB device.)
As per claims 12 and 18, Levy discloses wherein one or more USB devices of the plurality of USB devices are coupled to the USB controller via a wireless communication channel. (paragraph 17, lines 6-8, a host compute device 102 may establish a wireless link with a MAUSB device 106 and subsequently establish a MAUSB session with the MAUSB device 106.)
As per claim 19, Levy discloses wherein the USB controller comprises a dongle or a thin client. (paragraph 32, lines 5-6, the USB manager 306 may present the USB devices 108 as connected and ready to send and receive data to clients on the host compute device 102)
As per claim 21, Huang discloses wherein the report descriptor carries information about respective structure of one or more reports transmitted by or received by the HID. (paragraph 63, the report descriptor of a non-touch event outputted by the keyboard or the mouse is needed to be modified to be a report descriptor corresponding to a HID of a touch panel connector)
Response to Amendment
3. Applicant's amendment filed on 1/7/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Iverson et al. [Pub. No. US10120054400] discloses The virtual host can send a standard USB request to the new virtual address of the virtual device to obtain the device descriptor of the virtual device.
Yeh [Pub. No. US2009/0019192) discloses at paragraph 14, modifying the contents of configuration descriptor and device descriptor from the first USB specification to a second USB specification; and changing the access speed of Virtual Storage between the server and the computer to the second USB specification.
HUANG [Pub. No US 20240275668] discloses paragraph 239 reads a basic descriptor set After successful enumeration, the networked device sends the printer's descriptor set to the server. The server generates a virtual USB device on the local computer based on the received descriptor set by virtualizing bus or other methods.
An [Pub. No. US20180260351] discloses After reading the USB device descriptor, guest operating system 222 generates a set of identifiers for virtual USB peripheral controller 215.
Conclusion
5. 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.
Contact Information
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIM T HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)272-3635 or via e-mail addressed to [kim.huynh3@uspto.gov]. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7.00AM- 4:00PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tsai Henry can be reached at (571)272-4176 or via e-mail addressed to [Henry.Tsai@USPTO.GOV].
The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are (571)273-8300 for regular communications and After Final communications. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is (571)272-2100.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/K. T. H./
Examiner, Art Unit 2184
/HENRY TSAI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2184
Prosecution Insights