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 .
Remarks
The present application having Application No. 18/474,754 filed on 9/26/2023.
Claims 1-15 are currently pending.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: claims 6 and 13 recite "the method is further configured to decrypt the connection key prior to establishing the secure connection". Paragraphs (0046-0049) recite a connection key is encrypted but does not expressly recite the connection key is decrypted.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim(s) 1, 7, 8, 14, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scholten et al. (US 20150365217 A1) (hereinafter Scholten) in view of Chamarajnager et al. (US 20210258211 A1) (hereinafter Chamarajnager) and further in view of McCready et al. (US 20190230063).
As per claim 1, Scholten discloses a method, comprising: obtaining, at a processor of a computing device, a virtual gateway application package (e.g. Scholten: (0022) a virtual gateway comprising a downloadable software application that may utilize one or more personal communication devices 201. Please note the virtual gateway corresponds to the Applicant’s virtual gateway application package.) including a setup component (e.g. Scholten: (0023) a virtual gateway, which may be implemented in a downloadable software application. Please note the downloadable software application corresponds to the Applicant’s setup component.) and a firmware component containing a server identifier (e.g. Scholten: (0039) The virtual gateway 2011 may include any suitable logic to enable a user to communicate with the HECS 203 to view and manipulate data. (0072) the delivery mechanism or protocol that the HECS 203 expects the virtual gateway 2011 to deliver the payload with, e.g. via HTTP or UPnP. Please note the suitable logic corresponds to the Applicant’s firmware component, and HTTP inherently requires a server identifier to be used for communication. Please note HTTP requests include a mandatory Host header that identifies where the request should be sent which under BRI is considered a server identifier.); storing the virtual gateway application package in a memory of the computing device (e.g. Scholten: The personal communication device 201 includes a virtual gateway 2011 that is stored or retained in a storage device 2012.); via execution of the setup component: deploying the firmware component to the memory (e.g. Scholten: (0069) the logic may be downloaded as an application or ‘app’ on to a personal communication device.);
Scholten does not expressly disclose generating a unique gateway identifier; and storing the unique gateway identifier in the memory; via execution of the firmware component: retrieving the unique gateway identifier and the server identifier; generating a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier and including the unique gateway identifier; receiving configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device; and establishing a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters.
However, Chamarajnager does disclose generating a unique gateway identifier (e.g. Chamarajnager: (0060) The management service 120 can generate and provide gateway credentials 140 to authenticate the gateway 111 with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials 140 corresponds to the Applicant’s unique gateway identifier); and storing the unique gateway identifier in the memory (e.g. Chamarajnager: (Fig. 1) (0059) The data store can also include gateway credentials 140 that are received from the management service 120.); via execution of the firmware component: retrieving the unique gateway identifier and the server identifier (e.g. Chamarajnager: (0037) the gateway management agent 139 can be permitted to obtain gateway credentials 140. (0037) the gateway management agent 139 can communicate with the management service 120, for example, through an enrollment endpoint of the management service 120 or an address associated with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials corresponds to the Applicant’s unique gateway identifier, and the address corresponds to the Applicant’s server identifier.);
It would have been obvious, under KSR, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filling date of the claimed invention to modify Scholten with Chamarajnager because both are directed to using gateways to relay data from peripheral devices to cloud servers and use known, complementary techniques to do so. A POSITA, seeking to improve Scholten’s system of a virtual gateway application using a computing device would have been motivated to apply Chamarajnager’s established practice of generating and storing unique identifiers, and would yield the predictable result of ensuring enhanced security and improving scalability and traceability.
The combination of Scholten and Chamarajnager does not disclose generating a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier and including the unique gateway identifier; receiving configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device ; and establishing a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters.
However, McCready does disclose generating a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier (e.g. McCready: (0086) The request to enroll the IoT device 113 with the management service 120 can include a post message transmitted by the gateway management application 187 to the management service 120. Please note the request to enroll corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration request, and the post message inherently involves addressing a message to a server identifier.) and including the unique gateway identifier (e.g. McCready: (0096) The gateway management application 187 can use the gateway credentials 154 to authenticate with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials 154 corresponds to the Applicant’s gateway identifier.); receiving configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device (e.g. McCready: (0099) the gateway management application 187 can receive an enrollment response from the management service 120. Please note the enrollment response corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration data.); and establishing a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters (e.g. McCready: (0099) the gateway management application 187 can cause an IoT management application 197 to be installed on the IoT device 113. The IoT management application 197 can perform actions as directed by the management service 120 and/or the gateway 111. Please note the installed IoT management application corresponds to the Applicant’s establishing a connection.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method/system of configuring a gateway to connect with a remote server as taught by McCready into the virtual gateway as taught by the combination of Scholten and Chamarajnager to securely enroll a gateway to a server (See McCready: (0009-0011)).
As per claim 7, the method of claim 1 (See rejection to claim 1 above), the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready discloses further comprising: in response to establishing the connection with the at least one peripheral device, relaying data between the at least one peripheral device and the server (e.g. Scholten: (0052) the virtual gateway(s) 2011 may relay status data and commands between the HECS and one or more connected local devices 206a-206e within the premises or network. Please note the connected local devices corresponds to the Applicant’s peripheral device, and the HECS corresponds to the Applicant’s server.).
As per claim 8, Scholten discloses a computing device, comprising (e.g. Scholten: (0020) The virtual gateway may utilize the hardware of a personal communications device via an application Please note the personal communications device corresponds to the Applicant’s computing device) a memory (e.g. Scholten: (0037) The personal communication device 201 includes … a memory 2014.); a communications interface (e.g. Scholten: (0037) The personal communication device 201 includes … a communication interface (I/F) 2015); and a processor configured to: obtain a virtual gateway application package (e.g. Scholten: (0022) a virtual gateway comprising a downloadable software application that may utilize one or more personal communication devices 201. Please note the virtual gateway corresponds to the Applicant’s virtual gateway application package.) including a setup component (e.g. Scholten: (0023) a virtual gateway, which may be implemented in a downloadable software application. Please note the downloadable software application corresponds to the Applicant’s setup component.) and a firmware component containing a server identifier (e.g. Scholten: (0039) The virtual gateway 2011 may include any suitable logic to enable a user to communicate with the HECS 203 to view and manipulate data. (0072) the delivery mechanism or protocol that the HECS 203 expects the virtual gateway 2011 to deliver the payload with, e.g. via HTTP or UPnP. Please note the suitable logic corresponds to the Applicant’s firmware component, and HTTP inherently requires a server identifier to be used for communication. Please note HTTP requests include a mandatory Host header that identifies where the request should be sent which under BRI is considered a server identifier.); via execution of the setup component: deploy the firmware component to the memory (e.g. Scholten: (0069) the logic may be downloaded as an application or ‘app’ on to a personal communication device.);
Scholten does not disclose generate a unique gateway identifier; and store the unique gateway identifier in the memory; via execution of the firmware component: retrieve the unique gateway identifier and the server identifier; generate a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier and including the unique gateway identifier; receive configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device; and establish a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters.
However, Chamarajnager does disclose generate a unique gateway identifier (e.g. Chamarajnager: (0060) The management service 120 can generate and provide gateway credentials 140 to authenticate the gateway 111 with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials 140 corresponds to the Applicant’s unique gateway identifier); and store the unique gateway identifier in the memory (e.g. Chamarajnager: (Fig. 1) (0059) The data store can also include gateway credentials 140 that are received from the management service 120.); via execution of the firmware component: retrieve the unique gateway identifier and the server identifier (e.g. Chamarajnager: (0037) the gateway management agent 139 can be permitted to obtain gateway credentials 140. (0037) the gateway management agent 139 can communicate with the management service 120, for example, through an enrollment endpoint of the management service 120 or an address associated with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials corresponds to the Applicant’s unique gateway identifier, and the address corresponds to the Applicant’s server identifier.);
It would have been obvious, under KSR, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Scholten with Chamarajnager because both are directed to computing devices using gateways to relay data from peripheral devices to cloud servers and use known, complementary techniques to do so. A POSITA, seeking to improve Scholten’s system of a virtual gateway application would have been motivated to apply Chamarajnager’s established structural framework of generating and storing unique identifiers, and would yield the predictable result of ensuring enhanced security and improving scalability and traceability.
The combination of Scholten and Chamarajnager does not disclose generate a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier and including the unique gateway identifier; receive configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device; and establish a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters.
However, McCready does disclose generate a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier (e.g. McCready: (0086) The request to enroll the IoT device 113 with the management service 120 can include a post message transmitted by the gateway management application 187 to the management service 120. Please note the request to enroll corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration request, and the post message inherently involves addressing a message to a server identifier.) and including the unique gateway identifier (e.g. McCready: (0096) The gateway management application 187 can use the gateway credentials 154 to authenticate with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials 154 corresponds to the Applicant’s gateway identifier.); receive configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device (e.g. McCready: (0099) the gateway management application 187 can receive an enrollment response from the management service 120. Please note the enrollment response corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration data.); and establish a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters (e.g. McCready: (0099) the gateway management application 187 can cause an IoT management application 197 to be installed on the IoT device 113. The IoT management application 197 can perform actions as directed by the management service 120 and/or the gateway 111. Please note the installed IoT management application corresponds to the Applicant’s establishing a connection.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the gateway management system of configuring a gateway to connect with a remote server as taught by McCready into the virtual gateway system as taught by the combination of Scholten and Chamarajnager to securely enroll a gateway to a server (See McCready: (0009-0011)).
As per claim 15, Scholten discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of computer-readable instructions executable by a processor of a computing device (e.g. Scholten: (Claim 23) A non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, encoded with processor readable instructions) to: obtain a virtual gateway application package (e.g. Scholten: (0022) a virtual gateway comprising a downloadable software application that may utilize one or more personal communication devices 201. Please note the virtual gateway corresponds to the Applicant’s virtual gateway application package.) including a setup component (e.g. Scholten: (0023) a virtual gateway, which may be implemented in a downloadable software application. Please note the downloadable software application corresponds to the Applicant’s setup component.) and a firmware component containing a server identifier(e.g. Scholten: (0039) The virtual gateway 2011 may include any suitable logic to enable a user to communicate with the HECS 203 to view and manipulate data. (0072) the delivery mechanism or protocol that the HECS 203 expects the virtual gateway 2011 to deliver the payload with, e.g. via HTTP or UPnP. Please note the suitable logic corresponds to the Applicant’s firmware component, and HTTP inherently requires a server identifier to be used for communication. Please note HTTP requests include a mandatory Host header that identifies where the request should be sent which under BRI is considered a server identifier.); via execution of the setup component: deploy the firmware component to a memory (e.g. Scholten: (0069) the logic may be downloaded as an application or ‘app’ on to a personal communication device.);
Scholten does not disclose generate a unique gateway identifier; and store the unique gateway identifier in the memory; via execution of the firmware component: retrieve the unique gateway identifier and the server identifier; generate a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier and including the unique gateway identifier; receive configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device; and establish a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters.
However, Chamarajnager does disclose generate a unique gateway identifier (e.g. Chamarajnager: (0060) The management service 120 can generate and provide gateway credentials 140 to authenticate the gateway 111 with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials 140 corresponds to the Applicant’s unique gateway identifier); and store the unique gateway identifier in the memory (e.g. Chamarajnager: (Fig. 1) (0059) The data store can also include gateway credentials 140 that are received from the management service 120.); via execution of the firmware component: retrieve the unique gateway identifier and the server identifier (e.g. Chamarajnager: (0037) the gateway management agent 139 can be permitted to obtain gateway credentials 140. (0037) the gateway management agent 139 can communicate with the management service 120, for example, through an enrollment endpoint of the management service 120 or an address associated with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials corresponds to the Applicant’s unique gateway identifier, and the address corresponds to the Applicant’s server identifier.);
It would have been obvious, under KSR, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Scholten with Chamarajnager because both are directed to software architecture using gateways to relay data from peripheral devices to cloud servers and use known, complementary techniques to do so. A POSITA, seeking to improve Scholten’s virtual gateway application stored as software instructions would have been motivated to apply Chamarajnager’s functional steps of generating and storing unique identifiers, and would yield the predictable result of ensuring enhanced security and improving scalability and traceability.
The combination of Scholten and Chamarjnager does not disclose generate a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier and including the unique gateway identifier; receive configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device; and establish a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters.
However, McCready does disclose generate a configuration request, addressed to the server identifier (e.g. McCready: (0086) The request to enroll the IoT device 113 with the management service 120 can include a post message transmitted by the gateway management application 187 to the management service 120. Please note the request to enroll corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration request, and the post message inherently involves addressing a message to a server identifier.) and including the unique gateway identifier (e.g. McCready: (0096) The gateway management application 187 can use the gateway credentials 154 to authenticate with the management service 120. Please note the gateway credentials 154 corresponds to the Applicant’s gateway identifier.); receive configuration data defining connection parameters for at least one peripheral device connected to the computing device (e.g. McCready: (0099) the gateway management application 187 can receive an enrollment response from the management service 120. Please note the enrollment response corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration data.); and establish a connection with the at least one peripheral device according to the connection parameters (e.g. McCready: (0099) the gateway management application 187 can cause an IoT management application 197 to be installed on the IoT device 113. The IoT management application 197 can perform actions as directed by the management service 120 and/or the gateway 111. Please note the installed IoT management application corresponds to the Applicant’s establishing a connection.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the software instructions of configuring a gateway to connect with a remote server as taught by McCready into the executable virtual gateway application package as taught by the combination of Scholten and Chamarajnager to securely enroll a gateway to a server (See McCready: (0009-0011)).
As per claim 14, this is a system claim having similar limitations as cited in method claim 7. Thus, claim 14 is also rejected under the same rationale as cited in the rejection of rejected claim 7.
Claim(s) 2 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready in view of Pandharpure et al. (US 20220092707 A1) (hereinafter Pandharpure).
As per claim 2, the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready discloses the method of claim 1 (See rejection to claim 1 above), wherein the virtual gateway application package further includes displaying a status indicator corresponding to the firmware component (e.g. McCready: (0105) The user interface 600 can also provide at least one user interface element based on the IoT metrics data. A user interface element 606 can show an average number of IoT devices 113 connected to each gateway 111. Please note the user interface element corresponds to the Applicant’s status indicator.).
The combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready does not disclose a monitoring component; the method further comprising: via execution of the setup component, deploying the monitoring component to the memory; and via execution of the monitoring component.
However, Pandharpure discloses a monitoring component (e.g. Pandharpure: (0036) Software 220 may also be installed or loaded to a memory of a gateway to include instructions for a processor within the gateway to perform at least: monitor one or more intelligent electric meters coupled to the edge gateway. Please note the software 220 corresponds to the Applicant’s monitoring component.); the method further comprising: via execution of the setup component, deploying the monitoring component to the memory; and via execution of the monitoring component (e.g. Pandharpure: (0036) Software 220 may also be installed or loaded to a memory of a gateway.).
It would have been obvious, under KSR, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filling date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready with Pandharpure because both are directed to using gateways for communicating with devices and use known, complementary techniques to do so. A POSITA, seeking to improve the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready’s method of a virtual gateway application would have been motivated to apply Pandharpure’s established practice of including a monitoring software for the gateway, and would yield the predictable result of ensuring users’ awareness of applications and helping identify bottlenecks or problems within the application.
As per claim 9, this is a system claim having similar limitations as cited in method claim 2. Thus, claim 9 is also rejected under the same rationale as cited in the rejection of rejected claim 2.
Claim(s) 3 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready in view of Luo Bing (EP 1557978 A1, Published Jul. 27, 2005) (hereinafter Luo Bing)
As per claim 3, the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready discloses the method of claim 1 (See rejection to claim 1 above), generating a registration request addressed to the server identifier (e.g. McCready: (0066) The gateway management application 187 can transmit a request to enroll the gateway 111 with the management service 120. The request to enroll can include an HTTP post to enroll with the management service 120. Please note the request to enroll corresponds to the Applicant’s registration request, and the HTTP post inherently implies addressed to the server identifier.) and containing the unique gateway identifier; and transmitting the registration request (e.g. McCready: (0066) The gateway management application 187 can transmit a request to enroll the gateway 111 with the management service 120. The request to enroll can include the unique identifier that was returned in response to the initial request. Please note the unique identifier corresponds to the Applicant’s unique gateway identifier.).
The combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready does not expressly disclose further comprising, via execution of the firmware component prior to receiving the configuration data, receiving an indication that no configuration data is available;
However, Luo Bing discloses further comprising, via execution of the firmware component prior to receiving the configuration data, receiving an indication that no configuration data is available (e.g. Luo Bing: (Col. 4 Lines 18-31) Thus, if finding its program or configuration data is unavailable, the IAD can send a request to the TFTP/FTP server to obtain the configuration file. Please note the configuration data corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration data.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method/system of the determining available configuration data for a device as taught by Luo Bing into the provisioning of gateways of the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCrady because it reduces errors and creates more efficient provisioning (See Luo Bing: (Col. 3 Lines 1-12) (Col. 4 Lines 18-31)).
As per claim(s) 10, this is a system claim having similar limitations as cited in method claim(s) 3. Thus, claim(s) 10 is/are also rejected under the same rationale as cited in the rejection of rejected claim(s) 3.
Claim(s) 4-6 and 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, and McCready, and Luo Bing and in view of Laurenti et al. (US 20210029225 A1) (hereinafter Laurenti).
As per claim 4, the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, McCready, and Luo Bing discloses the method of claim 3 (See rejection to claim 3 above), further comprising: [ ] receiving a registration notification (e.g. Luo Bing: (Col. 3 Lines 45-48) After the IAD is power on, it has to perform management registration to IADMS and receives basic configuration, e.g., IP address allocation, from IADMS; Please note the basic configuration corresponds to the Applicant’s registration notification.); transmitting a second configuration request (e.g. Luo Bing: (Col. 4 Lines 42-43) the IAD sends a DHCP discovery broadcast message. (Col. 5 Lines 30-31) the IAD sends a request to the TFTP Server to obtain the configuration file. Please note the DHCP discovery broadcast message corresponds to a first configuration request, and the request to the TFTP corresponds to the Applicant’s second configuration request.); and receiving the configuration data in response to the second configuration request (e.g. Luo Bing: (Col. 5 Lines 32-35) the IAD accomplishes the configuration procedure according to the received configuration file. Please note the configuration file corresponds to the Applicant’s configuration data.).
The combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, McCready, and Luo Bing does not expressly disclose following a side-channel confirmation of the registration request at the server.
However, Laurenti discloses following a side-channel confirmation of the registration request at the server (e.g. Laurenti: (0097) the considered box sends a registration request and waits for an operator to a) review the list of boxes pending registration, b) approve or reject box's request, and c) create configuration. Please note the operator to approve box’s request corresponds to the Applicant’s side-channel confirmation).
It would have been obvious, under KSR, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filling date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, McCready and Luo Bing with Laurenti because both are directed to using gateways to relay data from peripheral devices to cloud servers and use known, complementary techniques to do so. A POSITA, seeking to improve the combination of McCready and Laurenti’s method of a virtual gateway application would have been motivated to apply Laurenti’s established practice of using side-channel confirmations to approve registration requests, and would yield the predictable result of enhancing security measures and reducing risk of allowing outside applications.
As per claim 5, the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, McCready, Luo Bing, and Laurenti discloses the method of claim 4 (See rejection to claim 4 above), wherein the configuration data includes a connection key; and wherein the method further comprises establishing a secure connection, using the connection key, with an enterprise application associated with the server identifier (e.g. Laurenti: (0090) the box gets encrypted configuration containing IoT Hub endpoint and connection keys (generated during registration from box identifiers). (0092) Regarding the IoT Hub platform, in some embodiments, TLS 1.2 (and subsequent versions) connections can be used. Please note the connection keys corresponds to the Applicant’s connection key, and the IoT Hub platform corresponds to the Applicant’s enterprise application. Please note the connection keys are inherently used to establish a connection with the enterprise application (IoT Hub).).
As per claim 6, the combination of Scholten, Chamarajnager, McCready, Luo Bing, and Laurenti discloses the method of claim 5 (See rejection to claim 5 above), wherein the connection key is encrypted using an identifier of a communications interface of the computing device (e.g. Laurenti: (0090) the box gets encrypted configuration containing IoT Hub endpoint and connection keys (generated during registration from box identifiers). Please note the connection keys corresponds to the Applicant’s connection key.); and wherein the method further comprises decrypting the connection key prior to establishing the secure connection (e.g. Laurenti: (0091) Regarding the Cloud (IoT Hub), the configuration endpoint (in https) handles authentication using hash from HW private key. A returned AES encrypted configuration contains system devices and protocol information but also IoT Hub endpoint to connect to. Please note it is inherently implied the AES encrypted configuration must be decrypted and the decryption is facilitated by a hash from a HW private key.).
As per claim(s) 11-13, these are system claims having similar limitations as cited in method claim(s) 4-6. Thus, claim(s) 11-13 is/are also rejected under the same rationale as cited in the rejection of rejected claim(s) 4-6.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Meulenhoff et al. (US 20180026813 A1) discloses auxiliary virtual gateway applications that are downloaded on user devices (e.g. Meulenhoff: (0047) the auxiliary virtual gateway application has a DHCP function or equivalent function capable of providing IP addresses to user devices.).
Schiff et al. (US 20160044136 A1) discloses a virtual gateway appliance (e.g. Schiff: (0034) Virtual Gateway Services 310 may include a system that connects external, direct Internet connected devices (such as a Wi-Fi thermostat) to Cloud Services 150 and assigns them appropriately to the cloud database 200 just as if it had connected through an actual physical gateway for association with an account or user.).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON ESTRELLADO whose telephone number is (571)272-9601. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, April Blair can be reached at (571) 270-1014. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.M.E./Examiner, Art Unit 2196 /APRIL Y BLAIR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2196
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