DETAILED ACTION
This office action has been issued in response to communications received on 10/27/2023. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
The drawings filed 10/27/2023 are acknowledged.
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.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurian (US 2022/0021516).
Regarding claim 1, Kurian discloses the limitations of claim 1 substantially as follows:
A method comprising:
identifying an initial data structure comprising a plurality of cells to store data, wherein the plurality of cells is arranged within a plurality of rows and columns of the initial data structure (paras. [0025], Fig. 2: identifying a database of data packets of data (i.e. plurality of cells), where the data packets are arranged within rows and columns of the database);
creating a scrambled data structure in which at least a subset of cells of the plurality of cells of the initial data structure are rearranged such that each cell of the rearranged subset of cells is located in at least one of a different row or a different column of the plurality of rows and columns of the initial data structure (paras. [0025]-[0026], [0082]-[0083], Fig. 2: creating scrambled database in which at least data packets of the data within the database are rearranged such as the data packets are rearranged so that they are located in different rows or columns from the original database); and
responsive to receiving a user request of a user to access the data of the initial data structure, determining whether to provide the user with access to the initial data structure or the scrambled data structure (paras. [0016], [0019], [0068], [0073], [0092]: responsive to receiving a user request of a user to access the data stored in the database, determining whether to provide the user with access to the unscrambled data in the database (i.e. initial data structure) or denying access to the unscrambled data (i.e. scrambled data structure)).
Kurian does not explicitly disclose that each cell of the rearranged subset of cells is located in at least one of a different row or a different column, but one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious that Kurian teaches such functionality because Kurian teaches “rearranging different data packets of the data from one place to another” (para. [0025]) and Figure 2 shows data packets in one set of rows and columns are scrambled to different rows and columns and rearranging the data packets so that data from rows and columns in the original database are located in different rows or columns of the scrambled database would make it harder for an unauthorized person to deduce the original data within the database.
Regarding claims 2, 11 and 20, Kurian discloses the limitations of the method of claim 1, the system of claim 10 and the computer readable storage medium of claim 19.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 2, 11 and 20 as follows:
wherein determining whether to provide the user with access to the initial data structure or the scrambled data structure comprises determining a user privilege level (paras. [0003], [0016], [0019]: determining whether to provide user with access to unscrambled data within the database comprises determining a first access privilege of the user).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Kurian discloses the limitations of the method of claims 1-2, the system of claims 10-11.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 3 and 12 as follows:
further comprising, providing the user with access to the initial data structure responsive to determining that the user privilege level is a first user privilege level (paras. [0003], [0016], [0019], [0085]: determining to provide user with access to unscrambled data within the database based on determining the user has a first access privilege of the user).
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Kurian discloses the limitations of the method of claims 1-2, the system of claims 10-11.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 4 and 13 as follows:
further comprising, providing the user with access to the scrambled data structure responsive to determining that the user privilege level is a second user privilege level (paras. [0016], [0019], [0085]: providing the user with access to the scrambled database data responsive to determining that the user has high access privileges that enable them to access the sensitive data).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Kurian discloses the limitations of the method of claims 1-2, the system of claims 10-11.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 5 and 14 as follows:
wherein the user privilege level is defined by an administrator of a system hosting the initial data structure (paras. [0019], [0085]: user privilege level enables them to configure access privileges of other users (i.e. administrator of system that is authorized to define other user privilege levels)).
Regarding claims 6 and 15, Kurian discloses the limitations of the method of claim 1, the system of claim 10.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 6 and 15 as follows:
wherein the scrambled data structure is stored in a memory in association with the initial data structure (paras. [0013], [0024], [0040]: storing scrambling data associated with scrambling the database in memory).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Kurian discloses the limitations of the method of claim 1, the system of claim 10.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 7 and 16 as follows:
wherein the subset of cells of the initial data structure is determined by an administrator of a computer system associated with the data structure (paras. [0060]-[0061], [0065], [0075]: data scanners and managers/administrator determines which data packets contain confidential information within the database).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Kurian and Y disclose the limitations of the method of claim 1, the system of claim 10.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 8 and 17 as follows:
wherein the initial data structure corresponds to a table within a relational database (paras. [0071], Fig. 2.: original database is part of a larger table of data comprising sensitive and non-sensitive data with non-sensitive data grouped within a less secured database and sensitive data grouped within a highly secured database (i.e. relational databases)).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Kurian discloses the limitations of the method of claim 1, the system of claim 10.
Kurian discloses the limitations of claims 9 and 18 as follows:
wherein the subset of cells of the data structure is rearranged based on one of an irreversible cryptographic algorithm or a reversible cryptographic algorithm according to access controls corresponding to the user (para. [0062]-[0063], [0065], [0075]: data packets of the data within the database are scrambled and encrypted using a mathematical algorithm according to a request by the user to secure the database (i.e. according to access controls by the user)).
Regarding claim 10, Kurian discloses the limitations substantially as follows:
A system comprising:
a memory device; and
a processing device coupled to the memory device, the processing device to perform operations comprising:
identifying an initial data structure comprising a plurality of cells to store data, wherein the plurality of cells is arranged within a plurality of rows and columns of the initial data structure (paras. [0025], Fig. 2: identifying a database of data packets of data (i.e. plurality of cells), where the data packets are arranged within rows and columns of the database);
creating a scrambled data structure in which at least a subset of cells of the plurality of cells of the initial data structure are rearranged such that each cell of the rearranged subset of cells is located in at least one of a different row or a different column of the plurality of rows and columns of the initial data structure (paras. [0025]-[0026], [0082]-[0083], Fig. 2: creating scrambled database in which at least data packets of the data within the database are rearranged such as the data packets are rearranged so that they are located in different rows or columns from the original database); and
responsive to receiving a user request of a user to access the data of the initial data structure, determining whether to provide the user with access to the initial data structure or the scrambled data structure (paras. [0016], [0019], [0068], [0073], [0092]: responsive to receiving a user request of a user to access the data stored in the database, determining whether to provide the user with access to the unscrambled data in the database (i.e. initial data structure) or denying access to the unscrambled data (i.e. scrambled data structure)).
Kurian does not explicitly disclose that each cell of the rearranged subset of cells is located in at least one of a different row or a different column, but one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious that Kurian teaches such functionality because Kurian teaches “rearranging different data packets of the data from one place to another” (para. [0025]) and Figure 2 shows data packets in one set of rows and columns are scrambled to different rows and columns and rearranging the data packets so that data from rows and columns in the original database are located in different rows or columns of the scrambled database would make it harder for an unauthorized person to deduce the original data within the database.
Regarding claim 19, Kurian discloses the limitations substantially as follows:
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for a server that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
identifying an initial data structure comprising a plurality of cells to store data, wherein the plurality of cells is arranged within a plurality of rows and columns of the initial data structure (paras. [0025], Fig. 2: identifying a database of data packets of data (i.e. plurality of cells), where the data packets are arranged within rows and columns of the database);
creating a scrambled data structure in which at least a subset of cells of the plurality of cells of the initial data structure are rearranged such that each cell of the rearranged subset of cells is located in at least one of a different row or a different column of the plurality of rows and columns of the initial data structure (paras. [0025]-[0026], [0082]-[0083], Fig. 2: creating scrambled database in which at least data packets of the data within the database are rearranged such as the data packets are rearranged so that they are located in different rows or columns from the original database); and
responsive to receiving a user request of a user to access the data of the initial data structure, determining whether to provide the user with access to the initial data structure or the scrambled data structure (paras. [0016], [0019], [0068], [0073], [0092]: responsive to receiving a user request of a user to access the data stored in the database, determining whether to provide the user with access to the unscrambled data in the database (i.e. initial data structure) or denying access to the unscrambled data (i.e. scrambled data structure)).
Kurian does not explicitly disclose that each cell of the rearranged subset of cells is located in at least one of a different row or a different column, but one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious that Kurian teaches such functionality because Kurian teaches “rearranging different data packets of the data from one place to another” (para. [0025]) and Figure 2 shows data packets in one set of rows and columns are scrambled to different rows and columns and rearranging the data packets so that data from rows and columns in the original database are located in different rows or columns of the scrambled database would make it harder for an unauthorized person to deduce the original data within the database.
Prior art not relied upon but applied/considered includes:
1) Banks (US 2008/0033960) disclosing providing automated encryption support for column data which handles requests for encrypted column data from users without decrypt permission (paras. [0014], [0019]).
Conclusion
For the above reasons, claims 1-20 are rejected.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARON S LYNCH whose telephone number is (571)272-4583. The examiner can normally be reached on 10AM-6PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taghi T Arani can be reached on 571-272-3787. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHARON S LYNCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2438