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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/3/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Acknowledgment is made that claims 1, 8 and 15 are amended. Claims 7, 14 and 20 are objected to allow. Claims 6 and 13 are canceled. Claims 21-23 are new. Claims 1-5, 7-12 and 14-23 are pending in the instant application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 12/03/2025 have been fully considered.
Claim Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103
Claims 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. (US 2021/0099367), hereinafter Han in view of Fan et al. (US 2023/0318942), hereinafter Fan.
Claim 1 is amended as followed:
“… upon determining the application associated with the network flow, forwarding a mapping between the network flow and application metadata identifying the application to an analytics node.” (Emphasis added)
Claims 8 and 15 are amended with similar limitations.
On page 9 of the Remarks, Applicant argues the features of amended claim 1 are not taught or suggested by Han and Fan, considered individually or in combination. On page 8, Applicant further argues Fan make no mention of receiving, by the NWDAF node, a query from a user that specifies the application metadata and using the received mapping to access information pertaining to the network flow based on the application metadata. Applicant’s argument is persuasive, therefore a new ground of rejection is made in light of the amendment.
Dependent Claims 1-6, 8-13, 15-19
Applicant argues these claims conditionally based on the arguments presented to their parent claim(s). Applicant’s argument is persuasive, therefore a new ground of rejection is made in light of the amendment.
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 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 21 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han (US 2021/0099367) in view of Fan (US 2023/0318942) further in view of Akhtar et al. (US 2025/0007882), herein after Akhtar.
As for claim 1, Han teaches a method performed by a network packet monitoring system (paragraph [0066] describes a method of supporting detection of service or application by a network data analytic function), the method comprising:
receiving a data packet from a network (paragraph [0013] describes when new packet flow is detected by a first entity, a request is a first request for transmitting data of a least one packet included in the new packet flow. The first network entity acquires data of a least one packet in response to the request);
identifying a network flow to which the data packet belongs (paragraphs [0015] and [0027] describe the request includes detecting the new packet flow and detecting the new packet flow).
Han fails to teach
determining whether the network flow is a new network flow that has not been seen before by the network packet monitoring system;
upon determining that the network flow is a new network flow:
determining an application associated with the network flow; and
upon determining the application associated with the network flow, forwarding a mapping between the network flow and application metadata identifying the application to an analytics node, wherein when the analytics node receives a query from a user that specifies the application metadata, the analytics node uses the mapping to access information pertaining to the network flow based on the application metadata and provide the information to the user.
Fan discloses
determining whether the network flow is a new network flow that has not been seen before by the network packet monitoring system (paragraphs [0124] and [0152] describes the list of packet filter description (PFDs) in a request is used in an NWDAF to identify whether a reported traffic is existing one or new); and
upon determining that the network flow is a new network flow:
determining an application associated with the network flow (paragraphs [0172] describes an UPF performs packet inspection in order to detect, measure, and report a new application traffic under the new packet detection rule and the new usage reporting rule).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
The combined system of Han and Fan fails to teach
upon determining the application associated with the network flow, forwarding a mapping between the network flow and application metadata identifying the application to an analytics node, wherein when the analytics node receives a query from a user that specifies the application metadata, the analytics node uses the mapping to access information pertaining to the network flow based on the application metadata and provide the information to the user.
Akhtar discloses
upon determining the application associated with the network flow, forwarding a mapping between the network flow and application metadata identifying the application to an analytics node (paragraphs [0038]-[0039] ,[0051] and [0059]-[0060] describe a data appliance is configured to work in cooperation with a remote security platform which provides a mapping of signatures to application(s) identifiers, provides a list of signatures of known exploits to data appliances as part of a subscription. A network traffic classifier of the remote security platform detects/classifies network traffic (i.e. network flow). In response to determining an application classification for a newly analyzed sample, security platform (e.g. a network traffic classifier) sends an indication that traffic matching the sample is associate with the application. For example, the security platform computes a signature for the sample, and sends to the data appliance an indication of the application associated with the signature), wherein when the analytics node receives a query from a user that specifies the application metadata (paragraphs [0057], [0059] and [0084] describe a user of a client device sends a request to scan a file to the DNS module of the data appliance), the analytics node uses the mapping to access information pertaining to the network flow based on the application metadata and provide the information to the user (paragraphs [0057]-[0060] and [0084] describe the data appliance enforces policies based on the indication that the traffic corresponds to the application, the data appliance alerts or prompts the user of the client device the maliciousness of the domain prior to the user viewing the webpage).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Akhtar for providing to a data appliance an indication of an application associated with a signature. The teachings of Akhtar, when implemented in the Han and Fan system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to determine whether a queried file is a malicious file. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Akhtar in the Han and Fan system in order to enforce security policies based on the indication that a network traffic corresponds to an application and the security policies include isolating/quarantining a content that a client attempts to access (Akhtar: paragraph [0060]).
As for claim 2, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches forwarding the data packet to a networking tool based on a policy (Fan: paragraphs [0157]-[0159] and [0167] describe the NWDAF generates an ADC rule for new application detection and sends a message including the ADC rule to related PCF(s)), the policy including an action to allow data packets associated with the application (Fan: paragraph [0171] describes based on the new PCC rule (e.g. including the ADC rule) for the new application received from the PCF, the SMF generates a new packet detection rule and a new usage reporting rule, and instructs the UPF to detect, measure and report the application traffic by using the new packet detection rule and the new usage reporting rule).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han and Akhtar system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han and Akhtar system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
As for claim 3, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches
preventing a data packet from being forwarded to a network tool based on a policy (Akhtar: paragraphs [0059]-[0060] describe the data appliance enforces security policies based on the indication that the traffic corresponds to the application, the security policies include blocking traffic for a domain, isolating/quarantining the content).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Akhtar for providing to a data appliance an indication of an application associated with a signature. The teachings of Akhtar, when implemented in the Han and Fan system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to determine whether a queried file is a malicious file. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Akhtar in the Han and Fan system in order to enforce security policies based on the indication that a network traffic corresponds to an application and the security policies include isolating/quarantining a content that a client attempts to access (Akhtar: paragraph [0060]).
As for claim 4, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches wherein the application associated with the network flow is determined by:
identifying an application signature in the data packet (Han: paragraph [0118] describes a technique to detect a specific service or application based the PFD which includes a network address of a server providing a specific service, a port number and other parameters; Fan: paragraph [0180] describes the list of recommended new PFDs for new applications includes parameters); and
using the application signature to search an application signature database that stores mappings between application signatures and corresponding applications (Fan: paragraphs [0155]-[0158] describe a list of PFD(s) for new applications; paragraphs [0171]-[0175] describe the new packet detection rule includes information for at least one packet filter and PFD(s) and the new rule is used to detect and report the application traffic. The packet is determined it does not match any PFD in the new packet detection rules).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han and Akhtar system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han and Akhtar system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
As for claim 5, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches wherein the policy is user-provided input that identifies the application using the application metadata (Fan: paragraphs [0197]-[0199] describe a consumer sends a message for requesting new application detection analytics information report. The message includes list of existing PFDs and other information).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han and Akhtar system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han and Akhtar system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
As for claim 15, Han teaches a system comprising:
a set of processing units (paragraph [0239] describes processors); and
a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by at least one processing unit in the set of processing units cause the at least one processing unit to (paragraph [0239] describes programs that are stored in a computer-readable storage medium and executed by the processors to perform methods):
receive a data packet from a production network (paragraph [0013] describes when new packet flow is detected by a first entity, a request is a first request for transmitting data of a least one packet included in the new packet flow. The first network entity acquires data of a least one packet in response to the request);
identify a network flow to which the data packet belongs (paragraphs [0015] and [0027] describe the request includes detecting the new packet flow and detecting the new packet flow).
Han fails to teach
determine whether a network flow is a new network flow that has not been seen before by a system; and
upon determining that the network flow is a new network flow:
determine an application associated with the network flow; and
upon determining the application associated with the network flow, forward a mapping between the network flow and application metadata identifying an application to another system, wherein when said another system receives a query from a user that specifies the application metadata, said another system uses the mapping to access information pertaining to the network flow based on the application metadata and provide the information to the user.
Fan discloses
determine whether a network flow is a new network flow that has not been seen before by a system (paragraphs [0124] and [0152] describes the list of packet filter description (PFDs) in a request is used in an NWDAF to identify whether a reported traffic is existing one or new); and
upon determining that the network flow is a new network flow:
determine an application associated with the network flow (paragraphs [0172] describes an UPF performs packet inspection in order to detect, measure, and report a new application traffic under the new packet detection rule and the new usage reporting rule).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
The combined system of Han and Fan fails to teach
upon determining the application associated with the network flow, forwarding a mapping between the network flow and application metadata identifying the application to an analytics node, wherein when the analytics node receives a query from a user that specifies the application metadata, the analytics node uses the mapping to access information pertaining to the network flow based on the application metadata and provide the information to the user.
Akhtar discloses
upon determining the application associated with the network flow, forwarding a mapping between the network flow and application metadata identifying the application to an analytics node (paragraphs [0038]-[0039] ,[0051] and [0059]-[0060] describe a data appliance is configured to work in cooperation with a remote security platform which provides a mapping of signatures to application(s) identifiers, provides a list of signatures of known exploits to data appliances as part of a subscription. A network traffic classifier of the remote security platform detects/classifies network traffic (i.e. network flow). In response to determining an application classification for a newly analyzed sample, security platform (e.g. a network traffic classifier) sends an indication that traffic matching the sample is associate with the application. For example, the security platform computes a signature for the sample, and sends to the data appliance an indication of the application associated with the signature), wherein when the analytics node receives a query from a user that specifies the application metadata (paragraphs [0057], [0059] and [0084] describe a user of a client device sends a request to scan a file to the DNS module of the data appliance), the analytics node uses the mapping to access information pertaining to the network flow based on the application metadata and provide the information to the user (paragraphs [0057]-[0060] and [0084] describe the data appliance enforces policies based on the indication that the traffic corresponds to the application, the data appliance alerts or prompts the user of the client device the maliciousness of the domain prior to the user viewing the webpage).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Akhtar for providing to a data appliance an indication of an application associated with a signature. The teachings of Akhtar, when implemented in the Han and Fan system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to determine whether a queried file is a malicious file. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Akhtar in the Han and Fan system in order to enforce security policies based on the indication that a network traffic corresponds to an application and the security policies include isolating/quarantining a content that a client attempts to access (Akhtar: paragraph [0060]).
As for claim 16, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to determine whether to forward the packet to a networking tool based on a policy (Fan: paragraphs [0157]-[0159] and [0167] describe the NWDAF generates an ADC rule for new application detection and sends a message including the ADC rule to related PCF(s); paragraph [0171] describes based on the new PCC rule (e.g. including the ADC rule) for the new application received from the PCF, the SMF generates a new packet detection rule and a new usage reporting rule, and instructs the UPF to detect, measure and report the application traffic by using the new packet detection rule and the new usage reporting rule).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han and Akhtar system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han and Akhtar system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
As for claim 17, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches wherein the data packet is forwarded to the networking tool when the policy includes an action to allow data packets associated with the application (Fan: paragraph [0171] describes based on the new PCC rule (e.g. including the ADC rule) for the new application received from the PCF, the SMF generates a new packet detection rule and a new usage reporting rule, and instructs the UPF to detect, measure and report the application traffic by using the new packet detection rule and the new usage reporting rule).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han and Akhtar system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han and Akhtar system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
As for claim 18, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches
wherein a data packet is not forwarded to a networking tool when a policy includes an action to drop data packets associated with an application (Akhtar: paragraphs [0059]-[0060] describe the data appliance enforces security policies based on the indication that the traffic corresponds to the application, the security policies include blocking traffic for a domain, isolating/quarantining the content).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Akhtar for providing to a data appliance an indication of an application associated with a signature. The teachings of Akhtar, when implemented in the Han and Fan system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to determine whether a queried file is a malicious file. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Akhtar in the Han and Fan system in order to enforce security policies based on the indication that a network traffic corresponds to an application and the security policies include isolating/quarantining a content that a client attempts to access (Akhtar: paragraph [0060]).
As for claim 19, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches wherein the application associated with the network flow is determined by:
identifying an application signature in the data packet (Han: paragraph [0118] describes a technique to detect a specific service or application based the PFD which includes a network address of a server providing a specific service, a port number and other parameters; Fan: paragraph [0180] describes the list of recommended new PFDs for new applications includes parameters); and
using the application signature to search an application signature database that stores mappings between application signatures and corresponding applications (Fan: paragraphs [0155]-[0158] describe a list of PFD(s) for new applications; paragraphs [0171]-[0175] describe the new packet detection rule includes information for at least one packet filter and PFD(s) and the new rule is used to detect and report the application traffic. The packet is determined it does not match any PFD in the new packet detection rules).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Fan for providing lists of PFD and ADC rule. The teachings of Fan, when implemented in the Han and Akhtar system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to detect a new application. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Fan in the Han and Akhtar system in order to notify a consumer analytics results on new application detection.
As for claim 21, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches the network is a production network and wherein the received data packet is a copy of a data packet transported through the production network (Akhtar: Fig. 1; paragraph [0036] describes an enterprise network which is construed as a production network; paragraph [0040] describes the system trains a model to detect traffic for applications. For example, the system trains a model to determine an application identifier corresponding to a particular sample of network traffic, the sample is obtained from the network traffic log).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Akhtar for implementing a system that provides an indication of an application associated with a signature. The teachings of Akhtar, when implemented in the Han and Fan system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to determine whether a queried file is a malicious file. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Akhtar in the Han and Fan system in order to enforce security policies based on the indication that a network traffic corresponds to an application and the security policies include isolating/quarantining a content that a client attempts to access (Akhtar: paragraph [0060]).
As for claim 23, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches wherein the determining of the application associated with the network flow is performed by one of a plurality of application identification services that are part of the network packet monitoring system (Akhtar: Fig. 1, Security Platform 140; paragraph [0027] describes a system determines the closest match between the set of sample tokens and the set of sample tokens that match to a token in a set of tokens for a particular application; paragraph [0038] describes the security platform provides a variety of services, including classifying network traffic (e.g. identifying application(s) to which particular samples of network traffic corresponding), providing a mapping of signatures to application(s) identifiers) , and wherein at least a subset of the plurality of application identification services use different metadata to identify a same application (paragraphs [0039], [0042], [0048] describe components of the security platform perform classification of network traffic. For example, the network traffic classifier determines a signature for the sample and stores in a mapping of signatures to application(s) identifiers the sample signature in association with the predicted application identifier, the network traffic classifier determines the application that most closely matches the set of sample tokens. A prediction engine determines an application identifier corresponding to a same based on a mapping of signatures to application(s) identifiers, a match count for tokens obtained from the access path for the sample in relation to tokens for a predefined set of applications).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Akhtar for implementing a system that provides an indication of an application associated with a signature. The teachings of Akhtar, when implemented in the Han and Fan system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to determine whether a queried file is a malicious file. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Akhtar in the Han and Fan system in order to enforce security policies based on the indication that a network traffic corresponds to an application and the security policies include isolating/quarantining a content that a client attempts to access (Akhtar: paragraph [0060]).
As for claims 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, these claims listed all the same elements of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, but in a non-transitory computer readable medium (Han: paragraph [0240] describes programs stored in a memory), executable by at least one processing unit of a device, the program comprising sets of instructions to perform operations (Han: paragraphs [0239]-[0240] describe an electronic device’s processors execute instructions to perform operations). Therefore, the supporting rational of the rejection to claims 1-5 applies equally as well to claims 8-12, respectively.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han (US 2021/0099367) in view of Fan (US 2023/0318942) further in view of Akhtar (US 2025/0007882) and further in view of Truong et al. (US 2009/0055529), hereinafter Truong.
As for claim 22, the combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar teaches wherein the mapping between the network flow and the application metadata identifying the application is forwarded by the network packet monitoring system to the analytics node (Akhtar: paragraphs [0051] and [0059]-[0060] describe a data appliance is configured to work in cooperation with a remote security platform which provides a mapping of signatures to application(s) identifiers, provides a list of signatures of known exploits to data appliances as part of a subscription. A network traffic classifier of the remote security platform detects/classifies network traffic (i.e. network flow). In response to determining an application classification for a newly analyzed sample, security platform (e.g. a network traffic classifier) sends an indication that traffic matching the sample is associate with the application).
The combined system of Han, Fan and Akhtar fails to teach wherein mapping is forwarded within an IP flow information export (IPFIX) message.
Truong discloses
wherein mapping is forwarded within an IP flow information export (IPFIX) message (paragraph [0062] describes measurement of flow descriptions for incoming flow into a node. These measurements are then transmitted to a collection device by means of a protocol of a IPFIX type).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Truong for applying a system that utilizes IPFIX protocol. The teachings of Truong, when implemented in the Han, Fan and Akhtar system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to collect of flow descriptions for flows relating to a client network. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Truong in the Han, Fan and Akhtar system in order to provide a template-based system for flexible, custom data definitions, enable rich, vendor-neutral reporting on application-layer information and security.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 14 and 20 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.
Claim 7 recites the limitations “The method of claim 1, wherein the analytics node receives first mapping information that maps packet information to a first set of application metadata and second mapping information that maps the packet information to a second set of application metadata, wherein the analytics node determines that the first and second sets of application metadata correspond to the same application and in response thereto generates a common set of application metadata.”
Kamboh et al. (US 2011/0080907) disclose an application is assigned an ID. Application IDs are configured to persist across application restarts, card resets, and chassis reboots. However, if an application is detected and recreated with the same name, a different global application IDs may be assigned (see paragraph [0060]). Kamboh discloses a newly created application that shares the same name with an original application, is assigned a different global application IDs. Kamboh, however, fails to teach the claim.
Claims 14 and 20 recite limitations that ae similar to claim 7’s limitations, therefore, the claims are objected as well.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Narahari et al. (US 2024/0098030) teaches cloud-based application recognition to support application-aware functionality on customer premises equipment
Garcarz et al. (US 2024/0396801) teach using machine learning for online application detection
Bhadravati Ramakrishna Bhat et al. (US 2023/0035399) teach application classification distribution to network devices.
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/SCHQUITA D GOODWIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2459
/L. T. N/
Examiner, Art Unit 2459