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 .
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, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 18-20is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2012/0198110) in view of Ansley (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2009/0135846).
-Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a method for managing transceiver capabilities for a network device (The main board 20 comprises a PCIE slot 21, a detecting circuit 22, an ROM 23, a chipset 24 and a modifying circuit 25, [0018]), the method comprising: that detecting that a transceiver is inserted into the network device; in response to the detection, reading a set of data (modifying circuit 25 obtains the current use status on the current PCIE slot 21 from the configuration status parameter, [0020]); based on the set of data, determining whether an override profile from a set of override profiles matches the transceiver (modifying circuit 25 determines whether the current situation of card insertion on the PCIE slot 21 of the main board 20 matches a default initialization configuration according to the current state parameter, [0021]); and upon determining that the override profile from the set of override profiles matches the transceiver (the default configuration data is modified by the modifying circuit 25 according to the current state parameter, so that the Management Engine controller 241 performs a current initialization configuration on the PCIE ports 242 according to the modified default configuration data, [0022]).
Wang is silent to teaching from a memory of the transceiver; wherein each override profile in the set of override profiles specifies a set of capabilities to be used for a particular transceiver; using the set of capabilities specified in the override profile for the transceiver instead of using the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver as capabilities for the transceiver. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by Ansley.
In the same field of endeavor, Ansley teaches that from a memory of the transceiver (provisions a cable modem with one or more profile records indicating various parameters of setup capabilities, [0008]); wherein each override profile in the set of override profiles specifies a set of capabilities to be used for a particular transceiver (CMTS would select the second profile at step 125 for use in determining its channel assignment, or configuration, [0009]); using the set of capabilities specified in the override profile for the transceiver instead of using the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver as capabilities for the transceiver (The CMTS sends a channel assignment message to the booting CM at step 135 instructing it to adjusts its tuners and modulators, either for upstream transmit or downstream receive, according to the configuration selected at step 135, [0010]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wang with the teaching of Ansley in order to provide improvement for bandwidth efficiency.
-Regarding claim 2, the combination further discloses a set of match rules are stored on the network device, wherein each match rule in the set of match rules specifies a set of matching criteria and the override profile in the set of override profiles to use when the set of matching criteria are satisfied, wherein determining whether the override profile from the set of override profiles matches the transceiver comprises: iterating through at least a subset of the set of match rules stored on the network device to check whether the set of matching criteria of each match rule in the set of match rules is satisfied by the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver (Wang, matches one of the four types of default initialization configuration defined in the Intel specifications, [0024]); and determining that a particular set of matching criteria specified in a particular match rule in the set of match rules satisfied by the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver, wherein the particular match rule specifies the override profile (Ansley, CMTS would select the second profile at step 125 for use in determining its channel assignment, or configuration, [0009]).
-Regarding claim 4, the combination further discloses receiving a user-defined override profile, wherein the user-defined override profile specifies a certain set of capabilities to be used for a certain transceiver (Ansley, an MSO's personnel specifies preferences for the various parameters that a cable modem can typically support, [0009]); and for each transceiver that is attached to the network device, upon determining that the user-defined override profile matches the transceiver, using the certain set of capabilities specified in the user-defined override profile for the transceiver (Ansley, CMTS would select the second profile at step 125 for use in determining its channel assignment, or configuration, [0009]).
-Regarding claim 5, the combination further discloses the override profile is a predefined override profile stored in a set of prepackaged files provided with an operating system configured to execute on the network device (Wang, ROM 23, realized by such as a serial peripheral interface (SPI) ROM, stores a default configuration data and a basic input/output system (BIOS), [0019]).
-Regarding claim 8, the combination further discloses the set of data specifies an advertised set of capabilities, the method further comprising, upon determining that the override profile from the set of override profiles does not match the transceiver, using the advertised set of capabilities for the transceiver (Ansley, provisions a cable modem with one or more profile records indicating various parameters of setup capabilities, [0008]; Wang, the modifying circuit 25 does not need to modify the default configuration data, and the process proceeds to step 34. As indicated in step 34, the modifying circuit 25 outputs the default configuration data to the Management Engine controller 241, so that the Management Engine controller 241 performs a default initialization configuration on the PCIE ports 242 according to the default configuration data, [0024]).
-Regarding claim 9, the combination further discloses a capability in the set of capabilities comprises a feature, function, or parameter that is specific to a particular standard (Wang, matches one of the four types of default initialization configuration defined in the Intel specifications, [0024]; Ansley, provisions a cable modem with one or more profile records indicating various parameters of setup capabilities, [0008]).
-Regarding claim 11, Wang discloses a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing a program executable by a network device (ROM 23, realized by such as a serial peripheral interface (SPI) ROM, stores a default configuration data and a basic input/output system (BIOS), [0019]), the program comprising sets of instructions for: detecting that a transceiver is inserted into the network device (modifying circuit 25 obtains the current use status on the current PCIE slot 21 from the configuration status parameter, [0020]); in response to the detection; based on the set of data, determining whether an override profile from a set of override profiles matches the transceiver (modifying circuit 25 determines whether the current situation of card insertion on the PCIE slot 21 of the main board 20 matches a default initialization configuration according to the current state parameter, [0021]); and upon determining that the override profile from the set of override profiles matches the transceiver, instructing an operating system running on the network device to control how the transceiver operates based on the set of capabilities specified in the override profile (the default configuration data is modified by the modifying circuit 25 according to the current state parameter, so that the Management Engine controller 241 performs a current initialization configuration on the PCIE ports 242 according to the modified default configuration data, [0022]).
Wang is silent to teaching reading a set of data from a memory of the transceiver; wherein each override profile in the set of override profiles specifies a set of capabilities to be used for a particular transceiver; using the set of capabilities specified in the override profile for the transceiver instead of using the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver as capabilities for the transceiver. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by Ansley.
In the same field of endeavor, Ansley teaches that reading a set of data from a memory of the transceiver (provisions a cable modem with one or more profile records indicating various parameters of setup capabilities, [0008]); wherein each override profile in the set of override profiles specifies a set of capabilities to be used for a particular transceiver (CMTS would select the second profile at step 125 for use in determining its channel assignment, or configuration, [0009]); using the set of capabilities specified in the override profile for the transceiver instead of using the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver as capabilities for the transceiver (The CMTS sends a channel assignment message to the booting CM at step 135 instructing it to adjusts its tuners and modulators, either for upstream transmit or downstream receive, according to the configuration selected at step 135, [0010]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wang with the teaching of Ansley in order to provide improvement for bandwidth efficiency.
-Regarding claim 12, the combination further discloses a set of match rules are stored on the network device, wherein each match rule in the set of match rules specifies a set of matching criteria and the override profile in the set of override profiles to use when the set of matching criteria are satisfied, wherein determining whether the override profile from the set of override profiles matches the transceiver comprises: iterating through the set of match rules stored on the network device to check whether the set of matching criteria of each match rule in the set of match rules is satisfied by the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver (Wang, matches one of the four types of default initialization configuration defined in the Intel specifications, [0024]); and determining that a particular set of matching criteria specified in a particular match rule in the set of match rules satisfied by the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver, wherein the particular match rule specifies the override profile (Ansley, CMTS would select the second profile at step 125 for use in determining its channel assignment, or configuration, [0009]).
-Regarding claim 14, the combination further discloses the program further comprises sets of instructions for: receiving a user-defined override profile, wherein the user-defined override profile specifies a certain set of capabilities to be used for a certain transceiver (Ansley, an MSO's personnel specifies preferences for the various parameters that a cable modem can typically support, [0009]); and for each transceiver that is attached to the network device, upon determining that the user-defined override profile matches the transceiver, using the certain set of capabilities specified in the user-defined override profile for the transceiver (Ansley, CMTS would select the second profile at step 125 for use in determining its channel assignment, or configuration, [0009]).
-Regarding claim 15, the combination further discloses the override profile is a predefined override profile stored in a set of prepackaged files provided with an operating system configured to execute on the network device (Wang, ROM 23, realized by such as a serial peripheral interface (SPI) ROM, stores a default configuration data and a basic input/output system (BIOS), [0019]).
-Regarding claim 18, the combination further discloses the set of data specifies an advertised set of capabilities, wherein the program further comprises sets of instruction for, upon determining that the override profile from the set of override profiles does not match the transceiver, using the advertised set of capabilities for the transceiver (Ansley, provisions a cable modem with one or more profile records indicating various parameters of setup capabilities, [0008]; Wang, the modifying circuit 25 does not need to modify the default configuration data, and the process proceeds to step 34. As indicated in step 34, the modifying circuit 25 outputs the default configuration data to the Management Engine controller 241, so that the Management Engine controller 241 performs a default initialization configuration on the PCIE ports 242 according to the default configuration data, [0024]).
-Regarding claim 19, the combination further discloses a capability in the set of capabilities comprises a feature, function, or parameter that is specific to a particular standard (Wang, matches one of the four types of default initialization configuration defined in the Intel specifications, [0024]; Ansley, provisions a cable modem with one or more profile records indicating various parameters of setup capabilities, [0008]).
-Regarding claim 20, Wang discloses a network device comprising: a set of processing units ([0018]); 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 (ROM 23, realized by such as a serial peripheral interface (SPI) ROM, stores a default configuration data and a basic input/output system (BIOS), [0019]): upon detecting that a transceiver is inserted into the network device (modifying circuit 25 obtains the current use status on the current PCIE slot 21 from the configuration status parameter, [0020]); based on the set of data, determine whether an override profile from a set of override profiles matches the transceiver (modifying circuit 25 determines whether the current situation of card insertion on the PCIE slot 21 of the main board 20 matches a default initialization configuration according to the current state parameter, [0021]); and upon determining that the override profile from the set of override profiles matches the transceiver, control behaviors of the transceiver based on the set of capabilities specified in the override profile (the default configuration data is modified by the modifying circuit 25 according to the current state parameter, so that the Management Engine controller 241 performs a current initialization configuration on the PCIE ports 242 according to the modified default configuration data, [0022]).
Wang is silent to teaching read a set of data from a memory of the transceiver; wherein each override profile in the set of override profiles specifies a set of capabilities to be used for a particular transceiver; using the set of capabilities specified in the override profile as capabilities for the transceiver instead of using the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver as capabilities for the transceiver. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by Ansley.
In the same field of endeavor, Ansley teaches that read a set of data from a memory of the transceiver (provisions a cable modem with one or more profile records indicating various parameters of setup capabilities, [0008]); wherein each override profile in the set of override profiles specifies a set of capabilities to be used for a particular transceiver (CMTS would select the second profile at step 125 for use in determining its channel assignment, or configuration, [0009]); using the set of capabilities specified in the override profile as capabilities for the transceiver instead of using the set of data read from the memory of the transceiver as capabilities for the transceiver (The CMTS sends a channel assignment message to the booting CM at step 135 instructing it to adjusts its tuners and modulators, either for upstream transmit or downstream receive, according to the configuration selected at step 135, [0010]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wang with the teaching of Ansley in order to provide improvement for bandwidth efficiency.
Claim(s) 3 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2012/0198110) in view of Ansley (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2009/0135846) and further in view of Yu (CN 205983443 U).
-Regarding claim 3, the combination is silent to teaching that the set of matching criteria comprises vendor information or firmware information. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by Yu.
In the same field of endeavor, Yu teaches the set of matching criteria comprises vendor information or firmware information (Yu, manufacturer identification code ID, FIG. 2 and corresponding text).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the combination with the teaching of Yu in order to allow the network device to flexibly support and adapt to diverse transceivers from multiple vendors instead of being limited to a single static configuration.
-Regarding claim 13, the combination further discloses the set of matching criteria comprises vendor information or firmware information (Yu, manufacturer identification code ID, FIG. 2 and corresponding text).
Claim(s) 6 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2012/0198110) in view of Ansley (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2009/0135846) and further in view of Krishnamurthy (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2023/0396494).
-Regarding claim 6, the combination is silent to teaching that the override profile is a user-defined override profile received through a command line interface provided by the network device. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by Krishnamurthy.
In the same field of endeavor, Krishnamurthy teaches the override profile is a user-defined override profile received through a command line interface provided by the network device (elements 14 generally provide interfaces for direct interaction, such as command line interfaces (CLIs), web-based interfaces, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), or the like, by which a user can interact with the devices to directly issue text-based commands, [0025]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the combination with the teaching of Krishnamurthy in order to provide simplify the mapping definition for the user.
-Regarding claim 16, the combination further discloses the override profile is a user-defined override profile received through a command line interface provided by the network device (Krishnamurthy, elements 14 generally provide interfaces for direct interaction, such as command line interfaces (CLIs), web-based interfaces, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), or the like, by which a user can interact with the devices to directly issue text-based commands, [0025]).
Claim(s) 7, 10 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2012/0198110) in view of Ansley (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2009/0135846) and further in view of Christensen (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2013/0311681).
-Regarding claim 7, the combination is silent to teaching that the set of capabilities specified in the override profile comprises a capability that is not specified in the memory of the transceiver. However, the claimed limitation is well known in the art as evidenced by Christensen.
In the same field of endeavor, Christensen teaches the set of capabilities specified in the override profile comprises a capability that is not specified in the memory of the transceiver (to upgrade a router from a first level of functionality in which the router is capable of performing a first set of functions to a second level of functionality in which the router is capable of performing a second set of functions, the configuration circuit used to configure the router is removed and replaced by a second configuration circuit having different configuration information maintained in its configuration repository, [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the combination with the teaching of Christensen in order to provide different router models with common hardware arrangements.
-Regarding claim 10, the combination further discloses a capability in the set of capabilities comprises a feature, function, or parameter that is not advertised by the transceiver (Christensen, The configuration information stored in the configuration information repository may be used to configure, for example, multiple Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) or other custom Integrated Circuits (ICs) in the router to provide the selected and changeable level of functionality, [0017]).
-Regarding claim 17, the combination further discloses the set of capabilities specified in the override profile comprises a capability that is not specified in the memory of the transceiver (Christensen, to upgrade a router from a first level of functionality in which the router is capable of performing a first set of functions to a second level of functionality in which the router is capable of performing a second set of functions, the configuration circuit used to configure the router is removed and replaced by a second configuration circuit having different configuration information maintained in its configuration repository, [0018]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PING Y HSIEH whose telephone number is (571)270-3011. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.
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/PING Y HSIEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2664
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