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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 21-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (9,059,551) as applied to the claims above, and further in view of Sharma (2009/0251867).
Regarding Claim 1: Liu teaches a communication device, wherein the communication device comprises: a cabinet (600), a plurality of subracks (800 with 430, wherein fig. 19 shows a plurality), and a plurality of switch boards (830), wherein: wherein each subrack comprises a corresponding backplane (430) and a corresponding plurality of service boards (800), the corresponding backplane is located in each subrack (fig. 19), the corresponding plurality of service boards are pluggably installed in each subrack (through connectors in fig. 19), and each service board of the corresponding plurality of service boards is electrically connected to the corresponding backplane (through connectors in fig. 19); and each subrack and each switch board of the plurality of switch boards are pluggably installed in the cabinet (through 410 in fig. 19), the corresponding backplane of each subrack is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of switch boards (fig. 19), and each switch board is electrically connected to at least one backplane (fig. 19), but lacks a specific teaching of each of the subrack of the plurality of subracks is of a flat open box structure comprising a subrack top panel, a subrack bottom panel, a subrack side panel, and a subrack backplane.
Sharma teaches each of the subrack of the plurality of subracks is of a flat open box structure (figs. 4A-4E) comprising a subrack top panel (figs. 4A-4E), a subrack bottom panel (figs. 4A-4E), a subrack side panel (figs. 4A-4E), and a subrack backplane (figs. 4A-4E).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having each of the subrack of the plurality of subracks is of a flat open box structure comprising a subrack top panel, a subrack bottom panel, a subrack side panel, and a subrack backplane as disclosed by Sharma in order to allow for proper capacity and sizing needed for the service boards attached to the system in order to accommodate the proper amount of service boards to allow access to the boards while also accommodating the needed bandwidth which allows the system to run properly as designed for the user instead of having interruptions from the service boards.
Regarding Claim 2: Liu teaches wherein the corresponding backplane of each subrack is electrically connected to any one of the plurality of switch boards (multiple configurations form figs. 7-19 show interconnectivity of each board and backplane to the switch boards).
Regarding Claim 3: Liu teaches wherein backplanes of the plurality of subracks are arranged in a first direction (figs. 7-19), and the plurality of switch boards are arranged in a second direction (figs. 7-19), and wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction (figs. 7-19).
Regarding Claim 4: Liu teaches wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a cabinet top panel of the cabinet (figs. 1 and 7-19), and the second direction is perpendicular to a cabinet side panel of the cabinet (figs. 1 and 7-19).
Regarding Claim 5: Liu teaches wherein each backplane is parallel to a cabinet panel of the cabinet (figs. 1 and 7-19), and each switch board is parallel to the cabinet side panel of the cabinet (figs. 1 and 7-19).
Regarding Claim 6: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein bandwidth capacities of a backplane and a service board that are located in a same subrack match each other.
Sharma teaches bandwidth capacities of a backplane and a service board that are located in a same subrack match each other (paragraph [0077] allows for customizable bandwidths as needed for the system requirements between the I/O modules and the backplane).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having bandwidth capacities of a backplane and a service board that are located in a same subrack match each other as disclosed by Sharma in order to allow for proper capacity needed for the service boards attached to the system in order to accommodate the needed bandwidth which allows the system to run properly as designed for the user instead of having interruptions from the service boards.
Regarding Claim 21: Liu teaches wherein the corresponding backplane is one of: a printed circuit board (PCB) backplane, a cable backplane, or an optical fiber backplane (fig. 19).
Regarding Claim 22: Liu teaches wherein the cabinet comprises a cabinet top panel (figs. 1-2), a cabinet bottom panel (figs. 1-2), two cabinet side panels (figs. 1-2), a cabinet panel (figs. 1-2), and a cabinet backplane (100), and wherein each subrack (800) is pluggably installed in a slot provided in the cabinet panel (figs. 1-2).
Regarding Claim 23: Liu teaches wherein the corresponding backplane of each subrack is located at a rear of each subrack (figs. 1-2 and 19), and an opening of each subrack opposite the corresponding backplane is configured for insertion and removal of service boards (figs. 1-2 and 19).
Regarding Claim 24: Liu teaches wherein the corresponding backplane and each service board in a same subrack are electrically connected through connectors (connectors shown in fig. 19), wherein a connector is provided at an inner surface of the corresponding backplane facing a subrack interior (figs. 1, 2, and 19), and a corresponding connector is provided at a position of each service board proximate to the corresponding backplane (figs. 1, 2, and 19).
Regarding Claim 25: Liu teaches wherein the corresponding backplane of each subrack and each switch board are electrically connected through connectors (connectors shown in fig. 19), wherein a connector is provided at a position of the corresponding backplane proximate to each switch board (figs. 1, 2, and 19), and a corresponding connector is provided at a position of each switch board proximate to the corresponding backplane (figs. 1, 2, and 19).
Regarding Claim 26: Liu teaches wherein running speeds of the corresponding backplane and each service board located in a same subrack match each other (figs. 3-5 and col. 4 lines 3-9 showing the first backplane all handling only low speed signals).
Claim(s) 7-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (9,059,551) as applied to the claims above, and further in view of Wang (7,161,930).
Regarding Claim 7: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between each service board and the destination service board; and determine a destination port and output the service signal through the destination port based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to a same service board.
Wang teaches wherein each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between each service board and the destination service board; and determine a destination port and output the service signal through the destination port based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to a same service board (shown through figs. 4A-4B and describes in col. 9 line 55 – col. 10 line 37, wherein this is also merely the function of the already disclosed elements of the apparatus see MPEP 2114).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having wherein each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between each service board and the destination service board; and determine a destination port and output the service signal through the destination port based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to a same service board as disclosed by Wang in order to allow for signal integrity to be preserved while allowing for easy and fast communications between the connectors of each service board through the switch boards and backplanes..
Regarding Claim 8: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein there are a plurality of destination ports, and each service board is configured to: replicate the service signal based on a quantity of the plurality of destination ports to obtain a plurality of service signals; and output each service signal of the plurality of service signals through a corresponding destination port of the plurality of destination ports.
Wang teaches wherein there are a plurality of destination ports, and each service board is configured to: replicate the service signal based on a quantity of the plurality of destination ports to obtain a plurality of service signals; and output each service signal of the plurality of service signals through a corresponding destination port of the plurality of destination ports (shown through figs. 4A-4B and describes in col. 9 line 55 – col. 10 line 37, wherein this is also merely the function of the already disclosed elements of the apparatus see MPEP 2114).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having wherein there are a plurality of destination ports, and each service board is configured to: replicate the service signal based on a quantity of the plurality of destination ports to obtain a plurality of service signals; and output each service signal of the plurality of service signals through a corresponding destination port of the plurality of destination ports as disclosed by Wang in order to allow for signal integrity to be preserved while allowing for easy and fast communications between the connectors of each service board through the switch boards and backplanes..
Regarding Claim 9: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein any two service boards in each subrack are electrically connected, and each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between each service board and the destination service board; and send the service signal to the destination service board based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to different service boards but a same subrack.
Wang teaches wherein any two service boards in each subrack are electrically connected, and each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between each service board and the destination service board; and send the service signal to the destination service board based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to different service boards but a same subrack (shown through figs. 4A-4B and describes in col. 9 line 55 – col. 10 line 37, wherein this is also merely the function of the already disclosed elements of the apparatus see MPEP 2114).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having wherein any two service boards in each subrack are electrically connected, and each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between each service board and the destination service board; and send the service signal to the destination service board based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to different service boards but a same subrack as disclosed by Wang in order to allow for signal integrity to be preserved while allowing for easy and fast communications between the connectors of each service board through the switch boards and backplanes..
Regarding Claim 10: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein there are a plurality of destination service boards, and each service board is configured to: replicate the service signal based on a quantity of the plurality of destination service boards to obtain a plurality of service signals; and send each service signal of the plurality of service signals to each destination service board of the plurality of destination service boards.
Wang teaches wherein there are a plurality of destination service boards, and each service board is configured to: replicate the service signal based on a quantity of the plurality of destination service boards to obtain a plurality of service signals; and send each service signal of the plurality of service signals to each destination service board of the plurality of destination service boards (shown through figs. 4A-4B and describes in col. 9 line 55 – col. 10 line 37, wherein this is also merely the function of the already disclosed elements of the apparatus see MPEP 2114).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having wherein there are a plurality of destination service boards, and each service board is configured to: replicate the service signal based on a quantity of the plurality of destination service boards to obtain a plurality of service signals; and send each service signal of the plurality of service signals to each destination service board of the plurality of destination service boards as disclosed by Wang in order to allow for signal integrity to be preserved while allowing for easy and fast communications between the connectors of each service board through the switch boards and backplanes..
Regarding Claim 11: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between the service board and the destination service board; and send the service signal to each switch board based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to different service boards and different subracks, so that each switch board sends the service signal to the destination service board.
Wang teaches wherein each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between the service board and the destination service board; and send the service signal to each switch board based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to different service boards and different subracks, so that each switch board sends the service signal to the destination service board (shown through figs. 4A-4B and describes in col. 9 line 55 – col. 10 line 37, wherein this is also merely the function of the already disclosed elements of the apparatus see MPEP 2114).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having wherein each service board is configured to: determine a destination service board when receiving a service signal; determine a relationship between the service board and the destination service board; and send the service signal to each switch board based on that each service board and the destination service board belong to different service boards and different subracks, so that each switch board sends the service signal to the destination service board as disclosed by Wang in order to allow for signal integrity to be preserved while allowing for easy and fast communications between the connectors of each service board through the switch boards and backplanes..
Regarding Claim 12: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein the destination service board is determined based on each service board that receives the service signal and a pre-stored service board correspondence; and the destination port is determined based on a port that receives the service signal and a pre-stored port correspondence.
Wang teaches wherein the destination service board is determined based on each service board that receives the service signal and a pre-stored service board correspondence; and the destination port is determined based on a port that receives the service signal and a pre-stored port correspondence (shown through figs. 4A-4B and describes in col. 9 line 55 – col. 10 line 37, wherein this is also merely the function of the already disclosed elements of the apparatus see MPEP 2114).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having wherein the destination service board is determined based on each service board that receives the service signal and a pre-stored service board correspondence; and the destination port is determined based on a port that receives the service signal and a pre-stored port correspondence as disclosed by Wang in order to allow for signal integrity to be preserved while allowing for easy and fast communications between the connectors of each service board through the switch boards and backplanes..
Regarding Claim 13: Liu lacks a specific teaching of wherein both the destination service board and the destination port of the destination service board are determined based on a destination address carried in the service signal.
Wang teaches wherein both the destination service board and the destination port of the destination service board are determined based on a destination address carried in the service signal (shown through figs. 4A-4B and describes in col. 9 line 55 – col. 10 line 37, wherein this is also merely the function of the already disclosed elements of the apparatus see MPEP 2114).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Liu by having wherein both the destination service board and the destination port of the destination service board are determined based on a destination address carried in the service signal as disclosed by Wang in order to allow for signal integrity to be preserved while allowing for easy and fast communications between the connectors of each service board through the switch boards and backplanes.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-13 and 21-26 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 ANTHONY MICHAEL HAUGHTON whose telephone number is (571)272-9087. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5p.
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/ANTHONY M HAUGHTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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