Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/655,998

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING DATA CENTER EQUIPMENT

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
May 06, 2024
Examiner
PATEL, KAMINI B
Art Unit
2114
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
VERTIV CORPORATION
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 7m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allow Rate
892 granted / 1041 resolved
+30.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+9.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
15 currently pending
Career history
1056
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
13.1%
-26.9% vs TC avg
§103
44.5%
+4.5% vs TC avg
§102
21.6%
-18.4% vs TC avg
§112
9.6%
-30.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1041 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
This action is in response to the amendments filed on 02/17/2026, in which claims 1, 10-11, 13 and 19 have been amended, claims 1-20 are presented for the examination. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/17/2026 has been entered. 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. 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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le Goff et al. (US 2020/0379529, referred herein after Le Goff) in view of Venkatraman et al. (US 2021/0034495, referred herein after Venkatraman). As per claim 1, 13, 19, Le Goff discloses a system for monitoring, detecting and generating a corrective action in response to receiving real time information from a monitored data center device, the system comprising: a computer, a memory operably associated with the computer (Fig. 5, [0037], [0038]); a principal control software PCS subsystem configured to be stored in the memory of the computer and to be accessed by the computer, wherein the computer is used to monitor operation of a data center device ([0060], [0093], [0105], Each server (ie computer) comprises at least one sensor (shown on FIG. 5) that provides measurements related to a parameter of the server 400, [0098]); the PCS subsystem including pre-defined information for analyzing operating information pertaining to operation of the data center device (Figure 1, reference 130, metric platform, [0093], [0095], Measurements (ie stored operating values) provided by the servers 230 are stored in the metrics cache 130 introduced in the description of FIG. 1.); the PCS subsystem further being configured to: analyze the operating information received from the agent subsystem using the pre-defined information to determine when a situation exists requiring an action to be taken to modify operation of the data center device; and (Fig. 5, action controller (535) configured to perform analysis of the operating information and transmit the corrective action back to those nodes (servers 400) to manage operation (Fig. 5, [0037], [0038], [0047]); to use the pre-defined information to determine and transmit a predetermined action to the agent subsystem, to be received and used by the agent subsystem, which are used by processor of the data center device to modify operation of the data center device in accordance with the predetermined action (Fig. 5, [0098]-[0100], [0037], [0038], action controller (535) configured to perform analysis of the operating information and transmit the corrective action back to those nodes (servers 400) to manage operation, Agents (servers) are capable to receiving operating measurements from the various sensors). Le Goff does not disclose an agent subsystem configured to be stored in the memory of the data center device and to communicate with a processor of the data center device, the agent subsystem further being configured to communicate the operating information generated by the data center device, including at least one of the events or alarms associated with the data center device, to the PCS subsystem; However, Venkatraman discloses an agent subsystem (Fig. 1, agent 140, [0032], [0033]) configured to be stored in the memory of the data center device ([0038], a management server (i e data center device) and to communicate with a processor of the data center device, the agent subsystem further being configured to communicate the operating information generated by the data center device, including at least one of the events or alarms associated with the data center device, to the PCS subsystem (Fig. 1, [0045]-[0047], wherein the data (i e the operating information) from monitored device (i e data center device) is transferred to host device via network 130); Therefore it would have been obvious to the one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate teaching of Venkatraman’s method for dynamically updating device health scores and weighting factors into Le Goff’s method for supervising server health because one of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to continuously monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and health metrics, which identify issues, predict potential failures, and take proactive measures to mitigate risks before they impact critical business operations. As per claim 2, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the PCS subsystem is configured to be stored in a non-volatile memory of the computer ([0061], [0087]). As per claim 3, 14, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the computer comprises at least one of: a server; a personal computer; a laptop computer; a computing tablet; a smartphone; or a personal digital assistant ([0087]). As per claim 4, Venkartraman discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the agent subsystem comprises a software module configured to be stored in a non-volatile memory of the data center device (Fig. 1, agent 140, [0032], [0033], [0038]). As per claim 5, 15, 20, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined information comprises at least one of: a stored set point; a stored operating value; a stored rule; or a stored algorithm; a stored table; a stored chart; or a stored look-up table, for determining when the situation arises for taking the action, and determining the predetermined action to be taken (Fig. 6, step 620, stored measurements, [0012], [0093]). As per claim 6, 16, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined action transmitted by the PCS subsystem includes a command to modify operation of a cooling unit ([0021]). As per claim 7, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 6, wherein the command to modify operation of a cooling unit comprises: a command to increase a cooling output of the cooling unit; or a command to decrease a cooling output of the cooling unit ([0021]). As per claim 8, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the data center device comprises a server, and the PCS subsystem is configured to communicate bi-directionally via a network with a CPU of the server (Fig. 4, 440, [0103], [0104]). As per claim 9, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising a cooling unit, and wherein the PCS subsystem is configured to communicate bi-directionally via a network with the cooling unit (Fig. 4, 440, [0103], [0104]). As per claim 10, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising a database contained in the memory of the computer and accessible by the PCS subsystem for collecting historical operating information received from the at least one data center device over a period of time (Fig. 5, 520, [0038]). As per claim 11, 17, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 10, wherein the PCS subsystem is further configured to use the historical operating information stored in the database to further control operation of the at least one data center device ([0012], [0018]). As per claim 12, 18, Le Goff discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the PCS subsystem further includes an auto discovery software subsystem for discovering data center devices ([0105], [0106]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAMINI B PATEL whose telephone number is (571)270-3902. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4:30. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ashish Thomas can be reached at 571-272-0631. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KAMINI B PATEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2114
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Prosecution Timeline

May 06, 2024
Application Filed
May 29, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §103
Sep 02, 2025
Response Filed
Nov 28, 2025
Final Rejection — §103
Feb 02, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Feb 17, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Feb 25, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Mar 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+9.9%)
2y 7m
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 1041 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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