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 § 112(b)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2,9, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2, line 2, claim 9, line 2, and claim 15, line 2 recite the limitation “Platform Level Data Model (PLDM)”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims.
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 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.
Claims 1,3-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (US 20200097056 A1.), and in view of Merkin et al. (US 20040133398 A1.).
As per claim 1, Wang teaches
A multiple-virtual-temperature-sensor-per-computing-component cooling system (para 4, various types of sensors including thermostats, para 3, cooling fan located within the system chassis), comprising:
a chassis (para 3, a chassis of a computer);
a cooling system that is housed in the chassis (para 3, cooling fan located within the system chassis);
a computing component that is housed in the chassis and that includes a plurality of physical temperature sensors (para 25, temperature sensors in the GPU 108 is connected to the BMC 104, Fig. 1, the management bus 130 has fan that includes temperature sensors, para 3, cooling fan located within the system chassis/computer chassis.); and
a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) device that is housed in the chassis and coupled to the computing component, wherein the BMC device is configured to (para 4, BMC, Baseboard management Controller in the computer system, Fig. 6B, para 39, BMC 304 is coupled within the computer system 100):
identify the plurality of temperature sensors included in the computing component (para 4, “The BMC is a microcontroller integrated into the baseboard (also known in the industry as the “motherboard”) of a computer system, and having a specified number of contact pins through which information sensed by various sensors is received for analysis by the BMC. In order to perform this analysis, the BMC is programmed with firmware for implementing procedures relating to system monitoring and recovery. With this firmware, the BMC is programmed to monitor various operating and performance-related parameters sensed within a computer system.” The sensors received by the BMC through the computing teaches identifying sensors.);
retrieve respective temperature data from each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors (para 39, Physical BMC obtaining temperature and communicating with the virtual BMC and adjusting the temperature based on the predetermined threshold. “The physical BMC 304 may initiate operation of the fan 306 upon determining that the temperature dissipated by the GPU 308 is approaching the predetermined slowdown threshold temperature of 85 degrees Celsius. ………. This is illustrated in FIG. 6B. The increase in fan capacity can cool the GPU 308 to 82 degrees Celsius.” The communication between physical BMC and virtual BMC to acquire and adjust temperature with the threshold temperature teaches retrieving temperature.);
use the cooling system control information to control the cooling system (Wang, para 35-36, the virtual BMC 307 can enable the physical BMS 304 to monitor the temperate sensor. Therefore, via virtual BMC 307, the physical BMC 304 monitoring the temperature sensor virtually. The same way, this can control functionality over the fan 306. Also see Fig, 5 and Fig 6A-6B.).
However, Wang does not teach
create at least one virtual device that includes a respective virtual temperature sensor for each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors.
provide, for each virtual temperature sensor included in the at least one virtual device, the respective temperature data that was retrieved from the physical temperature sensor for which that virtual temperature sensor was created in a cooling system control algorithm to generate cooling system control information.
In the same field of endeavor, Merkin et al. teach
create at least one virtual device that includes a respective virtual temperature sensor for each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors (Merkin et al., abstract, “The management controller associates each of the physical sensors with one or more of the virtual sensors utilizing the sensor numbers. The management controller further stores within each of the associated virtual sensors the sensor value from the physical sensor associated with the associated virtual sensor”. Also see, Fig. 1, para 25 and para 32, The information handling system 10 includes physical sensors 28a to 28e. These sensors are respectively coupled with virtual sensor repository 30 and continuously accessed to obtain sensor values.);
provide, for each virtual temperature sensor included in the at least one virtual device, the respective temperature data that was retrieved from the physical temperature sensor for which that virtual temperature sensor was created in a cooling system control algorithm to generate cooling system control information (Merkin et al., Fig. 1, the virtual sensor repository 30 includes plurality of virtual sensors 32a through 32m. Fig. 2, para 18, para 33, a mapping between virtual sensor and physical sensor is done in step 72 via sensor SDR. Also see steps 64 to step 68, para 33, management controller 12 process the request to use one or more of virtual sensor 32 for physical sensor 28d or 28e.Also para 33 defines an algorithm or method that use information handling system and management controller 12 to communicate between physical and virtual sensors using the “ADD SDR” command.).
It would have been obvious to a person ordinary skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the virtual thermal management system taught by Wang and to include Merkin et al.’s information or data exchange between physical and virtual sensor repository into Wang’s system. This would have been obvious because both Wang and Merkin et al. teach a virtual cooling system. By adding information exchange between virtual and physical sensors, the system can monitor and control the sensors virtually, and interpret sensor data in a consistent and unified manner (Merkin et al. paras 8, 18, 33, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).
As per claim 3, the combination of Wang, and Merkin et al. teach
The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtual device includes a single virtual device including the respective virtual temperature sensor for each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors in the computing component (Merkin et al., Fig. 1, the virtual sensor repository 30 includes plurality of virtual sensors 32a through 32m. Fig. 2, para 18, para 33, a mapping between virtual sensor and physical sensor is done in step 72 via sensor SDR. Also see steps 64 to step 68, para 33, management controller 12 process the request to use one or more of virtual sensor 32 for physical sensor 28d or 28e).
As per claim 4, the combination of Wang and Merkin et al. teach
The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtual device includes a first virtual device including the respective virtual temperature sensors for each of a first subset of the plurality of physical temperature sensors in the computing component, and a second virtual device including the respective virtual temperature sensors for each of a second subset of the plurality of physical temperature sensors in the computing component ( Merkin et al., Fig. 1, para 25 and para 32,The information handling system 10 includes physical sensors 28a to 28e. These sensors are respectively coupled with virtual sensor repository 30 and continuously accessed to obtain sensor values. The virtual sensor repository contains sensors 32a to 32m. Also see para 18, the physical sensor 28a has a sensor number “01” which is first sensor. Also see para 33 the coupling between the virtual and physical sensor.).
As per claim 5, the combination of Wang, Merkin et al. teach
The system of claim 4, wherein the first subset of the plurality of physical temperature sensors in the computing component consists of four physical temperature sensors, and the second subset of the plurality of physical temperature sensors in the computing component includes a maximum of four physical temperature sensors (Merkin et al., para 25, “information handling system 10 further includes physical sensors 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, and 28e. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows five physical sensors 28 while alternate embodiments may include less than five or more than five physical sensors”.).
As per claim 6, the combination of Wang and Merkin et al. teach
The system of claim 4, wherein the BMC device is configured to:
provide first respective temperature data retrieved from each of the physical temperature sensors included in the first subset of the plurality of physical temperature sensors in the computing component in the cooling system control algorithm to generate first cooling system control information during a first time period (Merkin et al., para 3, The sensors monitor temperature. Also see Fig. 2 Step 74 is verifying if the physical sensor is associated via SDR with the associated Virtual sensor. Therefore, according to Figure 1, the first physical sensor 28a marked as “01” will coupled with the respective virtual sensor 32a and will generate the control information according to para 33, Fig.2); and
provide second respective temperature data retrieved from each of the physical temperature sensors included in the second subset of the plurality of physical temperature sensors in the computing component in the cooling system control algorithm to generate second cooling system control information during a second time period that is different than the first time period (Merkin et al. para 3, The sensors monitor temperature. Also see Fig. 2 Step 74 is verifying is the physical sensor is associated with the SDR for the associated Virtual sensor. Therefore, according to Figure 1, the second physical sensor 28b marked as “02” will coupled with the respective virtual sensor 32b and will generate the control information according to para 33, Fig.2).
As per claim 7, the combination of Wang and Merkin et al. teach
The system of claim 1, wherein the computing component includes:
a plurality of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), wherein at least one of the plurality of physical temperature sensors is provided for each of the plurality of GPUs (Wang, para 23, Fig. 1 Multiple GPUs, GPU0-GPPU3 as GPU 108 are arranged in a row. GPU 108 can be connected to sensors.).
As per claim 8, The combination of Wang and Merkin t al. teach
An Information Handling System (IHS) (Wang, para 9, “The virtual management controller can be configured to obtain monitoring information of the thermally sensitive component untethered to the management controller”. Merkin et al. para 2, Fig. 2, para 33, Information Handling System 10.), comprising:
a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) processing system (Wang, para 4, BMC, Baseboard management Controller in the computer system, Fig. 6B, para 39, BMC 304 is coupled within the computer system 100, Rao et al., abstract, para 7); and
a BMC memory system that is coupled to the BMC processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the BMC processing system, cause the BMC processing system to provide a BMC engine that is configured to (Wang, para 32, input output memory management unit peripheral component hosted in 303 can be installed in the virtual BMC which translates CPU- virtual address to physical address).
Please refer to the analysis of claim 1 above for further clarification.
As per claim 14, Wang teaches
A method (abstract) for controlling a cooling system using multiple virtual temperature sensors per computing component, comprising (para 4, various types of sensors including thermostats, para 3, cooling fan located within the system chassis):
identifying, by a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) device, a plurality of physical temperature sensors included in a computing component (para 4, “The BMC is a microcontroller integrated into the baseboard (also known in the industry as the “motherboard”) of a computer system, and having a specified number of contact pins through which information sensed by various sensors is received for analysis by the BMC. In order to perform this analysis, the BMC is programmed with firmware for implementing procedures relating to system monitoring and recovery. With this firmware, the BMC is programmed to monitor various operating and performance-related parameters sensed within a computer system.” The sensors received by the BMC through the computing teaches identifying sensors.);
retrieving, by the BMC device, respective temperature data from each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors (para 39, Physical BMC obtaining temperature and communicating with the virtual BMC and adjusting the temperature based on the predetermined threshold. “The physical BMC 304 may initiate operation of the fan 306 upon determining that the temperature dissipated by the GPU 308 is approaching the predetermined slowdown threshold temperature of 85 degrees Celsius. ………. This is illustrated in FIG. 6B. The increase in fan capacity can cool the GPU 308 to 82 degrees Celsius.” The communication between physical BMC and virtual BMC to acquire and adjust temperature with the threshold temperature teaches retrieving temperature.);
using, by the BMC device, the cooling system control information to control a cooling system (Wang, para 35-36, the virtual BMC 307 can enable the physical BMC 304 to monitor the temperate sensor. Therefore, via virtual BMC 307, the physical BMC 304 monitoring the temperature sensor virtually. The same way, this can control functionality over the fan 306. Also see Fig, 5 and Fig 6A-6B.).
However, Wang does not teach
creating, by the BMC device, at least one virtual device that includes a respective virtual temperature sensor for each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors; and
providing, by the BMC device for each virtual temperature sensor included in the at least one virtual device, the respective temperature data that was retrieved from the physical temperature sensor for which that virtual temperature sensor was created in a cooling system control algorithm to generate cooling system control information.
In the same field of endeavor, Merkin et al. teach
creating, by the BMC device, at least one virtual device that includes a respective virtual temperature sensor for each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors (Merkin et al. abstract, “The management controller associates each of the physical sensors with one or more of the virtual sensors utilizing the sensor numbers. The management controller further stores within each of the associated virtual sensors the sensor value from the physical sensor associated with the associated virtual sensor. Also see, Fig. 1, para 25 and para 32, The information handling system 10 includes physical sensors 28a to 28e. These sensors are respectively coupled with Virtual sensor repository 30 and continuously accessed to obtain sensor values.); and
providing, by the BMC device for each virtual temperature sensor included in the at least one virtual device, the respective temperature data that was retrieved from the physical temperature sensor for which that virtual temperature sensor was created in a cooling system control algorithm to generate cooling system control information (Merkin et al., Fig. 1, the virtual sensor repository 30 includes plurality of virtual sensors 32a through 32m. Fig. 2, para 18, para 33, a mapping between virtual sensor and physical sensor has done in step 72 via sensor SDR. Also see steps 64 to step 68, para 33, management controller 12 process the request to use one or more of virtual sensor 32 for physical sensor 28d or 28e.Also para 33 defines an algorithm or method that use information handling system and management controller 12 to communicate between physical and virtual sensors. Using the “ADD SDR” command).
It would have been obvious to a person ordinary skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the virtual thermal management system taught by Wang and to include Merkin et al.’s data exchange between virtual and physical sensor method into Wang’s system. This would have been obvious because both Wang and Merkin et al. teach a virtual cooling system. By adding Merkin et al.’s sensor monitoring via virtual sensor repository system management controller, the system can monitor, exchange, and display sensor data virtually, and interpret sensor data in a consistent and unified manner (Merkin et al., Fig. 1, Fig. 2, paras 8, 33).
As per system claim 9 and method claim 15, please refer to the analysis of claim 2, as they recite the same limitations.
As per system claim 10 and method claim 16, please refer to the analysis of system claim 3, as they recite the same limitations.
As per system claim 11 and method claim 17, please refer to the analysis of system claim 4, as they recite the same limitations.
As per system claim 12 and method claim 18, please refer to the analysis of system claim 5, as they recite the same limitations.
As per system claim 13 and method claim 19, please refer to the analysis of system claim 6, as they recite the same limitations.
As per method claim 20, please refer to the analysis of system claim 7, as they recite the same limitations.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (US 20200097056 A1.), and in view of Merkin et al. (US 20040133398 A1.) and further in view of Rao et al. (US 9767067 B2.).
As per claim 2, the combination of Wang and Merkin et al. do not teach
The system of claim 1, wherein the respective temperature data is retrieved from each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors according to the Platform Level Data Model (PLDM).
However, in the same field of endeavor, Rao et al. teach
The system of claim 1, wherein the respective temperature data is retrieved from each of the plurality of physical temperature sensors according to the Platform Level Data Model (PLDM) (Rao et al, col 2, lines 20-24, PLDM, also see col 7, lines 57-61, Fig. 5, “FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an architectural example of iMC 500 according to some embodiments. As shown, sensor driver 501 is in communication with sensor interface 404 and sensor monitoring service 502, which in turn is coupled to Platform Level Data Model (PLDM).”).
It would have been obvious to a person ordinary skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the virtual thermal management system taught by Wang and Merkin et al., and to include the PLDM, platform level data model, utilized by Rao et al. into Wang’s thermal management system. This would have been obvious because the combination of Wang, Merkin et al. and Rao et al. teach a virtual thermal monitoring system. By including the PLDM into the system, it will provide the same management capabilities that typically exist on a large-core/high performance server without increased cost, complexity, and/or without sacrificing certain desirable features, and the data transportation between the physical and virtual sensors will be much faster (Rao et al., col 1, lines 47-54).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please refer to the form PTO-892 Notice of References Cited
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rokeya Alam whose telephone number is (571)-272-0083. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30am - 4:30pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mr. Scott Baderman can be reached at telephone number (571-272-3644). The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/ROKEYA SHAWALI ALAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2118
/SCOTT T BADERMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2118
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