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
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, 4-6, 9 and 12 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 states “…the time duration is consistent with that of the access bandwidth and the time sequence is in continuation with the access bandwidth”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for “time duration” and “the time sequence”, Furthermore, what is considered “time duration is consistent with that of the access bandwidth” and “in continuation with the access bandwidth”? What time duration is consistent? How is it consistent with the access bandwidth and how are these related? The time sequence and time duration are measured in units of time which is not the same measurement of the access bandwidth. It is vague and confusing what it means by the time duration is consistent with that of the access bandwidth and time sequence being in continuation with the access bandwidth.
Claim 4 states “sending the access bandwidth…the access network ONU and the home network OLT”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations.
Claim 5 states “at least by one of the following manners…receiving by an integrated device a serial number…acquiring the second number SN”. There is insufficient antecedent basis of this limitation. The claim comprises “at least by one of the following manners” i.e. it could comprise one or more. Since its an “or” statement, how is the “acquiring statement” comprising the same serial number SN limitation of the receiving step mention prior? Its one or more, not all the steps for each step to depend on the other.
Claim 6 states further limitations relating to the “acquiring step” of claim 5. Since claim 5 comprised an “or” statement, this acquiring step wasn’t examined. Thus the limitations of claim 6 are suffering from insufficient antecedent basis as it doesn’t depend on the choice selected in claim 5.
Claim 9 states “acquire the serial number SN”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation.
Claim 12 suffers from similar issues as in claim 2 above.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xinfeng (CN 112887851A), see the translated copy for relevant paragraphs.
Regarding claim 1, Xinfeng teaches a method for allocating a bandwidth (Figs. 4 along with Fig. 8 and 10), comprising: allocating, by an access network OLT (Fig. 4, access network OLT- central office OLT), an access bandwidth for a home network ONU (Fig. 4, home network ONUs multiple edge ONUs; see step 101 of Fig. 10), wherein the access bandwidth is reserved by an integrated device (Fig. 4, integrated device FTTR), and the integrated device is configured to allocate an uplink bandwidth of the home network except the access bandwidth (Since the upstream PON signal uses TDMA to transmit data, the FTTR optical gateway needs to enable the burst transmission function of the first ONU standard optical interface and the burst reception of the OL T short-distance optical interface for the time slice of each edge ONU. The processing unit is used to determine the burst transmission time slice of each edge ONU according to the burst control information, and is also used to use the local burst transmission time slice as a reference to pass the burst transmission time slice of the edge ONU and the local burst transmission time slice. Calculate the start time and end time of the upstream transmission of each edge ONU based on the relative difference of the sending time slice; see steps 101 and 102 in Fig. 10).
Although Xinfeng doesn’t teach all the referenced information within Fig. 4, Figs. 4, 8 and 10 are all related to each other showing the different steps followed by the devices of the network. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to reference Figs. 8 and 10 within the network for Fig. 4 in order to know the functions and steps performed during such allocation by the OLT.
Regarding claim 2, Xinfeng teaches the method for allocating a bandwidth according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: reserving, by the integrated device, a local bandwidth of which the time duration is consistent with that of the access bandwidth and the time sequence is in continuation with the access bandwidth for the home network ONU, and using the local bandwidth as the allocated access bandwidth (Fig. 10, step 102, The processing unit determines the burst transmission time slice of each edge ONU according to the burst control information, and is also used to use the local burst transmission time slice as a benchmark to compare the burst transmission time slice of the edge ONU with the local burst transmission time slice. For the relative difference of the burst transmission time slice, calculate the start time and end time of the upstream transmission of each edge ONU).
Regarding claim 4, Xinfeng teaches the method for allocating a bandwidth according to claim 2, wherein sending the allocated access bandwidth to the home network ONU comprises: sending the access bandwidth to the home network ONU through the access network ONU and the home network OLT (Page 8, paragraph 6; Fig. 4 shows the integrated device comprises access network ONU and home network OLT; see also Page 6, paragraph 9, The FTTR optical gateway includes: a first ONU standard optical interface, an OLT short-range optical interface).
Regarding claim 5, Xinfeng teaches an authentication method for a home network ONU (Fig. 4, home network ONUs multiple edge ONUs; see step 101 of Fig. 10), comprising: authenticating the home network ONU at least by one of the following manners: receiving, by an integrated device (Fig. 4, integrated device FTTR), a serial number SN sent by the home network ONU and sending the serial number SN to an access network OLT (via the integrated device; Page 12, paragraph 1, The ONU declares its existence in the PON system by responding to the serial number authorization), and the access network OLT authenticating the home network ONU (Page 12, paragraph 1, The central office OLT finds a newly added ONU through the serial number of the ONU, and assigns a unique ONU-ID to this ONU); wherein the integrated device includes: an access network ONU and a home network OLT (Page 8, paragraph 6; Fig. 4 shows the integrated device comprises access network ONU and home network OLT; see also Page 6, paragraph 9, The FTTR optical gateway includes: a first ONU standard optical interface, an OLT short-range optical interface).
Although Xinfeng doesn’t teach all the referenced information within Fig. 4, Figs. 4, 8 and 10 are all related to each other showing the different steps followed by the devices of the network. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to reference Figs. 8 and 10 within the network for Fig. 4 in order to know the functions and steps performed during such allocation by the OLT.
Regarding claim 7, Xinfeng teaches an authentication system for a home network ONU, comprising: an access network OLT (Fig. 4, access network OLT- central office OLT), an integrated device (Fig. 4, integrated device FTTR) and a home network ONU (Fig. 4, home network ONUs multiple edge ONUs; see step 101 of Fig. 10), wherein the home network ONU is configured to access the access network OLT via the integrated device to complete an access service, and is further configured to establish a home network with the integrated device to realize a service inside the home network (Since the upstream PON signal uses TDMA to transmit data, the FTTR optical gateway needs to enable the burst transmission function of the first ONU standard optical interface and the burst reception of the OL T short-distance optical interface for the time slice of each edge ONU. The processing unit is used to determine the burst transmission time slice of each edge ONU according to the burst control information, and is also used to use the local burst transmission time slice as a reference to pass the burst transmission time slice of the edge ONU and the local burst transmission time slice. Calculate the start time and end time of the upstream transmission of each edge ONU based on the relative difference of the sending time slice; see steps 101 and 102 in Fig. 10) and the integrated device includes: an access network ONU and a home network OLT (Page 8, paragraph 6; Fig. 4 shows the integrated device comprises access network ONU and home network OLT; see also Page 6, paragraph 9, The FTTR optical gateway includes: a first ONU standard optical interface, an OLT short-range optical interface).
Although Xinfeng doesn’t teach all the referenced information within Fig. 4, Figs. 4, 8 and 10 are all related to each other showing the different steps followed by the devices of the network. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to reference Figs. 8 and 10 within the network for Fig. 4 in order to know the functions and steps performed during such allocation by the OLT.
Regarding claim 8, Xinfeng teaches the authentication system for a home network ONU according to claim 7, wherein the integrated device is further configured to receive a serial number SN sent by the home network ONU and send the serial number SN to the access network OLT (via the integrated device; Page 12, paragraph 1, The ONU declares its existence in the PON system by responding to the serial number authorization); and the access network OLT is further configured to authenticate the home network ONU (Page 12, paragraph 1, The central office OLT finds a newly added ONU through the serial number of the ONU, and assigns a unique ONU-ID to this ONU).
Regarding claim 10, Xinfeng teaches the authentication system for a home network ONU according to claim 7, wherein the integrated device is further configured to reserve a slice bandwidth and establish a slice channel between the home network ONU and the access network OLT (Page 12, paragraph 6, Specifically, the PON ONU MAC obtains a GTC frame from a downstream PON signal, then extracts a bandwidth allocation map (ie, BWmap in FIG. 8) from the GTC frame, and obtains burst control information from the bandwidth allocation map, where: The burst control information includes the burst transmission time slice sent upstream by each edge ONU. The burst transmission time slice includes the start time (Start) and the end time (End), and each edge ONU needs to be on its corresponding time slice. , To send the upstream signal to the central office OLT); and the access network OLT is further configured to authenticate the home network ONU by the slice channel (Page 12, paragraph 1, The central office OLT finds a newly added ONU through the serial number of the ONU, and assigns a unique ONU-ID to this ONU).
Regarding claim 11, Xinfeng teaches the authentication system for a home network ONU according to claim 7, wherein the access network OLT is further configured to allocate an access bandwidth for the home network ONU, wherein the access bandwidth is reserved by the integrated device to obtain a slice bandwidth, and the integrated device is configured to allocate an uplink bandwidth of the home network except the slice bandwidth (Since the upstream PON signal uses TDMA to transmit data, the FTTR optical gateway needs to enable the burst transmission function of the first ONU standard optical interface and the burst reception of the OL T short-distance optical interface for the time slice of each edge ONU. The processing unit is used to determine the burst transmission time slice of each edge ONU according to the burst control information, and is also used to use the local burst transmission time slice as a reference to pass the burst transmission time slice of the edge ONU and the local burst transmission time slice. Calculate the start time and end time of the upstream transmission of each edge ONU based on the relative difference of the sending time slice; see steps 101 and 102 in Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 15, Xinfeng teaches a computer non-transitory readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to execute, when executed by a processor, the method as claimed in claim 1 (Fig. 4 teaches such execution).
Regarding claim 16, Xinfeng teaches an electronic apparatus, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to perform the method as claimed in claim 1 (Fig. 4 teaches such processing).
Regarding claim 17, Xinfeng teaches a computer non-transitory readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to execute, when executed by a processor, the method as claimed in claim 2 (Fig. 4 teaches such execution).
Regarding claim 19, Xinfeng teaches a computer non-transitory readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to execute, when executed by a processor, the method as claimed in claim 5 (Fig. 4 teaches such execution).
Regarding claim 20, Xinfeng teaches an electronic apparatus, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to perform the method as claimed in claim 2 (Fig. 4 teaches such processing).
Regarding claim 22, Xinfeng teaches an electronic apparatus, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to perform the method as claimed in claim 5 (Fig. 4 teaches such processing).
Claim(s) 3, 18 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xinfeng (CN 112887851A) (see the translated copy for relevant paragraphs) in view of Boyd (US 2017/0126351).
Regarding claim 3, Xinfeng teaches the method for allocating a bandwidth according to claim 2, wherein there is allocating, by the access network OLT, the access bandwidth for the home network ONU.
Xinfeng doesn’t teach the allocation is based on receiving, by the access network OLT, an access request initiated by the home network ONU; and sending the allocated access bandwidth to the home network ONU in response to the access request.
Boyd teaches allocation based on receiving an access request by the ONU network and sending the allocated bandwidth in response to the access request (paragraph [0020]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of allocation taught by Xinfeng and incorporate the allocation of bandwidth based on requests as taught by Boyd in order to send the bandwidth information based on the requirements by the ONU and within a timed setting in order to avoid any congestions.
Regarding claim 18, Xinfeng teaches a computer non-transitory readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to execute, when executed by a processor, the method as claimed in claim 3 (Fig. 4 teaches such execution).
Regarding claim 21, Xinfeng teaches an electronic apparatus, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to perform the method as claimed in claim 3 (Fig. 4 teaches such processing).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xinfeng (CN 112887851A) (see the translated copy for relevant paragraphs) in view of Ou (US 2018/0077686).
Regarding claim 9, Xinfeng teaches the authentication system for a home network ONU according to claim 7, wherein the integrated device is further configured to acquire the serial number SN of the home network ONU and send the serial number SN of the home network ONU to the access network OLT (via the integrated device; Page 12, paragraph 1, The ONU declares its existence in the PON system by responding to the serial number authorization); and the access network OLT is further configured to authenticate the home network ONU (Page 12, paragraph 1, The central office OLT finds a newly added ONU through the serial number of the ONU, and assigns a unique ONU-ID to this ONU).
Xinfeng doesn’t teach transmitting a user registration ID as well for authentication to take place.
Ou teaches transmitting a user registration ID for authentication purposes (paragraph [0079], When the user device identifier acquired from the information extraction unit 111 is not registered, the processing unit 112 acquires a terminal device corresponding to the lower-level device identifier acquired from the information extraction unit 111 from the lower level device and other correspondence information and registers the user device identifier acquired from the information extraction unit 111 in the user device and other correspondence information in correlation with the corresponding terminal device 13).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the authentication method taught by Xinfeng and incorporate sending the user registration ID as well as taught by Ou in order to properly authenticate and register the correct users.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 12 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable after overcoming the 112b rejection and if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See the notice of reference cited (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRANESH K BARUA whose telephone number is (571)270-1017. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Sat: 11-8pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Payne can be reached on 5712723024. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PRANESH K BARUA/Examiner, Art Unit 2635
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