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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8, 17, 18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 10, 11, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SHIMIZU et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2018/0062780 A1)
1, SHIMIZU teaches an apparatus for time synchronization, configured in a current node [abstract, A time synchronization system includes master nodes and slave nodes configured to correct a local slave clock by synchronizing time with time in a local master clock],
comprising a message receiving-processing module and a synchronous time determining module, wherein an output end of the message receiving-processing module is connected to an input end of the synchronous time determining module [fig 5, 0079, FIG. 5, each slave node 2 (current node) includes a communication unit 21 (receiving processing module), a control unit 22 (synchronous time determining module) , a storage unit 23, and a synchronization-signal reproduction unit 24 (, and these units are coupled to each other by a bus in the node];
wherein the message receiving-processing module is configured to receive a
precision time protocol (PTP) message from a previous node [par 0080, The communication unit 21 is a network interface that sends and receives PTP messages to and from a master node 1 (BMC)],
and determine a target parameter according to the PTP message, and the target parameter is a relevant time parameter for representing a time difference between the current node and the previous node [par 0057, Using t1, t2, t3, and t4, the slave node 2 calculates the round-trip delay time and the offset value of the slave node 2 relative to the clock of the master node 1 (the difference between the clock of the master node 1 and the clock of the slave node 2). Given that the one-way-trip delay time is half of the round-trip delay time];
and the synchronous time determining module is configured to determine a synchronous time of the current node according to the target parameter [par 0082, The time correction unit 22A corrects the local clock of its slave node 2 by synchronizing the time with the time in the master node according to the time synchronization method in accordance with the PTP].
10, SHIMIZU discloses a system for time synchronization, comprising a master node; and slave nodes [abstract, A time synchronization system includes master nodes and slave nodes configured to correct a local slave clock by synchronizing time with time in a local master clock],
wherein each slave node comprises: a message receiving-processing module and a synchronous time determining module, wherein an output end of the message receiving-processing module is connected to an input end of the synchronous time determining module[fig 5, 0079, FIG. 5, each slave node 2 (current node) includes a communication unit 21 (receiving processing module), a control unit 22 (synchronous time determining module) , a storage unit 23, and a synchronization-signal reproduction unit 24 (, and these units are coupled to each other by a bus in the node];
wherein the message receiving-processing module is configured to receive a precision time protocol (PTP) message from a previous node and determine a target parameter according to the PTP message node [par 0080, The communication unit 21 is a network interface that sends and receives PTP messages to and from a master node 1 (BMC)],
and the target parameter is a relevant time parameter for representing a time difference between each node and the previous node[par 0057, Using t1, t2, t3, and t4, the slave node 2 calculates the round-trip delay time and the offset value of the slave node 2 relative to the clock of the master node 1 (the difference between the clock of the master node 1 and the clock of the slave node 2). Given that the one-way-trip delay time is half of the round-trip delay time];
and the synchronous time determining module is configured to determine a synchronous time of each node according to the target parameter[par 0082, The time correction unit 22A corrects the local clock of its slave node 2 by synchronizing the time with the time in the master node according to the time synchronization method in accordance with the PTP].
11 SHIMIZU conveys a method for time synchronization[abstract, A time synchronization system includes master nodes and slave nodes configured to correct a local slave clock by synchronizing time with time in a local master clock],
performed by a current node, comprising: receiving a precision time protocol (PTP) message from a previous node[par 0080, The communication unit 21 is a network interface that sends and receives PTP messages to and from a master node 1 (BMC)], and determining a target parameter according to the PTP message, wherein the target parameter is a relevant time parameter for representing a time difference between the current node and the previous node[par 0057, Using t1, t2, t3, and t4, the slave node 2 calculates the round-trip delay time and the offset value of the slave node 2 relative to the clock of the master node 1 (the difference between the clock of the master node 1 and the clock of the slave node 2). Given that the one-way-trip delay time is half of the round-trip delay time];
and determining a synchronous time of the current node according to the target
parameter[par 0082, The time correction unit 22A corrects the local clock of its slave node 2 by synchronizing the time with the time in the master node according to the time synchronization method in accordance with the PTP].
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.
Claim(s) 2, 3, 5, 12, 13, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHIMIZU et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2018/0062780 A1) in view of CHENG et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2009/0207863 A1).
2, SHIMIZU describes the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the message receiving-processing module comprises a message preprocessing unit, wherein the message preprocessing unit is configured to receive the PTP message from the previous node [ fig 5, par 0060,0081, The communication unit 11 is a network interface that receives an external synchronization signal from the external source clock node 5 over the network 4, and sends and receives PTP messages to and from slave nodes 2. The network 4 may also be implemented as a dedicated network not including any switch 3 via which the signals are sent. The control unit 22 is a CPU. By executing a predetermined program stored in the storage unit 23, the control unit 22 performs control and operation such that a time correction unit 22A and a BMC determination unit 22B can function]
SHIMIZU fail to show perform a clock domain conversion on the PTP message. In an analogous art CHENG show perform a clock domain conversion on the PTP message[par 0095, The second protocol source selection unit performs a source selection in a united way on the clock represented by the second group of information PTP Clock Class acquired by conversion and the clock recovered from the packets transferred from each port based on the PTP by adopting a source selection algorithm based on the PTP]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
3, SHIMIZU and CHENG discloses the apparatus according to claim 2, SHIMIZU fail to show wherein the message receiving-processing module further comprises a message parsing unit, wherein an input end of the message parsing unit is connected to an output end of the message preprocessing unit; and the message parsing unit is configured to obtain a key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion, wherein the key parameter of the PTP message is a time parameter carried by the PTP message.
In an analogous art CHENG show wherein the message receiving-processing module further comprises a message parsing unit, wherein an input end of the message parsing unit is connected to an output end of the message preprocessing unit [par 0082, The first acquisition subunit parses information carried in a packet transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol, and acquires the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol],
and the message parsing unit is configured to obtain a key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion, wherein the key parameter of the PTP message is a time parameter carried by the PTP message[par 0082, For example, information carried in a received announce packet or OAM packet transferred based on a PTP is parsed, so as to acquire a second group of information SSM corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the PTP. Meanwhile, the first acquisition subunit further recovers the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol from a protocol frame transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
5, SHIMIZU and CHENG describe the apparatus according to claim 3, SHIMIZU fail to show wherein the message receiving-processing module further comprises a target parameter determining unit, wherein an input end of the target parameter determining unit is connected to an output end of the message parsing unit; and the target parameter determining unit is configured to determine the target parameter according to the key parameter of the PTP message.
In an analogous CHENG show wherein the message receiving-processing module further comprises a target parameter determining unit, wherein an input end of the target parameter determining unit is connected to an output end of the message parsing unit [fig 11, par 0085, The apparatus includes a first protocol source selection subunit conversion unit, a second protocol source selection unit, and a second protocol transmission unit, in which the second protocol source selection unit further includes a second acquisition subunit and a second source selection subunit];
and the target parameter determining unit is configured to determine the target parameter according to the key parameter of the PTP message [par 0089, The second acquisition subunit is adapted to acquire the second group of information acquired by conversion and corresponding to the BMC from the first protocol source selection subunit conversion unit, and acquire the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
Claim 12, SHIMIZU describes the method according to claim 11, wherein receiving the PTP message from the previous node and determining the target parameter according to the PTP message comprises: receiving the PTP message from the previous node[ fig 5, par 0060,0081, The communication unit 11 is a network interface that receives an external synchronization signal from the external source clock node 5 over the network 4, and sends and receives PTP messages to and from slave nodes 2. The network 4 may also be implemented as a dedicated network not including any switch 3 via which the signals are sent. The control unit 22 is a CPU. By executing a predetermined program stored in the storage unit 23, the control unit 22 performs control and operation such that a time correction unit 22A and a BMC determination unit 22B can function]
SHIMIZU fail to show perform a clock domain conversion on the PTP message. In an analogous art CHENG show perform a clock domain conversion on the PTP message[par 0095, The second protocol source selection unit performs a source selection in a united way on the clock represented by the second group of information PTP Clock Class acquired by conversion and the clock recovered from the packets transferred from each port based on the PTP by adopting a source selection algorithm based on the PTP]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
13 SHIMIZU and CHENG reveals the method according to claim 12, SHIMIZU fail to show wherein receiving the PTP message from the previous node and determining the target parameter according to the PTP message further comprises: obtaining a key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion, wherein the key parameter of the PTP message is a time parameter carried by the PTP message.
In an analogous art CHENG show wherein the message receiving-processing module further comprises a message parsing unit, wherein an input end of the message parsing unit is connected to an output end of the message preprocessing unit [par 0082, The first acquisition subunit parses information carried in a packet transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol, and acquires the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol],
and the message parsing unit is configured to obtain a key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion, wherein the key parameter of the PTP message is a time parameter carried by the PTP message[par 0082, For example, information carried in a received announce packet or OAM packet transferred based on a PTP is parsed, so as to acquire a second group of information SSM corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the PTP. Meanwhile, the first acquisition subunit further recovers the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol from a protocol frame transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
15, SHIMIZU and CHENG create the method according to claim 13, SHIMIZU fail to show further comprising: determining the target parameter according to the key parameter of the PTP message.
In an analogous art CHENG show further comprising: determining the target parameter according to the key parameter of the PTP message[par 0082, For example, information carried in a received announce packet or OAM packet transferred based on a PTP is parsed, so as to acquire a second group of information SSM corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the PTP. Meanwhile, the first acquisition subunit further recovers the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol from a protocol frame transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
Claim(s) 4, 6, 14, 16, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHIMIZU et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2018/0062780 A1) in view of CHENG et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2009/0207863 A1) in further view of Matsumoto (U.S. Pub No. 2022/0345290 A1).
4, SHIMIZU and CHENG illustrate the apparatus according to claim 3, SHIMIZU fail to show wherein the message parsing unit is configured to obtain the key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion, by performing: obtaining a PTP message descriptor; determining a message type according to the PTP message descriptor; and extracting the key parameter of the PTP message corresponding to the message type from the PTP message.
In analogous art CHENG show wherein the message parsing unit is configured to obtain the key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion[par 0082, For example, information carried in a received announce packet or OAM packet transferred based on a PTP is parsed, so as to acquire a second group of information SSM corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the PTP. Meanwhile, the first acquisition subunit further recovers the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol from a protocol frame transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol]
and extracting the key parameter of the PTP message corresponding to the message type from the PTP message [par 0082, The first acquisition subunit parses information carried in a packet transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol, and acquires the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
SHIMIZU and CHENG fail to show obtaining a PTP message descriptor; determining a message type according to the PTP message descriptor.
In an analogous art Matsumoto show obtaining a PTP message descriptor[par 0134, In step S483, the DMA control unit 25 determines whether the content of the notification from the analysis unit 272 indicates the descriptor for PTP packets. In a case where the content of the notification from the analysis unit 272 indicates the descriptor for PTP packets (YES in step S483)],;
determining a message type according to the PTP message descriptor [par 0131, 0135, After the analysis unit 272 notifies the DMA control unit 25 of the descriptor to be used or the packet type based on the packet type (EtherType) identified by the analysis unit]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU, CHENG, and Matsumoto because this enables a communication apparatus capable of processing a plurality of types of communication packets to perform time synchronization as appropriate with another communication apparatus.
6, SHIMIZU and CHENG reveal the apparatus according to claim 5, SHIMIZU and CHENG fail to show wherein the target parameter determining unit is configured to: extract a target timestamp related to the target parameter from the key parameter of the PTP message; and determine the target parameter according to the target timestamp.
In an analogous art Matsumoto show wherein the target parameter determining unit is configured to: extract a target timestamp related to the target parameter from the key parameter of the PTP message [par 0062, 0076 The term “timestamp” herein refers to time information about a timing at which the PHY/MAC interface 26 transmits or receives a communication packet. The timestamps are used in calculation for time correction in PTP protocol processing. The sensor system 3 having received a synchronization packet Sync holds reception timestamp information t2 about the received synchronization packet Sync.]
and determine the target parameter according to the target timestamp [par 0084, the packet analysis processing unit 27 stores the reception timestamp information t2 in the sequence of the PTP time synchronization processing in FIG. 3 in a predetermined timestamp storage unit 275 based on the packet type. The CPU 21 executes the PTP time synchronization processing using the reception timestamp information t2 stored in the predetermined the timestamp storage unit 275 corresponding to the predetermined packet type (PTP packet)].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU, CHENG, and Matsumoto because this enables a communication apparatus capable of processing a plurality of types of communication packets to perform time synchronization as appropriate with another communication apparatus
14, SHIMIZU and CHENG creates the method according to claim 13, SHIMIZU fail to show wherein obtaining the key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion comprises: obtaining a PTP message descriptor; determining a message type according to the PTP message descriptor; and extracting the key parameter of the PTP message corresponding to the message type from the PTP message.
In analogous art CHENG show wherein the message parsing unit is configured to obtain the key parameter of the PTP message by parsing the PTP message after the clock domain conversion[par 0082, For example, information carried in a received announce packet or OAM packet transferred based on a PTP is parsed, so as to acquire a second group of information SSM corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the PTP. Meanwhile, the first acquisition subunit further recovers the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol from a protocol frame transferred by the second network equipment based on the second protocol]
and extracting the key parameter of the PTP message corresponding to the message type from the PTP message [par 0082, The first acquisition subunit parses information carried in a packet transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol, and acquires the second group of information corresponding to the clock transferred by the first network equipment based on the first protocol].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU and CHENG because this provides a method and an apparatus of clock transmission between networks, in which network equipment can conveniently select a clock with a higher class from clocks transferred based on different protocols
SHIMIZU and CHENG fail to show obtaining a PTP message descriptor; determining a message type according to the PTP message descriptor.
In an analogous art Matsumoto show obtaining a PTP message descriptor[par 0134, In step S483, the DMA control unit 25 determines whether the content of the notification from the analysis unit 272 indicates the descriptor for PTP packets. In a case where the content of the notification from the analysis unit 272 indicates the descriptor for PTP packets (YES in step S483)],;
determining a message type according to the PTP message descriptor [par 0131, 0135, After the analysis unit 272 notifies the DMA control unit 25 of the descriptor to be used or the packet type based on the packet type (EtherType) identified by the analysis unit]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU, CHENG, and Matsumoto because this enables a communication apparatus capable of processing a plurality of types of communication packets to perform time synchronization as appropriate with another communication apparatus.
16, SHIMIZU, CHENG, and Matsumoto reveal the method according to claim 15, SHIMIZU and CHENG fail to show wherein determining the target parameter according to the key parameter of the PTP message comprises: extracting a target timestamp related to the target parameter from the key parameter of the PTP message; and determining the target parameter according to the target timestamp.
In an analogous art Matsumoto show wherein the target parameter determining unit is configured to: extracting a target timestamp related to the target parameter from the key parameter of the PTP message [par 0062, 0076 The term “timestamp” herein refers to time information about a timing at which the PHY/MAC interface 26 transmits or receives a communication packet. The timestamps are used in calculation for time correction in PTP protocol processing. The sensor system 3 having received a synchronization packet Sync holds reception timestamp information t2 about the received synchronization packet Sync.]
and determining the target parameter according to the target timestamp [par 0084, the packet analysis processing unit 27 stores the reception timestamp information t2 in the sequence of the PTP time synchronization processing in FIG. 3 in a predetermined timestamp storage unit 275 based on the packet type. The CPU 21 executes the PTP time synchronization processing using the reception timestamp information t2 stored in the predetermined the timestamp storage unit 275 corresponding to the predetermined packet type (PTP packet)].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU, CHENG, and Matsumoto because this enables a communication apparatus capable of processing a plurality of types of communication packets to perform time synchronization as appropriate with another communication apparatus
Claim(s) 9, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHIMIZU et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2018/0062780 A1) in view of CHENG et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2009/0207863 A1) in further view of WANG et al (U.S. Pub No. 2017/0272190 A1).
9. SHIMIZU and CHENG display the apparatus according to claim 1, SHIMIZU and CHENG fail to show wherein the apparatus for time synchronization is configured by a programmable logic device (PLD).
In an analogous art WANG show wherein the apparatus for time synchronization is configured by a programmable logic device (PLD) [par 0052, the programmable logic device needs to perform synchronization parameter updating on the time synchronization message parsed in the step S11 and generate the reply message for the time synchronization message. Alternatively, a data structure of the reply message may be identical with that of the time synchronization message but only different in certain specific parameter settings].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of SHIMIZU, CHENG, and WANG because this solve the problem of failing to perform high-capacity and centralized time synchronization due to less timely processing of a time synchronization message. [WANG, par 0006]
Conclusion
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/JASON A HARLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 2468