CTNF 18/724,873 CTNF 84535 DETAILED ACTION This action is in response to communication on June 27 th , 2024. Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Claims 17-18 are amended via preliminary amendment. And claims 19-20 are newly presented via preliminary amendment. The present application is a 371 National Stage entry of International Application no. PCT/CN2022/078853, filed on March 2 nd , 2022, which claims priority to the People’s Republic of China application no. CN202111633642.1, filed on December 28 th , 2021. 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-30-03-h AIA Claim Interpretation 07-30-03 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f): (f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. 07-30-05 The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked. As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: (A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function; (B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and (C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function. Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. 07-30-06 This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitations are: a first and second module in claim 16. Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 07-04-01 AIA 07-04 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. Claim 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claims do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the specification does not limit computer readable storage medium to non-transitory media, and therefore includes transitory embodiments which fall outside the four statutory categories. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim s 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yoshino et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication no. 2022/0329321, hereinafter Yoshino) . With respect to claims 1 and 16-18, Yoshino discloses a data transmission method, computer readable storage medium, and electronic apparatus (paragraph [0033], lines 1-5), comprising: sending, by an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) (paragraph [0525], lines 1-3), synchronization information to an Optical Network Unit (ONU) (paragraph [0556], lines 1-13, time synchronization to a device under control of the ONU ), so as to allow the ONU to set a function synchronous with the OLT based on the synchronization information (paragraph [0556], lines 1-13, a function that notifies the ONU of time information by using a PON frame ); and encapsulating, by the OLT, target management information into a target frame (paragraph [0539], lines 9-14, frame generation/separation, G-PON encapsulations ), and sending the target frame to the ONU on a time slot in which the target frame is allowed to be sent (paragraph [0547], lines 1-7). With respect to claim 2 and 19-20, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein sending, by the OLT, the synchronization information to the ONU comprises: sending, by the OLT, a predetermined frame to the ONU, wherein the predetermined frame is encapsulated with the synchronization information (paragraph [0539], lines 9-14, frame generation/separation, G-PON encapsulations ). With respect to claim 3, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein sending, by the OLT, the predetermined frame to the ONU comprises at least one of the following: sending, by the OLT, an Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) frame to the ONU (paragraph [0050]), wherein the Ethernet MAC frame is encapsulated with a synchronization header, and the synchronization header comprises the synchronization information (paragraph [0539], lines 9-14, frame generation/separation, G-PON encapsulations ); sending, by the OLT, a first encapsulation frame to the ONU, wherein the first encapsulation frame is encapsulated with the synchronization header, and the synchronization header comprises the synchronization information (paragraph [0539], lines 9-14, frame generation/separation, G-PON encapsulations ); or sending, by the OLT, a second encapsulation frame to the ONU, wherein the second encapsulation frame is encapsulated with an Ethernet MAC frame, the Ethernet MAC frame is encapsulated with the synchronization header, and the synchronization header comprises the synchronization information (paragraph [0539], lines 9-14, frame generation/separation, G-PON encapsulations ). With respect to claim 4, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein the synchronization header carries first standard indication information, the first standard indication information is used for indicating the standard of data that is currently transmitted (paragraph [0539], lines 9-14, frame generation/separation, G-PON encapsulations ), and the standard comprises at least one of the following: an Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Passive Optical Network (PON) standard or an International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunications standardization sector (ITU-T) PON standard (paragraph [0576]). With respect to claim 5, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein second standard indication information is recorded in a first specific domain of the first encapsulation frame, and the second standard indication information is used for indicating the standard of data that is currently transmitted (paragraph [0547]). With respect to claim 6, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 5, wherein third standard indication information is recorded in a second specific domain of the second encapsulation frame, and the third standard indication information is used for indicating the standard of the data that is currently transmitted (paragraph [0547]), wherein the position of the first specific domain in the first encapsulation frame is the same as the position of the second specific domain in the second encapsulation frame, or the first encapsulation frame and the second encapsulation frame are encapsulated in a uniform encapsulation manner (paragraph [0205]). With respect to claim 7, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein, when the OLT and the ONU are located in an IEEE PON (paragraph [0547]), the synchronization header is determined based on at least one of the following synchronization headers: a first synchronization header in an ITU-T Gigabit PON (GPON) (paragraph [0164]): a second synchronization header in an ITU-T Ten-Gigabit PON (XG-PON) (paragraph [0164]): a third synchronization header in an ITU-T Time and Wavelength Division Multiplexing PON (TWDM-PON) (paragraph [0205]); or a fourth synchronization header in an ITU-T Higher Speed PON (HSP). With respect to claim 8, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein sending, by the OLT, the synchronization information to the ONU comprises: sending, by the OLT, the synchronization information to the ONU according to a fixed sending cycle (paragraph [0574]). With respect to claim 9, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein, when the OLT and the ONU are located in an ITU-T PON (paragraph [0574]), encapsulating, by the OLT, the target management information into the target frame comprises: encapsulating, by the OLT, the target management information into an 10-Gigabit Passive Optical Network Encapsulation Method (XGEM) frame (paragraph [0164]), wherein the XGEM frame carries a specific Port ID, and first identifier information for identifying the target management information is recorded in the Port ID (paragraph [0164]). With respect to claim 10, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 9, wherein encapsulating, by the OLT, the target management information into the XGEM frame comprises at least one of the following: encapsulating, by the OLT, one or more bandwidth entries comprised in the target management information into a first XGEM frame (paragraph [0164]); or encapsulating, by the OLT, one or more Physical Layer Operations Administration and Maintenance (PLOAM) messages comprised in the target management information into a second XGEM frame (paragraph [0150]). With respect to claim 11, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein, when the OLT and the ONU are located in an ITU-T PON (paragraph [0574]), encapsulating, by the OLT, the target management information into the target frame comprises: encapsulating, by the OLT, the target management information into an 10-Gigabit Passive Optical Network Encapsulation Method (XGEM) frame (paragraph [0164]), wherein the XGEM frame is used for encapsulating at least one of the following pieces of target information in a Physical Synchronization Block downstream (PSBd) (paragraph [0540]): physical synchronization (PSync), a superframe counter, or a PON port number (PON-ID); wherein, the XGEM frame carries a specific Port ID, and second identifier information for identifying the PSBd is recorded in the Port ID (paragraph [0556]). With respect to claim 12, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein sending, by the OLT, the target frame to the ONU on the time slot in which the target frame is allowed to be sent comprises: when it is detected that there is a target time slot, sending, by the OLT, the target frame to the ONU on a time slot after the target time slot (paragraph [0547], lines 1-7). With respect to claim 13, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein the target time slot comprises a sliced time slot (paragraph [0164]). With respect to claim 14, Yoshino discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein sending, by the OLT, the target frame to the ONU on the time slot in which the target frame is allowed to be sent comprises: when there are a plurality of target frames, sending, by the OLT, the plurality of target frames in a tight sending manner on the time slot in which the target frame is allowed to be sent, wherein the tight sending manner is used for indicating the manner that the plurality of target frames are sent sequentially end-to-end (paragraph [0539]). With respect to claim 15, Yoshino discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the OLT, a superframe to the ONU (paragraph [0556]), wherein the superframe carries one or more downstream bandwidth map (DS BWmap) for distinguishing time slots of different standards (paragraph [0543]), each DS BWmap is encapsulated in an 10-Gigabit Passive Optical Network Encapsulation Method (XGEM) frame or an envelope frame comprised in the superframe, each bandwidth entry in each DS BWmap indicates a protocol type, start time and bandwidth length in the current superframe (paragraph [0597]) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sugawa Pat. Pub. 2015/0229431 Luo Pat. Pub. 2021/0176544 Suvakovic Pat. Pub. 2010/0316387 Ye Pat. Pub. 2018/077475 Julien Pat. Pub. 2010/0208752 Luo Pat. Pub. 2013/0094861 Xu Patent no. 12,088,344 Mizutani Pat. Pub. 2010/0272436 Roberts Patent no. 8,718,482 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BLAKE J RUBIN whose telephone number is (571)270-3802. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ario Etienne can be reached on 571-272-4001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. 5/15/26 /BLAKE J RUBIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2457 Application/Control Number: 18/724,873 Page 2 Art Unit: 2457 Application/Control Number: 18/724,873 Page 3 Art Unit: 2457 Application/Control Number: 18/724,873 Page 4 Art Unit: 2457 Application/Control Number: 18/724,873 Page 7 Art Unit: 2457 Application/Control Number: 18/724,873 Page 8 Art Unit: 2457 Application/Control Number: 18/724,873 Page 9 Art Unit: 2457 Application/Control Number: 18/724,873 Page 11 Art Unit: 2457
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