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 .
DETAILED ACTION
The amendment filed 01/15/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-9 are pending. claims 1, 3, 5-6, and 8-9 have been amended. No claim is cancelled or added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-9 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
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) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baba et al. (US 20210400452) hereinafter Baba in view of NAKAMURA et al. (US 20200412619) hereinafter NAKAMURA and further in view of UCHIDA (US 20160021012) hereinafter UCHIDA.
Regarding Claim 1, Baba teaches a communication control device for controlling communications of a network, the communication control device comprising (i.e. The NW control apparatus 20 is an apparatus that controls an in-vehicle network, [0053]): a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to (i.e. NW control apparatus 20 is realized by causing the CPU 21 to execute a program stored in the memory, [0186]): receive a change notification relating to a change of a communication setting of the network (i.e. when a state of a vehicle is changed or a function of the vehicle is updated, a flow, a bandwidth, a priority level, or the like on a vehicle network is changed, [0005] and If there is a change in the contents of the vehicle states, the state management part notifies the NW control part of the contents (statuses) of the states, [0088]); determine whether or not new setting information is memorized at least one of the communication control device or the switching control unit connected to the communication control device (i.e. The control content storage part 203 of the vehicle 10-1 and the vehicle 10-2 stores therein the NW control scenario table S100 and the NW control content table T100 having the same contents, [0083] and The control content storage part 203 refers to the NW control scenario table S100 stored and managed therein and searches for a scenario S11x that matches the contents (a combination of the contents of the states) for which checking is requested by the NW control part, [0090], [0069], and [0104]).
However, Baba does not explicitly disclose when determining that the setting information is memorized at neither the communication control device, nor the switching control unit, request the setting information from external equipment outside the network.
However, NAKAMURA teaches when determining that the setting information is memorized at neither the communication control device, nor the switching control unit, request the setting information from external equipment outside the network (i.e. the topology calculator refers to configuration information in the relational database. If there is no topology information for the specified time, [0158], the topology information management unit discards topology information that has a low probability of being referred to and/or topology information that is at least a predetermined time old from the graph database, [0083] and Using a change notification from the orchestrator as a trigger, the setting information acquirer acquires setting information of the virtual networks (a setting-related function (setting information) of a general orchestrator) from the setting unit in the orchestrator, [0084]) and [0181]).
Based on Baba in view of NAKAMURA, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teaching of NAKAMURA to the system of Baba in order to improve adaptability of each network to environmental changes, (NAKAMURA, [0012]).
However, Baba in view of NAKAMURA do not explicitly disclose the communication setting including communication control information to be applied to the communication control device and a switching control unit; the setting information including communication control information to be reflected at the communication control device and the switching control unit.
However, UCHIDA teaches the communication setting including communication control information to be applied to the communication control device and a switching control unit (i.e. the network controller 10 sets control information for instructing forwarding of corresponding packets via Port 2. In addition, the control message relay apparatus 20 stores the control information in the control information storage unit 25, and the switch 30 also stores the control information in its control information storage unit, [0156] and he switch information storage unit 24 holds the correspondence relationship between the network controller 10 and the switch 30, the control information storage unit 25 holds control information setting statuses recognized by the network controller 10 and the switch 30. For example, the control information storage unit 25 holds at least a group of items of control information that is instructed by the network controller, [0094]); the setting information including communication control information to be reflected at the communication control device and the switching control unit (i.e. the control message relay apparatus 20 registers the control information in the control information storage unit 25, [0233] and the switch stores the control information in the control information storage unit of the switch, [0319]).
Based on Baba in view of NAKAMURA and further in view of UCHIDA, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teaching of UCHIDA to the system of Baba and NAKAMURA in order to process packets at high speed.
Regarding Claim 2, Baba teaches the change notification is a notification relating to an update of software of equipment connected to the network (i.e. Functions of the update management part 204 are constituted by an OTA software update technique or the like. If updating of contents can be managed, the updating may be realized by a function other than OTA, [0080]), and the processor is further configured to determine whether the setting information is memorized, which setting information is based on information of the updated software (i.e. By defining change of vehicle control software and change of in-vehicle components as vehicle states, the NW design means can prepare NW control contents for change of a flow, a bandwidth, a priority level, etc. on the NW of a vehicle having different software and hardware, [0181]).
Regarding Claim 3, Baba teaches wherein the processor is further configured to receive the change notification from the external equipment (i.e. the vehicle 10 acquires the NW control scenario table and the NW control content table from an external apparatus, [0084] and The NW monitoring part 207 receives this notification and causes warning means in a vehicle 10 to notify (warn) a person in the vehicle, [0166] and [0079]).
Regarding Claim 4, Baba teaches wherein the processor is further configured to receive the change notification together with an update of software to be executed at a control device on the network (i.e. the update management part 204 not only manages new writing on the NW control scenario table and the NW control content table but also manages write permission and updating of the contents of these tables, for example. Functions of the update management part 204 are constituted by an OTA software update technique, [0080], [0173] and [0181]).
Regarding Claim 5, Baba does not explicitly disclose the processor is further configured to receive the change notification when a control device is newly connected to the network
However, NAKAMURA teaches wherein the processor is further configured to receive the change notification when a control device is newly connected to the network (i.e. Using a change notification from the orchestrator 300 as a trigger, the setting information acquirer 121 acquires setting information of the virtual networks 11 (a setting-related function (setting information) of a general orchestrator) from the setting unit 310 in the orchestrator 300. The change notification acquirer 122 acquires a change notification function that is newly added (a change notification from the orchestrator 300), [0084]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 5 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding Claim 6, Baba does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to receive the change notification when the network is subject to an attack from outside and goes into a fail-safe state.
However, NAKAMURA teaches wherein the processor is further configured to receive the change notification when the network is subject to an attack from outside and goes into a fail-safe state (i.e. a change notification unit 320 that is a change notification function which is newly added. Setting information 330 is information on orders for changing settings of the networks. The configuration information and the like of each device are rewritten based on the setting information, [0091] and network configurations change without intervention of an operator such as resource optimization and auto-healing may be performed, [0074]. Therefore, the limitations of claim 6 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding Claim 7, Baba teaches at least one switching control unit; and a control device connected to the at least one switching control unit (i.e. Fig. 2, the number of NW repeaters 32 and the number of NW nodes 31 connected thereto, [0056]).
Regarding claims 8-9, the limitations of claims 8-9 are similar to the limitations of claim 1. Baba further teaches non-transitory storage medium storing a program (i.e. This program can be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium may be a non-transient storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, a magnetic recording medium, [0019]). Therefore, the limitations of claims 8-9 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claims are rejected on that basis.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AYELE F WOLDEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5196. The examiner can normally be reached M_F 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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, Joon H Hwang can be reached at 571-272-4036. 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.
/AW/
AYELE F. WOLDEMARIAM
Examiner
Art Unit 2447
2/25/2026
/SURAJ M JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2447