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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/18/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 12 and 13 are amended. Claim 14 is canceled. Claims 1-13 and 15-18 are pending in the instant application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 12/8/2025 have been fully considered.
Priority
Applicant has filed Priority Documents on 1/7/2026 indicating foreign priority of a Chinese patent and submitted date is 12 March 2024. The priority information has been acknowledged.
Claim Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 101
Claims 6-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
On page 9 of the Remarks, Applicants argue the switches are hardware devices.
Regarding the SDN controller, Applicants refer to paragraphs [0021] and [0079] of the written description which disclose in part “The electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet 20 adopts the SDN controller to control the switches.” Applicants assert that “the cited paragraphs describe the SDN controller controls the switches through communicating with the switches to improve data transmission efficiency. Thus, due to the switches being hardware devices, the SDN controller communicating with the switches is hardware too.”
The examiner respectfully disagrees and finds the argument unpersuasive, paragraph [0021] of the written description discloses the following “The SDN controller 21 is configured to one or more electronic devices. The SDN controller communicates with the plurality of switches 22. The SDN controller 21 is configured to send flow entries to the plurality of switches 22, the flow entries indicate transmission paths of data packets.” The cited paragraph disclose the functionalities of the SDN controller but fails to disclose the structure of the SDN controller. Thus, by applying the broadest reasonable interpretation, an ordinary skill in the art could refer to the SDN controller as a software or program that performs the functions, i.e. a software program configured as a SDN controller to communicate with the switches.
Paragraph [0079] of the written description further discloses “The electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet 20 adopts the SDN controller 21 to control the switches…” This cited paragraph again, discloses the functionalities of the SDN controller. Note that the cited paragraph uses the phrase “adopts” this does not amount to a hardware or component. Applicant’s arguments are unpersuasive, therefore, the rejection is maintained.
Examiner suggests that Applicant amends claim 7 to include a processor integrated in the SDN controller to positively identify the SDN controller functioning as a hardware/device.
Claim Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103
Claims 1, 7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2025/0168037), hereinafter Lee in view of Liljenstolpe et al. (US 9,042,234), hereinafter Liljenstolpe.
Claim 1 has been amended as follows:
“A data transmission method applied to a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller, the SDN controller being configured in an electronic appliance architecture of a vehicle-mounted Ethernet, the electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet comprising a plurality of switches, the plurality of switches communicating with the SDN controller, the method comprising:
obtaining performance information of a link between adjacent switches in the electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet, wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches;
determining a weight of the link between the adjacent switches, based on the number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches, wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link;
obtaining objective addresses of the data packets; determining objective paths of the data packets transmitted from an objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches; generating flow entries based on the objective paths, wherein the flow entries indicating the data packets are transmitted on the objective paths; and sending the flow entries to the objective switch.” (Emphasis added)
Claims 7 and 12 are amended with similar limitations.
On page 10 of the Remarks, Applicant argues the cited portion of Liljenstolpe fails to teach “the route information comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches.” Thus, Liljenstolpe doesn’t disclose “performance information of a link between adjacent switches.”
Applicant further argues the technical of Lee is in-vehicle network, and the application scenario of Lee is controller are network (CAN) signals are converted to Ethernet signals and transmitted within a vehicle network. However, the technical field of Liljenstolpe is communication network having network switches, and the application scenario of Liljenstolpe is networks such as those that comprise the Internet typically have core portions including core routers and aggregation routers that serve to route network traffic between peripheral portions of the networks. The examiner respectfully disagrees and finds the arguments unpersuasive. Liljenstolpe’s core routers operate independently from the controller, they are referred to as “non-client packet forwarding system.” for example, col. 10, lines 19-27 disclose “Packet forwarding systems in network 100 that do not communicate with controller 18 via control paths 66 (e.g., because the packet forwarding systems do not include controller clients) may be referred to as non-client packet forwarding systems. The non-client packet forwarding systems may operate independently from controller 18. As an example, core routers CR1, CR2, CR3, CR4, and CR5 and aggregation routers AR1, AR2, and AR3 may be referred to as non-client packet forwarding systems.” Liljenstolpe’s network system also comprises switches which communicate with the controller as disclosed in col. 10, lines 3-6 as “ A network of switches that are controlled by a controller may be interposed in the network between routers such as core routers and aggregation routers. An illustrative network 100 that includes a controller 18 is shown in FIG. 8.”
Furthermore, Liljenstolpe’s network system comprises a controller controlling switches to implement the identified forwarding paths, thus the network system is similar to the disclosed network system. Furthermore, the controller performs functions that are disclosed in the pending application including obtaining performance information associated with connections between switches; determining a weigh of path segments in the network; creating, storing and utilizing a flow table to configure a switch (i.e. adding entries to the flow table and loading the flow table entries to a switch) , and determining weight of the path segment. Additionally, Thus, the network system of Liljenstolpe discloses the claimed invention except being integrated into a vehicle’s network. Therefore, because these two network systems were art-recognized equivalents at the time the invention was made, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it is obvious to substitute the network system of Liljenstolpe for the vehicle network as claimed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
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.
Claims 7-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claim 7 recites “An electronic appliance architecture of the Vehicle-mounted Ethernet, comprising: a plurality of switches; and a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller communicating with the plurality of switches ” the cited electronic appliance architecture, a plurality of switches and a SDN controller consist of software per se which is not patent eligible subject matter, as software is a list of instructions, which is neither a process, machine, manufacture nor a composition of matter. Paragraph [0021] discloses “The SDN controller 21 is configured to one or more electronic devices. The SDN controller 21 communicates with the plurality of switches 22. The SDN controller 21 is configured to send flow entries to the plurality of switches 22, the flow entries indicate transmission paths of data packets.” The cited paragraph describes the switches and the SDN controller without any hardware component, thus, the electronic appliance architecture of the Vehicle-mounted Ethernet consists of software per se.
Regarding claims 8-11, each of the claim recites the SDN controller performing steps. These claims also consist of software per se which is not patent eligible subject matter for the same reasons set forth above.
This invention includes embodiments which consist entirely of software per se, this fails the requirements of the statute because the software per se is not patent eligible subject matter, as explained 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.
Claims 1-4, 7-10, 12, 13, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 2025/0168037) in view of Liljenstolpe (US 9,042,234) further in view of Kodialam (US 2005/0265258).
As for claim 1, Lee teaches a data transmission method applied to a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller (paragraph [0008] describes a method of controlling an Ethernet signal to be transmitted to a node along a transmission path), the SDN controller being configured in an electronic appliance architecture of a vehicle-mounted Ethernet (paragraph [0021] and [0200] describe an Ethernet network system of a vehicle and an in-vehicle network controller implemented at a host computer), the electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet comprising a plurality of switches (paragraph [0017] describes SDN switches), the plurality of switches communicating with the SDN controller (paragraph [0197], [0219]-[0220] describe Ethernet signals are exchanged between the host computers and SDN switches), the method comprising operations (paragraphs [0021]-[0025] describe operations);
wherein adjacent switches are in the electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet (paragraphs [0204]-[0205] describe an Ethernet network system inside a vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of ECUs i.e. switches).
Lee fails to teach
a method comprising:
obtaining performance information of a link between adjacent switches, wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches;
determining a weight of the link between the adjacent switches, based on number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches, wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link;
obtaining objective addresses of data packets;
determining objective paths of the data packets transmitted from an objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches;
generating flow entries based on the objective paths, wherein the flow entries indicating the data packets are transmitted on the objective paths; and sending the flow entries to the objective switch.
Liljenstolpe discloses
obtaining performance information of a link between adjacent switches (Fig. 14, step 222; col.18, lines 19-21 describe a controller maintains network topology information that identifies connections between client switches);
determining a weight of the link between the adjacent switches, based on performance features (Fig. 14, step 224; col. 18, lines 22-26 describe the controller determines weights of path segments in the network based the network topology information. Each path segment includes network links between client switches or between client switches and routers);
obtaining objective addresses of data packets (col. 8, lines 28-38 describe flow table comprising flow entries, the entry of a table directs the switch to perform Ethernet switching. Incoming packets with matching Ethernet destination address are forwarded to port 3);
determining objective paths of the data packets transmitted from an objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches (col. 4, lines 29-41 describes a controller uses information on network topology and information on the capabilities of network equipment to determine appropriate paths for packet flowing through the network; col. 8, lines 56-67 and col. 9, lines 1-2 describe traffic is routed through switches ; col. 18, lines 22-26 describe the controller determines weights of path segments in the network based the network topology information);
generating flow entries based on the objective paths (col. 5, lines 20-37 describe flow table data from the controller server is stored in a flow table. The entries of the flow table is used in configuring switch), wherein the flow entries indicating the data packets are transmitted on the objective paths (col. 8, lines 53-55 describe each switch in a network can be provides with appropriate flow table entries to form a path through a network); and
sending the flow entries to the objective switch (col. 8, lines 48-55 describe the controller server loads flow table entries into a switch in response to receipt and processing of packets at the controller server. Each switch in a network can be provided with appropriate flow table entries to form a path through the network).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Liljenstolpe for identifying forwarding paths between network routers based on weights of path segments. The teachings of Liljenstolpe when implemented in the Lee system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Liljenstolpe in the Lee system in order to assist routers in determining how to route network packets by using routing information.
The combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe fails to teach
wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches;
wherein performance characteristics include number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches, wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link.
Kodialam discloses
wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe a link between an ingress node and interconnecting nodes has an associated available capacity, termed residual bandwidth. Networks exchange information regarding residual capacity of links, which may be employed for distributed calculation of routes. Residual bandwidth is commonly be expressed in, for example, kbits/sec or Mbits/sec or may be expressed as percentage of the link’s total capacity. The equivalent or effective bandwidth value is a deterministic value approximating the stochastic variable based on, e.g., peak and average packet rate, arrival and hold times, and connection duration);
wherein performance values include number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe a link between an ingress node and interconnecting nodes has an associated available capacity, termed residual bandwidth. Networks exchange information regarding residual capacity of links, which may be employed for distributed calculation of routes. Residual bandwidth is commonly be expressed in, for example, kbits/sec or Mbits/sec or may be expressed as percentage of the link’s total capacity. The equivalent or effective bandwidth value is a deterministic value approximating the stochastic variable based on, e.g., peak and average packet rate, arrival and hold times, and connection duration), wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe the weight of link and link cost is assigned to a particular link to allow routing algorithms to favor or disfavor routing through the particular link).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 2, the combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe fails to teach
an objective path is a path with a smallest total weight in one or more paths between a switch and an objective address, a total weight is a sum weight of links in one path.
Kodialam discloses
an objective path is a path with a smallest total weight in one or more paths between a switch and an objective address (paragraph [0012] describes each preferred path has a minimum total weight of a path between nodes), a total weight is a sum weight of links in one path (paragraph [0012] describes the total weight of a path is the summation of the weights of all links in the path).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 3, the combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe fails to teach wherein determining objective paths of data packets transmitted from an objective switch of a plurality of switches to an objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches comprises:
determining the objective paths of the data packets, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches and a Dijkstra algorithm.
Kodialam discloses
wherein determining objective paths of data packets transmitted from an objective switch of a plurality of switches to an objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches comprises:
determining the objective paths of the data packets, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches and a Dijkstra algorithm (paragraph [0012] describes to generate a forwarding table a set of preferred paths through the network nodes is computed and weights are used to calculate the set of preferred paths. The forwarding table with routing information (e.g. source-destination pair, source ports and destination ports) is generated from a shortest-path tree (SPT). The SPT is calculated using Dijkstra’s algorithm).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 4, the combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam teaches wherein determining the objective paths of the data packets transmitted from the objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches comprises:
determining the objective paths of the data packets, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches and a Dijkstra algorithm (Kodialam: paragraph [0012] describes weights are used to calculate a set of preferred paths. The forwarding table with routing information is generated from the SPT which is calculated using Dijkstra’s algorithm).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 7, Lee teaches an electronic appliance architecture of the Vehicle-mounted Ethernet (paragraphs [0200] and [0203] describe an Ethernet network system inside a vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of ECUs), comprising:
a plurality of switches (paragraph [0204] describes SDN switches); and
a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller communicating with the plurality of switches (paragraph [0197], [0219]-[0220] describe Ethernet signals are exchanged between the host computers and SDN switches), wherein the SDN controller is configured to perform operations (paragraphs [0021]-[0025] describe operations);
wherein switches are located in an electronic appliance architecture of a vehicle-mounted Ethernet (paragraphs [0204]-[0205] describe an Ethernet network system inside a vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of ECUs i.e. switches).
Lee fails to teach wherein operations include:
obtain performance information of a link between adjacent switches, wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches;
determine a weight of the link between the adjacent switches, based on number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches, wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link;
obtain objective addresses of the data packets;
determine objective paths of the data packets transmitted from an objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches;
generate flow entries based on the objective paths, wherein the flow entries indicating the data packets are transmitted on the objective paths; and sending the flow entries to the objective switch.
Liljenstolpe discloses
obtain performance information of a link between adjacent switches (Fig. 14, step 222; col.18, lines 19-21 describe a controller maintains network topology information that identifies connections between client switches);
determining a weight of the link between the adjacent switches, based on performance characteristics (Fig. 14, step 224; col. 18, lines 22-26 describe the controller determines weights of path segments in the network based the network topology information. Each path segment includes network links between client switches or between client switches and routers);
obtain objective addresses of data packets (col. 8, lines 28-38 describe flow table comprising flow entries, the entry of a table directs the switch to perform Ethernet switching. Incoming packets with matching Ethernet destination address are forwarded to port 3);
determine objective paths of the data packets transmitted from an objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches (col. 4, lines 29-41 describes a controller uses information on network topology and information on the capabilities of network equipment to determine appropriate paths for packet flowing through the network; col. 8, lines 56-67 and col. 9, lines 1-2 describe traffic is routed through switches ; col. 18, lines 22-26 describe the controller determines weights of path segments in the network based the network topology information);
generate flow entries based on the objective paths (col. 5, lines 20-37 describe flow table data from the controller server is stored in a flow table. The entries of the flow table is used in configuring switch), wherein the flow entries indicating the data packets are transmitted on the objective paths (col. 8, lines 53-55 describe each switch in a network can be provides with appropriate flow table entries to form a path through a network); and
send the flow entries to the objective switch (col. 8, lines 48-55 describe the controller server loads flow table entries into a switch in response to receipt and processing of packets at the controller server. Each switch in a network can be provided with appropriate flow table entries to form a path through the network).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Liljenstolpe for identifying forwarding paths between network routers based on weights of path segments. The teachings of Liljenstolpe when implemented in the Lee system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Liljenstolpe in the Lee system in order to assist routers in determining how to route network packets by using routing information.
The combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe fails to teach
wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches;
wherein performance characteristics include number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches, wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link.
Kodialam discloses
wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe a link between an ingress node and interconnecting nodes has an associated available capacity, termed residual bandwidth. Networks exchange information regarding residual capacity of links, which may be employed for distributed calculation of routes. Residual bandwidth is commonly be expressed in, for example, kbits/sec or Mbits/sec or may be expressed as percentage of the link’s total capacity. The equivalent or effective bandwidth value is a deterministic value approximating the stochastic variable based on, e.g., peak and average packet rate, arrival and hold times, and connection duration);
wherein performance characteristics include number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe a link between an ingress node and interconnecting nodes has an associated available capacity, termed residual bandwidth. Networks exchange information regarding residual capacity of links, which may be employed for distributed calculation of routes. Residual bandwidth is commonly be expressed in, for example, kbits/sec or Mbits/sec or may be expressed as percentage of the link’s total capacity. The equivalent or effective bandwidth value is a deterministic value approximating the stochastic variable based on, e.g., peak and average packet rate, arrival and hold times, and connection duration), wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe the weight of link and link cost is assigned to a particular link to allow routing algorithms to favor or disfavor routing through the particular link).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 8, the combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe teaches wherein an objective path is a path with a smallest total weight in one or more paths between a switch and an objective address, a total weight is a sum weight of links in one path.
Kodialam discloses
an objective path is a path with a smallest total weight in one or more paths between a switch and an objective address (paragraph [0012] describes each preferred path has a minimum total weight of a path between nodes), a total weight is a sum weight of links in one path (paragraph [0012] describes the total weight of a path is the summation of the weights of all links in the path).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 9, the combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe teaches wherein the SDN controller determining the objective paths of the data packets transmitted from the objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on metrics (Liljenstolpe: col. 12, lines 6-10 describe the controller includes a path computation module that determines network forwarding paths through the client switches; col. 12, lines 26-31 describe forwarding paths between two locations in the network is determined based on metrics).
The combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe fails to teach
wherein metrics include a weight of a link between adjacent switches,
determining objective paths of the data packets, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches and a Dijkstra algorithm.
Kodialam discloses
wherein metrics include a weight of a link between adjacent switches (paragraph [0012] describes weights are used to calculate a set of preferred paths),
determining objective paths of the data packets, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches and a Dijkstra algorithm (paragraph [0012] describes to generate a forwarding table a set of preferred paths through the network nodes is computed and weights are used to calculate the set of preferred paths. The forwarding table with routing information (e.g. source-destination pair, source ports and destination ports) is generated from a shortest-path tree (SPT). The SPT is calculated using Dijkstra’s algorithm).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 10, the combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam teaches wherein the SDN controller determining the objective paths of the data packets transmitted from the objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches comprises (Liljenstolpe: col. 12, lines 6-10 describe the controller includes a path computation module that determines network forwarding paths through the client switches; col. 12, lines 26-31 describe forwarding paths between two locations in the network is determined based on metrics; Kodialam: paragraph [0012] describes weights are used to calculate a set of preferred paths):
determining the objective paths of the data packets, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches and a Dijkstra algorithm (paragraph [0012] describes to generate a forwarding table a set of preferred paths through the network nodes is computed and weights are used to calculate the set of preferred paths. The forwarding table with routing information (e.g. source-destination pair, source ports and destination ports) is generated from a shortest-path tree (SPT). The SPT is calculated using Dijkstra’s algorithm).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claim 12, Lee teaches an electronic device, comprising:
at least one processor (paragraph [0347] describes a processor); and
a data storage storing one or more programs which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations (paragraphs [0347] describes a machine-readable medium storing instructions that are executed by the processor to perform methods):
wherein switches are in the electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet (paragraphs [0204]-[0205] describe an Ethernet network system inside a vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of ECUs i.e. switches).
Lee fails to teach wherein operations include:
obtain performance information of a link between adjacent switches, wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches;
determine a weight of the link between the adjacent switches, based on number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches, wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link;
obtain objective addresses of the data packets;
determine objective paths of the data packets transmitted from an objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches;
generate flow entries based on the objective paths, wherein the flow entries indicating the data packets are transmitted on the objective paths; and sending the flow entries to the objective switch.
Liljenstolpe discloses
obtain performance information of a link between adjacent switches (Fig. 14, step 222; col.18, lines 19-21 describe a controller maintains network topology information that identifies connections between client switches);
determining a weight of the link between the adjacent switches, based on performance characteristics (Fig. 14, step 224; col. 18, lines 22-26 describe the controller determines weights of path segments in the network based the network topology information. Each path segment includes network links between client switches or between client switches and routers);
obtain objective addresses of data packets (col. 8, lines 28-38 describe flow table comprising flow entries, the entry of a table directs the switch to perform Ethernet switching. Incoming packets with matching Ethernet destination address are forwarded to port 3);
determine objective paths of the data packets transmitted from an objective switch of the plurality of switches to the objective address, based on the weight of the link between the adjacent switches (col. 4, lines 29-41 describes a controller uses information on network topology and information on the capabilities of network equipment to determine appropriate paths for packet flowing through the network; col. 8, lines 56-67 and col. 9, lines 1-2 describe traffic is routed through switches ; col. 18, lines 22-26 describe the controller determines weights of path segments in the network based the network topology information);
generate flow entries based on the objective paths (col. 5, lines 20-37 describe flow table data from the controller server is stored in a flow table. The entries of the flow table is used in configuring switch), wherein the flow entries indicating the data packets are transmitted on the objective paths (col. 8, lines 53-55 describe each switch in a network can be provides with appropriate flow table entries to form a path through a network); and
send the flow entries to the objective switch (col. 8, lines 48-55 describe the controller server loads flow table entries into a switch in response to receipt and processing of packets at the controller server. Each switch in a network can be provided with appropriate flow table entries to form a path through the network).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Liljenstolpe for identifying forwarding paths between network routers based on weights of path segments. The teachings of Liljenstolpe when implemented in the Lee system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Liljenstolpe in the Lee system in order to assist routers in determining how to route network packets by using routing information.
The combined system of Lee and Liljenstolpe fails to teach
wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches;
wherein performance characteristics include number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches, wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link.
Kodialam discloses
wherein the performance information of the link between the adjacent switches comprises a number of data packets sent from a first switch to a second switch over the link in the adjacent switches (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe a link between an ingress node and interconnecting nodes has an associated available capacity, termed residual bandwidth. Networks exchange information regarding residual capacity of links, which may be employed for distributed calculation of routes. Residual bandwidth is commonly be expressed in, for example, kbits/sec or Mbits/sec or may be expressed as percentage of the link’s total capacity. The equivalent or effective bandwidth value is a deterministic value approximating the stochastic variable based on, e.g., peak and average packet rate, arrival and hold times, and connection duration);
wherein performance characteristics include number of the data packets sent from the first switch to the second switch over the link in the adjacent switches (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe a link between an ingress node and interconnecting nodes has an associated available capacity, termed residual bandwidth. Networks exchange information regarding residual capacity of links, which may be employed for distributed calculation of routes. Residual bandwidth is commonly be expressed in, for example, kbits/sec or Mbits/sec or may be expressed as percentage of the link’s total capacity. The equivalent or effective bandwidth value is a deterministic value approximating the stochastic variable based on, e.g., peak and average packet rate, arrival and hold times, and connection duration), wherein the number of the data packets is positively correlated with the weight of the link (paragraphs [0048]-[0049] describe the weight of link and link cost is assigned to a particular link to allow routing algorithms to favor or disfavor routing through the particular link).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Kodialam for evaluating link weight of traffic between a source and a destination nodes. The teachings of Kodialam, when implemented in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to select an optimal path to transmit data packets. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Kodialam in the Lee and Liljenstolpe system in order to avoid network congestion under high traffic variability without requiring dynamic reconfiguration of routing parameters (such as link weights or routing policies) (Kodialam: paragraph [0159]).
As for claims 13, 15, 16, these claims contain the same limitations of claims 2, 3, 4, respectively. Therefore, similar rejections where the method of claims 2-4 teach the electronic appliance architecture of the vehicle-mounted Ethernet of claims 13, 15, 16, respectively.
Claims 5, 6, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 2025/0168037) in view of Liljenstolpe (US 9,042,234) and Kodialam (US 2005/0265258) further in view of Mehmedagic et al. (US 2021/0029029), hereinafter Mehmedagic.
As for claim 5, the combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam teaches wherein the electronic appliance architecture of the Vehicle-mounted Ethernet adopts a network (Lee: paragraph [0007] describes an SDN-based in vehicle network).
The combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam fails to teach wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN).
Mehmedagic discloses
wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN) (paragraph [0086] describes a Time Sensitive Network subsystem having a TsSD controller).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic for implementing a Time Sensitive Network subsystem. The teachings of Mehmedagic, when implemented in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to forward traffic. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system in order to ensure that mission critical and time-sensitive data are transferred/shared as per predefined maximum deterministic transfer time and with high reliability (Mehmedagic: paragraph [0086]).
As for claim 6, the combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam teaches wherein the electronic appliance architecture of the Vehicle-mounted Ethernet adopts a network (Lee: paragraph [0007] describes an SDN-based in vehicle network).
The combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam fails to teach wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN).
Mehmedagic discloses
wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN) (paragraph [0086] describes a Time Sensitive Network subsystem having a TsSD controller).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic for implementing a Time Sensitive Network subsystem. The teachings of Mehmedagic, when implemented in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to forward traffic. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system in order to ensure that mission critical and time-sensitive data are transferred/shared as per predefined maximum deterministic transfer time and with high reliability (Mehmedagic: paragraph [0086]).
As for claim 17, the combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam teaches wherein the electronic appliance architecture of the Vehicle-mounted Ethernet adopts a network (Lee: paragraph [0007] describes an SDN-based in vehicle network).
The combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam fails to teach wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN).
Mehmedagic discloses
wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN) (paragraph [0086] describes a Time Sensitive Network subsystem having a TsSD controller).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic for implementing a Time Sensitive Network subsystem. The teachings of Mehmedagic, when implemented in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to forward traffic. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system in order to ensure that mission critical and time-sensitive data are transferred/shared as per predefined maximum deterministic transfer time and with high reliability (Mehmedagic: paragraph [0086]).
As for claim 18, the combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam teaches wherein the electronic appliance architecture of the Vehicle-mounted Ethernet adopts a network (Lee: paragraph [0007] describes an SDN-based in vehicle network).
The combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam fails to teach wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN).
Mehmedagic discloses
wherein a network is a Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Network (TSSDN) (paragraph [0086] describes a Time Sensitive Network subsystem having a TsSD controller).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic for implementing a Time Sensitive Network subsystem. The teachings of Mehmedagic, when implemented in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to forward traffic. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Mehmedagic in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system in order to ensure that mission critical and time-sensitive data are transferred/shared as per predefined maximum deterministic transfer time and with high reliability (Mehmedagic: paragraph [0086]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 2025/0168037) in view of Liljenstolpe (US 9,042,234) and Kodialam (US 20025/0265258) further in view of Yang et al. (US 2025/0119387), hereinafter Yang.
As for claim 11, the combined system of Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam fails to teach
wherein a switch receives a type of data packets, transmission priority of the data packets is determined based on the type of the data packets and a time-sensitive protocol, and the data packets are forwarded based on the transmission priority.
Yang discloses
wherein a switch receives a type of data packets (paragraph [0015] describes a switch receives time-sensitive data), transmission priority of the data packets is determined based on the type of the data packets and a time-sensitive protocol (paragraph [0029] describes a queue has a highest priority and when data is identified as being time-sensitive, it is allocated to the queue that is assigned a highest priority), and the data packets are forwarded based on the transmission priority (paragraph [0029] describes the data is allocated to different sending queues, based on whether the data is time-sensitive).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized the ability to utilize the teachings of Yang for processing data in a time sensitive network. The teachings of Yang, when implemented in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system, will allow one of ordinary skill in the art to forward time-sensitive data. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Yang in the Lee, Liljenstolpe and Kodialam system in order to satisfy latency requirement for time-sensitive requirements for time-sensitive data in a vehicle on-board network.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dasari et al. (US 2025/0016066) teach method for network and computing resource management for service-oriented communication in a SDN architecture
Nakatsugawa et al. (US 2017/0324669) teach control apparatus and method of data transmitting
Beheshti-Zavareh et al. (US 2013/0294236) teach congestion control in packet data networking.
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 L. T N. whose telephone number is (571)272-1013. The examiner can normally be reached M & Th 5:30 am - 2:30 pm EST.
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, TONIA DOLLINGER can be reached at 571-272-4170. 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.
/L. T. N/
Examiner, Art Unit 2459
/TONIA L DOLLINGER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2459