DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
2. Claims 2-21 are presented for examination. Claim 1 is cancelled.
Claim objections
3. The objection to claims 5 and 12 is/are withdrawn in light of amendments/remarks.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. The rejection of claims 2-21 under 35 U.S.C. § 112, second paragraph, is withdrawn in view of applicant's amendments/remarks.
Response to Arguments
5. Applicant’s argument filed on 01/21/2026 with respect claims 2-21 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant contends that the office action fails to teach or suggest the limitation of "wherein the plurality of data packets includes a first subset received via a first communication interface and a second subset received via a second communication interface." As recited in claims 1 and 12.
Examiner respectfully disagrees and asserts the reference of Huang et al. (US 2021/0084533 A1) in paragraph [0068], and Fig. 1 teaches the such limitation. For example, at block 910, the example negotiation determiner 202 of the first device 100 determines a maximum number of data packets per data transmission on all interfaces, based on the capabilities of the example devices 100, 102. The maximum total number of data packets sent per transmission corresponds to the size for the common buffers (e.g., buffer 210 on the first device 100 and the second device 102). For example, if the first device 100 is to transmit the maximum 1280 data packets per transmission (e.g., 256 data packets on five different interfaces), then the negotiation determiner 202 determines that the buffer 216 big enough to store the 1280 data packets on both the originator device and the recipient device. At block 912, the example negotiation determiner 202 of the first device 100 determines a maximum number of data packets to transmit per interface, based on the capabilities of the example devices 100, 102. For example, the negotiation determiner 202 may equally divide the maximum total number of data packets per transmission by the total number of interfaces used during the transmission. In some examples, the negotiation determiner 202 may select different maximum numbers of data packets per interface. For example, if a particular interface is overloaded, the negotiation determiner 202 may transmit less data packets on the overloaded interface. As been described above, it’s clear that data packets include first and second subsets since the total number data packets have been equally divided, which can be include more than one subset to be transmitted in different communication interfaces. Emphases added. Also, the applicant contends that the cited references fail to teaches or suggest wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. As recited in claims 1 and 12. The Examiner respectfully disagrees and asserts the reference of Stawitzky et al. (US 11,444,886 B1) in column 6, lines 13-26, column 8, lines 30-44, and Fig. 3B teaches the such limitation. For example, at a second time shown in FIG. 3B, Packets 202 and 204 having sequence numbers “1” and “2,” respectively, are received in the order of their respective sequence numbers (“in-order packet”). Packet 206 is a “missing” packet with sequence number “3,” having been delayed or dropped during transmission over the communication link 130, or otherwise rendered unusable (e.g., due to data corruption). Packets 208, 210, and 212 are “out of order” packets having sequence numbers “4,” “5,” and “6,” respectively, and arrive before the missing packet 206. In various embodiments, the missing packet 206 arrives after the OOO packets, or is re-transmitted by the network interface controller 116 (e.g., after waiting a period of time without receiving a confirmation of receipt at the network interface controller 126). See column 6, lines 13-26.The OOO packet 208 has been received prior to receipt of the missing packet 206, in an embodiment. In other words, the OOO packet 208 is received out of order relative to the missing packet 206 (i.e., the OOO packet 208 has a sequence number that is larger than a sequence number of the missing packet 206 and is received before the missing packet 206). The network interface controller 126 selects one of the OOO buffer 330 or the application buffer 310 and stores the OOO packet 208 in the selected buffer. As described above, in some embodiments, the network interface controller 126 stores the entire OOO packet 208 in the selected buffer. In some embodiments, the network interface controller 126 stores a remainder of the OOO packet 208 in the selected buffer (e.g., discarding the LLP header 252 and/or RDMA header 254). See column 8, lines 30-44. Also see Fig. 3B printed below for your convenience.
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As been described above, each sequence number associated with a respective data packet, and the different data packets have been received out of ordering on different communication interfaces, and as been seen in Fig. 3B above that the sequence number “4” of the data packet 208 has been received prior to sequence number “3” of the data packet 206. So, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface can be precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface since the data packets have been received out of ordering. Emphases added.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL. The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
6. Claims 2-21 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claims contain subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
In regards to claim 2, the claim recites “at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface.” The disclosure does not provide the feature this feature. Nowhere in the specification or in the drawings does the applicant teach the features of “at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface.” Correction is required. In regards to claim 12, the claim recites similar feature of claim 2, therefore, is rejected for similar reason of claim 2 above. Dependent claims 3-11 and 13-21 depend from the base claims 2 and 12 respectively and inherently include limitations therein and therefore are rejected under 35 USC 112, 1st paragraph as well.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
7. Claims 2-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2021/0084533 A1) "herein after as Huang" in view of Stawitzky et al. (US 11,444,886 B1) "herein after as Stawitzky."
As per claim 2:
Huang substantially teaches or discloses a wireless communication device (see paragraph [0019], herein the example devices 100, 102 of FIG. 1 are wireless devices capable of performing multi-band link aggregation during wireless communications and Fig. 1), comprising: a plurality of communication interfaces configured to collectively receive a plurality of data packets (see paragraph [0021], herein the link aggregator 104 of the first device 100 may facilitate the transmission of the data packets using the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 by receiving data packets from the example application processor 106 and storing the data packets into a common transmit buffer, and Fig. 1), wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets is assigned a sequence number that indicates a sequential order for the data packets (see paragraph [0015], herein the scoreboard context control protocol uses a window to represent an BA bitmap corresponding to which data packers have been stored in the recipient buffer. For example, when data corresponding to a particular sequence number is stored in a buffer, the scoreboard context control protocol uses the window to update the BA bitmap to identify that the data packet has been stored, and paragraph [0023], a scoreboard context size (WinSizeR) that are determined during initial negotiations) corresponding to BA bitmaps that identify which data packets have been received on each interface 108, 110, 112 and stored into the receiver side reordering buffer based on the sequent number (SN) of the data packets); wherein the plurality of data packets includes a first subset received via a first communication interface and a second subset received via a second communication interface (see paragraph [0068], herein At block 912, the example negotiation determiner 202 of the first device 100 determines a maximum number of data packets to transmit per interface, based on the capabilities of the example devices 100, 102. For example, the negotiation determiner 202 may equally divide the maximum total number of data packets per transmission by the total number of interfaces used during the transmission [Examiner note: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that that data packets include first and second subsets since the total number data packets have been equally divided, which can be include more than one subset to be transmitted in different communication interfaces]), a buffer configured to: store the plurality of data packets (see paragraph [0014], herein the originator receives the data packets from an application processor of the originator and stores the data packets in a transmitter buffer); reorder at least one data packet of the plurality of data packets stored in the buffer according to the sequential order indicated by the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt. The application processor 106 in the recipient side receives data packets after they have been received and stored in the buffer. In this manner, the link aggregator 104 can transmit a set of ordered data packets to the example application processor 106 for further processing in the next MAC layer); and provide the reordered data packets in the sequential order (see paragraph [0014], herein Once the data packets are received, the recipient passes some or all the data packets in order (e.g., based on the SN of each packet) to the next MAC layer and updates the local recipient buffer record (e.g., window); and paragraph [0024], herein The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt).
Huang does not explicitly teach wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface.
However, Stawitzky in the same the field of endeavor teaches wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface (see column 6, lines 13-26, herein Packets 208, 210, and 212 are “out of order” packets having sequence numbers “4,” “5,” and “6,” respectively, and arrive before the missing packet 206. In various embodiments, the missing packet 206 arrives after the OOO packets, or is re-transmitted by the network interface controller 116 (e.g., after waiting a period of time without receiving a confirmation of receipt at the network interface controller 126; column 8, lines 30-44; and Fig. 3B [Examiner note: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface can be precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface since the data packets have been received out of ordering]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Huang with the teachings of Stawitzky by including wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. This modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface improved the communication system performance.
As per claim 3:
Huang teaches that wherein the buffer is configured to reorder the data packets to correct for out-of-order arrival of the data packets caused by different latencies on the plurality of communication interfaces (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt [Examiner note: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the data packets have been received in different times or latencies since the device 100 may transmit (e.g., during an overlapping time frame or during different time frames, see paragraph [0025]).
As per claim 4:
Huang teaches that wherein the plurality of communication interfaces comprises a first communication interface configured to operate on a first set of channels and a second communication interface configured to operate on a second set of channels (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof. For example, the first interface 108 may correspond to a transmission on a first channel in a first frequency band, the second interface 110 may correspond to a transmission on a second channel in a second frequency band, and the third interface 112 may correspond to a transmission on a third channel in the first frequency band. Although the example of FIG. 1 includes three interfaces, any number of interfaces from any channel and/or band may be used, and Fig. 1 interfaces 108, 110).
As per claim 5:
Huang teaches that wherein the first set of channels spans multiple frequencies (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof).
As per claim 6:
Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are maintained in one or more sets of sequence number, each set corresponding to a respective communication interface(see paragraph [0025], herein the first device 100 may transmit (e.g., during an overlapping time frame or during different time frames) (A) a first set of data packets corresponding to SNs 0-255 using the first example interface 108, (B) a second set of data packets corresponding to SNs 256-511 using the second example interface 110 [Examiner notes: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the sequence numbers are maintained in one or more sequence number spaces since the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt, see paragraph [0024]).
As per claim 7:
Huang teaches that wherein the plurality of data packets are released from the buffer in sequential order in view of the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0023], herein the example link aggregator 104 updates the scoreboard context windows and the buffer reordering window based on each received data packet, the passing of one or more data packets to the next MAC layer, and/or instructions from an originator (e.g., a received BAR frame)), and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer).
As per claim 8:
Huang teaches that wherein the sequence number for each of the plurality of data packets is assigned by a data source that originated the data packets (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface, and paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt).
As per claim 9:
Huang teaches that wherein the buffer is configured to cause the reordered data packets to be released from the buffer after verifying the sequential order based on the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0029], herein if the buffer reordering window corresponds to SNs 256-511, the registers of the buffer 210 are reserved to correspond to the data packets for each SN between 256 and 511. Accordingly, when the example buffer controller 204 receives a data packet, the buffer controller 204 processes the packet to identify the SN and stores the data packet in the register of the buffer 210 corresponding to the identified SN. When the data packets are to be passed to the next MAC layer, the example buffer controller 204 pulls the stored data packets and passes the data packets to the example application processor 106, and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer).
As per claim 10:
Huang teaches that wherein reordering the data packets is to prevent processing the data packets out of the sequential order (see paragraph [0022], herein the link aggregator 104 includes a common reordering buffer is per traffic identifier (TID), to exclude data packets from different TIDs being mixed into the same buffer [Examiner notes: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that if the data packets are mixed with other data packets could cause missing or corrupt data packets], and paragraph [0025], the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 may (A) transmit different data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency), (B) transmit the same data packets (e.g., for decreased packet loss), or (C) some interfaces may transmit different data packets and others may transmit the same data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency and decreased packet loss)).
As per claim 11:
Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are assigned by an upstream entity (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface, and Fig. 2A).
As per claim 12:
Huang substantially teaches or discloses a method, comprising: receiving, via a plurality of communication interfaces, a plurality of data packets, wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets (see paragraph [0021], herein the link aggregator 104 of the first device 100 may facilitate the transmission of the data packets using the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 by receiving data packets from the example application processor 106 and storing the data packets into a common transmit buffer, and Fig. 1), is assigned a sequence number that indicates a sequential order for the data packets (see paragraph [0015], herein the scoreboard context control protocol uses a window to represent an BA bitmap corresponding to which data packers have been stored in the recipient buffer. For example, when data corresponding to a particular sequence number is stored in a buffer, the scoreboard context control protocol uses the window to update the BA bitmap to identify that the data packet has been stored, and paragraph [0023], a scoreboard context size (WinSizeR) that are determined during initial negotiations) corresponding to BA bitmaps that identify which data packets have been received on each interface 108, 110, 112 and stored into the receiver side reordering buffer based on the sequent number (SN) of the data packets); wherein the plurality of data packets includes a first subset received via a first communication interface and a second subset received via a second communication interface (see paragraph [0068], herein At block 912, the example negotiation determiner 202 of the first device 100 determines a maximum number of data packets to transmit per interface, based on the capabilities of the example devices 100, 102. For example, the negotiation determiner 202 may equally divide the maximum total number of data packets per transmission by the total number of interfaces used during the transmission [Examiner note: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that that data packets include first and second subsets since the total number data packets have been equally divided, which can be include more than one subset to be transmitted in different communication interfaces]), storing the plurality of data packets in a buffer (see paragraph [0014], herein the originator receives the data packets from an application processor of the originator and stores the data packets in a transmitter buffer); reordering at least one data packet of the plurality of data packets stored in the buffer according to the sequential order indicated by the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt. The application processor 106 in the recipient side receives data packets after they have been received and stored in the buffer. In this manner, the link aggregator 104 can transmit a set of ordered data packets to the example application processor 106 for further processing in the next MAC layer).
Huang does not explicitly teach wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface.
However, Stawitzky in the same the field of endeavor teaches wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface (see column 6, lines 13-26, herein Packets 208, 210, and 212 are “out of order” packets having sequence numbers “4,” “5,” and “6,” respectively, and arrive before the missing packet 206. In various embodiments, the missing packet 206 arrives after the OOO packets, or is re-transmitted by the network interface controller 116 (e.g., after waiting a period of time without receiving a confirmation of receipt at the network interface controller 126; column 8, lines 30-44; and Fig. 3B) [Examiner note: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface can be precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface since the data packets have been received out of ordering]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Huang with the teachings of Stawitzky by including wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. This modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface improved the communication system performance.
As per claim 13:
Huang teaches that wherein reordering the data packets comprising correcting for out-of-order arrival of the data packets caused by different latencies on the plurality of communication interfaces (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt [Examiner note: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout in different times or latencies]).
As per claim 14:
Huang teaches that wherein receiving the plurality of data packets comprises operating a first communication interface on a first set of channels and operating a second communication interface on a second set of channels (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof. For example, the first interface 108 may correspond to a transmission on a first channel in a first frequency band, the second interface 110 may correspond to a transmission on a second channel in a second frequency band, and the third interface 112 may correspond to a transmission on a third channel in the first frequency band. Although the example of FIG. 1 includes three interfaces, any number of interfaces from any channel and/or band may be used, and Fig. 1 interfaces 108, 110).
As per claim 15:
Huang teaches that wherein the first set of channels spans multiple frequencies (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof).
As per claim 16:
Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are maintained in one or more sets of sequence numbers (see paragraph [0025], herein the first device 100 may transmit (e.g., during an overlapping time frame or during different time frames) (A) a first set of data packets corresponding to SNs 0-255 using the first example interface 108, (B) a second set of data packets corresponding to SNs 256-511 using the second example interface 110 [Examiner notes: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the sequence numbers are maintained in one or more sequence number spaces since the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt, see paragraph [0024]).
As per claim 17:
Huang teaches that further comprising releasing the plurality of data packets from the buffer in sequential order in view of the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0023], herein the example link aggregator 104 updates the scoreboard context windows and the buffer reordering window based on each received data packet, the passing of one or more data packets to the next MAC layer, and/or instructions from an originator (e.g., a received BAR frame)), and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer).
As per claim 18:
Huang teaches that wherein the sequence number for each of the plurality of data packets is assigned by a data source that originated the data packets (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface, and paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt).
As per claim 19:
Huang teaches that further comprising causing the data packets to be released from the buffer after verifying the sequential order based on the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0029], herein if the buffer reordering window corresponds to SNs 256-511, the registers of the buffer 210 are reserved to correspond to the data packets for each SN between 256 and 511. Accordingly, when the example buffer controller 204 receives a data packet, the buffer controller 204 processes the packet to identify the SN and stores the data packet in the register of the buffer 210 corresponding to the identified SN. When the data packets are to be passed to the next MAC layer, the example buffer controller 204 pulls the stored data packets and passes the data packets to the example application processor 106, and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer).
As per claim 20:
Huang teaches that wherein reordering the data packets is performed to prevent processing the data packets out of the sequential order (see paragraph [0022], herein the link aggregator 104 includes a common reordering buffer is per traffic identifier (TID), to exclude data packets from different TIDs being mixed into the same buffer [Examiner notes: it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that if the data packets are mixed with other data packets could cause missing or corrupt data packets], and paragraph [0025], the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 may (A) transmit different data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency), (B) transmit the same data packets (e.g., for decreased packet loss), or (C) some interfaces may transmit different data packets and others may transmit the same data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency and decreased packet loss)).
As per claim 21:
Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are assigned by an upstream entity (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface).
Examiner Notes
8. When amending the claims, applicants are respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and also to verify and ascertain the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
Prior Art
9. The prior art of record, considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure, is listed in the attached PTO-892 form.
Conclusion
10. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL; 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OSMAN ALSHACK whose telephone number is (571)272-2069.
The examiner can normally be reached on MON-FRI 8:30 AM-5:00 PM EST, also please fax interview request to (571) 273- 2069.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ALBERT DECADY can be reached on 5712723819. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OSMAN ALSHACK/
Examiner, Art Unit 2112
/ALBERT DECADY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2112