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
2. Claims 1-20 are pending in Instant Application.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant's arguments filed 02/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Below is examiner’s response to the arguments:
Applicant: applicant’s representative argues that Rose however, does not disclose, teach, or suggest "initiat[ing] authentication of the second network device," or doing so "using the physical address of the second network device [learned in the manner claimed]."
Examiner: claim limitation teaches “the connection associated with a second network device, the second network device being a silent network device that is in an unauthenticated state”.
Rose, US 7707312, Fig. 1, Abstract, teaches a printer (second network device (16b)) is the silent device that is attached to a mobile port of a switching node; while Col. 2, ll. (10-16), teaches Silent mobile devices such as, for example, printers, do not generally transmit traffic that will allow the VLAN classification. Thus, when a silent mobile device is connected to a mobile port, the mobile port remains associated to its default VLAN, and no dynamic association of the port to the VLAN of the attached device occurs (so the printer or the silent device is in unauthenticated state). So, Rose teaches the claim limitation.
Claim limitation also teaches “initiate authentication of the second network device using the physical address of the second network device.”
Rose, Col. 4, ll. (1-6), teaches since silent devices do not initiate traffic on their own, a printer discovery protocol (PDP) is employed according to one embodiment of the invention, for discovering silent devices that are attached to the mobile ports, and dynamically associating such ports to the VLAN of the silent devices; Fig. 5, Col. 5, ll. (8-16), teaches if the silent device has not yet been registered to a particular VLAN, the network administrator, in step 100, transmits a command, referred to as a PDP command, indicating an address, such as, for example, an IP address, of the silent device, and a VLAN identifier to which the silent device is to be associated. The PDP command further indicates that the device is a silent device (initiate authentication of the second network device using the physical address (an IP address, of the silent device) of the second network device). So, Rose teaches the claim limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
4. Claims 1, 3-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by US 7,707,312 issued to Rose et al. (Rose).
As per claim 1, Rose teaches a first network device, comprising: a plurality of ports (Rose: Fig. 1 - multiple ports (22a, 24)); one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing programming for execution by the one or more processors (Rose: Fig. 1), the programming comprising instructions to: detect a connection to a first port of the plurality of ports, the connection associated with a second network device (Rose: Fig. 1, Abstract - a printer (second network device (16b)), attached to a mobile port of a switching node (switching node is part of switch that is the first device)), the second network device being a silent network device that is in an unauthenticated state (Rose: Fig. 1, Abstract - a printer (second network device (16b)) is the silent device that is attached to a mobile port of a switching node; while Col. 2, ll. (10-16), teaches Silent mobile devices such as, for example, printers, do not generally transmit traffic that will allow the VLAN classification. Thus, when a silent mobile device is connected to a mobile port, the mobile port remains associated to its default VLAN, and no dynamic association of the port to the VLAN of the attached device occurs (so the printer or the silent device is in unauthenticated state)); transmit automatically, in response to failure to receive a physical address of the second network device, a silent device discovery message to the second network device via the first port (Rose: Col. 6, ll. (60-65) - Entry of the PDP command automatically invokes the PDP process for the silent device. If there are no ongoing pollings for the IP address associated with the silent device when the PDP command is entered, a new PDP process is invoked on the mobile ports with the IP address; while Abstract - teaches Entry of the command causes the switching node to start searching for the silent device on the mobile ports. As part of the searching process, an ARP request with the IP address provided in the command is sent to each mobile port of the switching node); receive, from the second network device in response to the silent device discovery message, a device discovery reply message, the device discovery reply message associated with the physical address of the second network device (Rose: Abstract - when the silent device responds with its MAC address in an ARP reply message, the MAC address is learned in a layer 2 table used for making forwarding decisions of data units received by the switching node. Furthermore, the port where the silent device was discovered, that is, the port receiving the ARP reply message, is associated with the VLAN of the silent device; Col. 6, ll. (53-56) - also teaches allows the source learning module 56 to learn the MAC source address on a new port if the silent device has since reconnected to a new port, in a manner that is transparent to the user); and initiate authentication of the second network device using the physical address of the second network device (Rose: Col. 4, ll. (1-6), teaches since silent devices do not initiate traffic on their own, a printer discovery protocol (PDP) is employed according to one embodiment of the invention, for discovering silent devices that are attached to the mobile ports, and dynamically associating such ports to the VLAN of the silent devices; Fig. 5, Col. 5, ll. (8-16), teaches if the silent device has not yet been registered to a particular VLAN, the network administrator, in step 100, transmits a command, referred to as a PDP command, indicating an address, such as, for example, an IP address, of the silent device, and a VLAN identifier to which the silent device is to be associated. The PDP command further indicates that the device is a silent device (initiate authentication of the second network device using the physical address (an IP address, of the silent device) of the second network device)).
As per claim 3, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein: the silent device discovery message comprises an Address Resolution Protocol Message Protocol (ARP) request message; and the device discovery reply message comprises an ARP reply message (Rose: Col. 5, ll. (34-43) - the PDP module transmits an ARP request message with the IP address while the silent device 16 responds with an ARP reply message).
As per claim 4, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the device discovery reply message comprises the physical address of the second network device (Rose: Col. 5, ll. (64-67) - the MAC address in the ARP reply message).
As per claim 5, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the physical address of the second network device is a media access control (MAC) address (Rose: Col. 5, ll. (64-67) - the PDP module receives the ARP reply message and, if necessary, updates the PDP table 50 by storing the MAC address in the ARP reply message).
As per claim 6, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein: the programming further comprises instructions to obtain network information from a Layer-3 network device; and the silent device discovery message is transmitted to the second network device according to the network information (Rose: Fig. 5, Col. 5, ll. (6-14) - the process starts with a silent device directly or indirectly connecting to a particular mobile port 22 of the switching node 12. If the silent device has not yet been registered to a particular VLAN, the network administrator, in step 100, transmits a command, referred to as a PDP command, indicating an address, such as, for example, an IP address, of the silent device, and a VLAN identifier to which the silent device is to be associated).
As per claim 7, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the programming comprises instructions to transmit the silent device discovery message to the second network device on an unassigned native virtual local area network (VLAN) (Rose: Fig. 5 - associated VLAN with silent device).
As per claim 8, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein: a communication network associated with the first network device comprises a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs); and transmitting the silent device discovery message to the second network device comprises transmitting one or more silent device discovery messages each transmitted on an unassigned native VLAN of the plurality of VLANs and corresponding to another VLAN of the plurality of VLANs (Rose: Col. 3, ll. (56-62) - mobile ports 22 are configured to be dynamically associated with different VLANs based on the VLAN membership of the devices attached to these ports. This allows the edge devices 16a, 16b (silent device) (collectively referenced at 16) coupled directly or indirectly to the mobile ports 22, to transparently move from one mobile port to another while maintaining their VLAN classification).
As per claim 9, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein transmitting the silent device discovery message comprises broadcasting the silent device discovery message to a subnet associated with the second network device (Rose: Col. 2, ll. (33-36) - teaches receiving a command associating the device to the VLAN; transmitting to the plurality of ports in response to the command, a first message configured to generate a response by the device; while Col. 3, ll. (56-61) - teaches mobile ports 22 are configured to be dynamically associated with different VLANs based on the VLAN membership of the devices attached to these ports. This allows the edge devices 16a, 16b (collectively referenced at 16) coupled directly or indirectly to the mobile ports 22. Here 16a, and 16b are subnet of the second network device that are silent devices).
As per claim 10, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein transmitting the silent device discovery message comprises transmitting the silent device discovery message as a direct silent device discovery message to a subnet associated with the second network device (Rose: Col. 2, ll. (64-66) - transmits to the one or more ports a first message configured to generate a response by the silent device associated with the forwarded address).
As per claim 11, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein transmitting the silent device discovery message comprises transmitting a silent device discovery range to a subnet associated with the second network device (Rose: Col. 2, ll. (64-66) - the second module transmits to the one or more ports a first message configured to generate a response by the silent device associated with the forwarded address (here the forwarded address is considered as ping range (as per ¶ 0085 of the specification)).
As per claim 12, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein transmitting the silent device discovery message comprises performing two or more of the following: broadcasting the silent device discovery message to a subnet associated with the second network device; transmitting the silent device discovery message as a direct silent device discovery message to a subnet associated with the second network device; or transmitting a silent device discovery range to a subnet associated with the second network device (Rose: Col. 2, ll. (64-66) - the second module transmits to the one or more ports a first message (silent device discovery message) configured to generate a response by the silent device associated with the forwarded address (here the forwarded address is considered as ping range (as per ¶ 0085 of the specification)).
As per claim 13, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein: transmitting automatically, in response to failure to receive a physical address of the second network device, a silent device discovery message to the second network device comprises transmitting one or more silent device discovery messages to the second network device; and the programming further comprises instructions to transmit the one or more silent device discovery messages to the second network device until either: the discovery message reply is received from the second network device; or a termination event occurs (Rose: Col. 2, ll. (57-64) - the first module detects a triggering event, removes an address from the list of addresses stored in the first table based on the triggering event, determines whether the address is associated with a silent device configured to respond to traffic transmitted by another device but not configured to initiate traffic to other devices, and forwards the address to the second module based on the determination).
As per claim 14, the claim resembles claim 1 and is rejected under the same rationale.
As per claim 16, the claim resembles claim 4 and is rejected under the same rationale.
As per claim 17, the claim resembles claim 6 and is rejected under the same rationale.
As per claim 18, the claim resembles claim 7 and is rejected under the same rationale.
As per claim 19, the claim resembles claim 8 and is rejected under the same rationale.
As per claim 20, the claim resembles claim 1 and is rejected under the same rationale.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
5. Claims 2 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 7,707,312 issued to Rose et al. (Rose) in view US 2006/0159025 issued to Abdo et al. (Abdo).
As per claim 2, Rose teaches the first network device of Claim 1 however does not explicitly teach wherein: the silent device discovery message comprises an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request message; and the device discovery reply message comprises an ICMP echo reply message.
Abdo however explicitly teaches wherein: the silent device discovery message comprises an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request message; and the device discovery reply message comprises an ICMP echo reply message (Abdo: ¶ 0011 - Internet has included an Internet Message Control Protocol (ICMP) that is commonly used in echo testing or ping and trace route applications. In general, the Internet standard ping or ICMP echo has a request/response format, wherein one device sends an ICMP echo request and another device responds to a received ICMP echo request with a transmitted ICMP echo response).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Rose in view of Abdo to teach the silent device discovery message comprises an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request message; and the device discovery reply message comprises an ICMP echo reply message. One would be motivated to do so as the internet has included an Internet Message Control Protocol (ICMP) that is commonly used in echo testing or ping and trace route applications. In general, the Internet standard ping or ICMP echo has a request/response format, wherein one device sends an ICMP echo request and another device responds to a received ICMP echo request with a transmitted ICMP echo response (Abdo: ¶ 0011).
As per claim 15, the claim resembles claim 2 and is rejected under the same rationale.
Conclusion
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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SM AZIZUR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7360. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F Telework;
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ali Shayanfar can be reached on 571-270-1050. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SM A RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2434