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 .
This Final Office Action is responsive to Applicant's amendment filed on 27 April 2026. Applicant’s amendment on 27 April 2026 amended Claims 1, 19, and 20. Currently Claims 1-20 are pending and have been examined. The Examiner notes that the 101 rejection has been maintained.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 27 April 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues on pages 8-10 that “Claim 1 does not recite a mental process under Step 2A, Prong One”.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
With respect to the argument the Examiner notes that while the Applicant is correct that a claim does not recite a mental process where the human mind is not equipped to perform the recited limitation, and that Synopsys and Example 37 illustrate this principle. However, those authorities turn on whether the specific operation claimed is one that, as claimed, cannot practically be carried out mentally or with pen and paper not on whether the operation carries a technical-sounding label. Here, the claim recites "executing a hash function," "generating a hash value," and "executing a modulo operation... to obtain a remainder" without reciting any specific hash algorithm or any characteristic (e.g., cryptographic strength, bit length, non-invertibility) that would foreclose mental performance. Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, and consistent with the specification's own description at par. [0154] (which characterizes the hash operation broadly enough to include simple non-cryptographic operations), a "hash function" as claimed can be a simple, non-complex mapping of an attribute to a value the kind of arithmetic a person could perform with pen and paper.
The modulo operation is even more clearly within the human mind's capability: the specification itself illustrates the modulo operation with simple, textbook arithmetic (e.g., 15 mod 7 = 1; 27 mod 5 = 2), which is squarely the type of calculation Benson recognized as performable "by head and hand." This distinguishes the claim from Synopsys, where the claimed operation involved a several-step manipulation of complex data structures that could not be performed even in simplistic form; here, the claimed hash-and-modulo sequence, as broadly claimed, is not similarly complex. Regarding the "execution" of the system maintenance operation, this limitation is not what the rejection identifies as the abstract idea the mental process identified is the scheduling determination itself (i.e., evaluating a request, selecting from candidate times, and picking an execution time), which are the types of observations, evaluations, and judgments concerning when to perform an activity that a human scheduler routinely performs; the eventual technical execution of the maintenance operation is treated as insignificant post-solution activity, not as part of the mental-process analysis. Finally, to clarify the record following the interview: the rejection does not rest on the premise that use of a "generic computer" by itself converts an operation into a mental process (Applicant is correct that this would be improper reasoning); rather, the rejection rests on the content of the recited receiving, selecting, hashing, and scheduling steps themselves, which absent any claimed technical specificity foreclosing mental performance fall within the mental-processes grouping regardless of the generic processor recited. For these reasons, claim 1 recites a mental process under Step 2A, Prong One, and the rejection is maintained.
The Applicant argues on pages 10-12 that “Claim 1 integrates the exception into a practical application under Step 2A, Prong Two, per Ex Parte Desjardins”.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
With respect to the argument the Examiner notes that the rejection is maintained. The Desjardins Memo and the revised MPEP 2106.04(d)(1)/2106.05(a) confirm that an "improvement" sufficient to integrate a judicial exception into a practical application must be an improvement to the functioning of a computer or to another technology or technical field not merely a refinement of the abstract idea's own efficiency. In Desjardins, the specification described a specific technical mechanism (adjusting model parameters in a manner that protected previously learned knowledge while training on new tasks) that changed how the machine learning model itself internally operated, reducing storage and complexity as a direct consequence of that internal mechanism. By contrast, the improvement Applicant identifies here "improved computing resource utilization efficiency" resulting from distributing execution times "semi-randomly" via a hash-and-modulo operation is not a change to how a computer or any underlying technology functions; it is simply an application of a generic, off-the-shelf mathematical technique (the specification itself lists SHA-256, MD5, CRC32, MurmurHash, and other well-known algorithms interchangeably at par. [0154]) toward achieving a more favorable schedule.
Achieving a better distribution of when maintenance operations occur is the outcome of the abstract scheduling idea itself, not a technical improvement collateral to it; an abstract idea that is executed more efficiently, or that yields a better organizational outcome, does not become eligible merely because that outcome is desirable. This is the same distinction drawn in Enfish and Desjardins themselves both involved a specific, disclosed technical mechanism altering the internal operation of the computer/model (a self-referential table structure; a parameter-protection training mechanism), not the mere use of a known algorithm for its known purpose. Applicant is correct that Desjardins is not limited to machine-learning claims, and the Office does not rely on any such limitation; the deficiency here is not the subject matter but the absence of any claimed or disclosed change to the computer's technical operation the specification describes only the benefit of better-distributed scheduling (avoiding resource spikes), which is a result of, not an improvement to, the underlying technology. Accordingly, claim 1 does not integrate the exception into a practical application, and the rejection under Step 2A, Prong Two is maintained.
The Applicant argues on pages 12-13 that “the combination of elements is not well-understood, routine, conventional activity under Step 2B”.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
With respect to the argument the Examiner notes that the Applicant is correct that a Step 2B conclusion of well-understood, routine, conventional activity requires a factual determination supportable under one of the Berkheimer options, and that this determination must be evaluated separately from whether the same reference anticipates or renders obvious the claim under 103. That last point is significant here: patent eligibility and novelty/obviousness are, as the Federal Circuit has repeatedly recognized (see MPEP 2106.05(d), Diamond v. Diehr), fully separate inquiries a novel or non-obvious combination of elements can still consist of individually (or even collectively, when used for their known purpose) well-understood, routine, conventional activity for 101 purposes. Consequently, even crediting Applicant's traversal of the 103 rejection over Heninger, Bharathi, and Gantayat, that concession does not resolve the 101 issue, because the Step 2B conclusion in the outstanding action is not dependent on Heninger teaching the identical claim limitations for anticipation/obviousness purposes. The conventionality finding is independently supported here under Berkheimer Option (a) by Applicant's own specification, which at [0154] expressly characterizes the hash operation as any of several interchangeable, industry-standard cryptographic or non-cryptographic hash algorithms in common use (SHA-256, MD5, CRC32, MurmurHash, etc.), and describes the modulo operation using ordinary textbook arithmetic this is precisely the kind of specification admission that TLI Communications and Intellectual Ventures v. Symantec recognize as sufficient evidence of conventionality.
Likewise, the receiving, selecting-from-candidates, and scheduling steps are recited at a high level of generality and constitute insignificant extra-solution (data-gathering/outputting) activity that courts have consistently treated as well-understood, routine, and conventional when performed by a generic processor (see, e.g., Versata, OIP Technologies). Because this independent basis supports the Step 2B conclusion regardless of the outcome of the 103 rejection, and because Applicant has not identified anything in the claimed combination itself as opposed to its result that reflects an unconventional technical arrangement, the additional elements, taken individually and in the ordered combination recited, do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. The 101 rejection is therefore maintained.
The Applicant argues on 13 that Claim must be considered as a whole; Examiner is limited to specific teachings under In re Preda"… Applicant's position: Cites MPEP 2103(I)(C) and In re Preda for the proposition that claims cannot be dissected and each element must be considered as a whole. Response rejection maintained on this point; argument does not by itself overcome the rejection.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
The Examiner notes that with respect to the arguments that while the Examiner does not dispute the legal standard. Citing the "claim as a whole" and Preda standards is a statement of law, not an argument that any specific claim element is missing from the cited combination. Under MPEP 2145(IV), a reply that only recites correct legal principles without applying them to specific claim language and specific reference disclosures does not, by itself, rebut a prima facie case of obviousness. The rejection expressly mapped each element of claim 1 to specific paragraphs of Heninger, Bharathi, and Gantayat, and explained the combined teaching this satisfies Preda's requirement that the Office rely only on the reference's specific teachings and reasonable inferences therefrom, and considered the elements together, not in isolation, when constructing the rationale to combine (see the analogous-art discussion accompanying each limitation). Accordingly, this threshold legal argument does not overcome the rejection; the rejection must be evaluated on the substantive teaching arguments that follow. The rejection is therefore maintained.
The remaining Applicant's arguments filed 27 April 2026 have been fully considered but they are moot in view of new grounds of rejection as necessitated by amendment.
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 1, 2, 7-9 and 21-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. When considering claims 1-20 as a whole and all claim elements both individually and in combination, these claim(s) 1-20 are directed to the abstract idea of scheduling system maintenance operations without significantly more than the judicial exception itself.
Step 1
Regarding Step 1 of the Subject Matter Eligibility Test for Products and Processes (from the MPEP 2106.05(a)), claim(s) (1-18) is/are directed to a method, claim(s) (19) is/ are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium, and claims(s) (20) is/are directed to a system and therefore the claims are viewed as falling in statutory categories.
Step 2A Prong 1
The claimed invention recites a judicial exception, specifically an abstract idea. The claim(s) recite(s) mental process as it pertains to the scheduling of maintenance operations excluding, but not related to directing people so while some argument can be made to direct the rejection to organizing human activity the Examiner is focusing on the collection of data analysis of data and displaying of specific results of the analysis. Specifically, the independent claims 1, 19, and 20 are a mental process: as drafted, the claim recites the limitation of scheduling system maintenance operations which is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting a processor, nothing in the claim precludes the determining step from practically being performed in the human mind. For example, but for the by a processor language, the claim encompasses the user manually:
receiving a first request to execute a first system maintenance operation within a first time period;
selecting a first plurality of candidate execution times within the first time period for execution of the first system maintenance operation;
executing a hash function on a first attribute associated with the first request to select a first execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times;
executing a modulo operation on the hash value to obtain a remainder.
Selecting a first execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times.
scheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time;
wherein the first system maintenance operation is executed at the first execution time.
wherein the method is performed by at least one device including a hardware processor.
The mere nominal recitation of a generic processor does not take the claim limitation out of the mental processes grouping. It has been established by ongoing guidance that claims that contain a generic processor are still viewed as mental process when they contain limitations that can practically be performed in the human mind, however this is different for instance when the human mind is not equipped to perform the claim limitations (network monitoring, data encryption for communication, and rendering images). Therefore, these limitations are viewed a mental process.
The scheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation would clearly be to a mental activity that a company would go through in order to decide how to schedule maintenance. The specification makes it clear that the claimed invention is directed to the mental activity data gathering and data analysis to determine how to schedule the execution of a maintenance operation:
Step 2A Prong 2
Specifically the determined judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the generically recited computer elements do not add a meaningful limitation to the abstract idea because they amount to simply implementing the abstract idea on a computer and additionally that the data receiving, selecting, and executing steps required to use the correlation do not add a meaningful limitation to the method as they are insignificant extra-solution activity (including post solution activity).
The claim recites the additional element(s): that a processor is used to perform the scheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation; The processor in the steps is recited at a high level of generality, i.e., as a generic processor performing a generic computer function of processing data (generating workflows). This generic processor limitation is no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to the abstract idea.
The claim recites the additional element(s): receiving a first request, selecting a first plurality of candidates, and executing a hash function performs the scheduling step. The receiving, selecting, and executing steps are recited at a high level of generality (i.e., as a general means of receiving, selecting and executing data for use in the scheduling step), and amounts to mere data management, which is a form of insignificant extra-solution activity. The processor that performs the scheduling step is also recited at a high level of generality, and merely automates the scheduling step. Each of the additional limitations is no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component (the processor).
The Examiner has further determined that the claims as a whole does not integrate a judicial exception into a practical application in order to provide an improvement in the functioning of a computer or an improvement to other technology or technical field. It has been determined that based on the disclosure does not provide sufficient details such that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the claimed invention as providing an improvement. It has not been provided clearly in the disclosure that the alleged improvement would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is instead in a conclusory manner (i.e., a bare assertion of an improvement without the detail necessary to be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art, and therefore does not improve the technology. Second, in the instance, where it is not clear that the specification sets forth an improvement in technology, the claim must reflect the disclosed improvement (the claims must include components or steps of the invention that provide the improvement described in the specification).
For further clarification the Examiner points out that the claim(s) 1, 19, and 20 recite(s) receiving a first request, selecting first plurality of candidate execution times, executing a hash function, and scheduling the execution which are viewed as an abstract idea in the form of a mental process. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the use of a computer for receiving, selecting, executing, and scheduling which is the abstract idea steps of valuing an idea (scheduling system maintenance operations) in the manner of “apply it”.
Thus, the claim recites an abstract idea directed to a mental process (i.e. to tracking and status analysis of electronic devices). Using a computer to receive, select, execute, and schedule the execution of the first maintenance operation resulting from this kind of mental process merely implements the abstract idea in the manner of “apply it”.
The dependent claims recite elements that narrow the metes and bounds of the abstract idea but do not provide ‘something more’.
The dependent claims do not remedy these deficiencies.
Claims 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, and 14-17 recite limitations which further limit the claimed analysis of data.
Claims 12 recites limitations directed to claim language viewed insignificantly extra solution activity.
Using a computer to perform the data processing as claimed is merely implementing the abstract idea in the manner of “apply it” and does not provide significantly more. Additionally with respect to the Berkheimer the Examiner points out that the steps of the claim are viewed to be to nothing more than spell out what it means to apply it on a computer and cannot confer patent-eligibility as there are no additional limitations beyond applying an abstract idea, restricted to a computer. As the claims are merely implementing the abstract idea in the manner of “Apply It” the need for a Berkheimer analysis does not apply and is not required. With respect to the currently filed claims the implementing steps can be found in Heninger which discloses how the claims alone and in combination are viewed to be well understood, routine and conventional based on point 3 of the Berkheimer memo and subsequent evidence, complying with and providing evidence.
Claims 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13, and 18 recites limitations directed to claim language viewed non-functional data labels.
Thus, the problem the claimed invention is directed to answering the question based on scheduling system maintenance operation. This is not a technical or technological problem but is rather in the realm of scheduling and therefore an abstract idea.
Step 2B
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because as discussed with respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the additional element in the claim amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component.
The same analysis applies here in 2B, i.e., mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot integrate a judicial exception into a practical application at Step 2A or provide an inventive concept in Step 2B. This is the case because in order for the claims to be viewed as significantly more the claims must incorporate the integral use of a machine to achieve performance of a method, in contrast to where the machine is merely an object on which the method operates, which does not provide significantly more in order for a machine to add significantly more, it must play a significant part in permitting the claimed method to be performed, rather than function solely as an obvious mechanism for permitting a solution to be achieved more quickly. Whether its involvement is extra-solution activity or a field-of-use, i.e., the extent to which (or how) the machine or apparatus imposes meaningful e limits on the claim. Use of a machine that contributes only nominally or insignificantly to the execution of the claimed method (e.g., in a data gathering step or in a field-of-use limitation) would not provide significantly more. Additionally, another consideration when determining whether a claim recites significantly more is whether the claim effects a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing. "[T]ransformation and reduction of an article ‘to a different state or thing’ is the clue to patentability of a process claim that does not include particular machines. All together the above analysis shows there is not improvement in computer functionality, or improvement to any other technology or technical field. The claim is ineligible.
Additionally, with respect to the Berkheimer as noted above the same analysis applies to the 2B where the claims are viewed as applying it and as such no further analysis is required. However, with respect to the current claims receiving, selecting, and executing that are viewed as extra solution or post solution activity the Examiner notes that the claims are viewed as well-understood, routine, and conventional because a citation to a publication that demonstrates the well-understood, routine, conventional nature of the additional element(s). An appropriate publication such as the currently cited prior art “Heninger et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0258539 A1” provides those extra solution activities and is viewed as a form of publication which also includes a book, manual, review article, or other source that describes the state of the art and discusses what is well-known and in common use in the relevant industry. The claim is ineligible.
The dependent claims recite elements that narrow the metes and bounds of the abstract idea but do not provide ‘something more’. Specifically, the dependent claims do not remedy these deficiencies of the independent claims.
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 may not be obtained through the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 1, 7-10, and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heninger et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0258539 A1) (hereafter Heninger) in view of Hong et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0273656 A1) in further view of Gantayat et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2024/0184653 A1) (hereafter Gantayat).
Referring to Claim 1, Heninger teaches a method comprising:
receiving a first request to execute a first system maintenance operation within a first time period (see; par. [0063] of Heninger teaches receiving a request to a system maintenance for a scheduled period of time).
scheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time (see; par. [0073] of Heninger teaches the scheduling of maintenance operation at a specific time (i.e. execution time)).
wherein the method is performed by at least one device including a hardware processor (see; par. [0040] of Heninger teaches the use of a processor to perform the scheduling of maintenance operations).
Heninger does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Hong teaches executing a hash function on a first attribute associated with the first request to generate a hash value representing the first attribute (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes)), and
executing a modulo operation on the hash value to obtain a remainder (see; par. [0060] of Hong teaches executing a modulo operation on a hash value to obtain a remainder), and
selecting a first execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times, based on the remainder (see; par. [0087] of Hong teaches a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. maintenance), par. [0060]-[0063] which uses the remainder which is used to determine if the process can proceed)), and
wherein the first system maintenance operation is executed at the first execution time (see; par. [0087] of Hong teaches a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. maintenance)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing a hash function on a first attribute associated with the first request to generate a hash value representing the first attribute, executing a modulo operation on the hash value to obtain a remainder, selecting a first execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times, based on the remainder, and wherein the first system maintenance operation is executed at the first execution time.
Hong discloses executing a hash function on a first attribute associated with the first request to generate a hash value representing the first attribute, executing a modulo operation on the hash value to obtain a remainder, selecting a first execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times, based on the remainder, and wherein the first system maintenance operation is executed at the first execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing a hash function on a first attribute associated with the first request to generate a hash value representing the first attribute, executing a modulo operation on the hash value to obtain a remainder, selecting a first execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times, based on the remainder, and wherein the first system maintenance operation is executed at the first execution time as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitation, however,
Gantayat teaches selecting a first plurality of candidate execution times within the first time period for execution of the first system maintenance operation (see; par. [0047] of Gantayat teaches constraint based scheduling dynamically determining downtime for specific duration, par. [0019] determined for an optimal scheduling of the maintenance operation).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose selecting a first plurality of candidate execution times within the first time period for execution of the first system maintenance operation.
Gantayat discloses selecting a first plurality of candidate execution times within the first time period for execution of the first system maintenance operation.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong selecting a first plurality of candidate execution times within the first time period for execution of the first system maintenance operation as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Referring to Claim 7, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger further discloses a method having the limitations of,
the first attribute comprises an identifier associated with the first request (see; par. [0006] of Heninger teaches as part of the analysis identify classes of hardware (i.e. attribute as an identifier) related to a request).
Referring to Claim 8, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger further discloses a method having the limitations of,
wherein the first time period comprises a user-specified time period (see; par. [0063] of Heninger teaches a specified time (i.e. time period for maintenance).
Referring to Claim 9, see discussion of claim 8 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Gantayat teaches determining a plurality of available execution times within the first time period (see; par. [0019] of Gantayat teaches taking into account availability (i.e. time) to maximize IT maintenance properties), and
selecting the plurality of available execution times as the first plurality of candidate execution times (see; par. [0019] of Gantayat teaches taking into account availability (i.e. time) to maximize IT maintenance properties, taking into account resource availability and scheduled maintenance to execute to maximize the availability and maintenance schedule).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose determining a plurality of available execution times within the first time period, and selecting the plurality of available execution times as the first plurality of candidate execution times.
Gantayat discloses determining a plurality of available execution times within the first time period, and selecting the plurality of available execution times as the first plurality of candidate execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong determining a plurality of available execution times within the first time period, and selecting the plurality of available execution times as the first plurality of candidate execution time as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 10, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger further discloses a method having the limitations of,
receiving a second request to execute a second system maintenance operation within a second time period (see; par. [0063] of Heninger teaches receiving a request to a system maintenance for a scheduled period of time).
scheduling the execution of the second system maintenance operation at the third execution time (see; par. [0073] of Heninger teaches the scheduling one of many maintenance operations, par. [0006] at a specified time).
Heninger does not explicitly disclose the following noted limitations, however,
Hong teaches executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)), and
responsive to determining the resource constraint: executing the hash function on a third attribute associated with the second request to select a third execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times, and responsive to determining the resource constraint: executing the hash function on a third attribute associated with the second request to select a third execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times.
Hong discloses executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times, and responsive to determining the resource constraint: executing the hash function on a third attribute associated with the second request to select a third execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing a hash function on a first attribute associated with the first request to generate a hash value representing the first attribute, executing a modulo operation on the hash value to obtain a remainder, selecting a first execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times, based on the remainder, and wherein the first system maintenance operation is executed at the first execution time as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Gantayat teaches selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation (see; par. [0047] of Gantayat teaches constraint-based scheduling dynamically determining downtime for specific duration, par. [0019] determined for an optimal scheduling of the maintenance operation, par. [0005] at a different time), and
determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time (see; par. [0046] of Gantayat teaches constraint based scheduler needs to determine the constraint in order to provide IT maintenance).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation, and determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time.
Gantayat discloses selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation, and determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation, and determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 12, see discussion of claim 10 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger further discloses a method having the limitations of,
Hong teaches executing the hash function on a fourth attribute associated with the first request to select a fourth execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing the hash function on a fourth attribute associated with the first request to select a fourth execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times.
Hong discloses executing the hash function on a fourth attribute associated with the first request to select a fourth execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing the hash function on a fourth attribute associated with the first request to select a fourth execution time within the first plurality of candidate execution times as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitation, however,
Gantayat teaches rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the fourth execution time (see; par. [0073] of Heninger teaches scheduling maintenance operations for a specific time, par. [0047] where there is a dynamic determination of downtime windows (i.e. fourth execution time)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the fourth execution time.
Gantayat discloses rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the fourth execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the fourth execution time as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 13, see discussion of claim 10 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Gantayat teaches the resource constraint comprises a resource constraint associated with the execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation (see; par. [0003] of Gantayat teaches resource constraints associated with scheduling IT maintenance, par. [0023] based on dynamically determining downtime).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose the resource constraint comprises a resource constraint associated with the execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation.
Gantayat discloses the resource constraint comprises a resource constraint associated with the execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong the resource constraint comprises a resource constraint associated with the execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 14, see discussion of claim 10 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Gantayat teaches comparing a resource utilization threshold to a resource allocation for execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation (see; par. [0019] of Gantayat teaches monitoring resource utilization in order to maximize the availability to maximize resource and priorities), and
determining that the resource allocation meets the resource utilization threshold; determining the resource constraint based on the resource allocation meeting the resource utilization threshold (see; par. [0046]-[0047] of Gantayat teaches determining an IT maintenance schedule based on resource constraints that are determined).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose comparing a resource utilization threshold to a resource allocation for execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation, and determining that the resource allocation meets the resource utilization threshold; determining the resource constraint based on the resource allocation meeting the resource utilization threshold.
Gantayat discloses comparing a resource utilization threshold to a resource allocation for execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation, and determining that the resource allocation meets the resource utilization threshold; determining the resource constraint based on the resource allocation meeting the resource utilization threshold.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong comparing a resource utilization threshold to a resource allocation for execution of at least one of: the first system maintenance operation, or the second system maintenance operation, and determining that the resource allocation meets the resource utilization threshold; determining the resource constraint based on the resource allocation meeting the resource utilization threshold as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 15, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger teaches a method having the limitations of, however,
receiving a second request to execute a second system maintenance operation within a second time period (see; par. [0063] of Heninger teaches receiving a request for one of multiple maintenance operation for a designated time).
Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitation, however,
Hong teaches executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution time.
Hong discloses executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution time as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Henninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitation, however,
Gantayat teaches selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation (see; par. [0047] of Gantayat teaches constraint-based scheduling dynamically determining downtime for specific duration, par. [0019] determined for an optimal scheduling of the maintenance operation, par. [0005] at a different time), and
determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time (see; par. [0046] of Gantayat teaches constraint based scheduler needs to determine the constraint in order to provide IT maintenance), and
responsive to determining the resource constraint: scheduling the execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time (see; Abstract of Gantayat teaches a time prediction model used to schedule maintenance), and
scheduling additional resources for at least one of: execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time, or execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time (see; par. [0047] of Gantayat teaches scheduling additional resources so as to schedule IT maintenance).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation, determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time, responsive to determining the resource constraint: scheduling the execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time, and scheduling additional resources for at least one of: execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time, or execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time.
Gantayat discloses selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation, determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time, responsive to determining the resource constraint: scheduling the execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time, and scheduling additional resources for at least one of: execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time, or execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation, determining a resource constraint between execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time and execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time, responsive to determining the resource constraint: scheduling the execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time, and scheduling additional resources for at least one of: execution of the first system maintenance operation at the first execution time, or execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 16, see discussion of claim 10 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Hong teaches executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second execution time (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second execution time.
Hong discloses executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second execution time as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitation, however,
Gantayat teaches determining a resource underutilization period coinciding with at least a portion of the first plurality of candidate execution times exclusive of the first execution time (see; par. [0023] of Gantayat teaches understanding timeframe where there is downtime (i.e. underutilization) which can be used for maintenance to minimize the downtime), and
coinciding with the resource underutilization period responsive to determining the resource underutilization period: (see; par. [0023] of Gantayat teaches determining underutilization), and
rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the second execution time (see; par. [0061] of Gantayat teaches an example of adjusting a schedule related to maintenance operation to a different time).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose determining a resource underutilization period coinciding with at least a portion of the first plurality of candidate execution times exclusive of the first execution time, coinciding with the resource underutilization period responsive to determining the resource underutilization period: and rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the second execution time.
Gantayat discloses determining a resource underutilization period coinciding with at least a portion of the first plurality of candidate execution times exclusive of the first execution time, coinciding with the resource underutilization period responsive to determining the resource underutilization period: and rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the second execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong determining a resource underutilization period coinciding with at least a portion of the first plurality of candidate execution times exclusive of the first execution time, coinciding with the resource underutilization period responsive to determining the resource underutilization period: and rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the second execution timee as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 17, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Hong teaches executing a first hash function on the first attribute to select a first time-value at a first time-granularity (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)), and
executing a second hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second time-value at a second time-granularity (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)), and
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing a first hash function on the first attribute to select a first time-value at a first time-granularity, and executing a second hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second time-value at a second time-granularity.
Hong discloses executing a first hash function on the first attribute to select a first time-value at a first time-granularity, and executing a second hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second time-value at a second time-granularity.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing a first hash function on the first attribute to select a first time-value at a first time-granularity, and executing a second hash function on a second attribute associated with the first request to select a second time-value at a second time-granularity as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitation, however,
Gantayat teaches determining the first execution time at least by combining the first time-value with the second time-value (see; par. [0061] of Gantayat teaches an example of adjusting schedule, par. [0047] and taking into account multiple task times (1st & 2nd time value)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose determining a resource underutilization period coinciding with at least a portion of the first plurality of candidate execution times exclusive of the first execution time, coinciding with the resource underutilization period responsive to determining the resource underutilization period: and rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the second execution time.
Gantayat discloses determining a resource underutilization period coinciding with at least a portion of the first plurality of candidate execution times exclusive of the first execution time, coinciding with the resource underutilization period responsive to determining the resource underutilization period: and rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the second execution time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong determining a resource underutilization period coinciding with at least a portion of the first plurality of candidate execution times exclusive of the first execution time, coinciding with the resource underutilization period responsive to determining the resource underutilization period: and rescheduling the execution of the first system maintenance operation from the first execution time to the second execution timee as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 18, see discussion of claim 17 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Gantayat teaches the first time-granularity comprises a date, wherein the second time-granularity comprises a time, and wherein the first execution time comprises the date and the time (see; par. [0004] of Gantayat teaches a determined downtime windows which is viewed to provide a time and date from IT maintenance).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose the first time-granularity comprises a date, wherein the second time-granularity comprises a time, and wherein the first execution time comprises the date and the time.
Gantayat discloses the first time-granularity comprises a date, wherein the second time-granularity comprises a time, and wherein the first execution time comprises the date and the time.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong the first time-granularity comprises a date, wherein the second time-granularity comprises a time, and wherein the first execution time comprises the date and the time as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Referring to Claim 19, Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches one or more non-transitory computer readable medium. Claim 19 recites the same or similar limitations as those addressed above in claim 1, Claim 19 is therefore rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claim 1.
Referring to Claim 20, Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches a system comprising. Claim 20 recites the same or similar limitations as those addressed above in claim 1, Claim 20 is therefore rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claim 1.
Claim 2-6 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heninger et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0258539 A1) (hereafter Heninger) in view of Hong et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0273656 A1) in further view of Gantayat et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2024/0184653 A1) (hereafter Gantayat) in further view of RADIZI (U.S. Patent Publication 2023/0177081 A1) (hereafter Radizi).
Referring to Claim 2, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger further discloses a method having the limitations of:
receiving a second request to re-execute the first system maintenance operation within a second time period (see; par. [0063] of Heninger teaches receiving a request to a system maintenance for a scheduled period of time).
scheduling the re-execution of the first system maintenance operation at the second execution time (see; par. [0073] of Heninger teaches the scheduling one of many maintenance operations, par. [0006] at a specified time).
Henninger does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Hong teaches executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)), and
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times.
Hong discloses executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Gantayat teaches selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for re-execution of the first system maintenance operation (see; par. [0047] of Gantayat teaches constraint-based scheduling dynamically determining downtime for specific duration, par. [0019] determined for an optimal scheduling of the maintenance operation, par. [0005] at a different time).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for re-execution of the first system maintenance operation.
Gantayat discloses selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for re-execution of the first system maintenance operation.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for re-execution of the first system maintenance operation as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Radizi teaches wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are similar or identical (see; par. [0055] of Raidzi teaches identical attributes), and
wherein the first execution time and the second execution time correspond to (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, and/or (d) a same day of year (see; par. [0014] of Radizi teaches the execution time as the same data).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Radizi teaches storing and retrieving media as an object for use in and handling hash metadata for maintenance components and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat fails to disclose wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are similar or identical and wherein the first execution time and the second execution time correspond to (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, and/or (d) a same day of year).
Radizi discloses wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are similar or identical and wherein the first execution time and the second execution time correspond to (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, and/or (d) a same day of year).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for re-execution of the first system maintenance operation as taught by Radizi since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, Gantayat, and Radizi teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Referring to Claim 3, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger further discloses a method having the limitations of:
receiving a second request to execute a second system maintenance operation within a second time period, wherein the second system maintenance operation shares one or more attributes with the first system maintenance operation (see; par. [0063] of Heninger teaches receiving a request to a system maintenance for a scheduled period of time, par. [0019] taking into account shared resources (i.e. attributes)).
scheduling the execution of the second system maintenance operation at the second execution time (see; par. [0073] of Heninger teaches the scheduling one of many maintenance operations, par. [0006] at a specified time).
Heninger does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Hong teaches executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times (see; par. [0005]-[0006] of Hong teaches a hash function that calculates a hash value of a set of field that identifies a hash bucket in a hash table (i.e. attributes), par. [0087] where a start timer is configured to identify and dispatch packets (i.e. execution)), and
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger fails to disclose executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times.
Hong discloses executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger executing the hash function on a second attribute associated with the second request to select a second execution time within the second plurality of candidate execution times as taught by Hong since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, and Hong teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Heninger in view of Hong does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Gantayat teaches selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation (see; par. [0047] of Gantayat teaches constraint-based scheduling dynamically determining downtime for specific duration, par. [0019] determined for an optimal scheduling of the maintenance operation, par. [0005] at a different time).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger and Hong discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger and Hong fails to disclose selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation.
Gantayat discloses selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger and Hong selecting a second plurality of candidate execution times within the second time period for execution of the second system maintenance operation as taught by Gantayat since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combine.
Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however,
Radizi teaches wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are similar or identical (see; par. [0055] of Radizi teaches the attributes are the same), and
wherein the first execution time and the second execution time correspond to at least one of: (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, or (e) a same time period (see; par. [0014] of Radizi teaches the execution time as the same data).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Radizi teaches storing and retrieving media as an object for use in and handling hash metadata for maintenance components and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat fails to disclose wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are similar or identical, and wherein the first execution time and the second execution time correspond to at least one of: (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, or (e) a same time period.
Radizi discloses wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are similar or identical, and wherein the first execution time and the second execution time correspond to at least one of: (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, or (e) a same time period.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat wherein the first attribute and the second attribute are similar or identical, and wherein the first execution time and the second execution time correspond to at least one of: (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, or (e) a same time period as taught by Radizi since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, Gantayat, and Radizi teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Referring to Claim 4, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Radizi teaches executing the hash function to select execution times results in similar or identical maintenance operations being scheduled at (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, and/or (e) a same time period (see; Abstract of Raizi teaches the use of a hash function data, par. [0009] to execute based on time factors, including execution time constraints, par. [0014] same date).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Radizi teaches storing and retrieving media as an object for use in and handling hash metadata for maintenance components and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat fails to disclose executing the hash function to select execution times results in similar or identical maintenance operations being scheduled at (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, and/or (e) a same time period.
Radizi discloses executing the hash function to select execution times results in similar or identical maintenance operations being scheduled at (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, and/or (e) a same time period.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat executing the hash function to select execution times results in similar or identical maintenance operations being scheduled at (a) a same time of day, (b) a same day of week, (c) a same day of month, (d) a same day of year, and/or (e) a same time period as taught by Radizi since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, Gantayat, and Radizi teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Referring to Claim 5, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Radizi teaches the first plurality of candidate execution times is selected within the first time period based at least in part on other system maintenance operations that have already been scheduled during the first time period (see; par. [0009] of Radizi teaches scheduling maintenance during low computation load times (i.e. second time period)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Radizi teaches storing and retrieving media as an object for use in and handling hash metadata for maintenance components and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat fails to disclose the first plurality of candidate execution times is selected within the first time period based at least in part on other system maintenance operations that have already been scheduled during the first time period.
Radizi discloses the first plurality of candidate execution times is selected within the first time period based at least in part on other system maintenance operations that have already been scheduled during the first time period.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat the first plurality of candidate execution times is selected within the first time period based at least in part on other system maintenance operations that have already been scheduled during the first time period as taught by Radizi since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, Gantayat, and Radizi teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Referring to Claim 6, see discussion of claim 1 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Radizi teaches based at least in part on the first execution time: determining a schedule for (a) additional executions of the first system maintenance operation, or (b) executions of other system maintenance operations in a same category as the first system maintenance operation (see; par. [0009] of Radizi teaches scheduling maintenance during low computation load times (i.e. additional executions of the system maintenance operation)).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Radizi teaches storing and retrieving media as an object for use in and handling hash metadata for maintenance components and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat fails to disclose based at least in part on the first execution time: determining a schedule for (a) additional executions of the first system maintenance operation, or (b) executions of other system maintenance operations in a same category as the first system maintenance operation.
Radizi discloses based at least in part on the first execution time: determining a schedule for (a) additional executions of the first system maintenance operation, or (b) executions of other system maintenance operations in a same category as the first system maintenance operation.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat based at least in part on the first execution time: determining a schedule for (a) additional executions of the first system maintenance operation, or (b) executions of other system maintenance operations in a same category as the first system maintenance operation as taught by Radizi since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, Gantayat, and Radizi teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Referring to Claim 11, see discussion of claim 10 above, while Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat teaches the method above, Heninger in view of Hong in further view of Gantayat does not explicitly disclose a method having the limitations of, however,
Radizi teaches the third attribute comprises a combination of the second attribute and a salt parameter (see; par. [0040] of Radizi teaches meta data from a different attribute (i.e. third) and a salt cryptographic parameter).
The Examiner notes that Heninger teaches similar to the instant application teaches minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations. Specifically, Heninger discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations it is therefore viewed as analogous art in the same field of endeavor. Additionally, Hong teaches consistent hashing for network traffic dispatching packets and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Gantayat teaches scheduling computer system maintenance and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger and Hong which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. Additionally, Radizi teaches storing and retrieving media as an object for use in and handling hash metadata for maintenance components and as it is comparable in certain respects to Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat which minimizing workload migration during cloud maintenance operations as well as the instant application it is viewed as analogous art and is viewed as reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor. This provides support that it would be obvious to combine the references to provide an obviousness rejection.
Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat discloses the evaluate the requirements of the maintenance packages and dependences associated with the scheduled maintenance operations. However, Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat fails to disclose the third attribute comprises a combination of the second attribute and a salt parameter.
Radizi discloses the third attribute comprises a combination of the second attribute and a salt parameter.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include in the task management (system/method/apparatus) of Heninger, Hong, and Gantayat the third attribute comprises a combination of the second attribute and a salt parameter as taught by Radizi since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable. Additionally, Heninger, Hong, Gantayat, and Radizi teach the collecting and analysis of data in order to schedule system maintenance and they do not contradict or diminish the other alone or when combined.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure.
Deng et al. (CN 117492944A) discloses task scheduling method, device, electronic equipment and readable storage medium.
PUVVADA et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2024/0223515 A1) discloses managing processing queue allocation using sequence number bits of an ipsec packet.
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.
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/S.S.S/Examiner, Art Unit 3625
/BETH V BOSWELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3625
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