Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 06, 2026
Application No. 18/818,143

Connection Switching Server and Connection Switching Method

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Aug 28, 2024
Priority
Sep 19, 2023 — JP 2023-150772
Examiner
DONABED, NINOS
Art Unit
2444
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1y 3m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allowance Rate
501 granted / 664 resolved
+17.5% vs TC avg
Strong +66% interview lift
Without
With
+66.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
700
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
20.2%
-19.8% vs TC avg
§103
44.0%
+4.0% vs TC avg
§102
10.8%
-29.2% vs TC avg
§112
15.5%
-24.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 664 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Response to Amendment Applicant's submission filed on 6/23/2026 has been entered. Claim(s) 1-4 is/are pending in the application. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Puusaari (U.S. Patent App Pub 20200205109) in view of Ohhashi (U.S. Patent 11995173). Regarding claim 1, Puusaari teaches the connection switching server implemented using one or more hardware processers and comprising: a memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more hardware processors; and the one or more hardware processors, which are configured to (See paragraphs 32, 36, 40, figs 2-3, Puusaari) receive a service request including activation identification information indicating a right to use a service; (See paragraphs 24-25, 34-35, 40, figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches the services application can retrieve and transmit one or more identifiers to the services platform via the communication network as part of the activation notification procedure) reference an activation information database in which the activation identification information and connection information for connecting to a service that processes the service request are stored and associated with each other, to retrieve the connection information for the service request; (See paragraphs 21, 24-25, 36, figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches The services platform 111 may query the equipment database and/or user database to determine if the service status of the UE and/or the user.) transmit the service request to a server providing the service corresponding to the connection information; (See paragraphs 36-38, 31, 25 figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches transmit the service request to a server providing the service) receive an activation request transmitted by a terminal, the terminal being a transmission source of the service request, the activation request transmitted by the terminal before transmitting an initial service request, the activation request including the activation identification information and tenant identification information indicating a tenant to which the terminal belongs, (See paragraphs 25-27,37-38 figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches during the activation or registration process, the computing device may query the UE for any available user information, e.g. the services application related information, account information, user identifier and password information, personal identification number (PIN) number, service identification number, user contact information, email address, phone number, social network service information, etc. that may be stored in a memory of the UE) reference a tenant information database storing and associating the tenant identification information and the connection information with each other, and (See paragraphs 25-27,36-38 figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches the equipment database and the user database may be used by the services platform to assist with managing user accounts and services. Moreover, the services platform can utilize the equipment database and the user database to store relevant information about the UE and/or the user.) store and associate the activation identification information and the connection information with each other in the activation information database. (See paragraphs 21, 25, 37, 40, figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches the services platform may query an equipment database to determine status information about the UE based on the unique identifier. The status information may include whether the UE is compatible with the service, whether the UE or the user has been activated to work with the service, etc. When the services platform retrieves the status information, the services platform may transmit the status information to the computing device, which may utilize the services application to process the status information.) Puusaari does not explicitly teach but Ohhashi teaches wherein the tenant information database includes a first table in which the tenant identification information and the connection information are associated with each other and a second table in which the tenant identification information, a number of terminals, and a number of licenses are associated with each another.(See column 11, top column 12, column 13 ( particularly tables 1-5), Ohhashi teaches multiple tables with connection and id information and license and terminal information stored) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of Ohhashi with Puusaari because both deal with connection collection. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of Ohhashi into Puusaari is that Ohhashi service providing system has a terminal device, where a request is received from the terminal device for registering a user to a second tenant in which the user uses the application, and hence ensures simple and efficient application usage method, therefore making the overall system more robust and efficient. (See column 1, Ohhashi) Regarding claim 2, Puusaari teaches the connection switching server implemented using one or more hardware processers and comprising: a memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more hardware processors; and the one or more hardware processors, which are configured to (See paragraphs 32, 36, 40, figs 2-3, Puusaari) receive a service request including activation identification information indicating a right to use a service; (See paragraphs 24-25, 34-35, 40, figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches the services application can retrieve and transmit one or more identifiers to the services platform via the communication network as part of the activation notification procedure) reference an activation information database in which the activation identification information and connection information for connecting to a service that processes the service request are stored and associated with each other, to retrieve the connection information for the service request; and(See paragraphs 21, 24-25, 36, figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches The services platform 111 may query the equipment database and/or user database to determine if the service status of the UE and/or the user.) transmit the service request to a server providing the service corresponding to the connection information, (See paragraphs 36-38, 31, 25 figs 2-3, Puusaari teaches transmit the service request to a server providing the service) wherein the service is a retrieval service of retrieval from a database, and (See paragraphs 37-39, 49, fig 7-8 Puusaari teaches retrieval of service) wherein the connection information includes: an address of a database management server including the database; and identification information identifying the database. (See paragraphs 25, 37-39, 49, fig 7-8, Puusaari teaches the services platform may communicate with a license provisioning gateway or the equipment database to retrieve information associated with a UE 101 based on a hardware identifier. Such communications may include, among other data, transfer of information relating to account information, UE 101 information, activation information.) Puusaari does not explicitly teach but Ohhashi teaches wherein the database includes a first table in which tenant identification information and the connection information are associated with each other and a second table in which the tenant identification information, a number of terminals, and a number of licenses are associated with each another.(See column 11, top column 12, column 13 ( particularly tables 1-5), Ohhashi teaches multiple tables with connection and id information and license and terminal information stored) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have known to combine the teachings of Ohhashi with Puusaari because both deal with connection collection. The advantage of incorporating the above limitation(s) of Ohhashi into Puusaari is that Ohhashi service providing system has a terminal device, where a request is received from the terminal device for registering a user to a second tenant in which the user uses the application, and hence ensures simple and efficient application usage method, therefore making the overall system more robust and efficient. (See column 1, Ohhashi) Claim 3 list all the same elements of claim 1, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 1 applies equally as well to claim 3. Claim 4 list all the same elements of claim 2, but in method form rather than system form. Therefore, the supporting rationale of the rejection to claim 2 applies equally as well to claim 4. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and located in the PTO-892 form. 1.Kuruganti, U.S. Patent App 20110302133, teaches a method, system, and computer-readable medium having instructions for sharing information between tenants of a multi-tenant database, information is received on a connection between a first tenant of a multi-tenant database and a second tenant and the connection has information on a scope of data from the first tenant shared with the second tenant, data is allowed for a record of the first tenant to be accessible to the second tenant in accordance with the connection, information is received on a file related to the record of the first tenant, and data is allowed from the file to be accessible to the second tenant in accordance with the connection. 2. Fletecher, U.S. Patent App 20120030356, teaches power consumption efficiency of servers and data centers that comprise the servers can be taken into consideration when identifying servers from which to allocate resources for servicing a request. A subset of a plurality of servers from which resources can be allocated to service the request can be identified based on availability of resources at each of the plurality of servers. Facilities elements (including power distribution elements and cooling elements) associated with the each server of the subset of the plurality of servers are identified. An energy cost for each server of the subset of the plurality of servers is calculated based on power characteristics of the facilities elements. Resources of a first of the subset of the plurality of servers are allocated for servicing the request is identified based on determining that the first of the subset of the plurality of servers is associated with a lowest energy cost. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NINOS DONABED whose telephone number is (571)272-8757. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00pm - 4:00pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Follansbee can be reached on (571) 272-3964. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /NINOS DONABED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2444
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 28, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 09, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jun 23, 2026
Response Filed
Jul 02, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+66.4%)
3y 2m (~1y 3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 664 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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