Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-18 are pending. Claims 1, 7, and 8 are independent. Claims 2-6 and 9-18 are dependent.
Claim Objections
Claims 9-18 are objected to because of the following informalities: these dependent claims written as independent claims format and also perform limitations of dependent claims of claim 1. Therefore claims 9-13 should be rewritten as dependent claims of independent claim 7 and claims 14-18 should be rewritten as dependent claims of independent claim 8.
Claims 8 and 14-18 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claims contain a term “VoIP” that does not defined.
Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 6, or 12 and 13, or 17 and 18 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening 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 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, 7-11, and 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogier et al. (US 20030179742) hereinafter Ogier in view of Whited et al. (US 20230055046) hereinafter Whited.
Regarding claim 1, Ogier teaches a dual-stack load balancing (i.e. the dual-stack node that "re-routes" the IPv6 packet by tunneling the IPv6 packet through the IPv4 routing infrastructure, [0297]) method, comprising: detecting a quantity of communication devices connected through an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) link to obtain a first quantity (i.e. number of communications entities that communicate using the Internet Protocol Version 4 (or IPv4), [0011] and other nodes 18 in the subnet 10 are IPv4 nodes, [0277]), and detecting a quantity of communication devices connected through an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) link to obtain a second quantity in a current detection cycle (i.e. number of communications entities that communicate using the Internet Protocol Version 6 (or IPv6), [0011] and IPv6 nodes 18, [0277]); detecting a first transmission delay in data transmission with a selected communication device over the IPv4 link (i.e. in IPv4, If the packet is to be retransmitted, it is sent after a small random time interval (delay) in order to avoid collisions, [0869] and measure the roundtrip time for packet transmission. That is, the amount of time that elapses while a packet of data is transmitted from the client 12 to the server for IPv4, [0369]), and detecting a second transmission delay in data transmission with the selected communication device over the IPv6 link (i.e. measure the roundtrip time for packet transmission. That is, the amount of time that elapses while a packet of data is transmitted from the client 12 to the server for IPv6, [0369] and determines the amount of time to wait between resend tries may be based upon statistical calculations based upon information that includes the average roundtrip time for a transmitted packet, [0377]); generating a first data field based on identification information indicating a survival status of a current link of the selected communication device, the first quantity, and the first transmission delay (i.e. field holds a value for the IPv4 address of the corresponding source node. The number of neighbor nodes field 204 holds a value (e.g., 16 bits) representing the number of neighbor nodes of the corresponding source node. The link metrics field 212 holds a value (e.g., 32 bits) representing the link metrics associated with the neighbor node of the corresponding source node, [0204]) and messages can also be augmented to include other information, such as link metrics, sequence numbers, states of non-adjacent links, time stamps, designated routers, special relays, [0174]); generating a second data field based on the identification information, the second quantity, and the second transmission delay (i.e. field holds a value for the IPv4 address of the corresponding source node. The number of neighbor nodes field 204 holds a value (e.g., 16 bits) representing the number of neighbor nodes of the corresponding source node. The link metrics field 212 holds a value (e.g., 32 bits) representing the link metrics associated with the neighbor node of the corresponding source node, [0204]) and messages can also be augmented to include other information, such as link metrics, sequence numbers, states of non-adjacent links, time stamps, designated routers, special relays, [0174]),
However, Ogier does not explicitly disclose calculating a data weight of the first data and calculating a data weight of the second data field; comparing the data weight of the first data field with the data weight of the second data field, and selecting a link corresponding to a data field with a smaller data weight as a target link corresponding to the current detection cycle; and when target links corresponding to the selected communication device are not the current link of the selected communication device in N consecutive detection cycles, switching a link connection of the selected communication device to another link; otherwise, performing no link switching.
However, Whited teaches calculating a data weight of the first data and calculating a data weight of the second data field (i.e. the algorithm determines a new weight for a current link for traffic between network devices for a combination of traffic dimensions, [0308]); comparing the data weight of the first data field with the data weight of the second data field (i.e. the algorithm sets current best dimensions for the current link to the combination of traffic dimensions, [0308], and selecting a link corresponding to a data field with a smaller data weight as a target link corresponding to the current detection cycle (i.e. the algorithm selects a new link to be the current link for the traffic between the network devices on condition that the new weight is worse than the current best weight, [0308]; and when target links corresponding to the selected communication device are not the current link of the selected communication device in N consecutive detection cycles, switching a link connection of the selected communication device to another link (i.e. The routing daemons may utilize a weighting algorithm (the graph service 1712 may utilize a similar algorithm during path route selection) to decide which link to use; there is a cost to switching links therefore the router balances swapping from one link to another with the historical perspective of how a link has performed versus a potentially temporary improvement achieved by switching links, [0260]); otherwise, performing no link switching (i.e. the algorithm sets the current best weight to the new weight and updating the current best dimensions on condition that the new weight is better than the current best weight. In block 1810, the algorithm makes no changes to the current best weight or current best dimensions on condition that the new weight is worse than the current best weight and the combination of dimensions for the new weight do not match a combination of dimensions used to calculate the current best weight, [0308]).
Based on Ogier in view of Whited, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teaching of Whited to the system of Ogier in order to minimize considerable time consumption for communication of real-time media content, (Whited, [0006]).
Regarding claim 2, Ogier teaches wherein before the detecting a quantity of communication devices connected through an IPv4 link to obtain a first quantity, and detecting a quantity of communication devices connected through an IPv6 link to obtain a second quantity in a current detection cycle, the dual-stack load balancing method further comprises: sending a heartbeat signal to the selected communication device to detect whether the current link of the selected communication device is alive (i.e. HEARTBEAT: A message sent periodically on the broadcast channel when there are no updates to be sent on this channel, used to achieve reliable link-level broadcast of update messages based on NACKs, [0093] and Each router 14 in the subnet 10 is responsible for detecting, updating, and reporting changes in cost and up-or-down status of each outgoing communication link to neighbor nodes. Thus, each router 14 in the subnet 10 runs a link-state-routing protocol for disseminating subnet topology and link-state information to the other routers 14 in the subnet 10. Each router 14 also executes a neighbor discovery protocol for detecting the arrival of new neighbor nodes and the loss of existing neighbor nodes. To achieve discovery, IP hosts 12 connected to the subnet 10 also run the neighbor discovery protocol. IP hosts 12 can also operate as routers by running the link-state-routing protocol, [0062]); and if the current link of the selected communication device is not alive, switching the link connection of the selected communication device to the another link (i.e. each routing node 14 has complete link-state information. Each routing node 14 then applies a path selection algorithm to compute preferred paths to all possible destinations, and to update these paths when link states are updated, [0212] and Each node may maintain and update one or more link metrics to each neighbor j for each interface I, representing the quality of the link, e.g., signal strength, number of HELLOs received over some time interval, reliability, stability, bandwidth, etc. Each node should declare a neighbor to be LOST if either NBR_HOLD_COUNT HELLOs are missed or if no HELLO is received within NBR_HOLD_TIME seconds. However, a node may also declare a neighbor to be LOST based on a link metric being above or below some threshold, [0528]); or if the current link of the selected communication device is alive, continuing to detect the first quantity and the second quantity.
Regarding claim 3, Ogier teaches when switching the link connection of the selected communication device to the another link, performing seamless reconnection on a corresponding service of the selected communication device (i.e. This movement breaks the communication link with node B 14 and, as a result, interrupts communications with the server 40. The relocation of node A 12 may break a link with one or more other nodes 18 as well. As one example, the movement by node A 12 may temporarily take node A 12 out of communication range with node B 14, and upon returning within range, node A 12 can reestablish the broken link 24 with node B 14. In this example, the link 24 is intermittent. As another example, node A 12 may move to a different location within the subnet 10 altogether and reestablish a bi-directional link 26 with a different node, (e.g., here node H). In yet another example, node A 12 may move to the foreign subnet 20 and establish a bi-directional link 28 with a node 14' in the subnet 20 (e.g., node M 14'), [0061]).
Regarding claim 4, Ogier does not explicitly disclose wherein transmission delays of the IPv4 link and the IPv6 link are detected through a ping technology.
However, Whited teaches wherein transmission delays of the IPv4 link and the IPv6 link are detected through a ping technology (i.e. the network routing control may initiate this process by pinging nodes that it expects to communicate with, and if it does not receive a correct ping response from a particular node, the routing for packets of the upcoming real-time media content may be adjusted accordingly, [0179] and telemetry, for instance, may utilize the graph service 1712 API to identify target devices or path segments to ping for latency, packet loss, and jitter measurements, [0261], and Prober is a cloud service that pings the entire IPv4 space at a randomized rate, [0266]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 4 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claims 9-11 and 14-16, the limitations of claims 9-11 and 14-16 are similar to the limitations of claims 1-4. The combination of Ogier and Whited further teaches a service cluster host, comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program that is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor (i.e. a general processing device, e.g., a general-purpose computer. The node 1900 can be a router, a host, a network or any networked devices. Specifically, the node 1900 comprises a processor (CPU) 1910, a memory, Ogier [0384] and A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor, Ogier, claim 42); A VoIP system (i.e. a voice-over-IP conference server, Whited, [0192]), comprising, an IPv4 router, an IPv6 router (i.e. IPv4 routers cannot route IPv6 messages, nor can IPv6 routers, (Ogier, [0011]), and a plurality of communication devices (i.e. user devices in an audio/video teleconference, Ogier, [0192]), wherein the service cluster host is separately connected to the IPv4 router and the IPv6 router (i.e. Hosts and/or other IPv6 routers which share a common multiple access data-link with the router receive router advertisements from which they can construct native IPv6 addresses, Ogier [0341] and several IPv4 router hops away from his workstation's LAN) and sets the 64-bit IPv6 address prefix and IPv4 address of the router as configuration information on his workstation, Ogier, [0339]); the communication device is connected to the service cluster host through an IPv4 link corresponding to the IPv4 router, or connected to the service cluster host through an IPv6 link corresponding to the IPv6 router (i.e. most communications entities on the Internet exchange messages using the Internet Protocol Version 4 (or IPv4), but an increasing number of communications entities that communicate using the Internet Protocol Version 6 (or IPv6) are being deployed, Ogier [0011]). Therefore, the limitations of claims 9-11 and 14-16 are rejected in the analysis of claims 1-4 above, and the claims are rejected on that basis.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Thyni et al. (US 9654540), Load Balancing Among Network Servers. Routers within the internal IPv6 network are configured to route packets based on the IPv6 address.
Suzuki et al. (US 20140368874), determines whether the infrastructure connection system is set to a dual stack mode which supports (or allows to use) both IPv4 and IPv6.
Wu et al. (US 20140258496), load balancing device adopts a dual stack, i.e., the seven-layer load balancing device adopts an IPv4 stack and an IPv6 stack.
DEMURA et al. (US 20130070639), the quantity identification portion 580 identifies the number of nodes which comply with only the IPv4 protocol, the number of nodes which comply with only the IPv6 protocol.
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/AW/
AYELE F. WOLDEMARIAM
Examiner
Art Unit 2447
12/17/2025
/SURAJ M JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2447