Detailed Action
The instant application having Application No. 18/824,586 has a total of 20 claims pending in the application; there are 3 independent claims and 17 dependent claims, all of which are ready for examination by the examiner. This Office action is in response to the claims filed 7/20/26. Claims 1-18, 20 and 22 are pending.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/4/26 has been entered.
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 .
REJECTIONS BASED ON PRIOR ART
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 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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, 8, 11-14, 16-18, 20 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0397563), herein referred to as Chen, in view of Seok (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0045806), herein referred to as Seok and in view of Hwang et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0192902), herein referred to as Hwang et al.
Referring to claim 1, Chen discloses as claimed, a method of operating a memory system, comprising: sending a logical-to-physical (L2P) mapping table in a first operation mode or a second operation mode (see fig. 1 showing a memory device with a controller and para. 36, where a portion or portions of a L2P mapping table are read depending on designated sub-regions and then sent as HPB entries via a UPIU packet to a host system), wherein the first operation mode comprises: sending first recommendation information, wherein the first recommendation information comprises at least one L2P mapping table (see para. 36-40, where in response to an HPB command, mapping information corresponding to a designated sub-region is sent via UPIU packets. There may be one designated sub-region or multiple sub-regions. In the case of one sub-region, the HPB entries corresponding to that sub-region’s mapping would be sent, which would constitute a mapping table); and the second operation mode comprises: sending a data input universal flash storage protocol information unit (UPIU) in response to a host performance booster (HPB) read buffer command, wherein the data input UPIU comprises at least two L2P mapping tables (see para. 36-40, where in response to an HPB command, mapping information corresponding to designated sub-regions are sent via UPIU packets. In the case of multiple sub-region, the HPB entries corresponding to multiple sub-region’s mappings would be sent. Each sub-region’s mapping would constitute a mapping table).
Chen discloses the claimed invention except for the HPB read buffer command comprises a command descriptor block (CDB) identifying a first HPB region and an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region different from the first HPB region, and the at least two L2P mapping tables in the data input UPIU respectively correspond to the first HPB region and the at least one second HPB region identified by the HPB read buffer command.
However, Hwang et al. disclose the HPB read buffer command comprises a command descriptor block (CDB) identifying a first HPB region (see para. 30 and 82, where a command descriptor block is used to send UPIU commands, including read buffer commands of UFS. When combined with Chen, this would include the HPB read buffer command).
Chen and Hwang et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of memory devices (see Chen, abstract, and Hwang et al., abstract, regarding memory devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen to comprise the HPB read buffer command comprises a command descriptor block (CDB) identifying a first HPB region, as taught by Hwang et al., in order to have a common format to send commands that a host and storage device can both recognize to streamline operations. Using a command descriptor block is well known in the art and is used in universal flash storage for sending commands. It would be obvious to incorporate in Chen.
Chen and Hwang et al. disclose the claimed invention except for an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region different from the first HPB region, and the at least two L2P mapping tables in the data input UPIU respectively correspond to the first HPB region and the at least one second HPB region identified by the HPB read buffer command.
However, Seok disclose an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region different from the first HPB region, and the at least two L2P mapping tables in the data input UPIU respectively correspond to the first HPB region and the at least one second HPB region identified by the HPB read buffer command (see para. 96-97 and table 3-4, showing a response UPIU, which contains an extra header segment identifying multiple HPB regions and sub-regions, which would correspond to the mapping tables. Table 4 shows a 1st HPB region and HPB sub region as well as a 2nd HPB region and sub-region that the host is recommended to read L2P map data from).
Chen and Seok are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of memory devices (see Chen, abstract, and Seok, abstract, regarding memory devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen to comprise an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region different from the first HPB region, and the at least two L2P mapping tables in the data input UPIU respectively correspond to the first HPB region and the at least one second HPB region identified by the HPB read buffer command, as taught by Seok, in order to give the host information on what regions and map data it should store, in order to improve processing and memory speed.
Claim 16 recites similar limitations to claim 1 and would be rejected using the same rationale.
As to claim 2, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the first recommendation information comprises data information of at least one HPB region, and each HPB region corresponds to one L2P mapping table (see Chen, para. 36-40, where the information of an HPB entry would carry the mapping information as well as a physical address of where the global or local L2P mapping table is stored).
Claim 17 recites similar limitations to claim 2 and would be rejected using the same rationale.
As to claim 3, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 2, wherein the first recommendation information comprises an extended data segment and a first particular data segment, the extended data segment is configured to store the at least one L2P mapping table, and the first particular data segment is configured to store the data information of the at least one HPB region (see Chen, para. 36-40, where the information of an HPB entry would carry the mapping information, which would be an extended data segment as well as a physical address of where the global or local L2P mapping table is stored, which would be the first particular data segment).
Claim 18 recites similar limitations to claim 3 and would be rejected using the same rationale.
As to claim 5, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the data input UPIU comprises data information of at least two HPB regions, and each HPB region corresponds to one L2P mapping table (see Chen, para. 36-40, where in response to an HPB command, mapping information corresponding to designated sub-regions are sent via UPIU packets. In the case of multiple sub-region, the HPB entries corresponding to multiple sub-region’s mappings would be sent. Each sub-region’s mapping would constitute a mapping table).
Claim 20 recites similar limitations to claim 5 and would be rejected using the same rationale.
As to claim 6, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 5, wherein the data input UPIU comprises extended data segment information and second particular data segment information; the second particular data segment information is configured to store data information of the first one among the at least two HPB regions (see Chen, para. 39-40, where HPB entries related to sub-regions are sent via UPIU and therefore each sub-region would have HPB entries related to that sub-region. A second particular data segment would be the HPB entries related to the first HPB region); and the extended data segment information is configured to store data information of one or more other HPB regions different than a first HPB region (see Chen, para. 39-40, where HPB entries related to sub-regions are sent via UPIU and therefore each sub-region would have HPB entries related to that sub-region. An extended data segment would be the HPB entries related to the other HPB regions).
As to claim 8, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 1, wherein before the sending the data input UPIU in response to the HPB read buffer command, the method further comprises: sending at least one piece of second recommendation information, wherein each piece of second recommendation information comprises data information of at least one HPB region (see Chen, fig. 3, where in C4 and C5, an HPB read buffer command is given and mapping tables are sent via UPIU HPB entries. However, in step C2 , recommendations for updating sub region HPB entries are sent. Also see fig. 4).
Referring to claim 11, Chen discloses as claimed, a method of operating a host, comprising: receiving at least one piece of first recommendation information or second recommendation information; when receiving the first recommendation information, decoding the first recommendation information to obtain at least one L2P mapping table (see para. 36-40, where in response to an HPB command, mapping information corresponding to a designated sub-region is sent via UPIU packets to be decoded. There may be one designated sub-region or multiple sub-regions. In the case of one sub-region, the HPB entries corresponding to that sub-region’s mapping would be sent, which would constitute a mapping table); and when receiving the second recommendation information, sending an HPB read buffer command, wherein the HPB read buffer command comprises data information of at least two HPB regions (see fig. 3 and 4, showing an HPB read buffer command sent requesting HPB entries of sub-regions after receiving recommendations for activating sub-regions).
Chen discloses the claimed invention except for a command descriptor block (CDB) identifying a first HPB region of the at least two HPB regions and an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region of the at least two HPB regions different from the first HPB region.
However, Hwang et al. disclose for a command descriptor block (CDB) identifying a first HPB region of the at least two HPB regions (see para. 30 and 82, where a command descriptor block is used to send UPIU commands, including read buffer commands of UFS. When combined with Chen, this would include the HPB read buffer command).
Chen and Hwang et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of memory devices (see Chen, abstract, and Hwang et al., abstract, regarding memory devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen to comprise for a command descriptor block (CDB) identifying a first HPB region of the at least two HPB regions, as taught by Hwang et al., in order to have a common format to send commands that a host and storage device can both recognize to streamline operations. Using a command descriptor block is well known in the art and is used in universal flash storage for sending commands. It would be obvious to incorporate in Chen.
Chen and Hwang et al. disclose the claimed invention except an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region of the at least two HPB regions different from the first HPB region.
However, Seok disclose an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region of the at least two HPB regions different from the first HPB region (see para. 96-97 and table 3-4, showing a response UPIU, which contains an extra header segment identifying multiple HPB regions and sub-regions, which would correspond to the mapping tables. Table 4 shows a 1st HPB region and HPB sub region as well as a 2nd HPB region and sub-region that the host is recommended to read L2P map data from).
Chen and Seok are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of memory devices (see Chen, abstract, and Seok, abstract, regarding memory devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen to comprise an extra header segment (EHS) identifying at least one second HPB region of the at least two HPB regions different from the first HPB region., as taught by Seok, in order to give the host information on what regions and map data it should store, in order to improve processing and memory speed.
As to claim 12, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 11, wherein after the sending the HPB read buffer command, the method further comprises: receiving a data input UPIU sent by a target device in response to the HPB read buffer command; and decoding the data input UPIU to obtain at least two L2P mapping tables, wherein each L2P mapping table corresponds to one HPB region (see Chen, para. 36-40, where in response to an HPB command, mapping information corresponding to designated sub-regions are sent via UPIU packets. In the case of multiple sub-region, the HPB entries corresponding to multiple sub-region’s mappings would be sent. Each sub-region’s mapping would constitute a mapping table).
As to claim 13, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 11, wherein the HPB read buffer command comprises extended data segment information and second particular data segment information; the second particular data segment information is configured to store data information of the first one among the at least two HPB regions (see Chen, fig. 3-4 and para. 39-40, where an HPB read buffer command requests HPB entries of sub-regions to be activated. Then HPB entries related to sub-regions are sent via UPIU and therefore each sub-region would have HPB entries related to that sub-region. A second particular data segment would be part of the HPB read buffer command relating to HPB entries of the first HPB region); and the extended data segment information is configured to store data information of the HPB regions other than a first HPB region (see Chen, fig. 3-4 and para. 39-40, where an HPB read buffer command requests HPB entries of sub-regions to be activated. Then, HPB entries related to sub-regions are sent via UPIU and therefore each sub-region would have HPB entries related to that sub-region. An extended data segment would be part of the HPB read buffer command related to the HPB entries of the other HPB regions).
As to claim 14, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 13, wherein the extended data segment information comprises an allocation length, and the allocation length is related to a number of the HPB regions (see Chen, fig. 3-4 and para. 36, where an HPB read buffer command is issued. The HPB read buffer command is a specialized command with an allocation length field. The length would be related to the number of HPB regions as more HPB regions would result in a greater length).
As to claim 22, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok also disclose the method of claim 12, wherein the at least two L2P mapping tables obtained by decoding the data input UPIU respectively correspond to the first HPB region identified by the CDB and the at least one second HPB region identified by the EHS (see Seok, para. 96-97 and table 3-4, showing a response UPIU, which contains an extra header segment identifying multiple HPB regions and sub-regions, which would correspond to the mapping tables. Table 4 shows a 1st HPB region and HPB sub region as well as a 2nd HPB region and sub-region that the host is recommended to read L2P map data from ).
Claims 9-10 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Hwang et al. and Seok and in view of Hornung et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0066869), herein referred to as Hornung et al.
As to claim 9, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok disclose the claimed invention except for the method of claim 1, wherein the sending the L2P mapping table in the first operation mode or the second operation mode comprises: acquiring an internal storage situation of a target device; and determining to send the at least one L2P mapping table in the first operation mode or the at least two L2P mapping tables the second operation mode according to the internal storage situation of the target device.
However, Hornung et al. disclose wherein the sending the L2P mapping table in the first operation mode or the second operation mode comprises: acquiring an internal storage situation of a target device; and determining to send the at least one L2P mapping table in the first operation mode or the at least two L2P mapping tables the second operation mode according to the internal storage situation of the target device (see para. 19-20, where the recipient communicates the available buffer space to the sender. The sender utilizes credits to send packets to the recipient and stops sending when there is not available space. Therefore using this method when combined with Chen, a single mapping table would be transmitted if there was only space for one mapping table, and multiple would be transmitted if there was space for more).
Chen and Hornung et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of memory devices (see Chen, abstract, and Hornung et al., abstract, regarding memory devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen to comprise wherein the sending the L2P mapping table in the first operation mode or the second operation mode comprises: acquiring an internal storage situation of a target device; and determining to send the at least one L2P mapping table in the first operation mode or the at least two L2P mapping tables the second operation mode according to the internal storage situation of the target device, as taught by Hornung et al., in order to have available space to store the transaction (see Hornung et al., para. 19). In addition, checking for available space and avoiding sending more data than a recipient can handle is well known in the art and would be obvious to utilize with Chen.
As to claim 10, Chen, Hwang et al., Seok and Hornung also disclose the method of claim 9, wherein the determining to send the L2P mapping table in the first operation mode or the second operation mode according to the acquired internal storage situation of the target device comprises: when an internal storage usage of the target device is greater than a first threshold, sending the L2P mapping table in the first operation mode; and when the internal storage usage of the target device is less than or equal to the first threshold, sending the L2P mapping table in the second operation mode (see Hornung et al., para. 19-20, where the sender is aware of the buffer space of the recipient and only sends packets until the buffer or space is full. Therefore, when combined with Chen, this would allow for sending one L2P mapping table when the space is available for only one and if the storage usage is less, then sending two or more L2P mapping tables).
As to claim 15, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok disclose the claimed invention except for the method of claim 11, wherein before receiving at least one piece of the first recommendation information or the second recommendation information, the method further comprises: sending an internal storage situation to a target device.
However, Hornung et al. disclose , wherein before receiving at least one piece of the first recommendation information or the second recommendation information, the method further comprises: sending an internal storage situation to a target device (see para. 19-20, where the recipient communicates the available buffer space to the sender. The sender utilizes credits to send packets to the recipient and stops sending when there is not available space. Therefore using this method when combined with Chen, a single mapping table would be transmitted if there was only space for one mapping table, and multiple would be transmitted if there was space for more).
Chen and Hornung et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of memory devices (see Chen, abstract, and Hornung et al., abstract, regarding memory devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen to comprise wherein before receiving at least one piece of the first recommendation information or the second recommendation information, the method further comprises: sending an internal storage situation to a target device, as taught by Hornung et al., in order to have available space to store the transaction (see Hornung et al., para. 19). In addition, checking for available space and avoiding sending more data than a recipient can handle is well known in the art and would be obvious to utilize with Chen.
Claims 4 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Hwang et al. and Seok and in view of Jung et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0265018), herein referred to as Jung et al.
As to claim 4, Chen, Hwang et al. and Seok disclose the claimed invention except for the method of claim 3, wherein the extended data segment comprises an allocation length, the first recommendation information further comprises a total extended data segment length, the allocation length is related to the total extended data segment length, and the total extended data segment length is related to a number of the HPB regions.
However, Jung et al. disclose wherein the extended data segment comprises an allocation length (see para. 200, where the DATA-IN UPIU includes a data segment length), the first recommendation information further comprises a total extended data segment length (see para. 205, where the length hints for each stream may be combined and sent at once, representing a total length), the allocation length is related to the total extended data segment length, and the total extended data segment length is related to a number of the HPB regions (see para. 196-200, where there are length hints for each stream to the host. Therefore when applied to Chen, which teaches sending multiple HPB region table entries, this would allow for sending lengths for each HPB region, and the total length would be dependent on the number of regions).
Chen and Jung et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of memory devices (see Chen, abstract, and Jung et al., abstract, regarding memory devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen to comprise wherein the extended data segment comprises an allocation length, the first recommendation information further comprises a total extended data segment length, the allocation length is related to the total extended data segment length, and the total extended data segment length is related to a number of the HPB regions, as taught by Jung et al., in order to allow for the appropriate amount of space to be allocated, so as to not overfill a storage space and to have room to receive the appropriate amount of data.
Claim 7 recites similar limitations to claim 4 and would be rejected using the same rationale.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/20/26 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Hwang et al. and Seok.
CLOSING COMMENTS
Conclusion
a. STATUS OF CLAIMS IN THE APPLICATION
The following is a summary of the treatment and status of all claims in the application as recommended by M.P.E.P. 707.07(i):
a(1) CLAIMS REJECTED IN THE APPLICATION
Per the instant office action, claims 1-18, 20 and 22 stand rejected.
b. DIRECTION OF FUTURE CORRESPONDENCES
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/A.O/Examiner, Art Unit 2132
/HOSAIN T ALAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2132
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