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
This action is in response to application filed 09/10/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/16/2025, 09/10/2024, 10/11/2024 has been placed in record and considered by the examiner.
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-4, 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe (US 2021/0297511) in view of Hu et al. (US 2025/0379817 A1 – Priority 02/25/2023)
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe discloses a communication device connected in a ring shape via a communication path, together with a host controller and a plurality of devices ([0021]: which a controller and a plurality of devices are connected by a ring-type communication path), the communication device comprising:
a receiving circuitry configured to receive from the communication path a communication frame of a serial signal including a plurality of containers including a first container (fig. 3, [0036]: communication frame FR. FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration in which the communication frame FR includes four packets, but this is just one example. Each communication frame FR includes information identifying any packets included in the communication frame FR (e.g., the four packets and any other packets in the communication frame FR. [0038]: when the communication frame FR is transmitted from the controller 4 through the communication path 8);
a first circuitry configured to be capable of executing insertion and extraction of data for at least one of the plurality of containers ([0038]: each of the devices 6-1 to 6-4 executes insertion or extraction of the packet PK into or from the communication frame FR according to a predetermined condition); and
a transmitting circuitry configured to transmit to the communication path the communication frame based on a processing result of the first circuitry ([0038]: when the communication frame FR is transmitted from the controller 4 through the communication path 8), wherein
each of the plurality of containers is capable of transferring data, with at least one of the host controller, the plurality of devices and the communication device being set as a transmission destination ([0051]: Upon receiving the communication frame FR from the controller 4 via the communication path 8, the device 6-1 confirms the header H of each packet PK included in the received communication frame FR),
However, Watanabe does not disclose after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container including, as transmission destinations, the communication device and a first device of the plurality of devices the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including the first container including the first device as a new transmission destination, with the communication device being excluded from the transmission destinations of the first container.
In an analogous art, Hu discloses after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container including, as transmission destinations, the communication device ([0118]: after the network node 102 receives the USID packet, the network node 102 searches a local SID table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on the destination address of the USID packet (in this case, the destination address is block+USID2+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6), and a first device of the plurality of devices the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including the first container including the first device as a new transmission destination, with the communication device being excluded from the transmission destinations of the first container ([0118]: matches block+USID2 in the destination address (in other words, block+USID2 in the destination address hits the local SID table). The network node 102 performs a forwarding action corresponding to USID2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 20, the network node 102 offsets content that is after a block field and that is in the destination address field to the left by 16 bits (the length of the USID2), and pads 16 least significant bits in the destination address field with 0s. The network node 102 searches a routing table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on an updated destination address (the updated destination address is block+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6), and the network node 102 forwards the USID packet to the network node 103).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe to comprise “after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container including, as transmission destinations, the communication device and a first device of the plurality of devices the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including the first container including the first device as a new transmission destination, with the communication device being excluded from the transmission destinations of the first container” taught by Hu.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to update the destination address of the SRv6 packet by using the active SID, and forwards the SRv6 packet based on an updated destination address (Hu, [0089]).
Regarding claim 2, Watanabe-Hu discloses the communication device of claim 1, further comprising: a memory device connected to the first circuitry via a bus and configured to store data (Watanabe, [0041]: the memory 66 via the internal bus 65); and a processor connected to the memory device via the bus, wherein after the receiving circuitry receives the first container including data relating to a write operation of first data to the communication device and the first device, the processor is configured to control to write the first data to the memory device (Watanabe, [0041]: When the header H of the packet PK identifies the device 6 itself as the transmission destination, the control circuit 64 extracts the information from the payload P of the packet PK. When the extracted information is a write command and write data), and the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit the first container including data corresponding to the write operation of the first data to the first device (Watanabe, [0041]: The control circuit 64 accesses the memory 66 via the internal bus 65 and writes the write data in the memory 66 according to the write command).
Regarding claim 3, Watanabe-Hu discloses the communication device of claim 1, wherein after the receiving circuitry receives the plurality of containers including the first container, a transmission source of which is the host controller (Watanabe, [0038]: the communication frame FR is transmitted from the controller 4 through the communication path 8, each of the devices 6-1 to 6-4 executes insertion or extraction of the packet PK into or from the communication frame FR according to a predetermined condition), the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second container of the plurality of containers, the second container being different from the first container and including response data to the host controller (Watanabe, [0045]: When there is information to be sent to the controller 4 from the device 6-1, the device 6-1 rewrites the transmission destination of the header H of the packet PK-1 to the controller 4 (ID0) and the transmission source as itself (ID1), and includes the information to be sent in the payload P to update the communication frame FR. The device 6-1 then transmits the updated communication frame FR to the communication path 8).
Regarding claim 4, Watanabe-Hu discloses the communication device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of containers is capable of transmitting data, with two or more of the devices and the communication device being set as transmission sources (Hu, [0118]: matches block+USID2 in the destination address (in other words, block+USID2 in the destination address hits the local SID table). The network node 102 performs a forwarding action corresponding to USID2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 20, the network node 102 offsets content that is after a block field and that is in the destination address field to the left by 16 bits (the length of the USID2), and pads 16 least significant bits in the destination address field with 0s. The network node 102 searches a routing table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on an updated destination address (the updated destination address is block+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6), and the network node 102 forwards the USID packet to the network node 103). The same rationale applies as in claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, Watanabe-Hu discloses a communication system comprising: the communication device of claim 1; the host controller; the plurality of devices; and the communication path connecting the communication device, the host controller and the plurality of devices in the ring shape (Watanabe, [0021]: which a controller and a plurality of devices are connected by a ring-type communication path is configured, and the controller exclusively transmits the differential serial signal to the plurality of devices via the communication path can be considered).
Regarding claim 7, Watanabe-Hu discloses the system of claim 6, further comprising: a memory device connected to the first circuitry via a bus and configured to store data; and a processor connected to the memory device via the bus, wherein after the receiving circuitry receives the first container including data relating to a write operation of first data to the communication device and the first device, the processor is configured to control to write the first data to the memory device, and the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit the first container including data corresponding to the write operation of the first data to the first device (Watanabe, [0041]: The control circuit 64 confirms the header H of each of the plurality of packets PK included in the communication frame FR. When the header H of the packet PK identifies the device 6 itself as the transmission destination, the control circuit 64 extracts the information from the payload P of the packet PK. When the extracted information is a write command and write data, the control circuit 64 accesses the memory 66 via the internal bus 65 and writes the write data in the memory 66 according to the write command).
Regarding claim 8, Watanabe-Hu discloses the system of claim 6, wherein after the receiving circuitry receives the plurality of containers including the first container, a transmission source of which is the host controller, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second container of the plurality of containers, the second container being different from the first container and including response data to the host controller (Watanabe, [0045]: When there is information to be sent to the controller 4 from the device 6-1, the device 6-1 rewrites the transmission destination of the header H of the packet PK-1 to the controller 4 (ID0) and the transmission source as itself (ID1), and includes the information to be sent in the payload P to update the communication frame FR. The device 6-1 then transmits the updated communication frame FR to the communication path 8).
Regarding claim 9, Watanabe-Hu discloses the system of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of containers is capable of transmitting data, with two or more of the devices and the communication device being set as transmission sources (Hu, [0118]: matches block+USID2 in the destination address (in other words, block+USID2 in the destination address hits the local SID table). The network node 102 performs a forwarding action corresponding to USID2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 20, the network node 102 offsets content that is after a block field and that is in the destination address field to the left by 16 bits (the length of the USID2), and pads 16 least significant bits in the destination address field with 0s. The network node 102 searches a routing table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on an updated destination address (the updated destination address is block+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6), and the network node 102 forwards the USID packet to the network node 103). The same rationale applies as in claim 1.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Watanabe in view of Hu, as applies to claim 1, in further view of Holbrook (US 2019/0028426 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Watanabe-Hu discloses the communication device of claim 4.
However, Watanabe-Hu does not wherein in a case where the first communication frame includes a second container including first response data to the host controller, the second container being different from the first container and including as a transmission source a second device that is different from the first device among the plurality of devices, after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit the second container including the first device and the second device as new transmission sources and including the first response, in a case where response data to the host controller by the first device is the first response data.
In an analogous art, Holbrook discloses wherein in a case where the first communication frame includes a second container including first response data to the host controller, the second container being different from the first container and including as a transmission source a second device that is different from the first device among the plurality of devices ([0072]: step 440, the second VXLAN frame (generated in Step 426) is transmitted, via the IP Fabric, towards the VTEP on the destination ToR switch. The second VXLAN frame is transmitted in accordance with standard IP routing mechanisms through the IP Fabric until it reaches the destination ToR switch. In this example, the second VXLAN frame is transmitted to the Spine Tier Switch from ToR Switch 1, and the Spine Tier Switch subsequently transmits the second VXLAN frame to ToR Switch 2), after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit the second container including the first device and the second device as new transmission sources and including the first response, in a case where response data to the host controller by the first device is the first response data ([0066]: the source server VTEP encapsulates the initial MAC frame within a first VXLAN frame (see e.g., FIG. 2A). In one embodiment of the invention, the first VXLAN frame may include an outer header with the following information: (i) the source server MAC address as the source MAC address; (ii) the source ToR switch MAC address as the destination MAC address; (iii) the source server VTEP IP address as the source IP address; (iv) the source ToR switch VTEP IP address (ascertained in Step 406) as the destination IP address).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe-Hu to comprise “wherein in a case where the first communication frame includes a second container including first response data to the host controller, the second container being different from the first container and including as a transmission source a second device that is different from the first device among the plurality of devices, after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit the second container including the first device and the second device as new transmission sources and including the first response, in a case where response data to the host controller by the first device is the first response data” taught by Holbrook.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled VXLAN frame to be rewritten at each hop in the IP Fabric until the second VXLAN frame reaches the destination ToR switch (Holbrook, [0072]).
Claims 10-12, 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe (US 2021/0297511) in view of Law (US 2016/0011804 A1)
Regarding clam 10, Watanabe discloses a communication device connected in a ring shape via a communication path, together with a host controller and a plurality of devices ([0021]: which a controller and a plurality of devices are connected by a ring-type communication path), the communication device comprising:
a receiving circuitry configured to receive from the communication path a communication frame of a serial signal including a plurality of containers including a first container (fig. 3, [0036]: communication frame FR. FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration in which the communication frame FR includes four packets, but this is just one example. Each communication frame FR includes information identifying any packets included in the communication frame FR (e.g., the four packets and any other packets in the communication frame FR. [0038]: when the communication frame FR is transmitted from the controller 4 through the communication path 8);
a first circuitry configured to be capable of executing insertion and extraction of data for at least one of the plurality of containers ([0038]: each of the devices 6-1 to 6-4 executes insertion or extraction of the packet PK into or from the communication frame FR according to a predetermined condition);
a memory device connected to the first circuitry and configured to store data ([0033]: The memory 66 may be a non-volatile memory such as a NAND flash memory); and
a transmitting circuitry configured to transmit to the communication path the communication frame based on a processing result of the first circuitry ([0038]: when the communication frame FR is transmitted from the controller 4 through the communication path 8), the first circuitry is configured to read out first data stored in the memory device, and
wherein the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including as the transmission destination a first device that is the copy destination among the plurality of devices ([0096]: Upon receiving the communication frame FR from the device 206-3 via the communication path 8, the device 206-4 confirms the header H of each packet PK included in the received communication frame FR. As a result of the confirmation, the device 206-4 recognizes that the transmission destination of the packet PK-4 is itself (ID4), and extracts the information from the packet PK-4), and including second data requesting that the read-out first data be written to the first device ([0042]: When a read command is included in the packet PK of the received communication frame FR, the control circuit 64 includes read data received from the memory 66 via the internal bus 65 in the payload P of the packet PK.).
However, Watanabe does not disclose each of the plurality of containers is capable of transferring a copy command, a transmission destination that is a copy source of the copy command, and a copy destination of the copy command, and after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container that includes the communication device as a transmission destination and includes the copy command.
In an analogous art, Law discloses each of the plurality of containers is capable of transferring a copy command, a transmission destination that is a copy source of the copy command, and a copy destination of the copy command ([0024]: the copy command packets (referred to as the second block transmission data) containing the data of the secondly-designated block among all of the data stored in the control register group 34 are generated in the sub controller 30, and the packets are to be transmitted to the main controller 20), and after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container that includes the communication device as a transmission destination and includes the copy command ([0042]: If storage command 228 specifies a copy on write command, then each storage node 170.sub.1-170.sub.N copies data payload 230 into the location specified by respective target LBA/keys 224.sub.1-224.sub.N. If the status option in SSESP header 218 directs only the final target source node 170.sub.N to transmit a status frame, then storage node 170.sub.N transmits a successful completion status frame to computation node 160 if the copy on write command is successfully performed by each storage node 170.sub.1-170.sub.N).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe to comprise “after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container including, as transmission destinations, the communication device and a first device of the plurality of devices the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including the first container including the first device as a new transmission destination, with the communication device being excluded from the transmission destinations of the first container” taught by Law.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to receive an instance of a current command frame directed to a group of storage nodes and performs a storage operation in response to a storage command associated with the current command frame (Law, [0004]).
Regarding claim 11, Watanabe-Law discloses the communication device of claim 10, wherein after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit, in the second communication frame, the first container including a response signal to the copy command, and a second container that is different from the first container among the plurality of containers and including the second data (Law, [0039]: After processing the second command frame 200, storage node 170.sub.1 would transmit a status frame back to computation node 160 with tag set to 1 and would also transmit a modified copy of the second command frame 200 with tag 226 set to 1 to storage node 170.sub.1. Likewise, after processing the first command frame 200, storage node 170.sub.2 would transmit a status frame back to computation node 160 with tag set to 0 and would also transmit a modified copy of the first command frame 200 with tag 226 set to 0 to storage node 170.sub.3). The same rationale applies as in claim 10.
Regarding claim 12, Watanabe-Law discloses a communication system comprising: the communication device of claim 10; the host controller; the plurality of devices; and the communication path connecting the communication device, the host controller and the plurality of devices in the ring shape (Watanabe, [0021]: which a controller and a plurality of devices are connected by a ring-type communication path is configured, and the controller exclusively transmits the differential serial signal to the plurality of devices via the communication path can be considered).
Regarding claim 14, Watanabe-Law disclose the system of claim 12, wherein
after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit, in the second communication frame, the first container including a response signal to the copy command, and a second container that is different from the first container among the plurality of containers and including the second data (Law, [0039]: After processing the second command frame 200, storage node 170.sub.1 would transmit a status frame back to computation node 160 with tag set to 1 and would also transmit a modified copy of the second command frame 200 with tag 226 set to 1 to storage node 170.sub.1. Likewise, after processing the first command frame 200, storage node 170.sub.2 would transmit a status frame back to computation node 160 with tag set to 0 and would also transmit a modified copy of the first command frame 200 with tag 226 set to 0 to storage node 170.sub.3). The same rationale applies as in claim 10.
Claims 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Watanabe in view of Law, as applies to claim 12, in further view Hu et al. (US 2025/0379817 A1 – Priority 02/25/2023)
Regarding claim 13, Watanabe-Law discloses the system of claim 12, wherein the host controller is configured to: be capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the communication device and the plurality of devices via the communication path ([0017]: The controller and the devices are connected via a communication path. In the communication system, the controller and the plurality of devices transfer packets via the communication path).
However, Watanabe-Law does not disclose after receiving the plurality of containers including a third container that includes a third device among the plurality of devices as a transmission destination, transmit the third container including the third device as a new transmission destination.
In an analogous art, Hu discloses after receiving the plurality of containers including a third container that includes a third device among the plurality of devices as a transmission destination, transmit the third container including the third device as a new transmission destination ([0118]: after the network node 102 receives the USID packet, the network node 102 searches a local SID table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on the destination address of the USID packet (in this case, the destination address is block+USID2+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6. The network node 102 searches a routing table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on an updated destination address (the updated destination address is block+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6), and the network node 102 forwards the USID packet to the network node 103).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe-Law to comprise “after receiving the plurality of containers including a third container that includes a third device among the plurality of devices as a transmission destination, transmit the third container including the third device as a new transmission destination.” taught by Hu.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to update the destination address of the SRv6 packet by using the active SID, and forwards the SRv6 packet based on an updated destination address (Hu, [0089]).
Claims 15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe (US 2021/0297511) in view of Dong (US 2024/0069753 A1)
Regarding claim 15, Watanabe discloses a communication device connected in a ring shape via a communication path, together with a host controller and a plurality of devices ([0021]: which a controller and a plurality of devices are connected by a ring-type communication path), the communication device comprising:
a receiving circuitry configured to receive from the communication path a communication frame of a serial signal including a plurality of containers including a first container (fig. 3, [0036]: communication frame FR. FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration in which the communication frame FR includes four packets, but this is just one example. Each communication frame FR includes information identifying any packets included in the communication frame FR (e.g., the four packets and any other packets in the communication frame FR. [0038]: when the communication frame FR is transmitted from the controller 4 through the communication path 8);
a first circuitry configured to be capable of executing insertion and extraction of data for at least one of the plurality of containers ([0038]: each of the devices 6-1 to 6-4 executes insertion or extraction of the packet PK into or from the communication frame FR according to a predetermined condition); and
a memory device connected to the first circuitry and configured to store data ([0033]: The memory 66 may be a non-volatile memory such as a NAND flash memory); wherein
each of the plurality of containers is capable of transferring a [command] ([0041]: When the header H of the packet PK identifies the device 6 itself as the transmission destination, the control circuit 64 extracts the information from the payload P of the packet PK. When the extracted information is a write command and write data).
However, Watanabe does not disclose a disconnection command to disconnect a connection to the memory device, and after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container that includes the communication device as a transmission destination and includes the disconnection command, the first circuitry is configured to logically disconnect a connection between the first circuitry and the memory device, based on the disconnection command.
In an analogous art, Dong discloses a disconnection command to disconnect a connection to the memory device, and after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container that includes the communication device as a transmission destination and includes the disconnection command, the first circuitry is configured to logically disconnect a connection between the first circuitry and the memory device, based on the disconnection command ([0017]: the host may issue a command with an argument associated with disconnecting access to the non-volatile memory of the non-volatile memory system (e.g., system on a chip, etc.). The non-volatile memory system may acknowledge the command by transmitting a response (e.g., response code) back to the host).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe to comprise “a disconnection command to disconnect a connection to the memory device, and after the receiving circuitry receives a first communication frame including the first container that includes the communication device as a transmission destination and includes the disconnection command, the first circuitry is configured to logically disconnect a connection between the first circuitry and the memory device, based on the disconnection command.” taught by Dong.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to issue a command by a host that is utilized to switch the connection on or off (Dong, [0014]).
Regarding claim 19, Watanabe-Dong discloses a communication system comprising:
the communication device of claim 15; the host controller; the plurality of devices; and
the communication path connecting the communication device, the host controller and the plurality of devices in the ring shape (Watanabe, [0021]: which a controller and a plurality of devices are connected by a ring-type communication path is configured, and the controller exclusively transmits the differential serial signal to the plurality of devices via the communication path can be considered).
Claims 16 and 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Watanabe in view of Dong, as applies to claim 1, in further view of Law (US 2016/0011804 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Watanabe-Dong discloses the communication device of claim 15.
However, Watanabe-Dong does not disclose wherein the memory device is configured to be detachable via a connection member.
In an analogous art, Law discloses wherein the memory device is configured to be detachable via a connection member ([0017], [0042]: System disk 114 provides non-volatile storage for applications and data and may include fixed or removable hard disk drives, flash memory devices).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe-Dong to comprise “wherein the memory device is configured to be detachable via a connection member” taught by Law.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to receive an instance of a current command frame directed to a group of storage nodes and performs a storage operation in response to a storage command associated with the current command frame (Law, [0004]).
Regarding claim 20, Watanabe-Dong discloses the system of claim 19.
However, Watanabe-Dong does not disclose wherein the memory device is configured to be detachable via a connection member.
In an analogous art, Law discloses wherein the memory device is configured to be detachable via a connection member ([0017], [0042]: System disk 114 provides non-volatile storage for applications and data and may include fixed or removable hard disk drives, flash memory devices).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe-Dong to comprise “wherein the memory device is configured to be detachable via a connection member” taught by Law.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to receive an instance of a current command frame directed to a group of storage nodes and performs a storage operation in response to a storage command associated with the current command frame (Law, [0004]).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Watanabe in view of Dong, as applies to claim 16, in further view of Nackaerts (US 2018/0046590 A1).
Regarding claim 17, Watanabe-Dong discloses the communication device of claim 16.
However, Watanabe-Dong does not disclose wherein a power supply for driving the receiving circuitry and the first circuitry is different from a power supply for driving the memory device.
In an analogous art, Nackaerts discloses wherein a power supply for driving the receiving circuitry and the first circuitry is different from a power supply for driving the memory device. ([0049]: FIG. 3, the buffer device can be on a different power domain from the processor 316 and the main memory device (i.e., the buffer device has a power supply that is different from the power supply of the processor and the main memory device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe-Dong to comprise “wherein a power supply for driving the receiving circuitry and the first circuitry is different from a power supply for driving the memory device” taught by Nackaerts.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to reduce power consumption by the corresponding control device (Nackaerts, [0039]).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Watanabe in view of Dong, as applies to claim 15, in further view of Hu et al. (US 2025/0379817 A1 – Priority 02/25/2023)
Regarding claim 18, Watanabe-Dong discloses the communication device of claim 15, wherein the communication device further includes a transmitting circuitry configured to transmit to the communication path the communication frame based on a processing result of the first circuitry (Watanabe, [0096]: Upon receiving the communication frame FR from the device 206-3 via the communication path 8, the device 206-4 confirms the header H of each packet PK included in the received communication frame FR. As a result of the confirmation, the device 206-4 recognizes that the transmission destination of the packet PK-4 is itself (ID4), and extracts the information from the packet PK-4).
However, Watanabe-Dong does not disclose after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including the first container that includes the host controller as a new transmission destination and includes a response signal to the disconnection command.
In an analogous art, Hu discloses after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including the first container that includes the host controller as a new transmission destination and includes a response signal to the disconnection command ([0118]: after the network node 102 receives the USID packet, the network node 102 searches a local SID table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on the destination address of the USID packet (in this case, the destination address is block+USID2+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6. The network node 102 searches a routing table of the network node 102 through longest mask matching based on an updated destination address (the updated destination address is block+USID3+USID4+USID5+USID6), and the network node 102 forwards the USID packet to the network node 103).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filed date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Watanabe-Dong to comprise “after the receiving circuitry receives the first communication frame, the transmitting circuitry is configured to transmit a second communication frame including the first container that includes the host controller as a new transmission destination and includes a response signal to the disconnection command” taught by Hu.
One of ordinary skilled in the art would have been motivated because it would have enabled to update the destination address of the SRv6 packet by using the active SID, and forwards the SRv6 packet based on an updated destination address (Hu, [0089]).
Additional References
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicants disclosure.
Johnsen et al., US 2023/0179688 A1: Variable Frame Headers.
Xie et al., US 2024/0297844 A1: Packet Processing Method and Apparatus, and Device.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUAN C TURRIATE GASTULO whose telephone number is (571)272-6707. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am-4 pm.
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, Brian J Gillis can be reached at 571-272-7952. 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.
/J.C.T/Examiner, Art Unit 2446
/BRIAN J. GILLIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2446
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