Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026
Application No. 18/835,055

ROUTING INFORMATION GENERATION DEVICE, PROGRAM AND ROUTING INFORMATION GENERATION METHOD

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Aug 01, 2024
Priority
Feb 15, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTJP2022005842
Examiner
ANSARI, NAJEEBUDDIN
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
64%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 3m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 64% of resolved cases
64%
Career Allowance Rate
299 granted / 468 resolved
+3.9% vs TC avg
Strong +58% interview lift
Without
With
+57.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
4y 4m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
501
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.7%
-32.3% vs TC avg
§103
53.7%
+13.7% vs TC avg
§102
18.7%
-21.3% vs TC avg
§112
16.1%
-23.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 468 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION In response to communications filed 08/01/2024. Claims 1-7 are canceled. Claims 8-14 are new. Claims 8-14 are pending for examination. 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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 8-10 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ramachandran et al. (US 2021/0306990 A1) hereinafter “Ramachandran.” Regarding Claim 8, Ramachandran teaches A routing information generation device (Ramachandran: paragraph 0016& Fig. 1, compute service provider) comprising: a period division part (Ramachandran: paragraphs 0018, 0034 & Figs. 1-2, scheduling service component) configured to generate one or more divisional generation periods for a generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0034, scheduling of communications between a client and a satellite using available time on one or more remote antennas; see also paragraph 0018, identify an antenna and associated time slot for use in servicing a communication request) for which routing information for a network (Ramachandran: paragraph 0016 & Fig. 1, network) is to be generated, the network comprising a plurality of nodes each of which is a mobile node or a fixed node (Ramachandran: paragraph 0014 & Fig. 14, antennas and satellites), each of the one or more divisional generation periods being generated by dividing the generation period into one or more time slots (Ramachandran: paragraph 0018, said time slot during which the selected antenna is available to service the client's communication request); a model generation part (Ramachandran: paragraph 0044 & Figs. 1-2, model generator) configured to, for each of the one or more time slots included in each of the one or more divisional generation periods (Ramachandran: paragraph 0018, said time slot for use in servicing a communication request), determine, for each two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0014 & Fig. 14, said antennas and satellites), whether communication is possible between the two of the plurality of nodes based on at least one of location information of the two of the plurality of nodes in a period of the time slot (Ramachandran: paragraph 0042, model parameters of the communication request and determine antenna systems that are able to service/meet the parameters of the communication request; see also paragraph 0036-0037, parameters including location information), specifications of the two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0035, parameters between the client and satellite used during communication), and communication environment information at locations of the two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0039, requests for a selected antenna in response to weather event) and generate a network model including one or more links among communicable nodes and the communicable nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0044, model instances to which data is to be delivered), each of the communicable nodes being one of the plurality of nodes and determined as being communicable with another one of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0042, said model of antenna systems that are able to service/meet the communication request), each of the one or more links representing a link between corresponding two communicable nodes determined as communicable with each other (Ramachandran: paragraph 0025, communications between antennas and satellites are applied to model; see also paragraph 0044, modeling antenna systems used to deliver data to/from a satellite per a client request); a routing part configured to generate routing information for each network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0025, communications between antennas and satellites; see also paragraph 0044, model generation service indicating a processing chain to be completed for a given communication request); a model evaluation part (Ramachandran: paragraph 0026, antenna matchmaking service component) configured to calculate an evaluation value of each network model based on a communication quality of the network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0026, evaluate available time slots on the identified compatible antennas in order to determine which antenna is available to service the communication request); a selection part configured to, for each of the one or more divisional generation periods, calculate an evaluation value based on the evaluation values of the network models corresponding to the one or more time slots included in the divisional generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0050 & Fig. 3, determining a time slot for communicating via an antenna that is compatible with the request) and to select a divisional generation period with a best evaluation value from the one or more divisional generation periods (Ramachandran: paragraph 0051 & Fig. 3, selected antenna to communicate with the satellite during a selected time slot); and a node management part (Ramachandran: paragraph 0020, hardware control) configured to, based on each of the network models generated for the one or more time slots in the selected divisional generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0044, said model instances to which data is to be delivered), transmit, to nodes corresponding to the routing information generated for the network model (Ramachandran: paragraphs 0025, 0050-0051, said selected antenna system and satellite), information on the one or more time slots in the selected divisional generation period and the routing information generated for the network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0051 & Fig. 3, controlling a selected antenna to communicate with the satellite during a selected time slot). Regarding Claim 9, Ramachandran teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the period division part divides the generation period into the one or more time slots (Ramachandran: paragraph 0034, said scheduling of communications between a client and a satellite using available time on one or more remote antennas) such that at least one of the one or more time slots continues as long as the communication quality of the network model generated for the at least one of the one or more time slots satisfies a predetermined condition (Ramachandran: paragraph 0033, scheduling operations may be performed for identifying time slots that can accommodate multiple communication requests and/or requests for communicating data to/from multiple client devices and/or satellites). Regarding Claim 10, Ramachandran teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the period division part divides the generation period into the one or more time slots (Ramachandran: paragraph 0034, said scheduling of communications between a client and a satellite using available time on one or more remote antennas) such that, for each of the one or more time slots, the larger a temporal change in a communication environment indicated by the communication environment information, the shorter the time slot (Ramachandran: paragraph 0039, generate update responsive to detecting an event (e.g., an event that may affect an associated antenna, such as a weather event) and/or responsive to a time threshold being met (e.g., where the time threshold corresponds to an amount of time that has passed since a last update of information on the antenna)). Regarding Claim 12, Ramachandran teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the communication environment information includes weather information related to propagation loss in wireless communication of the two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0039, generate update responsive to detecting an event (e.g., an event that may affect an associated antenna, such as a weather event) and/or responsive to a time threshold being met (e.g., where the time threshold corresponds to an amount of time that has passed since a last update of information on the antenna)). Regarding Claim 13, Ramachandran teaches A non-transitory medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to perform a routing information generation method (Ramachandran: paragraph 0086, computer-executable instruction stored on computer-readable storage media) comprising steps of: generating one or more divisional generation periods for a generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0034, scheduling of communications between a client and a satellite using available time on one or more remote antennas; see also paragraph 0018, identify an antenna and associated time slot for use in servicing a communication request) for which routing information for a network (Ramachandran: paragraph 0016 & Fig. 1, network) is to be generated, the network comprising a plurality of nodes each of which is a mobile node or a fixed node (Ramachandran: paragraph 0014 & Fig. 14, antennas and satellites), each of the one or more divisional generation periods being generated by dividing the generation period into one or more time slots (Ramachandran: paragraph 0018, said time slot during which the selected antenna is available to service the client's communication request); for each of the one or more time slots included in each of the one or more divisional generation periods (Ramachandran: paragraph 0018, said time slot for use in servicing a communication request), determining, for each two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0014 & Fig. 14, said antennas and satellites), whether communication is possible between the two of the plurality of nodes based on at least one of location information of the two of the plurality of nodes in a period of the time slot (Ramachandran: paragraph 0042, model parameters of the communication request and determine antenna systems that are able to service/meet the parameters of the communication request; see also paragraph 0036-0037, parameters including location information), specifications of the two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0035, parameters between the client and satellite used during communication), and communication environment information at locations of the two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0039, requests for a selected antenna in response to weather event) and generating a network model including one or more links among communicable nodes and the communicable nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0044, model instances to which data is to be delivered), each of the communicable nodes being one of the plurality of nodes and determined as being communicable with another one of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0042, said model of antenna systems that are able to service/meet the communication request), each of the one or more links representing a link between corresponding two communicable nodes determined as communicable with each other (Ramachandran: paragraph 0025, communications between antennas and satellites are applied to model; see also paragraph 0044, modeling antenna systems used to deliver data to/from a satellite per a client request); generating routing information for each network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0025, communications between antennas and satellites; see also paragraph 0044, model generation service indicating a processing chain to be completed for a given communication request); calculating an evaluation value of each network model based on a communication quality of the network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0026, evaluate available time slots on the identified compatible antennas in order to determine which antenna is available to service the communication request); for each of the one or more divisional generation periods, calculating an evaluation value based on the evaluation values of the network models corresponding to the one or more time slots included in the divisional generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0050 & Fig. 3, determining a time slot for communicating via an antenna that is compatible with the request) and selecting a divisional generation period with a best evaluation value from the one or more divisional generation periods(Ramachandran: paragraph 0051 & Fig. 3, selected antenna to communicate with the satellite during a selected time slot); and based on each of the network models generated for the one or more time slots in the selected divisional generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0044, said model instances to which data is to be delivered), transmitting, to nodes corresponding to the routing information generated for the network model (Ramachandran: paragraphs 0025, 0050-0051, said selected antenna system and satellite), information on the one or more time slots in the selected divisional generation period and the routing information generated for the network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0051 & Fig. 3, controlling a selected antenna to communicate with the satellite during a selected time slot). Regarding Claim 14, Ramachandran teaches A routing information generation method to be executed by a routing information generation device (Ramachandran: paragraph 0016& Fig. 1, compute service provider), the method comprising: generating one or more divisional generation periods for a generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0034, scheduling of communications between a client and a satellite using available time on one or more remote antennas; see also paragraph 0018, identify an antenna and associated time slot for use in servicing a communication request) for which routing information for a network (Ramachandran: paragraph 0016 & Fig. 1, network) is to be generated, the network comprising a plurality of nodes each of which is a mobile node or a fixed node (Ramachandran: paragraph 0014 & Fig. 14, antennas and satellites), each of the one or more divisional generation periods being generated by dividing the generation period into one or more time slots (Ramachandran: paragraph 0018, said time slot during which the selected antenna is available to service the client's communication request); for each of the one or more time slots included in each of the one or more divisional generation periods (Ramachandran: paragraph 0018, said time slot for use in servicing a communication request), determining, for each two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0014 & Fig. 14, said antennas and satellites), whether communication is possible between the two of the plurality of nodes based on at least one of location information of the two of the plurality of nodes in a period of the time slot (Ramachandran: paragraph 0042, model parameters of the communication request and determine antenna systems that are able to service/meet the parameters of the communication request; see also paragraph 0036-0037, parameters including location information), specifications of the two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0035, parameters between the client and satellite used during communication), and communication environment information at locations of the two of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0039, requests for a selected antenna in response to weather event) and generating a network model including one or more links among communicable nodes and the communicable nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0044, model instances to which data is to be delivered), each of the communicable nodes being one of the plurality of nodes and determined as being communicable with another one of the plurality of nodes (Ramachandran: paragraph 0042, said model of antenna systems that are able to service/meet the communication request), each of the one or more links representing a link between corresponding two communicable nodes determined as communicable with each other (Ramachandran: paragraph 0025, communications between antennas and satellites are applied to model; see also paragraph 0044, modeling antenna systems used to deliver data to/from a satellite per a client request); generating routing information for each network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0025, communications between antennas and satellites; see also paragraph 0044, model generation service indicating a processing chain to be completed for a given communication request); calculating an evaluation value of each network model based on a communication quality of the network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0026, evaluate available time slots on the identified compatible antennas in order to determine which antenna is available to service the communication request); for each of the one or more divisional generation periods, calculating an evaluation value based on the evaluation values of the network models corresponding to the one or more time slots included in the divisional generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0050 & Fig. 3, determining a time slot for communicating via an antenna that is compatible with the request) and selecting a divisional generation period with a best evaluation value from the one or more divisional generation periods(Ramachandran: paragraph 0051 & Fig. 3, selected antenna to communicate with the satellite during a selected time slot); and based on each of the network models generated for the one or more time slots in the selected divisional generation period (Ramachandran: paragraph 0044, said model instances to which data is to be delivered), transmitting, to nodes corresponding to the routing information generated for the network model (Ramachandran: paragraphs 0025, 0050-0051, said selected antenna system and satellite), information on the one or more time slots in the selected divisional generation period and the routing information generated for the network model (Ramachandran: paragraph 0051 & Fig. 3, controlling a selected antenna to communicate with the satellite during a selected time slot). 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, 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ramachandran in view of Mishra et al. (US 2011/0164527 A1) hereinafter “Mishra.” Regarding Claim 11, Ramachandran teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above however fails to explicitly teach wherein the routing part calculates a cost of each of the one or more links included in each network model based on at least one of the location information of the corresponding nodes in the period indicated by the corresponding time slot, the specifications of the corresponding nodes, and the communication environment information at the locations of the corresponding nodes, and generates the routing information of the network model based on the calculated costs. However, Mishra from an analogous art teaches identifying possible routes between a node and one or more neighbor nodes in a network and determining a route cost calculation between each possible route of a node and one or more neighbor nodes when a node moves locations (Mishra: paragraphs 0012, 0114-0115 & Figs. 6-7). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ramachandran to include calculating costs of each possible route as taught by Mishra so as to consider cost when selecting an antenna for delivering data to/from a satellite for each client request. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. David (US 2022/0232393 A1) teaches a network manager responsible for allocating, assigning, and adjusting time slot resources for the network , based at least in part on a network mode (paragraphs 0060 & 0077). Horne et al. (US 2021/0067412 A1) teaches obtaining a wireless propagation model, including environmental data, determining a set of optimal operating parameters using the obtained model and the environmental data and configuring at least one of the one or more nodes with the set of optimal operating parameters (paragraphs 0057, 0060). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAJEEB ANSARI whose telephone number is (571)270-5446. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am to 2pm. 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, ASAD NAWAZ can be reached at (571) 272-3988. 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. /NAJEEB ANSARI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2463 /ASAD M NAWAZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2463
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 01, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 31, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
64%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+57.6%)
4y 4m (~2y 3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 468 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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