Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. This is the initial office action based on the application filed on August 28th, 2024, which claims 1-12 are presented for examination.
Status of Claims
3. Claims 1-12 are pending, of which claims, of which claim 1, 6, 10, 11 and 12 are in independent form.
Priority
4. This application is a 371 of PCT/CN2022/078218 02/28/2022.
The Office's Note:
5. The Office has cited particular paragraphs / columns and line numbers in the reference(s) applied to the claims above for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim(s), other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the Applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the cited passages as taught by the prior art or relied upon by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
6. Claims 1-12 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claim 1-5 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Claim 1, claim 10, claim 11 and claim 12 recite “a receiving step, receiving a debugging configuration releasing message, wherein the debugging configuration releasing message includes a debugging configuration entry, and the debugging configuration entry includes a key, a value, and effectiveness rules; a querying step, querying whether the debugging configuration entry contains a predetermined key; a judging step, in the case where the predetermined key is found, judging whether the effectiveness rule is satisfied; a reading step, in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reading the value. ” as drafted, are functions that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, recite the abstract idea of a mental process. The limitations encompass a human mind carrying out the function through observation, evaluation judgment and /or opinion, or even with the aid of pen and paper. Thus, this limitation recites and falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas under Prong 1.
Under Prong 2, this judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The additional elements ““memory”, and “processor” are recited at a high-level of generality such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer, and/or mere computer components, and “a reading step, in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reading the value” do nothing more than add insignificant extra solution activity to the judicial exception of merely gathering, displaying, updating, transmitting and storing data/information. Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the recited judicial exception into a practical application and the claim is therefore directed to the judicial exception. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
Under Step 2B, the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements of ““memory,” and “processor” are recited at a high-level of generality such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer, and/or mere computer components, and “a reading step, in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reading the value”, the courts have identified merely gathering, displaying, updating, transmitting and storing data/information on a display is well-understood, routine and conventional activity. See MPEP 2106.05(d). The recitation of generic computer instruction and computer components to apply the judicial exception, and merely displaying data do not amount to significantly more, thus, cannot provide an inventive concept. Accordingly, the claims are not patent eligible under 35 USC 101.
In conclusion, claims 1-5 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Claims 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Claim 6 recites “the configuration debugging platform receives a debugging configuration releasing message, wherein the debugging configuration releasing message includes a debugging configuration entry, and the debugging configuration entry includes a key, a value, and effectiveness rules; and the configuration debugging platform sends the debugging configuration releasing message to the configuration debugging module of the business service node specified by the debugging configuration releasing message; the configuration debugging module stores the received debugging configuration entry, and according to the instruction of the business module, queries whether the debugging configuration entry contains a predetermined key, in the case where the predetermined key is found, judges whether the effectiveness rule is satisfied, in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reads the value and returns it to the business module. ” as drafted, are functions that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, recite the abstract idea of a mental process. The limitations encompass a human mind carrying out the function through observation, evaluation judgment and /or opinion, or even with the aid of pen and paper. Thus, this limitation recites and falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas under Prong 1.
Under Prong 2, this judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The additional elements ““memory”, and “processor” are recited at a high-level of generality such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer, and/or mere computer components, and “in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reads the value and returns it to the business module do nothing more than add insignificant extra solution activity to the judicial exception of merely gathering, displaying, updating, transmitting and storing data/information. Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the recited judicial exception into a practical application and the claim is therefore directed to the judicial exception. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
Under Step 2B, the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements of ““memory,” and “processor” are recited at a high-level of generality such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer, and/or mere computer components, and “in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reads the value and returns it to the business module”, the courts have identified merely gathering, displaying, updating, transmitting and storing data/information on a display is well-understood, routine and conventional activity. See MPEP 2106.05(d). The recitation of generic computer instruction and computer components to apply the judicial exception, and merely displaying data do not amount to significantly more, thus, cannot provide an inventive concept. Accordingly, the claims are not patent eligible under 35 USC 101.
In conclusion, claims 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
7. Claim 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (CN110045964A – hereinafter Lin) and further in view of Dayan (US 20180239602 – hereinafter Dayan).
Claim 1 is rejected, Lin teaches a server configuration debugging method, the method includes (Lin, abstract):
a receiving step, receiving a debugging configuration releasing message (Lin, CN110045964A, para [59], proxy server can also be connected configuration centre, obtaining the grey rule through the configuration centre, the corresponding processing can be as follows: the proxy server periodically obtaining grey rule from the configuration centre, grey rule table according to the grey rule updating locally stored configuration centre is used for configuring and storing the grey rule.),
wherein the debugging configuration releasing message includes a debugging configuration entry, and the debugging configuration entry includes a key, a value, and effectiveness rules(Lin, para [44-45], step 102: determining target grey rule in grey rule table of proxy server according to the request information, stored in the local. Para [46], In an embodiment, the proxy server in the local pre-stored with grey rule table, grey rule table is recorded with at least one grey scale rule, each grey rule comprises gray information and the processing information. gray scale information may include a gradation state, gradation effective time range, the grey action range, gray value corresponding to the request URL, corresponding grey request method, adaptive interface name corresponding to the grey scale corresponding request parameter, and other information, processing information may include a target grey server IP, etc. for the user request is sent to the related information of target gray server. after obtaining the request information of the user contained in the request, the proxy server according to the request information, grey scale information by each gradation rule gradation in the rule table lookup screening, the grey rule request information matched with the gray information is determined as the target gray scale rule.
);
a querying step, querying whether the debugging configuration entry contains a predetermined key(Lin, para [47-48], local proxy server can be stored with a plurality of grey rule table, and can be provided with a scale rule table for each grey scale request URL, therefore, the process of step 102, corresponding can be as follows: grey rule table proxy server according to the request URL, pre-stored user request comprises determining a gradation in the local rule list corresponding to the user request, the proxy server according to the request method of the user request comprises request grey rule table corresponding to the determined target gray rules at the user.);
a judging step, in the case where the predetermined key is found, judging whether the effectiveness rule is satisfied(Lin, para [47-48], after the request URL and request method in the implementation, proxy server contained in the obtaining user request, searching grey rule table corresponding to the grey rule table firstly according to the request URL, the local pre-stored. grey rule then in the corresponding grey rule table, the proxy server selecting each gradation rule in the gradation in the rule table, further according to the request method, selecting grey request method and the request with the same method, the gray scale rule as the target gray scale rule. It should be noted that, the target gray regular proxy server determined by the method may have one or more, because of gray in the regular gray rule table typically sorted in order of updating, namely grey rule ordering newly updated, Therefore, when the target grey scale determined rule with a plurality of pieces, a first target grey rule (grey rule that the latest update of the determined) proxy server has a higher priority level, the target grey scale regulation, while the remaining target gray scale rule is invalid.);
a reading step, in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reading the value (Lin, para [44-46], In an embodiment, the proxy server in the local pre-stored with grey rule table, grey rule table is recorded with at least one grey scale rule, each grey rule comprises gray information and the processing information. gray scale information may include a gradation state, gradation effective time range, the grey action range, gray value corresponding to the request URL, corresponding grey request method, adaptive interface name corresponding to the grey scale corresponding request parameter, and other information, processing information may include a target grey server IP, etc. for the user request is sent to the related information of target gray server. after obtaining the request information of the user contained in the request, the proxy server according to the request information, grey scale information by each gradation rule gradation in the rule table lookup screening, the grey rule request information matched with the gray information is determined as the target gray scale rule. Para [0047-0048]. Para [63].).
The Office would like to use prior art Dayan to back up Lin to further teach limitation
debugging configuration entry includes a key, a value, and effectiveness rules(Dayan, US 20180239602, fig. 1 and para [0051-0054], FIG. 1 shows that template configuration data set 160 includes key-value pairs 162 and 168 and rules 164 and 168. Key-value pair 162 sets a value of “X1” to “1”. When this information is applied to resolve rule 166, the first condition “if (X1=0)” fails, but the second condition “else if (X1=1)” succeeds. The result of resolving rule 166 is a key-value pair of “background_color=yellow”.)
It would have obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Dayan into Lin to retrieve multiple configuration data sets and a template configuration data set from a stored multiple configuration data sets using a computing device. A concrete configuration data set is generated based on the template configuration data set by resolving the template rule of the template configuration data set based on the first value to determine the particular key-value pair for the concrete configuration data set using the computing device. Multiple configuration data sets and the concrete configuration data set are merged into a merged configuration data set for the software application using the computing device. The merged configuration data set is provided to the software application using the computing device. The software application is executed on the computing device using the merged configuration data set to control application behavior as suggested by Dayan (See abstract and summary).
Claim 2 is rejected for the reasons set forth hereinabove for claim 1, Lin and Dayan teach the method of claim 1, the effectiveness rules include probability effectiveness rules, timeliness effectiveness rules and specific effectiveness rules; wherein, the probability effectiveness rule allows the debugging configuration entry to be read with a predetermined probability; the timeliness effectiveness rule allows the debugging configuration entry to be read within a predetermined time; the specific effectiveness rule allows the debugging configuration entry to be read in response to a read request carrying a predetermined ID (Lin, para [34], a selecting module, used for when receiving the grey rule updating request sent by the proxy server, all grey rule from the local storage of the rule determining gray scale in gray state is effective, grey rule from the gray state is effective in determining grey rule grey effective time range including the current time, grey rule from gradation effective time range including the current time in, determining the grey scale in the range of regular gray as gray rule update information; Dayan, fig. 1 and para [0051-0054], FIG. 1 shows that template configuration data set 160 includes key-value pairs 162 and 168 and rules 164 and 168. Key-value pair 162 sets a value of “X1” to “1”. When this information is applied to resolve rule 166, the first condition “if (X1=0)” fails, but the second condition “else if (X1=1)” succeeds. The result of resolving rule 166 is a key-value pair of “background_color=yellow”.).
Claim 3 is rejected for the reasons set forth hereinabove for claim 1, Lin and Dayan teach the method of claim 1, further including:
receiving a debugging configuration deletion message, wherein the debugging configuration deletion message includes a debugging configuration deletion field (Dayan, para [0109], in some embodiments, merger 500 can assign priorities to configuration data sets in CCDS 510 and additional CCDS 512 (if present). For each key name KN in CCDS 510, 512, merger 500 can select a value V(KN) from a highest priority configuration data set in CCDS 510, 512 that has key name KN. In particular embodiments, a key-value pair having a pre-determined deletion value, such as “none” or “deleted”, can indicate that the key-value pair should not be included in configuration data set 516. The use of the deletion value allows a higher priority configuration data set to delete a key that appears in a lower priority configuration data set in that bundle. In other embodiments, priorities of configuration data sets can be determined using metadata associated with some or all configuration data sets, such as metadata 106 of FIG. 1);
deleting the debugging configuration entry whose key is the debugging configuration deletion field (Dayan, para [0109], in some embodiments, merger 500 can assign priorities to configuration data sets in CCDS 510 and additional CCDS 512 (if present). For each key name KN in CCDS 510, 512, merger 500 can select a value V(KN) from a highest priority configuration data set in CCDS 510, 512 that has key name KN. In particular embodiments, a key-value pair having a pre-determined deletion value, such as “none” or “deleted”, can indicate that the key-value pair should not be included in configuration data set 516. The use of the deletion value allows a higher priority configuration data set to delete a key that appears in a lower priority configuration data set in that bundle. In other embodiments, priorities of configuration data sets can be determined using metadata associated with some or all configuration data sets, such as metadata 106 of FIG. 1).
Claim 4 is rejected for the reasons set forth hereinabove for claim 1, Lin and Dayan teach the method of claim 1, further including:
when the predetermined key cannot be found or the effectiveness rule is not satisfied, reading the value of the original configuration entry with the key (Dayan, para [0064-0065], FIG. 2B shows that programmable device 240b can provide bundler 244 with configuration data sets stored as local configuration source 242c and/or provided by remote configuration sources 242a and 242c using network 230. Bundler 244 can receive and store configuration data, such as template and concrete configuration data sets. Then, bundler 244 can retrieve and combine template and concrete configuration data sets into a bundle to be passed as template configuration data set/concrete configuration data sets bundle 260 to resolver 264. Resolver 264 can convert template configuration data sets in bundle 260 to corresponding concrete configuration data sets, perhaps in reliance of data in context 262. The resulting bundle of concrete configuration data sets is shown in FIG. 2B as concrete configuration data sets 266 to merger 248. Merger 248 can combine concrete configuration data sets 266 into a single configuration data set 250 and provide configuration data set 250 for use by application 252. Para [0110-0120], In some embodiments, some or all key-value pairs with overlapping keys can be represented by a null key-value pair that has no key and no value; that is, some or all key-value pairs that have overlapping keys can be deleted. For example, a first variation of the fifth rule of merge rules 530 can be “If overlapping keys include the letter “S”, then delete the corresponding KVPs; otherwise, take highest-priority KVP of KVPs having overlapping keys.” In this example, if merger 500 used the first variation of the fifth rule, then the “S1=‘high’” key-value pair shown in both configuration data set 522 and in Table 8 would not be output by merger 500. As a second example, a second variation of the fifth rule of merge rules 530 can be “If overlapping keys include KVPs from source S4, then delete the corresponding KVPs; otherwise, take highest-priority KVP of KVPs having overlapping keys.” In this second example, then the “X3=2” and “S1=‘high’” key-value pairs shown in both configuration data set 522 and in Table 8 would not be output by merger 500. As a third example, a third variation of the fifth rule of merge rules 530 is “Delete all KVPs with overlapping keys.”. In the third example, configuration data set 522 and Table 8 would not include any of key-value pairs 524a, and so would have only the two key-value pairs 524b of “X4=2.71828” and “T1=7” remaining. Many other example of merge rules including rules that involve deleting key-value pairs are possible as well.).
Claim 5 is rejected for the reasons set forth hereinabove for claim 1, Lin and Dayan teach the method of claim 1, the receiving step further includes:
storing the debugging configuration entry(Dayan, para [0064-0069], Merger 276 of cloud device 210c can combine concrete configuration data sets 222 into single configuration data set 278 and provide configuration data set 278 to programmable device 240c via network 230. In some embodiments, configuration data set 278 can be utilized as a response to configuration request 272. On programmable device 240c, configuration manager 270 can receive and perhaps store configuration data set 278 and then provide configuration data set 278 to application 252 for its use.).
Claim 6 is rejected, Lin teaches a server configuration debugging system including a configuration debugging platform and one or more business service nodes, wherein the business service nodes include a business module and a configuration debugging module, wherein (Lin, abstract and para [1-20]):
the configuration debugging platform receives a debugging configuration releasing message(Lin, CN110045964A, para [59], proxy server can also be connected configuration centre, obtaining the grey rule through the configuration centre, the corresponding processing can be as follows: the proxy server periodically obtaining grey rule from the configuration centre, grey rule table according to the grey rule updating locally stored configuration centre is used for configuring and storing the grey rule.),
wherein the debugging configuration releasing message includes a debugging configuration entry, and the debugging configuration entry includes a key, a value, and effectiveness rules; and
the configuration debugging platform sends the debugging configuration releasing message to the configuration debugging module of the business service node specified by the debugging configuration releasing message (Lin, para [44-45], step 102: determining target grey rule in grey rule table of proxy server according to the request information, stored in the local. Para [46], In an embodiment, the proxy server in the local pre-stored with grey rule table, grey rule table is recorded with at least one grey scale rule, each grey rule comprises gray information and the processing information. gray scale information may include a gradation state, gradation effective time range, the grey action range, gray value corresponding to the request URL, corresponding grey request method, adaptive interface name corresponding to the grey scale corresponding request parameter, and other information, processing information may include a target grey server IP, etc. for the user request is sent to the related information of target gray server. after obtaining the request information of the user contained in the request, the proxy server according to the request information, grey scale information by each gradation rule gradation in the rule table lookup screening, the grey rule request information matched with the gray information is determined as the target gray scale rule.);
the configuration debugging module stores the received debugging configuration entry, and according to the instruction of the business module, queries whether the debugging configuration entry contains a predetermined key (Lin, para [47-48], local proxy server can be stored with a plurality of grey rule table, and can be provided with a scale rule table for each grey scale request URL, therefore, the process of step 102, corresponding can be as follows: grey rule table proxy server according to the request URL, pre-stored user request comprises determining a gradation in the local rule list corresponding to the user request, the proxy server according to the request method of the user request comprises request grey rule table corresponding to the determined target gray rules at the user.),
in the case where the predetermined key is found, judges whether the effectiveness rule is satisfied(Lin, para [47-48], after the request URL and request method in the implementation, proxy server contained in the obtaining user request, searching grey rule table corresponding to the grey rule table firstly according to the request URL, the local pre-stored. grey rule then in the corresponding grey rule table, the proxy server selecting each gradation rule in the gradation in the rule table, further according to the request method, selecting grey request method and the request with the same method, the gray scale rule as the target gray scale rule. It should be noted that, the target gray regular proxy server determined by the method may have one or more, because of gray in the regular gray rule table typically sorted in order of updating, namely grey rule ordering newly updated, Therefore, when the target grey scale determined rule with a plurality of pieces, a first target grey rule (grey rule that the latest update of the determined) proxy server has a higher priority level, the target grey scale regulation, while the remaining target gray scale rule is invalid.),
in the case where the effectiveness rule is satisfied, reads the value and returns it to the business module (Lin, para [44-46], In an embodiment, the proxy server in the local pre-stored with grey rule table, grey rule table is recorded with at least one grey scale rule, each grey rule comprises gray information and the processing information. gray scale information may include a gradation state, gradation effective time range, the grey action range, gray value corresponding to the request URL, corresponding grey request method, adaptive interface name corresponding to the grey scale corresponding request parameter, and other information, processing information may include a target grey server IP, etc. for the user request is sent to the related information of target gray server. after obtaining the request information of the user contained in the request, the proxy server according to the request information, grey scale information by each gradation rule gradation in the rule table lookup screening, the grey rule request information matched with the gray information is determined as the target gray scale rule. Para [0047-0048]. Para [63].).
The Office would like to use prior art Dayan to back up Lin to further teach limitation
debugging configuration entry includes a key, a value, and effectiveness rules(Dayan, US 20180239602, fig. 1 and para [0051-0054], FIG. 1 shows that template configuration data set 160 includes key-value pairs 162 and 168 and rules 164 and 168. Key-value pair 162 sets a value of “X1” to “1”. When this information is applied to resolve rule 166, the first condition “if (X1=0)” fails, but the second condition “else if (X1=1)” succeeds. The result of resolving rule 166 is a key-value pair of “background_color=yellow”.)
It would have obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Dayan into Lin to retrieve multiple configuration data sets and a template configuration data set from a stored multiple configuration data sets using a computing device. A concrete configuration data set is generated based on the template configuration data set by resolving the template rule of the template configuration data set based on the first value to determine the particular key-value pair for the concrete configuration data set using the computing device. Multiple configuration data sets and the concrete configuration data set are merged into a merged configuration data set for the software application using the computing device. The merged configuration data set is provided to the software application using the computing device. The software application is executed on the computing device using the merged configuration data set to control application behavior as suggested by Dayan (See abstract and summary).
Claim 7 is rejected for the reasons set forth hereinabove for claim 6, Lin and Dayan teach the system of claim 6, the effectiveness rules include probability effectiveness rules, timeliness effectiveness rules and specific effectiveness rules; wherein, the probability effectiveness rule allows the debugging configuration entry to be read with a predetermined probability; the timeliness effectiveness rule allows the debugging configuration entry to be read within a predetermined time; the specific effectiveness rule allows the debugging configuration entry to be read in response to a read request carrying a predetermined ID (Lin, para [34], a selecting module, used for when receiving the grey rule updating request sent by the proxy server, all grey rule from the local storage of the rule determining gray scale in gray state is effective, grey rule from the gray state is effective in determining grey rule grey effective time range including the current time, grey rule from gradation effective time range including the current time in, determining the grey scale in the range of regular gray as gray rule update information; Dayan, fig. 1 and para [0051-0054], FIG. 1 shows that template configuration data set 160 includes key-value pairs 162 and 168 and rules 164 and 168. Key-value pair 162 sets a value of “X1” to “1”. When this information is applied to resolve rule 166, the first condition “if (X1=0)” fails, but the second condition “else if (X1=1)” succeeds. The result of resolving rule 166 is a key-value pair of “background_color=yellow”.).
Claim 8 is rejected for the reasons set forth hereinabove for claim 6, Lin and Dayan teach the system according to claim 6, wherein, the configuration debugging platform also receives a debugging configuration deletion message, wherein the debugging configuration deletion message includes a debugging configuration deletion field (Dayan, para [0109], in some embodiments, merger 500 can assign priorities to configuration data sets in CCDS 510 and additional CCDS 512 (if present). For each key name KN in CCDS 510, 512, merger 500 can select a value V(KN) from a highest priority configuration data set in CCDS 510, 512 that has key name KN. In particular embodiments, a key-value pair having a pre-determined deletion value, such as “none” or “deleted”, can indicate that the key-value pair should not be included in configuration data set 516. The use of the deletion value allows a higher priority configuration data set to delete a key that appears in a lower priority configuration data set in that bundle. In other embodiments, priorities of configuration data sets can be determined using metadata associated with some or all configuration data sets, such as metadata 106 of FIG. 1); and
the configuration debugging platform sends the debugging configuration deletion message to the configuration debugging module of the business service node specified by the debugging configuration deletion message (Dayan, para [0109], in some embodiments, merger 500 can assign priorities to configuration data sets in CCDS 510 and additional CCDS 512 (if present). For each key name KN in CCDS 510, 512, merger 500 can select a value V(KN) from a highest priority configuration data set in CCDS 510, 512 that has key name KN. In particular embodiments, a key-value pair having a pre-determined deletion value, such as “none” or “deleted”, can indicate that the key-value pair should not be included in configuration data set 516. The use of the deletion value allows a higher priority configuration data set to delete a key that appears in a lower priority configuration data set in that bundle. In other embodiments, priorities of configuration data sets can be determined using metadata associated with some or all configuration data sets, such as metadata 106 of FIG. 1);
after receiving the debugging configuration deletion message, the configuration debugging module deletes the debugging configuration entry whose key is the debugging configuration deletion field (Dayan, para [0109], in some embodiments, merger 500 can assign priorities to configuration data sets in CCDS 510 and additional CCDS 512 (if present). For each key name KN in CCDS 510, 512, merger 500 can select a value V(KN) from a highest priority configuration data set in CCDS 510, 512 that has key name KN. In particular embodiments, a key-value pair having a pre-determined deletion value, such as “none” or “deleted”, can indicate that the key-value pair should not be included in configuration data set 516. The use of the deletion value allows a higher priority configuration data set to delete a key that appears in a lower priority configuration data set in that bundle. In other embodiments, priorities of configuration data sets can be determined using metadata associated with some or all configuration data sets, such as metadata 106 of FIG. 1).
Claim 9 is rejected for the reasons set forth hereinabove for claim 6, Lin and Dayan teach the system according to claim 6, wherein, the configuration debugging module reads the value of the original configuration entry with the key, when the predetermined key cannot be found or the effectiveness rule is not satisfied (Dayan, para [0064-0065], FIG. 2B shows that programmable device 240b can provide bundler 244 with configuration data sets stored as local configuration source 242c and/or provided by remote configuration sources 242a and 242c using network 230. Bundler 244 can receive and store configuration data, such as template and concrete configuration data sets. Then, bundler 244 can retrieve and combine template and concrete configuration data sets into a bundle to be passed as template configuration data set/concrete configuration data sets bundle 260 to resolver 264. Resolver 264 can convert template configuration data sets in bundle 260 to corresponding concrete configuration data sets, perhaps in reliance of data in context 262. The resulting bundle of concrete configuration data sets is shown in FIG. 2B as concrete configuration data sets 266 to merger 248. Merger 248 can combine concrete configuration data sets 266 into a single configuration data set 250 and provide configuration data set 250 for use by application 252. Para [0110-0120], In some embodiments, some or all key-value pairs with overlapping keys can be represented by a null key-value pair that has no key and no value; that is, some or all key-value pairs that have overlapping keys can be deleted. For example, a first variation of the fifth rule of merge rules 530 can be “If overlapping keys include the letter “S”, then delete the corresponding KVPs; otherwise, take highest-priority KVP of KVPs having overlapping keys.” In this example, if merger 500 used the first variation of the fifth rule, then the “S1=‘high’” key-value pair shown in both configuration data set 522 and in Table 8 would not be output by merger 500. As a second example, a second variation of the fifth rule of merge rules 530 can be “If overlapping keys include KVPs from source S4, then delete the corresponding KVPs; otherwise, take highest-priority KVP of KVPs having overlapping keys.” In this second example, then the “X3=2” and “S1=‘high’” key-value pairs shown in both configuration data set 522 and in Table 8 would not be output by merger 500. As a third example, a third variation of the fifth rule of merge rules 530 is “Delete all KVPs with overlapping keys.”. In the third example, configuration data set 522 and Table 8 would not include any of key-value pairs 524a, and so would have only the two key-value pairs 524b of “X4=2.71828” and “T1=7” remaining. Many other example of merge rules including rules that involve deleting key-value pairs are possible as well.).
As per claim 10, this is the device claim to method claim 1. Therefore, it is rejected for the same reasons as above.
As per claim 11, this is the medium claim to method claim 1. Therefore, it is rejected for the same reasons as above.
As per claim 12, this is the product claim to method claim 1. Therefore, it is rejected for the same reasons as above.
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Inquiry
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUY KHUONG THANH NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7139. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 0800-1630.
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/DUY KHUONG T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2199
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