Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/858,683

METHOD, APPARATUS AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING SLOT OF FIELD REPLACEABLE UNIT DEVICE

Final Rejection §112
Filed
Oct 21, 2024
Priority
Nov 30, 2022 — CN 202211518297.1 +1 more
Examiner
WANG, HARRY Z
Art Unit
2184
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Suzhou Metabrain Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
5m
Est. Remaining
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allowance Rate
272 granted / 329 resolved
+27.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
347
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.6%
-37.4% vs TC avg
§103
65.5%
+25.5% vs TC avg
§102
10.0%
-30.0% vs TC avg
§112
13.9%
-26.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 329 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTION 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 . Response to Amendment Claims 2 and 18 have been cancelled. Claims 1, 19, and 20 have been amended. Claims 1, 3-17, and 19-21 are currently pending. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d): (d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph: Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. Claims 3-11, 16-17, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claims 3-11, 16-17, and 21 are all dependent upon dependent claim 2, which has been cancelled. Thus, the claims improperly depend on a cancelled claim. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3-11, 16-17, and 21 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(d), set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claims 1, 12-15, and 19-20 are allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 1, none of the cited references either alone or in combination teaches a method for determining a slot of a field replaceable unit device comprising: obtaining, by a computer device which has at least one of a field replaceable unit device, a model of a computer device and a peripheral component interconnect express cable number of a field replaceable unit device in response to that the field replaceable unit device of a peripheral component interconnect express bus of the computer device gives a fault alarm; obtaining, by the computer device, a pre-stored first correspondence relation between the peripheral component interconnect express cable number and a slot number, wherein the pre-stored first correspondence relation is a relation corresponding to the model of the computer device; and determining, by the computer device the slot number corresponding to the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device, according to the pre-stored first correspondence relation, wherein the obtaining the model of the computer device and the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device in response to that the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus of the computer device gives a fault alarm alternatively comprises: determining whether a field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus in response to that the fault alarm of the field replaceable unit device in the computer device is received; obtaining the model of the computer device and the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device in response to that the field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus; determining, in response to that the field replaceable unit device is not the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus, a bus protocol type of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm; and locating, by invoking a slot location program corresponding to the bus protocol type, a slot of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm. Regarding claim 19, none of the cited references either alone or in combination teaches a device for determining a slot of a field replaceable unit device, comprising: a memory configured to store a computer program; and a processor configured to implement steps of the method for determining a slot of a field replaceable unit device in response to that executing the computer program, cause the processor to obtain a model of a computer device and a peripheral component interconnect express cable number of a field replaceable unit device in response to that field replaceable unit device of a peripheral component interconnect express bus of the computer device gives a fault alarm; obtain a pre-stored first correspondence relation between the peripheral component interconnect express cable number and a slot number, wherein the pre-stored first correspondence relation is a relation corresponding to the model of the computer device; and determine, according to the pre-stored first correspondence relation, the slot number corresponding to the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device; the processor is further configured to: determine whether a field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus in response to that the fault alarm of the field replaceable unit device in the computer device is received; obtain the model of the computer device and the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device in response to that the field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus; determine, in response to that the field replaceable unit device is not the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus, a bus protocol type of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm; and locate, by invoking a slot location program corresponding to the bus protocol type, a slot of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm. Regarding claim 20, none of the cited references either alone or in combination teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing a computer program, wherein the computer program implements steps of the method for determining a slot of a field replaceable unit device in response to that executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain a model of a computer device and a peripheral component interconnect express cable number of a field replaceable unit device in response to that the field replaceable unit device of a peripheral component interconnect express bus of the computer device gives a fault alarm; obtain a pre-stored first correspondence relation between the peripheral component interconnect express cable number and a slot number, wherein the pre-stored first correspondence relation is a relation corresponding to the model of the computer device; and determine, according to the pre-stored first correspondence relation, the slot number corresponding to the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device; the processor is further configured to: determine whether a field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus in response to that the fault alarm of the field replaceable unit device in the computer device is received; obtain the model of the computer device and the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device in response to that the field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus; determine, in response to that the field replaceable unit device is not the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus, a bus protocol type of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm; and locate, by invoking a slot location program corresponding to the bus protocol type, a slot of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm. Claims 12-15 are allowed because they are dependent on allowed claim 1. US PGPUB 2018/0088958 to Remis discloses a backplane with a plurality of bays that receive PCIe devices, wherein a data packet is transmitted from each peripheral to a data module used to determine the location of the peripheral device. No mention of determine whether a field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus in response to that the fault alarm of the field replaceable unit device in the computer device is received; obtain the model of the computer device and the peripheral component interconnect express cable number of the field replaceable unit device in response to that the field replaceable unit device is the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus; determine, in response to that the field replaceable unit device is not the field replaceable unit device of the peripheral component interconnect express bus, a bus protocol type of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm; and locate, by invoking a slot location program corresponding to the bus protocol type, a slot of the field replaceable unit device that gives the fault alarm is present. Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY Z WANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1716. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am - 3 pm (Monday-Friday). 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, Henry Tsai can be reached at 571-272-4176. 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. /H.Z.W./Examiner, Art Unit 2184 /HENRY TSAI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2184
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Prosecution Timeline

Oct 21, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Jul 17, 2026
Response Filed
Aug 27, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
83%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+8.1%)
2y 4m (~5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 329 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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