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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on November 17, 2024, are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Applicant should note that the large number of references in the attached IDSs have been considered by the examiner in the same manner as other documents in Office search files are considered by the examiner while conducting a search of the prior art in a proper field of search. See MPEP 609.05(b). Applicant is invited to point out any particular reference(s) in the IDS that they believe may be of particular relevance to the instant claimed invention in response to this Office Action. It is desirable to avoid the submission of long lists of documents if it can be avoided. If a long list is submitted, highlight those documents which have been specifically brought to applicant’s attention and/or are known to be of most significance. See Penn Yan Boats, Inc. v. Sea Lark Boats, Inc., 359 F. Supp. 948, 175 USPQ 260 (S.D. Fla. 1972), aff ’d, 479 F.2d 1338, 178 USPQ 577 (5th Cir. 1973), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 874 (1974). But cf. Molins PLC v. Textron Inc., 48 F.3d 1172, 33 USPQ2d 1823 (Fed. Cir. 1995).
Specification: Abstract
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains reference characters/numbers (e.g., An identification device (10), identification units (12U and 12L)). The applicant is required to submit a replacement abstract that describes the technical disclosure of the invention concisely without the inclusion of reference characters or numbers, in compliance with patent formality requirement.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim(s) 9 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites step 2 “identifying a profile used by at least the first communication device of the first communication device and the second communication device”, while step 4 “identifying a profile used by the first communication device, on the basis of… included in the acquired time synchronization signal.” This redundant claiming of the identification function across sequential steps obscures the precise operational scope of the method.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim(s) 1-9 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (2) as being anticipated by Ha et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220095153, hereinafter “Ha”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Ha unless otherwise mentioned.
With respect to independent claims:
Regarding Claim 1, Ha teaches An identification device (Fig. 4, UE) comprising a processor (para [0160]: The computing device 50 (‘UE’, see para [0159]) includes at least one of a processor 510, ...) configured to execute operations comprising:
connecting to a first communication device (Fig. 1, TSC stations S1) and a second communication device (Fig. 1, TSC stations S2) that respectively perform time synchronization, by transmission and reception of a time synchronization signal in accordance with a single profile among a plurality of profiles of the first communication device and the second communication device (para [0048]: Referring to FIG. 1, the illustrated is an example in which the bridges B1, B2, . . . , Bn (interpreted as “identification device”) are connected between the TSC stations S1 and S2 of both ends. One of the stations S1 and S2 may operate as a master clock and the other may operate as a slave clock, the master clock may provide a time synchronization message, and the slave clock may synchronize its own time with the master clock by receiving the time synchronization message provided from the master clock) (Fig. 4 and para [0056]: Referring to FIG. 4, 5GS may be applied to any of the bridges B1, B2, . . . , Bn of FIG. 1, and the 5GS bridge 10 may include a user equipment (UE) 100 (the UE (as a bridge) is interpreted as “identification device”), a User Plane Function (UPF) 104 and Radio Access Network (RAN) 108, and the like.) (para [0083]: The Sync message is a packet that periodically transmits the reference time from the master to the slave, in one-step PTP, the time at which the Sync message is transmitted is recorded in the Sync message. The FollowUp message records the transmission time of the Sync message in two-step PTP and delivers it to the slave. FollowUp message is delivered at the same period as Sync message.) (para [0084]: An Announce message (interpreted as “a time synchronization signal”) is a message that periodically delivers the PTP attribute of each master to determine the GM, and the GM is determined using the BMCA based on the PTP attribute of the Announce message. BMCA organizes clocks into a hierarchical structure and ensures that the slave clock uses the most accurate clock available on the network.) (para [0112]: When the UE1 100 a establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_1 (interpreted as “a single profile among a plurality of profiles”) corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC1...)(para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 (‘PTP Profile 3’) corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3,) (para [0012]: the PTP profile information (interpreted as “a single profile… ”) may be transmitted through an Announce message (interpreted as “time synchronization signal”).) (Examiner’s note: Paragraphs [0047] and [0063] of the Specification of the present act as their own lexicographer, broadly defining PTP messages such as Signaling (request/acknowledge/grant), Announce (message), Sync, and Delay req as the claimed “time synchronization signal.” Correspondingly, paragraphs [0084] and [0084] of Ha explicitly discloses that PTP messages, including Announce, Signaling, and Sync messages, are transmitted and received between a mater clock (the first communication device) and slave device (the second communication device). Therefore, the transmission and reception of these PTP messages in Ha satisfies the limitation “by transmission and reception of a time synchronization signal.”); and
identifying a profile used by the first communication device , on the basis of information regarding the transmission and the reception of the time synchronization signal in accordance with the single profile among the plurality of profiles and a method of the time synchronization, included in the time synchronization signal acquired from the first communication device (para [0107]: Referring to FIG. 14, acquiring a time synchronization protocol profile (interpreted as “identifying a profile”) … is performed through an Announce message. In the present disclosure, the time synchronization protocol profile … may use a setting method of the UE 100 using an Announce message through the DS-TT 102.) (para [0012]: the PTP profile information may be transmitted through an Announce message (interpreted as “time synchronization signal”).) (para [0013]: …, wherein: the PTP profile information may include: at least one of a selection information for one-step or two-step, an information on a method to be used as a path delay mechanism and an information on a method to be used as a transport mechanism, an information on whether to use multicast or unicast, its address, and an information on the period of each PTP message.) (Examiner’s note: Paragraphs [0107], [0108], and Fig. 14 of Ha explicitly discloses that ‘In (A), the DS-TT 102 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message… and in (B), the UE 100 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message.’ This demonstrates that the identification device (UE 100 or DS-TT102) acquires (identifies) a profile from the received time synchronization signal (Announce message). Furthermore, as set forth in paragraph [0013] of Ha, the profile information includes a path delay mechanism, a transport mechanism, multicast/unicast usage, and its address. This disclosure is substantially identical to the claimed configuration of identifying a profile on the basis of information regarding the transmission/reception and the method of time synchronization include in the signal (see para [0042] of the Specification of the present application: ‘the six profiles described above can be classified on the basis of … (L2/L3), … a unicast address or a multicast address (Uni/Multi), … a communication rate … and the time synchronization method (E2E/P2P). The identification unit 12 identifies the profile used by the communication devices 1 and 2 using such classification.’)).
Regarding Claim 9, Ha teaches A method for identifying a profile, comprising:
connecting to a first communication device and a second communication device that respectively perform time synchronization, by transmission and reception of a time synchronization signal in accordance with a single profile among a plurality of profiles (para [0048]: Referring to FIG. 1, the illustrated is an example in which the bridges B1, B2, . . . , Bn are connected between the TSC stations S1 and S2 of both ends. One of the stations S1 (interpreted as “a first communication device”) and S2 (interpreted as “a second communication device”) may operate as a master clock and the other may operate as a slave clock, the master clock may provide a time synchronization message, and the slave clock may synchronize its own time with the master clock by receiving the time synchronization message provided from the master clock) (para [0083]: The Sync message is a packet that periodically transmits the reference time from the master to the slave, in one-step PTP, the time at which the Sync message is transmitted is recorded in the Sync message. The FollowUp message records the transmission time of the Sync message in two-step PTP and delivers it to the slave. FollowUp message is delivered at the same period as Sync message.) (para [0084]: An Announce message (interpreted as “a time synchronization signal”) is a message that periodically delivers the PTP attribute of each master to determine the GM, and the GM is determined using the BMCA based on the PTP attribute of the Announce message. BMCA organizes clocks into a hierarchical structure and ensures that the slave clock uses the most accurate clock available on the network.) (para [0112]: When the UE1 100 a establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_1 (interpreted as “a single profile among a plurality of profiles”) corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC1...)(para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 (‘PTP Profile 3’) corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3,).) (Examiner’s note: Paragraphs [0047] and [0063] of the Specification of the present act as their own lexicographer, broadly defining PTP messages such as Signaling (request/acknowledge/grant), Announce (message), Sync, and Delay req as the claimed “time synchronization signal.” Correspondingly, paragraphs [0084] and [0084] of Ha explicitly discloses that PTP messages, including Announce, Signaling, and Sync messages, are transmitted and received between a mater clock (the first communication device) and slave device (the second communication device). Therefore, the transmission and reception of these PTP messages in Ha satisfies the limitation “by transmission and reception of a time synchronization signal.”);
identifying a profile used by at least the first communication device of the first communication device and the second communication device (para [0107]: Referring to FIG. 14, acquiring a time synchronization protocol profile (interpreted as “identifying a profile”) … is performed through an Announce message. In the present disclosure, the time synchronization protocol profile … may use a setting method of the UE 100 using an Announce message through the DS-TT 102.) (para [0112]: When the UE1 100 a establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_1 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC1 (interpreted as “identifying a profile used by at least the first communication device of the first communication device and the second communication device”), the QoS flow for the time synchronization protocol to the UE1 100 a is set based on the higher requirement among PtpPrf0 and PtpPrf_1 (‘PTP Profile 1’).)(para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 (‘PTP Profile 3’) corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3,). Examiner’s note: Paragraphs [0112], [0113], and [0115] of Ha specifically disclose the process of identifying a unique PTP profile used by a specific master clock (the first communication device) when it is connected (e.g., identifying PtpPrf_1 of MC1, PtpPrf_2 of MC2, etc.) to establish or modify a session. In particular, paragraph [0116] explicitly states that the selection/identification of the master clock and its attributes is performed using an Announce message.;
acquiring the time synchronization signal from the first communication device (para [0084]: An Announce message (interpreted as “a time synchronization signal”) is a message that periodically delivers the PTP attribute of each master to determine the GM, and the GM is determined using the BMCA based on the PTP attribute of the Announce message. BMCA organizes clocks into a hierarchical structure and ensures that the slave clock uses the most accurate clock available on the network.) (para [0107]: Referring to FIG. 14, acquiring a time synchronization protocol profile according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is performed through an Announce message. In the present disclosure, the time synchronization protocol profile … may use a setting method of the UE 100 using an Announce message through the DS-TT 102. … In (A), the DS-TT 102 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message and provides it to the UE 100,) (Examiner’s note: Fig. 14 discloses that a receiving entity (UE 100 or DS-TT 102) receives (acquires) the Announce message, which satisfies the step of “acquiring the time synchronization signal from the first communication device.”); and
identifying a profile used by the first communication device, on the basis of information regarding the transmission and the reception of the time synchronization signal in accordance with the single profile among the plurality of profiles and a method of the time synchronization, included in the acquired time synchronization signal (para [0107]: Referring to FIG. 14, acquiring a time synchronization protocol profile (interpreted as “identifying a profile”) … is performed through an Announce message. In the present disclosure, the time synchronization protocol profile … may use a setting method of the UE 100 using an Announce message through the DS-TT 102.) (para [0012]: the PTP profile information may be transmitted through an Announce message (interpreted as “time synchronization signal”).) (para [0013]: …, wherein: the PTP profile information may include: at least one of a selection information for one-step or two-step, an information on a method to be used as a path delay mechanism and an information on a method to be used as a transport mechanism, an information on whether to use multicast or unicast, its address, and an information on the period of each PTP message.) (Examiner’s note: Paragraphs [0107], [0108], and Fig. 14 of Ha explicitly discloses that ‘In (A), the DS-TT 102 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message… and in (B), the UE 100 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message.’ This demonstrates that the identification device (UE 100 or DS-TT102) acquires (identifies) a profile from the received time synchronization signal (Announce message). Furthermore, as set forth in paragraph [0013] of Ha, the profile information includes a path delay mechanism, a transport mechanism, multicast/unicast usage, and its address. This disclosure is substantially identical to the claimed configuration of identifying a profile on the basis of information regarding the transmission/reception and the method of time synchronization include in the signal (see para [0042] of the Specification of the present application: ‘the six profiles described above can be classified on the basis of … (L2/L3), … a unicast address or a multicast address (Uni/Multi), … a communication rate … and the time synchronization method (E2E/P2P). The identification unit 12 identifies the profile used by the communication devices 1 and 2 using such classification.’)).
With respect to dependent claims:
Regarding Claim 2, Ha teaches The identification device according to claim 1, wherein the identifying further comprises:
receiving the time synchronization signal transmitted from the first communication device to the second communication device (para [0084]: An Announce message (interpreted as “a time synchronization signal”) is a message that periodically delivers the PTP attribute of each master to determine the GM, and the GM is determined using the BMCA based on the PTP attribute of the Announce message. BMCA organizes clocks into a hierarchical structure and ensures that the slave clock uses the most accurate clock available on the network.) (para [0107]: Referring to FIG. 14, acquiring a time synchronization protocol profile according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is performed through an Announce message. In the present disclosure, the time synchronization protocol profile … may use a setting method of the UE 100 using an Announce message through the DS-TT 102. … In (A), the DS-TT 102 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message and provides it to the UE 100,) (Examiner’s note: Fig. 14 discloses that a receiving entity (UE 100 or DS-TT 102) receives (acquires) the Announce message, which satisfies the step of “acquiring the time synchronization signal from the first communication device.”), and
identifying the profile used by the first communication device, on the basis of information included in the received time synchronization signal (para [0107]: Referring to FIG. 14, acquiring a time synchronization protocol profile (interpreted as “identifying a profile”) … is performed through an Announce message. In the present disclosure, the time synchronization protocol profile … may use a setting method of the UE 100 using an Announce message through the DS-TT 102.) (para [0012]: the PTP profile information may be transmitted through an Announce message (interpreted as “time synchronization signal”).) (para [0013]: …, wherein: the PTP profile information may include: at least one of a selection information for one-step or two-step, an information on a method to be used as a path delay mechanism and an information on a method to be used as a transport mechanism, an information on whether to use multicast or unicast, its address, and an information on the period of each PTP message.) (Examiner’s note: Paragraphs [0107], [0108], and Fig. 14 of Ha explicitly discloses that ‘In (A), the DS-TT 102 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message… and in (B), the UE 100 obtains the time synchronization protocol profile from the Announce message.’ This demonstrates that the identification device (UE 100 or DS-TT102) acquires (identifies) a profile from the received time synchronization signal (Announce message). Furthermore, as set forth in paragraph [0013] of Ha, the profile information includes a path delay mechanism, a transport mechanism, multicast/unicast usage, and its address. This disclosure is substantially identical to the claimed configuration of identifying a profile on the basis of information regarding the transmission/reception and the method of time synchronization include in the signal (see para [0042] of the Specification of the present application: ‘the six profiles described above can be classified on the basis of … (L2/L3), … a unicast address or a multicast address (Uni/Multi), … a communication rate … and the time synchronization method (E2E/P2P). The identification unit 12 identifies the profile used by the communication devices 1 and 2 using such classification.’)).
Regarding Claim 3, Ha teaches The identification device according to claim 1, wherein the identifying further comprises:
transmitting a first time synchronization signal to the first communication device (Fig. 10 and para [00084]: when the master (interpreted as “first communication device”) receives the DelayReq message (interpreted as “a first time synchronization signal”) from the slave.),
receiving a second time synchronization signal transmitted from the first communication device in response to the first time synchronization signal (para [00084]: An Announce message (interpreted as “a second time synchronization signal”) is a message that periodically delivers the PTP attribute of each master to determine the GM, and the GM is determined using the BMCA based on the PTP attribute (‘the delay’) of the Announce message.), and
identifying the profile used by the first communication device, on the basis of information included in the received second time synchronization signal (para [0107]: Referring to FIG. 14, acquiring a time synchronization protocol profile (interpreted as “identifying the profile”) … is performed through an Announce message.).
Regarding Claim 4, Ha teaches The identification device according to claim 1, wherein
the identifying further comprises identifying a profile used by the second communication device, on the basis of information regarding setting for performing the time synchronization in accordance with the single profile among the plurality of profiles, included in the time synchronization signal acquired from the second communication device (para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3,) (interpreted as “identifying a profile used by the second communication device, on the basis of information regarding setting for performing the time synchronization in accordance with the single profile among the plurality of profiles, included in the time synchronization signal acquired from the second communication device”).) (Examiner’s note: Paragraphs [0112], [0113], and [0114] of Ha explicitly disclose that the system acquires and identifies respective time synchronization protocol profiles associated with a plurality of master clocks (corresponding to the first and second communication devices), such as PtpPrf_1 of master clock MC1, PtpPrf_2 of master clock MC2, and PtpPrf_3 of master clock MC3, through connection and session establishment procedures.), and
the processor further configured to execute operations comprising:
determining whether a first identified profile to be used by the first communication device matches a second identified profile identified to be used by the second communication device (para [0112]: When the UE1 100 a establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_1 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC1, the QoS flow for the time synchronization protocol to the UE1 100 a is set based on the higher requirement among PtpPrf0 and PtpPrf_1.) (para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3, the QoS flow for the time synchronization protocol to the UE3 100 c is set based on the PtpPrf_3 which is the higher requirement among PtpPrf_2 and PtpPrf_3, and the QoS flows for the time synchronization protocol of the session to the UE1 100 a and the UE3 100 b that have been previously set will also be changed to the QoS flows that can satisfy the requirement of PtpPrf_3.).
Regarding Claim 5, Ha teaches The identification device according to claim 4, the processor further configured to execute operations comprising:
notifying outside of a determination result of the determining (para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3, the QoS flow for the time synchronization protocol to the UE3 100 c is set based on the PtpPrf_3 which is the higher requirement among PtpPrf_2 and PtpPrf_3 (interpreted as “a determination result”), and the QoS flows for the time synchronization protocol of the session to the UE1 100 a and the UE3 100 b (interpreted as “notifying outside”) that have been previously set will also be changed to the QoS flows that can satisfy the requirement of PtpPrf_3.).
Regarding Claim 6, Ha teaches The identification device according to claim 1, the processor further configured to execute operations comprising:
notifying outside of a profile identified by the identifying for at least one of the first communication device and the second communication device (para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3, the QoS flow for the time synchronization protocol to the UE3 100 c is set based on the PtpPrf_3 which is the higher requirement among PtpPrf_2 and PtpPrf_3 (interpreted as “a determination result”), and the QoS flows for the time synchronization protocol of the session to the UE1 100 a and the UE3 100 b (interpreted as “notifying outside”) that have been previously set will also be changed to the QoS flows that can satisfy the requirement of PtpPrf_3.).
Regarding Claim 7, Ha teaches The identification device according to claim 1, wherein
the identifying further comprises identifying the second communication device to perform setting in accordance with the profile identified to be used by the first communication device (para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3(interpreted as “first communication device”), the QoS flow for the time synchronization protocol to the UE3 100 c is set based on the PtpPrf_3 which is the higher requirement among PtpPrf_2 and PtpPrf_3, and the QoS flows for the time synchronization protocol of the session to the UE1 100 a and the UE3 100 b (the UE1 100 a and the UE3 100 b are interpreted as “the second communication device”) that have been previously set will also be changed to the QoS flows that can satisfy the requirement of PtpPrf_3 (interpreted as “setting in accordance with the profile identified to be used by the first communication device”).).
Regarding Claim 8, Ha teaches The identification device according to claim 4, wherein
the profile identified to be used by the first communication device as determined in the determining does not match the profile as identified by identifying to be used by the second communication device, the identifying further comprises instructing another communication device of the first communication device and the second communication device, to perform setting in accordance with the profile identified to be used by one communication device, of the first communication device and the second communication device (para [0114]: When the UE3 100 c establishes a session for the TSC with PtpPrf_3 corresponding to the time synchronization protocol profile of the master clock MC3 (interpreted as “first communication device”), the QoS flow for the time synchronization protocol to the UE3 100 c is set based on the PtpPrf_3 which is the higher requirement among PtpPrf_2 and PtpPrf_3 (interpreted as “not match the profile as identified by identifying to be used by the second communication device”), and the QoS flows for the time synchronization protocol of the session to the UE1 100 a and the UE3 100 b (the UE1 100 a and the UE3 100 b are interpreted as “the second communication device”) that have been previously set will also be changed to the QoS flows that can satisfy the requirement of PtpPrf_3 (interpreted as “instructing another communication device of the first communication device and the second communication device, to perform setting in accordance with the profile identified to be used by one communication device, of the first communication device and the second communication device”).).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220361120) discloses the extended time synchronization parameter with information of the Temporal validity condition, the Spatial validity condition, the Time synchronization accuracy, and the PTP Profile added to the conventional time synchronization parameter transmitted between the TSCTSF, the NEF and the AF, it is possible to provide and utilize various and detailed time synchronization services (see para[0047] of Kim).
IEEE Std 1588™-2019 discloses the standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems. (see pages 398-406, Annex I: Default PTP profiles)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WON JUN CHOI whose telephone number is (703)756-1695. The examiner can normally be reached MON-FRI 08:00 - 17:00.
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/WON JUN CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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