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 .
Claims 1-11 are pending for examination in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/22/2024 and 11/25/2025
is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
The applicant is claiming foreign priority based on foreign applications JP2022-
099492 filed on 06/21/2022. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being
anticipated by Thrybom et al. (Pub. No.: US 2015/0222520 A1), hereinafter “Thrybom”.
As to claim 1, Thrybom discloses a control system comprising:
a first controller including an interface for connection to a first transmission path
(Thrybom, [0034], The substation network 1 comprises a number of electronic devices 2 (hereinafter represented by a first electronic device 2a and a second electronic device 2b) and a number of relay devices 3 interconnecting the electronic devices 2a, 2b.).;
a second controller including an interface for connection to a second transmission path
(Thrybom, [0034], a first electronic device 2a and a second electronic device 2b) and a number of relay devices 3 interconnecting the electronic devices 2a, 2b. [0039], The electronic device comprises a processing unit 5, a transmitter 6, and a receiver 7, collectively enabling the electronic device to perform the herein disclosed subject matter associated with the first electronic device 2a and/or the second electronic device 2b.).;
and a relay unit including a first interface for connection to the first transmission
path, and a second interface for connection to the second transmission path (Thrybom, [0034], and a number of relay devices 3 interconnecting the electronic devices 2a, 2b. [0040], The relay device 3 comprises a processing unit 8, a transmitter 9, and a receiver 10 collectively enabling the relay device 3 to perform the herein disclosed subject matter associated with the relay device 3.).,
wherein the relay unit includes a detection unit configured to detect a communication state of the first transmission path (Thrybom, [0058], the transmitter of the relay device 3 is arranged to, in a step S22, transmit a first packet delay request to the first electronic device 2a. The first packet delay request relates to a first link latency between transmission of the message by the first electronic device 2a and reception of the message by the relay device 3. [0060], The relay device 3 is thereby able to determine the peer-delay associated X with the transmission link between the first electronic device 2a and the relay device 3.).
the relay unit is configured to, in accordance with a transfer setting, transmit, to the second controller, output data transmitted from the first controller (Thrybom, [0011], addressing the message to at least one second electronic device; and transmitting the message to a relay device. [0053], In general, the relay device 3 is arranged to forward received messages, such as sync messages.).
and transmit, to the second controller, first state data indicating the detected communication state of the first transmission path, (Thrybom, [0053], the processing unit of the relay device 3 is in a step S18 arranged to include the thus determined residence time duration and the first link latency in the message. [0055], In a step S20 the message including the residence time duration and the first lnk latency is transmitted to the second electronic device 2b.).
and the first state data indicating the communication state of the first transmission path includes time data indicating a time of detection of the communication state (Thrybom, [0022], the message is addressed to at least one second electronic device and includes at least one data value as payload, the at least one data value having been included by the first electronic device, the message further comprising a time stamp).
As to claim 2, Thrybom discloses a control system according to claim 1, wherein the
time of detection of the communication state is based on an output of a timer configured to manage times (Thrybom, [0044], The standard IEEE1588v2 is also known as the Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems (or the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) for short) and is an industry-standard protocol that enables the precise transfer of frequency and time to synchronize clocks over packet-based Ethernet networks. [0045], By means of the PTP a local slave clock in each network device can be synchronized with a system grandmaster clock.).
As to claim 10, Thrybom discloses a relay device connected to a first controller via a
first transmission path and connected to a second controller via a second transmission path, the relay device comprising: a first interface for connection to the first transmission path;
a second interface for connection to the second transmission path (Thrybom, [0022], there is provided a relay device for latency determination in a substation network. The relay device comprises a receiver arranged to receive a message of a precision time protocol from a first electronic device, wherein the message is addressed to at least one second electronic device and includes at least one data value as payload, the at least one data value having been included by the first electronic device, the message further comprising a time stamp; a processing unit arranged to determine a residence time duration relating to a time duration between reception of the message from the first electronic device to transmission of the message to the second electronic device; the processing unit further being arranged to in the message include the residence time duration and a first link latency defined by a time duration between transmission of the message by the first electronic device and reception of the message by the relay device; and a transmitter arranged to transmit the message to the second electronic device.).;
a detection unit configured to detect a communication state of the first transmission path (Thrybom, [0058], the transmitter of the relay device 3 is arranged to, in a step S22, transmit a first packet delay request to the first electronic device 2a. The first packet delay request relates to a first link latency between transmission of the message by the first electronic device 2a and reception of the message by the relay device 3.).;
and a processing circuit configured to, in accordance with a transfer setting, transmit, to the second controller output data transmitted from the first controller, and transmit, to the second controller, first state data indicating the detected communication state of the first transmission path, wherein the first state data includes time data indicating a time of detection of the communication state (Thrybom, [0040], he relay device 3 comprises a processing unit 8, a transmitter 9, and a receiver 10 collectively enabling the relay device 3 to perform the herein disclosed subject matter associated with the relay device 3. The relay device 3 may be part of an IEEE 1588 transparent clock device 14, which in turn may be part of an Ethernet switch. Transparent clocks (also termed enhanced Ethernet switches) are arranged to measure and adjust for packet delay. The transparent clock device 14 is arranged to measure the time taken for a PTP event message to transit the device and provides this information to clocks receiving this PTP event message.).
As to claim 11, Thrybom discloses a communication method performed by a control
system including a first controller including an interface for connection to a first transmission path and a second controller including an interface for connection to a second transmission path, the communication method comprising (Thrybom, [0034], a first electronic device 2a and a second electronic device 2b) and a number of relay devices 3 interconnecting the electronic devices 2a, 2b. [0039], The electronic device comprises a processing unit 5, a transmitter 6, and a receiver 7, collectively enabling the electronic device to perform the herein disclosed subject matter associated with the first electronic device 2a and/or the second electronic device 2b.):
detecting a communication state of the first transmission path; transmitting, to the
second controller in accordance with a transfer setting, output data transmitted from the first controller (Thrybom, [0012], The method comprises receiving a message of a precision time protocol from a first electronic device, wherein the message is addressed to at least one second electronic device and includes at least one data value as payload, the at least one data value having been included by the first electronic device, the message optionally further comprising a time stamp; determining a residence time duration relating to a time duration between reception of the message from the first electronic device to transmission of the message to the second electronic device; including (S18) in the message the residence time duration and a first link latency defined by a time duration between transmission of the message by the first electronic device and reception of the message by the relay device; and transmitting the message to the second electronic device or a further relay device.);
and transmitting, to the second controller, first state data indicating the communication
state of the first transmission path, wherein the first state data includes time data indicating a time of detection of the communication state (Thrybom, [0022], the message is addressed to at least one second electronic device and includes at least one data value as payload, the at least one data value having been included by the first electronic device, the message further comprising a time stamp).
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.
Claims 3-5 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Thrybom in view of kitayama et al. (Pub. No.: US 20120224492 A1), hereinafter “kitayama”.
As to claim 3, Thrybom disclose the invention as applied above. Thrybom however is
silent to discloses explicitly, the time of detection of the communication state is based on an output of a timer configured to manage times.
Kitayama discloses the similar concept in same field of endeavor including, the time of detection of the communication state is based on an output of a timer configured to manage times (Kitayama, [0010], In the boundary clock method, when the time slave node directly connected to the time master node completes synchronization with its own time with the time of the time master node according to the time synchronization sequence described above, this time slave node next becomes a sub time master node, and synchronizes its own time with the time of a time slave node just below the former sub time master node according to the above-mentioned time synchronization sequence. [0082], it is assumed that the time-synchronization control unit 21 according to the present embodiment also functions as the time-synchronization control unit 26.).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have
been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to incorporate the teachings of “Kitayama” in to those of Thrybom to improve synchronization accuracy by accounting for round trip transmission delays, increase the reliability of timing information, enables consistent synchronization across multi hop communication networks.
As to claim 4, Thrybom and Kitayama discloses control system according to claim
3, wherein the relay unit is configured to acquire, in accordance with a time setting, the time of detection of the communication state based on an output of one of the first timer and the second timer (Thrybom, [0050], At least one of the messages may thus further comprises a time stamp; either the time stamp is transmitted implicitly as in the case of piggybacking (FIG. 8), or explicitly as in the case of a separate sync message (FIG. 9).).
As to claim 5, Thrybom disclose the invention as applied above. Thrybom however is
silent to discloses explicitly, the relay unit is configured to acquire, in accordance with a time setting, a first time based on an output of the first timer and a second time based on an output of the second timer as the time of detection of the communication state.
Kitayama discloses the similar concept in same field of endeavor including the relay unit is configured to acquire, in accordance with a time setting, a first time based on an output of the first timer and a second time based on an output of the second timer as the time of detection of the communication state. (Kitayama, [0041], In the time slave node 2-1, the time-synchronization control unit 21 acquires and holds a time stamp T2 indicating a time (its own time) of reception of the Sync frame received via the RX 22 (Step S13). [0086], In the time slave node 2-4, the time-synchronization control unit 21 acquires and holds the time stamp T2 indicating the time of reception of the Sync frame received via the RX 24 (Step S13a). [0040], The relay device 3 comprises a processing unit 8, a transmitter 9, and a receiver 10 collectively enabling the relay device 3 to perform the herein disclosed subject matter associated with the relay device 3. The relay device 3 may be part of an IEEE 1588 transparent clock device 14, which in turn may be part of an Ethernet switch. Transparent clocks (also termed enhanced Ethernet switches) are arranged to measure and adjust for packet delay. The transparent clock device 14 is arranged to measure the time taken for a PTP event message to transit the device and provides this information to clocks receiving this PTP event message. The transparent clock device 14 may be a so-called peer-to-peer transparent clock device 14.).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have
been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to incorporate the teachings of “Kitayama” in to those of Thrybom to improve synchronization accuracy by accounting for round trip transmission delays, increase the reliability of timing information, enables consistent synchronization across multi hop communication networks.
As to claim 8, Thrybom discloses the detection unit is further configured to detect a
communication state of the second transmission path, the relay unit is further configured to in accordance with the transfer setting (Thrybom, [0061], A second packet delay request may relate to the link latency between the relay device 3 and the second electronic device 2b. Thus, the transmitter of the second electronic device 2b is arranged to, in a step S36, transmit a second packet delay request to the relay device 3. The second packet delay request relates to a second link latency between transmission of the message by the relay device 3 and reception of the message by the second electronic device 2b. The second packet delay request may be an IEEE 1588 Pdelay_Req message. The second packet delay request is in a step S26 received by the receiver of the relay device 3. As a response thereto, the transmitter of the relay device 3 is arranged to, in a step S28, transmit a second packet delay response to the second electronic device 2b. In a step S38 the second packet delay response is received by the receiver of the second electronic device 2b which thereby is able to determine the peer-delay X' associated with the transmission link between the relay device 3 and the second electronic device 2b.).
Thrybom however is silent to disclose explicitly, transmit to the first controller output data transmitted from the second controller, and transmit, to the first controller, second state data indicating the detected communication state of the second transmission path, and the second state data indicating the communication state of the second transmission path includes time data indicating the time of detection of the communication state.
Kitayama discloses the similar concept in same field of endeavor including, transmit to the first controller output data transmitted from the second controller, and transmit, to the first controller, second state data indicating the detected communication state of the second transmission path, and the second state data indicating the communication state of the second transmission path includes time data indicating the time of detection of the communication state (Kitayama, [0017], an intermediate node that is a communication apparatus among the communication apparatuses other than the starting point node and the terminal point node relays a received time synchronization frame when receiving a time synchronization frame transmitted in an outward-route direction and a return-route direction. [0059], The outward route 31 indicates the flow of the time synchronization frames (Sync frame, Follow_up frame and Delay_res frame), and the return route 32 indicates the flow of the time synchronization frame (Delay_req frame).).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have
been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to incorporate the teachings of “Kitayama” in to those of Thrybom to improve synchronization accuracy by accounting for round trip transmission delays, increase the reliability of timing information, enables consistent synchronization across multi hop communication networks.
As to claim 9, Thrybom disclose the invention as applied above. Thrybom however is
silent to discloses explicitly, the control system wherein the relay unit is configured to communicate with a communication master connected to the first transmission path via the first transmission path, and communicate with the second controller serving as a communication master via the second transmission path.
Kitayama discloses the similar concept in same field of endeavor including, the control system wherein the relay unit is configured to communicate with a communication master connected to the first transmission path via the first transmission path, and communicate with the second controller serving as a communication master via the second transmission path (Kitayama, [0004], IEEE 1588 is a protocol standard designed for precision time synchronization based on Ethernet (registered trademark). IEEE 1588 is based on 1:1 time exchange between a time master node and a time slave node each having a precise clock. [0033], The time master node (time master) 1 is a time master node for time synchronization.).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have
been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to incorporate the teachings of “Kitayama” in to those of Thrybom to improve synchronization accuracy by accounting for round trip transmission delays, increase the reliability of timing information, enables consistent synchronization across multi hop communication networks.
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Thrybom-Kitayama, and further in view of De Wever et al. (Pub. No.: US 20190095084 A1), hereinafter "De".
As to claim 6, The combined system of Thrybom and Kitayama discloses the
invention substantially including, control system according to claim 5, wherein the time data included in the first state data includes first time data based on the first time and second time data based on the second time (Kitayama, [0041], In the time slave node 2-1, the time-synchronization control unit 21 acquires and holds a time stamp T2 indicating a time (its own time) of reception of the Sync frame received via the RX 22 (Step S13). [0086], In the time slave node 2-4, the time-synchronization control unit 21 acquires and holds the time stamp T2 indicating the time of reception of the Sync frame received via the RX 24 (Step S13a).).
Thrybom and Kitayama are silent to disclose explicitly, control system is configured to provide a user interface configured to output the first state data, and the user interface is configured to accept a user's operation to select one or both of the first-time data and the second time data, as time data included in the first state data to be output.
De however discloses a similar concept in the same field of endeavor including, control system is configured to provide a user interface configured to output the first state data, and the user interface is configured to accept a user's operation to select one or both of the first-time data and the second time data, as time data included in the first state data to be output (De, Claim.1, [101], In step 109, a first time stamp selection is received. Initially, this time stamp selection may be a default time stamp, such as the current date/time. Alternatively, the earliest time stamp in the input data may be automatically selected. In another example, the user may be prompted via the touch-screen display 51 to provide a time stamp selection. In response to the time stamp selection, the data analysis module 39 determines which characteristic values are associated with the first-time stamp.).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have
been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to incorporate the teachings of “De” in to those of Thrybom and Kitayama to generate user interface elements in order to make efficient use of display and processing resources.
As to claim 7, The combined system of Thrybom and Kitayama discloses the
invention as applied above. Thrybom and Kitayama however are silent to discloses explicitly, control system according to wherein the control system is configured to provide a user interface for setting the time setting in the control system, in response to a user's operation.
De however discloses a similar concept in the same field of endeavor including, control system according to wherein the control system is configured to provide a user interface for setting the time setting in the control system, in response to a user's operation (De, Claim.5, [0106], In addition, there is a slider 129 with a selector 131 indicating the time stamp that has been selected. The slider 129 is used here as an example as a means for adjusting the time stamp. For instance, the user may be presented with a filed into which the time stamp may be input via a keyboard.).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have
been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to incorporate the teachings of “De” in to those of Thrybom and Kitayama to generate user interface elements in order to make efficient use of display and processing resources.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure.
Gunawardana et. al. (US 20130006915 A1) is one of the persistent art discloses a method of generating a decision graph from event stream data, wherein the event stream data includes a plurality of events, and each event includes an associated time stamp, includes generating decision nodes for the graph, wherein the decision nodes each comprise a question having a temporal element. The method includes generating leaf nodes for the graph, wherein the leaf nodes each comprise a rate parameter, and iteratively splitting and merging nodes in the graph in order to maximize a measure of purity of outcomes in resulting nodes.
Kotrla et. al. (US 20110090802 A1) is one of persistent art disclose a method may include forming a first path from a first node to a second node and transmitting data via the first path. The method also includes measuring a performance parameter associated with transmitting data via the first path and determining whether the measured performance parameter meet a required performance parameter. The method also includes sending a notification to a customer associated with the first path when the measured performance parameter does not meet the required performance parameter, where the notification indicates that the first path is unavailable.
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/M.W./Examiner, Art Unit 2458
/UMAR CHEEMA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2458
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