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 statement (IDS) submitted is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-20 are 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
- Regarding to claim 1, the term “obtaining an upper limit metric value according to the metric values of the plurality of end stations and a preset group number N”, the claim does not set out how the upper limit metric value depends on the metric value and N, or what operation relates time or how is calculated or derived from the set of metric value and N. Therefore, it is not clear to determine the scope of this step because the same input could yield many different values. Clarification is required. Same rejection for claims 11-13.
- Regarding to claim 1, the term “grouping the plurality of end stations according to a preset grouping principle and the upper limit metric value to obtain N end station groups”. The term “preset grouping principle does not say what the principle is. The claim also does not say how the upper limit metric value is used in the grouping and the boundaries of this step cannot be determine. The term “to obtain N end station groups” is unclear whether every end station much be placed in a group, whether each group must contain at least one end station, and whether the N groups must be satisfying the upper limit metric value. Same rejection for claims 11-13.
- Regarding to claim 1, the term “metric value” is used without any stated quantity or relationship to the control information parameter. Same rejection for claims 11-13.
- Regarding to claim 1, the term “preset” in (preset group number N and preset grouping principle) does not discloses by whom or when the value is set, it does not clear the value is fixed, configured or predetermined. Same rejection for claims 11-13.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
. Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular paragraphs or columns and line numbers in the references 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, 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 passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUC H TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3172. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 Flex.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy K. Kundu can be reached at 571-272-8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUC H TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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