DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant’s Communication received 09/23/24 for application number 18/893,236. The Office hereby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, IDS, Claims, and Certified Copy of Foreign Priority Application.
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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN2023113372105, filed on October 13, 2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 03, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because to because of the following informalities:
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The Examiner suggests “A METHOD, A MEMORY SYSTEM, AND AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE ADJUSTING THERMAL SAMPLING FREQUENCY.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without insignificantly more.
Step 1: Claims 1-12 recite a method. Claims 13-24 recite a system. Claim 25 recites an electronic device. Therefore, claims 1-12 are directed to a process, claims 13-24 are directed to a machine, and claim 25 is directed to a manufacture.
With respect to claims 1, 13, 25:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Obtain an impact element for thermal sampling of a target device (mental process – evaluation or judgement),
Adjusting a sampling frequency of a thermal throttling module corresponding to the target device in accordance with the impact element for thermal sampling (mental process – evaluation or judgement).
2A Prong 2: this judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
(claim 1) a method for adjusting sampling frequency; (claim 13) a memory system, including a memory; and a memory controller, coupled to the memory; (claim 25) an electronic device(mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.05(f)),
(claim 25) a host coupled with the memory system to write data to the memory system or read data stored in the memory system (mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.05(f); insignificant extra-solution activity – see MPEP 2106.05(g)).
2B: the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
(claim 1) a method for adjusting sampling frequency; (claim 13) a memory system, including a memory; and a memory controller, coupled to the memory; (claim 25) an electronic device(mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.05(f)),
(claim 25) a host coupled with the memory system to write data to the memory system or read data stored in the memory system (mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.05(f); insignificant extra-solution activity – see MPEP 2106.05(g); WURC: storing and receiving information in memory – see MPEP 2106.05(d)(II)(iii)).
With respect to claims 2 and 14:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Determining a basic sampling frequency in accordance with the temperature of the target device (mental process – evaluation),
Determining an adjustment amount for sampling frequency in accordance with an impact factor in at least one dimension (mental process – evaluation),
Adjusting the sampling frequency of the thermal throttling module corresponding to the target device to a target sampling frequency in accordance with the basic sampling frequency and the adjustment amount for sampling frequency, wherein the target sampling frequency is equal to a sum of the basic sampling frequency and the adjustment amount for sampling frequency (mental process – evaluation, mathematical concept – mathematical equation).
2A Prong 2: This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
Wherein the impact element for thermal sampling includes a temperature of the target device and an impact factor in at least one
dimension (insignificant extra-solution activity, mere data gathering – see MPEP 2106.05(g)).
2B: the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
Wherein the impact element for thermal sampling includes a temperature of the target device (field of use and technological environment – see MPEP 2106.05(h)).
With respect to claim 3 and 15:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Determining the basic sampling frequency to be a first sampling frequency when the temperature of the target device is within a first temperature interval (mental process – judgement),
Determining the basic sampling frequency to be a second sampling frequency when the temperature of the target device is within a second temperature interval (mental process – judgement).
2A Prong 2: this judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
Wherein the temperature in the first temperature interval is lower than the temperature in the second temperature interval, and the first sampling frequency is lower than the second sampling frequency (mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.05(f)).
2B: The claims do not include additional element that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
Wherein the temperature in the first temperature interval is lower than the temperature in the second temperature interval, and the first sampling frequency is lower than the second sampling frequency (mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.05(f)).
With respect to claims 4 and 16:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Obtaining a first adjustment amount in each dimension in accordance with the impact factor in each dimension of the at least one dimension (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships),
Determining the adjustment amount for sampling frequency in accordance with the first adjustment amount for sampling frequency is equal to an accumulated value of a product of a first adjustment amount corresponding to each dimension of the at least one dimension and a corresponding weight coefficient (mathematical concept – mathematical calculations).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
With respect to claims 5 and 17:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Wherein an impact factor of the memory controller includes a rate of temperature change (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships)
An impact factor of the memory includes a rate of temperature change, a first position parameter, a second position parameter, a number of cycles of program/erase, a number of bad blocks, and a type of stored data (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships)
2A Prong 2: this judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
Wherein the target device includes a memory controller and a memory (mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.06(f); field of use and technological environment – see MPEP 2106.05(h)).
2B: the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
wherein the target device includes a memory controller and a memory (mere instructions to apply an exception – see MPEP 2106.05(f); field of use and technological environment – see MPEP 2106.05(h)).
With respect to claims 6 and 18:
2A Prong 1: the claims recite a judicial exception.
Wherein the first position parameter is to represent a relative distance between the memory controller and the second position parameter is to represent a relative distance between the memory and a high-temperature area in an electronic device (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
With respect to claims 7 and 19:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Increasing a first adjustment amount corresponding to the rate of temperature change when the rate of temperature change increases (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
With respect to claims 8 and 20:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Increasing a first adjustment amount corresponding to the first position parameter when the first position parameter decreases (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
With respect to claims 9 and 21:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Increasing a first adjustment amount corresponding to the second position parameter when the second position parameter decreases (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
With respect to claims 10 and 22:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Increasing a first adjustment amount corresponding to the number of cycles of program/erase when the number of cycles of program/erase increases (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
With respect to claims 11 and 23:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Increasing a first adjustment amount corresponding to the number of bad blocks when the number of bad blocks increases (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
With respect to claims 12 and 24:
2A Prong 1: the claim recites a judicial exception.
Increasing a first adjustment amount corresponding to the type of stored data when the type of stored data is hot data (mathematical concept – mathematical relationships).
2A Prong 2: the claim does not recite addition limitations, therefore the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-12 and 16-24 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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.
(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.
Claims 1 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by LEE et al. (US 10,276,228 B1), hereafter LEE.
Regarding claim 1, LEE teaches:
A method for adjusting sampling frequency, including obtaining an impact element for thermal sampling of a target device (LEE C7:L58-59 teach a method of sensing a temperature (i.e. component of an impact element) of a DRAM (i.e. target device) by a temperature sensor),
And adjusting a sampling frequency of a thermal throttling module corresponding to the target device in accordance with the impact element for thermal sampling (LEE C7:L14-15 teaches a control device (i.e. thermal throttling module) adjusting the sense frequency of the DRAM based on a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor).
Regarding claim 13, LEE teaches:
A memory system (Fig. 1 illustrates a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) 10),
A memory (Fig. 1 illustrates a memory 10),
A memory controller, coupled to the memory (Fig. 1 illustrates a control device 19).
The remainder of Claim 13 recites limitations similar to those of Claim 1, and is rejected accordingly.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2-3 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEE, in view of DURANT et al. (US 2005/0210896 A1), hereafter DURANT.
Regarding claim 2, LEE teaches the elements of claim 1 as outlined above. LEE further teaches:
Wherein the impact element for thermal sampling includes a temperature of the target device and an impact factor in at least one dimension (LEE C7:L58-59 teach a temperature (i.e. component of impact element) of a DRAM (i.e. target device) sensed by a temperature sensor; LEE C9:L3-6 teaches the adjustment of sense frequency based on a refresh rate (i.e. impact factor) of the memory array for a self-refresh operation),
Determining an adjustment amount for sampling frequency in accordance with an impact factor in at least one dimension (LEE C10:L63-66 teaches the control device being configured to adjust a sense frequency based on both the temperature and a refresh rate of the memory array for a self-refresh operation),
Adjusting the sampling frequency of the thermal throttling module corresponding to the target device to a target sampling frequency in accordance with the basic sampling frequency and the adjustment amount for sampling frequency, wherein the target sampling frequency is equal to a sum of the basic sampling frequency and the adjustment amount for sampling frequency (LEE C10:L35-38 teaches the sense frequency is adjusted based on the temperature in a coarse-tune manner. Next, the sense frequency is adjusted based on the refresh rate in a fine-tune manner. The overall sense frequency is adjusted based on temperature at the first stage combined with refresh rate as the second stage).
However, LEE does not explicitly teach “determining a basic sampling frequency in accordance with the temperature of the target device.”
In analogous art of thermal management, DURANT teaches determining a device frequency in accordance with the temperature of the target device (DURANT [0044] teaches for each value of ambient temperature, the speed corresponding to each temperature setpoint, including the adjusted setpoints, may be determined and the measured speed-temperature control plotted.)
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art having the teachings of LEE and DURANT before him before the effective filing date of the invention, to incorporate DURANT’s thermal management method of determining a component’s operating speed based on temperature, with LEE’s method of adjusting temperature sensing frequency based on temperature in order to achieve stable control with little to no fluctuation (DURANT [0004]).
Regarding claim 3, LEE and DURANT teach the elements of claim 2 as outlined above.
DURANT further teaches:
Determining the basic sampling frequency to be a first sampling frequency when the temperature of the target device is within a first temperature interval and determining the basic sampling frequency to be a second sampling frequency when the temperature of the target device is within a second temperature interval (DURANT [0037] teaches a look-up table containing a plurality of speeds, each having a temperature setpoint (i.e. temperature interval) associated therewith; [0044] teaches for each value (i.e. first/second temperature intervals) of ambient temperature, the speed (i.e. first/second sampling frequency) corresponding to each temperature setpoint may be determined and may be stored to a look-up table).
Wherein the temperature in the first temperature interval is lower than the temperature in the second temperature interval, and the first sampling frequency is lower than the second sampling frequency (DURANT [0040] teaches an ideal speed-temperature control response by plotting a straight-line approximation between a first endpoint (i.e. first temperature interval) defined by the minimum ambient temperature and the minimum speed (i.e. first sampling frequency) and second endpoint (i.e. second temperature interval) defined by the maximum ambient temperature and the maximum fan speed (i.e. second sampling frequency). The coordinates may be, for example, (25°C., 3300 RPM) and (45°C., 5700 RPM), i.e. the first temperature lower than the second temperature, and the first frequency being lower than the second frequency.
Regarding claim 14, Lee discloses the memory system of Claim 13. Claim 14 recites limitations similar to those of Claim 2, and is rejected accordingly.
Regarding claim 15, Lee and Durant disclose the memory system of Claim 14. Claim 15 recites limitations similar to those of Claim 3, and is rejected accordingly.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NOWELL et al. (US 2020/0073451 A1), hereafter NOWELL, in view of LEE.
Regarding claim 25, NOWELL teaches:
An electronic device (Fig. 1 illustrates a computing environment 100),
A memory system, including a memory; and a memory controller, coupled to the memory (Fig. 1 illustrates a memory system 110, memory device 112A-112N, and controller 115),
A host coupled with the memory system to write data to the memory system or read data stored in the memory system (NOWELL [0020] teaches a host system 120 that can include or be coupled to the memory system 110 so that the host system can read data from or write data to the memory system).
However, NOWELL does not explicitly teach “obtain an impact element for thermal sampling a target device; and adjust a sampling frequency of a thermal throttling module corresponding to the target device in accordance with the impact element for thermal sampling.”
In the analogous art of temperature-sensing operation of a device, LEE teaches obtaining an impact element for thermal sampling a target device; and adjusting a sampling frequency of a thermal throttling module corresponding to the target device in accordance with the impact element for thermal sampling (LEE Fig.1 illustrates a memory 10 and a control device 19; C7:L58-59 teaches sensing temperature of DRAM (i.e. target device) by a temperature sensor; C7:L60-61 teaches a control device adjusting the sense frequency based on the temperature (i.e. impact element) of the DRAM by a temperature sensor).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art having the teachings of NOWELL and LEE before him before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to incorporate LEE’s memory system and method thermal management by adjusting thermal sampling frequency into NOWELL’s thermal compensation method on memory systems in electronic devices in order to reduce risk of data loss and increase power efficiency in a memory device ( LEE C3:L17-43).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Egerer, (US 2007/0274147 A1) teaches an integrated memory and method of operating where the measuring frequency of a temperature measuring element can be varied based on temporal developments of the measured values.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Laurenz Advincula whose telephone number is (571)272-9211. The examiner can normally be reached T-F 8:30AM – 5:30PM ET.
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/LAURENZ ADVINCULA/Examiner, Art Unit 2175
/Paul Yen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2175