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
1. This action is in response to the application filed on 19 February 2026.
Claims 1-25 are presently pending for examination.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-25 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant employs broad language, which includes the use of word, and phrases, which have broad meanings in the art. In addition, Applicant has not argued any narrower interpretation of the claim language, nor amended the claims significantly enough to construe a narrower meaning to the limitations. As the claims breadth allows multiple interpretations and meanings, which are broader than Applicant’s disclosure, the Examiner is forced to interpret the claim limitations as broadly as reasonably possible, in determining patentability of the disclosed invention. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir.1993).
Failure for Applicant to significantly narrow definition/scope of the claims and supply arguments commensurate in scope with the claims implies the Applicant intends broad interpretation be given to the claims. The Examiner has interpreted the claims with scope parallel to the Applicant in the response, and reiterates the need for the Applicant to more clearly and distinctly defines the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
Claim(s) 1-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sitton et al., U. S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0119022 in view of Lee et al., U. S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0056058 and further in view of Sanchez Melendez et al., U. S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0020599.
Regarding claim 1, Sitton discloses a system, comprising: a first device (see Sitton, ¶ [0028]; Ethernet Device is disclosed); a second device (see Sitton, fig. 1 item 150; external device is disclosed); and a fabric connected to the first device and the second device, the fabric including a fabric component, the fabric component including a transformation function (see Sitton, fig. 5 item 535a-535d; ¶ [0006], [0103] and [0107]; data transformation engine is provided); wherein the fabric component is configured to receive a first packet originating from the first device, the first packet including a first data, to execute the transformation function on the first data to generate a second data (see Sitton, ¶ [0116]; data transformation is performed on the received data), and the second packet including the second data, wherein the second packet is different from the first packet (see Sitton, fig. 2 item 212, ¶ [0032] and [0079]; transformed packet data is generated).
Although Sitton discloses the invention substantially as claimed, it does not explicitly disclose to send a second packet toward the second device.
Lee teaches intelligent controller and sensor network bus that teaches to send a second packet toward the second device (see Lee, ¶ [0103]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Lee with that of Sitton in order to the efficiently forward the converted packet data to its intended destination.
Although the combination of Sitton-Lee discloses the invention substantially as claimed, it does not explicitly disclose wherein the first data in the first packet is processed within the fabric to generate the second data to include in the second packet.
Sanchez teaches wherein the first data in the first packet is processed within the fabric to generate the second data to include in the second packet (see Sanchez, ¶ [0013], [0016] and [0021]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teaching so Sanchez with that of Sitton-Lee in order to efficiently perform some of the processing while the packet is still traversing in the fabric component.
Regarding claim 2, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric further includes a second fabric component (see Sitton, ¶ [0075]).
Regarding claim 3, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein: the second fabric component includes a second transformation function; and the second fabric component is configured to receive the second packet from the fabric component, to execute the second transformation function on the second data to generate a third data, and to send a third packet toward the second device, the third packet including the third data, wherein the third packet is different from the first packet, and the second packet (see Sitton, ¶ [0117] and Lee, ¶ [0103]). Same motivation utilized in claim 1 applies equally to claim 3 as well.
Regarding claim 4, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric component includes a context to manage execution of the transformation function, the context including a third data used to execute the transformation function (see Sitton, ¶ [0112] and Sanchez, ¶ [0016]).
Regarding claim 5, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the first device or the second device is configured to request the fabric component to execute the transformation function on the first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0028] and [0074]).
Regarding claim 6, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein: the first device or the second device is configured to request execution of the transformation function on the first data; and the fabric component is configured to select itself to execute the transformation function on the first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0075] and [0102]).
Regarding claim 7, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the first packet includes an identifier of the transformation function (see Sitton, ¶ [0114]).
Regarding claim 8, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric component is configured to keep a connection to the second device active while executing the transformation function on the first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0103]).
Regarding claim 9, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein: the first packet further includes a first metadata associated with the first data; the second packet further includes a second metadata associated with the second data; and the second metadata is different from the first metadata (see Sitton, ¶ [0120]).
Regarding claim 10, Sitton a method, comprising: receiving, at a fabric component of a fabric connected to a first device and a second device, a first packet originating from the first device, the first packet including a first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0028]; first packet is received); executing, at the fabric component, a transformation function on the first data to produce a second data (see Sitton, fig. 5 item 535a-535d; ¶ [0006], [0103] and [0107]; data transformation engine is provided); generating, at the fabric component, a second packet, the second packet including the second data, the second packet different from the first packet (see Sitton, fig. 2 item 212, ¶ [0032] and [0079]; transformed packet data is generated).
Although Sitton discloses the invention substantially as claimed, it does not explicitly disclose and sending the second packet toward the second device.
Lee teaches and sending the second packet toward the second device (see Lee, ¶ [0103]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Lee with that of Sitton in order to the efficiently forward the converted packet data to its intended destination.
Although the combination of Sitton-Lee discloses the invention substantially as claimed, it does not explicitly disclose wherein the first data in the first packet is processed within the fabric to generate the second data to include in the second packet.
Sanchez teaches wherein the first data in the first packet is processed within the fabric to generate the second data to include in the second packet (see Sanchez, ¶ [0013], [0016] and [0021]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teaching so Sanchez with that of Sitton-Lee in order to efficiently perform some of the processing while the packet is still traversing in the fabric component.
Regarding claim 11, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein: the method further comprises receiving, at the fabric component, a third packet originating from the first device, the third packet including a third data; and executing, at the fabric component, the transformation function on the first data to produce the second data includes: executing, at the fabric component, the transformation function on the first data to produce an interim data; and executing, at the fabric component, the transformation function on the interim data and the third data to produce the second data (see Sitton, ¶ [0075] and [0110]).
Regarding claim 12, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric further includes a second fabric component (see Sitton, ¶ [0075]).
Regarding claim 13, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein sending the second packet toward the second device includes: receiving, at the second fabric component, the second packet sent from the fabric component; executing, at the second fabric component, a second transformation function on the second data to produce a third data; generating, at the second fabric component, a third packet, the third packet including the third data, the third packet different from the first packet and the second packet; and sending the third packet toward the second device (see Sitton, ¶ [0117] and Lee, ¶ [0103]). Same motivation utilized in claim 10 applies equally to claim 11 as well.
Regarding claim 14, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches further comprising allocating, at the fabric component, a context to manage execution of the transformation function, the context including a third data used to execute the transformation function (see Sitton, ¶ [0112]).
Regarding claim 15, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches further comprising receiving, at the fabric component, a request from the second device for the fabric component to execute the transformation function on the first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0028] and [0074] and Sanchez, ¶ [0016]).
Regarding claim 16, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein executing, at the fabric component, the transformation function on the first data to produce a second data includes selecting the fabric component, by the fabric component, to execute the transformation function on the first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0075] and [0102]).
Regarding claim 17, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches further comprising keeping, by the fabric component, a connection to the second device active while executing the transformation function on the first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0103]).
Regarding claim 18, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein: the first packet further includes a first metadata associated with the first data; and generating, at the fabric component, the second packet, includes generating, at the fabric component, the second packet, the second packet including the second data and a second metadata associated with the second data, the second metadata different from the first metadata (see Sitton, ¶ [0120]).
Regarding claim 19, Sitton discloses a system, comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, result in: receiving, at a fabric component of a fabric connected to a first device and a second device, a first packet originating from the first device, the first packet including a first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0028]; first packet is received); executing, at the fabric component, a transformation function on the first data to produce a second data (see Sitton, fig. 5 item 535a-535d; ¶ [0006], [0103] and [0107]; data transformation engine is provided); generating, at the fabric component, a second packet, the second packet including the second data, the second packet different from the first packet (see Sitton, fig. 2 item 212, ¶ [0032] and [0079]; transformed packet data is generated).
Although Sitton discloses the invention substantially as claimed, it does not explicitly disclose and sending the second packet toward the second device.
Lee teaches and sending the second packet toward the second device (see Lee, ¶ [0103]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Lee with that of Sitton in order to the efficiently forward the converted packet data to its intended destination.
Although the combination of Sitton-Lee discloses the invention substantially as claimed, it does not explicitly disclose wherein the first data in the first packet is processed within the fabric to generate the second data to include in the second packet.
Sanchez teaches wherein the first data in the first packet is processed within the fabric to generate the second data to include in the second packet (see Sanchez, ¶ [0013], [0016] and [0021]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teaching so Sanchez with that of Sitton-Lee in order to efficiently perform some of the processing while the packet is still traversing in the fabric component.
Regarding claim 20, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein: the non-transitory storage medium has stored thereon further instructions that, when executed by the machine, result in receiving, at the fabric component, a third packet originating from the first device, the third packet including a third data; and executing, at the fabric component, the transformation function on the first data to produce the second data includes: executing, at the fabric component, the transformation function on the first data to produce an interim data; and executing, at the fabric component, the transformation function on the interim data and the third data to produce the second data (see Sitton, ¶ [0075] and [0110]).
Regarding claim 21, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric component includes a root complex or a switch (see Sitton, ¶ [0093] and Lee, ¶ [0093]).
Regarding claim 22, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric component is configured to send a Data Link Layer Packet (DLLP) to the second device to keep the connection to the second device active while executing the transformation function on the first data (see Sitton, ¶ [0026] and Sanchez, ¶ [0049]).
Regarding claim 23, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric component includes a root complex or a switch (see Sitton, ¶ [0093] and Lee, ¶ [0093]).
Regarding claim 24, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein keeping, by the fabric component, a connection to the second device active while executing the transformation function on the first data includes sending, by the fabric component, a Data Link Layer Packet (DLLP) to the second device (see Sitton, ¶ [0026] and Sanchez, ¶ [0049]).
Regarding claim 25, Sitton-Lee-Sanchez teaches wherein the fabric component includes a root complex or a switch (see Sitton, ¶ [0093] and Lee, ¶ [0093]).
Prior Art of Record
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Please refer to form PTO-892 (Notice of Reference Cited) for a list of relevant prior art.
Conclusion
5. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 MOHAMED IBRAHIM whose telephone number is (571)270-1132. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9:30AM to 6:00PM.
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/MOHAMED IBRAHIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2444
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