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 .
General Remarks
1/ claims 1-20 are pending
2/ Claims 1, 19, ad 20 are independent
2/ IDS filed 02/07/2025 has been considered
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.
Claims 1, 19, and 20 recites “an analyzer that analyzes a payload of the frame to identify a second address that is the destination address of the second communication device as the transmission destination for the frame…”. The above limitations recites determining address information of a frame by analyzing the payload of the frame. It is known in the art that Address information is included in headers. The disclosure does not explain how a payload of a frame is used to determine destination address of the frame when an address information of a received frame is not in a correspondence table which associates different types of addresses. The disclosure generically mentions analyzing a payload of the frame to identify a address, but it is silent as to how a payload is analyzed to determine address of the a frame, hence making determining the limits and bounds of the limitation indeterminate and rendering the claims indefinite.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-8, 11-14, and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kaku (US pg. 20200314031), further in view of Liu (CN-115685971-A).
Regarding Claim 1, Kaku discloses a relay device (fig. 1 switch 10) that relays a frame transmitted and received through connection-oriented communication between a first communication device (fig. 1 tool 20) and each of one or more second communication devices (fig. 1 ECUs 31-34), the frame including in a header portion ([0178] The switch 10 in the embodiments described above may correspond to a relay apparatus (relay device) in the present disclosure. The tool 20 (first communication device) and the ECUs 31 to 34 (second communication devices) in the embodiments described above may correspond to a communication device in the present disclosure; [0220] discloses the TCP connection with both of the tool 1020 and the ECU 1031 is established, in other words, in a state where the connection tunnel can be performed; [0067] When the tool 20 transmits the frame to the ECU 31, the tool 20 and the switch 10 perform a procedure for exchanging the frame between the tool 20 and the switch 10 in S110. Fig. 2 discloses the frame comprising header portions):
a destination address that designates the relay device in a connection protocol for performing the connection-oriented communication ([0070] the tool 20 transmits to the switch 10, a frame in which a logical address of the upper header is different from a destination address used in the TCP.
[0071] Specifically, the destination address in the TCP indicates the switch 10, and the logical address indicates the ECU 31 or the like. Therefore, the switch 10 is required to rewrite the destination address in the TCP from the switch 10 to the ECU 31 or the like when relaying the frame); and
an upper-layer address that designates a second communication device as a transmission destination in an upper-layer protocol higher than the connection protocol ([0070] the tool 20 transmits to the switch 10, a frame in which a logical address of the upper header (upper-layer address ) is different from a destination address used in the TCP.[0071] Specifically, the destination address in the TCP indicates the switch 10, and the logical address (upper layer address) indicates the ECU 31 (second communication device) or the like. Therefore, the switch 10 is required to rewrite the destination address in the TCP from the switch 10 to the ECU 31 or the like when relaying the frame), the relay device comprising:
a communicator that receives the frame from the first communication device ([0070] the tool 20 transmits to the switch 10, a frame in which a logical address of the upper header is different from a destination address used in the TCP. [0071] Specifically, the destination address in the TCP indicates the switch 10. The component receiving corresponds to communicator);
a controller that determines whether a first address is included in a table associating the destination address with the upper-layer address (fig. 3 discloses a table associating the ECU address (destination address) with logical address of the ECU), the first address being acquired based on the header portion of the frame (fig. 2 upper header) received by the communicator, and being the upper-layer address of the second communication device as the transmission destination for the frame among the one or more second communication devices ([0070] the tool 20 transmits to the switch 10, a frame in which a logical address of the upper header is different from a destination address used in the TCP; [0071] Specifically, the destination address in the TCP indicates the switch 10, and the logical address indicates the ECU 31 or the like. Therefore, the switch 10 is required to rewrite the destination address in the TCP from the switch 10 to the ECU 31 or the like when relaying the frame; [0072] In the configuration of the present embodiment, the connection tunnel table 13 is prepared. Therefore, it may be possible to identify the destination address in accordance with the logical address of the upper header by referring the connection tunnel table 13. The component determining the ECU address based on received logical address corresponds to controller. That is, the connection tunnel configuration is set as to be capable of rewriting the destination address in the TCP from the switch 10 to the ECU 31 or the like by a simple process when the next frame is received during establishment of the TCP connection, by referring the connection tunnel table 13);
But, Kaku does not explicitly disclose:
an analyzer that analyzes a payload of the frame to identify a second address that is the destination address of the second communication device as the transmission destination for the frame, when the first address is not included in the table; and
an updater that updates the table based on additional information associating the first address with the second address.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Liu discloses an analyzer that analyzes a payload of the frame to identify a second address that is the destination address of the second communication device as the transmission destination for the frame, when the first address is not included in the table (page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses wherein, the diagnostic message may be sent by a diagnostic device (for example, a diagnostic instrument) to the vehicle diagnostic gateway. When the vehicle diagnosis gateway receives the diagnosis message, it can determine the target ECU to be diagnosed according to the diagnosis message that corresponds to analyzing payload of the message, and forward the diagnosis message to the target ECU according to the routing mapping table to complete the vehicle diagnosis.
In some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period, the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table. Identifying the ECU based on received message corresponds to analyzing a payload of the frame to identify a second address); and
an updater that updates the table based on additional information associating the first address with the second address page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses wherein, the diagnostic message may be sent by a diagnostic device (for example, a diagnostic instrument) to the vehicle diagnostic gateway. When the vehicle diagnosis gateway receives the diagnosis message, it can determine the target ECU to be diagnosed according to the diagnosis message, and forward the diagnosis message to the target ECU according to the routing mapping table to complete the vehicle diagnosis. In some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period, the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table; page 4, 57-60 and page 5, 9-11 discloses when the network topology changes or the IP address of the vehicle ECU changes, the routing mapping table needs to be updated. The manual configuration method cannot realize the dynamic update of the routing mapping table, thereby reducing the accuracy of vehicle diagnosis… The method sends addressing messages to the vehicle ECU through the vehicle diagnosis gateway, automatically generates a routing mapping table, and dynamically updates and maintains the routing mapping table, thereby improving the accuracy of vehicle diagnosis).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in eth art at the time of the invention was effectively filed to combine the teaching of Kaku with Liu. The modification would allow dynamically updating and maintaining the logical address to ECU IP address routing mapping table during topology changes, thereby improving the accuracy routing information for an effective of vehicle diagnosis.
Regarding Claim 2, The combination discloses relay device according to claim 1.
Liu discloses, wherein the updater provisionally registers the additional information in the table, and when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the updater registers the additional information in the table (page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses in some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table (provisionally registering) and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period (predetermined condition satisfied), the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table (registering additional information)).
Regarding Claim 4, The combination discloses relay device according to claim 2.
Kaku further discloses, wherein the communicator transmits the frame, in which the destination address has been converted to the second address, to a second communication device as a transmission destination, and the predetermined condition includes that a connection is established between the relay device and the second communication device as the transmission destination (fig. 4 discloses that at s120 switch (relay) receives data from test tool with source address of tool and destination address of switch with logical address of ECU in the upper header portion of frame; At s125 switch establishes connection with ECU; at S140 switch using the logical address received and mapping of table 13, identify the ECU address and convert the destination address to the ECU address from the switch address and transmits data).
Regarding Claim 5, The combination discloses relay device according to claim 2.
Liu discloses, wherein when the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the updater discards the additional information provisionally registered in the table (page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses in some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table (provisionally registering) and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period (predetermined condition satisfied), the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table (registering additional information). In inherently, I discloses if the addressing response message is not received in predetermined time provisionally stored logical address is not kept).
Regarding Claim 6, The combination discloses relay device according to claim 2.
Liu, wherein the table associates the destination address, the upper-layer address, and information indicating whether the destination address and the upper-layer address have been provisionally registered (page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses in some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address (upper layer address) corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address (destination address)of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table (provisionally registering) and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period (predetermined condition satisfied), the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table (registering additional information). The system is capable of storing any type of information about the address informations mapped and stored in the table).
Regarding Claim 7 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 2.
Liu discloses, wherein the table associates the destination address, the upper-layer address, and information indicating a date and time of registration (page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses in some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address (upper layer address) corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address (destination address)of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table (provisionally registering) and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period (predetermined condition satisfied), the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table (registering additional information). The system is capable of storing any type of information about the address informations mapped and stored in the table).
Regarding Claim 8 The relay device according to claim 2.
Kaku discloses, wherein when the additional information is registered, the communicator transmits, to a terminal device of a user of the first communication device, information indicating that the additional information has been registered ([0069-0776] Next, the tool 20 transmits a start request of connection tunnel communication with the switch 10 when the TCP connection with the switch 10 is established. This start request includes the logical address described above as contents of the upper header…[0070] Next, the switch 10 receives the start request of the connection tunnel communication in S115, and performs connection tunnel configuration…[0072] In the configuration of the present embodiment, the connection tunnel table 13 is prepared (registering)…[0076] When the connection tunnel configuration is completed (registered), the switch 10 transmits a response (information) to the start request of the connection tunnel communication to the tool 20).
Regarding Claim 11 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 4.
Kaku, wherein when no connection is established with the second communication device as the transmission destination, the communicator transmits, to a terminal device of a user of the first communication device, information indicating that no connection is established ([0076] When the connection tunnel configuration is completed, the switch 10 transmits a response to the start request of the connection tunnel communication to the tool 20. Then, the tool 20 starts to transmit the frame including the actual data to be transmitted to the ECUs 31 to 34 as the destination. The system is capable of being configured to alert the tool 20 (terminal device of the user of the first communication device) that tunnel cannot be configured because there is no connection from the switch to the ECU).
Regarding Claim 12 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 1.
Kaku discloses wherein the relay device is provided in a vehicle (fig. 1 and [0052-0053] discloses a communication system 1 corresponds to, for example, a system that includes a main part mounted on a vehicle such as a passenger vehicle and is used for relaying the frame between each of communication devices inside or outside the vehicle. [0053] The communication system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a switch 10 corresponding to a relay apparatus. The communication system 1 may include a tool 20, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 31, an ECU 32, an ECU 33, and an ECU 34. The switch 10 may include communication ports P0, P1, P2, P3, and P4).
Regarding Claim 13 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 12.
Kaku discloses, wherein one of the first communication device and the second communication device is a device for diagnosing the vehicle (fig. 1 discloses tool 20 (first communication device for diagnosing a vehicle), and another of the first communication device and the second communication device is an electronic control unit (ECU) provided in the vehicle (fig. 1 discloses the second communication device is ECU31-34).
Regarding Claim 14 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 1.
Liu discloses, wherein the updater registers the additional information in the table regardless of whether a predetermined condition is satisfied (page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses in some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table (provisionally registering) and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period (predetermined condition satisfied), the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table (registering additional information))..
Regarding Claim 17. The combination discloses relay device according to claim 7.
Liu discloses, wherein the additional information provisionally registered in the table is not accompanied by the information indicating the date and time of registration (page 5, 51-54 and page 6, 14-20 discloses in some possible implementations, after the vehicle diagnostic gateway determines the target ECU to be diagnosed, the logical address corresponding to the target ECU cannot be found in the routing mapping table, that is, the logical address and IP address of the target ECU are not stored in the routing mapping table. Address correspondence. At this time, the vehicle diagnostic gateway can store the logical address of the target ECU in the routing mapping table (provisionally registering) and send the addressing message again. If the addressing response message of the target ECU is received within the preset time period (predetermined condition satisfied), the target ECU The IP address of the router is stored in the corresponding entry of the route mapping table (registering additional information without time information)).
.
Regarding Claim 18 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 12.
Kaku discloses, wherein a device for diagnosing the vehicle is configured to be detachable from the relay device (fig. 1 discloses the components such as test 20 are detachable from switch 10).
Regarding Claim 19 A relay method executed by a relay device that relays a frame transmitted and received through connection-oriented communication between a first communication device and each of one or more second communication devices, the frame including in a header portion:
All other limitations of claim 19 are similar with the limitations of claim 1 rejected above.
Regarding Claim 20, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the relay method according to claim 19.
All other limitations of claim 20 are similar with the limitations of claim 1 rejected above.
Claim(s) 3, 9, 10, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kaku (US pg. 20200314031), and Liu (CN-115685971-A), further in view of Piembsystech “DoIP protocol”.
Regarding Claim 3 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 2.
The combination does not explicitly disclose: further comprising: a checker that executes a security check for the first communication device, wherein the predetermined condition includes that no error is detected in the security check.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Piembsystech discloses further comprising: a checker that executes a security check for the first communication device, wherein the predetermined condition includes that no error is detected in the security check (the external test equipment (first communication device) must send a routing activation request message to the DoIP entity (relay gateway). If the external test equipment is eligible (security checked by checker), the corresponding initial timer is halted, and the socket state changes to "registered [Routing Active]" assuming no additional authentication or confirmation is necessary. At this point, valid DoIP messages such as DoIP diagnostic messages can be routed or processed. A positive routing activation response message confirms this to the external test equipment).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was effectively filed to combine the teaching of the combination with Piembsystech. The modification would allow authenticating the external tester device for a more secured system.
Regarding Claim 9 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 3.
But, the combination does not explicitly disclose: wherein when an error relating to the first communication device is detected in the security check, the communicator transmits, to a terminal device of a user of the first communication device, information indicating that an error has been detected.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Piembsystech discloses wherein when an error relating to the first communication device is detected in the security check, the communicator transmits, to a terminal device of a user of the first communication device, information indicating that an error has been detected (page 18, “How Does DolP Works in between External Test Equipment &Vehicle” the figure discloses that the DOIP entity (relay)after receiving routing activation request from external test equipment and verification of the test equipment, message of the device passing the confirmation; page 19 discloses Upon the arrival of a diagnostic message, the DoIP entity must promptly send the DoIP confirmation to the external test equipment (terminal device of a user) that initiated the message. The confirmation acknowledgement is sent after the message has successfully passed through the diagnostic
message handler and the corresponding internal routing mechanism. The system is capable of sending error information if the confirmation was not passed).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was effectively filed to combine the teaching of the combination with Piembsystech. The modification would allow effective communication of security event for a more secured system.
Regarding Claim 10 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 3.
But the combination does not explicitly disclose: wherein when an error relating to the first communication device is detected in the security check, the communicator transmits, to a security center, information indicating that an error has been detected.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Piembsystech discloses wherein when an error relating to the first communication device is detected in the security check, the communicator transmits, to a security center, information indicating that an error has been detected (page 19, “How Does DolP Works in between External Test Equipment &Vehicle” discloses Upon the arrival of a diagnostic message, the DoIP entity must promptly send the DoIP confirmation to the external test equipment (terminal device of a user that can correspond to security center) that initiated the message. The confirmation acknowledgement is sent after the message has successfully passed through the diagnostic message handler and the corresponding internal routing mechanism. The system is capable of sending error information if the confirmation was not passed; page 18 the figure discloses that the DOIP entity (relay)after receiving routing activation request from external test equipment and verification of the test equipment, message of the device passing the confirmation to tester (corresponds to security center)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was effectively filed to combine the teaching of the combination with Piembsystech. The modification would allow effective communication of security event for a more secured system.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was effectively filed to combine the teaching of the combination with Piembsystech. The modification would allow effective communication of security event for a more secured system.
Regarding Claim 16. The combination discloses relay device according to claim 4.
But, the combination does not, wherein a result indicating whether a connection has been established between the relay device and the second communication device as the transmission destination is displayed on a display device.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Piembsystech discloses wherein a result indicating whether a connection has been established between the relay device and the second communication device as the transmission destination is displayed on a display device (page 18 fig discloses the DoIP entity (relay device) sends indication to actor device that a tunnel connection has been established between external test equipment and ECU via DoIP entity. The actor receiving the information and displaying corresponds to displaying).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was effectively filed to combine the teaching of the combination with Piembsystech. The modification would allow effective communication of security event for a more secured system.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kaku (US pg. 20200314031), and Liu (CN-115685971-A), further in view of Chung (US pg. no. 20190312892).
Regarding Claim 15 The combination discloses relay device according to claim 3.
The combination does not explicitly disclose: wherein when an error is detected in the security check, a result including that the error has been detected is displayed on a display device.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Chung discloses, wherein when an error is detected in the security check, a result including that the error has been detected is displayed on a display device ([0005] diagnose the integrity of ECU electronic control data by combining the sensor data with a security diagnostic packet received from the at least one IVN security diagnostic sensor; and a cyber dashboard configured to display a security problem in the event of the security problem in the integrity of the ECU electronic control software or the integrity of the ECU electronic control data).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was effectively filed to combine the teaching of the combination with Chung. The modification would allow effectively communicating security events to enable mitigation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MESSERET F. GEBRE whose telephone number is (571)272-8272. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am-5:30PM.
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MESSERET F. GEBRE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2445
/MESSERET F GEBRE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2445