DETAILED ACTION
Remarks
This communication is in response to the amendment/arguments filed on February 16, 2026 has been fully considered. The rejection is made final. Claims 1-10 are pending for examination.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant 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.
The examiner requests, in response to this Office action, supports are shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line no(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the examiner in prosecuting the application.
When responding to this office action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments filed on February 16, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of amended claim(s) 1-10 under 35 U.S.C. § 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) February 16, 2026 have been considered but are moot in view of Oliver et al. (WIPO Application No. WO 2017102035 A1).
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chiyo (US Patent Publication No. 2020/0302083 A1) and in view of Oliver et al. (WIPO Application No. WO 2017102035 A1, ‘Oliver’, hereafter).
Regarding claim 1. Chiyo teaches a data management method comprising:
operating a distributed data management system comprising a data residency- compliant first region and a non-compliant second region (Fig. 1 and [0066-0072] discloses distributed data management system, managing the location of files containing the personal information or confidential information is a known technique for complying with such laws and regulations, Chiyo, [0004]. … the personal data definition management DB1003 has a personal data definition management table that differs for each area. Here, the area is, for example, a unit such as an organizational unit such as the EU, a regional community, a country, a region, a municipal government, or the like. Different personal data definitions are applied to the personal data definition management table depending on the region where the device 50 is installed or the region to which the service provided by the management system 2 is applied, Chiyo, [0129] and Fig. 11);
a first application server device disposed in a first region causing a first file server device disposed in the first region to store personal information of a first user who resides in the first region and association data, which is associated with a first electronic device owned by the first user, in association with each other (The personal information management apparatus 30 is a server computer (i.e., the first application server device) that manages a location of personal information handled by the remote device management system, Chiyo, [0069]. In step S2a, the remote device management apparatus 10a (The management system 2 may have a configuration in which the functions of the remote device management apparatus 10 and the personal information management apparatus 30 (i.e., the first application server device) are executed by a single apparatus, Chiyo, [0074]) transmits the device information transmitted from the devices 50a, 50b, 50c, and 50d (i.e., first electronic device owned by the user) to the device information utilization apparatus 90a (i.e., first file server device) installed in Japan (i.e., first region), Chiyo, [0078]);
the first electronic device storing the association data (The personal information is, for example, information on a user who uses the device 50 (i.e., the first electronic device). Here, the user includes an administrator of the device 50, such as a contractor who has made a contract for using the device 50, or an individual user who uses the device 50. The device information includes not only the personal information but also information on a corporation or organization to which the administrator or the individual user of the device 50 belongs (i.e., first electronic device stores personal information that is association data), Chiyo, [0069]);
the first electronic device transmitting, to a second file server device disposed in a second region different from the first region (the remote device management apparatus 10a transmits the device information transmitted from the devices 50a, 50b, 50c, and 50d (i.e., first electronic device) to the device information utilization apparatus 90a (i.e., second file server device (The device information utilization apparatus 90a and the device information utilization apparatus 90b are server computers, [0072]) installed in Japan (i.e., a second region), Chiyo, [0078], [0073]), the association data and first data which is data not including the personal information of the first user (The device information includes not only the personal information but also information on a corporation or organization (i.e., corporation or organization information considered not personal information) to which the administrator or the individual user of the device 50 belongs, Chiyo, [0069]) and indicating a state of the first electronic device among information output by the first electronic device (The device information utilization apparatus 90 provide the service or application using the device information acquired from the device 50 (i.e., providing the state for the first electronic device). . .. The device information utilization apparatus 90c functions as a storage device that stores data (information) transmitted from the device 50, Chiyo, [0072]);
the second file server device storing the first data and the association data in association with each other (The device information utilization apparatus 90 (i.e., second electronic device/file server) provide the service or application using the device information acquired from the device 50 … The device information utilization apparatus functions as a storage device (local storage) that stores data (information) transmitted from the device 50 (i.e., first electronic device stores personal information that is association data), Chiyo, [0072]); and
the first application server device acquiring the first data from the second file server device using the association data (The personal information management apparatus 30 is a server computer (i.e., the first application server device) that manages a location of personal information handled by the remote device management system 1. The personal information management apparatus 30 manages which apparatus of the remote device management system 1 stores the device information including the personal information. The personal information is, for example, information on a user who uses the device 50, Chiyo, [0069]. Each apparatus included in the server system 4 transmits, to the personal information management apparatus 30, processing history information indicating the history of processing executed on the device information (i.e., the first application server device acquiring the first data). For example, since the remote device management apparatus 10a stored the device information transmitted from the device 50 in its own device and transmitted the device information to the device information utilization apparatus 90a (i.e., second file server device, Chiyo, [0072]), the processing history information whose processing history is “storage/transfer” is transmitted to the personal information management apparatus 30 (i.e., acquiring the first data from the second file server device using the association data). The personal information management apparatus 30 stores the received processing history information in the processing history information management database, Chiyo, [0079]).
Chiyo explicitly does not teach
said transmission being subject to a network connection to prevent regional cross-border data transmission;
However, Oliver teaches
said transmission being subject to a network connection to prevent regional cross-border data transmission (Trusted computation and geographical trust in the Network function virtualization (NFV) environment is critical to proper provisioning of service in compliance with lawful intercept legislation (LI), data handling legislation and data sovereignty. For example, Russian and Indian laws prevent cross-border data transmission for certain classes of data. To secure the virtual network infrastructure better a geographically trusted boot with combined attestation of a location (i.e., transmission being subject to a network connection to prevent regional cross-border data transmission), an asset management (AM) and other sources may be provided with the help of the trusted platform module (TPM), Oliver, Page 4, lines 1-17, page 5, lines 35-48, page 5, lines 35-41);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made having the teachings of Chiyo and Oliver before him/her, to modify Chiyo with the teaching of Oliver’s trust based computing in a network infrastructure comprising computing resources. One would have been motivated to do so for the benefit of obtaining, by the at least one secure element, location information indicating a current location of at least one computing resource; and finally, is determined, by a management software, whether the location information of the network infrastructure is secure on the basis of the information indicating the current location and the criteria (Oliver, Abstract, page 5, lines 35-48).
Regarding claim 2. Chiyo as modified teaches, wherein the first electronic device is disposed in the first region, and the data management method further comprises: the first application server device acquiring, from the first electronic device, second data which is data excluding the first data and including the personal information of the first user among the information output by the first electronic device (The device information includes not only the personal information but also information on a corporation or organization (i.e., not personal information) to which the administrator or the individual user of the device 50 belongs, Chiyo, [0069]. Since the remote device management apparatus 10a stored the device information transmitted from the device 50 in its own device and transmitted the device information to the device information utilization apparatus 90a, the processing history information whose processing history is “storage/transfer” is transmitted to the personal information management apparatus 30 (i.e., acquiring the first data from the second file server device using the association data). The personal information management apparatus 30 stores the received processing history information in the processing history information management database, Chiyo, [0079]).
Regarding claim 3. Chiyo as modified teaches, further comprising: the first application server device associating the second data with the association data and transmitting the second data to the first file server device (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079], [0140]); and
the first application server device causing the first file server device to store the second data in association with the association data (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079], [0140]).
Regarding claim 4. Chiyo as modified teaches, further comprising: the first application server device causing the first file server device to store first transmission destination information indicating a first transmission destination which is a transmission destination to which the first electronic device transmits the second data and included in the first region (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079], [0140]); and
the first electronic device transmitting the second data to the first transmission destination based on the first transmission destination information acquired from the first file server device (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079], [0140]).
Regarding claim 5. Chiyo as modified teaches, further comprising: a second application server device disposed in the second region notifying the first electronic device of second transmission destination information indicating a second transmission destination included in the first region (Chiyo, [0140], Fig. 14); and
the first electronic device transmitting the personal information of the first user to the second transmission destination based on the second transmission destination information (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079], [0140]).
Regarding claim 6. Chiyo as modified teaches, wherein the association data includes identification information associated with both the first electronic device and at least a second electronic device different from the first electronic device, the second electronic device is owned by a second user different from the first user, the second electronic device stores the association data (The personal information is, for example, information on a user who uses the device 50 (i.e., the first electronic device). Here, the user includes an administrator of the device 50, such as a contractor who has made a contract for using the device 50, or an individual user who uses the device 50. The device information includes not only the personal information but also information on a corporation or organization to which the administrator or the individual user of the device 50 belongs (i.e., first electronic device stores personal information that is association data), Chiyo, [0069]. The device information utilization apparatus 90 (i.e., second electronic device) provide the service or application using the device information acquired from the device 50 (i.e., first electronic device stores personal information that is association data), Chiyo, [0072]), and
the data management method further comprises: the second electronic device transmitting, to the second file server device, the association data and third data which is data not including personal information of the second user and indicating a state of the second electronic device among information output by the second electronic device (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079]); and
the second file server device storing the third data and the association data in association with each other (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079]).
Regarding claim 7. Chiyo as modified teaches, further comprising: the first application server device transmitting, when the first application server device successfully authenticates the first user from a terminal device disposed in the first region and owned by the first user, the first data and the personal information of the first user to the terminal device (Chiyo, [0307-0310]).
Regarding claim 8. Chiyo as modified teaches, wherein the second data includes at least a part of setting information of the first electronic device (setting unit, Chiyo, [0122], [0198], [0317]).
Regarding claim 9. Chiyo as modified teaches, wherein the second data includes at least a part of image information of the first electronic device (Chiyo, [0069], [0072-0073], [0078-0079]).
Regarding claim 10. Chiyo as modified teaches a data management system (a management system, Chiyo, Abstract, [0005], [0066], Fig. 1) comprising:
although claim 10 directed to a system, it is similar in scope to claim 1. The method steps of claim 1 substantially encompass the system recited in claim 10. Therefore; claim 10 is rejected for at least the same reason as claim 1 above.
Conclusion
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 HASANUL MOBIN whose telephone number is (571)270-1289. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:30AM to 6:00PM EST M-F.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Rones can be reached at 571-272-4085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HASANUL MOBIN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2168