DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-5 are pending.
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
Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-019081, filed on 2/13/2024.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abbreviations OT and IT are not defined. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claim(s) 3 and 4 is/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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites ‘a plurality of the control side devices is provided, and the pulse output unit is provided with one or more units’ and the specific meaning of ‘is provided’ is not clear.
Claim 4 recites ‘a plurality of the control side devices is provided, and the pulse output unit is provided as a single unit’ and the specific meaning of ‘is provided’ is not clear.
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 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 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.
Claim(s) 1 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morimoto U.S. Patent Publication No. 20200244487 (hereinafter Morimoto) in view of Alghannam et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20240187491 (hereinafter Alghannam).
Regarding claim 1, Morimoto teaches a data diode [0035-0038, Fig. 2 — the data diode device 14 includes the first and second units 21 and 22, a signal line unit 23 constituted by a plurality of signal lines Q, and a transmission line path 24 provided between the first unit 21 and the second unit 22. The first unit 21 includes a first communication unit 31, a first storage unit 32, a first control unit 33, and a reception unit 34. The second unit 22 includes a second communication unit 41, a second storage unit 42, a second control unit 43, and a transmission unit 44.], comprising:
a transmitting side device, transmitting data from a control network [0027-0038, Figs. 1-2 — data diode device 14 receives the packet from the internal network 16 (control network) by the second unit 22 (a transmitting side device) and sends out the received packet to the first unit 21 via a unidirectional transmission path S (see FIG. 2), and the first unit 21 delivers the packet to the external network 15];
a receiving side device, transmitting input data to a business network [0027-0038, Figs. 1-2 — data diode device 14 receives the packet from the internal network 16 (control network) by the second unit 22 (a transmitting side device) and sends out the received packet to the first unit 21 (receiving side device) via a unidirectional transmission path S (see FIG. 2), and the first unit 21 delivers the packet to the external network 15 (business network)]; and
a one-way communication unit, transmitting data transmitted by the transmitting side device to the receiving side device [0036, Fig. 2 — The transmission line path 24, the reception unit 34 in the first unit 21, and the transmission unit 44 in the second unit 22 constitute the unidirectional transmission path S.], and
the receiving side device comprising a generating unit that is started in response to an instruction from the business network and generates a signal [0033, Fig. 2 — If the received packet is a registered packet, the first unit 21 activates any one of signal lines Q1, Q2 . . . Qn (see FIG. 2, and if the signal lines Q1, Q2 . . . Qn do not need to be specifically distinguished, they are collectively called the signal line Q)], and
the transmitting side device comprising an output unit that outputs the signal generated by the generating unit to a control side device connected to the control network [0050-0051, Fig. 2 — second control unit 43, in response to any of the signal lines Q being activated, reads out from the second reference table T2 the second packet registration information associated with the signal line number of the activated signal line Q, that is, the second packet registration information having the same content as the first relevant packet registration information… The packet generated by the second control unit 43 is sent to the second communication unit 41… second communication unit 41 is connected with the internal network 16].
But Morimoto fails to clearly specify generating and outputting a pulse signal.
However, Alghannam teaches generating and outputting a pulse signal [0046— The exchange of heartbeat information can be used to maintain continuous, real-time indication that both data channels of the system are still functioning. The heartbeat can be any conventional signal that is indicative of device operation and which switches between high and low at a regular interval. By way of illustration, the signal can switch from high to low, from low to high, or include a square pulse such as a pulse having a specified duty cycle. In one implementation].
Morimoto and Alghannam are analogous art. They relate to unidirectional communication systems, particularly involving data diodes.
Therefore at the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to simply substitute the known pulse signal of Alghannam for the known signal of Morimoto for the predictable result of a data diode using a pulse signal; particularly to confirm that the communication system is still functioning, as taught by Alghannam [0046].
Regarding claim 5, Morimoto teaches control method in a data diode [0009 — method for configuring the data diode device with specific packet relay function; 0035-0038, Fig. 2 — the data diode device 14 includes the first and second units 21 and 22, a signal line unit 23 constituted by a plurality of signal lines Q, and a transmission line path 24 provided between the first unit 21 and the second unit 22. The first unit 21 includes a first communication unit 31, a first storage unit 32, a first control unit 33, and a reception unit 34. The second unit 22 includes a second communication unit 41, a second storage unit 42, a second control unit 43, and a transmission unit 44] which comprises a transmitting side device that transmits data from a control network [0027-0038, Figs. 1-2 — data diode device 14 receives the packet from the internal network 16 (control network) by the second unit 22 (a transmitting side device) and sends out the received packet to the first unit 21 via a unidirectional transmission path S (see FIG. 2), and the first unit 21 delivers the packet to the external network 15], a receiving side device that transmits input data to a business network [0027-0038, Figs. 1-2 — data diode device 14 receives the packet from the internal network 16 (control network) by the second unit 22 (a transmitting side device) and sends out the received packet to the first unit 21 (receiving side device) via a unidirectional transmission path S (see FIG. 2), and the first unit 21 delivers the packet to the external network 15 (business network)], and a one-way communication unit that transmits data transmitted by the transmitting side device to the receiving side device [0036, Fig. 2 — The transmission line path 24, the reception unit 34 in the first unit 21, and the transmission unit 44 in the second unit 22 constitute the unidirectional transmission path S.], the control method comprising:
starting a generating unit in the receiving side device in response to an instruction from the business network, and generating, by the generating unit, a signal [0033, Fig. 2 — If the received packet is a registered packet, the first unit 21 activates any one of signal lines Q1, Q2 . . . Qn (see FIG. 2, and if the signal lines Q1, Q2 . . . Qn do not need to be specifically distinguished, they are collectively called the signal line Q)]; and
outputting, by a output unit in the transmitting side device, the signal generated by the generating unit to a control side device connected to the control network [0050-0051, Fig. 2 — second control unit 43, in response to any of the signal lines Q being activated, reads out from the second reference table T2 the second packet registration information associated with the signal line number of the activated signal line Q, that is, the second packet registration information having the same content as the first relevant packet registration information… The packet generated by the second control unit 43 is sent to the second communication unit 41… second communication unit 41 is connected with the internal network 16].
But Morimoto fails to clearly specify a pulse control method, generating and outputting a pulse signal.
However, Alghannam teaches a pulse control method, generating and outputting a pulse signal [0046— The exchange of heartbeat information can be used to maintain continuous, real-time indication that both data channels of the system are still functioning. The heartbeat can be any conventional signal that is indicative of device operation and which switches between high and low at a regular interval. By way of illustration, the signal can switch from high to low, from low to high, or include a square pulse such as a pulse having a specified duty cycle. In one implementation].
Morimoto and Alghannam are analogous art. They relate to unidirectional communication systems, particularly involving data diodes.
Therefore at the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to simply substitute the known pulse signal of Alghannam for the known signal of Morimoto for the predictable result of a method of controlling a data diode using a pulse signal; particularly to confirm that the communication system is still functioning, as taught by Alghannam [0046].
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam in view of Ichii et al. U.S. Patent No. 5513175 (hereinafter Ichii).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam teaches all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
Further, Morimoto teaches the transmitting side device [0027-0038, Figs. 1-2 — data diode device 14 receives the packet from the internal network 16 (control network) by the second unit 22 (a transmitting side device) and sends out the received packet to the first unit 21 via a unidirectional transmission path S (see FIG. 2), and the first unit 21 delivers the packet to the external network 15], and the output unit outputs the signal generated by the generating unit [0050-0051, Fig. 2 — second control unit 43, in response to any of the signal lines Q being activated, reads out from the second reference table T2 the second packet registration information associated with the signal line number of the activated signal line Q, that is, the second packet registration information having the same content as the first relevant packet registration information… The packet generated by the second control unit 43 is sent to the second communication unit 41… second communication unit 41 is connected with the internal network 16].
Further, Alghannam teaches a pulse signal [0046— The exchange of heartbeat information can be used to maintain continuous, real-time indication that both data channels of the system are still functioning. The heartbeat can be any conventional signal that is indicative of device operation and which switches between high and low at a regular interval. By way of illustration, the signal can switch from high to low, from low to high, or include a square pulse such as a pulse having a specified duty cycle. In one implementation].
But the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam fails to clearly specify a watchdog timer that performs status monitoring of the control side device by receiving data from the control side device, and the pulse output unit outputs the pulse signal generated by the pulse generating unit in the case where the control side device is determined to be in an abnormal state by the watchdog timer.
However, Ichii teaches a watchdog timer that performs status monitoring of the control side device by receiving data from the control side device, and the pulse output unit outputs the pulse signal generated by the pulse generating unit in the case where the control side device is determined to be in an abnormal state by the watchdog timer [col. 7 lines 13 —53 , Figs. 1, 4-5 — In this multiplex transmission apparatus 31, to monitor the transmission system for abnormality, the watchdog timer 25 of the timer IC 24 is supplied with data from at least one specific output port, for example, the output from the output port D-a (the least significant bit (LSB) of DATA 4), among a plurality of data items output from the output port 14…. when the monitored signal is abnormal, the watchdog timer 25 outputs a reset signal (see FIG. 5D) which alternately turns to "H" and "L" levels at intervals T2 (T2 is a time preset in the watchdog timer)(pulses)… On detecting the "L" state of the output from the timer IC 24, the communication control circuit 12 judges that the transmission system is in an abnormal state. Then, the communication control circuit 12 immediately brings part or all of the output port 14 to the predetermined specific state (e.g., high-impedance state) (see FIG. 5F).].
Morimoto, Alghannam and Ichii are analogous art. They relate to communication systems.
Therefore at the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above data diode, as taught by the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam, by incorporating the above limitations, as taught by Ichii.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to detect a failure in a communications system and take appropriate action, as suggested by Ichii [col. 7 lines 13 —53].
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam in view of Matsumoto et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20240317177 (hereinafter Matsumoto).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam teaches all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
Further, Morimoto teaches a plurality of the control side devices is provided, and the output unit is provided with one or more units, each outputting a signal [0050-0051, Figs. 1-2 — second control unit 43, in response to any of the signal lines Q being activated, reads out from the second reference table T2 the second packet registration information associated with the signal line number of the activated signal line Q, that is, the second packet registration information having the same content as the first relevant packet registration information… The packet generated by the second control unit 43 is sent to the second communication unit 41… second communication unit 41 is connected with the internal network 16].
Further, Alghannam teaches a pulse signal [0046— The exchange of heartbeat information can be used to maintain continuous, real-time indication that both data channels of the system are still functioning. The heartbeat can be any conventional signal that is indicative of device operation and which switches between high and low at a regular interval. By way of illustration, the signal can switch from high to low, from low to high, or include a square pulse such as a pulse having a specified duty cycle. In one implementation].
But the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam fails to clearly specify outputting a pulse signal to a corresponding one of the control side devices.
However, Matsumoto teaches outputting a pulse signal to a corresponding one of the control side devices [0108 — diagnostic unit F22 can detect the failure of the BLE communication device 7 using various methods such as a watchdog timer method and a homework answering method. The watchdog timer method is a method of determining that a failure has occurred in the BLE communication device 7 when a watchdog timer provided in the smart ECU 4 expires without being cleared by a watchdog pulse received from the BLE communication device 7. The smart ECU 4 may include a watchdog timer corresponding to each BLE communication device 7].
Morimoto, Alghannam and Matsumoto are analogous art. They relate to communication systems.
Therefore at the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above data diode, as taught by the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam, by incorporating the above limitations, as taught by Matsumoto.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to detect a failure in a communications system, as suggested by Matsumoto [0108].
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam teaches all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
Further, Morimoto teaches a plurality of the control side devices is provided, and the output unit is provided as a single unit, and outputs a signal [0050-0051, Figs. 1-2 — second control unit 43, in response to any of the signal lines Q being activated, reads out from the second reference table T2 the second packet registration information associated with the signal line number of the activated signal line Q, that is, the second packet registration information having the same content as the first relevant packet registration information… The packet generated by the second control unit 43 is sent to the second communication unit 41… second communication unit 41 is connected with the internal network 16].
Further, Alghannam teaches a pulse signal [0046— The exchange of heartbeat information can be used to maintain continuous, real-time indication that both data channels of the system are still functioning. The heartbeat can be any conventional signal that is indicative of device operation and which switches between high and low at a regular interval. By way of illustration, the signal can switch from high to low, from low to high, or include a square pulse such as a pulse having a specified duty cycle. In one implementation].
But the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam fails to clearly specify outputting a pulse signal to each of a plurality of the control side devices.
However, Matsumoto teaches outputting a pulse signal to each of a plurality of the control side devices [0108 — diagnostic unit F22 can detect the failure of the BLE communication device 7 using various methods such as a watchdog timer method and a homework answering method. The watchdog timer method is a method of determining that a failure has occurred in the BLE communication device 7 when a watchdog timer provided in the smart ECU 4 expires without being cleared by a watchdog pulse received from the BLE communication device 7. The smart ECU 4 may include a watchdog timer corresponding to each BLE communication device 7].
Morimoto, Alghannam and Matsumoto are analogous art. They relate to communication systems.
Therefore at the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above data diode, as taught by the combination of Morimoto and Alghannam, by incorporating the above limitations, as taught by Matsumoto.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to detect a failure in a communications system, as suggested by Matsumoto [0108].
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Vorenkamp U.S. Patent Publication No. 20070174527 discloses a communications system with a watchdog timer.
Note that any citations to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2123.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BERNARD G. LINDSAY whose telephone number is (571)270-0665. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mohammad Ali can be reached on (571)272-4105. 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 Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant may call the examiner or use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/BERNARD G LINDSAY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2119
Prosecution Insights