DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The Applicant’s Amendment, filed 05/11/2026 has been entered. Claims 3, 16 and 17 have been canceled. Claims 21-22 have been added. Claims 1-2, 4-15 and 18-22 are pending in the Application.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 1, the typo “based at least in part a signal or information received” should be corrected as “based at least in part on a signal or information received”
Appropriate correction is required.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant’s amendment to the claims has overcome the 112(b) rejection set forth in the previous Office Action. Accordingly, the 112(b) rejection has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, filed 05/11/2026, with respect to the prior art rejection(s) of claim(s) have been fully considered. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuno et al US 20050265377, and in view of Jeon et al US 20080304499.
Regarding claims 1, 9 and 14, the Applicant argues that the prior arts fail to disclose the newly amended limitation “choosing a given protocol based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up of the Universal Bus Serializer or during operation of the Universal Bus Serializer, wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN).” However, the newly cited Jeon discloses a protocol conversion system and method comprising choosing a given protocol based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up or during operation of the system (see para 0033, analyzing a destination node of the first data by analyzing a data frame structure of the received first data, converting the first data into second data in accordance with a second network protocol by determining the second network protocol which the destination node uses), wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN) (see para 0034, the second network protocol include any one of a LIN (Local Interconnect Network) protocol, a CAN (Control Area Network) protocol and a FlexRay protocol). Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the protocol conversion system of Mizuno and incorporate the vehicle data bus system with CAN and LIN protocols. The motivation for doing so is to improve the compatibility of the vehicle communication system using multiple different protocols such as the CAN and LIN protocols as taught by Jeon (see para 0013).
Based on the reasoning above, the rejections have been modified to address the newly amended limitation. Please see below for the detailed rejections.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-15 and 18-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuno et al US 20050265377, and in view of Jeon et al US 20080304499.
Regarding claim 1, Mizuno teaches an integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a Universal Data Bus Serializer (see figure 1 and figure 2, interface module 1-1 comprising the interface processing unit 10, also see para 0032, The interface processing unit 10 is comprised of a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) 13), and the Universal Data Bus Serializer comprises:
an input configured to receive data for transmission over a data bus (input of the I/O port P-1), and wherein the Universal Bus Serializer is configured to:
store a plurality of protocol operating instructions, wherein each protocol operating instruction corresponds to a given operating protocol (memory storing protocol software 150A, 150B of protocol processing unit 15, see para 0040, The protocol processing parts 150A and 150B may be prepared as software which is executed by a microprocessor composing the protocol processing unit 15);
choose a given protocol in the plurality of protocol operating instruction (see para 0040, The selector 151 in the protocol processing unit 15 is also controlled by the output signal S18 from the above mode switching circuit 18 to activate either the Fibre Channel protocol processing part 150A or Gigabit Ethernet protocol processing part 150B); and
output serial data based at least in part on the given protocol (output at the SERDES 13, see para 0042, the part 150A or 150B performs protocol processing on transmission data received from the storage control unit 20 and outputs the transmission data).
But Mizuno fails to teach the system is a data bus of a vehicle and choosing a given protocol based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up of the Universal Bus Serializer or during operation of the Universal Bus Serializer, wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN).
However, Jeon teaches a similar protocol conversion system for a data bus of a vehicle (see para 0002, a data converting method applied to a vehicle using a plurality of network protocols) and choosing a given protocol based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up or during operation of the system (see para 0033, analyzing a destination node of the first data by analyzing a data frame structure of the received first data, converting the first data into second data in accordance with a second network protocol by determining the second network protocol which the destination node uses), wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN) (see para 0034, the second network protocol include any one of a LIN (Local Interconnect Network) protocol, a CAN (Control Area Network) protocol and a FlexRay protocol).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the protocol conversion system of Mizuno and incorporate the vehicle data bus system with CAN and LIN protocols.
The motivation for doing so is to improve the compatibility of the vehicle communication system using multiple different protocols such as the CAN and LIN protocols as taught by Jeon (see para 0013).
Regarding claim 2, Mizuno further teaches the Universal Bus Serializer is configured to choose the given protocol based at least in part on an indicator signal input (see figure 2 and para 0043, the switch control signal S20 from the storage control unit 20).
Regarding claim 4, Mizuno further teaches the input is configured to receive a binary input signal (see para 0026, 8B/10B encoding).
Regarding claim 5, Mizuno further teaches the Universal Bus Serializer comprises a multiplexer (the selector 151 is construed as a multiplexer since it selects one I/O from two different parts as disclosed in para 0040).
Regarding claim 6, Mizuno further teaches the Universal Bus Serializer comprises a modulation processor configured to modulate data based at least in part on one of the given protocol (see para 0038, Because the data transmission rates differ between the Fiber Channel and Gigabit Ethernet as described above, in the present embodiment, the clock oscillator 16A with a reference frequency of 106.25 MHz for Fibre Channel and the clock oscillator 16B with a reference frequency 125 MHz for Gigabit Ethernet are prepared and clock frequency to be supplied to the SERDES 13 is switched by the selector 17 e.g. providing two different modulation frequencies for the two protocols).
Regarding claim 7, Mizuno further teaches the Universal Bus Serializer is configured to store an instruction for the selection of the given protocol (see para 0028, the communicate mode selection information may be set automatically from a control program running in the storage control unit or set in response to a command issued from an external management console to the control program).
Regarding claim 8, Jeon further teaches the integrated circuit is included in a vehicle (see para 0008, an in-vehicle network system).
Regarding claim 9, Mizuno teaches method for communicating modulated data along a serial bus, comprising:
by an integrated circuit (see figure 1 and figure 2, interface module 1-1):
determining a desired protocol for serial data transmission from a plurality of protocols (see para 0040, The selector 151 in the protocol processing unit 15 is also controlled by the output signal S18 from the above mode switching circuit 18 to activate either the Fibre Channel protocol processing part 150A or Gigabit Ethernet protocol processing part 150B);
modulating data to form the modulated data based on the determined protocol; and communicating the modulated data along a serial bus (see para 0042, the part 150A or 150B performs protocol processing on transmission data received from the storage control unit 20 and outputs the transmission data).
But Mizuno fails to teach determining a desired protocol for serial data based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up of the integrated circuit or during operation of the integrated circuit, wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN);
However, Jeon teaches determining a desired protocol for serial data based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up of the integrated circuit or during operation of the integrated circuit (see para 0033, analyzing a destination node of the first data by analyzing a data frame structure of the received first data, converting the first data into second data in accordance with a second network protocol by determining the second network protocol which the destination node uses), wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN) (see para 0034, the second network protocol include any one of a LIN (Local Interconnect Network) protocol, a CAN (Control Area Network) protocol and a FlexRay protocol);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the protocol conversion system of Mizuno and incorporate the CAN and LIN protocols.
The motivation for doing so is to improve the compatibility of the system using multiple different protocols such as the CAN and LIN protocols as taught by Jeon (see para 0013).
Regarding claim 10, Mizuno further teaches receiving an indictor signal; and wherein the determining is based at least in part on the received indicator signal (see figure 2 and para 0043, the switch control signal S20 from the storage control unit 20).
Regarding claim 11, Mizuno further teaches receiving data for transmission; and wherein the modulating data to form the modulated data comprises modulating the received data (see para 0042, transmission data received from the storage control unit 20).
Regarding claim 12, Mizuno further teaches selecting, using a multiplexer, a data pathway based at least in part on the desired protocol (the selector 151 is construed as a multiplexer since it selects one I/O from two different parts as disclosed in para 0040).
Regarding claim 13, Mizuno further teaches reading a stored indicator signal; and wherein the determining is based at least in part on the indicator signal (see para 0028, the communicate mode selection information may be set automatically from a control program running in the storage control unit or set in response to a command issued from an external management console to the control program).
Regarding claim 14, Mizuno teaches an integrated circuit comprising a Universal Data Bus Serializer (see figure 1 and figure 2, interface module 1-1 comprising the interface processing unit 10, also see para 0032, The interface processing unit 10 is comprised of a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) 13), wherein the Universal Data Bus Serializer comprises:
an input configured to receive input data (input of the I/O port P-1, see para 0042, transmission data received from the storage control unit 20) and wherein the Universal Bus Serializer is configured to:
store a plurality of protocol operating instructions, wherein each protocol operating instruction corresponds to a given operating protocol (memory storing protocol software 150A, 150B of protocol processing unit 15, see para 0040, The protocol processing parts 150A and 150B may be prepared as software which is executed by a microprocessor composing the protocol processing unit 15);
choose a given protocol in the plurality of protocol operating instructions (see para 0040, The selector 151 in the protocol processing unit 15 is also controlled by the output signal S18 from the above mode switching circuit 18 to activate either the Fibre Channel protocol processing part 150A or Gigabit Ethernet protocol processing part 150B); and
output serial data by modulating the input data based at least in part on the given protocol (output at the SERDES 13, see para 0042, the part 150A or 150B performs protocol processing on transmission data received from the storage control unit 20 and outputs the transmission data).
But Mizuno fails to teach the integrated circuit is implemented in a vehicle module and choosing a given protocol based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up of the Universal Bus Serializer or during operation of the Universal Bus Serializer, wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN).
However, Jeon teaches a similar protocol conversion system implemented in a vehicle module (see para 0002, a data converting method applied to a vehicle using a plurality of network protocols) and choosing a given protocol based at least in part on a signal or information received, over the data bus, at boot up or during operation of the system (see para 0033, analyzing a destination node of the first data by analyzing a data frame structure of the received first data, converting the first data into second data in accordance with a second network protocol by determining the second network protocol which the destination node uses), wherein the plurality of protocol operating instructions comprise Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN) (see para 0034, the second network protocol include any one of a LIN (Local Interconnect Network) protocol, a CAN (Control Area Network) protocol and a FlexRay protocol).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the protocol conversion system of Mizuno and incorporate the vehicle data bus system with CAN and LIN protocols.
The motivation for doing so is to improve the compatibility of the vehicle communication system using multiple different protocols such as the CAN and LIN protocols as taught by Jeon (see para 0013).
Regarding claim 15, Mizuno further teaches the integrated circuit further comprises an indicator signal input; and wherein the Universal Bus Serializer is configured to choose the given protocol based at least in part on an indicator signal received via the indicator signal input (see figure 2 and para 0043, the switch control signal S20 from the storage control unit 20).
Regarding claim 18, Mizuno further teaches the Universal Bus Serializer comprises a multiplexer (the selector 151 is construed as a multiplexer since it selects one I/O from two different parts as disclosed in para 0040).
Regarding claim 19, Mizuno further teaches the Universal Bus Serializer comprises a modulation processor configured to modulate data based at least in part on the given protocol (see para 0038, Because the data transmission rates differ between the Fiber Channel and Gigabit Ethernet as described above, in the present embodiment, the clock oscillator 16A with a reference frequency of 106.25 MHz for Fibre Channel and the clock oscillator 16B with a reference frequency 125 MHz for Gigabit Ethernet are prepared and clock frequency to be supplied to the SERDES 13 is switched by the selector 17 e.g. providing two different modulation frequencies for the two protocols).
Regarding claim 20, Mizuno further teaches the Universal Bus Serializer is configured to store an instruction for selecting the given protocol (see para 0028, the communicate mode selection information may be set automatically from a control program running in the storage control unit or set in response to a command issued from an external management console to the control program).
Regarding claim 21, Mizuno further teaches receiving a binary input signal (see para 0026, 8B/10B encoding).
Regarding claim 22, Mizuno further teaches the input is configured to receive a binary input signal (see para 0026, 8B/10B encoding).
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 PHONG H DANG whose telephone number is (571)272-0470. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM - 6:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Henry Tsai can be reached at (571)272-4176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PHONG H DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2184
Prosecution Insights