CTNF 18/990,004 CTNF 91741 Detailed Action 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. The Office Action is in response to claims filed on 12/20/2024 where claims 1-18 are pending and ready for examination. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-3 and 17 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru (JP2012059294) in view of Nukala (US 20200059491) Regarding claim 1 ,Minoru discloses a communication device, comprising: a controller (Minoru; Minoru discloses computing device where a controller is necessarily present to facilitate executing computing instructions) ; and a memory configured to, in a case where the communication device belongs to a specific subnetwork among a plurality of subnetworks constituting a local area network, store network information capable of specifying a network address of the specific subnetwork (Minoru; [0008] “The server application also provides clients with a device discovery function to discover network devices as part of its network management capabilities. The client can obtain basic device information, such as the address and device name of the device it wants to manage, from the device list discovered b the server application. The server application uses subnet broadcasting to discover devices located within multiple subnets [0009] “Fig 1 shows an example of a computer network configuration that may be subject ot network management, The computer network shown in Fig. 1 has a configuration with three LANs 100, 110, and 120 are interconnected b a modem/transponder 130. Furthermore, computer devices such as printer server devices, file server devices, and client devices, as well as network printer, are connected to LAN 100, 110, and 120, respectively” [0013]) “To perform service discovery, each client application use a proxy to communicate with the server application and requests device discovery. The server application receives information sent from the proxy (stub) using and performs device discovery using broadcast protocols such as SNMP. By default, the system only searches for devices located on subnet LAN 100 where server application resides. However, if a client application specifies a search range that extends beyond the subnet, for example, if it specifies that device discovery should be performed on LAN 120 as shown in Figure 2, a subnet broadcast will be performed to discover the device” Minoru discloses computing device where a memory is necessarily present to facilitate required operations and/or storage. wherein the controller is configured to: display a first selection screen on a display, the first selection screen being for selecting whether to search for one or more first-type external devices belonging to the specific subnetwork or for one or more second-type external devices belonging to a subnetwork different from the specific subnetwork in the plurality of subnetworks (Minoru; [0008], [0009], [0013] ) ; in a case where it is selected on the first selection screen by a user that the one or more first-type external devices are to be searched for, specify the one or more first-type external devices by using the network information in the memory and also by sending a search signal to outside (Minoru; Minoru teaches that a client application requests device discovery using subnet broadcasting, and that the system searches devices beyond the local subnet when the client application specifies a search range extending outside the event Minoru teaches, in response to a user/client selection of a subnet search scope, specificy8ing devices associated with a first-type external subnet/device group using stored subnet/network information and sending a search signal outside the local subnet broadcast/device signaling. Further, because Minoru teaches searching beyond the local subnet, subnet broadcasts across multiple LAN subnetworks, client-specified search ranges extending outside the current subnet, and device discovery across those subnetworks ([0008], [0009], [0013]), Minoru contemplates the claimed requirement for interacting with external devices) ; in a case where the one or more first-type external devices are specified, display a first search result screen indicating the one or more first-type external devices on the display (Minoru; Minoru teaches that the server application performs subnet broadcast to search for devices placed in a plurality of subnets and obtains search device list information corresponding to the searched devices ([0008], [0009], [0013]). Minoru further teaches that the server application stub transmits the search device list information to the proxy by interprocess communication, the proxy notifies the client application, and the client application displays the device list information based on the notified information ([0013]). Accordingly, JP294 teaches displaying a first search result screen indicating the specified first-type external devices on a display after the devices are specified through the subnet/device search operation) ; in a case where it is selected on the first selection screen by the user that the one or more second-type external devices are to be searched for, specify the one or more second-type external devices by sending a search signal to outside; (Minoru; Per Minoru’s teaching s in {0008], [0009], [0013], multiple device types including printer server devices file server devices, and network printers are connected across a plurality of LANs/subnetworks, and the system performs external subnet searching through subnet broadcast and subnet=range searching outside the local subnet. Accordingly, JP294 teaches specifying second-type external devices by sending a search signal outside the specific subnetwork) in a case where the one or more second-type external devices are specified, display a second search result screen indicating the one or more second-type external devices on the display (Minoru; Per the flow above ([0008], [0009]], [0013]), device list information corresponding to the searched external devices is displayed by the client application. Accordingly, the second search result screen indicating the second-type external devices is displayed. Further one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that displaying additional search result screens corresponding to different searched device groups constitutes a design criterial and predictable variation of the disclosed display flow) Minoru does not expressly disclose: in a case where a specific external device is selected on the first search result screen or the second search result screen, perform a filter process related to whether to allow communication with the specific external device. Nukala discloses: filtering (Nukala; Nukala teaches security policies which provide filtering of network traffic via allowing or deny communications to external devices; [0008] “... The internal firewall 72 is configured with a microsegmentation security policy that is used by the internal firewall 72 to determine whether to allow or block requests within the network that may not pass through the external firewall 40 “) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities. Minoru in view of Nukala discloses: in a case where a specific external device is selected on the first search result screen or the second search result screen, perform a filter process related to whether to allow communication with the specific external device (The combined solution per Nukala ([0008] provides for filtering in association with the search results for first or second search result screens as expressly taught by Minoru) Regarding claim 2 , Minoru in view of Nukala disclose The communication device as in claim 1, wherein the first search result screen includes, for each of the one or more the first-type external devices, at least one of name information of the external device, an IP address of the external device, and model information of the external device (The combined solution per Minoru [0008]). , and the second search result screen includes, for each of the one or more second-type external devices, at least one of name information of the external device, an IP address of the external device, and model information of the external device (The combined solution per Minoru [0008]). Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities. Regarding claim 3 , Minoru in view of Nukala disclsoe The communication device as in claim 1, wherein in a case where it is selected on the first selection screen by the user that the one or more second-type external devices are to be searched for and a network address of the subnetwork different from the specific subnetwork in the plurality of subnetworks is designated by the user, the controller is configured to specify the one or more second-type external devices by using the designated network address and also by sending the search signal to outside (Per Independent claim 1, Minoru taches client-specified search ranges extended beyond the current subnet and subnet-based searching across a plurality of LANs/subnetworks ([0008], [0009], [0013]). Accordingly, the combined solution teaches specifying second-type external devices using a designated network address of a different subnetwork and sending the search signal outside the specific subnetwork) . Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities. Regarding claim 17 , claim 17 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 1 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon (US 2022007826) Regarding claim 4 , Minoru in view of Nukala disclose the communication device as in claim 1, wherein the filter process includes storing in the memory a first IP address of the specific external device in association with name information of the specific external device Per Independent claim 1) , Minoru does not expressly disclose the controller is further configured to: Minoru does not expressly disclose, acquire a second IP address of the specific external device by using the name information of the specific external device after the filter process is performed; and change an IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device from the first IP address to the second IP address. Nixon discloses: acquire a second IP address of the specific external device by using the name information of the specific external device (Nixon; [0104] Upon assigning an IP address to a device, the DHCP server 430 and/or the device itself may cause the mapping database 435 to be updated accordingly with an indication of the association(s) between the device identifier(s) (e.g., tags) and the assigned IP address, e.g., by directly updating the mapping database 435, and/or by informing a Domain Name Service server (438) that updates the mapping database 435 with the newly created association or mapping.) ; and change an IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device from the first IP address to the second IP address (Nixon; [0104] Upon assigning an IP address to a device, the DHCP server 430 and/or the device itself may cause the mapping database 435 to be updated accordingly with an indication of the association(s) between the device identifier(s) (e.g., tags) and the assigned IP address, e.g., by directly updating the mapping database 435, and/or by informing a Domain Name Service server (438) that updates the mapping database 435 with the newly created association or mapping). Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nixon’s scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of device management. Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities. Regarding claim 5 , Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon disclose the communication device as in claim 4, wherein the second IP address is acquired from a name resolution server by sending the name information of the specific external device to the name resolution server (The combined solution per Nixon (see e.g. [0104]). Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 6 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon and in further view of Ko (US 20120096261) Regarding claim 6 , Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon disclose the communication device as in claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive from a name resolution server, for each of one or more external devices including the specific external device, name information of the external device and an IP address of the external device (The combined solution per dependent claim 4) ; and store in the memory as a name resolution cache, for each of the one or more external devices including the specific external device, the name information of the external device and the IP address of the external device in association with each other (The combined solution per dependent claim 4; It would have been obvious to implement a name resolution case as one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to realize the benefits of reducing repeated lookups, improving efficiency, using stored information, etc.) , wherein the second IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is acquired from the name resolution cache in the memory (The combined solution per dependent claim 4) . As evidence of the rationale above, Ko discloses: Name resolution cache (Ko; See e.g. [0020] “... a name resolution data cache 208 ...”) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Ko’s name resolution data cache. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing devices. Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 7 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon and in further view of Wawrzynowicz (US 20150271334) Regarding claim 7 , Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon disclose the communication device as in claim 4, wherein the filter process includes storing in the memory the name information of the specific external device, the first IP address of the specific external device (The combined solution per dependent claim 4) , Minoru does not expressly disclose and an update flag according to user selection in association with each other, and the update flag indicates one of a first value corresponding to updating of an IP address and a second value corresponding to not updating of an IP address, in a case where the update flag indicates the first value, the second IP address is acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is changed from the first IP address to the second IP address, and i n a case where the update flag indicates the second value, the second IP address in not acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is not changed from the first IP address to the second IP address. Wawrzynowicz discloses: Update flag: ( 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the flag manager data entry portion further includes icons selectable by the user to: (i) add a flag, (ii) update a flag, and (iii) delete a flag .) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Wawrzynowicz’s flag scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implanting a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing devices. Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon and in further view of Wawrzynowicz the update flag indicates one of a first value corresponding to updating of an IP address and a second value corresponding to not updating of an IP address (The combined solution per Wawrzynowicz’s flag in tandem with Nixon’s updating scheme) , in a case where the update flag indicates the first value, the second IP address is acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is changed from the first IP address to the second IP address (The combined solution per Wawrzynowicz’s flag in tandem with Nixon’s updating scheme) , and in a case where the update flag indicates the second value, the second IP address in not acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is not changed from the first IP address to the second IP address (The combined solution per Wawrzynowicz’s flag in tandem with Nixon’s updating scheme) , Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 8 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Nukala and in further view of Cao (US 20110317022) Regarding claim 8 , Minoru in view of Nukala disclose the communication device as in claim 1, Minoru does not expressly disclose wherein the network information includes an IP address of the communication device and a subnet mask of the communication device. Cao discloses: wherein the network information includes an IP address of the communication device and a subnet mask of the communication device (Cao, See e.g. [0104] “... wherein the network information includes an IP address of the communication device and a subnet mask of the communication device”) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Cao’s device metadata. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing devices. Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 9-11 and 18 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Richards (US 20210281481) and in further view of Nukala Regarding claim 9 , Minoru discloses a communication device, comprising: a controller (Minoru; Minoru discloses computing device where a controller is necessarily present to facilitate executing computing instructions) ; and a memory configured to, in a case where the communication device belongs to a specific subnetwork among a plurality of subnetworks constituting a local area network, store network information capable of specifying a network address of the specific subnetwork, wherein the controller is configured to (Minoru; [0008], [0009], [0013] Minoru discloses computing device where a memory is necessarily present to facilitate required operations and/or storage) : specify, by sending a search signal to outside, a plurality of external devices, each of which belongs to the specific subnetwork or one or more other subnetworks different from the specific subnetwork in the plurality of subnetworks(Minoru; Minoru teaches that a client application requests device discovery using subnet broadcasting, and that the system searches devices beyond the local subnet when the client application specifies a search range extending outside the event ([0008], [0009], [0013]) Thus under the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), Minoru teaches, in response to a user/client selection of a subnet search scope, specificy8ing devices associated with a first-type external subnet/device group using stored subnet/network information and sending a search signal outside the local subnet broadcast/device signaling. Further, because Minoru teaches searching beyond the local subnet, subnet broadcasts across multiple LAN subnetworks, client-specified search ranges extending outside the current subnet, and device discovery across those subnetworks ([0008], [0009], [0013]), Minoru contemplates the claimed requirement for interacting with external devices) ; specify from among the plurality of external devices, by using the network information in the memory, one or more first-type external devices belonging to the specific subnetwork and one or more second-type external devices belonging to the one or more other subnetworks (Minoru; Per Minoru’s teaching s in {0008], [0009], [0013]) ; Minoru does not expressly disclose: display a search result screen on a display, the search result screen indicating the one or more first-type external devices and the one or more second-type external devices in a distinguishable form by which the one or more first-type external devices and the one or more second-type external devices are distinguishable; and in a case where a specific external device is selected on the search result screen, perform a filter process related to whether to allow communication with the specific external device. Richards discloses: distinguishing between types of device (Richards; See e.g. [0025] “UI 200 may also include numerous flexible ways to select particular devices and assign templates to the devices. For example, GUI 200 may include a search field 206, allowing a developer to insert a query for a particular device, and existing devices that may be known within database 124 can be searched based upon the received query. The search field 206 can be particularly useful when devices can be associated with individual users or groups already in existence, thereby allowing administrator 106 to relatively quickly identify managed devices of interest. GUI 200 can further include a user filter field 208, a group filter field 210, and a type filter field 212, which allows for existing devices to be filtered based upon various inputs, such as a particular user's name, a group name within an organization associated with administrator 106, or types of devices ...” Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Richards’s scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing devices. Minoru in view of Richards discloses: display a search result screen on a display, the search result screen indicating the one or more first-type external devices and the one or more second-type external devices in a distinguishable form by which the one or more first-type external devices and the one or more second-type external devices are distinguishable (The combined solution per Richards provides for executing Minoru’s search results distinguishing between first type and second type external devices) ; Minoru in view of Richards does not expressly disclose: in a case where a specific external device is selected on the search result screen, perform a filter process related to whether to allow communication with the specific external device. Nukala discloses: filtering (Nukala; Nukala teaches security policies which provide filtering of network traffic via allowing or deny communications to external devices; [0008] “... The internal firewall 72 is configured with a microsegmentation security policy that is used by the internal firewall 72 to determine whether to allow or block requests within the network that may not pass through the external firewall 40 “) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nukala’s security policies. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing traffic between external networks/entities. Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala discloses: in a case where a specific external device is selected on the search result screen, perform a filter process related to whether to allow communication with the specific external device (The combined solution per Nukala ([0008] provides for filtering in association with the search results for first or second search result screens as expressly taught by Minoru) . Regarding claim 10 , Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala disclose the communication device as in claim 9, wherein the search result screen includes, for each of the plurality of external devices, at least one of name information of the external device, an IP address of the external device, and model information of the external device (The combined solution per Minoru [0008]) . Regarding claim 11 , Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala disclose the communication device as in claim 9, wherein, in a case where the network address of the specific subnetwork and one or more network addresses of the one or more other subnetworks are designated by the user, the controller is configured to specify the plurality of external devices by using two or more designated network addresses and also by sending the search signal to outside (Per Independent claim 9, Minoru taches client-specified search ranges extended beyond the current subnet and subnet-based searching across a plurality of LANs/subnetworks ([0008], [0009], [0013]). Accordingly, the combined solution teaches specifying second-type external devices using a designated network address of a different subnetwork and sending the search signal outside the specific subnetwork) . Regarding claim 18 , claim 18 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 9 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon Regarding claim 12 , Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala disclose the communication device as in claim 9, wherein the filter process includes storing in the memory a first IP address of the specific external device in association with name information of the specific external device (Per Independent claim 9) , Minoru does not expressly disclosed the controller is further configured to: acquire a second IP address of the specific external device by using the name information of the specific external device after the filter process is performed; and change an IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device from the first IP address to the second IP address. Nixon discloses: acquire a second IP address of the specific external device by using the name information of the specific external device (Nixon; [0104] Upon assigning an IP address to a device, the DHCP server 430 and/or the device itself may cause the mapping database 435 to be updated accordingly with an indication of the association(s) between the device identifier(s) (e.g., tags) and the assigned IP address, e.g., by directly updating the mapping database 435, and/or by informing a Domain Name Service server (438) that updates the mapping database 435 with the newly created association or mapping.) ; and change an IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device from the first IP address to the second IP address (Nixon; [0104] Upon assigning an IP address to a device, the DHCP server 430 and/or the device itself may cause the mapping database 435 to be updated accordingly with an indication of the association(s) between the device identifier(s) (e.g., tags) and the assigned IP address, e.g., by directly updating the mapping database 435, and/or by informing a Domain Name Service server (438) that updates the mapping database 435 with the newly created association or mapping). Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Nixon’s scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of device management. Regarding claim 13 , Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon disclose the communication device as in claim 12, wherein the second IP address is acquired from a name resolution server by sending the name information of the specific external device to the name resolution server (The combined solution per Nixon (see e.g. [0104]) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 14 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon and in further view of Ko (US 20120096261) Regarding claim 14 , Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon disclose the communication device as in claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive from a name resolution server, for each of one or more external devices including the specific external device, name information of the external device and an IP address of the external device (The combined solution per dependent claim 12) ; and store in the memory as a name resolution cache, for each of the one or more external devices including the specific external device, the name information of the external device and the IP address of the external device in association with each other (The combined solution per dependent claim 12; It would have been obvious to implement a name resolution case as one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to realize the benefits of reducing repeated lookups, improving efficiency, using stored information, etc.) , wherein the second IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is acquired from the name resolution cache in the memory (The combined solution per dependent claim 12) . As evidence of the rationale above, Ko discloses: Name resolution cache (Ko; See e.g. [0020] “... a name resolution data cache 208 ...”) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Ko’s name resolution data cache. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing devices . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 15 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon and in further view of Wawrzynowicz Regarding claim 15 , Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon disclose The communication device as in claim 12, wherein the filter process includes storing in the memory the name information of the specific external device, a first IP address of the specific external device (The combined solution per dependent claim 12) , Minoru does not expressly disclose and an update flag according to user selection in association with each other, the update flag indicates one of a first value corresponding to updating of an IP address and a second value corresponding to not updating of an IP address, in a case where the update flag indicates the first value, the second IP address is acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is changed from the first IP address to the second IP address, and in a case where the update flag indicates the second value, the second IP address in not acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is not changed from the first IP address to the second IP address. Wawrzynowicz discloses: Update flag: ( 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the flag manager data entry portion further includes icons selectable by the user to: (i) add a flag, (ii) update a flag, and (iii) delete a flag .) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Wawrzynowicz’s flag scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implanting a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing devices. Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Nixon and in further view of Wawrzynowicz disclose: the update flag indicates one of a first value corresponding to updating of an IP address and a second value corresponding to not updating of an IP address (The combined solution per Wawrzynowicz’s flag in tandem with Nixon’s updating scheme) , in a case where the update flag indicates the first value, the second IP address is acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is changed from the first IP address to the second IP address (The combined solution per Wawrzynowicz’s flag in tandem with Nixon’s updating scheme) ,, and in a case where the update flag indicates the second value, the second IP address in not acquired, and the IP address stored in the memory in association with the name information of the specific external device is not changed from the first IP address to the second IP address (The combined solution per Wawrzynowicz’s flag in tandem with Nixon’s updating scheme) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 16 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala and in further view of Cao Regarding claim 16 , Minoru in view of Richards and in further view of Nukala diclose the communication device as in claim 9, Minoru does not expressly disclose wherein the network information includes an IP address of the communication device and a subnet mask of the communication device. Cao discloses: wherein the network information includes an IP address of the communication device and a subnet mask of the communication device (Cao, See e.g. [0104] “... wherein the network information includes an IP address of the communication device and a subnet mask of the communication device”) Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Cao’s device metadata. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique resulting in increased efficiencies of managing devices. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to TODD L. BARKER whose telephone number is (571) 270 0257. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 5:00pm. If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor Vivek Srivastava can be reached on (571) 272 7304. /TODD L BARKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 2 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 3 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 4 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 5 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 6 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 7 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 8 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 9 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 10 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 11 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 12 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 13 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 14 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 15 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 16 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 17 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 18 Art Unit: 2449 Application/Control Number: 18/990,004 Page 19 Art Unit: 2449
Prosecution Insights