DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
1. This action is in response to the communication filed on December 24, 2024. Claims 1-25 were originally received for consideration. No preliminary amendments for the claims have been received.
2. Claims 1-25 are currently pending consideration.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. Initialed and dated copies of Applicant’s IDS (form 1449), received on 6/11/2025, 8/4/2025, 9/3/2025, and 2/19/2026, are attached to this Office Action.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 8-11 and 9-122 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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 (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.
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.
5. Claim(s) 1-5, 7, 9, 12-16, 18, 20, 23, and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. (U.S. Patent Pub. No. US 2013/0155459) in view of Keser et al. (U.S. Patent Pub. No. US 2018/0212781) in further in view of Ngo et al. (U.S. Patent Pub. No. Us 2017/0277651).
Regarding claim 1, Jeong discloses:
An authentication method, comprising:
obtaining first authentication data (paragraphs 0097-0098, 0135: Each of the CRUM chips may perform communication with the main controller and other CRUM chips. New integrity monitoring data is generated by cumulatively reflecting integrity monitoring data used in previous communication and transmitted in each communication), wherein the communication bus is configured for communication linkage between a host device and at least two chips (paragraph 0098: each of CRUM chips can communicate with the main controller and other CRUM chips); and
obtaining second authentication data based on the first authentication data (paragraph 0098: new integrity monitoring data is generated by cumulatively reflecting integrity monitoring data used in previous communication and transmitted in each communication), wherein the second authentication data is used to determine total authentication data (paragraphs 0027-0028: finally monitoring integrity of total signals).
Jeong does not explicitly disclose that the total authentication data is used to determine whether there is a chip, of the at least two chips, that does not meet expectations. In an analogous art, Keser discloses having a set of servant devices (chips) in a daisy chain configuration with a master device connected to the set of servant device (Figure 1, paragraph 0176). Keser discloses an authentication information for a final response of the set of responses and authenticates the set of responses based on the predicted authentication information and the received authentication information for the final response (paragraph 0176). This authentication information would determine whether one of the servant devices (one of the chips) fails to be authenticated (fails to meet expectations) (paragraph 0176). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to use the configuration of Keser to determine whether at least one of the two chips fails to meet expectations in order to determine whether one of the servant devices (chips) failed authentication (Keser: paragraph 0176).
The combination of Jeong and Keser does not explicitly disclose a communication bus though they do disclose transmitting data to interconnected slave devices. In an analogous art, Ngo discloses a communication bus and a plurality of slave devices, each of the slave devices associated with a common slave identifier (see Abstract). The communication bus receives a message comprising data, a slave identifier, and a map address (see Abstract). Ngo discloses a master controller and slaves devices which are connected to each other by a communication bus (paragraph 0006). It would have been obvious to connect all the slave devices and the master controller of Jeong-Keser by the communication bus disclosed by Ngo so that messages from the master controller can be broadcast and received by all the slave devices on the bus (Ngo: paragraph 0007).
Claim 2 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 1. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining the second authentication data based on the first authentication data comprises:
performing an authentication processing based on the first authentication data to obtain the second authentication data, or directly determining the first authentication data as the second authentication data (paragraph 0106: Servant device may determine authentication information for the second response based on the authentication information for the first response, the second response, and a key assigned to servant device).
Claim 3 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 1. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The authentication method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining the first authentication data on the communication bus comprises:
obtaining the first authentication data sent by the host device on the communication bus; or
obtaining the first authentication data sent by one of the at least two chips on the communication bus (paragraph 0104: servant device may receive, from servant device, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data).
Claim 4 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 1. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The authentication method according to claim 1, further comprising:
outputting the second authentication data as the total authentication data to the host device; or
outputting the second authentication data to the communication bus as intermediate authentication data, wherein the intermediate authentication data is used to participate in a subsequent authentication processing to generate the total authentication data (paragraph 0106: servant device may output the encrypted or plaintext data and signature to servant device).
Claim 5 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 1. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The authentication method according to claim 1, further comprising:
obtaining third authentication data sent by the host device, wherein the third authentication data is directed to one of the at least two chips (Keser: paragraphs 014-0107, 0143-0144: Servant device may receive, from a previous servant device of servant devices, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data);
performing a third authentication processing based on the third authentication data to obtain fourth authentication data (Keser: paragraphs 014-0107, 0143-0144: Servant device may receive, from a previous servant device of servant devices, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data); and
outputting the fourth authentication data to the communication bus, wherein the fourth authentication data is used to determine whether the chip directed to by the third authentication data meets expectations (Keser: paragraphs 0104-0107, 0143-0144: Servant device may receive, from a previous servant device of servant devices, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data).
Claim 7 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 4. Furthermore, Jeong discloses:
The authentication method according to claim 4, wherein outputting the second authentication data as the total authentication data to the host device further comprises:
outputting the second authentication data and communication identifier information, for specifying the host device as a receiving device of the second authentication data, to the communication bus in an associated manner, so that the host device determines the second authentication data as the total authentication data (paragraphs 0066-0067: sending the MAC and the value R2 to the main controller); or
based on a total authentication data query instruction sent by the host device to the communication bus and communication identifier information corresponding to a chip itself, outputting the second authentication data to the communication bus, so that the host device determines the second authentication data as the total authentication data.
Claim 9 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 4. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The authentication method according to claim 4, wherein outputting the second authentication data as intermediate authentication data to the communication bus comprises:
outputting the second authentication data and communication identifier information, for specifying one of the at least two chips as a device for receiving the second authentication data, to the communication bus in an associated manner (paragraph 0106: servant device may output the encrypted or plaintext data and signature to servant device).
Regarding claim 12, Jeong discloses:
A control device, comprising:
a first acquisition unit, configured to acquire first authentication data (paragraphs 0097-0098, 0135: Each of the CRUM chips may perform communication with the main controller and other CRUM chips. New integrity monitoring data is generated by cumulatively reflecting integrity monitoring data used in previous communication and transmitted in each communication) is configured for communication linkage between a host device and at least two chips (paragraph 0098: each of CRUM chips can communicate with the main controller and other CRUM chips); and
an authentication unit, configured to obtain second authentication data based on the first authentication data (paragraph 0098: new integrity monitoring data is generated by cumulatively reflecting integrity monitoring data used in previous communication and transmitted in each communication), wherein the second authentication data is used to determine total authentication data (paragraphs 0027-0028: finally monitoring integrity of total signals).
Jeong does not explicitly disclose that the total authentication data is used to determine whether there is a chip, of the at least two chips, that does not meet expectations. In an analogous art, Keser discloses having a set of servant devices (chips) in a daisy chain configuration with a master device connected to the set of servant device (Figure 1, paragraph 0176). Keser discloses an authentication information for a final response of the set of responses and authenticates the set of responses based on the predicted authentication information and the received authentication information for the final response (paragraph 0176). This authentication information would determine whether one of the servant devices (one of the chips) fails to be authenticated (fails to meet expectations) (paragraph 0176). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to use the configuration of Keser to determine whether at least one of the two chips fails to meet expectations in order to determine whether one of the servant devices (chips) failed authentication (Keser: paragraph 0176).
The combination of Jeong and Keser does not explicitly disclose a communication bus though they do disclose transmitting data to interconnected slave devices. In an analogous art, Ngo discloses a communication bus and a plurality of slave devices, each of the slave devices associated with a common slave identifier (see Abstract). The communication bus receives a message comprising data, a slave identifier, and a map address (see Abstract). Ngo discloses a master controller and slaves devices which are connected to each other by a communication bus (paragraph 0006). It would have been obvious to connect all the slave devices and the master controller of Jeong-Keser by the communication bus disclosed by Ngo so that messages from the master controller can be broadcast and received by all the slave devices on the bus (Ngo: paragraph 0007).
Claim 13 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 12. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The control device according to claim 12, wherein the authentication unit is further configured to: perform an authentication processing based on the first authentication data to obtain the second authentication data; or
directly determine the first authentication data as the second authentication data (paragraph 0106: Servant device may determine authentication information for the second response based on the authentication information for the first response, the second response, and a key assigned to servant device).
Claim 14 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 12. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The control device according to claim 12, wherein the first acquisition unit is further configured to: obtain the first authentication data output by the host device on the communication bus; or obtain the first authentication data output by one of the at least two chips on the communication bus (paragraph 0104: servant device may receive, from servant device, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data).
Claim 15 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 12. Furthermore, Keser discloseos:
The control device according to claim 12, further comprising a transmitting unit, wherein the transmitting unit is configured to: send the second authentication data as the total authentication data to the host device; or
output the second authentication data as intermediate authentication data to the communication bus, wherein the intermediate authentication data is used to participate in a subsequent authentication processing to generate the total authentication data (paragraph 0106: servant device may output the encrypted or plaintext data and signature to servant device).
Claim 16 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 12. Furthermore, Jeong discloses:
The control device according to claim 12, further comprising a transmitting unit, wherein:
the first acquisition unit is configured to acquire third authentication data sent by the host device, wherein the third authentication data is directed to one of the at least two chips (Keser: paragraphs 014-0107, 0143-0144: Servant device may receive, from a previous servant device of servant devices, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data);
the authentication unit is configured to perform a third authentication processing based on the third authentication data to obtain fourth authentication data (Keser: paragraphs 014-0107, 0143-0144: Servant device may receive, from a previous servant device of servant devices, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data); and
the transmitting unit is configured to output the fourth authentication data to the communication bus, wherein the fourth authentication data is used to determine whether the chip pointed to by the third authentication data meets expectations (Keser: paragraphs 0104-0107, 0143-0144: Servant device may receive, from a previous servant device of servant devices, a request for data, a first response to the request for data, and authentication information for the first response to the request for data).
Claim 18 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 15. Furthermore,
The control device according to claim 15, wherein the transmitting unit is further configured to:
output the second authentication data and communication identifier information, for specifying the host device as a device for receiving the second authentication data, to the communication bus in an associated manner, so that the host device determines the second authentication data as the total authentication data (paragraphs 0066-0067: sending the MAC and the value R2 to the main controller); or
based on a total authentication data query instruction output by the host device to the communication bus and corresponding communication identifier corresponding to a chip itself, output the second authentication data to the communication bus, so that the host device determines the second authentication data as the total authentication data.
Claim 20 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 15. Furthermore, Keser discloses:
The control device according to claim 15, wherein, to output the second authentication data as intermediate authentication data to the communication bus, the transmitting unit is further configured to: output the second authentication data and the communication identifier information, for specifying one of the at least two chips as a device for receiving the second authentication data, to the communication bus in an associated manner (paragraph 0106: servant device may output the encrypted or plaintext data and signature to servant device).
Regarding claim 23, Jeong discloses:
A consumable, comprising:
a housing (paragraph 0051: consumables unit is installed on the main body of the image forming apparatus which may include a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a fusing unit, different rollers, a belt, and an organic photoconductor drum);
a developer accommodating portion, located in the housing, for accommodating the developer (paragraph 0051: consumables unit is installed on the main body of the image forming apparatus which may include a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a fusing unit, different rollers, a belt, and an organic photoconductor drum); and
the control device according to claim 12 (paragraph 0051: consumables unit is installed on the main body of the image forming apparatus which may include a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a fusing unit, different rollers, a belt, and an organic photoconductor drum).
Regarding claim 25, Jeong discloses:
A consumable, comprising:
a photosensitive drum (paragraph 0051: consumables unit is installed on the main body of the image forming apparatus which may include a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a fusing unit, different rollers, a belt, and an organic photoconductor drum);
a charging roller, configured for charging the photosensitive drum (paragraph 0051: consumables unit is installed on the main body of the image forming apparatus which may include a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a fusing unit, different rollers, a belt, and an organic photoconductor drum); and
the control device according to claim 12 (paragraph 0051: consumables unit is installed on the main body of the image forming apparatus which may include a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a fusing unit, different rollers, a belt, and an organic photoconductor drum).
6. Claim(s) 6 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. (U.S. Patent Pub. No. US 2013/0155459) in view of Keser et al. (U.S. Patent Pub. No. US 2018/0212781) in further in view of Ngo et al. (U.S. Patent Pub. No. Us 2017/0277651) in further in view of Messie et al. (U.S. Patent Pub. US 2021/0092110).
Claim 6 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 1. Furthermore, the combination of Jeong, Keser and Ngo does not explicitly disclose acquiring communication identifier sequence information, for specifying an authentication data processing order, on the communication bus, determining the communication identifier information, for specifying a device for receiving the second authentication data, based on the communication identifier sequence information, and outputting the second authentication data and communication identifier information, for specifying a device for receiving the second authentication data, to the communication bus in an associated manner. In an analogous art, Messie discloses setting up a communication between a source device and a destination device by implementing a path determined by the list of devices that transmit the data of the communication (paragraph 0068) and sets up a ledger based on the use by these devices (paragraph 0068). There is a sequence of transmissions set up (paragraph 0070-0071) between the relays with each relay having an identifier and certificate (paragraphs 0077-0078) and based on the identifiers of the devices the circuit knows how to reach the destination (paragraph 0082). This communication is based on an ordered list of identifiers of the relays that set up the communication and sending the transaction frames addressed to each relay identified in said list to generate proofs of use comprising at least the signatures (paragraphs 0017-0018). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the disclosure of Messie with the system of Jeong-Keser-Ngo to provide a verifiable ordered sequence of communication (Messie: paragraphs 0017-0018).
Claim 17 is rejected as applied above in rejecting claim 12. Furthermore, the combination of Jeong, Keser and Ngo does not explicitly disclose a determining and transmitting unit for acquiring communication identifier sequence information, for specifying an authentication data processing order, on the communication bus, determining the communication identifier information, for specifying a device for receiving the second authentication data, based on the communication identifier sequence information, and outputting the second authentication data and communication identifier information, for specifying a device for receiving the second authentication data, to the communication bus in an associated manner. In an analogous art, Messie discloses setting up a communication between a source device and a destination device by implementing a path determined by the list of devices that transmit the data of the communication (paragraph 0068) and sets up a ledger based on the use by these devices (paragraph 0068). There is a sequence of transmissions set up (paragraph 0070-0071) between the relays with each relay having an identifier and certificate (paragraphs 0077-0078) and based on the identifiers of the devices the circuit knows how to reach the destination (paragraph 0082). This communication is based on an ordered list of identifiers of the relays that set up the communication and sending the transaction frames addressed to each relay identified in said list to generate proofs of use comprising at least the signatures (paragraphs 0017-0018). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the disclosure of Messie with the system of Jeong-Keser-Ngo to provide a verifiable ordered sequence of communication (Messie: paragraphs 0017-0018).
Conclusion
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/KAVEH ABRISHAMKAR/
07/09/2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2494
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