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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 05, 2025 has been considered. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Form PTO-1449 is signed and attached hereto.
Drawings
The drawings filed on March 12, 2025 are accepted.
Specification
The specification filed March 12, 2025 is accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al. US 2017/0093718 A1 [hereinafter Lin].
As per claim 1, Lin teaches a method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device, a hash key from a control plane of the network device [paragraphs 0029-0045];
sorting, by the network device, the hash key based on a next hop address field and to generate a sorted hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045];
storing, by the network device, the sorted hash key locally in a data plane of the network device [paragraphs 0029-0045];
generating, by the network device, a sorted hash table based on the sorted hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and
utilizing, by the network device, the sorted hash table to symmetrically route traffic with another network device [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 8, Lin teaches a network device, comprising:
one or more memories [figure 4]; and
one or more processors [figure 4] to:
receive a hash key from a control plane of the network device [paragraphs 0029-0045];
sort the hash key based on a next hop address field and to generate a sorted hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045];
store the sorted hash key locally in a data plane of the network device; generate a sorted hash table based on the sorted hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045];
receive first traffic provided from a customer and destined for a core network [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and
route the first traffic to the core network, through a firewall network device and the other network device, based on the sorted hash table [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 15, Lin teaches non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device, cause the network device to:
receive a hash key from a control plane of the network device [paragraphs 0029-0045],
wherein the hash key is a load-balance hash key function [paragraphs 0029-0045];
sort the hash key based on a next hop address field and to generate a sorted hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045];
store the sorted hash key locally in a data plane of the network device [paragraphs 0029-0045];
generate a sorted hash table based on the sorted hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and
utilize the sorted hash table to symmetrically route traffic with another network device [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 2, Lin further teaches the method further comprising: receiving first traffic provided from a customer and destined for a core network; and routing the first traffic to the core network, through a firewall network device and the other network device, based on the sorted hash table [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 3, Lin further teaches the method further comprising: receiving second traffic provided from the core network and destined for the customer, wherein the second traffic is received from the other network device, via the firewall network device and based on the sorted hash table; and providing the second traffic to the customer [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 4, Lin further teaches the method wherein the core network is an Internet protocol based network [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 5, Lin further teaches the method wherein the first traffic is received from an access network [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 6, Lin further teaches the method further comprising: receiving a new hash key that includes a new next hop address field entry [paragraphs 0029-0045]; sorting the new hash key based on a next hop address field and to generate a sorted new hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and comparing the sorted new hash key and the sorted hash key to identify the new next hop address field entry [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 7, Lin further teaches the method further comprising: updating the sorted hash table based on the new next hop address field entry and to generate an updated hash table; and utilizing the updated hash table to symmetrically route traffic [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 9, Lin further teaches the device wherein the one or more processors are further to: receive a new hash key that is missing a next hop address field entry provided in the hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; sort the new hash key based on a next hop address field and to generate a sorted new hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and compare the sorted new hash key and the sorted hash key to identify the missing next hop address field entry [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 10, Lin further teaches the device wherein the one or more processors are further to: update the sorted hash table based on the missing next hop address field entry and to generate an updated hash table[paragraphs 0029-0045]; and utilize the updated hash table to symmetrically route traffic [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 11, Lin further teaches the device wherein the one or more processors, to sort the hash key based on the next hop address field and to generate the sorted hash key, are to: utilize the data plane of the network device to sort the hash key based on the next hop address field and to generate the sorted hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 12, Lin further teaches the device wherein the one or more processors are further to: receive, from the other network device, an indication that an equal-cost multi-path routing (ECMP) path is disabled in an upstream direction [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and disable the ECMP path in a downstream direction based on the indication and to maintain hash table symmetricity [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 13, Lin further teaches the device wherein the one or more processors are further to: receive an indication that a path between the other network device and a firewall network device is disabled; and disable a path between the network device and the firewall network device based on the indication [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 14, Lin further teaches the device wherein the hash key is a load-balance hash key function [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 16, Lin further teaches the medium wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to: receive first traffic provided from a customer and destined for a core network; route the first traffic to the core network, through a firewall network device and the other network device, based on the sorted hash table [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and receive second traffic provided from the core network and destined for the customer, wherein the second traffic is received from the other network device, via the firewall network device and based on the sorted hash table; and provide the second traffic to the customer [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 17, Lin further teaches the medium wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to: receive a new hash key that includes a new next hop address field entry [paragraphs 0029-0045]; sort the new hash key based on a next hop address field and to generate a sorted new hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and compare the sorted new hash key and the sorted hash key to identify the new next hop address field entry [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 18, Lin further teaches the medium wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to: update the sorted hash table based on the new next hop address field entry and to generate an updated hash table [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and utilize the updated hash table to symmetrically route traffic [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 19, Lin further teaches the medium wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to: receive a new hash key that is missing a next hop address field entry provided in the hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; sort the new hash key based on a next hop address field and to generate a sorted new hash key [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and compare the sorted new hash key and the sorted hash key to identify the missing next hop address field entry [paragraphs 0029-0045].
As per claim 20, Lin further teaches the medium wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to: update the sorted hash table based on the missing next hop address field entry and to generate an updated hash table [paragraphs 0029-0045]; and utilize the updated hash table to symmetrically route traffic [paragraphs 0029-0045].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BEEMNET W DADA whose telephone number is (571)272-3847. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Hirl can be reached at 571-272-3685. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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BEEMNET W. DADA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2435
/BEEMNET W DADA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2435
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