DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to the application filed on March 21, 2025 in which claims 1-17 are pending in the application. Claims 1, 9, and 17 are in independent form.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). This application claims foreign priority of Japanese patent JP2024-062159 filed April 8, 2024. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 21, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly
indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because claim 17 recites a non-transitory recording medium. The specification at lines 11, 42 discloses “a non-transitory recording medium”, page 18 discloses a “record medium”. None of the above cited portions provide a description for the recording medium. As such, under the BRI of the claim, the claim is at best, signal per se.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 9-12 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Masson et al. (US 20140047257 A1).
As per claim 1, Masson discloses a communication apparatus comprising:
a USB device including: a USB interface to enable communication between the communication apparatus and another apparatus [Fig. 2, ¶[0024], [0022], USB host controller and ports provide interface for communication.]; and
a USB device controller to manage an operation state of the USB device [Fig. 2, ¶[0024], [0023], Main controller circuit manages operation state of USB ports/devices.]; and
circuitry configured to: manage a power supply state of the communication apparatus [Fig. 2, 3, ¶[0023]-[0031], PMC sub-circuit controls power state, main controller can be powered down.]; and
perform a state control process of controlling the communication apparatus to transition to a power supply state with lower power consumption than a current power supply state, when an operation state in which the USB device stops communication with said another apparatus has continued for a predetermined period of time [Fig. 3, ¶[0025]-[0031], Idle period detection → suspend → low power state after inactivity.].
As per claim 2, Masson discloses the communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the state control process in a case where the current power supply state is a power-saving state with lower power consumption than a normal state in which the communication apparatus performs a normal operation [Fig. 3, ¶[0031], [0032] | Main controller transitions from normal to low energy/power-saving state.].
As per claim 3, Masson discloses the communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the state control process in a case where a cable is connected to the USB interface [Fig. 2, 3, ¶[0024], [0025], [0032] | USB ports maintain connection; can suspend with cable connected].
As per claim 4, Masson discloses the communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply state with lower power consumption than the current power supply state includes a power off state [Fig. 3, ¶[0023], [0031] | Main controller can be powered down/off.].
Claim 9 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 1 above.
Claim 10 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 2 above.
Claim 11 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 3 above.
Claim 12 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 4 above.
Claim 17 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 1 above.
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.
Claim(s) 5-7 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masson et al. (US 20140047257 A1) and Niida et al. (US 6996096 B2).
As per claim 5, Masson further discloses [Fig. 1A, 1B, ¶[0019]-[0021] | Other interfaces (Ethernet, Wi-Fi) shown, but power management is only described for USB.].
Masson does not specifically teach the communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication interface different from the USB interface, wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the state control process in a case where the communication interface is disabled as recited in the claim.
Niida discloses a communication interface different from the USB interface, wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the state control process in a case where the communication interface is disabled [Col. 11, lines 5–30; Col. 13, lines 1–10; Col. 14, lines 36–67 | At least two interfaces (IEEE1394 and USB); switching based on connection state.].
Both Masson and Niida are in the same field of endeavor as they are both in the USP power saving art and, therefore, are combinable/modifiable.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the teachings of Masson with the teachings of Niida in order to enable a communication interface different from the USB interface, wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the state control process in a case where the communication interface is disabled.
Modification would improve system performance by checking the network structure and the connection states of all nodes and controls bus communication by defining each node ID and controlling isochronous communication as taught by Niida (Col. 2, lines 31-34).
As per claim 6, Masson further discloses [Fig. 4, ¶[0033]-[0043] | Resume/wake-up from suspend on USB cable activity is disclosed; not for other interfaces.].
Masson does not specifically teach the communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the power supply state with lower power consumption than the current power supply state includes a power supply state in which a function of returning to the current power supply state in response to connection of a cable to the USB interface or the communication interface is enabled as recited in the claim.
Niida discloses wherein the power supply state with lower power consumption than the current power supply state includes a power supply state in which a function of returning to the current power supply state in response to connection of a cable to the USB interface or the communication interface is enabled [Col. 14, lines 36–67; Col. 15, lines 1–39 | Sleep/active state toggling based on connection state (automatic interface switching).]
Both Masson and Niida are in the same field of endeavor as they are both in the USP power saving art and, therefore, are combinable/modifiable.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the teachings of Masson with the teachings of Niida in order to enable the power supply state with lower power consumption than the current power supply state includes a power supply state in which a function of returning to the current power supply state in response to connection of a cable to the USB interface or the communication interface is enabled.
Modification would improve system performance by checking the network structure and the connection states of all nodes and controls bus communication by defining each node ID and controlling isochronous communication as taught by Niida (Col. 2, lines 31-34).
As per claim 7, Masson further discloses [Fig. 3, 4, ¶[0033], [0041] | PMC detects connect/disconnect events in low power state.].
Masson does not specifically teach the communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the power supply state with lower power consumption than the current power supply state includes a power supply state in which a function of detecting removal of a cable connected to the USB interface is enabled as recited in the claim.
Niida discloses wherein the power supply state with lower power consumption than the current power supply state includes a power supply state in which a function of detecting removal of a cable connected to the USB interface is enabled [Col. 15, lines 1–39 | USB driver 47 detects USB disconnection while in sleep.].
Both Masson and Niida are in the same field of endeavor as they are both in the USP power saving art and, therefore, are combinable/modifiable.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the teachings of Masson with the teachings of Niida in order to enable the power supply state with lower power consumption than the current power supply state includes a power supply state in which a function of detecting removal of a cable connected to the USB interface is enabled.
Modification would improve system performance by checking the network structure and the connection states of all nodes and controls bus communication by defining each node ID and controlling isochronous communication as taught by Niida (Col. 2, lines 31-34).
Claim 13 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 5 above.
Claim 14 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 6 above.
Claim 15 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 7 above.
Claim(s) 8 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masson et al. (US 20140047257 A1) and Niida et al. (US 6996096 B2) and Imata (US 20170123485 A1).
As per claim 8, Masson further discloses the communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply state of the communication apparatus includes a first power-saving state with lower power consumption than a normal state in which the communication apparatus performs a normal operation [Fig. 3, 4, ¶[0031]-[0033], [0041] | Only two states: normal and low energy (suspend/PMC always-on). Multiple gradations of power-saving not explicitly described.].
The combination of Masson and Niida does not specifically teach a second power-saving state with lower power consumption than the first power-saving state, the second power-saving state being a state in which a connection state of a cable to the communication apparatus is detectable, and the circuitry is configured to cause the communication apparatus to transition to the second power-saving state when the operation state in which the USB device stops communication with said another apparatus has continued for the predetermined period of time in the first power-saving state as recited in the claim.
Imata discloses a second power-saving state with lower power consumption than the first power-saving state, the second power-saving state being a state in which a connection state of a cable to the communication apparatus is detectable, and the circuitry is configured to cause the communication apparatus to transition to the second power-saving state when the operation state in which the USB device stops communication with said another apparatus has continued for the predetermined period of time in the first power-saving state [ ¶ [0091]-[0094], [0111]-[0113], [0196]-[0208]; Multiple gradations of power-saving states (low-power, auto-off, off, WOL, etc.).]
Masson, Niida and Imata are in the same field of endeavor as they are both in the USB power state control art and, therefore, are combinable/modifiable.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the teachings of Masson and Niida with the teachings of Imata in order to enable a second power-saving state with lower power consumption than the first power-saving state, the second power-saving state being a state in which a connection state of a cable to the communication apparatus is detectable, and the circuitry is configured to cause the communication apparatus to transition to the second power-saving state when the operation state in which the USB device stops communication with said another apparatus has continued for the predetermined period of time in the first power-saving state.
Modification would improve the usability and degradation of the system by controlling supply of electric power to at least one of the communication processor and the controller in accordance with the power state determined by the controller as taught by Imata (Para 0011).
Claim 16 is rejected using the same rationale used for claim 8 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lyra (US-20110072284-A1) teaches A method of preparing a power saving state comprises sending a request from a USB device to a USB host, the USB host being connected to the USB device via a USB and the request requesting that the USB host shall stop any bus traffic on the USB (Abstract).
Wei (CN 113094103 A) discloses the processor further comprises a detecting unit, used for when detecting that the host computer sends the interrupt signal K or SEO signal sent by the USB device to the USB device through the USB bus, the processor exits the sleep state, recovering the USB bus (Abstract).
Fernald (CN 104951413 B) discloses The invention claims a method and its associated low-power communication device. A device comprises a detector for detecting the idle state of the communication link of the burst or information packet transfer information. The device further includes a low power and oscillator of the normal operation mode. the oscillator during the idle state of communication link into a low power mode. when the communication link is in the non-idle state, oscillator exit low power operation mode and enter the normal operation mode (Abstract).
Kojo (JP 2011028781 A) discloses The link state is automatically set from the operation state to the low power state (standby state) by hardware when the link is idle. When communication is necessary, the link state is returned from the standby state to the operating state by hardware (Background).
Examiner has cited particular columns/paragraphs/sections and line numbers in the references applied and not relied upon to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to the Office action, applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the reference(s) cited or the objections made. A showing of how the amendments avoid such references or objections must also be present. See 37 C.F.R. 1.111(c).
When responding to this Office action, applicant is advised to provide the line and page numbers in the application and/or reference(s) cited to assist in locating the appropriate paragraphs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Pierre M. Vital whose telephone number is (571)272-4215. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8:00a-4:00p.
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June 5, 2026
/PIERRE VITAL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2198
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