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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
1. Claims 50-55 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 50-55, each of these claims recite the claim is dependent on the method of claim 47. However, Claim 47 recites transmitter control circuitry, Claim 48 recites a method of receiving data from a transmitter. It is believed that claims 50-55 should be dependent on the method of claim 48. Claims 50-55 need to be amended to depend on the method of claim 48 or the circuitry of claim 47. If the claims are dependent on the circuitry of claim 47, please correct for antecedent issues and other 112 issues in the dependent claims. For example, claim 51 recites “the monitoring” in line 1. No monitoring step is recited in claim 47.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
2. Claims 36-55 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (US 2022/0006745).
Regarding claim 36, Liu discloses a method in a transmitter of a communications system (Figure 22 shows the sending device and the receiving device in a communication system.), the transmitter comprising a physical coding sublayer (PCS) (Paragraph 0039: A client service received from one direction inside a device is directly sent out in another direction crossing the one direction at the PCS layer.) for transmitting data to a receiver, the method comprising:
monitoring a digital data stream to identify PCS idle blocks in the digital data stream (Paragraph 0040: The frame gap part of the packet is converted into an idle information block. Paragraph 0046: In order for the receiver to be able to restore the original service flow when addition/deletion of Idle block occurs, information block indicating the relative position relationship of the information block.); and
generating substitute data blocks for transmitting to the receiver in place of the PCS idle blocks (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.), the substitute data blocks comprising low transition blocks (LTBs) (Paragraph 0051: the position information may also be carried by using an O code block. Bit positions 38-65 are all “0”.).
Regarding claim 37, Liu discloses wherein the LTBs are configured for low-power transmission and the substitute data blocks comprise one or more pattern information blocks, wherein the one or more pattern information blocks comprise information about the PCS idle blocks; and the method further comprises: transmitting the substitute data blocks to the receiver in place of the PCS idle blocks (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks. Paragraph 0051: the position information may also be carried by using an O code block. Bit positions 38-65 are all “0”.).
Regarding claim 38, Liu discloses wherein transmitting the pattern information blocks comprises switching a mode of the transmitter between a transmitting mode and a non-transmitting mode based on information in the substitute data blocks, and/or the LTBs comprise one or more first type LTBs comprising a series of digital bits having zero transitions between binary states (Paragraph 0040: When transmitting client packet information, the Ethernet device first converts the packet into a 66-bit information block. The frame gap part of the packet is converted into an idle information block. Paragraph 0051: the position information may also be carried by using an O code block. Bit positions 38-65 are all “0”. When there is no data to be transmitted, no transmission is necessary and no transmission will take place.).
Regarding claim 39, Liu discloses wherein the LTBs comprise one or more second type LTBs comprising a series of digital bits having one or more transitions between binary states as a synchronization signal, and at least half of the digital bits of the one or more second LTBs have zero transitions (Paragraph 0051: An O code format defined in the Ethernet standard is shown in figure 9 in which 66 bits of the O code block start with bits “10”. The position information may also be carried by using an O code block. Bit positions 38-65 are all “0”.).
Regarding claim 40, Liu discloses wherein: monitoring the digital data stream to identify PCS idle blocks comprises identifying a predetermined number of PCS idle blocks as a group of idle blocks, and the method comprises: generating the substitute data blocks for transmitting to the receiver in place of the group of idle blocks, the substitute data blocks comprising a group of LTBs and the one or more pattern information blocks (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.).
Regarding claim 41, Liu discloses wherein monitoring the digital data stream comprises: buffering the digital data stream (Paragraph 0040: When transmitting client packet information, the Ethernet device first converts the packet into a 66-bit information block. The frame gap part of the packet is converted into an idle information block. The information will be stored/held/buffered while this conversion takes place.), replacing the buffered PCS idle blocks with substitute data blocks (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end.), and transmitting the substitute data blocks in place of the buffered PCS idle blocks, wherein a duration of each substitute data block is substantially the same as a duration of a buffered PCS idle block (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.).
Regarding claim 42, Liu discloses identifying plural groups of idle blocks each comprising the predetermined number of PCS idle blocks, and encoding a number of identified groups of idle blocks as information in the one or more pattern information blocks (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks. This replacement functions as encoding the position information into the O code block.).
Regarding claim 43, Liu discloses wherein the one or more pattern information blocks comprise information indicating a quantity of PCS idle blocks, and/or the substitute data blocks comprise a plurality of pattern information blocks, each pattern information block comprising information about the PCS idle blocks (Paragraph 0044: In step 501, the service flow is sent by the sending end, a target information block of the service flow carries position information and the position information is used for indicating a relative position of the target information in the service flow. Paragraph 0045: the position information is a value of a sending counter of the sending end and the sending counter is configured to count information blocks in the service flow. Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.).
Regarding claim 44, Liu discloses wherein monitoring the digital data stream to identify PCS idle blocks comprises identifying sequences of digital bits in the digital data stream having a predetermined pattern of binary states that identify a PCS idle block, and/or the PCS is an Ethernet PCS (Paragraph 0040: Information blocks include two types: data blocks (i.e., D blocks whose first two bits are “01”) and control blocks (whose first two bits are “10”). The type of control block is determined according to values of bits at positions 2-9 in the block, such as an O code block, an idle information block, etc.).
Regarding claim 45, Liu discloses wherein the communications system uses an enhanced common public radio interface (eCPRI) protocol, and/or the communications system is an optical link or a microwave link (Paragraph 0039: A synchronous network may be established through Ethernet devices. Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) technology combines the technical characteristics of Ethernet, Optical Transport Network (OTN) and SDH network to expand the Ethernet technology.).
Regarding claim 46, Liu discloses wherein: the PCS is the top sublayer of a physical layer of the communication system, and/or the PCS provides an interface between a physical medium attachment (PMA) sublayer of the communications system and a media-independent interface (MII) of the communications system (Figure 1 shows the PCS between the PMA and PMD/PMA sublayers.).
Regarding claim 47, Liu discloses transmitter control circuitry of a transmitter in a communications system (Figure 22 shows the sending device and the receiving device in a communication system.), the transmitter comprising a physical coding sublayer (PCS) in a communications system (Paragraph 0039: A client service received from one direction inside a device is directly sent out in another direction crossing the one direction at the PCS layer.) for transmitting data to a receiver, the transmitter control circuitry comprising processing circuitry and a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions (Figures 18-21), wherein the transmitter control circuitry is configured to:
monitor a digital data stream to identify PCS idle blocks in the digital data stream (Paragraph 0040: The frame gap part of the packet is converted into an idle information block. Paragraph 0046: In order for the receiver to be able to restore the original service flow when addition/deletion of Idle block occurs, information block indicating the relative position relationship of the information block.); and
generate substitute data blocks for transmitting to the receiver in place of the PCS idle blocks, the substitute data blocks comprising low transition blocks (LTBs) (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.), the substitute data blocks comprising low transition blocks (LTBs) (Paragraph 0051: the position information may also be carried by using an O code block. Bit positions 38-65 are all “0”.).
Regarding claim 48, Liu discloses a method in a physical coding sublayer (PCS) (Paragraph 0039: A client service received from one direction inside a device is directly sent out in another direction crossing the one direction at the PCS layer.) of a communications system of receiving data from a transmitter (Figure 22 shows the sending device and the receiving device in a communication system.), the method comprising:
monitoring a digital data stream transmitted from a transmitter to identify one or more pattern information blocks comprising information about PCS idle blocks ) (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.); and
generating recovered data blocks comprising PCS idle blocks based on the information in the one or more pattern information blocks ) (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.).
Regarding claim 49, Liu discloses wherein the method comprises: generating, based on the information in the one or more pattern information blocks, the recovered data blocks comprising a group of idle blocks comprising a predetermined number of PCS idle blocks, or generating, based on the information in the one or more pattern information blocks, the recovered data blocks comprising plural groups of idle blocks each comprising a predetermined number of PCS idle blocks (Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.).
Regarding claim 50, Liu discloses wherein the one or more pattern information blocks comprise information indicating a quantity of PCS idle blocks, and/or the PCS is an Ethernet PCS (Paragraph 0044: In step 501, the service flow is sent by the sending end, a target information block of the service flow carries position information and the position information is used for indicating a relative position of the target information in the service flow. Paragraph 0045: the position information is a value of a sending counter of the sending end and the sending counter is configured to count information blocks in the service flow. Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks. Figure 1 shows the PCS between the PMA and PMD/PMA sublayers. Paragraph 0039: A synchronous network may be established through Ethernet devices. Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) technology combines the technical characteristics of Ethernet, Optical Transport Network (OTN) and SDH network to expand the Ethernet technology.).
Regarding claim 51, Liu discloses wherein the monitoring comprises identifying a plurality of pattern information blocks, each pattern information block comprising information about the PCS idle blocks (Paragraph 0044: In step 501, the service flow is sent by the sending end, a target information block of the service flow carries position information and the position information is used for indicating a relative position of the target information in the service flow. Paragraph 0045: the position information is a value of a sending counter of the sending end and the sending counter is configured to count information blocks in the service flow. Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.).
Regarding claim 52, Liu discloses wherein monitoring the digital data stream to identify the one or more pattern information blocks comprises identifying the information indicating the quantity of PCS idle blocks (Paragraph 0044: In step 501, the service flow is sent by the sending end, a target information block of the service flow carries position information and the position information is used for indicating a relative position of the target information in the service flow. Paragraph 0045: the position information is a value of a sending counter of the sending end and the sending counter is configured to count information blocks in the service flow. Paragraph 0053: At the sending end, the idle information block in the service flow is replaced with the O code block carrying position information and the position information is brought to the receiving end. At the receiving end, the O code block carrying position information is restored to an idle information block, and the idle information block is added or deleted in a reverse manner, so as to restore original client information flow blocks.).
Regarding claim 53, Liu discloses receiving the digital data stream from the transmitter, and/or monitoring the digital data stream to identify a series of digital bits having transitions between binary states as a synchronization signal (Figure 22 shows the sending device and the receiving device in a communication system.).
Regarding claim 54, Liu discloses wherein the communications system uses an enhanced common public radio interface (eCPRI) protocol, and/or the communications system is an optical link or a microwave link (Paragraph 0039: A synchronous network may be established through Ethernet devices. Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) technology combines the technical characteristics of Ethernet, Optical Transport Network (OTN) and SDH network to expand the Ethernet technology.).
Regarding claim 55, Liu discloses wherein: the PCS is the top sublayer of a physical layer of the communication system, and/or the PCS provides an interface between a physical medium attachment (PMA) sublayer of the communications system and a media-independent interface (MII) of the communications system (Figure 1 shows the PCS between the PMA and PMD/PMA sublayers.).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN M. BURD whose telephone number is (571)272-3008. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 - 5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chieh Fan can be reached at 571-272-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN M BURD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2632 6/1/2026
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