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 .
This action is responsive to an application filed on 5/30/25 and supplemental amendment filed on 5/30/25. Claims 1-15 are submitted for examination.
Abstract analysis: The independent claims 1, 6 and 11 comprise acquiring learned MAC address table entry, calculating a hash value and storing the MAC address table entry in a first free storage location in combination with decreasing a search priority of a hash table comprises practical application in the field of prioritizing hash tables. Claims 1-15 are compliant.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1, 6 and 11 comprise the acronym “MAC” but it is not defined in the claims.
Claims 2-5, 7-10 and 12-15 depend from claims 1, 6 and 11, respectively.
As such claims 1-15 are objected to.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gopalarathnam et al. (USPN. 2022/0335029, herein “Gopal”).
1. Gopal discloses method for storing an MAC address table entry, comprising (figs. 1 and 3, Hosts and Hash Tables):
acquiring a learned MAC address table entry (par. 37 and 50, table entry);
calculating one hash value based on a hash algorithm for each of hash tables and a key of the MAC address table entry (fig. 3, pars. 50-52, generating hash table entry value. Note that virtual ports are associated with virtual posts);
wherein each of the hash tables is configured with a unique hash algorithm (pars. 49-50, and Table 1, tables are configured with unique algorithms for hashing using priority filed bits);
checking a state of a storage location indicated by a corresponding hash value of each of the hash tables sequentially based on a search priority of each of the hash tables in a sequence of the search priorities from high to low (pars. 54-58 and Table, hash tables comprise priority of virtual ports, status type and priority 0-100 is illustrated);
storing the MAC address table entry in the first free storage location of found storage locations (pars. 52 and 67, hash table entries store virtual port information comprising storing and comparing priority values); and
decreasing a search priority of a hash table with a highest search priority to a lowest search priority, and increasing the search priority of each of other hash tables by one level, respectively (figs. 3 and 4, par. 42, shifting low priority entry from a high priority entry, see also par. 57, priority may be modified. Note that modifying priority decreases or increases the value thus has the same function).
2 and 12. Gopal discloses wherein the search priority of each of the hash tables is a preset search priority (par. 57, priority may or may not be modified thus preset. Note that priorities are saved, see par. 58).
3 and 13. Gopal discloses wherein the search priority of each of the hash tables is a search priority being modified after a previous MAC address table entry adding process (par. 39 entries to be added and removed, priority is used).
4 and 14. Gopal discloses wherein the method further comprises: calculating a storage rate of each of the hash tables after each MAC address table entry adding process, calculating a storage rate of each of the hash tables after each MAC address table entry deleting process (par. 57 and 69, priority weight of the distributed computing environment).
5 and 15. Gopal discloses wherein the method further comprises: determining that the number of MAC address table entries stored in all the hash tables exceeds a specified number, setting all the hash tables with search priorities, ranging from the highest to the lowest, sequentially in a sequence of storage rates of all the hash tables from low to high (fig. 4, pars. 47 and 57, settings and priority value, and priority modifications set on access basis).
6. Gopal discloses apparatus for storing an MAC address, wherein the apparatus comprises multiple network interfaces and a switching device with multiple storage blocks (figs. 1-3, par. 27, Hosts and Hash Tables and switch connected to hosts):
wherein one hash table stored in each of the storage blocks is configured with a unique hash algorithm (pars. 49-50, and Table 1, tables are configured with unique algorithms for hashing using priority filed bits);
the switching device learns a MAC address table entry based on an Ethernet packet received by any one of the network interfaces (par. 37, 50, and 67, table entry and network packet);
calculates one hash value based on the hash algorithm for each of the hash tables and a key of the MAC address table entry (fig. 3, pars. 50-52, generating hash table entry value. Note that virtual ports are associated with virtual posts);
checks a state of a storage location indicated by a corresponding hash value of each of the hash tables sequentially based on a search priority of each of the hash tables in a sequence of the search priorities from high to low (pars. 54-58 and Table, hash tables comprise priority of virtual ports, status type and priority 0-100 is illustrated);
stores the MAC address table entry in the first free storage location of found storage locations (pars. 52 and 67, hash table entries store virtual port information comprising storing and comparing priority values); and
decreases a search priority of a hash table with a highest search priority to a lowest search priority, and increases the search priority of each of other hash tables by one level, respectively (figs. 3 and 4, par. 42, shifting low priority entry from a high priority entry, see also par. 57, priority may be modified. Note that modifying priority decreases or increases the value thus has the same function).
7. Gopal discloses wherein the search priority of each of the hash tables is a preset search priority (par. 57, priority may or may not be modified thus preset. Note that priorities are saved, see par. 58).
8. Gopal discloses wherein the search priority of each of the hash tables is a search priority being modified after a previous MAC address table entry adding process (par. 39 entries to be added and removed, priority is used).
9. Gopal discloses wherein the switching device further calculates a storage rate of each of the hash tables after each MAC address table entry adding process and calculates a storage rate of each of the hash tables after each MAC address table entry deleting process (par. 57 and 69, priority weight of the distributed computing environment).
10. Gopal discloses wherein, the switching device further determines that the number of MAC address table entries stored in all the hash tables exceeds a specified number, sets all the hash tables with search priorities, ranging from the highest to the lowest, sequentially in a sequence of storage rates of all the hash tables from low to high (fig. 4, pars. 47 and 57, settings and priority value, and priority modifications set on access basis).
11. Gopal discloses apparatus for storing an MAC address, wherein the apparatus comprises multiple network interfaces, a switching device with multiple storage blocks, a processor, and a non-transitory machine-readable medium in which processor-executable instructions are recorded (figs. 1-3, par. 27, Hosts and Hash Tables and switch connected to hosts):
each of the storage blocks of the switching device stores one hash table and each of the storage blocks of the switching device is configured with a unique hash algorithm (pars. 49-50, and Table 1, tables are configured with unique algorithms for hashing using priority filed bits);
the switching device learns a MAC address table entry based on an Ethernet packet received by any one of the network interfaces (par. 37, 50, and 67, table entry and network packet);
the processor executes the processor-executable instructions recorded in the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium to perform following operations of (figs. 1-3, processor):
acquiring the learned MAC address table entry (par. 37 and 50, table entry);
calculating one hash value based on a hash algorithm for each of the hash tables and a key of the MAC address table entry (fig. 3, pars. 50-52, generating hash table entry value. Note that virtual ports are associated with virtual posts);
wherein each of the hash tables is configured with a unique hash algorithm (pars. 49-50, and Table 1, tables are configured with unique algorithms for hashing using priority filed bits);
checking a state of a storage location indicated by a corresponding hash value of each of the hash tables sequentially based on a search priority of each of the hash tables in a sequence of the search priorities from high to low (pars. 54-58 and Table, hash tables comprise priority of virtual ports, status type and priority 0-100 is illustrated);
storing the MAC address table entry in the first free storage location of found storage locations (pars. 52 and 67, hash table entries store virtual port information comprising storing and comparing priority values); and
decreasing a search priority of a hash table with a highest search priority to a lowest search priority, and increasing the search priority of each of other hash tables by one level, respectively (figs. 3 and 4, par. 42, shifting low priority entry from a high priority entry, see also par. 57, priority may be modified. Note that modifying priority decreases or increases the value thus has the same function).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure in the field of priority hash tables:
USPN. 2023/0394082: pars. 30 and 49, hash tables balancing, key-value pairs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCIN R FILIPCZYK whose telephone number is (571)272-4019. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7-4 EST.
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June 16, 2026
/MARCIN R FILIPCZYK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2153
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