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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the "right to exclude" granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).[AltContent: rect]
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/ patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/ patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12341904.. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-20 of the U.S. Patent No. 12341904 teach all the limitations of claims 1-20 of the instant application.
Claim 1 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12341904.. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1 of the U.S. Patent No. 12341904 teaches all the limitations of claim 1 of the instant application.
Claim 8 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12341904. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 11 of the U.S. Patent No. 12341904 teaches all the limitations of claim 8 of the instant application.
Claim 15 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12341904. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1 of the U.S. Patent No. 12341904 teaches all the limitations of claims 8 of the instant application.
Allowable Subject Matter
The invention defined in claims 1, 8 and 15 are not suggested by the prior art of record. Claims 1, 8 and 15 would be allowed if the claims overcome the Double Patenting Rejection set forth in this Office Action.
Reason for allowance
The prior art of record (in particular, US-20170279617 Blinn; Arnold Neil, US-20160065611 Fakeri-Tabrizi; Ali, US-11632236 Kaizer; Andrew, US-11218326 Eland; Howard, US-20160197898 Hozza; Tomas, CN-111104634 LIU, Shuo, WO-2020005753 KAIZER ANDREW, CN-107613039 LIU, Shuo and US-20180287997 Li; Hui) singly or in combination does not disclose, with respect to independent claim 1 “obtaining a Domain Name System (DNS) resource record comprising an identification of the domain name associated with a zone file and a first signature for the identification of the domain name associated with the zone file;
determining, based on the DNS resource record and the first signature, an
association between the domain name and the network address;
validating a trust chain associated with the DNS resource record based at least
in part on a second signature for the association between the domain name and the
network address” and similar limitations of independent claims 8 and 15 in combination with the other claimed features as a whole.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GHODRAT JAMSHIDI whose telephone number is (571)270-1956. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-6:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Carl Colin can be reached at 5712723862. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GHODRAT JAMSHIDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2493
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