UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`16/160,106
`
`10/15/2018
`
`Masanori KOSUGI
`
`731056436
`
`3567
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panason1e
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`TANG” RONG
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2111
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/27/2020
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`
`following e—mail address(es):
`US PTOeACtion @ SeedIP .Com
`
`pairlinkdktg @ seedip .eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`16/160,106
`Examiner
`RONG TANG
`
`Applicant(s)
`KOSUGI, Masanori
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2111
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 10/15/2018.
`CI A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2a)[:] This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4):] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expade Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above Claim(s)
`
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`
`
`[:1 Claim(ss)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`8)
`Claim(s 115Is/are rejected
`
`D Claim(ss_) is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`S)
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[:1 Claim(s
`* If any claims have been determined aflowable. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)|:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 10/15/2018 is/are: a). accepted or b)(j objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a). All
`
`b)C] Some**
`
`c)C] None of the:
`
`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2C] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3D Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 10/15/2018.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) E] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20200317
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 2
`
`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 10/15/2018 is being
`
`considered by the examiner.
`
`Claim Objections
`
`Claims 2-3 and 6-9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
`
`Claim 2 line 2 recites the limitation "the number of first packets".
`
`It should be “the
`
`number of th_e first packets”.
`
`Claim 2 line 3 recites the limitation "the number of second packets".
`
`It should be
`
`“the number of th_e second packets”.
`
`Claim 3 line 2 recites the limitation "the number of first packets".
`
`It should be “the
`
`number of th_e first packets”.
`
`Claim 3 line 2 recites the limitation "the number of second packets".
`
`It should be
`
`“the number of th_e second packets”.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 3
`
`Claim 6 line 4 recites the limitation “a second packet”, it should be “second
`
`packets”.
`
`Any claim not specifically mentioned above, is objected due to its dependency on
`
`an objected claim.
`
`Appropriate correction is required.
`
`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.
`
`
`
`As per claim 1 Hwang teaches A reception apparatus comprising:
`
`a receiver ([0017] an FEC packet reception apparatus), which, in
`
`operation, receives, from a transmission apparatus ([0017], an FEC packet
`
`transmission apparatus), a plurality of packets (Fig. 10 FEC block) that include
`
`code word symbols (Fig. 10, FEC Symbols) that include an information word
`
`symbol (Fig. 10, Information Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity
`
`Symbols), the information word symbol being generated from transmission
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 4
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`information, the parity symbol being calculated from the information word
`
`symbol ([0109], The FEC packet transmission apparatus
`
`generates an
`
`information block 505 including k information payloads; An FEC encoder 530
`
`included in the FEC packet transmission apparatus generates the virtual length
`
`information data based on
`
`a parity block 503 including n-k—1 parity payloads);
`
`and
`
`circuitry (Fig.6, 630 FEC decoder), which, in operation, decodes the code
`
`word symbols that are included in the plurality of packets (Fig.6, FEC Block
`
`603),
`
`wherein the number of first packets ([0017], Ksource payloads) and the
`
`number of second packets ([0017], Pparity payloads) among the plurality of
`
`packets are shared between the transmission apparatus and the reception
`
`apparatus, each of the first packets including the information word symbol,
`
`each of the second packets including the parity symbol ([0017], receiving an
`
`FEC delivery block from an FEC packet transmission apparatus, wherein the FEC
`
`delivery block includes K source payloads and P parity payloads, each of the K
`
`source payloads and the P parity payloads includes a payload header, and each of
`
`the payload headers includes length information related to a length of a related
`
`payload.)
`
`As per claim 4 Hwang teaches A reception apparatus comprising:
`
`a receiver ([0017] an FEC packet reception apparatus), which, in
`
`operation, receives, from a transmission apparatus ([0017], an FEC packet
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 5
`
`transmission apparatus), a plurality of packets (Fig. 10 FEC block) that include
`
`code word symbols (Fig. 10, FEC Symbols) that include an information word
`
`symbol (Fig. 10, Information Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity
`
`Symbols), the information word symbol being generated from transmission
`
`information, the parity symbol being calculated from the information word
`
`symbol ([0109]-[0110]); and
`
`circuitry (Fig.6, 630 FEC decoder), which, in operation, decodes the code
`
`word symbols that are included in the plurality of packets (Fig.6, FEC Block
`
`603),
`
`wherein each of the plurality of packets includes a flag ([0126], TABLE 1,
`
`MMTpay/oad) that indicates which of the information word symbol and the
`
`parity symbol a symbol that is included in the packet is ([0128], TABLE 2,
`
`payload type).
`
`As per claim 10 Hwang teaches A transmission apparatus comprising:
`
`Circuitry (Fig.5, FEC ENCODEFi), which, in operation, generates a
`
`plurality of packets (Fig. 10 FEC block) that include code word symbols (Fig. 10,
`
`FEC Symbols) that include an information word symbol (Fig. 10, Information
`
`Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity Symbols), the information word
`
`symbol being generated from transmission information, the parity symbol
`
`being calculated from the information word symbol ([0109]-[0110]); and
`
`a transmitter ([0017], an FEC packet transmission apparatus), which, in
`
`operation, transmits the plurality of packets to a reception apparatus ([0017]
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`an FEC packet reception apparatus),
`
`Page 6
`
`wherein the number of first packets and the number of second packets
`
`among the plurality of packets are shared between the transmission
`
`apparatus and the reception apparatus, each of the first packets including the
`
`information word symbol, each of the second packets including the parity
`
`symbol. ([0017], receiving an FEC delivery block from an FEC packet transmission
`
`apparatus, wherein the FEC delivery block includes K source payloads and P parity
`
`payloads, each of the K source payloads and the P parity payloads includes a
`
`payload header, and each of the payload headers includes length information
`
`related to a length of a related payload.)
`
`As per claim 11 Hwang teaches A transmission apparatus comprising:
`
`circuitry(Fig.5, FEC ENCODEFt), which, in operation: generates a
`
`plurality of packets (Fig. 10 FEC block) that include code word symbols (Fig. 10,
`
`FEC Symbols) that include an information word symbol (Fig. 10, Information
`
`Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity Symbols), the information word
`
`symbol being generated from transmission information, the parity symbol
`
`being calculated from the information word symbol ([0109]-[0110]); and
`
`sets a flag ([0126], TABLE 1, MMTpay/oad) that indicates which of the
`
`information word symbol and the parity symbol a symbol that is included in
`
`each of the plurality of packets is ([0128], TABLE 2, payload type); and
`
`a transmitter ([0017], an FEC packet transmission apparatus), which, in
`
`operation, transmits the plurality of packets each of which includes the flag,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 7
`
`to a reception apparatus ([0017] an FEC packet reception apparatus).
`
`As per claim 12 Hwang teaches A reception method comprising:
`
`receiving, from a transmission apparatus ([0017], an FEC packet
`
`transmission apparatus), a plurality of packets (Fig. 10 FEC block) that include
`
`code word symbols (Fig. 10, FEC Symbols) that include an information word
`
`symbol (Fig. 10, Information Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity
`
`Symbols), the information word symbol being generated from transmission
`
`information, the parity symbol being calculated from the information word
`
`symbol ([0109]-[0110]); and
`
`decoding the code word symbols that are included in the plurality of
`
`packets (Fig.6, 630 FEC decoder, FEC Block 603),
`
`wherein the number of first packets (K source payloads) and the number
`
`of second packets (P parity payloads) among the plurality of packets are
`
`shared between the transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus, each
`
`of the first packets including the information word symbol, each of the
`
`second packets including the parity symbol. ([0017], receiving an FEC delivery
`
`block from an FEC packet transmission apparatus, wherein the FEC delivery block
`
`includes K source payloads and P parity payloads, each of the K source payloads
`
`and the P parity payloads includes a payload header, and each of the payload
`
`headers includes length information related to a length of a related payload.)
`
`As per claim 13 Hwang teaches A reception method comprising:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 8
`
`receiving, from a transmission apparatus ([0017], an FEC packet
`
`transmission apparatus), a plurality of packets (Fig. 10 FEC block) that include
`
`code word symbols (Fig. 10, FEC Symbols) that include an information word
`
`symbol (Fig. 10, Information Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity
`
`Symbols), the information word symbol being generated from transmission
`
`information, the parity symbol being calculated from the information word
`
`symbol ([0109]-[0110]); and
`
`decoding the code word symbols that are included m the plurality of
`
`packets (Fig.6, 630 FEC decoder, FEC Block 603),
`
`wherein each of the plurality of packets includes a flag ([0126], TABLE 1,
`
`MMTpay/oad) that indicates which of the information word symbol and the
`
`parity symbol a symbol that is included in the packet is ([0128], TABLE 2,
`
`payload type).
`
`As per claim 14 Hwang teaches A transmission method comprising:
`
`generating a plurality of packets(Fig. 10 FEC block) that include code
`
`word symbols (Fig. 10, FEC Symbols) that include an information word symbol
`
`(Fig. 10, Information Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity Symbols), the
`
`information word symbol being generated from transmission information, the
`
`parity symbol being calculated from the information word symbol ([0109]-
`
`[0110]); and
`
`transmitting the plurality of packets to a reception apparatus ([0017] an
`
`FEC packet reception apparatus),
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 9
`
`wherein the number of first packets ([0017], Ksource payloads) and the
`
`number of second packets ([0017], Pparity payloads) among the plurality of
`
`packets are shared between a transmission apparatus and the reception
`
`apparatus, each of the first packets including the information word symbol,
`
`each of the second packets including the parity symbol. ([0017], receiving an
`
`FEC delivery block from an FEC packet transmission apparatus, wherein the FEC
`
`delivery block includes K source payloads and P parity payloads, each of the K
`
`source payloads and the P parity payloads includes a payload header, and each of
`
`the payload headers includes length information related to a length of a related
`
`pa zload.)
`
`As per claim 15 Hwang teaches A transmission method comprising:
`
`generating a plurality of packets (Fig. 10 FEC block) that include code
`
`word symbols (Fig. 10, FEC Symbols) that include an information word symbol
`
`(Fig. 10, Information Symbols) and a parity symbol (Fig. 10, Parity Symbols), the
`
`information word symbol being generated from transmission information, the
`
`parity symbol being calculated from the information word symbol ([0109]-
`
`[01 10]);
`
`setting a flag ([0126], TABLE 1, MMTpay/oad) that indicates which of the
`
`information word symbol and the parity symbol a symbol that is included in
`
`each of the plurality of packets is ([0128], TABLE 2, payload type); and
`
`transmitting the plurality of packets each of which includes the flag, to
`
`a reception apparatus ([0017] an FEC packet reception apparatus).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 10
`
`As per claim 2, Hwang teaches The reception apparatus as applied above in
`
`Claim 1, Hwang further teaches
`
`wherein the receiver receives information indicating the number of first
`
`packets and the number of second packets at least before the code word
`
`symbol is decoded. ([0042], notifying a size of data before padding data is
`
`included through Application Layer FEC (AL-FEC) signaling information.)
`
`As per claim 3, Hwang teaches The reception apparatus as applied above in
`
`Claim 1, Hwang further teaches
`
`wherein the number of first packets and the number of second packets
`
`([0042] size of data) among the plurality of packets are provided in advance
`
`([0042], notifying a size of data before padding data is included through Application
`
`Layer FEC (AL-FEC) signaling information.)
`
`As per claim 6, Hwang teaches The reception apparatus as applied above in
`
`Claim 4, Hwang further teaches wherein, among the plurality of packets, an error
`
`detection code (Fig. 10,
`
`181‘ FEC symbols) for the information word symbol is
`
`included in a packet at a border between first packets that include the
`
`information word symbol (Fig. 10, 1 st Information Symbols) and a second packet
`
`that includes the parity symbol (Fig. 10, 1st Parity Symbols), and
`
`wherein the circuitry performs error detection on a result of decoding of
`
`the information word symbol, using the error detection code ([0112] FEC
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 11
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`decoder 630 included in the FEC packet reception apparatus recovers length
`
`information on lost source payloads by performing an erasure correction operation
`
`on the erased source payload.)
`
`As per claim 7, Hwang teaches The reception apparatus as applied above in
`
`Claim 6, Hwang further teaches wherein at least the error detection code is
`
`included in a rearmost packet among the first packets (Fig. 11, pth parity
`
`symbols).
`
`As per claim 8, Hwang teaches The reception apparatus as applied above in
`
`Claim 6, Hwang further teaches
`
`wherein the parity symbol is calculated from the information word
`
`symbol and the error detection code ([0149], an FEC (220,200) code is used for
`
`generating a parity block).
`
`As per claim 9, Hwang teaches The reception apparatus as applied above in
`
`Claim 6, Hwang further teaches
`
`wherein the circuitry performs the error detection on a lost packet in
`
`the reception apparatus, assuming that the lost packet is one of the first
`
`packets and that the lost packet is the second packet (Fig.6, [0150], if a parity
`
`data block is generated using an FEC (240,200) code, the FEC packet reception
`
`apparatus may detect a length of a source payload even if a lost source block is not
`
`repaired since the FEC packet reception apparatus may repair Fl packets).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 12
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`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.
`
`
`
`As per claim 5 HWANG teaches The reception apparatus as applied above
`
`in Claim 4, EXCEPT wherein, in a case where time that elapsed after a last
`
`packet among the plurality of packets is received exceeds a threshold, the
`
`circuitry determines that transmission of the transmission information is
`
`completed.
`
`Davidson teaches
`
`wherein, in a case where time that elapsed after a last packet among the
`
`plurality of packets is received exceeds a threshold, the circuitry determines
`
`that transmission of the transmission information is completed.
`
`(23:56-60, The end of data transmission is detected by the level of the control
`
`function dropping below 14/21 and remaining low for a sgecified lQeriod of time. When
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 13
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`it is determined that the data transmission is complete, final decisions are made
`
`regarding the individual data bits.)
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified HWANG to in
`
`cooperate the teaching to determines that transmission of the transmission
`
`information is completed of Davidson in order to accurately notifying an FEC
`
`decoder of a size of a packet. (HWANG, [0010])
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to RONG TANG whose telephone number is (469)295-
`
`9106. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 7:30-5.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
`
`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
`
`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
`
`(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, April Blair can be reached on (571)270-1014. The fax phone number for the
`
`organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
`
`Application Information Retrieval
`
`(PAIR) system.
`
`Status information for published
`
`applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/160,106
`Art Unit: 2111
`
`Page 14
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`for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information
`
`about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on
`
`access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-
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`217-9197 (toll-free).
`
`If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service
`
`Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN
`
`USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272—1 000.
`
`/RONG TANG/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2111
`/APRIL Y BLAIR/
`
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 21 11
`
`