`a.-2v- 0v
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`IN THE UMTED STATES PATENT AI\D TRADEMARK OF'F'ICE
`
`Art Unit 2665
`Examiner Phuongchau Ba Nguyen
`
`Deepak Mansharamani et al.
`P4506
`09/800,678
`March 6,2001
`System for Fabric Packet Control
`
`In Re:
`Case:
`Serial No.:
`Filed:
`Subject:
`
`To:
`
`The Commissioner of Patents
`PO Box 1450
`Arlington, V A 2231 3-1 450
`
`Dear Sir:
`
`Response D
`
`RECEIVED
`FEB 2 0 2004
`
`TechnologY 0enter 2600
`
`All of the claims standing for examination are presented below. Claims 1, 5 and 9
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`are herein amended in the present response.
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`1. (c
`amended) A method for managing data traffic at switching element
`nodes in a fabrilnqtwork, each switching element node having a plurality of input
`
`and output ports,
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`iqg the steps of:
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`port, a number of virtual output queues equal
`(a) establishing at each
`to the number of output ports, each vi
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`utput queue at each individual input
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`port dedicated to an individual output port,
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`only packets destined forthe
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`associated output port, for managing incoming data
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`(b) accepting or discarding data at each virtual
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`directed to a
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`4,1
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`vt
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`r-]
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`Juniper Exhibit 1009
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`
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`predetermined
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`quantity of q
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`data reaches or exceeds the thresholdTl
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`-
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`when the
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`2. (original) The
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`of claim 1 wherein, in step (b), all data is discarded for a
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`full queue.
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`6 6 6
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`a
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`{
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`ri 3. (Cancelled)
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`I
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`r 4. (Previously
`manager increases the rate
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`above the preset threshold,
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`method of claim 1 wherein in step (b), the queue
`iscarding:s quantity of queued data increases
`data traffic when the queue is full.
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`5; (Cunently amended) A switch
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`element node for a fabric network.
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`comprising:
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`a plurality of input and
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`a number of virtual output
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`at each input port equal to the number
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`of output ports, each virtual output
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`at each individual input port dedicated
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`to an individual output port, storing only
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`destined for the associated
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`and
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`€
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`E 6
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`output port , for managing incoming data
`charactenzed in that the a queue
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`accepts or discards data directed
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`in the queue relative tffi*t
`to fuw^re according tF. quantity of
`capacity bv monitoffiantity of queued datA against a preset threshold, and
`discarding data froffivirtual output queue u\u nr.artrrmined rate-tegcfu
`when the qu{ntity of queued data reaches or
`
`
`
`,n"r*lh,ur;
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`,,YL;
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`.6'i (Origi
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`t) The switching element of claim'5 wherein all data is discarded for a
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`full queue.
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`_/
`7. (Cancelled)
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`8. (Previously
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`,l above the preset
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`\-
`./
`A)Tn\chin4pment of claim 5 wherein the queue
`rate of disch*iqg\d the quantity of queued data increases
`'\.
`ld.
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`\
`t-? z
`X(Cunently amended)
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`routers, compflsmg:
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`data router having external connectirns to other data
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`an internal fabric
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`: and
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`a plurality of swi
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`element nodes iryfhe internal fabric network, each
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`switching element node having plurality gfinput and output ports, and at each
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`input port, a number of virtual
`each virtual output queue at each i
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`qlEues equal to the number of output ports,
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`idual input port dedicated to an individual
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`output port, storing only paclgz$
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`for the associated output port, for
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`managing incoming data7ft afftc;
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`charactefize{rn that the a queue
`rfr quantity
`to fto*uelccording
`capacitylY monitoring the lffiot
`begituto discard data
`
`2
`reaches or exceeds the threshold^ zi
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`data against a preset threshold, and
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`at a predetermined rate,
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`when the quantity of queued data
`
`PI
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`data router of claimlwherein all data is discarded for a full
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`queue.
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`l l (Cancelled)
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`route: of claim 9 wherein the queue manager
`./
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`ity of queued data increases above the
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`
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`-5-
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`REMARKS
`
`The present response is filed with a Request for Continued Examination
`
`(RCE), and is to the Office Action mailed in the above-referenced case on
`November 19, 2003,made Final. Claims l, 2, 4-6, 8-10 and 12 arepresented
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`below for examination. The Examiner has objected to claims 5 and 9 due to
`informalities, and has rejected claims 1,2,4-6,8-10 and 12 under 35 U.S.C.
`
`103(a) as being unpatentable over Khacherian (5,768,257), hereinafter
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`Khacherian, in view of Aimoto (6,122,252), hereinafter Aimoto.
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`Applicant has again carefully studied the prior art references cited and
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`applied by the Examiner, and the Examiner's rejections and statements of the
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`instant Office Action. In response, applicant herein amends claims 5 and 9 to
`correct the objectionable language, thereby overcoming the ll2 rejection, and
`slightly amends the language of the independent claims to more particularly point
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`out and distinctly claim the patentable subject matter of applicant's invention, and
`to distinguish applicant's claims unarguably over the prior art. Applicant herein
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`provides further argument in support of said claim amendments.
`Applicant herein amends the language of claim I to specifically recite that
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`the queue manager discards data from the virtual output queue at a predetermined
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`rate when the quantity of queued data reaches the threshold, regardless of the data
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`source rate to the virtual output queue. For convenience, applicant reproduces
`claim I as amended below.
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`,,_,
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`
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`-6-
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`Claim I as amended now recites:
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`1. (Currently amended) A methodfor managing data traffic at switching element
`
`nodes in afabric network, each switching element node having a plurality of input
`
`and output ports, comprising the steps of:
`
`(a) establishing at each input port, a number of virtual output queues
`
`equal to the number of output ports, each virtual output queue at each individual
`
`input port dedicated to an individual output port, storing only packets destinedfor
`the associated output port, for managing incoming data trffic; and
`(b) accepting or discarding data at each virtual output queue directed to a
`
`queue according to the quantity of data in the queue relative to queue capacity by
`
`providing a queue managerfor monitoring quantity of queued data in relation to
`
`a preset threshold, and discarding datafrom the virtual output queue at a
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`predetermined rate, regardless of the data source rate to the queue, when the
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`quantity of queued data reaches or exceeds the threshold,
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`Applicant's independent claims 5 and 9 recite the switching element node
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`and data router, respectively, for practicing the invention according to the method
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`of claim 1, and applicant accordingly herein amends the language of those claims
`similarlyto claim l.
`Applicant has previously argued that l(hacherian and Aimoto do not
`explicitly disclose ageug m?qlgg&1m9$!g1ng grantity of q.19ued data in
`relajion to a presg!_thresho-ld, and disc_ardillg ggta { p predetermined rate when the
`quantity of queue data reaches the threshold, and further, that the rute at which
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`cells are received into the queue of Aimoto is not constant, and is therefore not
`predetermined.
`\
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`r-{..,.
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`-7-
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`The Examiner has responded in the instant Office Action, stating that
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`when receiving data from the source(s), the transmit rate of the source makes
`buffer overloading or full at threshold level, thus the buffer will discard exceeded
`cells at the predetermined rate of the transmit source. The Examiner has further
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`that, firstly, there is not found in the specification nor claim language that the
`"predetermined rate" is the " constant rate", and applicant's argument pertaining to
`that is therefore inelevant, and secondly,thatthe source rate of is the
`predetermined rate, and the cells will be discarded at the predetermined source
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`rate.
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`Applicant respectfully traverses the Examiner's position, and must reiterate
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`that the data source rate is not a rate that has been determined previously, which
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`would make it a predetermined rate, the data source rate is the variable,
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`uncontrollable and undetermined rate at which cells arrive at the virtual output
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`queue, and has no bearing whatsoever on the rate atwhich cells are discarded
`from the virtual output queue of applicant's invention once the cell threshold of
`the virtual output queue is met or exceeded. Applicant's invention is capable of
`discarding cells at rates which are determined based on the cell volume in relation
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`to the threshold of the virtual output queue, and once the threshold is met or
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`exceeded, the discard rate may be accelerated as the virtual output queue
`continues to fill above the first threshold.
`Applicant has judicially amended the base claims to specifically recite the
`disassociation between the discard rate and data source rate. Applicant therefore
`believes that independent claims l, 5 and 9 as amended now distinguish clearly
`and unarguably over the prior art references provided by the Examiner, either
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`singly or combined, as both references fail to teach or suggest discarding dala at a
`predetermined rate regardless of the data source rate to the virtual output queue.
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`
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`-8-
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`Depending claims 2,4,6,8, 10 and 12 arc then patentable on their own merits, or
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`at least as depended from a patentable claim.
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`It is therefore respectfully requested that this application be reconsidered, the
`claims be allowed after Final, and that this case be passed quickly to issue. If there
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`are any time extensions needed beyond any extension specifically requested with
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`this amendment, such extension of time is hereby requested. If there are any fees
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`due beyond any fees paid with this amendment, authorization is given to deduct
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`such fees from deposit account 50-0534.
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`Respectfully submitted
`
`Deepak Mansharamani et al,
`
`Donald R. Boys
`Reg. No. 35,074
`
`Donald R. Boys
`Central Coast Patent Agency
`P.O. Box 187
`Aromas, CA 95004
`(83r)726-r4s7
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`!,
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