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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on or reply to the remarks of 10/20/2025. The instant application has claims 1-12, 20 pending. The system and method for determining whether the user-device is connected over local network or remote network for accessing the smart device hub. There a total of 13 claims.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on *** has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12, 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-12, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 11082430 to Kuo in view of US Patent Pub 2017/0105171 to Srivastava and further in view of US Patent 11115414 to Cho.
Regarding claim 1, 20, Kuo discloses A system comprising:at least one personal smart device(Fig. 1 item 124, registering device); and a smart device hub including a processor, and a memory storage device, the memory storage device storing instructions that(Fig. 2item 230, computing hub), when executed by the processor, cause the smart device hub to: identify the at least one personal smart device that is in data communication with the smart device hub(Col 4 LN 15-33, the hub decides which devices have authorization for services); store user level access permissions including a global user level(Fig. 2 item 278, 264 & Col 4 Ln 34-57, the devices are authorized for services based on roles and policy set by computing hub) ; communicate with a user device, the user device being associated with a stored user level permission, wherein the global user level allows the user device to remotely connect to the smart device hub(Col 10 Ln 58- Col 11 Ln 31, the group for devices being registered with set policies, roles and authorizations Col 4 LN 5-14, the service access policy for levels for trust);determine the user level access permission for the user device(Col 12 Ln 11-30, the device is associated with trust hierarchy & Col 7 Ln 46-Col Ln 13 & Col 4 Ln 34-59) and based on a determination that the user device has permission to access the at least one personal smart device, provide, to the user device, access to the at least one personal smart device(Fig. 4 item 410- 440, the authenticated and authorized device is allowed access & Col 17 Ln 7-15 & Fig. 6 item 60-612 & Col 4 Ln 15-32, the user device is able to communicate with other smart devices based on authorization given by computing hub to user device & Col 7 LN 47-61, the authorization for services from local environment, i.e. connecting to other local devices); determine whether the user device has permission to access the at least one personal smart device based on 1) the user level access permission(Fig. 4 item 410- 440, the authenticated and authorized device is allowed access & Col 17 Ln 7-15 & Fig. 6 item 60-612 & Col 4 Ln 15-32, the user device is able to communicate with other smart devices based on authorization given by computing hub to user device & Col 7 LN 47-61, the authorization for services from local environment, i.e. connecting to other local devices)
In the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention, Kuo does not disclose the determining whether connection is local or remote.
Srivastava discloses determine whether the user device is connected to the smart device hub over a remote connection or a local connection( Par. 0041 & Par. 0016 & Par. 0034 & Fig. 3 item 315, 320 & Fig. 1 item 105, 131-133 & 140-145, checking the network from where the device is accessing and checking rules & Par. 0048 & Par. 0045, filtering the access request based on access from outside the hub);determine whether the user device is connected to the smart device hub over the remote connection or the local connection, wherein to access the at least one personal smart device over the remote connection requires the user level access permission to include the global user level(Par. 0017 & Par. 0020 & Fig. 8 item 805-820, the registered device is accessing through the different access control layers & Par 0034, the network domain signatures & Par. 0036, determine whether the device is home or remote & Par. 0051, the rules is being used to deny& Par. 0089, the request are approved by administrator when records does not exist showing the signature & Fig. 3 item 315, 320 characterization and access rights governs access & Par. 0016 & Par. 0034 & Par. 0045& Par. 0091-0094).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Kuo invention to incorporate the determining whether connection is local or remote for the advantage of providing access based on rules established by hub as taught in Par. 0050.
Kuo nor Srivastava disclose transmit, to the user device, a list of smart devices accessible to the user device for display at the user device, wherein the list of smart devices includes the at least one personal smart device based on a determination that the user device has permission to access the at least one personal smart devices, provide, to the user device, access to the at least one personal smart device receive, from the user device, a command to control the at least one personal smart device: and in response to receiving the command and the determination that the user device has permission to access the at least one personal smart device, forward the command to the at least one personal smart device.
In the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention, Cho discloses transmit, to the user device, a list of smart devices accessible to the user device for display at the user device, wherein the list of smart devices includes the at least one personal smart device based on a determination that the user device has permission to access the at least one personal smart devices, provide, to the user device, access to the at least one personal smart device(Col 7 Ln 65-67 & Col 7 Ln 47-56 & Col 15 Ln 15-26 & Col 9 Ln 6-16, the access control list being updated with IoT devices); receive, from the user device, a command to control the at least one personal smart device: and in response to receiving the command and the determination that the user device has permission to access the at least one personal smart device, forward the command to the at least one personal smart device(fig. 6A item S620, S640 & Col 3 Ln 32-40, the command being issued to control the IoT device based on permission granted and authority given & Col 9 Ln 22-49, the transmission IoT sending command to reception IoT device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify invention to incorporate a list of allowable devices for sending command for the advantage of providing an updated list of IoT devices authorized for sending commands as taught in Cho see Col 8 Ln 44-55.
Regarding claim 2. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 1, the system further comprising: at least one public smart device; wherein the user level access permissions include a local user level, the local user level only allows an associated user device to locally connect to the smart device hub and to access the at least one public smart device(Col 3 LN 34-48, the hub authorizes the devices to communicate and access other devices like temperature and humidity control).
Regarding claim 3. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 2, wherein the user level access permissions include a guest user level, the guest user level only allows an associated guest user device to locally connect to the smart device hub with limited access to control the at least one public smart device(Col 9 Ln 30-45, the trust hierarchy for devices & Col 10 Ln 65-Col 11 Ln 2, the different roles).
Regarding claim 4. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 2, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the smart device hub to: store device level permissions for each of the at least one public smart device and the at least one personal smart device Fig. 3 item 378, 376 & 362, 364, 366 & Col 6 Ln 24-Col 7 Ln 21); wherein the device level permissions include a personal device level and each of the at least one personal smart device is assigned the personal device level, the personal device level being associated with a user identifier set as an owner; and wherein access to the at least one personal smart device is further based on the user identifier being set as the owner.(Fig. 3 item 378, 376 & 362, 364, 366 & Col 6 Ln 24-Col 7 Ln 21 & Col 17 LN 15-66)
Regarding claim 5. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 4, wherein the user identifier is at least one of a user account and a device ID(Col 11 Ln 65- Col 12 Ln 10, the authenticating of IoT devices based on group CA signature & Col 16 Ln 25-34).
Regarding claim 6. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 4, wherein the device level permissions further include a public device level and each of the at least one public smart device is assigned the public device level; and wherein access to a smart device assigned the public device level is not based on the user identifier.
Regarding claim 7. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 4, wherein the device level permissions further include a sensitive device level, wherein a smart device assigned the sensitive device level is accessible to a user device which provides a valid passcode(Col 4 LN 15-33, the OTP).
Regarding claim 8. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 2, wherein a user device having the local user level is able to locally connect to the smart device hub when the user device having the local user level and the smart device hub are both connected to the same private network(Fig. 6 item 602-616, the connection is only allowed after authorization and authentication of registered devices)
Regarding claim 9. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the smart device hub to:store device level permissions for each of at least one system smart device(Col 4 LN 5-14, the different level of access and hierarchy). ; wherein the device level permissions include a system device level, wherein at least one system smart device is assigned the system device level and is only accessible to a user device making a system device request(Col 4 LN 5-14, the different level of access and hierarchy).
Regarding claim 10. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the at least one personal smart device include a physical control(Col 4 Ln 34-58, the devices for light or humidity).
Regarding claim 11. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 1, wherein a user account registered as an owner of the smart device hub is automatically assigned the global user level(Col 6 Ln 7-24, the CA certificate is top-most & Col 5 LN 25-45).
Regarding claim 12. the combined system of Kuo, Srivastava and Cho , Kuo discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the smart device hub connects with the at least one personal smart device using a personal area network protocol(Col 8 LN 14-32, the MQTT protocol for devices).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Venkat Perungavoor whose telephone number is (571)272-7213. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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, Rupal Dharia can be reached on 571-272-3880. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/VENKAT PERUNGAVOOR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2492 Email: venkatanarayan.perungavoor@uspto.gov