DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
This action is responsive to the RCE filed on 1/20/26.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-9, 11, 13, 22-26, 28-29 is/are presented for examination.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1 is/are unclear to the examiner; what does it mean by stating “generate an advertisement packet including device identification information for identifying the electronic device and at least one external electronic device registered using a same account and a device identification key generated by using the device key”? The claim languages are not very clear the purpose of including the device ID in the advertisement packet? To do what? And where would the advertisement packet transmit to? What is the claimed invention? Please clarify
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 of this title, 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 22-23, 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2017/0026778 A1 and Zhao, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. EP 3 588 890 A1, and in view of Palin, US 2016/0212194 A1.
As to claim 1, Yamada teaches an electronic device, comprising:
a communication circuit;
memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the communication circuitry and the memory,
wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
detect a trigger event for advertisement packet transmission (Yamada, page 5, paragraph 60; i.e., [0060] to receive data from the pairing device and/or to send out data and/or instructions to the pairing device), the communication device can broadcast
one or more advertising packets. The advertising packets can contain the communication device and/or the pairing device's addresses. The communication device can establish a fast connection by using directed advertising packet that can contain the communication device's and/or the pairing device's addresses),
generate a device key using the device-specific information key (Yamada, figure 3; page 5, paragraph 53; i.e., [0053] broadcasting advertising packet(s) that can contain a shared key, e.g., a global and/or a user-specific shared key, that was already stored and/or pre-set in the pairing device 510), and,
generate a first advertisement packet including first device identification information for identifying the electronic device and at least one external electronic device registered using a same account, wherein the first device identification information includes an account key and a device identification key generated by using the device key (Yamada, figure 3; page 4, paragraph 49; page 5, paragraph 50, 52, 58, 60-63; i.e., [0050] the registration of the pairing device 510 can include storing the pairing device's MAC address and/or product serial number; [0052] the device serial number and/or MAC address and/or be based on a unique value that can be specific to the pairing device 510; [0060] to receive data from the pairing device and/or to send out data and/or instructions to the pairing device), the communication device can broadcast one or more advertising packets. The communication device can establish a fast connection by using directed advertising packet that can contain the communication device's and/or the pairing device's addresses; [0062] if the decrypted advertising packet does not contain a part of the header, the pairing device can determine that the advertising packet is not an authentic SKSP advertising packet);
transmit, through the communication circuitry, a second advertisement packet including second device identification information, wherein the second device identification information includes the account key (Yamada, figure 3; page 4, paragraph 49; page 5, paragraph 50, 52, 58, 60-63; i.e., [ [0052] the device serial number and/or MAC address and/or be based on a unique value that can be specific to the pairing device 510; [0060] to receive data from the pairing device and/or to send out data and/or instructions to the pairing device), the communication device can broadcast one or more advertising packets. The advertising packets can contain the communication device and/or the pairing device's addresses. The communication device can establish a fast connection by using directed advertising packet that can contain the communication device's and/or the pairing device's addresses).
But Yamada failed to teach the claim limitation wherein based on the trigger event, determine whether an identity resolving key (IRK) is included in device-specific information transmitted to an external device, when the IRK is not included in the device-specific information; transmit, through the communication circuitry, the first advertisement packet to the at least one external electronic device; when the IRK is included in the device-specific information.
However, Kim teaches the limitation wherein transmit, through the communication circuitry, the first advertisement packet to the at least one external electronic device (Kim, page 3, paragraph 48; page 5, paragraph 75; page 7, paragraph 94; i.e., [0048] to send the credentials from the web client to the mobile application, to send messages between the mobile application and the web client; [0075] the encrypted unsigned message can include encrypting the unsigned message using the credentials;
and sending the encrypted unsigned message to the mobile application; [0094] Sending the credentials can include generating one or more packets, each with all or some of the credentials, and transmitting the packet to the mobile application).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Yamada to substitute identification information of the second device (for example, a name of the
mobile phone) from Kim for credential from Yamada to facilitating wallet connectivity and transaction signing in the cryptocurrency field (Kim, page 1, paragraph 2).
However, Palin teaches the limitation wherein based on the trigger event, determine whether an identity resolving key (IRK) is included in device-specific information transmitted to an external device, when the IRK is not included in the device-specific information (Palin, page 10, paragraph 210-222; i.e., [0222] the Host should send it's IRK to the peer device and request the IRK of the peer device during the pairing procedure. If the pairing procedure fails due to authentication requirements and IRK distribution was requested, the pairing procedure should be retried without requesting IRK distribution); transmit, through the communication circuitry, the packet, when the IRK is included in the device-specific information (Palin, page 10, paragraph 119-220; i.e., [0119] the other devices' identity. The private address is generated using the device's identity key exchanged during the bonding procedure; [0220] A master and slave that has received IRK from a slave can resolve that slave's random resolvable private device addresses.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Yamada to substitute scanned advertising packet from Palin for data packet from Yamada to utilizing
electrical network as a power source (Palin, page 1, paragraph 2).
As to claim 2, Yamada-Kim-Palin teaches the electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein receive, through the communication circuitry, from another external electronic device, an account device list including an account key of the same account and device-specific information of the at least one external electronic (Yamada, figure 3; page 4, paragraph 49; page 5, paragraph 50, 52, 58, 60-63; i.e., [0052] the device serial number and/or MAC address and/or be based on a unique value that can be specific to the pairing device 510; [0060] The advertising packets can contain the communication device and/or the pairing device's addresses. The communication device can establish a fast connection by using directed advertising packet that can contain the communication device's and/or the pairing device's addresses).
As to claim 3, Yamada-Kim-Palin teaches the electronic device as recited in claim 2. But Yamada-Zhao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein transmit, via through the communication circuitry, to the other external electronic device, an identity resolving key (IRK) obtained according to performance of a pairing procedure of the electronic device.
However, Palin teaches the limitation wherein transmit, via through the communication circuitry, to the other external electronic device, an identity resolving key (IRK) obtained according to performance of a pairing procedure of the electronic device (Palin, page 10, paragraph 210-222; i.e., [0222] If a device has privacy enabled ( as defined in Bluetooth™ Core Specification, Version 4.1, Table 10.7), the Host should send it's IRK to the peer device and request the IRK of the peer device during the pairing procedure. If the pairing procedure fails due to authentication requirements and IRK distribution was requested, the pairing procedure should be retried without requesting IRK distribution).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Yamada-Kim to substitute scanned advertising packet from Palin for data packet from Yamada-Kim to utilizing electrical network as a power source (Palin, page 1, paragraph 2).
As to claim 5, Yamada-Kim-Palin teaches the electronic device as recited in claim 1. But Yamada-Zhao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein generate the device key by applying a key source, which is included in the device-specific information of the electronic device and used as a source for generating the device identification key, to a hash function, apply the device key and a random number to an encryption function to generate an encryption key, and generate the device identification key based on the random value and the encryption key.
However, Palin teaches the limitation wherein generate the device key by applying a key source, which is included in the device-specific information of the electronic device and used as a source for generating the device identification key, to a hash function, apply the device key and a random number to an encryption function to generate an encryption key, and generate the device identification key based on the random value and the encryption key (Palin, page 10, paragraph 208-222; page 14, paragraph 286; i.e., [0208] hash field is contained in the 24 least significant bits, as defined in Bluetooth™ Core Specification, Version 4.1 [Vol. 3] Part C, Section 10.8.2.3; [0222] If a device has privacy enabled ( as defined in Bluetooth™ Core Specification, Version 4.1, Table 10.7), the Host should send it's IRK to the peer device and request the IRK of the peer device during the pairing procedure. If the pairing procedure fails due to authentication requirements and IRK distribution was requested, the pairing procedure should be retried without requesting IRK distribution; [0286] In example embodiments of the invention, the controllable device's identifier may be a periodically changing random device address).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Yamada-Kim to substitute scanned advertising packet from Palin for data packet from Yamada-Kim to utilizing electrical network as a power source (Palin, page 1, paragraph 2).
Claim(s) 6-7, 13, 22-23, 28-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2017/0026778 A1 and Zhao, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. EP 3 588 890 A1, and in view of Palin, US 2016/0212194 A1.
As to claim 6, Yamada teaches an electronic device, comprising:
a communication circuitry;
a display:
memory storing one or more computer programs, and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the communication circuitry, the display and the memory,
wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
receive, through the communication circuitry, an advertisement packet,
detect device identification information of an external electronic device that is included in the advertisement packet transmitted from the external electronic device (Yamada, figure 3; page 5, paragraph 60-63; i.e., [0060] The advertising packets can contain the communication device and/or the pairing device's addresses; [0062] if the decrypted advertising packet does not contain a part of the header, the pairing device can determine that the advertising packet is not an authentic SKSP advertising packet; [0063] broadcasts an advertising packet with the user-specific shared key, all pairing devices 311-313 can respond and the communication device 321 can transmit/receive data to/from any and/or all of the pairing devices),
when the first device identification key of the external electronic device is included in the device identification information, generate, by using device-specific information of at least one external electronic device among one or more external electronic devices registered through a same account as the electronic device, a second device identification key of the at least one external electronic device (Yamada, figure 3; page 5, paragraph 60-63; i.e., [0060] The advertising packets can contain the communication device and/or the pairing device's addresses; [0062] if the decrypted advertising packet does not contain a part of the header, the pairing device can determine that the advertising packet is not an authentic SKSP advertising packet; [0063] broadcasts an advertising packet with the user-specific shared key, all pairing devices 311-313 can respond and the communication device 321 can transmit/receive data to/from any and/or all of the pairing devices),
when the at least one external electronic device is identified as the specific same account device, display, through the display, a first device-specific information at least one of the external electronic device (Yamada, figure 3; page 5, paragraph 60-63; i.e., [0060] the pairing device can transmit a connection request packet to the communication device. Once the connection is established, the pairing device can transmit and/or receive data to/from the communication device).
But Yamada failed to teach the claim limitation wherein based on the detection determine whether a first identification key of the external electronic device is included in the device identification information; identify that, using the first device identification key and the second device identification key, the at least one external electronic device is a specific same account device among the one or more devices.
However, Zhao teaches the limitation wherein identify that, using the first device identification key and the second device identification key, the at least one external electronic device is a specific same account device among the one or more devices (Zhao, page 11, paragraph 107; i.e., [0107] When receiving the pairing request sent by the first device, the server may generate, for the first device and the second device, the key used by the first device and the second device to encrypt and decrypt data, and send the generated key separately to the first device and the second device. To be specific, the server sends the key to the first device by performing step 204, and sends the key to the second device by performing step 203f, to ensure security of the key and improve efficiency of pairing between the first device and the second device. Optionally, the server may further send device information (for example, a MAC address) of the first device and the key together to the second device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Yamada to substitute identification information of the second device (for example, a name of the
mobile phone) from Zhao for shared key selective pairing from Yamada to time reduce consumption and improve user experience (Zhao, page 1, paragraph 4).
However, Palin teaches the limitation wherein based on the detection determine whether a first identification key of the external electronic device is included in the device identification information (Palin, page 10, paragraph 210-222; i.e., [0222] If a device has privacy enabled ( as defined in Bluetooth™ Core Specification, Version 4.1, Table 10.7), the Host should send it's IRK to the peer device and request the IRK of the peer device during the pairing procedure. If the pairing procedure fails due to authentication requirements and IRK distribution was requested, the pairing procedure should be retried without requesting IRK distribution).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Yamada to substitute scanned advertising packet from Palin for data packet from Yamada to utilizing
electrical network as a power source (Palin, page 1, paragraph 2).
As to claim 13, Yamada-Zhao-Palin teaches the electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein if an account key included in the device identification information is identical to an account key of the account used for registration of the electronic device, determine that the account used for registration of the electronic device is identical to the account used for registration of the external electronic device (Yamada, figure 3; page 5, paragraph 60-63; i.e., [0060] to receive data from the pairing device and/or to send out data and/or instructions to the pairing device), the communication device can broadcast one or more advertising packets. The communication device can establish a fast connection by using directed advertising packet that can contain the communication device's and/or the pairing device's addresses; [0063] broadcasts an advertising packet with the user-specific shared key, all pairing devices 311-313 can respond and the communication device 321 can transmit/receive data to/from any and/or all of the pairing devices).
As to claim 29, Yamada-Zhao-Palin teaches the electronic device as recited in claim 6. But Yamada-Zhao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein identify that at least one external electronic device does not have an IRK among the one or more external electronic devices registered through the same account as the electronic device.
However, Palin teaches the limitation wherein identify that at least one external electronic device does not have an IRK among the one or more external electronic devices registered through the same account as the electronic device (Palin, page 10, paragraph 210-222; i.e., [0222] If a device has privacy enabled ( as defined in Bluetooth™ Core Specification, Version 4.1, Table 10.7), the Host should send it's IRK to the peer device and request the IRK of the peer device during the pairing procedure. If the pairing procedure fails due to authentication requirements and IRK distribution was requested, the pairing procedure should be retried without requesting IRK distribution); transmit, through the communication circuitry, the packet, when the IRK is included in the device-specific information (Palin, page 10, paragraph 119-220; i.e., [0119] the other devices' identity. The private address is generated using the device's identity key exchanged during the bonding procedure; [0220] A master that has received IRK from a slave can resolve that slave's random resolvable private device addresses. A slave that has received IRK from a master can resolve that master's random resolvable private device addresses.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Yamada to substitute scanned advertising packet from Palin for data packet from Yamada to utilizing
electrical network as a power source (Palin, page 1, paragraph 2).
Claim(s) 22 is/are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium claims and they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in claim(s) 6. Therefore, claim(s) 22 is/are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim(s) 6.
Claim(s) 7 & 23 is/are directed to a device and non-transitory computer readable medium claims and they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in claim(s) 2. Therefore, claim(s) 7 & 23 is/are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim(s) 2.
Claim(s) 28 is/are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium claims and they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in claim(s) 13. Therefore, claim(s) 28 is/are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim(s) 13.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 8-9, 11, 24-26 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for objected the claim(s):
In interpreting the claim(s), in light of the specification and the applicant’s argument(s) filed on 3/3/25, the Examiner finds the claimed invention to be patentably distinct from the prior art(s) of record.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reason(s) for objected the claim(s) to be allowed:
The examiner has found that the prior art(s) of record does/do not appear to teach or suggest or render obvious the claimed limitation(s) in combination with the specific added limitations as recited in dependent claim(s). The closest prior art of the record, Yamada may teach a "device's address" such as in paragraph [0063], the reference fails to expressly or impliedly teach "generate a device key using the device-specific information, and generate an advertisement packet including device identification information for identifying the electronic device and at least one external electronic device registered using a same account and a device identification key generated by using the device key" as claimed. Zhao disclosure relates to “an account device list including an account key of the same account and device-specific information of the at least one external electronic device” as claimed. Another close prior art, Palin et al, discloses “transmit, via through the communication circuitry, to the other external electronic device, an identity resolving key (IRK) obtained according to performance of a pairing procedure of the electronic device”. Thus, Palin's disclosure is insufficient to meet the claimed limitation of “generate a device key by applying, to a hash function, a key source which is included in the device-specific information of each of the at least one external electronic device and used as a source for generating the second device identification key of each of the at least one external electronic device, and if the part of the generated encryption key is identical to the part of the encryption key included in the first device identification key in the device identification information, identify an external electronic device that corresponds to the generated encryption key as the specific account device” as set forth in dependent claim(s) 1, 6 & 22. Claim(s) 8-9, 11, 24-26 is/are object to be allowed because of the combination of other limitation(s) and the limitation listed above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5-9, 11, 13, 22-26, 28-29 has/have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. Applicant’s arguments include the failure of previously applied art to expressly disclose “transmit, through the communication circuitry, the first advertisement packet to the at least one external electronic device” (see Applicant’s response, 1/20/26, page 14). It is evident from the detailed mappings found in the above rejection(s) that Kim disclosed this functionality (see Kim, page 3, paragraph 48; page 5, paragraph 75; page 7, paragraph 94). Further, it is clear from the numerous teachings (previously and currently cited) that the provision for “transmit, through the communication circuitry, the first advertisement packet to the at least one external electronic device” was widely implemented in the networking art. Thus, Applicant’s arguments drawn toward distinction of the claimed invention and the prior art teachings on this point are not considered persuasive.
Listing of Relevant Arts
Li, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 20170041377 A1 discloses same user account for the device names, mobile devices.
Kaplinger, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 20160072865 A1 discloses same account to various types of mobile devices.
Contact Information
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
THUONG NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3864. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9:00-6:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached on 571-270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THUONG NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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