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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/1/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment made dated 12/1/2025 does not contain any new matter, and has been accepted.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/1/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the cited reference of Eisner does not disclose the newly amended limitation of,
wherein the one or more RF sources comprise local wireless access points or short-range wireless devices that periodically transmit beacon signals including identifiers, the beacon signals being detected by the wireless device without requiring a connection to the RF source .
However, Examiner respectfully disagrees and would like to assert that due to the broadness of the claim language, Eisner still does disclose said added limitation of
wherein the one or more RF sources comprise local wireless access points or short-range wireless devices that periodically transmit beacon signals including identifiers, the beacon signals being detected by the wireless device without requiring a connection to the RF source ([0353]-[0355]: additional location information from one or more public location information sources includes other WiFi devices and networks that sends wireless beacon information that also has known physical location information).
Due to the broadness of the claim language, the claims are still not yet in condition for allowance and are still rejected as shown below, and explained above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eisner (US 2020/0351623; hereinafter Eisner).
Regarding claims 1, 8 and 15, Eisner discloses a computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at one or more computing devices, first information pertaining to a communication from a wireless device to a destination entity, the first information comprising identification of a radio access network (RAN) tower to which the wireless device is connected for routing of communication ([0008]: known in the art of E911 wherein the phone carrier receiving an emergency call can identify the originating call’s phone number and location of the signal tower or cell of said originating caller);
determining, by the one or more computing devices based on the first information, a first location area for the wireless device within a coverage area of the RAN tower ([0008]: known in the art of E911 wherein the phone carrier receiving an emergency call can identify the originating call’s phone number and location of the signal tower or cell of said originating caller);
receiving, at the one or more computing devices, identifiers of one or more radio frequency (RF) sources whose radio signals are detected by the wireless device while being in the first location area (Figs. 11C-11D; [0404]: step 186, receiving additional location information for the originating device from public location sources);
accessing, using the received identifiers of the one or more RF sources and by the one or more computing devices, a database maintained in memory and that includes a plurality of RF source identifiers and a location area corresponding to each of the plurality of RF source identifiers, wherein accessing the database comprises obtaining second information from the database ([0466]: by disclosing the accessing of public location information from information sources 24 and using the current physical location as a search key; Figs. 11C-11D; [0404]: step 186, receiving additional location information for the originating device from public location sources; [0466]-[0467]: public location information sources such as other cell towers, Wi-Fis, RFIDs, IoT devices and sensors);
determining, by the one or more computing devices based on the second information, a second location area for the wireless device that is within the first location area (Figs. 11C-11D, step 188, [0482]: determined current physical location from said additional location information sources); and
transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, information indicative of the second location area to a computing device of the destination entity (Figs. 11C-11D, step 190-192, [0489]: using the determined physical location of calling device to send for emergency assistance),
wherein the one or more RF sources comprise local wireless access points or short-range wireless devices that periodically transmit beacon signals including identifiers, the beacon signals being detected by the wireless device without requiring a connection to the RF source ([0353]-[0355]: additional location information from one or more public location information sources includes other WiFi devices and networks that sends wireless beacon information that also has known physical location information).
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, Eisner discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:
sending a request to the wireless device requesting the identifiers of the one or more RF sources (Figs. 11C-11D; [0404]: step 186, receiving additional location information for the originating device from public location sources; [0466]-[0467]: public location information sources such as other cell towers, Wi-Fis, RFIDs, IoT devices and sensors).
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, Eisner discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more RF sources comprises WIFI RF sources or RF sources using IEEE 802.15 standards (Figs. 11C-11D; [0404]: step 186, receiving additional location information for the originating device from public location sources; [0466]-[0467]: public location information sources such as other cell towers, Wi-Fis, RFIDs, IoT devices and sensors).
Regarding claims 4, 11, and 18, Wisner discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: the database includes ([0323]: database 24 for public location information sources), for each of a plurality of RF sources, i) a corresponding RF source identifier, ii) a corresponding location area, and iii) a signal strength of the RF source ([0356], [0419]: wherein the physical location includes using signal strength for determination).
Regarding claims 5, 12 and 19, Eisner discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:
receiving, at the one or more computing devices, information indicative of a signal strength of the one or more RF sources ([0323]: database 24 for public location information sources; [0356], [0419]: wherein the physical location includes using signal strength for determination); and
determining, using the database, the second location area based on the signal strength of the one or more RF sources ([0323]: database 24 for public location information sources; [0356], [0419]: wherein the physical location includes using signal strength for determination).
Regarding claims 6 and 13, Eisner discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communication is a phone call to the destination entity that requires a location of the wireless device (Abstract: Emergency call).
Regarding claims 7, 14 and 20, Eisner discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the database is periodically updated ([0359], [0475]: periodically updated).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUCK HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)272-7866. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am - 6pm.
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/CHUCK HUYNH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644