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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 14-20 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 § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Neyhart (US Publication 2025/0166494 A1).
Regarding to claims 14 and 20, Neyhart discloses a networkable electronic device 400A (fig. 4A page 7 paragraph 0057) comprising: a first radio 432 that is wirelessly connectable to a WLAN 130 (page 8 paragraph 0060) and that operates at a first frequency (page 11 paragraph 0086); a second radio 430 that is wirelessly connectable to the WLAN (page 8 paragraph 0060) and that operates a second frequency that is different than the first frequency (page 11 paragraph 0087); and a controller 414 that is configured to cause the second radio 430 to communicate within the WLAN during initial device setup, the communicating including transmitting user account information or other setup credentials within the WLAN to onboard the networkable electronic device into the WLAN (page 13 left column lines 2-9) and to subsequently cause the first radio 432 to communicate with the WLAN during default communications through the WLAN (page 13 left column lines 10-14).
Regarding to claim 15, Neyhart discloses the WLAN system includes a hub 310 arranged at a hub location in communication with the networkable electronic device 110 (fig. 3A), the method further comprising: placing the networkable electronic device in a device 120 location that is spaced apart 106/108 from the hub location (page 5 paragraph 0045), and; performing the device setup when: the hub is at the hub location; and the networkable device is at the device location (fig. 2 page 4 paragraph 0037).
Regarding to claim 16, Neyhart discloses the device location is spaced at least 6.6 feet (2 meters) from the hub location (page 11 paragraph 0086).
Regarding to claim 17, Neyhart discloses the device location is spaced at least 33 feet (10 meters) from the hub location (page 11 paragraph 0086).
Regarding to claim 18, Neyhart discloses the second radio communicates through a secondary communication path of the WLAN system, and wherein the method further comprises: performing a bulk device update procedure, including: updating a network setting (Wi-Fi access information) through a user device 120; transmitting the updated network setting to multiple networkable electronic devices 110 in the WLAN system by way of the secondary communication path (page 11 paragraph 0083; noted the Clear Connect protocol is used to transmit update Wi-Fi access information).
Regarding to claim 19, Neyhart discloses the network setting includes at least one of a network name and a network password (page 4 paragraph 0037) and the method further comprises: automatically updating (periodically) the network setting at each of the multiple networkable electronic devices (page 11 paragraph 0083); and automatically reestablishing (reconnect again) communicative connections (Wi-Fi connections) of the multiple networkable electronic devices 110 for data transmission through a primary communication path (Wi-Fi) through the first radio 432 in response to the updated network settings of the multiple networkable electronic devices (page 11 paragraph 0084).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 are allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Duc T Duong whose telephone number is (571)272-3122. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri; 9am-6pm.
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, Hassan Phillips can be reached at (571)272-3940. 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.
/DUC T DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467