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, filed October 14, 2025, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-21 under 35 USC § 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of 35 USC § 103 and 102.
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 35 U.S.C. 103 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 1-3, 5-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan (US 20220377571 A1) in view of Hasegawa (US 20220022116 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yuan teaches a wireless communication device comprising: a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication (Paragraph 88, 192–193, discloses a mobile wireless access point having wireless communication modules that both provide access to other devices and connect to an upstream network); an acquisition unit configured to acquire an operating state of the wireless communication unit after the wireless communication unit is connected to an access providing device capable of providing access to a network (Paragraph 98, 107, 194, discloses modules that acquire operational conditions of the mobile wireless access point (such as power state, signal strength, and operational measurements) while the device is connected to upstream access points providing network connectivity); a determination unit configured to determine whether the operating state of the wireless communication unit satisfies a notification condition (Paragraph 105, 107, 127, repeatedly discloses determination modules that evaluate operating states (power level, signal strength, access load) against preset thresholds, which constitutes determining whether an operating state satisfies a condition); and a notification unit configured to notify another wireless communication device that the wireless communication unit is capable of relaying access to the network, the access being provided via a connection between the access providing device and the wireless communication unit, in a case where it is determined that the operating state of the wireless communication unit satisfies the notification condition (Paragraph 88, 117, 193, When Yuan determines that conditions such as signal strength or load thresholds are met, the mobile wireless access point provides access services to other wireless terminals, inherently signaling availability as a relay/access provider to those devices).
Yuan does not explicitly teach the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes an elapsed time from when the wireless communication unit is connected to the access providing device, wherein the notification condition includes a condition related to the elapsed time, and wherein the notification unit notifies another wireless communication device that the wireless communication unit is capable of relaying the access to the network, in a case where the elapsed time exceeds a threshold time.
However, Hasegawa teaches the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes an elapsed time from when the wireless communication unit is connected to the access providing device (Paragraph 73, 83, teaches maintaining and using time-related information that represents a duration measured from an established connection state until a later operation), wherein the notification condition includes a condition related to the elapsed time (Paragraph 83, 103, The reference explicitly conditions signaling behavior on whether a defined elapsed time has passed, directly teaching a notification condition tied to elapsed time), and wherein the notification unit notifies another wireless communication device (Paragraph 69, 82, Transmission of IAB information to other base station devices and terminal devices constitutes notifying another wireless communication device) that the wireless communication unit is capable of relaying the access to the network (Paragraph 63, 87, The reference repeatedly and explicitly describes wireless devices that relay communications between network nodes, establishing capability to relay access to the network), in a case where the elapsed time exceeds a threshold time (Paragraph 73, 83, The predetermined or standby time functions as a threshold, and the notification action occurs only once that threshold is exceeded).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes an elapsed time from when the wireless communication unit is connected to the access providing device, wherein the notification condition includes a condition related to the elapsed time, and wherein the notification unit notifies another wireless communication device that the wireless communication unit is capable of relaying the access to the network, in a case where the elapsed time exceeds a threshold time as taught by Hasegawa in the wireless communication device of Yuan, so that it would ensure relay capability is only advertised after a sufficient connection duration has passed to improve network stability, reliability, and avoid premature or transient relay notifications.
Regarding claim 2, Yuan teaches the wireless communication unit relays access to the network by the other wireless communication device through the access providing device (Paragraph 88, 103, 193, 194, The mobile wireless access point provides network access to another wireless device and forwards that device’s traffic to an external network, thereby relaying network access through the access providing device).
Regarding claim 3, Yuan teaches the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes a communication state between the access providing device and the wireless communication unit, and the notification condition includes a condition related to the communication state (Paragraph 88, 98, 111, 124, 127, acquires communication state information (signal strength and access load) between access points and wireless terminals and applies threshold conditions on that communication state to trigger subsequent actions).
Regarding claim 5, Yuan teaches the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes communication quality between the access providing device and the wireless communication unit, and the notification condition includes a condition related to the communication quality (Paragraph 85, 90, 98, The passage teaches acquiring communication quality via measured wireless signal strength and using that quality as a condition to trigger actions (e.g., determining reinforcement), satisfying both the operating state and notification condition).
Regarding claim 6, Yuan teaches the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes a movement speed of the wireless communication unit, and the notification condition includes a condition related to the movement speed (Paragraph 85, 189, 194, 195, The passage teaches acquiring an operating state that includes movement speed of the wireless communication unit via motor/navigation control, and using movement-related parameters as conditions that affect system operation).
Regarding claim 7, Yuan teaches the acquisition unit further acquires identification information of the access providing device, and the notification unit notifies the other wireless communication device of the identification information of the access providing device (Paragraph 82, 86, 93, 101, 108, The passage teaches acquiring identification information of an access providing device by obtaining/using its access identifier (SSID) and notifying other wireless communication devices by setting and broadcasting that identifier from the access point to enable terminals to access it).
Regarding claim 8, Yuan teaches the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes communication quality between the access providing device and the wireless communication unit; and the notification unit notifies the other wireless communication device of the communication quality (Paragraph 85, 98, 100, 136, 193, 194, The passage teaches acquiring an operating state that includes communication quality by measuring and recording wireless signal strength between access points and wireless terminals, and notifying another wireless communication device by reporting or sending that signal strength information to an independent server or network-side device).
Regarding claim 9, Yuan teaches the notification unit notifies the other wireless communication device of an upper limit of a number of wireless communication devices which are able to be relayed by the wireless communication unit or an upper limit of a number of hops of the wireless communication devices which are able to be relayed by the wireless communication unit (Paragraph 116, 127, 135, The cited passages disclose using a preset threshold related to access load to trigger control actions, which at most reflects an internal limit used for network load judgment rather than notifying another wireless communication device of an upper limit on relayed devices or hop count).
Regarding claim 10, Yuan teaches the operating state acquired by the acquisition unit includes communication quality between the access providing device and the wireless communication unit, and the wireless communication device further comprises a setting unit configured to set the upper limit of the number of wireless communication devices or the upper limit of the number of hops based on the communication quality (Paragraph 85, 98, 116, 136, The passage teaches acquiring operating state information including communication quality via measured wireless signal strength between access points and wireless units, and using that quality (and derived load thresholds) to control and limit access behavior, effectively setting constraints on how many devices are served or how relaying/load-sharing is applied based on communication quality).
Regarding claim 11, Yuan teaches the access providing device operates as an access point of a wireless local area network (Paragraph 81, 86, 193, The passage explicitly describes the device as a WiFi wireless access point operating in AP mode to provide network access, which teaches operating as a WLAN access point).
Regarding claim 12, Yuan teaches a vehicle comprising the wireless communication device according to claim 1 (Paragraph 96, 121, 160, The passage expressly discloses that the mobile wireless access point (i.e., the wireless communication device) is applied to and used in driverless vehicles).
Regarding claim 13, Yuan teaches a non-transitory storage medium comprising a program causing a computer to function as each unit of the wireless communication device according to claim 1 (Paragraph 198, 199, 200–204, The passage explicitly discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to implement and operate the functional units/modules of the wireless communication device and its systems).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hasegawa (US 20220022116 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Hasegawa teaches a wireless communication device comprising: a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication (Paragraph 93-94, The terminal device explicitly includes a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with access-providing base station devices); a receiving unit configured to receive, from each of a plurality of access providing devices, a notification that access to a network is able to be provided (Paragraph 69, 81, 96, The terminal device receives control-plane IAB information from multiple base station devices that notifies availability of network access via identified donors; a specifying unit configured to specify a quality of a signal received from each of the plurality of access providing devices (Paragraph 65, 72, 78, Wireless quality measurements are explicitly performed and reported for multiple access providing devices, thereby specifying signal quality for each); and a determination unit configured to determine to make connection to an access providing device having a highest quality of the signal (Paragraph 65, 79, 97, Connection decisions are explicitly made based on comparative wireless quality, selecting a donor with a more favorable measurement result for connection), wherein the plurality of access providing devices include a first access providing device and a second access providing device (Paragraph 62, 65, Multiple access-providing base station devices are explicitly disclosed, including a first and second device capable of providing network access), wherein the receiving unit receives, from the second access providing device, a notification that access to the network is able to be provided while the wireless communication unit is connected to the first access providing device (Paragraph 82, 104, The terminal device receives IAB information identifying a new access-providing device while still connected to the current access device prior to handover execution), and wherein the wireless communication unit is connected to the second access providing device in a case where an amount of change in communication quality between the access providing apparatus and the second wireless communication device is equal to or greater than a lower limit threshold and is equal to or less than an upper limit threshold (Paragraph 78, 79, 83, Connection change is conditionally triggered based on measured wireless quality satisfying predetermined criteria, which inherently defines bounded thresholds governing when connection to a new access provider occurs).
Regarding claim 16, Hasegawa teaches the switching condition includes a condition that identification information received from the first access providing device is identical to identification information of the second access providing device and communication quality between the second access providing device and the wireless communication unit satisfies a predetermined condition (Paragraph 72, 78-81, The passage teaches switching (handover) conditioned on matching identification information of the target access providing device conveyed to the wireless communication unit and on measured communication quality meeting a predefined criterion that triggers selection and connection to the second access providing device).
Regarding claim 17, Hasegawa teaches a vehicle comprising the wireless communication device according to claim 14 (Paragraph 61, 63, 93, 94, 99, The passage teaches a terminal device that includes a wireless communication unit and operates as a wireless communication device, which can be included in a vehicle).
Regarding claim 18, Hasegawa teaches a non-transitory storage medium storing a program causing a computer to function as the wireless communication device according to claim 14 (Paragraph 93, 99, 109, The passage discloses non-transitory memories storing information/program instructions that, when executed by processors, cause the device to operate as a wireless communication device).
Regarding claim 19, Hasegawa teaches a wireless communication system comprising: an access providing device capable of providing access to a network (Paragraph 62, The IAB donor base station devices are expressly disclosed as being connected to the core network and thus capable of providing access to a network to other devices); and a wireless communication device that is able to be connected to the access providing device and comprising a wireless communication unit (Paragraph 63, 86, 93–94, discloses wireless communication devices (IAB nodes and terminal devices) that connect to an access-providing IAB donor via a wireless communication unit), wherein the wireless communication device is configured to: acquire an operating state of the wireless communication device after connected to the access providing device (Paragraph 70, 73, 89, 97, The wireless communication device acquires and tracks timing information related to its connection state after being connected, which constitutes an operating state including elapsed time), determine whether the operating state of the wireless communication device satisfies a notification condition (Paragraph 70, 83, 89, discloses determining whether a predetermined time has elapsed, which satisfies a condition evaluated based on the operating state of the device), and notify another wireless communication device that the wireless communication device is capable of relaying access to the network (Paragraph 70, 82, 87, The wireless communication device explicitly relays signaling information to other devices, thereby notifying them that it is capable of relaying network access), the access being provided via a connection between the access providing device and the wireless communication unit (Paragraph 62, 86, 94, Access to the network is provided through a wireless connection between the access-providing IAB donor and the wireless communication unit of the device), in a case where it is determined that the operating state of the wireless communication device satisfies the notification condition (Paragraph 83, 89, Transmission and relay actions are expressly conditioned on satisfaction of a timing-based condition, corresponding to a notification condition)s wherein the operating state acquired by the wireless communication device includes an elapsed time from when the wireless communication unit is connected to the access providing device (Paragraph 73, 83, 97, Elapsed time from connection is explicitly represented by standby time information that is tracked and used by the wireless communication device), wherein the notification condition includes a condition related to the elapsed time (Paragraph 70, 83, 89, repeatedly conditions signaling and connection actions on elapsed time thresholds, directly corresponding to a time-based notification condition), and wherein the wireless communication device notifies another wireless communication device that the wireless communication device is capable of relaying the access to the network, in a case where the elapsed time exceeds a threshold time (Paragraph 70, 82–83, Once the elapsed standby time exceeds the predetermined threshold, the wireless communication device relays information to other devices, thereby notifying them of relay capability).
Regarding claim 20, Hasegawa teaches a method for controlling a wireless communication device comprising a wireless communication unit, the method comprising: acquiring an operating state of the wireless communication device after the wireless communication device is connected to an access providing device capable of providing access to a network (Paragraph 86, 89, 97, discloses a wireless communication device that is already connected to an access-providing device (IAB donor) and explicitly tracks time-related state information (predetermined/standby time) after connection as part of its operational control); determining whether the operating state of the wireless communication device satisfies a notification condition (Paragraph 70, 83, The system explicitly checks whether a predetermined time has elapsed, which corresponds to determining whether an operating state satisfies a notification condition); and notifying another wireless communication device that the wireless communication device is capable of relaying access to the network, the access being provided via a connection between the access providing device and the wireless communication unit, in a case where it is determined that the operating state of the wireless communication device satisfies the notification condition (Paragraph 70, 82, Upon satisfaction of the timing condition, the device transmits information to other devices indicating relay-related connectivity via the established access connection), wherein the operating state includes an elapsed time from when the wireless communication unit is connected to the access providing device (Paragraph 70, 83, The operating state is explicitly based on elapsed time following connection, as repeatedly described in the waiting and elapsed-time logic), wherein the notification condition includes a condition related to the elapsed time (Paragraph 83, Notification is conditioned directly on whether the elapsed time meets the predetermined time condition), and wherein the method comprises notifying another wireless communication device that the wireless communication unit is capable of relaying the access to the network, in a case where the elapsed time exceeds a threshold time (Paragraph 70, 83, The predetermined time functions as a threshold time, and notification occurs only when the elapsed time exceeds that threshold).
Regarding claim 21, Hasegawa teaches a method for controlling a wireless communication device, the method comprising: receiving, from each of a plurality of access providing devices, a notification that access to a network is able to be provided (Paragraph 79, 81, 102, The IAB donors transmit messages indicating acceptance and availability of network access, which constitutes receiving notifications from multiple access providing devices that access can be provided); specifying a quality of a signal received from each of the plurality of access providing devices (Paragraph 65, 72, 78, Wireless quality measurements are explicitly performed and reported for multiple access providing devices, thereby specifying signal quality for each); and determining to make connection to an access providing device having a highest quality of the signal (Paragraph 65, 79, The system selects and connects to the access providing device with the most favorable measured wireless quality), wherein the plurality of access providing devices include a first access providing device and a second access providing device (Paragraph 62, 65, Multiple distinct access providing devices are disclosed and differentiated as separate candidates for connection), wherein a notification that access to the network is able to be provided is received from the second access providing device while the wireless communication device is connected to the first access providing device (Paragraph 70, 82, Notifications of availability from the new access providing device are received while the device remains connected to the current access providing device), and wherein the wireless communication device is connected to the second access providing device in a case where an amount of change in communication quality between the access providing apparatus and the second wireless communication device is equal to or greater than a lower limit threshold and is equal to or less than an upper limit threshold (Paragraph 78, 79, 80, Connection change decisions are explicitly conditioned on measured wireless quality satisfying predefined criteria, functionally corresponding to threshold-based limits triggering connection to the second device).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Xu et al. (US 12021786 B2)
daCosta (US 9258765 B1)
Provenzano (US 20180103859 A1)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN whose telephone number is (703)756-1878. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Ngo can be reached at (571) 272-3139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464