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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
This Office action is in response to communications filed on 9/12/2025.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 9/12/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-9 and 11-18 have been amended.
Claims 19-21 have been added.
Claims 1-21 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-21 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 Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 4, the phrase "the processor is configured to check perform the authorization," should be - - the processor is configured to perform the authorization - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 (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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 12, 14, 17-18, and 20-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bullock (US 20180328611 A1) in view of Pineau et al. (US 20120159579 A1, hereinafter Pineau).
Regarding claim 1, Bullock discloses an electronic access control device for controlling data access to Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) devices of an HVAC system (¶[0125], "a request manager is loaded onto HVAC server"; ¶[0129], " HVAC server 114 sends the API request to BACnet router 126"; ¶[0130], "BACNet router 126 forwards the data request to the chosen subsystem"; ¶[0056], "each device and subsystem [...] makes up the HVAC system 104"),
the electronic access control device comprising a plurality of electronic communication circuits, a data store, and a processor connected to the electronic communication circuits (¶[0125], "HVAC server", where server is known in the art and is implemented by computing devices, which include at least a processor (e.g., see claim 11, "the server comprising a processor and a memory" and ¶[0043], "Each of the devices that form the systems described include a processor and memory"); ¶[0192], "System client 110 is connected to HVAC server 114 through one or more of network 106 and network 118 and HVAC server 114 has BACNet connections to systems 132 through 140" - see also Fig. 1),
wherein at least one of the electronic communication circuits is configured to communicate, via a first communication link, with an external computing device that is separate from the HVAC system (¶[0127], "system server 108 sends the email data request to HVAC server 114" - see also Fig. 1, the client and system server are external and separate from the HVAC system as they are outside of a firewall. Inside the firewall is the HVAC system);
wherein at least one of the electronic communication circuits is configured to communicate, via a second communication link, with a first HVAC device of the HVAC devices (¶[0192], "HVAC server 114 has BACNet connections to systems 132 through 140" - see also Fig. 1); and
wherein the processor is configured to: receive, from the external computing device via the first communication link a data request directed to the first HVAC device (¶[0047], "system client 110 comprises a web browser that connects to a web server hosted by system server 108 to manage the data gathering, analysis, and reporting"; ¶[0127], "system server 108 sends the email data request to HVAC server 114"; ¶[0128], "In a preferred embodiment, the unique command code is a number that includes a hash of the subsystem identifier, an equipment identifier, and any variable requested"),
perform an authorization process (¶[0126], "HVAC server 114 screens emails that are sent to HVAC server 114. The emails are screened for authorized requests"; ¶[0128], "the HVAC server 114 decodes an email request that is an authorized request. In a preferred embodiment, the unique command code is a number that includes a hash of the subsystem identifier, an equipment identifier, and any variable requested. The request manager decodes the hash and loads the appropriate subsystem API request in the subsystem data"),
upon affirmative authorization, forward the data request via the second communication link to the first HVAC device (¶[0129], "HVAC server 114 sends the API request to BACnet router 126"; ¶[0130], "BACNet router 126 forwards the data request to the chosen subsystem"),
receive, via the second communication link, data content from the first HVAC device (¶[0131], "requested data is generated or located by the subsystem controller"; ¶[0132], "the requested data is uploaded to BACNet router 126"; ¶[0133], "the requested data is passed from BACNet router 126 to HVAC server 114"),
generate a data response using the data content (¶[0134], "an email is generated by the request manager on the HVAC server 114 that includes the requested data"), and
transmit the data response via the first communication link to the external computing device (¶[0135], "HVAC server 114 sends the email" to the system server (see ¶[0136] and [0137])).
Bullock does not disclose that the authorization process is an authorization process for access to the first HVAC device using authorization information stored in the data store, and that the affirmative authorization is for access to the first HVAC device.
Pineau discloses performing an authorization process for access to a first HVAC using authorization information stored in a data store, and that the affirmative authorization is for access to the first HVAC device (¶[0032], "Non-security devices may also be managed by the system, and may include, for example, HVAC and other building management components and devices, such as lights, daylight sensors, light level sensors, temperature sensors, heating appliances, air conditioning systems, humidity detectors, automated blind controls, occupancy sensors and smoke sensors"; ¶[0043], "The CMC provides a unified platform through which the physical devices may be controlled. It also includes or has access to a database of all the users, IDs, passwords, permission levels, policies, etc. for all the physical devices connected to the system"; ¶[0082], "permissions database 28 contains details of users, user IDs, permissions, and/or policies etc., which permits the CMC 26 to determine whether or not to allow access to a particular user to control or manage a particular device 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40"; ¶[0088], "Device 38, for example, may be controllable by a user operating a computer 9, for example. In this case, identification of the user is supplied via computer 9 to CMC server 26. Since access to the physical device 38 is via a computer interface, it will be usual to require users to input authentication in conjunction with identification. Such authentication may be a password, passcode, biometric data input or other means of authentication. The CMC will verify both the identification and the authentication before granting user access to the device" - see also ¶[0111], "the system receives identification of the device the user wishes to use. The zone in which the device is located is then determined 278, and the group to which the user belongs is also determined 280. Next, at step 282, the system determines whether the determined group has permission to access the determined zone. If permission has been granted, the system permits 284 use of the device. If permission has not been granted, the user is denied 286 use of the device").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Bullock in view of Pineau so that the authorization process is an authorization process for access to the first HVAC device using authorization information stored in the data store, and that the affirmative authorization is for access to the first HVAC device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would increase system security by preventing users from having access to each and every device in a system when access to only a particular subset of devices is desired.
Regarding claim 3, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the authorization information stored in the data store is identification information (Pineau, ¶[0082], "permissions database 28 contains details of users, user IDs, permissions, and/or policies etc., which permits the CMC 26 to determine whether or not to allow access to a particular user to control or manage a particular device 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40"), and
the processor is configured to perform the authorization process for access to the first HVAC device by comparing identification information included in the data request to the identification information stored in the data store (Pineau, ¶[0088], "Device 38, for example, may be controllable by a user operating a computer 9, for example. In this case, identification of the user is supplied via computer 9 to CMC server 26. Since access to the physical device 38 is via a computer interface, it will be usual to require users to input authentication in conjunction with identification. Such authentication may be a password, passcode, biometric data input or other means of authentication. The CMC will verify both the identification and the authentication before granting user access to the device" - comparison is implied).
Regarding claim 4, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the authorization information stored in the data store is access right data (Pineau, ¶[0082], "permissions database 28 contains details of users, user IDs, permissions, and/or policies etc., which permits the CMC 26 to determine whether or not to allow access to a particular user to control or manage a particular device 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40"), and
the processor is configured to check perform the authorization process for access to the first HVACV device using the access rights data stored in the data store and access credentials included in the data request (Pineau, ¶[0088], "Device 38, for example, may be controllable by a user operating a computer 9, for example. In this case, identification of the user is supplied via computer 9 to CMC server 26. Since access to the physical device 38 is via a computer interface, it will be usual to require users to input authentication in conjunction with identification. Such authentication may be a password, passcode, biometric data input or other means of authentication. The CMC will verify both the identification and the authentication before granting user access to the device").
Regarding claim 12, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, via the second communication link data reports from the HVAC devices (Bullock, ¶[0131], "requested data is generated or located by the subsystem controller"; ¶[0133], "the requested data is passed from BACNet router 126 to HVAC server 114");
store the data reports with a time stamp in the data store of the electronic access control device (Bullock, ¶[0056], "trend log stores trend information, such as periodic average temperatures, periodic energy consumption, and periodic hot and cold water usage. Custom logs include additional information that the owner or maintainer of HVAC system 104 has programmed the system to store, including system measurements, maintenance information, and purchase information. The system backups include the programs that run on the individual subsystems so that they can be reset or restored. The system backups also include backups of the data and log files generated by the system. Typically the data of logs 204 are in tabular form and includes an entry for each of the sensors and settings for each piece of equipment in the HVAC system 104 along with a date and a time for each entry. Other data can include position information for ducting and flow controls, power consumption, and failure mode sensors"); and
transmit a plurality of time stamped data reports, via the first communication link, to the external computing device (Bullock, ¶[0124], "system server 108 generates a request for the all points log"; ¶[0131], "requested data is generated or located by the subsystem controller"; ¶[0133], "the requested data is passed from BACNet router 126 to HVAC server 114"; ¶[0134], "an email is generated by the request manager on the HVAC server 114 that includes the requested data. In one embodiment, the requested data is hashed with the subsystem name, a date, time, and a variable name for the requested data"; ¶[0135], " HVAC server 114 sends the email").
Regarding claim 14, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the processor is further configured to access, via the second communication link, a web server executing on one of the HVAC devices (Bullock, ¶[0192], "HVAC server 114 has BACNet connections to systems 132 through 140" - see also Fig. 1; ¶[0129], "HVAC server 114 sends the API request to BACnet router 126"; ¶[0130], "BACNet router 126 forwards the data request to the chosen subsystem"; ¶[0131], "requested data is generated or located by the subsystem controller"; ¶[0132], "the requested data is uploaded to BACNet router 126"; ¶[0133], "the requested data is passed from BACNet router 126 to HVAC server 114" (since the model works under a request/response model, the BACnet router and/or the subsystems are essentially servers)).
Regarding claim 17, Bullock discloses a method for controlling data access to Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) devices of an HVAC system using an electronic access control device comprising a plurality of electronic communication circuits and a processor connected to the electronic communication circuits (¶[0125], "a request manager is loaded onto HVAC server" where server is known in the art and is implemented by computing devices, which include at least a processor (e.g., see claim 11, "the server comprising a processor and a memory" and ¶[0043], "Each of the devices that form the systems described include a processor and memory"); ¶[0129], " HVAC server 114 sends the API request to BACnet router 126"; ¶[0130], "BACNet router 126 forwards the data request to the chosen subsystem"; ¶[0056], "each device and subsystem [...] makes up the HVAC system 104"; ¶[0192], "System client 110 is connected to HVAC server 114 through one or more of network 106 and network 118 and HVAC server 114 has BACNet connections to systems 132 through 140" - see also Fig. 1), the method comprising:
establishing, by at least one of the electronic communication circuits of the electronic access control device, a first communication link with an external computing device that is separate from the HVAC system (¶[0127], "system server 108 sends the email data request to HVAC server 114" - see also Fig. 1, the client and system server are external and separate from the HVAC system as they are outside of a firewall. Inside the firewall is the HVAC system);
establishing, by at least one of the electronic communication circuits of the electronic access control device, a second communication link with a first HVAC device of the HVAC devices (¶[0192], "HVAC server 114 has BACNet connections to systems 132 through 140" - see also Fig. 1);
receiving, by the electronic access control device, from the external computing device via the first communication link a data request directed to the first HVAC device (¶[0047], "system client 110 comprises a web browser that connects to a web server hosted by system server 108 to manage the data gathering, analysis, and reporting"; ¶[0127], "system server 108 sends the email data request to HVAC server 114");
performing an authorization process for access to the first HVAC device using the electronic access control device (¶[0126], "HVAC server 114 screens emails that are sent to HVAC server 114. The emails are screened for authorized requests"; ¶[0128], "the HVAC server 114 decodes an email request that is an authorized request. In a preferred embodiment, the unique command code is a number that includes a hash of the subsystem identifier, an equipment identifier, and any variable requested. The request manager decodes the hash and loads the appropriate subsystem API request in the subsystem data");
forwarding, by the electronic access control device, via the second communication link, the data request to the first HVAC device upon affirmative authorization (¶[0129], "HVAC server 114 sends the API request to BACnet router 126"; ¶[0130], "BACNet router 126 forwards the data request to the chosen subsystem");
receiving, by the electronic access control device, via the second communication link, data content from the first HVAC device (¶[0131], "requested data is generated or located by the subsystem controller"; ¶[0132], "the requested data is uploaded to BACNet router 126"; ¶[0133], "the requested data is passed from BACNet router 126 to HVAC server 114");
generating, by the electronic access control device, a data response using the data content (¶[0134], "an email is generated by the request manager on the HVAC server 114 that includes the requested data"); and
transmitting, by the electronic access control device, via the first communication link, the data response to the external computing device (¶[0135], "HVAC server 114 sends the email" to the system server (see ¶[0136] and [0137])).
Bullock does not disclose that the performing the authorization process for access to the first HVAC device is by using authorization information stored in a data store of the electronic access control device; and that the affirmative authorization is for access to the first HVAC device.
Pineau discloses performing an authorization process for access to a first HVAC using authorization information stored in a data store, and that the affirmative authorization is for access to the first HVAC device (¶[0032], "Non-security devices may also be managed by the system, and may include, for example, HVAC and other building management components and devices, such as lights, daylight sensors, light level sensors, temperature sensors, heating appliances, air conditioning systems, humidity detectors, automated blind controls, occupancy sensors and smoke sensors"; ¶[0043], "The CMC provides a unified platform through which the physical devices may be controlled. It also includes or has access to a database of all the users, IDs, passwords, permission levels, policies, etc. for all the physical devices connected to the system"; ¶[0082], "permissions database 28 contains details of users, user IDs, permissions, and/or policies etc., which permits the CMC 26 to determine whether or not to allow access to a particular user to control or manage a particular device 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40"; ¶[0088], "Device 38, for example, may be controllable by a user operating a computer 9, for example. In this case, identification of the user is supplied via computer 9 to CMC server 26. Since access to the physical device 38 is via a computer interface, it will be usual to require users to input authentication in conjunction with identification. Such authentication may be a password, passcode, biometric data input or other means of authentication. The CMC will verify both the identification and the authentication before granting user access to the device"; see also ¶[0111], "the system receives identification of the device the user wishes to use. The zone in which the device is located is then determined 278, and the group to which the user belongs is also determined 280. Next, at step 282, the system determines whether the determined group has permission to access the determined zone. If permission has been granted, the system permits 284 use of the device. If permission has not been granted, the user is denied 286 use of the device").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Bullock in view of Pineau so that the performing the authorization process for access to the first HVAC device is by using authorization information stored in a data store of the electronic access control device; and that the affirmative authorization is for access to the first HVAC device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would increase system security by preventing users from having access to each and every device in a system when access to only a particular subset of devices is desired.
Regarding claim 18, Bullock discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processor of an electronic access control device, causes the electronic access control device to carry out a method for controlling data access to Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) devices of an HVAC system (¶[0042], "the systems and methods are implemented on a digital computer having a processor for executing the methods embodied within a set of program instructions. The program instructions are stored in an electronic memory and in digital storage media connected to the digital computer"; ¶[0125], "a request manager is loaded onto HVAC server" where server is known in the art and is implemented by computing devices, which include at least a processor (e.g., see claim 11, "the server comprising a processor and a memory" and ¶[0043], "Each of the devices that form the systems described include a processor and memory"); ¶[0129], " HVAC server 114 sends the API request to BACnet router 126"; ¶[0130], "BACNet router 126 forwards the data request to the chosen subsystem"; ¶[0056], "each device and subsystem [...] makes up the HVAC system 104"; ¶[0192], "System client 110 is connected to HVAC server 114 through one or more of network 106 and network 118 and HVAC server 114 has BACNet connections to systems 132 through 140" - see also Fig. 1).
The remaining limitations of claim 18 are similar in scope to those of claim 17. Therefore, claim 18 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in the rejection of claim 17, above.
Regarding claim 20, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the first communication link is via wide area network communication and the second communication link is via a short-range wireless communication or close-range interface communication (Bullock, Fig. 1, ¶[0046]-¶[0048], the client and system servers communicate with the router through network 106, where the system server is a web server and the client uses a web browser, indicating the network 106 is the internet (a WAN). Further, network 118 is clearly a LAN (as it is positioned behind a firewall separating it from network 106) - the distance between devices in a LAN is a design choice, however, in LANs devices are usually in close proximity to each other. Note also the network 118 may be a BACnet network (¶[0048]). BACnet is known in the art and it supports short range communication such as ZigBee (see Niazi, "What is the BACnet Protocol and How is it Used in Building Automation Systems?", EE Tech Group, 2020, page 4)).
Regarding claim 21, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the processor is configured to receive the data request directed to the first HVAC device from the external computing device via the first communication link after the first communication link and the second communication link are established (Bullock, ¶[0127], "system server 108 sends the email data request to HVAC server 114" - that the links are established prior to the server 114 receiving the request is inherent as the request must traverse the links).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bullock (US 20180328611 A1) in view of Pineau (US 20120159579 A1), and further in view of Hojsik et al. (US 20160337359 A1, hereinafter Hojsik).
Regarding claim 2, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the processor is configured to perform the authorization process for access to the first HVAC device by verifying access control data included in the data request using the authorization information stored in the data store (Pineau, ¶[0082], "permissions database 28 contains details of users, user IDs, permissions, and/or policies etc., which permits the CMC 26 to determine whether or not to allow access to a particular user to control or manage a particular device 31, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40"; ¶[0088], "Device 38, for example, may be controllable by a user operating a computer 9, for example. In this case, identification of the user is supplied via computer 9 to CMC server 26. Since access to the physical device 38 is via a computer interface, it will be usual to require users to input authentication in conjunction with identification. Such authentication may be a password, passcode, biometric data input or other means of authentication. The CMC will verify both the identification and the authentication before granting user access to the device").
The combined system of Bullock and Pineau does not disclose that the verifying access control data included in the data request is by using symmetric or asymmetric cryptography.
Hojsik discloses checking authorization of a data request by verifying access control data included in the data request, using symmetric or asymmetric cryptography (¶[0014], "Control systems may be associated with […] heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC)"; ¶[0048], "authentication data allows for verification of the authenticity and/or integrity of a received request, when at least one target device performs a requested ALP function call and transmits an authenticated response; and the one or more controlling devices is configured to verify response authenticity using authentication data. Authentication data transmitted with a function instructions and/or data and message or command allows both the target device and the controlling device to verify a request and response from the other device"; ¶[0049], "the user or device identity authentication and data authentication is performed by symmetric or asymmetric cryptography"; ¶[0050], "at least one target device references an access control list to verify whether a particular user or device identity of a particular controlling device is authorized to perform one or more functions or perform functions for requested parameters. While authentication data allows a device, such as device 236 or 244, and a user of that device, to verify the authenticity of a function instructions and/or data, an additional embodiment also allows a target device 244 to reference an access control list within memory 246 to verify the user ID or identifying information of the controlling device"; ¶[0049], "all communicated (potentially encrypted) data ALP are accompanied by authentication data" ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Bullock and Pineau in view of Hojsik so that the verifying access control data included in the data request is by using symmetric or asymmetric cryptography.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would prevent "unauthorized systems or users from reading transmissions across" the network (Hojsik, ¶[0049]).
Claim(s) 5-7 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bullock (US 20180328611 A1) in view of Pineau (US 20120159579 A1), and further in view of Britt et al. (US 20170171180 A1, hereinafter Britt).
Regarding claim 5, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the data response (Bullock, ¶[0134], "an email is generated by the request manager on the HVAC server 114 that includes the requested data").
The combined system of Bullock and Pineau does not disclose that the generating the data response is by encrypting the data content from the first HVAC device.
Britt discloses that generating a communication by encrypting the data content from the first HVAC device (¶[0071], "IoT hub 110 and/or IoT service 120 transmits notifications to the end user related to the current status of each piece of electronics equipment" - note Fig. 1B, the end user and IoT service are entities outside of the IoT network; ¶[0102], "IoT hub 110 and IoT service 120 may perform a secure symmetric key exchange and then use the exchanged symmetric keys to encrypt communications"; ¶[0106], "keys may be used to encrypt communication from the IoT device 101 to the IoT hub 110 and to the IoT service 120. For example, using a public/private key arrangement, in one embodiment, the security logic 1002 on the IoT device 101 uses the public key of the IoT hub 110 to encrypt data packets sent to the IoT hub 110. The security logic 1012 on the IoT hub 110 may then decrypt the data packets using the IoT hub's private key. Similarly, the security logic 1002 on the IoT device 101 and/or the security logic 1012 on the IoT hub 110 may encrypt data packets sent to the IoT service 120 using the public key of the IoT service 120 (which may then be decrypted by the security logic 1013 on the IoT service 120 using the service's private key)").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Bullock and Pineau in view of Britt so that the generating the data response is by encrypting the data content from the first HVAC device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because an attacker would not be able to eavesdrop or spoof the transmitted information (Britt, suggested, ¶[0196]).
Regarding claim 6, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above.
The combined system of Bullock and Pineau does not disclose that at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the external computing device, the radio communication circuit being configured for at least one of close range interface communication, wireless local area network (WLAN) communication, or cellular mobile radio network communication.
Britt discloses that an electronic communication circuit may comprise a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the external computing device, the radio communication circuit being configured for at least one of close range interface communication, wireless local area network (WLAN) communication, or cellular mobile radio network communication (Fig. 1B, an IoT hub 110 is connected to an external device 120 via a network 220; ¶[0039], "the IoT hub 110 includes a cellular radio to establish a connection to the Internet 220 via a cellular service 115 such as a 4G (e.g., Mobile WiMAX, LTE) or 5G cellular data service. Alternatively, or in addition, the IoT hub 110 may include a WiFi radio to establish a WiFi connection through a WiFi access point or router 116 which couples the IoT hub 110 to the Internet (e.g., via an Internet Service Provider providing Internet service to the end user)").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Bullock and Pineau in view of Britt so that at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the external computing device, the radio communication circuit being configured for at least one of close range interface communication, wireless local area network (WLAN) communication, or cellular mobile radio network communication.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enhance the mobility of the IoT hub.
Regarding claim 7, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above.
The combined system of Bullock and Pineau does not disclose that at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the one or more of the HVAC devices, the radio communication circuit being configured for at least one of close range interface communication or wireless local area network (WLAN) communication.
Britt discloses that an electronic communication circuit may comprise a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the one or more of the HVAC devices, the radio communication circuit being configured for at least one of: close range interface communication or wireless local area network (WLAN) communication (Fig. 1A, a plurality of IoT devices connected to an IoT hub; ¶[0080], "any type of IoT device including those used to collect and transmit data for smart meters, stoves, washers, dryers, lighting systems, HVAC systems"; ¶[0040], "the local communication channels 130 may be implemented using a low-power wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth Low Energy (LE). In this embodiment, each of the IoT devices 101-105 and the IoT hub 110 are equipped with Bluetooth LE radios and protocol stacks").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Bullock and Pineau in view of Britt so that at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the one or more of the HVAC devices, the radio communication circuit being configured for at least one of close range interface communication or wireless local area network (WLAN) communication.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enhance the mobility of the IoT devices.
Regarding claim 11, the combined system of Bullock, Pineau and Britt discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 6, above, wherein the radio communication circuit comprises at least one of a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) communication circuit, a WLAN communication circuit, a short range wireless communication circuit, or a close range wireless communication circuit (Britt, Fig. 1B, an IoT hub 110 is connected to an external device 120 via a network 220; ¶[0039], "the IoT hub 110 includes a cellular radio to establish a connection to the Internet 220 via a cellular service 115 such as a 4G (e.g., Mobile WiMAX, LTE) or 5G cellular data service. Alternatively, or in addition, the IoT hub 110 may include a WiFi radio to establish a WiFi connection through a WiFi access point or router 116 which couples the IoT hub 110 to the Internet (e.g., via an Internet Service Provider providing Internet service to the end user)").
Claim(s) 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bullock (US 20180328611 A1) in view of Pineau (US 20120159579 A1), and further in view of Chemel (US 20170027045 A1), and Lewis et al. (US 20070054618 A1, hereinafter Lewis).
Regarding claim 8, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above.
The combined system of Bullock and Pineau does not explicitly disclose that at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a wire-based communication circuit configured to communicate via a wired communication link with the one or more of the HVAC devices, at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the external computing device, and the electronic access control device further comprises an electrical energy buffer, coupled to the wire-based communication circuit to harvest energy via the wire-based communication circuit, and to power the radio communication circuit.
Chemel discloses at least one electronic communication circuit comprising a wire-based communication circuit configured to communicate via a wired communication link with the one or more HVAC devices (¶[0054], "One or more connected devices may be connected to platform appliance 400 with a Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch 414"; ¶[0066], "connected devices (e.g., lighting, HVAC, etc.)"),
at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with an external computing device (¶[0054], "One or more connected devices may be connected to platform appliance 400 with a Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch 414, which allows network cables to carry electrical power to the connected devices 406, and/or a wireless gateway 416, which routes information from a wireless network to another wired or wireless network"), and
the electronic access control device to power the radio communication circuit (¶[0054], "One or more connected devices may be connected to platform appliance 400 with a Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch 414, which allows network cables to carry electrical power to the connected devices 406, and/or a wireless gateway 416, which routes information from a wireless network to another wired or wireless network").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Bullock and Pineau in view of Chemel so that at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a wire-based communication circuit configured to communicate via a wired communication link with the one or more of the HVAC devices, at least one of the electronic communication circuits comprises a radio communication circuit configured to communicate via a wireless communication link with the external computing device, and the electronic access control device to power the radio communication circuit.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because power over ethernet reduces the amount of cables necessary to power networked devices.
The combined system of Bullock, Pineau and Chemel does not disclose that the electronic access control device further comprises an electrical energy buffer, coupled to the wire-based communication circuit to harvest energy via the wire-based communication circuit.
Lewis discloses an electronic access control device comprising an electrical energy buffer, coupled to a wire-based communication circuit to harvest energy via the wire-based communication circuit (abstract, "A battery associated with a wireless access point is charged using power from a Power over Ethernet cable").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Bullock, Pineau and Chemel in view of Lewis so that the electronic access control device further comprises an electrical energy buffer, coupled to the wire-based communication circuit to harvest energy via the wire-based communication circuit.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enable the device, and other devices connected to it, to be operated "in the event of a power outage" (Lewis, abstract).
Regarding claim 9, the combined system of Bullock, Pineau, Chemel, and Lewis discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 8, above, wherein the wire-based communication circuit comprises at least one of a serial communication bus, a parallel communication bus, an Ethernet communication circuit, or a Power over Ethernet communication circuit (Chemel, ¶[0054], "One or more connected devices may be connected to platform appliance 400 with a Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch 414, which allows network cables to carry electrical power to the connected devices 406, and/or a wireless gateway 416, which routes information from a wireless network to another wired or wireless network").
Regarding claim 10, the combined system of Bullock, Pineau, Chemel, and Lewis discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 8, above, wherein the wire-based communication circuit comprises at least two communication interfaces configured for daisy chaining (Bullock,¶[0048], "HVAC system 104 utilizes a BACnet network communications protocol and each of routers 122 through 130 are BACnet routers. In this case, HVAC system 104 includes several subsystems including: ventilation system 132, chiller system 134, boiler system 136, lighting system 138, and energy metering system 140. Other systems and subsystems are of course possible such as security subsystems, fire detection subsystems, and control subsystems. Each subsystem can include its own subsystems, such as terminals for defined zones or spaces. Ventilation system 132 includes subsystem 142 and zonal systems 144" - see Fig. 1, subsystems of subsystems can be daisy chained. That the communication circuit is wired based is a result of combining Bullock with Chemel (see claim 8, above)).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bullock (US 20180328611 A1) in view of Pineau (US 20120159579 A1), and further in view of Warren et al. (US 20120248211 A1, hereinafter Warren).
Regarding claim 13, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 12, above, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the plurality of time stamped data reports (Bullock, ¶[0134], "an email is generated by the request manager on the HVAC server 114 that includes the requested data. In one embodiment, the requested data is hashed with the subsystem name, a date, time, and a variable name for the requested data"; ¶[0135], " HVAC server 114 sends the email").
The combined system of Bullock and Pineau does not disclose determine an energy level of an electrical energy buffer of the electronic access control device; and that transmitting of the plurality of time stamped reports is based on the energy level being above a set minimum energy threshold.
Warren discloses determine an energy level of an electrical energy buffer of the electronic access control device; and that transmitting of the plurality of time stamped reports is based on the energy level being above a set minimum energy threshold (¶[0044], "data collected by thermostat 110 also passes from the private network associated with enclosure 100 through integrated router 122 and to the thermostat management system over the public network"; ¶[0045], "During communication with remote thermostat 112, thermostat 110 may gather information remotely from the user and from the environment detectable by the remote thermostat 112. For example, remote thermostat 112 may wirelessly communicate with the thermostat 110 providing user input from the remote location of remote thermostat 112 or may be used to display information to a user, or both"; ¶[0055], "operate the thermostat 110 in a manner that promotes efficient use of the battery [...] embodiments may use the battery-level charge and the priority or relative importance of a communication to determine when a thermostat management system located on a public network such as the Internet may communicate with the thermostat 110" (suggested that communication may not happen when the battery is below a threshold, e.g., in the extreme case, completely discharged or below some threshold since it would be contrary to the stated purpose of "efficient use of the battery")).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Bullock and Pineau in view of Warren to determine an energy level of an electrical energy buffer of the electronic access control device; and that transmitting of the plurality of time stamped reports is based on the energy level being above a set minimum energy threshold.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because having a battery would enable the device to have an "independent power source" (Warren, ¶[0007]), and limiting the transmitting of data would promote "efficient use of the battery while also keeping the thermostat operating at a high level of performance and responsiveness controlling the HVAC system" (Warren, ¶[0055]).
Claim(s) 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bullock (US 20180328611 A1) in view of Pineau (US 20120159579 A1), and further in view of Brackney (US 20110115816 A1).
Regarding claim 15, the combined system of Bullock and Pineau discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above.
The combined system of Bullock and Pineau does not disclose that the electronic access control device further comprises a visual code provided on an external surface of a housing of the electronic access control device, the visual code encoding a device identifier associated with the electronic access control device, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, via the first communication link, a communication request from the external computing device; and check whether a device identifier included in the communication request matches the device identifier encoded by the visual code.
Brackney discloses an electronic access control device comprising a visual code provided on an external surface of a housing of the electronic access control device, the visual code encoding a device identifier associated with the electronic access control device (¶[0031], "Sensed positional information or visual markers placed on key locations or the equipment itself are used (via processing of the image data) to identify equipment of interest and to register the location of the equipment in the image or display frame. Equipment in the field of view of the client's camera is communicated wirelessly to the ARBOT server, which is connected to the building EMS. The ARBOT server retrieves relevant sensor information from the building EMS database based on equipment identified by the client (or by the ARBOT in thinner client implementations)" further, the examiner notes that an exact location of the visual code is design choice),
wherein the processor is further configured to: receive, via the first communication link, a communication request from the external computing device; and check whether a device identifier included in the communication request matches the device identifier encoded by the visual code (¶[0031], " Equipment in the field of view of the client's camera is communicated wirelessly to the ARBOT server, which is connected to the building EMS. The ARBOT server retrieves relevant sensor information from the building EMS database based on equipment identified by the client (or by the ARBOT in thinner client implementations). This sensor/building management data is synthesized into relevant reporting or diagnostic information appropriate to the operator context and transmitted back to the client as an overlay"; ¶[0034], "receiving and process communications 152 from the ARBOT client 150 that may include an operator's request for building management data for equipment in a portion of building 140 and, later, requests for additional information for particular pieces of equipment (e.g., for equipment identified in the overlay as underperforming or performing in an unexpected/undesired manner). The communications 156 from client 150 may include useful information for determining which equipment is of interest to the operator of client 150, and this information may be digital image data from th