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 09/19/2025 regarding claim 1 – namely that “each of the cited references, whether taken alone or in combination, fail to disclose or suggest each of the recitation of the present claims” - have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant amended claim 1 to include the limitation “wherein the first set of network location information and the second set of network location information each include one or more of a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier or a local internet protocol (IP) address. Applicant contends that Anzarouth and Livingood are silent as to the use of VLAN identifiers or IP address information to represent the location of the device. However, Livingood teaches the use of IP address information to represent the location of the device. Thus, Livingood teaches or at least renders obvious the amended feature. Accordingly, Livingood expressly teaches the claimed use of an IP address, and the amendment does not overcome the rejection. Applicant has withdrawn claims 6 and 9-20 and incorporated some of the subject matter of claim 6 into claim independent claim 1. Thus, claims 1-5,7,8 are present for examination.
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)(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.
(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 1-5,7,8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable over Livingood (US 9036626 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Livingood discloses a computer-implemented method for location tracking of a device for emergency calls, the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a first set of network location information from a device (Col. 5: Lines 7-15; A user profile includes location information such as a network address (IP address) that is associated with the physical address of the user; Col. 4: Lines 59-68; The user profile can be created by obtaining the necessary information (first set) from the VoIP device);
logging the first set of network location information in a log (Col. 4: Lines 60-62; The user profile is stored in a database; The user profile includes the IP address obtained from the VoIP phone);
receiving a second set of network location information from the device (Col. 5: Lines 36-45; When the VoIP attempts to connect to the network the VoIP sends a message to the VoIP Emergency Location Application (VELA). This message is analyzed to determine the current IP address (second set));
comparing the first set of network location information with the second set of network location information (Col. 5: Lines 60-62; When the user profile is located, the network address (second set) is compared with the network address in the user profile (first set));
determining that the first set of network location information is different from the second set of network location information (Col. 6: Lines 13-15; If the current network address does not match the network address stored in the user profile, the user is in an unknown or new location); and
in response to determining that the first set of network location information is different from the second set of network location information, sending a notification to verify address information for the device (Col. 5: Lines 49-54; The user may be asked to confirm their location),
wherein the first set of network location information and the second set of network location information each include one or more of a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier or a local internet protocol (IP) address (Col. 5: Lines 60-62; When the user profile is located, the network address (IP of the second set) is compared with the network address in the user profile (IP of the first set)).
Regarding claim 2 as applied to claim 1, Livingood discloses logging the second set of network location information in the log (Col. 5: Lines 43-49; The IP address of the current location (second set) is stored in the memory of the VELA).
Regarding claim 3 as applied to claim 1, Livingood discloses in response to the notification to verify the address information for the device, receiving address information for the device (Col 5: Lines 49-54; VELA (VoIP emergency location agent), asks user to confirm physical address); and logging the address information in the log in association with the second set of network information (Col. 5: Lines 66-67 and Col. 6: Lines: 1-12; VELA queries the user for a valid physical address. This is stored in the user profile database. This occurs in response to a change of location or invalidation; thus, the address is associated with the second set of network information).
Regarding claim 4 as applied to claim 1, Livingood discloses wherein the first set of network location information is associated with a first registration period of the device (Col. 5: Lines 7-15; A user profile includes location information such as a network address (IP address) that is associated with the physical address of the user; Col. 4: Lines 59-68; The user profile can be created by obtaining the necessary information (first set) from the VoIP device (i.e. first registration period)) and the second set of network location information is associated with a second registration period of the device different from the first registration period (Col. 5: Lines 36-45; When the VoIP attempts to connect to the network the VoIP sends a message to the VoIP Emergency Location Application (VELA). This message is analyzed to determine the current IP address (second set) (i.e. second registration period)).
Regarding claim 5 as applied to claim 4, Livingood discloses wherein the first registration period immediately precedes the second registration period for the device (Col. 7: Lines 45-47; Every time the VoIP device connects to another access point, the process of comparing the current IP with the user profile is repeated; When a VoIP disconnect from one access point and connects to another, the first session “ends” and the next session begins immediately upon reconnection. Every time there is a reconnection, the VELA needs a new network address. Therefore, the first registration period (first connection event) naturally ends when the device connects/disconnects, and the second registration period (second connection event) begins immediately at reconnection).
Regarding claim 7 as applied to claim 1, Livingood discloses wherein the log includes at least one of a previously logged set of network location information associated with verified address information (Col. 5: Lines 49-54; VELA (VoIP emergency location agent) maintains a log of previously used locations, which are associated with verified address information provided or confirmed by the user).
Regarding claim 8 as applied to claim 7, Livingood discloses comparing the second set of network location information with the previously logged set of network location information (Col. 5: Lines 60-62; When the user profile is located, the network address (second set) is compared with the network address in the user profile (first set)); and
determining that the second set of network location information is different from the previously logged set of network location information (Col. 6: Lines 13-15; If the current network address does not match the network address stored in the user profile, the user is in an unknown or new location).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FABIAN BOTELLO whose telephone number is (571)272-4439. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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/FABIAN BOTELLO/Examiner, Art Unit 2648
/WESLEY L KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2648