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 Amendment
The Examiner acknowledges the receipt of the Applicant’s amendment filed on 02/23/2026. Claims 1, 9-10, 15-16, and 18 have been amended. Claim 20 has been added. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in the present application.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2020/0059771 A1 herein Zhang), and further in view of Golshan et al. (US 2023/0062363 A1 herein Golshan).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang teaches a method of communicating between a first device and a remote device (read as in the BLE network, network nodes 10 also referred to as relay nodes, routers, route nodes, LPN, route destination node, route origination node and may be exemplified as a mobile station, user equipment and/or a wireless device, are spread out in the wireless communication network 1 and may communicate with one another or via the one or more RANs, to the one or more CNs; remote user) (Zhang - [0042], [0106]) in a Bluetooth mesh network (read as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh network 1) (Zhang - Abstract, [0003], [0019]), the method comprising:
transmitting a periodic advertisement from the first device (read as BLE mesh network uses BLE advertisement channels for data communication so that the BLE mesh nodes that are within a radio range can communicate directly without establishing the data channel communication; three advertisement channels are defined in the BLE technology; a BLE mesh message is sent at all three advertisement channels within one advertisement event; the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message) (Zhang - [0004], [0006], [0062]), wherein the periodic advertisement comprises information that provides a schedule regarding transmission of a mesh packet by the first device; and transmitting the mesh packet at a time defined by the schedule (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message) (Zhang – [0062]).
However, Zhang fails to teach wherein the periodic advertisement is a Bluetooth advertisement.
In the related art, Golshan teaches wherein the periodic advertisement is a Bluetooth advertisement (read as the packet containing the UWB schedule can be structured to occur at a specific time relative to the transmitting device’s BLE advertisements; individual communications can be designated in certain time slots, and the UAP messages 406 can be transmitted during these time slots; beacon device can transmit the UAP messages 406 providing the time information to the next UWB poll 402, or the broadcast message, from the beacon; each receiving deice that receives the UAP messages 406 can use the information to determine when to listen for the UWB poll 402) (Golshan – [0057], [0061]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Golshan into the teachings of Zhang for the purpose of using Bluetooth Low Energy advertisements for timing of UAPs wherein this technique defines time periods for ranging and advertising period and avoids scheduling conflicts.
Regarding claim 2 as applied to claim 1, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the information comprises a starting time, wherein the starting time is with respect to an anchor point of the periodic advertisement and defines a start of a mesh listening window (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts) (Golshan – [0025]).
Regarding claim 3 as applied to claim 2, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the information comprises a listen duration, which defines a duration of the mesh listening window, during which time the remote device is requested to listen for the mesh packet (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts; ranging schedule can set a duty cycle for scanning and ranging for the mobile device; the ranging schedule can include a ranging interval 502 that can be a period of time from a start of a ranging period 504A until the start of a subsequent ranging period 504B and can include an advertising period 506) (Golshan – [0025], [0068]).
Regarding claim 4 as applied to claim 3, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the information comprises a window periodicity, which indicates a frequency of the mesh listening windows (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts; ranging schedule can set a duty cycle for scanning and ranging for the mobile device; the ranging schedule can include a ranging interval 502 that can be a period of time from a start of a ranging period 504A until the start of a subsequent ranging period 504B and can include an advertising period 506) (Golshan – [0025], [0068]).
Regarding claim 5 as applied to claim 4, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein an advertisement interval is defined as a time between successive periodic advertisements, and wherein multiple mesh listening windows are scheduled per advertisement interval (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts; ranging schedule can set a duty cycle for scanning and ranging for the mobile device; the ranging schedule can include a ranging interval 502 that can be a period of time from a start of a ranging period 504A until the start of a subsequent ranging period 504B and can include an advertising period 506) (Golshan – [0025], [0068]).
Regarding claim 6 as applied to claim 4, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein an advertisement interval is defined as a time between successive periodic advertisements, and wherein a mesh listening window is scheduled per multiple advertisement intervals (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts; ranging schedule can set a duty cycle for scanning and ranging for the mobile device; the ranging schedule can include a ranging interval 502 that can be a period of time from a start of a ranging period 504A until the start of a subsequent ranging period 504B and can include an advertising period 506) (Golshan – [0025], [0068]).
Regarding claim 7 as applied to claim 1, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein an advertisement interval is defined as a time between successive periodic advertisements, and the schedule is associated with a plurality of periodic advertisements (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts; ranging schedule can set a duty cycle for scanning and ranging for the mobile device; the ranging schedule can include a ranging interval 502 that can be a period of time from a start of a ranging period 504A until the start of a subsequent ranging period 504B and can include an advertising period 506) (Golshan – [0025], [0068]).
Regarding claim 8 as applied to claim 1, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the information comprises an indication to the remote device that the first device will follow the schedule for all mesh packets (read as encrypted information can include an indicator that authenticates which stage the message corresponds to stage 2; such use of an indicator may be helpful when more than two devices are performing ranging operations near each other) (Golshan – [0052]).
Regarding claim 9 as applied to claim 1, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches further comprising a nearby device disposed between the first device and the remote device, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, at the nearby device, the periodic advertisement from the first device (read as second mobile device 220 can be expecting the ranging request 201 within a time window based on previous communications) (Golshan – [0035]); determining that the first device is using synchronized listening window configuration (read as ranging wireless protocol and another wireless protocol can be synchronized so that the mobile device 220 can turn on the ranging antenna(s) and associated circuitry for a specified time window) (Golshan – [0035]); transmitting, by the nearby device, an additional periodic advertisement, after receiving the periodic advertisement from the first device, wherein the additional periodic advertisement is a Bluetooth advertisement and comprises information that provides a schedule regarding transmission of a mesh packet by the nearby device; and retransmitting, by the nearby device, the mesh packet at a time defined by the schedule provided in the additional periodic advertisement (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message) (Zhang – [0062]).
Regarding claim 10, Zhang teaches a network device for use in a Bluetooth mesh network (read as in the BLE network, network nodes 10 also referred to as relay nodes, routers, route nodes, LPN, route destination node, route origination node and may be exemplified as a mobile station, user equipment and/or a wireless device, are spread out in the wireless communication network 1 and may communicate with one another or via the one or more RANs, to the one or more CNs; remote user) (Zhang - [0042], [0106]), comprising:
a Bluetooth network interface (read as in communication system 3300, a host computer 3310 comprises hardware 3315 including a communication interface 3316 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 3300) (Zhang - [0106]);
a processing unit (read as host computer 3310 further comprises processing circuity 3318) (Zhang - [0106]); and
a memory device comprising instructions (read as memory 905) (Zhang - [0097]), which when executed by the processing unit, enable the network device to:
receive a periodic advertisement from a first device (read as BLE mesh network uses BLE advertisement channels for data communication so that the BLE mesh nodes that are within a radio range can communicate directly without establishing the data channel communication; three advertisement channels are defined in the BLE technology; a BLE mesh message is sent at all three advertisement channels within one advertisement event; the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message) (Zhang - [0004], [0006], [0062]), wherein the periodic advertisement comprises information that provides a schedule regarding transmission of a mesh packet by the first device; and configure the Bluetooth network interface to be listening for the mesh packet during a mesh listening window defined by the schedule (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message; the scanner scans a new advertisement channel after each SCAN_INTERVAL to maintain an interval counter to keep track of the current advertisement index which matches the received BLE mesh message) (Zhang – [0062], [0064]).
However, Zhang fails to teach wherein the periodic advertisement is a Bluetooth advertisement.
In the related art, Golshan teaches wherein the periodic advertisement is a Bluetooth advertisement (read as the packet containing the UWB schedule can be structured to occur at a specific time relative to the transmitting device’s BLE advertisements; individual communications can be designated in certain time slots, and the UAP messages 406 can be transmitted during these time slots; beacon device can transmit the UAP messages 406 providing the time information to the next UWB poll 402, or the broadcast message, from the beacon; each receiving deice that receives the UAP messages 406 can use the information to determine when to listen for the UWB poll 402) (Golshan – [0057], [0061]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Golshan into the teachings of Zhang for the purpose of using Bluetooth Low Energy advertisements for timing of UAPs wherein this technique defines time periods for ranging and advertising period and avoids scheduling conflicts.
Regarding claim 11 as applied to claim 10, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the schedule provides a starting time, which is a time after an anchor point of the periodic advertisement, and wherein the starting time defines a start of the mesh listening window (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts) (Golshan – [0025]).
Regarding claim 12 as applied to claim 11, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the schedule provides a listen duration, which defines a duration of the mesh listening window (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts) (Golshan – [0025]).
Regarding claim 13 as applied to claim 12, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the schedule provides a window periodicity, which indicates a frequency of the mesh listening window (read as the starting time of the next ranging session can be communicated to the other devices during the advertising period; UAPs can be sent during defined advertising windows and avoids scheduling conflicts) (Golshan – [0025]).
Regarding claim 14 as applied to claim 13, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the memory device further comprises instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, enable the network device to configure the Bluetooth network interface to be listening during a second mesh listening window after receipt of a second periodic advertisement (read as scan window 604 can be the time period that the responding device is actively scanning (e.g., during first period 606A, second period 606B, third period 606C for the first superframe 600); during the scan window 604, the UWB circuitry can be active in order to receive UWB signals) (Golshan – [0090]).
Regarding claim 15 as applied to claim 10, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the memory device further comprises instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, enable the network device to: receive a mesh packet from the first device; transmit an additional periodic advertisement, after receiving the periodic advertisement from the first device, wherein the additional periodic advertisement is a Bluetooth advertisement and comprises information that provides a schedule regarding transmission of the mesh packet by the network device; and retransmit the mesh packet at a time defined by the schedule provided in the additional periodic advertisement (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message) (Zhang – [0062]).
Regarding claim 16, Zhang teaches a Bluetooth mesh network (read as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh network 1) (Zhang - Abstract, [0003], [0019]), comprising:
a first device (read as in the BLE network, network nodes 10 also referred to as relay nodes, routers, route nodes, LPN, route destination node, route origination node and may be exemplified as a mobile station, user equipment and/or a wireless device, are spread out in the wireless communication network 1 and may communicate with one another or via the one or more RANs, to the one or more CNs; remote user) (Zhang - [0042], [0106]); and
a nearby device (read as in the BLE network, network nodes 10 also referred to as relay nodes, routers, route nodes, LPN, route destination node, route origination node and may be exemplified as a mobile station, user equipment and/or a wireless device, are spread out in the wireless communication network 1 and may communicate with one another or via the one or more RANs, to the one or more CNs; remote user) (Zhang - [0042], [0106]), comprising a network interface (read as in communication system 3300, a host computer 3310 comprises hardware 3315 including a communication interface 3316 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 3300) (Zhang - [0106]);
wherein the first device transmits a periodic advertisement (read as BLE mesh network uses BLE advertisement channels for data communication so that the BLE mesh nodes that are within a radio range can communicate directly without establishing the data channel communication; three advertisement channels are defined in the BLE technology; a BLE mesh message is sent at all three advertisement channels within one advertisement event; the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message) (Zhang - [0004], [0006], [0062]) and contains schedule information regarding transmission of a mesh packet and transmits the mesh packet at a time indicated by the schedule information; and wherein the nearby device receives the periodic advertisement, configures the network interface to be awake at the time indicated by the schedule information in the periodic advertisement and receives the mesh packet (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message) (Zhang – [0062]).
However, Zhang fails to teach the periodic advertisement which is a Bluetooth advertisement.
In the related art, Golshan teaches the periodic advertisement which is a Bluetooth advertisement (read as the packet containing the UWB schedule can be structured to occur at a specific time relative to the transmitting device’s BLE advertisements; individual communications can be designated in certain time slots, and the UAP messages 406 can be transmitted during these time slots; beacon device can transmit the UAP messages 406 providing the time information to the next UWB poll 402, or the broadcast message, from the beacon; each receiving deice that receives the UAP messages 406 can use the information to determine when to listen for the UWB poll 402) (Golshan – [0057], [0061]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Golshan into the teachings of Zhang for the purpose of using Bluetooth Low Energy advertisements for timing of UAPs wherein this technique defines time periods for ranging and advertising period and avoids scheduling conflicts.
Regarding claim 17 as applied to claim 16, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches further comprising a remote device (read as in the BLE network, network nodes 10 also referred to as relay nodes, routers, route nodes, LPN, route destination node, route origination node and may be exemplified as a mobile station, user equipment and/or a wireless device, are spread out in the wireless communication network 1 and may communicate with one another or via the one or more RANs, to the one or more CNs; remote user) (Zhang - [0042], [0106]), comprising a network interface, within listening range of the nearby device and outside listening range of the first device (read as in communication system 3300, a host computer 3310 comprises hardware 3315 including a communication interface 3316 configured to set up and maintain a wireless connection with an interface of a different communication device of the communication system 3300) (Zhang - [0106]).
Regarding claim 18 as applied to claim 17, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the nearby device transmits an additional periodic advertisement which is a Bluetooth advertisement and contains schedule information regarding transmission of the mesh packet by the nearby device; and transmits the mesh packet at a time indicated by the schedule information in the additional periodic advertisement (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message) (Zhang – [0062]).
Regarding claim 19 as applied to claim 18, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the remote device receives the additional periodic advertisement, configures the network interface to be awake at the time indicated by the schedule information in the additional periodic advertisement and receives the mesh packet (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message) (Zhang – [0062]).
Regarding claim 20 as applied to claim 9, Zhang as modified by Golshan further teaches wherein the schedule for transmission of the mesh packet by the nearby device is established based on the schedule provided in the periodic advertisement from the first device (read as the sender may periodically send at least one kind of message; network node 10 may enable the routing info (RINFO) feature; as defined by the BLE mesh routing specification, the RINFO message is sent every 30 seconds; the sent RINFO message may contain the Transmission (Tx) power and a repetition period of the message or any kind of information that indicates a next expected message) (Zhang – [0062]).
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 APRIL GUZMAN GONZALES whose telephone number is (571)270-1101. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm EST. The examiner’s email address is april.guzman@uspto.gov.
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/APRIL G GONZALES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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