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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on April 20, 2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent European Application No. EP 22171130.2, filed May 2, 2022.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Please explicitly state the term or name when it is used for the first time in the claim set:
Claim 1: “Ultra Wide Band (UWB)”; “Double Sided Two Way Ranging (DS-TWR)”.
Claim 9: “Ranging Control Message (RCM)”; “Ranging interval update message (RIUM)”; “Single Sided Two Way Ranging (SS-TWR)”.
Claim 10: “scrambled timestamp sequence (STS) packet SP1-frame or SP0-frame”.
Claim 12: “Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)”.
Please remove number labels from all elements within each claim (e.g., “device
Please amend each dependent claim to depend from a specific claim (e.g., specify the “preceding claim” or “any of the preceding claims”).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4, 6, 8-11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Oh et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20230171729 A1 (hereinafter Oh, using the priority date of related Korean Patent Application Publication No. KR 20230081039 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Oh discloses a method (e.g., FIG. 3; ¶ [0136], The data communication procedure 320) of UWB-based communication (e.g., ¶ [0137], UWB ranging operation: An operation in which the electronic device performs UWB ranging with another electronic device in a preset UWB ranging scheme (e.g., OWR, SS-TWR, or DS-TWR scheme)) between a mobile device, in particular hand carried device and at least one peer device, in particular smart device (e.g., ¶ [0103], Anchor device, DL-TDoA anchor (DT-anchor), anchor, UWB anchor, or UWB anchor device: a UWB device deployed in a specific location; e.g., FIG. 3; ¶ [0128], Referring to FIG. 3, the first electronic device 301 and the second electronic device 302 perform a device search/connection setup procedure 310 and a data communication procedure 320; FIG. 5, ¶ [0160], UWB PHY packets (PPDU, frames); e.g., ¶ [0049], As used herein, the term terminal or device may include a mobile station (MS), a user equipment (UE), a user terminal (UT), terminal, a wireless terminal, an access terminal (AT), a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a mobile node, a mobile, etc. A terminal may also include cellular phones, smart phones with wireless communication capabilities), the method comprising while the mobile device is in an idle mode: a synchronizing step (e.g., ¶ [0163], SYNC field [in PPDU] may include a plurality of preamble symbols used for synchronization between transmission/reception devices; e.g., ¶ [01407], first UWB device determines a reference time for time synchronization within the channel idle period) including that the mobile device sends at least one synchronization message without performing full ranging cycle, in particular DS-TWR multicast (e.g., ¶ [0106], initiator UWB anchor and the responder UWB anchor may be accurately time-synchronized through a separate wired/wireless connection; e.g., ¶ [0109], time synchronization between UWB anchors [i.e., synchronization step occurs between devices before any ranging operation; since no ranging operation is being interpreted to occur prior to synchronization, the type of ranging operation recited in the claim is immaterial, as no DS-TWR multicast or any other ranging operation is disclosed to occur prior to synchronization]); the peer device receiving the synchronization message (e.g., FIG. 5, UWB PHGY packet (with SYNC information (e.g., ¶ [0163]) [i.e., received by other end])); and the peer device synchronizing with the mobile device based on the received synchronization message (e.g., ¶ [0163], SYNC field used for synchronization [inherent purpose of synchronization signal transmission/reception is synchronize the devices]); the method comprising while the mobile device is in a non-idle mode: the mobile device starting a UWB-based ranging cycle, in particular DS-TWR session, with the synchronized peer device (e.g., FIG. 3; e.g., ¶ [0095] [0101] [0136] [0137], The data communication procedure 320 may include… UWB ranging operation… with another electronic device in a preset UWB ranging scheme (e.g., DS-TWR scheme)), in order to control the smart-device via the mobile device (e.g., ¶ [0090] UWB session: a period from when a controller and a controllee [i.e., device being controlled] start communication through UWB until the communication stops. A UWB session may include ranging, data transfer, or both ranging and data transfer).
Regarding Claim 4, Oh discloses the Method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: indicating at the mobile device and at the peer device that both devices are synchronized (e.g., ¶ [0106], initiator UWB anchor and the responder UWB anchor may be accurately time-synchronized through a separate wired/wireless connection; e.g., ¶ [0109], time synchronization between UWB anchors [i.e., when both devices are synchronized, it is understood they are each aware of it]).
Regarding Claim 6, Oh discloses the Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peer device comprises an IoT device, wherein the mobile device comprises a smart phone (e.g., ¶ [0103], Anchor device, DL-TDoA anchor (DT-anchor), anchor, UWB anchor, or UWB anchor device: a UWB device deployed in a specific location; e.g., FIG. 3; ¶ [0128], Referring to FIG. 3, the first electronic device 301 and the second electronic device 302 perform a device search/connection setup procedure 310 and a data communication procedure 320; FIG. 5, ¶ [0160], UWB PHY packets (PPDU, frames); e.g., ¶ [0049], As used herein, the term terminal or device may include a mobile station (MS), a user equipment (UE), a user terminal (UT), terminal, a wireless terminal, an access terminal (AT), a subscriber unit, a subscriber station, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a mobile node, a mobile, etc. A terminal may also include cellular phones, smart phones with wireless communication capabilities).
Regarding Claim 8, Oh discloses the Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ranging cycle, in particular DS-TWR session, is started, while the mobile device is non-idle and the mobile device is pointing to the smart-device within a defined angle range and within a defined distance range (e.g., ¶ [0101], TWR: a ranging scheme capable of estimating a relative distance between two devices by measuring time of flight (ToF) through an exchange of ranging messages between the two devices… DS-TWR may be a procedure for performing ranging through two round-trip time measurements [description in IEEE 802.15.4z]; e.g., ¶ [0102], calculate a relative distance to the anchor device by using TDoA with several pairs of anchor devices and use it for positioning).
Regarding Claim 9, Oh discloses the method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein ranging cycle comprises: the mobile device transmitting at least one of: a RCM, a Poll-message, a Final-message, and a Final Data-message (e.g., ¶ [0416] Referring to FIG. 23, in step 2310, the second UWB device receives a first poll message from the first UWB device in the first ranging round); the peer device transmitting at least one of: a response after a poll-message by the mobile device, a report-message, a RCR-message, a RIUM-message, and/or wherein the ranging cycle comprises: DS-TWR or SS-TWR (e.g., ¶ [0417] In step 2320, the second UWB device transmits a response message corresponding to the first poll message to the first UWB device in the first ranging round).
Regarding Claim 10, Oh discloses the Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the transmission is in a SP1-frame or SP0-frame, wherein at least one transmission frame is extended, in order to accompany application data (e.g., ¶ [0166], The PHY layer of the UWB device may include an optional mode… the UWB PHY packet may include an encrypted sequence (i.e., STS) to increase the integrity and accuracy of the ranging measurement timestamp. An STS may be included in the STS field of the UWB PHY packet and be used for security ranging; e.g., ¶ [0167], Referring to section (b) of FIG. 5, in the case of STS packet (SP) setting 0 (SP0), the STS field is not included in the PPDU (SP0 packet). In the case of SP setting 1 (SP1), the STS field is positioned immediately after the SFD field and before the PHR field (SP1 packet).
Regarding Claim 11, Oh discloses the Method according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising, for initial synchronization during the synchronization step: the peer device sending advertisement messages using bluetooth-based transmission (e.g., FIG. 2, ¶ [0124] The OOB connector 222 may establish an OOB connection with another device. The OOB connector 222 may handle an OOB step including a discovery step and/or a connection step. An OOB component (e.g., a BLE component) 250 may be connected to the OOB connector 222; e.g., ¶ [0131] The device search/connection setup procedure 310 may include at least one of the following operations. [0132] Device discovery operation: An operation in which the electronic device searches for (discovers) another UWB devices. The device discovery operation may include an operation for transmitting/receiving an advertisement message. The device discovery operation may be referred to as a discovery operation or an advertising operation [i.e., advertisements as part of discovery may be through BLE]); the mobile device receiving at least one of the advertisement messages and connecting to the peer device via a bluetooth-based protocol (e.g., ¶ [0066], (OOB connection (e.g., Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) connection) between ranging devices; e.g., ¶ [0133], Connection setup operation: An operation in which two electronic devices establish a connection. The connection setup operation may include an operation for transmitting/receiving a connection request message and a connection confirmation message. A connection (channel) established through the connection setup operation may be used to configure and control a UWB session for data communication); and the mobile device establishing a bluetooth-based synchronization with the peer device (e.g., ¶ [0090] UWB session: a period from when a controller and a controllee [i.e., device being controlled] start communication through UWB until the communication stops. A UWB session may include ranging, data transfer, or both ranging and data transfer).
Regarding Claim 13, Oh discloses the method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: at least one other the peer device receiving the synchronization message (e.g., ¶ [0106], a set of UWB anchors… multiple responders to initiator anchor…Time synchronization between the components in the cluster [and/or] between adjacent clusters); and the at least one other peer device synchronizing with the mobile device based on the received synchronization message (e.g., ¶ [0106], Time synchronization between the components); the method comprising while the mobile device is in a non-idle mode: the mobile device starting a UWB-based DS-TWR session with the synchronized at least one other peer device, in order to control the at least one other smart-device via the mobile device
Regarding Claim 14, Oh discloses the method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: at least one other mobile device transmitting at least one other synchronization message without performing full ranging cycle (e.g., ¶ [0106] [0109], time synchronization between UWB anchors [i.e., synchronization step occurs between devices before any ranging operation; since no ranging operation is being interpreted to occur prior to synchronization, the type of ranging operation recited in the claim is immaterial, as no DS-TWR multicast or any other ranging operation is disclosed to occur in Oh prior to synchronization]); at least one peer device receiving the other synchronization message; and the peer device synchronizing with the other mobile device based on the received other synchronization message (e.g., ¶ [0163], SYNC field used for synchronization [inherent purpose of synchronization signal transmission/reception is synchronize the devices]); the method comprising while the other mobile device is in a non-idle mode: the other mobile device starting a UWB-based DS-TWR session with the synchronized peer device, in order to control the smart-device via the other mobile device (e.g., FIG. 3; e.g., ¶ [0095] [0101] [0136] [0137], The data communication procedure 320 may include… UWB ranging operation… with another electronic device in a preset UWB ranging scheme (e.g., DS-TWR scheme); e.g., ¶ [0090] UWB session: a period from when a controller and a controllee [i.e., device being controlled] start communication through UWB until the communication stops. A UWB session may include ranging, data transfer, or both ranging and data transfer).
Regarding Claim 15, Oh discloses a system of UWB-based communication (e.g., ¶ [0127] FIG. 3 illustrates a method for performing communication by a plurality of electronic devices according to an embodiment. For example, a first electronic device 301 and a second electronic device 302 of FIG. 3 may be the UWB devices of FIG. 1 or 2), comprising: at least one mobile device (e.g., FIG. 3, device 301); and at least one peer device (e.g., FIG. 3, device 302), wherein the at least one mobile device and the at least one peer device are configured to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims [i.e., the reasoning used in the examination of claim 1 shall be applied to claim 15].
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.
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh in view of CN 114466446 A (citations from PE2E Search machine language translation).
Regarding Claim 2, Oh discloses the Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the synchronization step comprises: transmitting subsequent UWB-based synchronization control messages, in particular RCM messages, from the mobile device to the peer device (e.g., ¶ [0059] [0060], RCM messages)
Oh suggests that synchronization occurs prior to ranging (e.g., ¶ [0106], initiator UWB anchor and the responder UWB anchor may be accurately time-synchronized through a separate wired/wireless connection; e.g., ¶ [0109], time synchronization between UWB anchors [i.e., synchronization step occurs between devices before any ranging operation; since no ranging operation is being interpreted to occur prior to synchronization, the type of ranging operation recited in the claim is immaterial, as no DS-TWR multicast or any other ranging operation is disclosed to occur prior to synchronization]), i.e., suggests wherein the synchronization step comprises: transmitting subsequent UWB-based synchronization control messages, in particular RCM messages, from the mobile device to the peer device without transmitting any other messages in between, wherein the synchronization control messages include information that a standard ranging round should not be performed.
For the record, though Oh does not explicitly disclose wherein the synchronization control messages include information that a standard ranging round should not be performed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine Oh disclosure with CN 114466446 A, which more clearly discloses wherein the synchronization step comprises: transmitting subsequent UWB-based synchronization control messages, in particular RCM messages, from the mobile device to the peer device without transmitting any other messages in between, wherein the synchronization control messages include information that a standard ranging round should not be performed (e.g., Page 7: For the technical solution shown in FIG. 5, in some possible implementation, before initiating the ranging exchange, namely sending the first ranging message (RIM), the controller will generally send the ranging control message (RCM, Ranging ControlMassage) to define and control the ranging parameter, in order to be able to finish the timing synchronization between the controller and the controlled before starting the ranging exchange, so that the two can be aligned on the time sequence [i.e., control the ranging parameters to not perform ranging prior to synchronization]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh in view of Kasslin et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20150200811 A1 (hereinafter Kasslin).
Regarding Claim 3, Oh discloses the Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the synchronization control messages are transmitted (e.g., ¶ [0163], SYNC field used for synchronization [inherent purpose of synchronization signal transmission/reception is synchronize the devices]).
Oh does not expressly disclose wherein the subsequent synchronization control messages are transmitted at regular points in time, in order to keep the peer device synchronized with the mobile device.
Kasslin discloses wherein the subsequent synchronization control messages are transmitted at regular points in time, in order to keep the peer device synchronized with the mobile device (e.g., ¶ [0182], The MAC is responsible for acquiring and maintaining time and frequency synchronization among devices that are close by, so that the devices are available for discovery protocol message exchange in same channel at same time. Synchronization happens through dedicated synchronization frames that are transmitted by so called master devices (on default) at the beginning of the availability periods. Sync frames are transmitted periodically in certain channels. Periodicity and channel usage is determined by sync frame parameters. Each device needs to be capable of acting as a master device and each device is expected to determine for each availability period whether it is a master device or not. This determination is done through a master election algorithm. The synchronization frames determine the schedule (time and frequency) of both the synchronization frame transmissions and the availability periods or discovery windows).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of idle state for a device, as disclosed by Oh, with the disclosure of user interface being inactive for an idle device, as disclosed by Alameh. The motivation to combine would have been to provide efficient power usage.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh in view of Kasher et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20150189686 A1 (hereinafter Kasher).
Regarding Claim 5, Oh discloses the method according to any one of the preceding claims.
Oh discloses synchronization control messages being transmitted (e.g., ¶ [0163], SYNC field used for synchronization [inherent purpose of synchronization signal transmission/reception is synchronize the devices]), but does not expressly disclose wherein the mobile device enters a power saving mode, after the mobile device having transmitted the synchronization message; wherein the peer device enters a power saving mode, after the peer device having received the synchronization message.
Kasher discloses wherein the mobile device enters a power saving mode, after the mobile device having transmitted the synchronization message; wherein the peer device enters a power saving mode, after the peer device having received the synchronization message (e.g., ¶ [0081], The receiving device may enter a power save mode after receiving the synchronization information to save power).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of synchronization message between devices, as disclosed by Oh, with the disclosure of going into power saving mode after synchronization, as disclosed by Kasher. The motivation to combine would have been to provide efficient link management (Kasher: e.g., ¶ [0003]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh in view of Alameh et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20160205236 A1 (hereinafter Alameh).
Regarding Claim 7, Oh discloses the method according to any one of the preceding claims.
Oh does not expressly disclose wherein the idle mode of the mobile device comprises a user interaction screen being inactive.
Alameh discloses wherein the idle mode of the mobile device comprises a user interaction screen being inactive (e.g., ¶ [0057], when a user is not using the electronic device 100, the device—or at a minimum the user interface—may be in a sleep or low power mode in the default mode of operation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of synchronization message between devices, as disclosed by Oh, with the disclosure of going into power saving mode after synchronization, as disclosed by Kasher. The motivation to combine would have been to provide efficient link management (Kasher: e.g., ¶ [0003]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh in view of Werner et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20200265869 A1 (hereinafter Werner).
Regarding Claim 12, Oh discloses the Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the bluetooth-based protocol comprises a BLE-protocol, wherein the bluetooth-based synchronization between the mobile device and the peer device allows for accurate time synchronization (e.g., FIG. 2, ¶ [0124] The OOB connector 222 may establish an OOB connection with another device. The OOB connector 222 may handle an OOB step including a discovery step and/or a connection step. An OOB component (e.g., a BLE component) 250 may be connected to the OOB connector 222; e.g., ¶ [0131] The device search/connection setup procedure 310 may include at least one of the following operations. [0132] Device discovery operation: An operation in which the electronic device searches for (discovers) another UWB devices. The device discovery operation may include an operation for transmitting/receiving an advertisement message. The device discovery operation may be referred to as a discovery operation or an advertising operation [i.e., advertisements as part of discovery may be through BLE]; e.g., ¶ [0106], a set of UWB anchors… multiple responders to initiator anchor…Time synchronization between the components in the cluster [and/or] between adjacent clusters).
Oh does not expressly disclose the timing accuracy achieved by Bluetooth connection.
Werner discloses in particular having a timing-error being less than 5 ms (e.g., ¶ [0079], with a Bluetooth connection it is possible to achieve… a maximum possible error in synchronization [of] 0.5 ms).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of synchronization between devices over a Bluetooth based connection, as disclosed by Oh, with the disclosure of timing accuracy of less than 5 ms, as disclosed by Werner. The motivation to combine would have been to provide accurate synchronization.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References considered relevant to this application are listed in the attached "Notice of References Cited” (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VLADISLAV Y AGUREYEV whose telephone number is (571) 272-0549. The examiner can normally be reached Monday--Friday (9-5).
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/VLADISLAV Y AGUREYEV/Examiner, Art Unit 2471