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 amendment to the claims filed on 12/15/2025 complies with the requirements of 37 CFR 1.121(c) and has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's Arguments/Remarks filed 12/15/2025 (hereinafter Resp.) have been fully considered hereinafter.
Applicant argues that “Choi does not teach that the electronic device 101 generate the request signal, when one AP which is accessed to the electronic device 101 is equal to or higher than the reference value, and when the designated AP is equal to or higher than the reference value at the same time”– Resp., 9:¶5 on the basis that Choi teaches the comparing of the detected signal strength of an AP being “equal to or higher than the reference value (e.g., minimum RSSI signal strength)” only for the designated AP – Resp., 9:¶3. Examiner respectfully disagrees pointing to (at least) Figs. 10 and 11 of Choi et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0046525 (hereinafter Choi) teaching the display panel displays the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point when both the indication of the first wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and when the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, and further waiting for user input to select one of the APs with the received signal strength indication is greater than or equal to the first threshold value. See MPEP § 2125 (I) (stating that “[d]rawings and pictures can anticipate claims if they clearly show the structure which is claimed” citing In re Mraz, 455 F.2d 1069, 173 USPQ 25 (CCPA 1972)).
Here, Amended Claim 1 requires “the display panel displays the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point” when “a received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and when the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value,” i.e., on condition that at least two APs have their RSSI above or equal to the same threshold. Because Choi’s drawings show a display indicating to the user two APs with the same signal strength above, e.g., five bars, threshold, Choi teaches the required limitation and condition. Furthermore, Choi distinguishes between embodiments wherein “the electronic device 101 may automatically select an AP having a highest quality level on the basis of the channel quality information related to the AP” – See [¶0200], e.g., the automatic selection of a designated AP, as described by the Applicant – See Resp.,8-9, and embodiments wherein “when a user request or a configured condition is generated, the electronic device 101 may provide the AP search screen in the form of a pop-up window on a display device screen” – See [¶0184] (emphasis added). Because the methods for displaying an AP search list on the screen in Choi are substantially based on the detected RSSI of each AP (Choi adds other channel quality criteria) it would be at least obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art that the configured condition to provide the AP search screen in the form of a pop-up window on a display device screen could be detection of at least one other AP having strong(er) RSSI, meaning RSSI greater than or equal to a first threshold value, the reason for such action from the electronic device being to prompt the user for a choice between equally strong APs when the device does not have a criterium to automatically make a choice (e.g., as in the designated AP case shown in Fig. 9). For this reason and in fairness to the Applicant, new ground(s) of rejection are made under 35 U.S.C. §103 over Choi, in the alternative.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-6, 9-10, 12-13, 16, 18 and 20, as amended, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Choi et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0046525 (hereinafter Choi).
Regarding Amended Claim 1, Choi discloses an operating method for an electronic device, the electronic device having access to a first wireless internet access point (“method for identifying, in real time, practical service providing capabilities of APs retrieved in a place where an electronic device is located, and controlling the electronic device's access to the AP on the basis of the identified service or providing capabilities or providing a user with information thereof” – See [¶0008], whereby “the electronic device 101 may periodically measure a quality of a channel with connected AP_1, and may periodically update channel quality information related to currently connected AP_1,” i.e., a first AP – See [¶0159])
and comprising a display panel and a sensing device (“an electronic device may include: a display, at least one wireless communication circuit configured to perform Wi-Fi wireless communication with at least one access point (AP)” – See [¶0009], whereby “the display device 160 may include touch circuitry adapted to detect a touch, or sensor circuitry (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure the intensity of force incurred by the touch” – See [¶0043] and Fig. 1), the operating method comprising:
detecting a received signal strength indication of a second wireless internet access point (“a search operation may be based on at least one of an active scan mode, in which a scan request signal (e.g., a probe request frame) is transmitted in each configured period and a response signal (e.g., a probe response frame) is received from an AP . . . having received the scan request signal, or a passive scan mode in which a beacon signal (e.g., a beacon frame) transmitted from at least one AP is received” – See [¶0162] whereby “[i]n a case where the electronic device 101 receives a response signal from one AP within the minimum time, the electronic device 101 may wait for a maximum time period (e.g., a max channel time), and then may receive a response signal from another AP . . . other than a corresponding channel,” i.e., at least one second AP – See [¶0163] and Fig. 8; in parallel, “the electronic device 101 may receive communication data from at least one external electronic device ( e.g., the external electronic device 402 of FIG. 4) disposed within the communication range” – See [¶0167] and “if the communication data of the external electronic device includes the channel quality information related to the AP, the electronic device 101 may configure an AP list including the channel quality information related to the AP on the basis of AP information and AP quality information” – See [¶0171], whereby “the channel quality information related to the AP may be information indicating each of parameters, such as a wireless signal intensity (RSSI) measured for an AP channel by the external electronic device” – See [¶0176] and “if the communication data of the external electronic device does not include the channel quality information related to the AP, the electronic device 101 may configure the AP list based on the AP information acquired by the AP search in the electronic device 101” – See [¶0180], i.e., the electronic device has means to detect the RSSI of at least the first and the second AP1)
wherein when a received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and when the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value (“the electronic device 101 may sense state information of the electronic device 101, environment information, and/or a network environment condition to display an AP list corresponding to criteria configured according to a situation of the electronic device 101, or may display the AP list together with additional information configured according to the situation of the electronic device 101” – See [¶0184], e.g., “configure a screen for the AP list on the basis of the AP information and the channel quality information related to the AP” – See [¶0187] and Fig. 8, the criterium configured according to a situation of the electronic device 101 being, e.g., “whether a channel quality of the [] AP is equal to or higher than a reference value” – See [¶0196], e.g., to identify a designated AP when both the first and the second APs fulfill the condition)
the display panel displays the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point (“the electronic device 101 may control the AP search screen to be output to a display device (e.g., the display device 160 of FIG. 1)” whereby “the AP search screen may provide a UI including the channel quality information related to the AP on various screens that provide AP information” and “[t]he channel quality information related to [each] AP may be expressed in various schemes on the screen by using an object or indicator (e.g., text, emoticon and/or image) indicating an AP channel quality state” – See [¶0182], e.g., “[e]ach of the AP (i.e., visually represented as the AP items) included in the AP list may be represented by a name and a signal intensity icon” – See [¶0227] wherein “[t]he signal intensity icon 1040 may be expressed such that a level of the signal intensity icon 1040 is distinguished on the basis of RSSI information . . . divided into levels of multiple stages,” e.g., equal or above and below a threshold – See [¶0231] and Fig. 10, showing two APs with signal strength equal or above a first threshold value marked with a star, and/or Fig. 14, [1401] wherein each star has a score attached)
receiving a sensing operation through the sensing device (an “AP may be selected according to a selection input by the user” – See [¶0199], whereby the user may use the “touch circuitry adapted to detect a touch” on the display – See [¶0043] and Figs. 10-16 wherein the UIs “allow the user to select the AP on the basis of the channel quality information related to the AP” – See [¶0225]; and
wherein in response to the sensing operation, the electronic device has access to the second wireless internet access point (e.g., on the UI listing the APs in Fig. 14, [1401], assuming the “SHOPPING MALL” AP is the second AP, different from the “ACCESS POINT” as the first AP, a user would select the second AP to connect to because it has a higher score, the first “AP having an undesirable channel connection due to heavy traffic on the network despite strong RSSI” – See [¶0263]).
In the alternative that Choi does not explicitly teach when a received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and when the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value as the condition precedent to the display panel displaying the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point, Choi implicitly teaches this condition in a manner that is obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art. First, Choi teaches a condition precedent to the panel displaying the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point (“when a user request or a configured condition is generated, the electronic device 101 may provide the AP search screen in the form of a pop-up window on a display device screen” – See [¶0184] (emphasis added)). Second, Choi’s method of creating an AP search list is substantially based on channel quality information, e.g., measured RSSI for each detected or connected AP (“method for identifying, in real time, practical service providing capabilities of APs retrieved in a place where an electronic device is located” – See [¶0008], e.g., a “channel quality information may be information in which each of parameters for an AP connected to the external electronic device 402, such as a wireless signal intensity (RSSI), a wireless Internet speed (link speed), a PDR, SNR, a BER, a data processing amount (throughput), AP use history information, and/or location” – See [¶0096]). Finally, it would be obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art that the configured condition to provide the AP search screen could be detection of APs having equal or strong(er) RSSI, meaning RSSI greater than or equal to a (first) threshold value motivated by common sense reasoning: the electronic device prompts the user for a choice when equally strong or stronger APs are detected because the device does not have a criterium to automatically make a choice among those APs ( contrast with the designated AP case shown in Fig. 9); see also MPEP §2141 (stating “use of common sense does not require a ‘specific hint or suggestion in a particular reference,’ only a reasoned explanation that avoids conclusory generalizations,” citing DyStar Textilfarben GmbH v. C.H. Patrick Co., 464 F.3d 1356, 1366 (Fed. Cir. 2006)).
Therefore, Amended Claim 1 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 2, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing device is a touch device (“the display device 160 may include touch circuitry adapted to detect a touch, or sensor circuitry (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure the intensity of force incurred by the touch,” whereby “the display device 160 may visually provide information (e.g., a user) of the electronic device 101” – See [¶0043] and Fig. 16; see also the sensor module 176 in Fig. 1 whereby “the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor” – See [¶0045]).
Therefore, Claim 2 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 3, dependent from Claim 2, Choi further teaches wherein the sensing operation comprises sliding on the sensing device (e.g., in Fig. 10, “the AP search screen 1010 may include a toggle switch item 1020 configured to control activation of Wi-Fi searching” – See [¶0227], whereby toggling inherently requires sliding on a touch screen).
Therefore, Claim 3 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 4, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing device is an acceleration sensor (e.g., in Fig. 1, “the sensor module 176 may include, for example . . . an acceleration sensor” – See [¶0045].
Therefore, Claim 4 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 5, dependent from Claim 4, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the sensing operation comprises tapping on the sensing device (“the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor” or “a biometric sensor” – See [¶0045] and Fig. 1; see also Fig. 16, wherein a user taps on “one AP in a list of AP items 1630” and “the electronic device 101 may provide the AP search screen 1610 including an extended area (or window) 1650 which provides the detailed quality information of the selected AP” – See [¶0283]).
Therefore, Claim 5 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 6, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in response to the sensing operation, the electronic device has access to the second wireless internet access point comprises:
the electronic device first has access to the second wireless internet access point (“if the channel quality of the designated AP is equal to or higher than the reference value, the electronic device 101 may make a connection request for establishing a channel with the designated AP in operation 990” and “a communication channel may be established between the electronic device 101 and the AP via authentication, association, and IP address acquisition procedures” – See [¶0197]); and
then, the electronic device cuts off access to the first wireless internet access point (“the electronic device 101 may support a quality evaluation screen 1750, which enables a user to evaluate a quality, to be output to a display device (e.g., the display device 160 of FIG. 1) in response to an AP access disconnection signal, as illustrated in FIG. 17” – See [¶0287], i.e., the AP access disconnect happens after the user selected second wireless access point is accessed, otherwise the evaluation window would appear before the access and the use could be blocked in roaming, e.g., because “[t]he quality evaluation screen 1750 may be provided in the form of a pop-up window” – See [¶0288]).
Therefore, Claim 6 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 9, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value (“the electronic device 101 may check whether a designated AP exists among the plurality of retrieved APs” and “designated AP exists among the retrieved APs, the electronic device 101 may identify in operation 950 whether a channel quality of the designated AP is equal to or higher than a reference value,” wherein “a reference value used herein may include a minimum RSSI signal strength” – See [¶¶0195-97])
the display panel displays the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point (“the electronic device 101 according to certain embodiments may configure, on the basis of information of an AP search performed by the electronic device 101 and channel quality information related to an AP . . . a quality object 1050 (e.g., a recommendation icon 1053 or a non-recommendation icon 1055) indicating the channel quality information related to the AP to be included in an AP search screen 1010, so as to provide, in addition to AP information, the channel quality information related to the AP to a user and may allow the user to select the AP on the basis of the channel quality information related to the AP” – See [¶0225] and Fig. 10, and “the AP search screen 1010 may be provided in the form of a pop-up window over another currently executed window or screen,” e.g., when the RSSI of the second wireless access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, and “may include at least one AP item 1030 indicating an identification name, a signal intensity icon 1040 corresponding to each AP item 1030, and a quality object 1050 indicating channel quality information related to at least one AP” – See [¶¶0228-29], and “[t]he signal intensity icon 1040 may be expressed such that a level of the signal intensity icon 1040 is distinguished on the basis of RSSI information. For example, the signal intensity icon 1040 may be divided into levels of multiple stages (e.g., four stages), and a signal intensity may be distinguished by a difference in each level color” – See [¶0231])
comprises: the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value for a time length greater than a preset time length (“the electronic device 101 may calculate average values of the RSSI values and the wireless Internet speed on the basis of signals received from AP_1 for a predetermined time period” – See [¶0132] and “the electronic device 101 may periodically measure a quality of a channel with connected AP_1, and may periodically update channel quality information related to currently connected AP_1, and may provide the updated channel quality information to another external electronic device.” – See [¶0159], i.e., it is obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art that the electronic device and/or the external electronic device know(s) if/when the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value for a time length greater than a preset time length, and a “quality object 1050 may be displayed to indicate an approximation of the quality evaluation of one or more APs among the retrieved APs . . . displayed in association with the AP item 1030” whereby “[t]he quality object 1050 may be represented in the form of at least one of a figure, text, an icon, an emoticon, an image, a special character, a number, a mark, a symbol, and/or a trade name, but is not limited thereto” – See [¶¶0232-33] and Fig. 10, i.e., the quality object may be an indication that the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value for a time length greater than a preset time length, e.g., the star 1053 in Fig. 10).
Therefore Claim 9 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 10, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the display panel displays the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point, as explained in Regarding Claim 9, supra, comprises: the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is less than the first threshold value for a time length greater than a preset time length – See, e.g., the down arrow 1055 in Fig. 10 associated the first AP whereby not only the signal strength has fewer bars but also it was periodically updated with lower channel quality information, as explained in Regarding Claim 9, supra, hence the down arrow indication.
Therefore Claim 10 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 12, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing device is integrated in the display panel and overlaps with the area of the display panel for displaying images – See Figs. 16 -18, wherein the touch screen displays images and the user inputs responses because “the display device 160 may include touch circuitry adapted to detect a touch, or sensor circuitry (e.g., a pressure sensor) adapted to measure the intensity of force incurred by the touch” – See [¶0043].
Therefore, Claim 12 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 13, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, the electronic device being a detecting device (“FIG. 4 illustrates a method for managing AP information by an electronic device” – See [¶0084], whereby, “the electronic device 101 according to certain embodiments may perform, in operation 410, a search operation (e.g., scanning) for retrieving a wireless network, such as, for example, an access point (hereinafter, AP) (e.g., AP 1 403 or AP 2 404), disposed within a distance in which communication with the wireless network is possible (e.g., a ‘communication range’)” – See [¶0085] and “the search executed by electronic device 101 may be . . . a ‘passive scan mode’ in which a beacon signal (e.g., a beacon frame) generated from an AP is received” – See [¶0086], i.e., the electronic device is a detecting device).
Therefore, Claim 13 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 16, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, the detecting device further comprising a communication module – See, e.g., communication module 190 in Fig. 1.
Therefore, Claim 16 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 18, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, the first wireless internet access points and the second wireless internet access point being located in different spaces (in prior art, “[s]hort-range wireless communication may refer to short-range communication networks, such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks, which enable wireless Internet connectivity specific to a location in which an access point (AP) is installed” – See [¶0003], the “AP information may include at least . . . location information of the AP” – See [¶0077] whereby “[l]ocation information may be information (e.g., coordinates, latitude, longitude, and/or address information) of a place where the AP is installed” – See [¶0091], and “the channel quality information may be information . . . such as a wireless signal intensity (RSSI) . . . and/or location information” – See [¶0096], e.g., “[t]he quality object 1050 may be configured to appear in various forms on the basis of at least one of channel quality information related to APs, AP usage pattern information, network congestion information, AP location information and/or location information of the electronic device 101” – See [¶0232] or “[t]he electronic device 101 may determine whether a connectable AP is present, on the basis of the geo-fence area” – See [¶0185], i.e., the first wireless internet access points and the second wireless internet access point may be located in different spaces identified by their location).
Therefore, Claim 18 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
Regarding Claim 20, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, the electronic device further comprising a buzzer (“The sound output device 155 may output sound signals of the electronic device 101”– See [¶0042] and Fig. 1),
wherein when the display panel displays the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point and the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point, the buzzer emits a sound (“the electronic device 101 according to an embodiment may provide a screen 2010 that supports a function to notify of a recommended AP list” – See [¶0305], “via a notification pop-up 2020 when the high quality AP is determined to be in the vicinity” – See [¶0306] and Fig. 20 showing “Notification Settings” wherein a sound setting is general knowledge).
Therefore, Claim 20 is anticipated by or, in the alternative obvious over Choi.
In sum, Claims 1-6, 9-10, 12-13, 16, 18 and 20, as amended, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(2) as anticipated by or, in the alternative under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious over Choi.
Claims 6-8, 11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to Amended Claim 1 above, and further in view of An, CN Patent Application Publication No. CN114339903A, published 04/12/2022 (hereinafter An) (translated through EPO's PatentTranslate) .
Regarding Claim 6, dependent from Amended Claim 1, anticipated by Choi, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in response to the sensing operation, the electronic device has access to the second wireless internet access point comprises:
the electronic device first has access to the second wireless internet access point (“if the channel quality of the designated AP is equal to or higher than the reference value, the electronic device 101 may make a connection request for establishing a channel with the designated AP” and “a communication channel may be established between the electronic device 101 and the AP via authentication, association, and IP address acquisition procedures” – See [¶0197]). Choi, by not disclosing an electronic device capable of multiple links (MLD2) implies the default behavior of the electronic device to cut off access to the first wireless internet access once the connection to the second AP is successful. In the alternative, Choi does not teach that the electronic device cuts off access to the first wireless internet access point, An teaches this limitation.
An teaches “a wireless communication method and electronic device; when the channel quality of one channel of the wireless connection between the mobile device and the Wi-Fi AP of the electronic device deteriorates, it can automatically, smoothly and seamlessly switch to another channel with better channel quality, and the user still feels that the Internet access is continuous and uninterrupted, thereby improving the user experience” – See [¶n0004]. Like Choi, An further teaches “activate a second Wi-Fi AP, wherein the signal strength of the second Wi-Fi AP meets a signal strength requirement for wireless connection with a mobile device” – See [¶n0005]. An teaches, then the electronic device cuts off access to the first wireless internet access point (“Mobile devices can use their roaming features to achieve seamless switching between different wireless access points” whereby the rules “are usually defined by the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) threshold” – See [¶n0142], e.g., in “the process of a STA switching APs through roaming, taking the example of a STA (client) first establishing a connection with a first Wi-Fi AP and then roaming from the first Wi-Fi AP (original AP) to a second Wi-Fi AP (target AP)” – See [¶n0149], the STA “may also first establish a new link with the second wireless access point and then disconnect the old link with the first wireless access point; it may also maintain the old link while establishing the new link, and wait for the old link to be automatically abandoned without actively disconnecting it” – See [¶n0160].
Thus, Choi and An each describe an operating method of an electronic device to switch from a first wireless access point to a second wireless point depending on the channel quality of one channel of the wireless connection between the electronic device and the Wi-Fi APs, e.g., RSSI, compared with a threshold. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have understood that the step of switching from the first wireless access point after successfully switching to a second access point and then disconnecting from first wireless point, as taught by An, could have been substituted in for the step of connecting to the second AP because the channel quality of the designated AP is equal to or higher than the reference value, as taught by Choi, because both operating steps provide for connecting to a wireless access point with an RSSI equal or above a threshold. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out the combination through techniques known in the art. Finally, the substitution achieves the predictable result of allowing the first Wi-Fi AP to forward all buffered data to the second Wi-Fi AP during the switching period, as taught by An.
Therefore, Claim 6 is obvious over Choi in view of An.
Regarding Claim 7, dependent from Amended Claim 1, anticipated by Choi, while Choi teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in response to the sensing operation, the electronic device has access to the second wireless internet access point – See, e.g., Fig. 16 showing a user selecting the designated Wi-Fi AP to see its quality characteristics, Choi does not explicitly teach that the electronic device first cuts off access to the first wireless internet access point; and then, the electronic device has access to the second wireless internet access point. An teaches teach that the electronic device first cuts off access to the first wireless internet access point; and then, the electronic device has access to the second wireless internet access point (when “the second wireless access point and the first wireless access point have the same SSID, password, encryption mode and other settings, the mobile device does not need to authenticate again when roaming to access the second access point” – See [¶n0158], “the mobile device disconnects from the first wireless access point, and establishes a connection with the second wireless access point” – See [¶n0159]).
Therefore, Claim 7 is obvious over Choi in view of An.
Regarding Claim 8, dependent from Amended Claim 1, anticipated by Choi, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:
wherein when the received signal strength indication of the first wireless internet access point is less than the first threshold value for a time length that is greater than a preset time length (“the electronic device 101 may calculate average values of the RSSI values and the wireless Internet speed on the basis of signals received from AP_1 for a predetermined time period, and may apply the calculated average values” – See [¶0132] and “the electronic device 101 may perform an operation of reconfiguring channel quality information related to the AP on the basis of at least one of channel quality information related to the AP” – See [¶0178], e.g., the RSSI being less than a threshold value), and
when the received signal strength indication of the second wireless internet access point is less than the first threshold value (“If the channel quality of the designated AP is equal to or lower than the reference value in operation 950, the electronic device 101 may select, in operation 965, another recommended AP” – See [¶0198] and Fig. 9, whereby ‘NO’ at operation 950 means the channels quality of the second wireless access point is lower than the reference value). Although Choi teaches “the electronic device 101 may perform an operation of reconfiguring channel quality information related to the AP on the basis of at least one of channel quality information related to the AP,” supra, Choi does not explicitly teach that the operation includes the access between the electronic device and the first wireless internet access point is cut off.
An teaches that “[w]hen it is detected that the signal strength of an AP is lower than a predetermined RSSI threshold, the mobile device will try to connect to another AP with a stronger signal strength and roam from the current basic service set (BSS) to the new BSS” – See [¶n0143]. An further teaches the access between the electronic device and the first wireless internet access point is cut off (“When a mobile device is roaming, it may first disconnect the old link with the first wireless access point and then establish a new link with the second wireless access point” – See [¶n0160], whereby the second wireless access point is a third wireless access point with the RSSI equal or above the first threshold value).
Therefore, Claim 8 is obvious over Choi in view of An.
Regarding Claim 11, dependent from Amended Claim 1, anticipated by Choi, while Choi teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, using a sensing device – See sensor module 176 in Fig. 1, Choi does not teach the sensing device is disposed in an area other than an area of the display panel for displaying images. An teaches that that “the touch sensor may also be disposed on the surface of the electronic device 200, at a location different from that of the display screen 209” – See [¶n0093].
Therefore, Claim 11 is obvious over Choi in view of An.
Regarding Claim 17, dependent from Amended Claim 1, anticipated by Choi, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, whereby the detecting device is performing access settings to the first wireless internet access points and the second wireless internet access point through a fast AP (“the electronic device 101 may assign weights to a fast AP in the network and fast frequency band (e.g., 5 GHz) information, may select a corresponding AP as a recommended AP, and may provide the selected AP to the notification pop-up 2020. A user may attempt to access the recommended AP via the connection item 2040” – See [¶0307] and Fig. 20) However, Choi does not teach a fast basic service set transition.
An teaches a fast basic service set switching mechanism (“after the first Wi-Fi AP disconnects from the mobile device, the electronic device receives an association request or a fast basic service set switching mechanism request sent by the mobile device; in response to the association request or the fast basic service set switching mechanism request, the electronic device associates the second Wi-Fi AP with the mobile device, and the mobile device accesses the second Wi-Fi AP” – See [¶n0033]).
Therefore, Claim 17 is obvious over Choi in view of An.
In sum, Claims 6-8, 11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious over Choi in view of An.
Claims 14-15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to Claims 1 and 13 above, as amended, and further in view of Proano, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0166585 (hereinafter Proano).
Regarding Claim 14, dependent from Claim 13, Choi further teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 13, the detecting device being a medical device (“The electronic device according to certain embodiments may be one of various types of electronic devices” and “may include, for example . . . a portable medical device” – See [¶0034]) However, Choi does not teach a mobile X-ray detector.
Proano teaches the detecting device being a mobile X-ray detector (a “digital radiographic system” with an “X-ray detector panel,” as shown in Fig. 2 – See [¶0010]) and “a method of allocating multiple wireless interfaces for an X-ray imaging device that includes a first wireless communication module and a second wireless communication module comprises receiving a first set of wireless performance metrics for the first wireless communication module the X-ray imaging device is disposed in a current location; receiving a second set of wireless performance metrics for the second wireless communication module while the X-ray imaging device is disposed in the current location; based on the first set of wireless performance metrics and the second set of wireless performance metrics, determining a first wireless communication function to be performed by the first wireless communication module; and causing the first wireless communication module to perform the first wireless communication function” – See [¶0005].
Proano further teaches controlling the X-ray detector panel (“X-ray detector panel 120 can include a controller 210, an X-ray sensor 221, a memory 222, a solid-state drive (SSD) 224 or other non-volatile data storage medium, and wireless modules 230 and 240” – See [¶0026], whereby a “[w]ireless module 230 may be any technically feasible wireless chip, card, or other device that enables X-ray detector panel 120 to communicate wirelessly with work station 130 in FIG.1” – See [¶0033] and “[t]he X-ray detector panel 120 may include other components for location detection and/or motion detection (not shown), such as a position sensor, an accelerometer, a bar code reader, a color scanner, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, and/or some other near-field communication device” – See [¶0032], i.e., the X-Ray detector is mobile ) to connect through the best wireless module based on wireless channel performance metrics (the “controller 210 of X-ray detector panel 420 may be configured to determine which of wireless module 430 or wireless module 440 has the best wireless performance based on one or more wireless performance metrics” – See [¶0040]; and “the wireless performance metrics includes one or more metrics quantifying wireless performance of wireless module 230 and wireless module 240, including, without limitation, one or more of signal strength for a particular channel” – See [¶0047], i.e., an RSSI).
Thus, Choi and Proano each describe an operating method of an electronic device to connect wireless on the channel with the best signal strength between two wireless channels. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have understood that the operating method of a mobile X-ray detector to transmit the most important data on the channel with the strongest signal strength, as taught by Proano, could have been substituted in for the step of connecting to the second AP because the channel quality of the designated AP is equal to or higher than the reference value, as taught by Choi, because both operating steps provide for using the wireless channel with the best RSSI between two wireless channels. Finally, the substitution achieves the predictable result of allowing the mobile X-ray detector to select the wireless module with the best wireless performance to perform certain wireless communication functions that benefit from the higher wireless performance, as taught by Proano.
Therefore, Claim 14 is obvious over Choi in view of Proano.
Regarding Claim 15, dependent from Claim 13, anticipated by Choi, the method of Choi teaches the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 13, the detecting device applied to medical detection – See [¶0034]. However, Choi does not teach the internet settings being performed during a period other than the medical detection.
Proano teaches that in “digital radiography, such as in a hospital environment, a single flat panel X-ray sensor is shared between multiple image acquisition workstations” and that “[w]ireless communications are now the preferred method for controlling and downloading image data from such X-ray sensors” – See [¶0015]. Proano further teaches the internet settings being performed during a period other than the medical detection (the “controller in the X-ray detector panel is configured to cause the multiple wireless communication modules to periodically or continuously survey the surrounding wireless environment by checking one or more wireless performance metrics, such as signal strength” and “when the strength or reliability of wireless connections available to the X-ray detector panel changes (such as when the X-ray detector panel is moved to a new location), the controller can reallocate the wireless communication modules to perform different wireless functions” – See [¶0020], i.e., the internet settings are performed by the controller before or after the medical detection).
Therefore, Claim 15 is obvious over Choi in view of Proano.
Regarding Claim 19, dependent from Amended Claim 1, anticipated by Choi, although Choi teaches that “[t]he electronic device 101 may determine whether a connectable AP is present, on the basis of the geo-fence area” whereby “the AP may configure a geo-fence area on the basis of a location of the AP” – See [¶0185] and “[w]hen entering a new area, the electronic device 101 may output, to the screen, new AP information in the form different from that of the AP list in which an AP history exists” – See [¶0186], the operating method in Choi does not explicitly teach the operating method for the electronic device according to claim 1, with the first wireless internet access points and the second wireless internet access point being located in different areas of a same space.
Proano teaches the first wireless internet access points and the second wireless internet access point being located in different areas of a same space (because the “antennas 231 and 232 are disposed on different sides of X-ray detector panel 120 than antennas 241 and 242 . . . wireless module 230 can have significantly different wireless performance than wireless module 240, particularly in a hospital environment, in which the orientation of a particular antenna with respect to nearby wireless APs can strongly affect the wireless performance of the wireless module coupled to that particular antenna” – See [¶0037] and Fig. 4, wherein the APs are located in different areas of a same space, and “controller 210 of X-ray detector panel 420 may be configured to determine which of wireless module 430 or wireless module 440 has the best wireless performance based on one or more wireless performance metrics” – See [¶0040]).
Therefore Claim 19 is obvious over Choi in view of Proano.
In sum, Claims 14-15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious over Choi in view of Proano.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Husted et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0284316 discloses establishing and terminating wireless connections;
Zhang et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2024/0040604 discloses sensing operation based on measuring a RSRP or a RSSI;
Min et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0179503 discloses method and apparatus a device in which an RSSI indication method reflects the real communication environment;
Lin et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0239808 discloses method and apparatus of forming a mesh network using a first access point, a second access point, and cross-BSS RSSI measurement reports;
Lin, WIPO Patent Application Publication No. WO2020103077 discloses a network communication processing method, comprising: detecting a connection state between an electronic device and a first wireless network; when the connection state is a connection establishment state, acquiring a network signal strength of a second wireless network; and based on the network signal strength, adjusting a measurement strategy for the second wireless network;
Takafumi et al., JP Patent Publication No. JP2016039560 teaches method and apparatus whereby communication via the access point by the communication terminal device is controlled depending on the communication quality of the communication via the access point, and the communication quality varies depending on the time of day and area in which the communication is performed;
Lopez-Raventos et al., “Multi-link Operation in IEEE 802.11be WLANs,” in IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 94-100, August 4, 2022, doi: 10.1109/MWC.006.2100404, available at https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9770579.
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.
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/L.G.G./ Examiner, Art Unit 2478
/JOSEPH E AVELLINO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2478
1 Choi discloses that “electronic device 101 according to certain embodiments may provide a recommended AP list to a use by providing the user with not only information (e.g., identification information, signal intensity information, and/or password configuration information) obtainable before connection to retrieved APs but also information (e.g., a link speed, a data throughput, an bit error rate, and/or channel quality information) obtainable from an external electronic device ( e.g., the external electronic device 402) via connection to the APs” – See [¶0104].
2 See, e.g., Lopez-Raventos et al., “Multi-link Operation in IEEE 802.11be WLANs,” in IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 94-100, August 4, 2022, doi: 10.1109/MWC.006.2100404, available at https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9770579.