Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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 Election/Restriction
2. Applicant’s election with traverse of Group I (Claims 1-7) in the reply filed on 01/21/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Groups I, II, and III share similar language. This is not found persuasive because each group as a whole considering all dependent claims are different therefore they are not properly the same.
In response to applicant argument that restriction requirement mischaracterize the claims, Examiner acknowledges that the restriction is not a distinct process and it is a distinct product(s).
In response to applicant argument that showing of serious burden has not been made, Examiner very kindly point out that Group I (claims 1-7) are related to geolocation beacon configure to identify and transmit geolocation using wireless signal transmission system, while Group II (claims 8-11) are related to an access point configured to receive approval from the AFC server to enter a standard power mode, while Group III (claim 12-20) are related to an access point configured to receive an access credential and obtain encrypted geolocation signal. Restriction for examination purposes as indicated is proper because all the groups/inventions listed above are independent or distinct for the reasons given above and there would be a serious search and/or examination burden if restriction were not required.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
3. Claims 8-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Groups (II and III), there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 01/21/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
A) Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gutt (US 2023/0412263 A1).
As per claim 1, Gutt discloses a geolocation beacon (Fig.1, geolocation beacon 130), comprising: a processor (¶0063, processor); a positioning signal reception system (Fig.1 and ¶0065, geolocation capability transceiver (i.e. reception system)); and a wireless signal transmission system (Fig.1 and ¶0065, wireless signal transceiver (i.e. transmission system)), wherein the processor is configured to identify a geolocation of the geolocation beacon using positioning signals received by the positioning signal reception system and transmit the geolocation using the wireless signal transmission system (Fig.1, ¶0065 and ¶0075, determine/identify a geolocation of the beacon device using positioning signals received by transceiver configured to receive electromagnetic (EM) signals (e.g., RF signals) wirelessly and/or via wire and transmitting the geolocation using transceiver configured to transmit EM signals (e.g., RF signals) wirelessly and/or via wire).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
A) Claims 2-4, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gutt (US 2023/0412263 A1) in view of RYKOWSKI (US 2017/0164142 A1).
As per claim 2 as applied to claim 1, Gutt teaches wireless enabled transceiver/antenna (¶0065).
However, Gutt does not explicitly teach wherein the wireless signal transmission system comprises a WiFi-enabled antenna.
In the same field of endeavor, RYKOWSKI teaches wherein the wireless signal transmission system comprises a WiFi-enabled antenna (¶0060, Wi-Fi based network).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gutt’s invention in order for operating a geolocation beacon, in particular addressing security and anonymity issues as well as using only unidirectional communication from the beacon to external receivers.
As per claim 3 as applied to claim 1, Gutt teaches wireless enabled transceiver/antenna (¶0065).
However, Gutt does not explicitly teach, wherein the wireless signal transmission system comprises a Bluetooth-enabled antenna.
In the same field of endeavor, RYKOWSKI teaches, wherein the wireless signal transmission system comprises a Bluetooth-enabled antenna (¶0060 and ¶0063, Bluetooth based transmission/reception)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gutt’s invention in order for operating a geolocation beacon, in particular addressing security and anonymity issues as well as using only unidirectional communication from the beacon to external receivers.
As per claim 4 as applied to claim 3 above, RYKOWSKI teaches wherein the wireless signal transmission system comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon (¶0063, Bluetooth LE 4.0 beacon).
As per claim 7 as applied to claim 1, Gutt does not explicitly teach, wherein the processor is further configured transmit the geolocation using the wireless signal transmission system periodically.
In the same field of endeavor, RYKOWSKI teaches, wherein the processor is further configured transmit the geolocation using the wireless signal transmission system periodically (¶0063, transmit the geolocation using the wireless transmission periodically).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gutt’s invention in order for operating a geolocation beacon, in particular addressing security and anonymity issues as well as using only unidirectional communication from the beacon to external receivers.
B) Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gutt (US 2023/0412263 A1) in view of Hsu (US 2022/0171010 A1).
As per claim 5 as applied to claim 1 above, Gutt does not explicitly teach wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an uncertainty value of the geolocation using the wireless signal transmission system.
In the same field of endeavor, Hsu teaches wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an uncertainty value of the geolocation using the wireless signal transmission system (¶0100 and ¶0103, transmitting associated uncertainty value of localization data include position coordinates (e.g., latitude, longitude, altitude)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gutt’s invention in order to localization of autonomous vehicles, and in particular localization using beacons for the highest position accuracy.
C) Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gutt (US 2023/0412263 A1) in view of Liberty (US 2021/0383374 A1).
As per claim 6 as applied to claim 1 above, Gutt does not explicitly teach, wherein the processor is further configured to generate encryption credentials and encrypt the geolocation prior to the transmitting of the geolocation using the wireless signal transmission system.
In the same field of endeavor, Liberty teaches wherein the processor is further configured to generate encryption credentials and encrypt the geolocation prior to the transmitting of the geolocation using the wireless signal transmission system (¶0046,
the geolocation token is generated through the use of an encryption key or digital signature (i.e. credentials), the mobile computing device 110 may digitally sign and/or encrypt their respective geolocation token prior to communicating (i.e. transmitting/receiving).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gutt’s invention in order for managing multiple different authentication protocols across multiple different entities using geolocation validation for efficient and secure movement of monetary funds.
Conclusion
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FARIDEH MADANI whose telephone number is (571)272-1249. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday; 9 AM to 5 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JINSONG HU can be reached at 5712723965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FARIDEH MADANI/Examiner, Art Unit 2643
/JINSONG HU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2643