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 .
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.
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 1-8, 11-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu et al. (US 2024/0422674, Ryu hereafter) and further in view of Xu (US 2022/0015033).
RE claims 1, 11 and 20, Ryu discloses a method, first device, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; comprising: a processor; and a memory (Fig 2) storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the first device to:
operate in a first sleep mode (Paragraphs 153-163 and 164-169 discloses a non-AP MLD, a STA, capable of moving between a first power save mode, a second power save mode and an active mode. Paragraphs 153 and 165, a STA moves from an active mode to a first power save mode.); check for Beacon signals broadcasted by a second device at a first periodic interval while operating in the first sleep mode (Paragraphs 153 and 165, the STA periodically wakes from a doze state to listen for a beacon and returns to the doze state if no beacon is detected); upon receiving a sleep mode change trigger, changing from the first sleep mode to a second sleep mode (Paragraph 167 discloses : “On receiving the TIM element in beacon frame 1821 indicating DL BUs for non-AP MLD 1811 and the DL BU(s) from AP MLD 1812, non-AP MLD 1811 may change the power management mode from the first power save mode to a second power save mode.”); continue to check for the Beacon signals broadcasted by the second device at a second periodic interval shorter than the first periodic interval while operating in the second sleep mode (Paragraph 167 further discloses “Further, non-AP MLD 1811 may start a timer 1825 (e.g., a second power save mode (PSM) timer) which value may be equal to one beacon interval. While in the second power save mode, STA1, STA2, and STA3 may wake from the doze state to listen for beacon frames on the enabled links at each target beacon transmission time (TBTT) on the enabled links while timer 1825 runs.” Paragraph 153 further discloses “during the second power save mode, the STAs of the non-AP MLD may wake to listen for a beacon frame more frequently than while in the first power same mode”); detect that there is a communication request in the Beacon signals while operating in the second sleep mode (Paragraph 168 discloses “Subsequently, AP3 of AP MLD 1812 having downlink buffered BU(s) may transmit a beacon frame 1841 comprising a TIM element indicating DL BU(s) for non-AP MLD 1811. Beacon frame 1841 may further comprise one or more broadcast target wake time (TWT) element indicating a restricted TWT service period (SP) and/or a TE TWT SP. STA3 operating in the second power save mode may wake at the TBTT and may receive beacon frame 1841.”); and upon detecting that there is a communication request in the Beacon signals, establish a communication session corresponding to the communication request (Paragraphs 166-168, in either power save mode if a beacon indicates DL BU(s), the STA performs reception of the downlink data) .
Ryu does not explicitly disclose receiving the sleep mode changing trigger from a third device while operating in the first sleep mode.
However, Xu teaches receiving the sleep mode changing trigger from a third device while operating in the first sleep mode (Paragraph 45 teaches a wireless device operating in “power down standby (PDS)” mode, a power savings mode. Paragraphs 45-55 teaches a variety of methods for waking the wireless device from the PDS mode. Paragraph 54 teaches the trigger may be via an another device by receiving wireless signal from said another device though an interface such as M2M, WiFi, Zigbee, RFID, Bluetooth, Mbus, etc.)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method, device medium of Ryu with the teachings of Xu in order to provide for sleep mode change triggering via an external device.
RE claims 2 and 12, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 2 and the first device of claim 11 as set forth above. Note that Ryu further discloses changing from the second sleep mode to a work mode during the communication session (Paragraphs 166-168, in either power save mode if a beacon indicates DL BU(s), the STA performs reception of the downlink data).
RE claims 3 and 13, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 2 and the first device of claim 11 as set forth above. Note that Ryu further discloses skipping the checking for at least one of the Beacon signals during each first periodic interval while operating in the first sleep mode (Paragraph 153 further discloses “during the second power save mode, the STAs of the non-AP MLD may wake to listen for a beacon frame more frequently than while in the first power same mode”).
RE claims 4 and 14, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 2 and the first device of claim 11 as set forth above. Note that Ryu further discloses checking for every Beacon signal during each second periodic interval while operating in the second sleep mode (Paragraph 153 further discloses “during the second power save mode, the STAs of the non-AP MLD may wake to listen for a beacon frame more frequently than while in the first power same mode”).
RE claims 5 and 15, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 2 and the first device of claim 11 as set forth above. Note that Ryu further discloses wherein the detecting that there is a communication request in the Beacon signals comprises: identifying a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element in the Beacon signals (Paragraph 167 discloses : “On receiving the TIM element in beacon frame 1821 indicating DL BUs for non-AP MLD 1811 and the DL BU(s) from AP MLD 1812, non-AP MLD 1811 may change the power management mode from the first power save mode to a second power save mode.”); extracting a bitmap control field value and a partial virtual bitmap value from the TIM element; and determining that there is a communication request based on the bitmap control field value and the partial virtual bitmap value (Paragraph 131 further discloses “The STA may determine that a BU is buffered for the STA by receiving and interpreting the TIM element. The TIM element may include a traffic indication partial virtual bitmap maintained by the AP. The STA operating in PS mode may periodically listen for beacon frames, as determined by a listen interval parameter which may be indicated in association request and association response frames.” Paragraph 134 further discloses “As shown in FIG. 13, a TIM element may include bitmap control field(s) and partial virtual bitmap field(s).”)
RE claims 6 and 16, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 2 and the first device of claim 11 as set forth above. Note that Ryu further discloses determining that the communication session has ended; and upon determining that the communication session has ended, reoperating in the first sleep mode (Paragraph 165 discloses the STAs change from an active mode to the first power save mode. In context this occurs in the absence of downlink data. Paragraphs 156-160 discloses that moving down from an active mode or the second power save mode to the first power save mode may be timer based. In the passages already cited above, these timers may be started or restarted upon detection of a beacon. Therefore, a timer expiring indicates the end of a given “communication session” and subsequent triggers a move to a lower power state.)
RE claims 7 and 17, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 6 and the first device of claim 16 as set forth above. Note that Ryu further discloses wherein the detecting that the communication session has ended comprises: detecting that there has been no communication request in the Beacon signals for a predetermined time period (Paragraph 165 discloses the STAs change from an active mode to the first power save mode. In context this occurs in the absence of downlink data. Paragraphs 156-160 discloses that moving down from an active mode or the second power save mode to the first power save mode may be timer based. In the passages already cited above, these timers may be started or restarted upon detection of a beacon. Therefore, a timer expiring indicates the end of a given “communication session” and subsequent triggers a move to a lower power state.)
RE claims 8 and 18, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 2 and the first device of claim 11 as set forth above. Note that Xu further teaches wherein: the third device is a physical component associated with the first device; and the sleep mode changing trigger includes a user interaction with the third device (Paragraph 45 teaches a wireless device operating in “power down standby (PDS)” mode, a power savings mode. Paragraphs 45-55 teaches a variety of methods for waking the wireless device from the PDS mode. Paragraph 54 teaches the trigger may be via an another device by receiving wireless signal from said another device though an interface such as M2M, WiFi, Zigbee, RFID, Bluetooth, Mbus, etc.)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method, device and medium of Ryu with the teachings of Xu in order to provide for sleep mode change triggering via an external device.
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu in view of Xu and further in view of Howarter et al. (US 2008/0129498, Howarter hereafter).
RE claims 9 and 19, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 2 and the first device of claim 11 as set forth above. Ryun in view of Xu does not explicitly disclose wherein the first device is a camera sensor and the third device is a doorbell, wherein: when a user interacts with the doorbell, the camera sensor enters the second sleep mode such that the camera sensor is ready to provide a real- time video upon receiving the communication request in the Beacon signals broadcasted by the second device.
However, Howarter teaches wherein the first device is a camera sensor and the third device is a doorbell, wherein: when a user interacts with the doorbell, the camera sensor enters the second sleep mode such that the camera sensor is ready to provide a real-time video upon receiving the communication request in the Beacon signals broadcasted by the second device (Paragraph 38 teaches a system comprised of a doorbell and camera connected via a communication network such as WiFi. “when the doorbell 308 is pushed or activated by an individual, the doorbell may instruct the front door camera to stream live data, record a video, or take a still image of the person at the door 306 to send to the cell phone 312 or the set top box 103 of FIG. 1” Paragraphs 44-45 further teaches that a user may be notified on a cell phone of the doorbell being pressed and given the ability to view the real-time video stream from the camera. Paragraph 45: “The security content sent from the front door camera 304 may be video clips, still images, or streaming data, as requested by the user.”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method and device of Ryu in view of Xu with the teachings of Howarter since such a modification would have involved the mere application of a known technique to a piece of prior art ready for improvement.
Where a claimed improvement on a device or apparatus is no more than "the simple substitution of one known element for another or the mere application of a known technique to a piece of prior art ready for improvement," the claim is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. 103(a). Ex Parte Smith, 83 USPQ.2d 1509, 1518-19 (BPAI, 2007) (citing KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S.Ct. 1727, 1740, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1396 (2007)).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu in view of Xu and further in view of Aust et al. (US 2020/0125355).
RE claim 10, Ryu in view of Xu discloses the method of claim 1 as set forth above. Ryu in view of Xu does not explicitly disclose wherein the established communication session includes an over-the-air (OTA) update.
However, Aust teaches wherein the established communication session includes an over-the-air (OTA) update (Figure 2 and 3 teach an OTA update system. Server device triggers a wakeup request that is forwarded wirelessly to a communication unit and associated ECU. Once wake up is complete, the server transmits an update to be applied to the ECU).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method and device of Ryu in view of Xu with the teachings of Aust in order to remotely update the software/firmware of a wireless device.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James P Duffy whose telephone number is (571)270-7516. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday-Friday, 9am-6pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy D Vu can be reached at 571-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/James P Duffy/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461