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 .
This Office Action is in response to Application filed on January 08, 2024 in which claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 08, 2024 and November 01, 2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3-4, 9-10 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation “wherein the event for exiting the passive communication mode comprises at least one of : …….”. That recitation render claim 3 indefinite since in claim 2, that claim 3 is dependent on, the event for exiting the passive communication mode is not always realized. In at least one instance, when claim 3 realizes at least “first indication information for instructing the terminal device to enter the passive communication mode”, the “the event for exiting the passive communication mode” is not realized because claim 2 calls for “at least one” limitation; thus, render claim 3 indefinite.
As per claim 4, this claim is rejected for the same reason set forth in the paragraph above.
Claim 9 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential steps, such omission amounting to a gap between the steps. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted steps are: “receiving a second message”.
Claim 10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential steps, such omission amounting to a gap between the steps. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted steps are: “sending a first message”; “sending a second message” and “sending a third message”.
Claim 15 recites the limitation “wherein the event for exiting the passive communication mode comprises at least one of : …….”. That recitation render claim 15 indefinite since in claim 14, that claim 15 is dependent on, the event for exiting the passive communication mode is not always realized. In at least one instance, when claim 15 realizes at least “first indication information for instructing the terminal device to enter the passive communication mode”, the “the event for exiting the passive communication mode” is not realized because claim 14 calls for “at least one” limitation; thus, render claim 15 indefinite.
As per claim 16, this claim is rejected for the same reason set forth in the paragraph above.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Teruyama US Patent No.10,225,703.
Regarding claim 1, Teruyama discloses “a method for controlling a terminal device” (Figures 1, 4; Col. 4, line 61-Col. 6, line 41 describing an explanatory diagram which shows a configuration example of a near field wireless communication system)`, comprising: “receiving, by the terminal device, a first message from a network device” (Col. 2, line 33-Col. 3, line 3; Figures 10, 14, 19A, 19B; Col. 14, line 39-Col. 16, line 8 describing acquisition of information of the NFCEE 140a by the device host 130 can be performed by transmitting and receiving a message having any format), “wherein the first message at least comprises first configuration information for notifying the terminal device to enter a passive communication mode” (Col. 6, lines 30-41 describing a form in which, when a connection of near field wireless communication is established in the active communication mode, an NFC device of a target side transmits information about a service available in the passive communication mode to an initiator side is described. By transmitting information about a service available in the passive communication mode to the initiator side, when it is possible to use a service that uses both of the active communication mode and the passive communication mode, the initiator side can recognize all services available in the active communication mode and the passive communication mode).
As per claim 2, Teruyama discloses at least “wherein the first configuration information comprises at least “first indication information for instructing the terminal device to enter the passive communication mode” (Col. 2, line 33-Col. 3, line 3).
As per claim 3, Teruyama discloses at least “wherein the event for exiting the passive communication mode comprises at least “the passive communication mode operating up to a configured Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), wherein the UTC indicates a moment up to which the terminal device remains in the passive communication mode after entering the passive communication” (See Teruyama (139) describing when a connection of near field wireless communication is established, since the communication apparatuses 100 and 200 exchange only available device information, an amount of information transmitted and received when a connection of near field wireless communication is established is smaller than that of the case 1. Therefore, the case 2 has an effect in which a time from when a connection of near field wireless communication is established until information is presented on a screen is shorter than that of the case 1).
As per claim 4, Teruyama discloses at least “wherein the configuration information of the event for exiting the passive communication mode comprises at least one of: an identifier of at least one event for exiting the passive communication mode, or a configuration parameter corresponding to each of the at least one event for exiting the passive communication mode” (See Teruyama (81) and (92) describing inn addition, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the device host 130 can store at least one piece of NFCEE service information in General Bytes of ATR_REQ and ATR_RES or LLC PAX PDU. NFCEE service information includes a combination of Tag (1 byte), Length (1 byte), and NFCEE service data (n bytes). The Tag has a value for identifying information about a service in the NFCEE inside a device. The Length indicates a length n of NFCEE service data. In the NFCEE service data, a Well-Known service list defined in NFC Forum, a system code defined in JIS X 6319-4, AID defined in ISO/IEC 7816-4, and the like are stored. The NFC Forum Well-Known service list is defined in “Logical Link Control Protocol Technical Specification” of NFC Forum, and is a list indicating whether a Peer-to-Peer service that uses LLCP in the active communication mode and the passive communication mode is available).
As per claim 5, Teruyama discloses “notifying, by an access stratum (AS) of the terminal device, a non-access stratum (NAS) of the terminal device to enter the passive communication mode; or notifying, by the NAS of the terminal device, the AS of the terminal device to enter the passive communication mode” Col. 2, line 33-Col. 3, line 3.
As per claim 6, Teruyama discloses “indication information instructs the
upper layer of the terminal device to exit the passive communication mode” through mechanism to flexibly switched between an active communication mode and a passive communication mode (See Col. 2, lines 11-19).
As per claim 7 and 9-10, Teruyam discloses notifying, by an AS of the terminal device, an NAS of the terminal device to exit the passive communication mode; or notifying, by the NAS of the terminal device, the AS of the terminal device to exit the passive communication mode” through mechanism to flexibly switched between an active communication mode and a passive communication mode (See Col. 2, lines 11-19).
As per claim 8, Teruyama discloses at least “temporary identifier assistance information of the terminal device, for assisting the network device to generate a temporary identifier of the terminal device” (See Teruyama (81) and (92) describing in addition, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the device host 130 can store at least one piece of NFCEE service information in General Bytes of ATR_REQ and ATR_RES or LLC PAX PDU. NFCEE service information includes a combination of Tag (1 byte), Length (1 byte), and NFCEE service data (n bytes). The Tag has a value for identifying information about a service in the NFCEE inside a device. The Length indicates a length n of NFCEE service data. In the NFCEE service data, a Well-Known service list defined in NFC Forum, a system code defined in JIS X 6319-4, AID defined in ISO/IEC 7816-4, and the like are stored. The NFC Forum Well-Known service list is defined in “Logical Link Control Protocol Technical Specification” of NFC Forum, and is a list indicating whether a Peer-to-Peer service that uses LLCP in the active communication mode and the passive communication mode is available).
As per claim 11, Teruyama discloses “a predefined task, corresponding to the passive communication sub-mode, of terminal device” (See Teruyama (77) describing the communication apparatus 100 can store available service information in a position of a predetermined byte of NFCID3 (10 bytes in length).
As per claim 12, Teruyama discloses “wherein the predefined task, corresponding to the passive communication mode, of the terminal device or the predefined task, corresponding to the passive communication sub-mode, of the terminal device comprises at least one of: a paging monitoring task, a synchronization task, a positioning task, a system information acquisition task, a system information update task, a measurement task, a cell selection/reselection task or a network selection task” (See Teruyama (77) describing the communication apparatus 100 can store available service information in a position of a predetermined byte of NFCID3 (10 bytes in length).
Regarding claim 13, Teruyama discloses “a method for controlling a terminal device” (Figures 1, 4; Col. 4, line 61-Col. 6, line 41 describing an explanatory diagram which shows a configuration example of a near field wireless communication system)`, comprising: “sending, by a network device, a first message to the terminal device” (Col. 2, line 33-Col. 3, line 3; Figures 10, 14, 19A, 19B; Col. 14, line 39-Col. 16, line 8 describing acquisition of information of the NFCEE 140a by the device host 130 can be performed by transmitting and receiving a message having any format), “wherein the first message at least comprises first configuration information for notifying the terminal device to enter a passive communication mode” (Col. 6, lines 30-41 describing a form in which, when a connection of near field wireless communication is established in the active communication mode, an NFC device of a target side transmits information about a service available in the passive communication mode to an initiator side is described. By transmitting information about a service available in the passive communication mode to the initiator side, when it is possible to use a service that uses both of the active communication mode and the passive communication mode, the initiator side can recognize all services available in the active communication mode and the passive communication mode).
As per claims 14-19, the limitations of these claims have been noted in the rejection of claims 2-12. They are therefore rejected as set forth above.
Regarding claim 20, Teruyama discloses “a A terminal device, comprising: a memory for storing a computer program, a transceiver, and a processor configured to invoke and run the computer program from the memory to control the transceiver” (Figures 1, 4; Col. 4, line 61-Col. 6, line 41 describing an explanatory diagram which shows a configuration example of a near field wireless communication system)`, to: “receive a first message from a network device” (Col. 2, line 33-Col. 3, line 3; Figures 10, 14, 19A, 19B; Col. 14, line 39-Col. 16, line 8 describing acquisition of information of the NFCEE 140a by the device host 130 can be performed by transmitting and receiving a message having any format), “wherein the first message at least comprises first configuration information for notifying the terminal device to enter a passive communication mode” (Col. 6, lines 30-41 describing a form in which, when a connection of near field wireless communication is established in the active communication mode, an NFC device of a target side transmits information about a service available in the passive communication mode to an initiator side is described. By transmitting information about a service available in the passive communication mode to the initiator side, when it is possible to use a service that uses both of the active communication mode and the passive communication mode, the initiator side can recognize all services available in the active communication mode and the passive communication mode).
Other Reference(s) Cited
US 20120084378 A1 describing a system that has multiple slave nodes (3) communicably coupled to a master node (1) through a bus (BS). The master node determines whether active communication mode or passive communication mode is started based on one of two received information. The master node transmits data subsequent to a designation when the passive communication mode is started based on the received information and the designation designates the corresponding slave node as a target node.
Du X et al., CN-109980661-A describing Dual-Mode Communication Three-phase Comprehensive Load Unbalance Automatic Adjusting System, Has Passive Commutation Terminal For Realizing Commutation Operation Between Three Phases According To Passive Scheduling Instruction.
Conclusion
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/FRANTZ COBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2459
January 22, 2026