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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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, 5-6, 8, 10-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dix (US 20190339921 A1).
Claim 1. Dix discloses An energy harvesting electronic device (an energy harvester 112 [0036]. FIG. 1 item 112), comprising:
an energy storage device configured to store energy harvested by the electronic device (read as an energy storage means 114 [0036]. FIG. 1 item 114 … The energy storage means 114 is configured to store excess energy harvested by the energy harvester 112, and provide energy to the energy distributor 110 when required [0043]);
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more computer-executable instructions (read as The processing means 108 in an embodiment in a known commercially available microprocessor [0038]. FIG. 1 item 108); and
at least one processor coupled to the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, and configured to execute the one or more computer-executable instructions to cause the electronic device (read as The processing means 108 in an embodiment in a known commercially available microprocessor [0038]. FIG. 1 item 108) to:
receive a first message from another electronic device requesting a transmission of a first data object (read as the remote display module 100 of FIG. 1, receiving an update request 202. The update request 202 will be received by the communication means (not shown) of the remote display module 201 [0050]);
determine a first amount of energy required for transmitting the first data object and a second amount of energy required for receiving a second message from the other electronic device after transmitting the first data object (read as upon receiving the update request 202, queries the energy source (not shown) of the remote display module 201 in order to obtain an available energy amount 206…the available energy amount 206 is the amount of energy available to the processing means 108 for executing instructions [0054]); and
after determining that, based on the first amount of energy, an amount of energy stored in the energy storage device is sufficient for transmitting the first data object (read as processing means 203 has determined the available energy amount 206 and the required energy amount 204, a threshold 208 is determined. The threshold 208 is based on the required energy amount 204 and indicates the minimum amount of energy required in order to execute the instruction of the display update request [0055]):
determine, based on the second amount of energy, whether a remaining amount of energy stored in the energy storage device after transmitting the first object is sufficient for receiving the second message (read as processing means 203 has determined the available energy amount 206 and the required energy amount 204, a threshold 208 is determined. The threshold 208 is based on the required energy amount 204 and indicates the minimum amount of energy required in order to execute the instruction of the display update request [0055]));
set an indicator to a first value in a case that the remaining amount of energy stored in the energy storage device after transmitting the first object is determined to be sufficient (read as …whether there is sufficient energy available to execute an instruction of a display update request [0082]);
set the indicator to a second value in a case that the remaining amount of energy stored in the energy storage device after transmitting the first object is determined to be insufficient (read as determined at step 406 that there is insufficient energy available to perform the display update request, then a display update response is sent at step 408 [0077]); and
transmit the first data object and the indicator to the other electronic device (read as a display update response is generated based upon the instruction…the display update response may comprise further information such as the available energy amount after execution [0084]).
A combined teaching of multiple embodiments , disclosed by Dix, were used in the rejection. Also, Dix does not explicitly disclose determining level of available power whether it is sufficient for transmitting/receiving a signal However, Dix discloses whether a device using harvested energy having enough stored energy to power a processor to execute different functions.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to use the teaching of Dix in order to realize all the function of the claimed invention and obtain expected results of determining whether the available energy is sufficient or not to perform a function and transmit a response including the power level detected. Some of these steps are shown in FIG. 2-9.
Claim 5. The electronic device, of claim 1, Dix disclose,
wherein:
the indicator is a logical bit, the first value is one of 1 and 0, and the second value is the other one of 1 and 0 (read as determined at step 406 that there is insufficient energy available to perform the display update request, then a display update response is sent at step 408 [0077]. Setting the indication to a “0” or a “1”, is descriptive language and does not affect the functionality of the device.).
Claim 6. The electronic device of claim 1, Dix disclose,
wherein:
a first parameter indicating a power required for transmitting first data and a second parameter indicating a power required for receiving second data are configured to the electronic device, determining the first amount of energy comprises determining the first amount of energy based on the first parameter, and determining the second amount of energy comprises determining the second amount of energy based on the second parameter (read as processing means 203 has determined the available energy amount 206 and the required energy amount 204, a threshold 208 is determined. The threshold 208 is based on the required energy amount 204 and indicates the minimum amount of energy required in order to execute the instruction of the display update request [0055]. ).
Claim 8. The electronic device of claim 6, Dix disclose,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more computer-executable instructions to cause the electronic device to:
receive a configuration message comprising one or more updated values for at least one of the first and second parameter (read as request may comprise an instruction to download data for an update, an instruction to perform an update, or an instruction querying the current state of the remote display module 100 [0047]); and
reconfigure at least one of the first and second parameters with the one or more updated values (read as request may comprise an instruction to download data for an update, an instruction to perform an update, or an instruction querying the current state of the remote display module 100 [0047]).
Claim 10. The electronic device of claim 1, Dix disclose,
wherein the first data object comprises a tracking identification of the electronic device (read as …request may comprise an instruction to download data for an update, an instruction to perform an update, or an instruction querying the current state of the remote display module 100 [0047]. The device must know the identification of each other in order to be able to communicate.).
Claim 11. The electronic device of claim 10, Dix disclose,
wherein the first message requesting the transmission of the tracking identification of the electronic device comprises a request message broadcast by the other electronic device (read as …request may comprise an instruction to download data for an update, an instruction to perform an update, or an instruction querying the current state of the remote display module 100 [0047]. The device must know the identification of each other in order to be able to communicate.).
Claim 12. The electronic device of claim 11, Dix disclose,
wherein the request message broadcast by the other electronic device comprises one of a device identification (read as …request may comprise an instruction to download data for an update, an instruction to perform an update, or an instruction querying the current state of the remote display module 100 [0047]. The device must know the identification of each other in order to be able to communicate.) or a device group identification of the electronic device.
Claim 15. Dix discloses A method (FIG. 1-17), comprising:
receiving a first message at an energy harvesting electronic device from another electronic device requesting a transmission of a first data object (read as the remote display module 100 of FIG. 1, receiving an update request 202. The update request 202 will be received by the communication means (not shown) of the remote display module 201 [0050]), the energy harvesting electronic device comprising an energy storage device (read as an energy storage means 114 [0036]. FIG. 1 item 114 … The energy storage means 114 is configured to store excess energy harvested by the energy harvester 112, and provide energy to the energy distributor 110 when required [0043]);
determining a first amount of energy required for transmitting the first data object and a second amount of energy required for receiving a second message from the other electronic device after transmitting the first data object (read as upon receiving the update request 202, queries the energy source (not shown) of the remote display module 201 in order to obtain an available energy amount 206…the available energy amount 206 is the amount of energy available to the processing means 108 for executing instructions [0054]); and
after determining that, based on the first amount of energy, an amount of energy stored in the energy storage device is sufficient for transmitting the first data object (read as processing means 203 has determined the available energy amount 206 and the required energy amount 204, a threshold 208 is determined. The threshold 208 is based on the required energy amount 204 and indicates the minimum amount of energy required in order to execute the instruction of the display update request [0055]):
determining, based on the second amount of energy, whether a remaining amount of energy stored in the energy storage device after transmitting the first object is sufficient for receiving the second message (read as processing means 203 has determined the available energy amount 206 and the required energy amount 204, a threshold 208 is determined. The threshold 208 is based on the required energy amount 204 and indicates the minimum amount of energy required in order to execute the instruction of the display update request [0055]);
setting an indicator to a first value in a case that the remaining amount of energy stored in the energy storage device after transmitting the first object is determined to be sufficient (read as …whether there is sufficient energy available to execute an instruction of a display update request [0082]);
setting the indicator to a second value in a case that the remaining amount of energy stored in the energy storage device after transmitting the first object is determined to be insufficient (read as determined at step 406 that there is insufficient energy available to perform the display update request, then a display update response is sent at step 408 [0077]); and
transmitting the first data object and the indicator to the other electronic device (read as a display update response is generated based upon the instruction…the display update response may comprise further information such as the available energy amount after execution [0084]).
A combined teaching of multiple embodiments , disclosed by Dix, were used in the rejection. Also, Dix does not explicitly disclose determining level of available power whether it is sufficient for transmitting/receiving a signal However, Dix discloses whether a device using harvested energy having enough stored energy to power a processor to execute different functions.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to use the teaching of Dix in order to realize all the function of the claimed invention and obtain expected results of determining whether the available energy is sufficient or not to perform a function and transmit a response including the power level detected. Some of these steps are shown in FIG. 2-9.
Claims 3-4, 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dix (US 20190339921 A1) in view of Tayyab et al. (US 2024/0235271 A1).
Claim 3. The electronic device, of claim 1, Dix does not explicitly disclose wherein the other electronic device is one of a base station (BS) and a user equipment (UE).
However, in the related field of endeavor Tayyab et al. disclose: … user devices 131, 132, and 133, which may also be referred to as mobile stations (MSs) or user equipment (UEs), may be connected (and in communication) with a base station (BS) 134, which may also be referred to as an access point (AP), an enhanced Node B (eNB) [0037]. FIG. 1.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify the teaching of Dix with the teaching of Tayyab et al. in order to measure electromagnetic radiation energy that has been steered toward the energy harvesting device by a reconfigurable intelligent surface in a radio network; and send, to a network node, an indication that the energy harvesting device has reached an energy level relative to a threshold for a specified period of time (Tayyab et al. [0014]).
Claim 4. The electronic device, of claim 1, Dix does not explicitly disclose
wherein the other electronic device is configured not to transmit any messages to the energy harvesting electronic device for a threshold amount of time in a case that the indicator received from the energy harvesting device is set to the second value.
However, in the related field of endeavor Tayyab et al. disclose:
sending to a network node, by the energy harvesting device, an indication that the at least one energy harvesting device has reached an energy level relative to a threshold for a specified period of time [0013]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify the teaching of Dix with the teaching of Tayyab et al. in order to measure electromagnetic radiation energy that has been steered toward the energy harvesting device by a reconfigurable intelligent surface in a radio network; and send, to a network node, an indication that the energy harvesting device has reached an energy level relative to a threshold for a specified period of time (Tayyab et al. [0014]).
Claim 7. The electronic device of claim 6, Dix does not explicitly disclose
wherein the first and second parameters are configured to the electronic device at a time of manufacturing the electronic device.
However, in the related field of endeavor Tayyab et al. disclose: … reached an energy level relative to a threshold for a specified period of time [0016]. Specified period of time could be a time specified at manufacturing time).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify the teaching of Dix with the teaching of Tayyab et al. in order to measure electromagnetic radiation energy that has been steered toward the energy harvesting device by a reconfigurable intelligent surface in a radio network; and send, to a network node, an indication that the energy harvesting device has reached an energy level relative to a threshold for a specified period of time (Tayyab et al. [0014]).
Claim 14. The electronic device of claim 1, Dix does not explicitly disclose
wherein the electronic device is an ambient Internet of things (AIoT) device.
However, in the related field of endeavor Tayyab et al. disclose: … energy harvesting at the passive IoT device [0065]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify the teaching of Dix with the teaching of Tayyab et al. in order to measure electromagnetic radiation energy that has been steered toward the energy harvesting device by a reconfigurable intelligent surface in a radio network; and send, to a network node, an indication that the energy harvesting device has reached an energy level relative to a threshold for a specified period of time (Tayyab et al. [0014]).
Claims 9 and 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dix (US 2019/0339921 A1) the combination of in view of Elshafie et al. (US 2026/0051765 A1).
Claim 9. The electronic device of claim 8, Dix does not explicitly disclose,
wherein receiving the configuration message comprises receiving the configuration message via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.
However, in the related field of endeavor Elshafie et al. disclose: … an RRC layer may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a network entity 105 or a core network 130 [0100].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify the teaching of Dix with the teaching of Elshafie et al. in order to wirelessly harvest energy that may be used by the respective devices to perform wireless communications or perform other operations (Elshafie et al. [0004]).
Claim 13. The electronic device of claim 1, Dix does not explicitly disclose,
wherein the energy storage device comprises a capacitor.
However, in the related field of endeavor Elshafie et al. disclose: the energy-harvesting device 210 (e.g., energy transfer modules 220) include energy storage components, such as batteries or capacitors, the energy-harvesting device 210 may be configured to store the generated energy within the respective energy storage components [0136].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify the teaching of Dix with the teaching of Elshafie et al. in order to wirelessly harvest energy that may be used by the respective devices to perform wireless communications or perform other operations (Elshafie et al. [0004]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892.
Prior art included in PTO-892 discloses ideas similar to the claimed invention. In this regard, Elshafie et al. (US 2025/0357788 A1) disclose the idea of methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses that support power control for power providers and energy harvesting transmitters [0004].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED RACHEDINE whose telephone number is (571)272-9249. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5.
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, Jeanette J. Parker can be reached at (571)270-3647. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MOHAMMED . RACHEDINE
Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/MOHAMMED RACHEDINE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
Prosecution Insights