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 § 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 10-12, 14, 15, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yan, US Patent Application Publication Number 20024/0098816 (hereinafter Yan). [fig.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Yan discloses an electronic device comprising: memory storing instructions [fig. 2A: refs. 220, 221]; a communication circuit comprising a Bluetooth communication module and a Wi-Fi module [fig. 2A: refs 240, 250; paragraph 0078]; and a processor operatively connected with the memory and the communication circuit [fig. 2A: ref. 210], wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to: broadcast, through the Bluetooth communication module, first capability information of the electronic device associated with a Wi-Fi direct connection [paragraph 0135]; receive, through the Bluetooth communication module, second capability information of an external electronic device associated with the Wi-Fi direct connection [paragraph 0136]; select a group owner [paragraph 0141] and a frequency band for the Wi-Fi direct connection, based on the first capability information and the second capability information [paragraph 0139]; transmit group owner information indicating the selected group owner and the selected frequency band to the external electronic device through the Bluetooth communication module [paragraphs 0132, 0141]; and establish a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection with the external electronic device through the Wi-Fi module by using the selected frequency band [paragraph 0143].
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Yan discloses wherein at least one of the first capability information or the second capability information comprises network information [paragraph 0137], and wherein the network information comprises at least one of information of an available band for the Wi-Fi direct connection [paragraphs 0135, 0137], information of a current P2P role, or information of a connected access point (AP).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Yan discloses wherein at least one of the first capability information or the second capability information comprises application context information [paragraph 0146], and wherein the application context information comprises at least one of a device ID field, a connection type field [paragraph 0146 (P2P channel working duration)], a packet information field, or an identification information field.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Yan discloses wherein the group owner information comprises at least one of a media access control address for identifying an electronic device selected as a group owner, or information indicating a frequency band to be used by the group owner [paragraph 0140].
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Yan discloses wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor, the electronic device to select, as the group owner, one of the electronic device and the external electronic device, that support a frequency selection function for the Wi-Fi direct connection [paragraphs 0052, 0140].
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.
Claim(s) 3 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yan in view of Svennebring et al., US Patent Application Publication Number 2019/0319868 (hereinafter Svennebring).
Regarding claims 3 and 13 Yan does not specifically disclose wherein at least one of the first capability information or the second capability information comprises platform information, and wherein the platform information comprises at least one of an operating system type field, a device type field, a Wi-Fi driver manufacturer field, a Wi-Fi driver version field, or a Wi-Fi antenna count field. However, Svennebring teaches these limitations [paragraph 0168]. Before the effective filing of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Yan to include the teaching of Svennebring. The motivation for this modification would have been to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Claim(s) 6, 7, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yan in view of Hareuveni et al., US Patent Application Publication Number 2023/0132460 (hereinafter Hareuveni).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Yan discloses wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to: receive, through the Bluetooth communication module, one or more pieces of capability information from one or more external electronic devices including the external electronic device [paragraph 0136]; and select the group owner and the frequency band based on the first capability information and the one or more pieces of capability information [paragraphs 0139, 0141]. What Yan does not specifically disclose is third capability information from a third device as Yan primarily discloses first and second devices. However, Hareuveni disclose that there can be multiple external electronic devices that share their capability information [fig. 5: STAs 504; paragraphs 0049, 0082]. Before the effective filing of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Yan to include the teaching of Hareuveni. The motivation for this modification would have been to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Hareuveni discloses wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to select the frequency band that is supportable by all of the one or more external electronic devices [paragraph 0082].
Claim(s) 8, 9, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yan in view of Qiu et al., CN 114928898 (hereinafter Qiu).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Yan does not specifically disclose wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to select the frequency band for the Wi-Fi direct connection, based on at least one of a number of antennas of the external electronic device or a frequency band that the external electronic device uses for a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection. However, Qiu discloses selecting the frequency band based on a frequency band that the external electronic device uses for a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection [reproduced from translation: “WiFi directly connected module receives the session request, firstly checking whether there is WLAN channel and/or Bluetooth channel between the first device and the second device, if there is WLAN channel and Bluetooth channel, can select the existing WLAN channel or Bluetooth channel as the negotiation channel, and the parameter needed for establishing WiFi direct connection is transmitted through the negotiation channel.”]. Before the effective filing of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Yan to include the teaching of Qiu. The motivation for this modification would have been to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Yan does not specifically disclose wherein the instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to, based on identifying that the external electronic device uses a single antenna [reproduced from translation: “The antenna 1 can be multiplexed into a diversity antenna of a wireless local area network. In some other embodiments, the antenna can be used in combination with a tuning switch.”] and the external electronic device has established a WLAN connection, select, as the frequency band for the Wi-Fi direct connection, the frequency band that the external electronic device uses for the WLAN connection : “WiFi directly connected module receives the session request, firstly checking whether there is WLAN channel and/or Bluetooth channel between the first device and the second device, if there is WLAN channel and Bluetooth channel, can select the existing WLAN channel or Bluetooth channel as the negotiation channel, and the parameter needed for establishing WiFi direct connection is transmitted through the negotiation channel.”]. Before the effective filing of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Yan to include the teaching of Qiu. The motivation for this modification would have been to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rayanki et al., US Patent Application Publication Number 2016/0057215, disclose methods and systems for delegating group ownership for the formation of a new group.
Jung, European Patent Application Number EP 3833151, discloses a method and apparatus for communicating using multiple frequency bands.
Huang, CN 116033443, disclose a wireless connection method, device, storage medium and terminal.
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/EAW/
March 23, 2026
/ERIKA A WASHINGTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644