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 .
DETAILED OFFICE ACTION
This action is responsive to the communication received March 30th, 2026. Claims 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 18 have been amended. Claims 1-20 have been entered and are presented for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed March 30th, 2026, have been fully considered, but deemed moot in view of the new grounds of rejection which has been necessitated by Applicant’s amendment.
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 non-obviousness.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uhling et al. (EP 4 093 104) in view of Akkarakaran et al. (US 2023/0045849).
Regarding claims 1, 8, 15, Uhling et al. discloses a device (see Figure 2 [Computing Device 200]), comprising: one or more processors (see Figure 2 [processor 220]) configured to: identify location information associated with each time synchronization nodes of a plurality of time synchronization nodes of a time synchronization network (paragraphs 0009, 0031 [beacon for exchanging network topology information with other communication devices operating in the communication network; periodic beacons include timing information that allows computing device 210 to perform time synchronization with the neighboring nodes]); determine topology information specifying routing paths associated with the plurality of time synchronization nodes (paragraph 0024 [A given source node may generate a data packet and then transmit the data packet to a destination node via any number of intermediate nodes (in mesh network topologies). The data packet may indicate a destination for the packet and/or a particular sequence of intermediate nodes to traverse to reach the destination node. In one embodiment, each intermediate node may include a forwarding database indicating various network routes and cost metrics associated with each route.]); wherein a particular routing path specifies that a particular subset of the time synchronization nodes communicate with each other on an ongoing basis (paragraph 0024 [A given source node may generate a data packet and then transmit the data packet to a destination node via any number of intermediate nodes (in mesh network topologies). The data packet may indicate a destination for the packet and/or a particular sequence of intermediate nodes to traverse to reach the destination node. In one embodiment, each intermediate node may include a forwarding database indicating various network routes and cost metrics associated with each route.]) [in order to maintain precision time information (MPEP 2111.04 [Claim scope is not limited by claim language that suggests or makes optional but does not require steps to be performed])]; configure the plurality of the time synchronization nodes to implement respective routing paths specified by the topology information, wherein each time synchronization node communicates with one or more other time synchronization nodes based on the respective routing paths (paragraphs 0024, 0067 [A given source node may generate a data packet and then transmit the data packet to a destination node via any number of intermediate nodes (in mesh network topologies). The data packet may indicate a destination for the packet and/or a particular sequence of intermediate nodes to traverse to reach the destination node. In one embodiment, each intermediate node may include a forwarding database indicating various network routes and cost metrics associated with each route; If software application 242 is unable to receive any periodic beacons from the neighboring node within this number of attempts, software application 242 may discontinue listening for periodic beacons from the neighboring node, remove an entry for the neighboring node from neighborhood table 208, log an event indicating a loss of timing synchronization with the neighboring node, and/or perform other actions to address the loss of timing synchronization with the neighboring node]) [to maintain precision time information (MPEP 2111.04 [Claim scope is not limited by claim language that suggests or makes optional but does not require steps to be performed])].
Uhling et al. does not disclose identify a location associated with a particular time client select a particular time synchronization node, of the plurality of time synchronization nodes, based on the location associated with the time synchronization client and further based on the location information associated with each time synchronization nodes of the plurality of time synchronization nodes; and output, to the particular time synchronization client, an indication of particular time synchronization node, wherein the particular time synchronization client communicates with the indicated particular time synchronization node in order to obtain precision time information from the particular time synchronization node.
However, Akkarakaran et al. discloses identify a location associated with a particular time client select a particular time synchronization node, of the plurality of time synchronization nodes, based on the location associated with the time synchronization client and further based on the location information associated with each time synchronization nodes of the plurality of time synchronization nodes (paragraphs 0090-0094 [timing outage; determining a third node with a valid timing source (synchronized time information). The server 400, including a processor 410 and a transceiver 415, is a means for determining a third node; the LMF 120 may select the third node based on a proximity to the second node; second node is experiencing the loss of services]); and output, to the particular time synchronization client, an indication of particular time synchronization node, wherein the particular time synchronization client communicates with the indicated particular time synchronization node [in order to obtain precision time information from the particular time synchronization node (MPEP 2111.04 [Claim scope is not limited by claim language that suggests or makes optional but does not require steps to be performed])] (paragraph 0094 [ the LMF 120 may configure the third node to provide timing information to the second node]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize if a timing outage is determined at a second node, finding a third node in proximity to the second node with a valid timing source to provide the timing information to the second node in order to communicate with the network.
Regarding claims 2, 9, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 1, 8 and Uhling et al. further discloses wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine the precision time information further based on information received from a reference clock (paragraph 0031 [ These periodic beacons include timing information that allows computing device 210 to perform time synchronization with the neighboring nodes. ]).
Regarding claims 3, 10, 16, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 2, 9, 15 and Akkarakaran et al. further discloses wherein the information received from the reference clock is based on determining Global Positioning System ("GPS") time information (paragraph 0027 [time references in a GNSS system may include GPS time (GPST)]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize the devices of Uhling et al. could be time synchronized via GPS signal in order to maintain synchronization with each other.
Regarding claims 4, 11, 17, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 1, 8, 15, and Akkarakaran et al. further discloses wherein the plurality of time synchronization nodes are distributed in different geographical regions (see Figure 8 [UEs 504 and gNBs 502 are different locations]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize the devices of Uhling et al. could be in different locations in order to make the system scalable.
Regarding claims 5, 12, 18, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 1, 8, 15, and Akkarakaran et al. further disclose wherein the device is associated with the same location as the particular time synchronization client, wherein the particular time synchronization client is assigned to the device based on being associated with the same location as the device (paragraphs 0090-0094 [timing outage; determining a third node with a valid timing source (synchronized time information). The server 400, including a processor 410 and a transceiver 415, is a means for determining a third node; the LMF 120 may select the third node based on a proximity to the second node; second node is experiencing the loss of services; the LMF 120 may configure the third node to provide timing information to the second node]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to recognize if a timing outage is determined at a second node, finding a third node in proximity to the second node with a valid timing source to provide the timing information to the second node in order to communicate with the network based on proximity which would save the battery resources of nodes (i.e., transmission power lower).
Regarding claims 6, 13, 19, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 1, 8, 15, and Uhling et al. further discloses wherein the time synchronization client receives the precision time information via a wireless network, wherein the time synchronization client maintains the same precision time information as the device based on receiving the precision time information via the wireless network (paragraph 0031 [ These periodic beacons include timing information that allows computing device 210 to perform time synchronization with the neighboring nodes. ]).
Regarding claims 7, 14, 20, the references as combined above disclose all the recited subject matter in claims 6, 13, 19, and Akkarakaran et al. further discloses wherein the time synchronization client identifies a particular radio access technology ("RAT") that is associated with particular latency or jitter thresholds associated with a precision time service, wherein the time synchronization client connects to a radio access network ("RAN") of the wireless network via the identified particular RAT and receives the precision time information via the identified RAT (paragraph 0027 [5G]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER T WYLLIE whose telephone number is (571)270-3937. The examiner can normally be reached 4pm-11:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayman Abaza can be reached at (571)270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER T WYLLIE/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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