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 .
Response to Amendment
An amendment filed on 06/09/2026 is acknowledged. As a result, claim 4 is cancelled. Claims 1-3, 5-8 and 11-14 are pending for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 06/09/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Independent Claims 1 and 6 have Tauny disclosing “respective response action..” [0061] and [0063] and “maximum broadcast power..” [0080] and “establishing communication connection..” [0080] which have been added in the final office action in response to the amendment filed by the applicant. See detailed rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1,3, 6-8,11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Van Taunay (US 20150153443 A1, hereinafter Taunay)
Regarding Claim 1 Taunay discloses an action execution method, applied to a transmitting device
(Taunay[0006] at the FPD, broadcasting a plurality of positioning signals)
(Note: the FPD broadcasting positioning signals means that it transmits signals., Therefore it is a transmitting device as claimed.)
determining transmitting power of each target channel according to a signal distance range of each target channel
(Taunay [0073] each broadcast power may be identified in its corresponding positioning signal by the second distance indication code (see Table I) indicating the actual broadcast range of the positioning signal having the broadcast power.)
wherein the signal distance range of each target channel corresponds to a respective response action;
(Taunay [0061, line 11] Also the positioning signals having different broadcast distance ranges can be broadcast randomly or the positioning device can switch between different broadcast methods e.g. randomly, sequentially, simultaneously etc.
[0063] The controller 14 of the first positioning device 10 may control the broadcast power such as to have the different broadcast distance ranges of the different positioning signals increase linearly as illustrated in FIG. 2. In other embodiments, instead of linearly increasing broadcast distance ranges, other sets of ranges may be selected through an appropriate configuration or programming of the controller 14 and memory 15.)
transmitting a broadcast signal on the basis of the transmitting power of each target channel;
(Taunay [0006] at the FPD [first positioning device] broadcasting a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power.)
determining, in response to a communication request of a receiving device, a target channel with maximum transmitting power to be a communication channel
(Taunay [0080] In some embodiments, the second positioning device 20 is configured to broadcast the determined DIC or distance value such that a first positioning device 10 will receive it, i.e. with sufficient broadcast power for the first positioning device 10 to receive it.)
and establishing the communication connection to the receiving device by using the communication channel
(Taunay [0080, line 12] In embodiments comprising more than one first positioning device 10 and more than one second positioning device 20, each second positioning device 20 is configured to broadcast the determined DIC or distance value in combination with identification data identifying not only the specific second positioning device 20, but also the first identification device 10 which originally broadcast the positioning signals to base the determined DIC or distance value on. This will enable the first positioning device 10 to identify a received DIC or distance value as originating from a particular second positioning device 20.)
sending the signal distance range of each target channel to the receiving device;
(Taunay[0007]at the FPD, broadcasting a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power)
executing a response action corresponding
(Taunay [0080, line 5] In embodiments comprising more than one second positioning device 20, each second positioning device 20 is configured to broadcast the determined distance value in combination with identification data identifying the specific second positioning device 20.)
Regarding Claim 3, Taunay discloses sending the preset transmitting cycle duration, the transmitting duration of each target channel
(Taunay [0006] at the FPD, broadcasting a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power)
(Note: Taunay et al. teaches “preset transmitting cycle duration” is predetermined different broadcast power)
and the signal distance range of each target channel to the receiving device.
(Taunay [0007] at the FPD, broadcasting a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range)
Regarding Claim 6 Taunay discloses a distance determination method, applied to a receiving device, wherein the method comprises: sending a communication request to a transmitting device on the basis of a received broadcast signal of the transmitting device, so as to establish a communication connection to the transmitting device;
(Taunay [0013] at the SPD, extracting the identification data and distance indication data from each distance indication data signal corresponding to a received positioning signal, and determining a distance between each FPD as identified by its identification data)
via a communication channel which is a target channel with maximum transmitting power determined by the transmitting device in response to the communication request;
(Taunay [0080] In some embodiments, the second positioning device 20 is configured to broadcast the determined DIC or distance value such that a first positioning device 10 will receive it, i.e. with sufficient broadcast power for the first positioning device 10 to receive it.)
receiving a signal distance range, sent by the transmitting device, of each target channel;
(Taunay [0013] at the SPD, extracting the identification data and distance indication data from each distance indication data signal corresponding to a received positioning signal, and determining a distance between each FPD as identified by its identification data)
wherein the signal distance range of each target channel corresponds to a respective response action of the transmitting device;
(Taunay [0061, line 11] Also the positioning signals having different broadcast distance ranges can be broadcast randomly or the positioning device can switch between different broadcast methods e.g. randomly, sequentially, simultaneously etc.
[0063] The controller 14 of the first positioning device 10 may control the broadcast power such as to have the different broadcast distance ranges of the different positioning signals increase linearly as illustrated in FIG. 2. In other embodiments, instead of linearly increasing broadcast distance ranges, other sets of ranges may be selected through an appropriate configuration or programming of the controller 14 and memory 15.)
determining, according to the detected target channels and the signal distance range of each target channel, a signal distance range at which the receiving device is currently located;
(Taunay [0013] the SPD from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the respective FPD.)
sending the signal distance range at which the receiving device is currently located to the transmitting device, for the transmitting device to perform a response action corresponding to the signal distance range at which the receiving device is currently located.
(Taunay[0007]at the FPD, broadcasting a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power.
[0080, line 5] In embodiments comprising more than one second positioning device 20, each second positioning device 20 is configured to broadcast the determined distance value in combination with identification data identifying the specific second positioning device 20.))
Regarding Claim 7. Tunay discloses determining, in a case that at least two target channels have been detected
(Taunay [0011]at each FPD, broadcasting a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power;)
a minimum signal distance range on the basis of the signal distance range of each target channel; and determining the minimum signal distance range to be the signal distance range at which the receiving device is currently located.
(Taunay [0012] at each FPD, broadcasting a plurality of distance indication data signals, each distance indication data signal carrying predetermined identification data identifying the FPD, and further carrying predetermined distance indication data associated with a distance range of a corresponding positioning signal at the predetermined broadcast power)
[0013] the SPD from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the respective FPD.
[0169] At the SPD, a distance between the FPD and the SPD is determined from the distance indication data indicating the smallest distance range among the distance indication data received from the FPD.
[0073] a second positioning device 20 receiving positioning signals is able to determine the lowest second distance indication code among a plurality of second distance indication codes received)
(Note: Taunay [0073] discloses as to how to arrive at the determination of actual distance range)
Regarding Claim 8. Tunay discloses the distance determination method according to claim 6, wherein the method further comprises: executing a feedback action according to the signal distance range at which the receiving device is currently located.
(Taunay[0061] The first positioning device 10 periodically broadcasts, either simultaneously or consecutively, positioning signals having different broadcast distance ranges. If all the position signals and distance indication data signals are sent simultaneous by a positioning device, the positioning device can use for example one or more transceivers with different kind of antennas. Each transceiver will then send a position signal and distance indication data signal that is assigned to a transceiver. The position signals and distance indication data signals may be sent simultaneous continues or with a time interval to preserve energy.)
Regarding Claim 11. A computer device, wherein the computer device comprises a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program; and the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the action execution method according claim 1
(Taunay [0175] A program, computer program, or software application may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system.)
(Taunay [0084] Distances between different first positioning devices 10 may be stored in a memory 15 of one or more first positioning devices 10.)
Regarding Claim 12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer- readable storage medium stores a computer program; and the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the action execution method according to claim 1.
(Taunay [0176] A computer program may be stored and/or distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 1, the second positioning device 20 may comprise at least one output device 27 to output information relating to its position to a user of the second positioning device 20 or to a computer interface to send data to a computer system for further processing and/or storage.)
Regarding Claim 13. Taunay discloses A computer device, wherein the computer device comprises a memory and a processor; the memory stores a computer program; and the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the distance determination method according to claim 6.
(Taunay [0175] A program, computer program, or software application may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system.)
(Taunay [0084] Distances between different first positioning devices 10 may be stored in a memory 15 of one or more first positioning devices 10.)
Regarding Claim 14. Taunay discloses A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program; and the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the distance determination method according to claim 6.
(Taunay[0176] A computer program may be stored and/or distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.)
(Taunay [0082] Referring to FIG. 1, the second positioning device 20 may comprise at least one output device 27 to output information relating to its position to a user of the second positioning device 20 or to a computer interface to send data to a computer system for further processing and/or storage.)
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 2 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Taunay (US 20150153443 A, hereinafter Taunay) in view of Hwang et al. (US 20190230581 A1, hereinafter Hwang).
Regarding Claim 2. Taunay teaches the apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the transmitting a broadcast signal on the basis of the transmitting power of each target channel
(Taunay [0006] at the FPD [first positioning device] broadcasting a plurality of positioning signals, each positioning signal having a predetermined different broadcast power.
But does not teach
determining a transmitting duration of each target channel according to a time proportion of each target channel in a preset transmitting cycle duration, wherein a sum of the transmitting durations of all the target channels is equal to the preset transmitting cycle duration
In a similar endeavor, Hwang et al teaches system that establishes a plurality of channels that are transmitted with a cycle duration which is repeated. See for example section [0017] and [0037] and Fig 4 and Fig 6 of Hwang which teaches an access point sets up multiple channels [as shown in Fig6] which each have a predetermined duration, where the sum of all the transmitting durations is cyclical and equal to the transmitting cycle duration (as the channel structure in Fig 6 repeats).
transmitting the broadcast signal on the basis of the preset transmitting cycle duration, the transmitting power of each target channel, and the transmitting duration of each target channel.
This channel structure as shown in (with preset transmitting cycle as shown Fig 6) is repeatedly broadcasted as recited.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the action of the method Taunay et al by incorporating Hwang to elaborate the process as to how to transmit broadcast signal on the basis of preset transmitting cycle duration and transmitting power disclosed by Hwang et al, providing necessary resources to arrive at the invention.
Motivation of doing so would have enabled transmitting device to create distinguishable channel coverage and detection patterns and to make different channels detectable in a controlled way.
Regarding Claim 5. Taunay teaches the apparatus of Claim 1
But does not teach
determining the target quantity of the target channels according to the signal distance range corresponding to each response action and determining the target quantity of the target channels that are in idle states to be the target channels.
In a similar endeavor, Hwang et al teaches system that establishes a plurality of channels that are transmitted with a cycle duration which is repeated. See for example section [0017] and [0037] and Fig 4 and Fig 6 of Hwang which teaches an access point sets up multiple channels [as shown in Fig6].
Likewise, Hwang et al teaches a system to perform a channel state monitoring operation to determine idle state of the channel [0067] and Fig3. Once identified it is used as a target channel ([0067] the communication node may transmit the control frame (or the management frame)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the action of the method Taunay by incorporating Hwang to elaborate the process as to how to determine the target quantity of the target channels and determining channels that in idle states to be the target channels disclosed by Hwang et al, providing necessary resources to arrive at the invention.
Motivation of doing so would have to identify the basis for distance-based action selection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RANA HASSAN MAHMUD whose telephone number is (571)272-8939. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Friday.
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/RANA H MAHMUD/Examiner, Art Unit 2644
/KATHY W WANG-HURST/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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