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
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, 6, 11, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bastian, II et al. (US 2019/0235092).
Regarding claim 1, Bastian teaches a tracker (tracking system), comprising: a positioning circuit configured to obtain a position information (i.e., the tracking device 106 is capable of providing location details for the pallet 104 using several different methods and is capable of switching between location detection techniques based on signal availability and/or power consumption. As one example, location details for the pallet 104 can be provided by using a mobile communication network and GPS to provide location data [0048]-[0049]); a remote communication circuit configured to be signally connected to a cloud server (i.e., To conserve power, the location determination and other functions are remotely performed using a cloud-based service such as Amazon's AWS® [0008]); and a processing circuit connected to the positioning circuit and the remote communication circuit and operating in a default mode, wherein in the default mode, the processing circuit controls the remote communication circuit to transmit an identity information and the position information to the cloud server (i.e., Some or all processing of the location data to determine the location of the tracking device 106 is performed by the cloud-based application 118 on a remote server, reducing the processing required to be performed by the tracking device 106 and therefore saving power and increasing battery life [0050]); wherein the remote communication circuit receives a cluster command from the cloud server, so that the processing circuit is changed from the default mode to a cluster mode according to the cluster command (i.e., A worker on a warehouse floor who needs to find a pallet can log into the system with a smartphone or tablet, view the estimated location of the pallet in question, and transmit a command to the pallet to trigger a visible or audible cue as additional guidance to its location on the floor or in a rack [0006]), and the cluster command comprises one of a work command and a rest command, and a working time period (i.e., the system through the cloud-based API is able to turn on/off certain features of the pallet tracker device. For example, the API can be used turn off drop detection under certain conditions as well as place the tracking device in airplane mode for an individual or multiple pallets [0014]); wherein in the cluster mode, the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter a working state in the working time period according to the work command the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter a sleep state according to the rest command (i.e., The short-range communication module 438 can be used to triangulate pallet location such as when the pallet is located inside a structure, such as a warehouse or manufacturing plant. In one form, similar location radius or geo-fence limit techniques are used to determine whether or not the pallet 104 has moved. If no motion is detected from the short-range communication scan and/or no report is scheduled at that time, the tracking device 106 returns to sleep mode to conserve power until the next reporting interval or the next short-range communication scan [0086]).
Regarding claim 6, Bastian teaches a tracker tracking method (tracking system), comprising: performing an information collecting step comprising configuring a processing circuit of a tracker to operate in a default mode, wherein in the default mode, the processing circuit collects a position information from a positioning circuit of the tracker (i.e., the tracking device 106 is capable of providing location details for the pallet 104 using several different methods and is capable of switching between location detection techniques based on signal availability and/or power consumption. As one example, location details for the pallet 104 can be provided by using a mobile communication network and GPS to provide location data [0048]-[0049]); performing an information transmitting step comprising configuring the processing circuit to control a remote communication circuit of the tracker to transmit an identity information and the position information to a cloud server (i.e., To conserve power, the location determination and other functions are remotely performed using a cloud-based service such as Amazon's AWS® [0008]. Some or all processing of the location data to determine the location of the tracking device 106 is performed by the cloud-based application 118 on a remote server, reducing the processing required to be performed by the tracking device 106 and therefore saving power and increasing battery life [0050]); performing a mode changing step comprising configuring the remote communication circuit to receive a cluster command from the cloud server, so that the processing circuit is changed from the default mode to a cluster mode according to the cluster command (i.e., A worker on a warehouse floor who needs to find a pallet can log into the system with a smartphone or tablet, view the estimated location of the pallet in question, and transmit a command to the pallet to trigger a visible or audible cue as additional guidance to its location on the floor or in a rack [0006]), and the cluster command comprises one of a work command and a rest command, and a working time period (i.e., the system through the cloud-based API is able to turn on/off certain features of the pallet tracker device. For example, the API can be used turn off drop detection under certain conditions as well as place the tracking device in airplane mode for an individual or multiple pallets [0014]); wherein in the cluster mode, the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter a working state in the working time period according to the work command; the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter a sleep state according to the rest command (i.e., The short-range communication module 438 can be used to triangulate pallet location such as when the pallet is located inside a structure, such as a warehouse or manufacturing plant. In one form, similar location radius or geo-fence limit techniques are used to determine whether or not the pallet 104 has moved. If no motion is detected from the short-range communication scan and/or no report is scheduled at that time, the tracking device 106 returns to sleep mode to conserve power until the next reporting interval or the next short-range communication scan [0086]).
Regarding claim 11, Bastian teaches a clustered tracking system (tracking system), comprising: a plurality of trackers (fig. 1, items 104, 106), wherein each of the trackers comprises a remote communication circuit (i.e., To conserve power, the location determination and other functions are remotely performed using a cloud-based service such as Amazon's AWS® [0008]); a positioning circuit configured to obtain a position information (i.e., the tracking device 106 is capable of providing location details for the pallet 104 using several different methods and is capable of switching between location detection techniques based on signal availability and/or power consumption. As one example, location details for the pallet 104 can be provided by using a mobile communication network and GPS to provide location data [0048]-[0049]); and a processing circuit connected to the positioning circuit and the remote communication circuit and operating in a default mode, wherein in the default mode, the processing circuit controls the remote communication circuit to transmit an identity information and the position information to the cloud server (i.e., Some or all processing of the location data to determine the location of the tracking device 106 is performed by the cloud-based application 118 on a remote server, reducing the processing required to be performed by the tracking device 106 and therefore saving power and increasing battery life [0050]); wherein the remote communication circuit receives a cluster command from the cloud server, so that the processing circuit is changed from the default mode to a cluster mode according to the cluster command (i.e., A worker on a warehouse floor who needs to find a pallet can log into the system with a smartphone or tablet, view the estimated location of the pallet in question, and transmit a command to the pallet to trigger a visible or audible cue as additional guidance to its location on the floor or in a rack [0006]), and the cluster command comprises one of a work command and a rest command, and a working time period (i.e., the system through the cloud-based API is able to turn on/off certain features of the pallet tracker device. For example, the API can be used turn off drop detection under certain conditions as well as place the tracking device in airplane mode for an individual or multiple pallets [0014]); wherein in the cluster mode, the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter a working state in the working time period according to the work command the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter a sleep state according to the rest command (i.e., The short-range communication module 438 can be used to triangulate pallet location such as when the pallet is located inside a structure, such as a warehouse or manufacturing plant. In one form, similar location radius or geo-fence limit techniques are used to determine whether or not the pallet 104 has moved. If no motion is detected from the short-range communication scan and/or no report is scheduled at that time, the tracking device 106 returns to sleep mode to conserve power until the next reporting interval or the next short-range communication scan [0086]).
Regarding claim 13, Bastian teaches a clustered tracking method (tracking system), comprising: performing an information collecting step comprising configuring a plurality of processing circuits of a plurality of trackers to operate in a plurality of default modes, wherein in each of the default mode, each of the processing circuit collects a position information from a positioning circuit of the tracker (i.e., the tracking device 106 is capable of providing location details for the pallet 104 using several different methods and is capable of switching between location detection techniques based on signal availability and/or power consumption. As one example, location details for the pallet 104 can be provided by using a mobile communication network and GPS to provide location data [0048]-[0049]); performing an information receiving step comprising configuring a cloud server to receive an identity information and the position information from a remote communication circuit of each of the trackers (i.e., To conserve power, the location determination and other functions are remotely performed using a cloud-based service such as Amazon's AWS® [0008]. Some or all processing of the location data to determine the location of the tracking device 106 is performed by the cloud-based application 118 on a remote server, reducing the processing required to be performed by the tracking device 106 and therefore saving power and increasing battery life [0050]); performing a tracker classifying step comprising configuring the cloud server to classify the trackers being adjacent to each other into a tracked cluster according to a plurality of the identity information and a plurality of the position information, and then transmit a cluster command to the trackers in the tracked cluster, wherein the trackers in the tracked cluster are divided into a first tracker and at least one second tracker (i.e., A worker on a warehouse floor who needs to find a pallet can log into the system with a smartphone or tablet, view the estimated location of the pallet in question, and transmit a command to the pallet to trigger a visible or audible cue as additional guidance to its location on the floor or in a rack [0006], [0014]); wherein the processing circuit of the first tracker controls the first tracker to enter a working state in a working time period according to the cluster command; wherein the processing circuit of the at least one second tracker controls the at least one second tracker to enter a sleep state according to the cluster command (i.e., The short-range communication module 438 can be used to triangulate pallet location such as when the pallet is located inside a structure, such as a warehouse or manufacturing plant. In one form, similar location radius or geo-fence limit techniques are used to determine whether or not the pallet 104 has moved. If no motion is detected from the short-range communication scan and/or no report is scheduled at that time, the tracking device 106 returns to sleep mode to conserve power until the next reporting interval or the next short-range communication scan [0086]).
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.
Claims 2-5, 7-10, 12, 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bastian, II et al. (US 2019/0235092) in view of Sun (US 2024/0187994).
Regarding claim 2, Bastian II teaches all the limitations above. Bastian further teaches the tracker is classified into a tracked cluster (i.e., plurality of pallets tracker devices 104, 106 in fig. 1 [0048]), the tracked cluster comprises the tracker and another tracker (fig. 1, an entire truckload of pallets 104), the cluster command further comprises a rendezvous time period, and the tracker further comprises: a short-distance communication circuit connected to the processing circuit (i.e., the schedule (rendez-vous) for transmission of data from the tracking device 106 to the cloud-based application 118 is determined by the reporting intervals that were set in stage 210 [0054], [0058]); wherein in the cluster mode, the processing circuit wakes up the short-distance communication circuit in the rendezvous time period according to the cluster command (i.e., pallets 104 are stored in a storage facility 134 or other similar structure. Short-range communication beacons 136 within the storage facility 134 are used to determine a location of a certain pallet 104 within the storage facility 134 [0053]).
Bastian II does not specifically teach on tracker short-distance communication circuit exchanges information with the another tracker.
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Sun teaches the tracker may be bound to a to-be-tracked object or perform short-range communication with the to-be-tracked object, to enable the to-be-tracked object such as an IoT device to join a network. In addition, through the another device which can provide the remote communication function for the tracker, the duration of operation of a remote communication function circuit in the tracker is minimized, thereby reducing the overall heat generation and overall power consumption of the tracker and improving user experience of the tracker. Especially when a plurality of trackers operate together, the trackers form a huge IoT network through a short-range communication network. Only a remote communication function of one tracker may need to be enabled in the entire network, thereby minimizing the power consumption of the plurality of trackers of operating together ([0021]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the technique Sun within the system of Bastian II in order to perform, by the tracker, short-range communication with another device to determine whether the another device can provide a remote communication function for the tracker, and disable, by the tracker, a remote communication function of the tracker in response to determining that the another device can provide the remote communication function for the tracker.
Regarding claim 3, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. Bastian further teach the tracker comprising: a power supply circuit connected to the processing circuit and configured to provide a battery information (i.e., The tracking device 106 also includes a power supply 442, which in the illustrated example is in the form of a battery, for powering the processor 402 and other components in the tracking device 106 [0062]). Sun teaches wherein the short-distance communication circuit randomly operates in one of a peripheral mode and a central mode in the rendezvous time period, in the peripheral mode, the short-distance communication circuit sends the identity information and the battery information to the another tracker, and in the central mode, the short-distance communication circuit receives another identity information and another battery information from the another tracker (i.e., when there are two or more trackers connected to a same largest number of trackers, for example, as shown in FIG. 2a where three trackers are connected to each other and each tracker is connected to two trackers, the three trackers may exchange information through short-range communication. The information may be at least one of power consumption information, battery level information, or factory setting information [0035]).
Regarding claim 4, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. In combination with the power saving taught by Bastian in: reducing the processing required to be performed by the tracking device 106 and therefore saving power and increasing battery life ([0050]), Sun further teach wherein the processing circuit compares the battery information with the another battery information after the rendezvous time period, wherein, in response to determining that the battery information is better than the another battery information, the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter the working state in the working time period; and in response to determining that the another battery information is better than the battery information, the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter the sleep state (i.e., The tracker Y enables its remote communication network to communicate with the data center. The other trackers disable their respective remote communication network circuits and transmit information to the tracker Y through short-range communication, and the information is then transmitted to the data center through the remote communication network of the tracker Y [0023]-[0028], [0034]-[0035], selecting one other tracker with lowest power consumption as the remote communication device from the other trackers which can provide the remote communication function for the tracker when the current network selection mode is an optimal power consumption mode [0054]).
Regarding claim 5, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. In combination with Sun, Bastian teaches the cluster command further comprises another identity information of the another tracker, and in response to determining that the short-distance communication circuit does not receive the another identity information from the another tracker after the rendezvous time period, the processing circuit is changed from the cluster mode to the default mode ([0086]-[0088]).
Regarding claim 7, Bastian II teaches all the limitations above. Bastian further teaches the tracker is classified into a tracked cluster (i.e., plurality of pallets tracker devices 104, 106 in fig. 1 [0048]), the tracked cluster comprises the tracker and another tracker (fig. 1, an entire truckload of pallets 104), the cluster command further comprises a rendezvous time period, and the tracker further comprises: a short-distance communication circuit connected to the processing circuit (i.e., the schedule (rendez-vous) for transmission of data from the tracking device 106 to the cloud-based application 118 is determined by the reporting intervals that were set in stage 210 [0054], [0058]); performing an information exchanging step to configure the processing circuit to wake up a short-distance communication circuit in the rendezvous time period according to the cluster command (i.e., pallets 104 are stored in a storage facility 134 or other similar structure. Short-range communication beacons 136 within the storage facility 134 are used to determine a location of a certain pallet 104 within the storage facility 134 [0053]).
Bastian II does not specifically teach on tracker short-distance communication circuit exchanges information with the another tracker.
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Sun teaches the tracker may be bound to a to-be-tracked object or perform short-range communication with the to-be-tracked object, to enable the to-be-tracked object such as an IoT device to join a network. In addition, through the another device which can provide the remote communication function for the tracker, the duration of operation of a remote communication function circuit in the tracker is minimized, thereby reducing the overall heat generation and overall power consumption of the tracker and improving user experience of the tracker. Especially when a plurality of trackers operate together, the trackers form a huge IoT network through a short-range communication network. Only a remote communication function of one tracker may need to be enabled in the entire network, thereby minimizing the power consumption of the plurality of trackers of operating together ([0021]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the technique Sun within the system of Bastian II in order to perform, by the tracker, short-range communication with another device to determine whether the another device can provide a remote communication function for the tracker, and disable, by the tracker, a remote communication function of the tracker in response to determining that the another device can provide the remote communication function for the tracker.
Regarding claim 8, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. Bastian further teach the tracker comprising: a power supply circuit connected to the processing circuit and configured to provide a battery information (i.e., The tracking device 106 also includes a power supply 442, which in the illustrated example is in the form of a battery, for powering the processor 402 and other components in the tracking device 106 [0062]). Sun teaches , in the information exchanging step, the short-distance communication circuit randomly operates in one of a peripheral mode and a central mode in the rendezvous time period, in the peripheral mode, the short-distance communication circuit sends the identity information and the battery information to the another tracker, and in the central mode, the short-distance communication circuit receives another identity information and another battery information from the another tracker (i.e., when there are two or more trackers connected to a same largest number of trackers, for example, as shown in FIG. 2a where three trackers are connected to each other and each tracker is connected to two trackers, the three trackers may exchange information through short-range communication. The information may be at least one of power consumption information, battery level information, or factory setting information [0035]).
Regarding claim 9, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. In combination with the power saving taught by Bastian in: reducing the processing required to be performed by the tracking device 106 and therefore saving power and increasing battery life ([0050]), Sun further teach performing an information comparing step to configure the processing circuit to compare the battery information with the another battery information after the rendezvous time period; wherein in response to determining that the battery information is better than the another battery information, the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter the working state in the working time period; wherein in response to determining that the another battery information is better than the battery information, the processing circuit controls the tracker to enter the sleep state (i.e., The tracker Y enables its remote communication network to communicate with the data center. The other trackers disable their respective remote communication network circuits and transmit information to the tracker Y through short-range communication, and the information is then transmitted to the data center through the remote communication network of the tracker Y [0023]-[0028], [0034]-[0035], selecting one other tracker with lowest power consumption as the remote communication device from the other trackers which can provide the remote communication function for the tracker when the current network selection mode is an optimal power consumption mode [0054]).
Regarding claim 10, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. In combination with Sun, Bastian further teaches the cluster command further comprises another identity information of the another tracker, and in the information exchanging step in response to determining that the short-distance communication circuit does not receive the another identity information from the another tracker after the rendezvous time period, the processing circuit is changed from the cluster mode to the default mode ([0086]-[0088]).
Regarding claim 12, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. Bastian further teach the tracker comprising: a number of the at least one second tracker is plural, and each of the trackers further comprises a power supply circuit, which is connected to the processing circuit and configured to provide a battery information (i.e., The tracking device 106 also includes a power supply 442, which in the illustrated example is in the form of a battery, for powering the processor 402 and other components in the tracking device 106 [0062]). Sun teaches the cloud server respectively receives a plurality of the battery information from the plurality of the remote communication circuits of the trackers, the cloud server assigns one of the trackers in the tracked cluster as the first tracker and assigns a rest of the trackers in the tracked cluster as the second trackers, and the battery information of the first tracker is better than the plurality of the battery information of the second trackers (i.e., when there are two or more trackers connected to a same largest number of trackers, for example, as shown in FIG. 2a where three trackers are connected to each other and each tracker is connected to two trackers, the three trackers may exchange information through short-range communication. The information may be at least one of power consumption information, battery level information, or factory setting information [0034]-[0035]).
Regarding claim 14, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. Bastian further teach each of the trackers comprising: a power supply circuit connected to the processing circuit and configured to provide a battery information (i.e., The tracking device 106 also includes a power supply 442, which in the illustrated example is in the form of a battery, for powering the processor 402 and other components in the tracking device 106 [0062]). Sun teaches each of the processing circuits collects the battery information from the power supply circuit, and the information receiving step further comprises: configuring the cloud server to respectively receive a plurality of the battery information from a plurality of the remote communication circuits of the trackers (i.e., when there are two or more trackers connected to a same largest number of trackers, for example, as shown in FIG. 2a where three trackers are connected to each other and each tracker is connected to two trackers, the three trackers may exchange information through short-range communication. The information may be at least one of power consumption information, battery level information, or factory setting information [0034]-[0035]).
Regarding claim 15, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. Sun teaches performing an assigning step to configure the cloud server to assign one of the trackers in the tracked cluster as the first tracker and assign a rest of the trackers in the tracked cluster as the second trackers, wherein the battery information of the first tracker is better than the plurality of the battery information of the second trackers (i.e., when there are two or more trackers connected to a same largest number of trackers, for example, as shown in FIG. 2a where three trackers are connected to each other and each tracker is connected to two trackers, the three trackers may exchange information through short-range communication. The information may be at least one of power consumption information, battery level information, or factory setting information [0021]-[0023], [0034]-[0035]).
Regarding claim 16, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. Bastian further teaches performing an information exchanging step to configure the processing circuit to wake up a short-distance communication circuit in the rendezvous time period according to the cluster command (i.e., pallets 104 are stored in a storage facility 134 or other similar structure. Short-range communication beacons 136 within the storage facility 134 are used to determine a location of a certain pallet 104 within the storage facility 134 [0053]).
Regarding claim 17, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. Sun further teaches wherein in the information exchanging step, the short-distance communication circuit of each of the trackers randomly operates in one of a peripheral mode and a central mode in the rendezvous time period, in the peripheral mode, the short-distance communication circuit of each of the trackers sends the identity information and 8 the battery information to a rest of the short-distance communication circuits in the tracked cluster, and in the central mode, the short-distance communication circuit of each of the trackers receives the plurality of the identity information and the plurality of the battery information from the rest of the short-distance communication circuits in the tracked cluster (i.e., when there are two or more trackers connected to a same largest number of trackers, for example, as shown in FIG. 2a where three trackers are connected to each other and each tracker is connected to two trackers, the three trackers may exchange information through short-range communication. The information may be at least one of power consumption information, battery level information, or factory setting information [0035]).
Regarding claim 18, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. In combination with the power saving taught by Bastian in: reducing the processing required to be performed by the tracking device 106 and therefore saving power and increasing battery life ([0050]), Sun further teaches performing an information comparing step to configure the processing circuit of each of the trackers in the tracked cluster to compare the battery information with the plurality of the battery information received from the rest of the short-distance communication circuits after the rendezvous time period; wherein in response to determining that the battery information of one of the trackers in the tracked cluster is better than the plurality of the battery information received from the rest of the short-distance communication circuits, the processing circuit of the one of the trackers controls the one of the trackers to enter the working state in the working time period; wherein in response to determining that the battery information of another one of the trackers in the tracked cluster is not better than one of the plurality of the battery information received from the rest of the short-distance communication circuits, the processing circuit of the another one of the trackers controls the another one of the trackers to enter the sleep state (i.e., The tracker Y enables its remote communication network to communicate with the data center. The other trackers disable their respective remote communication network circuits and transmit information to the tracker Y through short-range communication, and the information is then transmitted to the data center through the remote communication network of the tracker Y [0023]-[0028], [0034]-[0035], selecting one other tracker with lowest power consumption as the remote communication device from the other trackers which can provide the remote communication function for the tracker when the current network selection mode is an optimal power consumption mode [0054]).
Regarding claim 19, Bastian II in view of Sun teaches all the limitations above. In combination with Sun, Bastian teaches each of the trackers in the tracked cluster is changed from each of the default modes to a cluster mode according to the cluster command, the cluster command further comprises the plurality of the identity information of the trackers in the tracked cluster, and in the information exchanging step, in response to determining that the short-distance communication circuit of each of the trackers does not receive one of the plurality of the identity information from a rest of the short-distance communication circuits in the tracked cluster after the rendezvous time period, the processing circuit of each of the trackers in the tracked cluster is changed from the cluster mode to the default mode ([0086]-[0088]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEAN ALLAND GELIN whose telephone number is (571)272-7842. The examiner can normally be reached MON-FR 9-6 PM.
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/JEAN A GELIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643