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 Restriction
Applicant’s Restriction arguments, see remark on page 1, filed on 3/31/2026, with respect to claims 1-20 have been acknowledged. The applicant elects, without traverse, Group I, claims 1-16.
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 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.
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) 1-3, 5, 7, 9-11, 13, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tayyab et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0235271) in view of Balasubramanian et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0248432).
Regarding claim 1, Tayyab et al. discloses an access point comprising: a memory; and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
determine that a second device (read as the EH 410 in fig. 4) should harvest energy from a message (read as the reflected energy 480 in fig. 4) transmitted by a first device (read as the RIS 430) (Tayyab et al. see fig. 4, reflected energy 480; para. 0082; FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a use of an RIS 430 to overcome an obstacle 420 in a wireless network 400). Thus, the BS 440 determines that the EH 410 should harvest energy from a message transmitted by the RIS 430 based on obstacle;
determine a first basic service set (BSS) color (read as the location, frequency and/or frequency range in para. 0082) that the first device and the second device should use for the second device to harvest energy from the message (Tayyab et al. see fig. 4, reflected energy 480; para. 0082; BS 440 exchanges control signals 450 with the RIS 430 to provide information about the EH device 410, e.g., location, frequency/frequency range. The RIS 430 then configured EH elements in the RIS 430 to steer RF energy signals 460 into reflected energy 480 (e.g., along particular beams) toward the EH device 410.). The BS determines and provides the location, frequency or frequency range about the EH (Energy Harvesting) device to the RIS for harvesting energy with the EH, wherein the location, frequency and/or range is broadly interpreted as the BSS color/indicator; and
communicate, to the first device, an instruction (read as the control signals 450) to use the first BSS color when transmitting the message (Tayyab et al. see fig. 4, control signals 450; para. 0082; a BS 440 exchanges control signals 450 with the RIS 430 to provide information about the EH device 410, e.g., location, frequency/frequency range.). The BS configures and transmits the control signal 450 (e.g., instruction) about the EH device to instruct the RIS to reflect energy 480 toward the EH device.
However, Tayyab et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature to determine, based on a proximity of a first device to a second device, that the second device should harvest energy from a message transmitted by the first device.
Balasubramanian et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature to determine, based on a proximity of a first device to a second device, that the second device should harvest energy from a message transmitted by the first device (Balasubramanian et al. see fig. 5, EH-WTRU and Legacy WTRUs; fig. 7, WTRUs in different rings/regions; abstract; para. 0102, 0106, 0114,0115, 0120, 0122, 0128; In para. 0120, … With regard to beamforming, a key concept in theseembodiments is that the gNB signals the location information of itself, the relevant legacy WTRU (i.e., source energy WTRU), and/or the EH-WTRU, thereby enabling the EH-WTRU to estimate the optimal receive direction based on the estimated beam pair associated with the legacy WTRU-gNB uplink communication. In para. 0122, If the gNB knows the EH-WTRU and legacy WTRU location information and expects a Line of Sight (LoS) Uplink communication, the gNB may then use one of the following options to assist the EH WTRU in selecting its receive beam direction for energy harvesting from the legacy WTRU. In para. 0128, In various embodiments, the gNB may choose to limit the signaling options above to the cases where the EH WTRU is sufficiently close to the legacy WTRU to guarantee a LoS energy harvesting link). In other words, the gNB determines, based on the geographic location (e.g., proximity) of the legacy WTRU(s) being close to the EH WTRU and selects the appropriate legacy WTRU(s) for energy harvesting with the EH WTRU.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Tayyab et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Balasubramanian et al. to determine based on proximity of the legacy WTRU and the EH WTRU, that the EH WTRU should harvest energy from the legacy WTRU.
The motivation would be to improve transmission efficiency.
Claim 9 is rejected similarly to claim 1.
Regarding claims 2, 10, Tayyab et al. discloses the feature to determine, based on a position of the second device, that the second device should avoid harvesting energy from a message transmitted by the access point (Tayyab et al. see fig. 3, low energy device 310; fig. 4; para. 0064, 0066, 0082; The gNB may then determine whether to use the RIS to steer energy toward an energy harvesting device based on the report.). As illustrated in fig. 3, the gNB determines the low energy device 310 is in a position that is blocked by an obstacle, thereby avoid harvesting energy from the gNB itself, and instead to use an RIS as alternative for energy harvesting.
Regarding claims 3, 11, Tayyab et al. discloses the feature wherein determining that the second device should harvest energy from the message transmitted by the first device is in response to determining that the second device should avoid harvesting energy from the message transmitted by the access point (Tayyab et al. see fig. 3, low energy device 310; fig. 4; para. 0064, 0066, 0082; The gNB may then determine whether to use the RIS to steer energy toward an energy harvesting device based on the report.). As illustrated in fig. 3, the gNB determines the low energy device 310 is in a position that is blocked by an obstacle, thereby avoid harvesting energy from the gNB itself, and instead to use an RIS as alternative for energy harvesting.
Regarding claims 5, 13, Tayyab et al. discloses the feature to use a second BSS color to make a data transmission, wherein the second BSS color is different from the first BSS color (Tayyab et al. see fig. 10, step 1003; para. 0106; the BS transmits a request to the RIS to approach the UE; in some implementations, the request includes UE location, priority, and frequency or frequency range.). Thus, the priority is be interpreted as the second BSS color.
Regarding claims 7, 15, Tayyab et al. discloses the feature wherein determining the first BSS color is in response to determining that the second device should harvest energy (Tayyab et al. see fig. 4, obstacle 420; para. 0082). The configuration information about the EH device e.g., location, frequency/range is determined based on the determination that the second device should harvest energy due to obstacles.
Claim(s) 4, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tayyab et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0235271) in view of Balasubramanian et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0248432) as applied to claim 1 or 9 above, and further in view of Wei et al. (Pub No.: 2025/0126565).
Regarding claims 4, 12, Tayyab et al. in view of Balasubramanian et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature to determine a battery level of the second device, and wherein determining that the second device should harvest energy from the message is further based on the battery level of the second device.
Wei et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature to determine a battery level of the second device, and wherein determining that the second device should harvest energy from the message is further based on the battery level of the second device (Wei et al. see para. 0185, 0186; The UE may report its status when in an energy harvesting mode, for example whether the UE is ready to move out of the energy harvesting mode to a normal capability mode… the UE may transmit an indication that the UE is staying in the energy harvesting mode (e.g., if the battery energy level remains below a threshold)).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Tayyab et al. in view of Balasubramanian et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Wei et al. to harvest energy based on battery level.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
Claim(s) 8, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tayyab et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0235271) in view of Balasubramanian et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0248432) as applied to claim 1 or 9 above, and further in view of Wang et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0378807).
Regarding claims 8, 16, Tayyab et al. in view of Balasubramanian et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature to determine, based on a scheduled transmission, when the first device should transmit the message, wherein the instruction indicates when the first device should transmit the message.
Wang et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature to determine, based on a scheduled transmission, when the first device should transmit the message, wherein the instruction indicates when the first device should transmit the message (Wang et al. see para. 0132; At 425, the network entity 105-b may transmit, to the UE 115-c based on the energy scheduling request, a second control message indicating scheduling information for an energy transfer signal.)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Tayyab et al. in view of Balasubramanian et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Wang et al. to configure the UE to transmit energy harvesting signal based on a schedule.
The motivation would be to lower transmission interference.
Examiner's Note
The Applicant is welcome to request a telephonic interview if the Applicant has any questions or requires any additional information that would further or expedite the prosecution of the application.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 14 are 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ficara et al. (Pub No.: 2024/0381158) discloses a wireless network in which an access point determines and selects alternative devices to make transmissions for energy harvesting purposes. The access point includes a memory and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor determines, based on a proximity of a first device to a second device, that the second device should harvest energy from a message transmitted by the first device, determines a first basic service set (BSS) color that the first device and the second device should use for the second device to harvest energy from the message, and communicates, to the first device, an instruction to use the first BSS color when transmitting the message.
Lee et al. (Pub No.: 2020/0106292) discloses a method and system for group-based energy harvesting. The group-based energy harvesting method performed by an access point in an energy harvesting system includes allocating an access period in each group including at least one station, receiving an energy state from the station in the group corresponding to the allocated access period, and scheduling stations in each group as a data transmission station or an energy reception station based on the received energy state.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAN YUEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1413. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10:30am-7pm.
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/KAN YUEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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