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)(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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Prasad et al. (US 2025/0126599 A1 herein Prasad).
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding claim 1, Prasad teaches a computing device for wireless communication (read as ESL device(s) 108A-D, 591, one or more ESL tags 593, or a combination thereof) (Prasad – Figure 1A, Figure 5, [0044], and [0063]), the computing device comprising:
at least one memory (read as memory 416) (Prasad – Figure 4, and [0062]); and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory (read as microprocessor 414) (Prasad – Figure 4, and [0062]) and configured to:
receive an energizer transmission from an energizing device (read as ESL tags 593 (e.g., IoT tags) may include or correspond to passive or battery-less radios which may output a signal or beacon based on received RF energy; ESL devices 591 include an energizer device configured to provide RF energy to the ESL tags 593 and/or trigger the ESL tags 593) (Prasad – [0065]);
store energy from the energizer transmission in the at least one memory (read as ESL device 108A may coupled to a battery 406 or other power source to power operations performed by the ESL device 108A such as to operate the wireless radio(s) 412, the memory, and other components) (Prasad – [0062]); and
output, based on the stored energy, a response signal for transmission using at least one of a particular frequency channel or a particular time based on at least one of a type of the computing device (read as AP 106A may broadcast information that is received by all ESL devices during a first time period and ESL devices may communicate with AP during subsequent time periods) (Prasad – [0058]), the energizer transmission (read as ESL tags 593 (e.g., IoT tags) may output a signal or beacon based on received RF energy; ESL devices 591 or ESL tags 593 may transmit one or more beacon responses) (Prasad – [0065], [0081]), or a configuration of a switch associated with the computing device (read as switch 724 coupled to pattern matcher 716) (Prasad – [0102]-[0103]).
Regarding claim 2 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is pre-configured, based on the type of the computing device, to transmit with at least one of a certain duty cycle, every predetermined number of time slots of a time grid, or with a certain time offset within a time slot of the time grid (read as ESL devices may be configured to transmit to the AP during a first time cycle or second time cycle) (Prasad – [0058]).
Regarding claim 3 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device has a physical characteristic indicating the type of the computing device (read as ESL devices 108A-108D may be configured with an Electronic Shelf Label Profile; ESL devices product information and identification information) (Prasad – [0048]-[0049]).
Regarding claim 4 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is pre-configured to transmit the response signal with an orthogonal preamble sequence (read as orthogonal FDMA) (Prasad – [0013]).
Regarding claim 5 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is within a group of computing devices (read as ESL device 108A may be in a piconet with the AP 106A) (Prasad – Figure 1A, and [0046]).
Regarding claim 6 as applied to claim 5, Prasad further teaches wherein computing devices are included within the group of computing devices based on one or more grouping factors, the one or more grouping factors comprising at least one of the computing devices being within a same area of deployment, being of a same product type, having a same batch identification, being transported together, having a same priority, or being susceptible to interference based on a layout of an environment in which the computing devices are located (read as ESL devices may provide information to a shopper or store employee operating in the environment, such as to provide information regarding products and/or assist with location determination of products or the user) (Prasad – [0057]).
Regarding claim 7 as applied to claim 6, Prasad further teaches wherein, based on the computing devices within the group of computing devices having a higher priority than other computing devices within one or more other groups of computing devices, the computing devices within the group of computing devices are pre-configured to transmit more frequently than the other computing devices within the one or more other groups (read as AP 106A, may broadcast information that is received by all ESL devices, including ESL device 108A, during a first time period 302. The ESL devices may communicate with the AP during subsequent time periods; ESL systems with significant numbers of ESL devices, the ESL devices may be configured to communicate in different groups) (Prasad – Figure 3, and [0058]).
Regarding claim 8 as applied to claim 6, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is reconfigured to transmit using the at least one of the particular frequency channel or the particular time based on the one or more grouping factors for including the computing devices within the group of computing devices (read as AP 106A, may broadcast information that is received by all ESL devices, including ESL device 108A, during a first time period 302. The ESL devices may communicate with the AP during subsequent time periods; ESL systems with significant numbers of ESL devices, the ESL devices may be configured to communicate in different groups) (Prasad – Figure 3, and [0058]).
Regarding claim 9 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is reconfigured to transmit using the at least one of the particular frequency channel or the particular time based on the configuration of the switch associated with the computing device (read as switch 724 coupled to pattern matcher 716) (Prasad – [0102]-[0103]).
Regarding claim 10 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is reconfigured to transmit using the at least one of the particular frequency channel or the particular time based on a waveform pattern of the energizer transmission (read as orthogonal FDMA; time division multiple access (TDMA)) (Prasad – Figure 3, [0013], and [0058]).
Regarding claim 11 as applied to claim 10, Prasad further teaches wherein the waveform pattern is an ON/OFF burst pattern (read as orthogonal FDMA; time division multiple access (TDMA)) (Prasad – Figure 3, [0013], and [0058]).
Regarding claim 12 as applied to claim 10, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is pre-configured to store a plurality of different waveform patterns comprising the waveform pattern (read as orthogonal FDMA; time division multiple access (TDMA)) (Prasad – Figure 3, [0013], and [0058]).
Regarding claim 13 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is an ambient Internet-of-things (IoT) device (read as ESL tags 593 (e.g., IoT Tags) (Prasad – [0064]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 14 as applied to claim 1, Prasad further teaches further comprising at least one transceiver configured to receive the energizer transmission from the energizing device and to transmit the response signal using the at least one of the particular frequency channel or the particular time (read as transmitter 510 and receiver 512 may be replaced with a transceiver; transceiver may include or correspond to one or more components of ESL device 108A) (Prasad – Figure 4, and [0071]).
Regarding claim 15, Prasad teaches a method for wireless communication, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device (read as ESL device(s) 108A-D, 591, one or more ESL tags 593, or a combination thereof) (Prasad – Figure 1A, Figure 5, [0044], and [0063]), an energizer transmission from an energizing device (read as ESL tags 593 (e.g., IoT tags) may include or correspond to passive or battery-less radios which may output a signal or beacon based on received RF energy; ESL devices 591 include an energizer device configured to provide RF energy to the ESL tags 593 and/or trigger the ESL tags 593) (Prasad – [0065]);
storing, by the computing device, energy from the energizer transmission (read as ESL device 108A may coupled to a battery 406 or other power source to power operations performed by the ESL device 108A such as to operate the wireless radio(s) 412, the memory, and other components) (Prasad – [0062]); and
transmitting, by the computing device based on the stored energy, a response signal using at least one of a particular frequency channel or a particular time based on at least one of a type of the computing device (read as AP 106A may broadcast information that is received by all ESL devices during a first time period and ESL devices may communicate with AP during subsequent time periods) (Prasad – [0058]), the energizer transmission (read as ESL tags 593 (e.g., IoT tags) may output a signal or beacon based on received RF energy; ESL devices 591 or ESL tags 593 may transmit one or more beacon responses) (Prasad – [0065], [0081]), or a configuration of a switch associated with the computing device (read as switch 724 coupled to pattern matcher 716) (Prasad – [0102]-[0103]).
Regarding claim 16 as applied to claim 15, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is pre-configured, based on the type of the computing device, to transmit with at least one of a certain duty cycle (read as ESL devices may be configured to transmit to the AP during a first time cycle or second time cycle) (Prasad – [0058]), every predetermined number of time slots of a time grid, or with a certain time offset within a time slot of the time grid (read as AP 106A, may broadcast information that is received by all ESL devices, including ESL device 108A, during a first time period 302. The ESL devices may communicate with the AP during subsequent time periods; ESL systems with significant numbers of ESL devices, the ESL devices may be configured to communicate in different groups) (Prasad – Figure 3, and [0058]).
Regarding claim 17 as applied to claim 15, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device has a physical characteristic indicating the type of the computing device (read as ESL devices 108A-108D may be configured with an Electronic Shelf Label Profile; ESL devices product information and identification information) (Prasad – [0048]-[0049]).
Regarding claim 18 as applied to claim 15, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is pre-configured to transmit the response signal with an orthogonal preamble sequence (read as orthogonal FDMA) (Prasad – [0013]).
Regarding claim 19 as applied to claim 15, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is within a group of computing devices (read as ESL device 108A may be in a piconet with the AP 106A) (Prasad – Figure 1A, and [0046]), and wherein computing devices are included within the group of computing devices based on one or more grouping factors, the one or more grouping factors comprising at least one of the computing devices being within a same area of deployment, being of a same product type, having a same batch identification, being transported together, having a same priority, or being susceptible to interference based on a layout of an environment in which the computing devices are located (read as ESL devices may provide information to a shopper or store employee operating in the environment, such as to provide information regarding products and/or assist with location determination of products or the user) (Prasad – [0057]).
Regarding claim 20 as applied to claim 15, Prasad further teaches wherein the computing device is reconfigured to transmit using the at least one of the particular frequency channel or the particular time based on at least one of one or more grouping factors for including the computing device within a group of computing devices (read as AP 106A may broadcast information that is received by all ESL devices during a first time period and ESL devices may communicate with AP during subsequent time periods) (Prasad – [0058]), based on the configuration of the switch associated with the computing device (read as switch 724 coupled to pattern matcher 716) (Prasad – [0102]-[0103]), or based on a waveform pattern of the energizer transmission (read as ESL tags 593 (e.g., IoT tags) may output a signal or beacon based on received RF energy; ESL devices 591 or ESL tags 593 may transmit one or more beacon responses) (Prasad – [0065], [0081]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to APRIL GUZMAN GONZALES whose telephone number is (571)270-1101. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm EST. The examiner’s email address is April.guzman@uspto.gov.
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/APRIL G GONZALES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648