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
The preliminary amendment filed on 05/02/2024 is received prior to the examination of the instant application and has not introduced any new matter, thus, has been entered and is examined on the merits.
Priority
Applicant's claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e)or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not compliedwith one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35U.S.C. 119(e) as follows:
The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an inventionwhich is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisionalapplication or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parentapplication and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with therequirements of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112. See Transco Products, Inc. v.Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551,32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994).
The disclosure of the prior-filed application, Application No. 61/061,356, fails toprovide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112 for one or more claims of this application. The filed specification alongwith the appendices of the Application No. 63/444,860 has failed to provide thesufficient written description related to the claimed invention in the instant application, such as “…a quantity of transmit opportunities to be provided in each time cycle during which the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using respective new device identifiers… and while the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using the respective new device identifiers, providing, by the coordinator communication device, the quantity of transmit opportunity periods in each time cycle" features.
Furthermore, the Application No. 63/444,860 only discloses “the coordinator sets plca_node_count to a normal value, which corresponds to the actual number of node on the bus…”(see the Specification, pages 10-11), but however does not disclose anything related to “new device identifiers”, thus does not disclsoes the follower communication devices/nodes selects transmit opportunities using respective “new device identifiers”.
Therefore, the Application No. 63/444,860 has failed to disclose “a quantity of transmit opportunities to be provided in each time cycle during which the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using respective new device identifiers… and while the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using the respective new device identifiers, providing, by the coordinator communication device, the quantity of transmit opportunity periods in each time cycle” (See claims 1, 11, 21 and 28).
Therefore, the disclosure of the invention in the later-filed application is notsufficient to comply with the requirements of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112.Accordingly, the features are not entitled to the benefit of the prior application.
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 1-7, 11-17, 21-23, 26-30 and 33-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2023/0135690 A1 to Beruto.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Beruto teaches a method for providing transmission opportunities in a communication network that operates according to a communication protocol, the communication protocol defining repeating time cycles (a method for providing transmission opportunities TOs in a communication network that operates according to a communication protocol, paragraphs [107-110], wherein the communication protocol defines repeating time cycles, Fig. 5 and 7), wherein the communication protocol specifies that each of multiple communication devices is provided a respective transmit opportunity in each time cycle (in each time cycle, each of the multiple communication devices/nodes is provided with a respective TO, Fig. 5, 7 and paragraphs [11, 19, 114, 126, 127]), and a network interface device (i.e. coordinator node, Fig. 2 and paragraphs [112, 128-129]) for communicating in a communication network that operates according to a communication protocol, the communication protocol defining repeating time cycles (wherein the coordinator node performs the method for providing transmission opportunities TOs in a communication network that operates according to a communication protocol, paragraphs [107-110], wherein the communication protocol defines repeating time cycles, Fig. 5 and 7), wherein the communication protocol specifies that each of multiple communication devices is provided a respective transmit opportunity in each time cycle (in each time cycle, each of the multiple communication devices/nodes is provided with a respective TO, Fig. 5, 7 and paragraphs [11, 19, 114, 126, 127]), the network interface device being configured to operate as a coordinator communication device and comprising:
receiver circuitry (i.e. transceiver module 30, Fig. 2 and paragraph [112]);
transmit circuitry (i.e. transceiver module 30, Fig. 2 and paragraph [112]); and
controller circuitry (data exchange module 20 for perform the functions of D-PLCA RS, Fig. 2 and paragraphs [112-114]) that is configured to:
determine a number of follower communication devices in the communication network (the coordinator node determines a number of nodes actively transmitting data through a network at each cycle, paragraphs [128-129, 133]) while the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using respective initial device identifiers (while the nodes are selecting TOs using respective initial device identifiers, abstract and paragraphs [121-123, 132-133]),
determine a quantity of transmit opportunities to be provided in each time cycle during which the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using respective new device identifiers (the coordinator node determines a quantity of TOs to be provided in each cycle while the nodes are selecting TOs using a new device identifiers, i.e. node selects a new TO, abstract and paragraphs [129-133]), including determining the quantity of transmit opportunities using the number of follower communication devices (wherein the quantity of TOs is determined based on the number of nodes in the networks, paragraphs [130-133]), and
while the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using the respective new device identifiers, provide the quantity of transmit opportunity periods in each time cycle (while the nodes are selecting the TOs using new IDs, the coordinator node provides TOs in each cycle, i.e. increase or decrease the number of TOs in each cycle, paragraphs [17-18, 127-128, 130-133]).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Beruto further teaches providing the quantity of transmit opportunity periods in each time cycle comprises the providing the quantity of first transmit opportunity periods in each first time cycle (providing quantity of TOs in a first cycle, paragraphs [131-133]), and wherein determining number of follower communication devices comprises:
providing, by the coordinator communication device, a predetermined quantity of second transmit opportunity periods during a second time cycle (provides a predetermined quantity of TOs during a next cycle, paragraphs [131-133]), wherein the predetermined quantity of second transmit opportunity periods corresponds to an expected maximum quantity of follower communication devices in the communication network (wherein the predetermined quantity of TOs during a next cycle corresponded to a maximum TOs, i.e. pleaNodeCount, paragraphs [131-133]);
determining, at the coordinator communication device, a quantity of second transmit opportunity periods, during the second time cycle, that include transmissions by one or more follower communication devices (determines a new quantity of TOs that include transmission by the nodes, paragraph [133]); and
determining, at the coordinator communication device, the number of follower communication devices using the quantity of second transmit opportunity periods that include transmissions by one or more follower communication devices (determines a number of Nodes based on the quantity of TOs, paragraph [133]).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Beruto further teaches wherein predetermined quantity of second transmit opportunity periods corresponds to a maximum number of communication devices permitted in the communication network by the communication protocol (pleaNodeCount corresponded to a maximum number of node permitted to communicate in the network, i.e. selects available ID to transmit and skips the transmission when there is no available ID or TO, paragraphs [121-124, 133]).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Beruto further teaches wherein each follower communication device is configured to transmit during a respective second transmit opportunity period that corresponds to the respective initial device identifier of the follower communication device (each node is configured to transmit during a respective TO that corresponded to a respective ID of the node, paragraphs [9-11, 77-80, 120-125] and abstract).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Beruto further teaches wherein providing the predetermined quantity of second transmit opportunity periods during the second time cycle comprises:
transmitting, by the coordinator communication device, a first beacon at a beginning of the second time cycle (the coordinator node transmits a first beacon at beginning of each cycle, Fig. 5-7); and
transmitting, by the coordinator communication device, a second beacon after an end of the second time cycle so that a time duration from an end of the first beacon and a beginning of the second beacon corresponds to the predetermined quantity of second transmit opportunity periods (the coordinator node transmits a second beacon at beginning of subsequence cycle, after ending of the cycle, thus the time duration from the end of the first beacon and the beginning of the second beacon is corresponded to a quantity of TOs for the cycle, paragraphs [114, 117-118, 122, 137-138] and Fig. 5-7).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Beruto further teaches wherein providing the quantity of first transmit opportunity periods in each first time cycle comprises, in connection with each first time cycle:
transmitting, by the coordinator communication device, a first beacon at a beginning of the first time cycle (the coordinator node transmits a first beacon at beginning of each cycle including a first cycle C1, Fig. 5-7); and
transmitting, by the coordinator communication device, a second beacon after an end of the first time cycle so that a time duration from an end of the first beacon and a beginning of the second beacon corresponds to the quantity of first transmit opportunity periods (the coordinator node transmits a second beacon after ending of the first cycle, so that the time duration from the end of the first beacon and the beginning of the second beacon is corresponded to the quantity of TOs for the first cycle, paragraphs [114, 117-118, 122, 137-138] and Fig. 5-7).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Beruto further teaches wherein providing the quantity of transmit opportunity periods in each time cycle comprises, in connection with each time cycle:
transmitting, by the coordinator communication device, a first beacon at a beginning of the time cycle (the coordinator node transmits a first beacon at beginning of each cycle including a first cycle C1, Fig. 5-7); and
transmitting, by the coordinator communication device, a second beacon after an end of the time cycle so that a time duration from an end of the first beacon and a beginning of the second beacon corresponds to the quantity of transmit opportunity periods (the coordinator node transmits a second beacon after ending of the first cycle, so that the time duration from the end of the first beacon and the beginning of the second beacon is corresponded to the quantity of TOs for the first cycle, paragraphs [114, 117-118, 122, 137-138] and Fig. 5-7).
Regarding claims 21 and 28, Beruto teaches a method for determining an identifier for a communication device in a communication network that operates according to a communication protocol (a method for determining an identifier for a node in a network that operates according to a communication protocol, paragraphs [107-113] and Fig. 3-7), the communication protocol defining repeating time cycles (wherein the communication protocol defines repeating time cycles, Fig. 5 and 7), wherein the communication protocol specifies that each of multiple communication devices is provided a respective transmit opportunity in each time cycle (in each time cycle, each of the multiple communication devices/nodes is provided with a respective TO, Fig. 5, 7 and paragraphs [11, 19, 114, 126, 127]), and a network interface device (i.e. a node that is not a coordinator node, Fig. 2 and paragraphs [112, 117-123, 133-134]) for communicating in a communication network that operates according to a communication protocol (wherein the node that is not a coordinator node, performs the method for determining transmission opportunity TO in a network that operates according to a communication protocol, paragraphs [107-110, 128-129]), the communication protocol defining repeating time cycles (wherein the communication protocol defines repeating time cycles, Fig. 5 and 7), wherein the communication protocol specifies that each of multiple communication devices is provided a respective transmit opportunity in each time cycle (in each time cycle, each of the multiple communication devices/nodes is provided with a respective TO, Fig. 5, 7 and paragraphs [11, 19, 114, 126, 127]), the network interface device being configured to operate as a follower communication device and comprising:
receiver circuitry (i.e. transceiver module 30, Fig. 2 and paragraph [112]);
transmit circuitry (i.e. transceiver module 30, Fig. 2 and paragraph [112]); and
controller circuitry that is configured to (data exchange module 20 for perform the functions of D-PLCA RS, Fig. 2 and paragraphs [112-114]):
determine a quantity of transmit opportunities in which one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted (the node determines a quantity of TOs in which one or more nodes in the network, paragraphs [116, 121]) while the one or more other follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using one or more respective initial device identifiers (while other nodes are selecting TOs using respective initial IDs, paragraphs [116-122, 128-129, 133]),
determine a new identifier of the follower communication device using the quantity of transmit opportunities in which the one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted (the node determines a new ID for the node when there is an available ID using the list of the TOs, paragraphs [116, 120-121, 133]), and
after determining the new identifier of the follower communication device, select transmit opportunities for the follower communication device that correspond to the new device identifier (after the node selected the new ID for the node, the node uses the TO corresponding to the new ID for communication, paragraphs [121-123, 133-134]).
Regarding claims 22 and 29, Beruto further teaches prior to determining the new identifier of the follower communication device: transmitting, by the follower communication device, during a transmit opportunity period that corresponds to an initial identifier of the follower communication device (transmits by the node during a TO that corresponded to an initial ID, i.e. the ID that has not been updated, paragraphs [130-133]).
Regarding claims 23 and 30, Beruto further teaches wherein determining the quantity of transmit opportunities in which one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted while the one or more other follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using one or more respective initial device identifiers comprises: determining the quantity of transmit opportunities during a first time cycle in which one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted (the node determines quantity of TOs during a first cycle in which the other nodes are transmitted, i.e. list of TOs in an TO_TABLE, paragraphs [116-122]).
Regarding claims 26 and 33, Beruto further teaches wherein: determining the quantity of transmit opportunities during the first time cycle comprises determining a quantity of transmit opportunities during the first time cycle, and prior to a transmit opportunity of the follower communication device within the first time cycle, in which one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted (create TO_TABLE including the quantity of TOs during the first cycle, prior to TO of the node, paragraphs [116-122] and Fig. 3, 11); and determining the new identifier of the follower communication device comprises using the quantity of transmit opportunities during the first time cycle, and prior to the transmit opportunity of the follower communication device within the first time cycle, in which one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted (the Node determines there is a new IDs available for selection using the TOs in the TO_TABLE prior to transmission, i.e. TO of the Node, paragraphs [116-122, 133]).
Regarding claims 27 and 34, Beruto further teaches wherein: the first time cycle begins with a beacon from the coordinator communication device (wherein the first cycle begins with a beacon from the coordinator node, Fig. 5, 7); and
determining the quantity of transmit opportunities during the first time cycle, and prior to the transmit opportunity of the follower communication device within the first time cycle, in which one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted comprises counting, by the follower communication device, a number of transmit opportunities i) after the beacon, and ii) prior to a transmit opportunity that corresponds to the initial device identifier of the follower communication device (determining the quantity of TOs during the first cycle, by counting/adding the TOs after beacon and prior to the TO of the node, Fig. 3, 11 and paragraphs [116-123, 155-163]).
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 nonobviousness.
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.
Claims 8-10, 18-20, 24-25 and 31-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2023/0135690 A1 to Beruto as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2019/0327621 A1 to Chou et al. (hereafter refers as Chou).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Beruto further teaches a device identification procedure is to begin (the coordinator node starts a procedure to update/increase device identifications, paragraphs [130-133]);
wherein determining the number of follower communication devices in the communication network while the follower communication devices are selecting transmit opportunities using respective initial device identifiers is performed in connection with the device identification procedure (wherein the nodes selecting the TOs using respective initial IDs are performed while the coordinator node updating the device identifications, paragraphs [130-133]); and
wherein the follower communication devices select transmit opportunities using the respective new device identifiers after the device identification procedure (the nodes select TOs using the respective new IDs after the coordinator node completed the procedure, i.e. had increased the number of IDs, paragraph [133]).
However, Beruto does not explicitly teach the coordinator communication device “signals to one or more follower communication devices that the procedure is to begin”.
Chou teaches signaling, by a communication device, to one or more follower communication devices that a procedure is to begin (NFVO sends a notification to other device, indicating a start of a procedure, paragraphs [55, 67] and Fig. 3-4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of signaling, by a communication device, to one or more follower communication devices that a procedure is to begin as taught by Chou, with the teachings of the device identification procedure is to begin as taught by Beruto, for a purpose of increase efficiency for the network by allowing the followers to know when the device identification procedure has started, thus enable the followers to select transmit opportunities using a respective new device identifiers when appropriate (see Chou, paragraphs [55, 67]).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, the combination of Beruto and Chou further teaches wherein signaling that the device identification procedure is to begin comprises: providing, by the coordinator communication device, a predetermined quantity of transmit opportunity periods during a time cycle that precedes the device identification procedure (the coordinators provides a predetermined quantity of TOs during the cycle precedes the update procedure, i.e. pleaNodeCount is equal to 8, See Beruto, paragraph [133], including signaling the procedure has started, see Chou, paragraphs [55, 67]).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, the combination of Beruto and Chou further teaches wherein the predetermined quantity of transmit opportunity periods corresponds to a maximum number of communication devices permitted in the communication network by the communication protocol (pleaNodeCount corresponded to a maximum number of node permitted to communicate in the network, i.e. selects available ID to transmit and skip the transmission when there is no available ID or TO, see Beruto, paragraphs [121-124, 133]).
Regarding claims 24 and 31, Beruto further teaches a device identification procedure is to begin in connection with a second time cycle that precedes the first time cycle (the coordinator node starts a procedure to update/increase device identifications in a second cycle that precedes the first cycle, paragraphs [130-133] and Fig. 5-7);
wherein the device identification procedure corresponds to the first time cycle (wherein the update procedure is to change/update the IDs in the first cycle, paragraphs [130-133] and Fig. 5-7).
However, Beruto does not explicitly teach “determining, at the follower communication device, that a procedure is to begin”.
Chou teaches determining, at a follower communication device, that a procedure is to begin (a device determines that an update procedure has begun, paragraphs [55, 67] and Fig. 3-4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of determining, at a follower communication device, that a procedure is to begin as taught by Chou, with the teachings of device identification procedure is to begin in connection with a second time cycle that precedes the first time cycle as taught by Beruto, for a purpose of increase efficiency for the network by allowing the followers to know when the device identification procedure has started, thus enable the followers to select transmit opportunities using a respective new device identifiers when appropriate (see Chou, paragraphs [55, 67]).
Regarding claims 25 and 32, the combination of Beruto and Chou further teaches wherein: determining the quantity of transmit opportunities during the first time cycle comprises determining a quantity of first transmit opportunities during the first time cycle in which one or more other follower communication devices in the communication network transmitted (the node determines quantity of TOs during a first cycle in which the other nodes are transmitted, i.e. list of TOs in an TO_TABLE, see Beruto, paragraphs [116-122]); and
determining that the device identification procedure is to begin comprises determining, at the follower communication device, that the second time cycle includes a predetermined number of second transmit opportunity periods (the node determines that the new ID(s) is available for selection in the second cycle, see Beruto, paragraph [132-133], see Chou, paragraphs [55, 67, 70]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2024/0022450 A1 discloses optimizing procedure to remove TOs corresponded to inactive devices/followers in a cycle and updating the IDs corresponded to active devices/followers (see Fig. 7-10).
US 2024/0244674 A1 discloses updating ID table and device count based on comparison between ID of a device and ID of a first device (Fig. 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG B. HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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/DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 May 13, 2026
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