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 .
This action is in response to applicant’s amendment/arguments filed on 07/13/2026. Claims 1, 10 and 19 have been amended. Currently, claims 1-20 are pending. This action is made FINAL.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments/amendments with respect to amended claims 1, 10 and 19 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Response to Amendments
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 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.
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.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chien (US 20160072804 A1) in view of Patil et al. (US 20150341447 A1).
Consider claim 1, Chien discloses a first device for sharing device capabilities (read as first device 102 for sharing resources/capabilities, figure 1, par [0022] and [0018]-[0019]), the first device comprising:
at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory (read as the first device 102 includes a processor 104 and a memory 106, with memory 106 storing instructions executable by processor 104 to perform operations, figure 1, par [0019]) and configured to:
output, for transmission to one or more second devices, an advertisement message indicating one or more capabilities of the first device available for sharing with the one or more second devices (read as the first device 102 transmitting resource advertisement message 140 to one or more devices, where the resource advertisement message 140 indicates the type of resource 116 and information associated with it, and where resource 116 includes sharable device functions and interfaces, figure 1, par [0022]-[0025]);
receive, from at least one second device of the one or more second devices, a response message requesting at least one capability of the one or more capabilities from the first device (read as based on the received resource advertisement message 140, the second device 120 sends a request (corresponding to a response message) to use the resource 116 and the first device 102 receives that request, figures 1 and 2, par [0025]-[0026]); and
establish a connection with the at least one second device for sharing the at least one capability (read as after the first device 102 determines that the second device 120 is authenticated, the first device 102 connecting with the second device 120, at 214, to share the resource 116/capability using ad hoc connection, figures 1 and 2, par [0010], [0034] and [0041]).
However, Chien discloses the claimed invention above and the resource advertisement message 140 followed by resource sharing with the requesting device (par 0024]-[0025], [0037] and [041]) but does not specifically disclose wherein the advertisement message includes a sharing policy that indicates limit for sharing one or more capabilities, and the connection is established in accordance with the sharing policy.
Nonetheless, Patil discloses advertised lifetime control, in which first message 150 is broadcasted by first device 110 as a service discovery message (i.e. also used for advertising, see par [0053]) whose group attribute data 180 indicates service availability and includes lifetime value 134; the lifetime value states the duration during which the service is available; receiving second device 120 joins the data path group, sets lifetime counter 122 from the advertised value, participates while the counter remains unexpired and disassociates at expiration; the advertised lifetime value and counter control corresponds to a duration sharing policy which governing the resulting service association, figure 1, par [0040]-[0042], [0045] [0048]-[0049] and [0051].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Patil into the teachings of Chien, to configure Chien’s resource advertisement and sharing connection using Patil’s lifetime value and expiration controlled participation, in order to inform requesting devices how long the advertised resource remains available and end access automatically when that period expires, reducing disassociation signaling (see par [0022] and [0029] of Patil).
Consider claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the one or more capabilities comprise at least one of a computing capability, a connectivity capability, a sensing capability, an energy capability, a distributed computing capability, a power capability, a battery capability, a memory capability, a storage capability, or a hardware capability (read as sharing resources/capabilities including processing capabilities (read as the resource 116 may include data associated with a camera, a microphone, a satellite interface, a wireless interface, a cellular interface, or a combination thereof; when the resource 116 is associated with an external device, the resource 116 may include data received by the first device 102 from a multimedia capture device, a sensor array, a drone aircraft, or a combination thereof, figures 1 and 2, par [0010], [0022]-[0023] and [0041]).
Consider claim 3, as applied to claim 1 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the advertisement message further indicates an exchange system for sharing the one or more capabilities (read as the resource advertisement message 140 including an offer price for sharing resource 116, and a sharing arrangement implemented through payment, credits, bids and counteroffers; for example, the second device 120 would accept that price or submit a bid price, and the resource 116 is shared in exchange for payment at that offer price, par [0012], [0025] and [0031]).
Consider claim 4, as applied to claim 3 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the exchange system is one of a pre-grant exchange, a barter exchange, or a charge exchange (read as the message 140 includes an offer price, the second device 120 would accept that price or submit a bid price, and the resource 116 is shared in exchange for payment at that offer price, par [0012] and [0031]).
Consider claim 6, as applied to claim 1 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the at least one processor is configured to form a respective device group association with each second device of the one or more second devices (read as processor 102 of first device 102 carries out sharing operations, including receiving response request 142 from second devices 120 and determining whether the second device 120 is known or authenticated, establishing an ad hoc connection and trust relationship for sharing, then sharing resource 116 with the second device 120, which corresponding to the processor 104 forming a respective device (sharing) group association with each of the second device 120 participating in the sharing operations, par [0010], [0011], [0019] and [0027]-[0028]).
Consider claim 7, as applied to claim 6 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the device group association is one of a permanent association or an ad hoc association (read as the first device 102 forming the ad hoc connection with other devices such as second device 120 after authentication, par [0010], [0011], [0019] and [0027]-[0028]).
Consider claim 8, as applied to claim 1 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the connection is established via one or more third devices (read as in one case which the first device 102 and second device 120 do not communicate directly, but instead communicate via arbitration server 420, which the arbitration server 420 forwarding data associated with resource between them, par [0014], [0053], [0056] and [0061]; alternative, fifth device 410 in figure 4 (par [0053]) would be read as the claimed “one or more third devices”).
Consider claim 9, as applied to claim 8 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the at least one processor is configured to form a respective device group association with each third device of the one or more third devices (read as the processor of first device 402 (102 in figure 1) controls the operations of first device 402/102 and brings the first device 402/102 into a sharing relationship with second device 404 (120 in figure 1) by communicating with arbitration server 420, authenticating through arbitration server 420, and using arbitration server 420 for resource sharing operations, which corresponding to the processor being configured to form a respective (sharing) device group association each third device participating in the sharing operations, par [0014], [0053], [0055] and [0061]; alternatively, the processor of first device is forming respective (sharing) device group association with each fifth device 410, par [0053]).
Consider claim 10, Chien discloses a method for sharing device capabilities (read as method of first device 102 for sharing resources/capabilities, figure 1, par [0022] and [0018]-[0019]), the method comprising:
transmitting, by a first device to one or more second devices, an advertisement message indicating one or more capabilities of the first device available for sharing with the one or more second devices (read as the first device 102 transmitting resource advertisement message 140 to one or more devices, where the resource advertisement message 140 indicates the type of resource 116 and information associated with it, and where resource 116 includes sharable device functions and interfaces, figure 1, par [0022]-[0025]);
receiving, by the first device from at least one second device of the one or more second devices, a response message requesting at least one capability of the one or more capabilities from the first device (corresponding to a response message) to use the resource 116 and the first device 102receives that request, figures 1 and 2, par [0025]-[0026]); and
establishing, by the first device, a connection with the at least one second device for sharing the at least one capability (read as after the first device 102 determines that the second device 120 is authenticated, the first device 102 connecting with the second device 120, at 214, to share the resource 116/capability using ad hoc connection, figures 1 and 2, par [0010], [0034] and [0041]).
However, Chien discloses the claimed invention above and the resource advertisement message 140 followed by resource sharing with the requesting device (par 0024]-[0025], [0037] and [041]) but does not specifically disclose wherein the advertisement message includes a sharing policy that indicates limit for sharing one or more capabilities, and the connection is established in accordance with the sharing policy.
Nonetheless, Patil discloses advertised lifetime control, in which first message 150 is broadcasted by first device 110 as a service discovery message (i.e. also used for advertising, see par [0053]) whose group attribute data 180 indicates service availability and includes lifetime value 134; the lifetime value states the duration during which the service is available; receiving second device 120 joins the data path group, sets lifetime counter 122 from the advertised value, participates while the counter remains unexpired and disassociates at expiration; the advertised lifetime value and counter control corresponds to a duration sharing policy which governing the resulting service association, figure 1, par [0040]-[0042], [0045] [0048]-[0049] and [0051].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Patil into the teachings of Chien, to configure Chien’s resource advertisement and sharing connection using Patil’s lifetime value and expiration controlled participation, in order to inform requesting devices how long the advertised resource remains available and end access automatically when that period expires, reducing disassociation signaling (see par [0022] and [0029] of Patil).
Consider claim 11, as applied to claim 10 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the one or more capabilities comprise at least one of a computing capability, a connectivity capability, a sensing capability, an energy capability, a distributed computing capability, a power capability, a battery capability, a memory capability, a storage capability, or a hardware capability (read as the resource 116 may include data associated with a camera, a microphone, a satellite interface, a wireless interface, a cellular interface, or a combination thereof; when the resource 116 is associated with an external device, the resource 116 may include data received by the first device 102 from a multimedia capture device, a sensor array, a drone aircraft, or a combination thereof, figures 1 and 2, par [0010], [0022]-[0023] and [0041]).
Consider claim 12, as applied to claim 10 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the advertisement message further indicates an exchange system for sharing the one or more capabilities (read as the resource advertisement message 140 including an offer price for sharing resource 116, and a sharing arrangement implemented through payment, credits, bids and counteroffers; for example, the second device 120 would accept that price or submit a bid price, and the resource 116 is shared in exchange for payment at that offer price, par [0012], [0025] and [0031]).
Consider claim 13, as applied to claim 12 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the exchange system is one of a pre-grant exchange, a barter exchange, or a charge exchange (read as the message 140 includes an offer price, the second device 120 would accept that price or submit a bid price, and the resource 116 is shared in exchange for payment at that offer price, par [0012] and [0031]).
Consider claim 15, as applied to claim 10 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses forming, by the first device, a respective device group association with each second device of the one or more second devices (read as processor 102 of first device 102 carries out sharing operations, including receiving response request 142 from second devices 120 and determining whether the second device 120 is known or authenticated, establishing an ad hoc connection and trust relationship for sharing, then sharing resource 116 with the second device 120, which corresponding to the processor 104 forming a respective device (sharing) group association with each of the second device 120 participating in the sharing operations, par [0010], [0011], [0019] and [0027]-[0028]).
Consider claim 16, as applied to claim 15 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the device group association is one of a permanent association or an ad hoc association Consider claim 7, as applied to claim 6 above, Chien discloses wherein the device group association is one of a permanent association or an ad hoc association (read as the first device 102 forming the ad hoc connection with other devices such as second device 120 after authentication, par [0010], [0011], [0019] and [0027]-[0028]).
Consider claim 17, as applied to claim 10 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the connection is established via one or more third devices (read as in one case which the first device 102 and second device 120 do not communicate directly, but instead communicate via arbitration server 420, which the arbitration server 420 forwarding data associated with resource between them, par [0014], [0053], [0056] and [0061]; alternative, fifth device 410 in figure 4 (par [0053]) would be read as the claimed “one or more third devices”).
Consider claim 18, as applied to claim 17 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses forming, by the first device, a respective device group association with each third device of the one or more third devices (read as the processor of first device 402 (102 in figure 1) controls the operations of first device 402/102 and brings the first device 402/102 into a sharing relationship with second device 404 (120 in figure 1) by communicating with arbitration server 420, authenticating through arbitration server 420, and using arbitration server 420 for resource sharing operations, which corresponding to the processor being configured to form a respective (sharing) device group association each third device participating in the sharing operations, par [0014], [0053], [0055] and [0061]; alternatively, the processor of first device is forming respective (sharing) device group association with each fifth device 410, par [0053]).
Consider claim 19, Chien discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium of a first device having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors (read as the first device 102 includes a processor 104 and a memory 106, with memory 106 storing instructions executable by processor 104 to perform operations, figure 1, par [0019]), cause the one or more processors to:
output, for transmission to one or more second devices, an advertisement message indicating one or more capabilities of the first device available for sharing with the one or more second devices (read as the first device 102 transmitting resource advertisement message 140 to one or more devices, where the resource advertisement message 140 indicates the type of resource 116 and information associated with it, and where resource 116 includes sharable device functions and interfaces, figure 1, par [0022]-[0025]);
receive, from at least one second device of the one or more second devices, a response message requesting at least one capability of the one or more capabilities from the first device (read as based on the received resource advertisement message 140, the second device 120 sends a request (corresponding to a response message) to use the resource 116 and the first device 102receives that request, figures 1 and 2, par [0025]-[0026]); and
establish a connection with the at least one second device for sharing the at least one capability (read as after the first device 102 determines that the second device 120 is authenticated, the first device 102 connecting with the second device 120, at 214, to share the resource 116/capability using ad hoc connection, figures 1 and 2, par [0010], [0034] and [0041]).
However, Chien discloses the claimed invention above and the resource advertisement message 140 followed by resource sharing with the requesting device (par 0024]-[0025], [0037] and [041]) but does not specifically disclose wherein the advertisement message includes a sharing policy that indicates limit for sharing one or more capabilities, and the connection is established in accordance with the sharing policy.
Nonetheless, Patil discloses advertised lifetime control, in which first message 150 is broadcasted by first device 110 as a service discovery message (i.e. also used for advertising, see par [0053]) whose group attribute data 180 indicates service availability and includes lifetime value 134; the lifetime value states the duration during which the service is available; receiving second device 120 joins the data path group, sets lifetime counter 122 from the advertised value, participates while the counter remains unexpired and disassociates at expiration; the advertised lifetime value and counter control corresponds to a duration sharing policy which governing the resulting service association, figure 1, par [0040]-[0042], [0045] [0048]-[0049] and [0051].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Patil into the teachings of Chien, to configure Chien’s resource advertisement and sharing connection using Patil’s lifetime value and expiration controlled participation, in order to inform requesting devices how long the advertised resource remains available and end access automatically when that period expires, reducing disassociation signaling (see par [0022] and [0029] of Patil).
Consider claim 20, as applied to claim 19 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses wherein the one or more capabilities comprise at least one of a computing capability, a connectivity capability, a sensing capability, an energy capability, a distributed computing capability, a power capability, a battery capability, a memory capability, a storage capability, or a hardware capability (read as the resource 116 may include data associated with a camera, a microphone, a satellite interface, a wireless interface, a cellular interface, or a combination thereof; when the resource 116 is associated with an external device, the resource 116 may include data received by the first device 102 from a multimedia capture device, a sensor array, a drone aircraft, or a combination thereof, figures 1 and 2, par [0010], [0022]-[0023] and [0041]).
Claims 5 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chien (US 20160072804 A1) in view of in view of Patil et al. (US 20150341447 A1), and in further view of Zacks (US 20230084085 A1).
Consider claim 5, as applied to claim 1 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses the claimed invention above with advertisement message 140 (par [0024]) and a trust relationship maybe established for sharing the resource using of level of trust (par [0011] and [0022]) but does not specifically disclose wherein the advertisement message further indicates a reputation score indicating a level of trustworthiness for the first device.
Nonetheless, Zacks discloses transmitting advertised message as beacon which including trust metric of the transmitting device, wherein trust level is self-advertised to other devices and trust level indicates trustworthiness, par [0017], [0047], [0057]-[0058] and [0066].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zacks into the teachings of Chien, which modified by Patil, to configure Chien’s resource advertisement message 140 using Zack’s advertised message technique that carries and advertises a trust metric for the transmitting device, in order to improve security and allow the second device 120 to evaluate whether if first device 102 is sufficiently trustworthy before any further communications.
Consider claim 14, as applied to claim 10 above, Chien, as modified by Patil, discloses the claimed invention above with advertisement message 140 (par [0024]) and a trust relationship maybe established for sharing the resource using of level of trust (par [0011] and [0022]) but does not specifically disclose wherein the advertisement message further indicates a reputation score indicating a level of trustworthiness for the first device.
Nonetheless, Zacks discloses transmitting advertised message as beacon which including trust metric of the transmitting device, wherein trust level is self-advertised to other devices and trust level indicates trustworthiness, par [0017], [0047], [0057]-[0058] and [0066].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zacks into the teachings of Chien, which modified by Patil, to configure Chien’s resource advertisement message 140 using Zack’s advertised message technique that carries and advertises a trust metric for the transmitting device, in order to improve security and allow the second device 120 to evaluate whether if first device 102 is sufficiently trustworthy before any further communications.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Junpeng Chen whose telephone number is (571) 270-1112. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony S Addy can be reached on 571-272-7795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Junpeng Chen/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
Prosecution Insights